Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

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scripture_n	day_n	lord_n	week_n	4,824	5	10.7096	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A34964	The church-history of Brittany from the beginning of Christianity to the Norman conquest under Roman governours, Brittish kings, the English-Saxon heptarchy, the English-Saxon (and Danish) monarchy ... : from all which is evidently demonstrated that the present Roman Catholick religion hath from the beginning, without interruption or change been professed in this our island, &c. / by R.F., S. Cressy of the Holy Order of S. Benedict.	Cressy, Serenus, 1605-1674.	1668 (1668)	Wing C6890; ESTC R171595	1,241,234	706

in devotion and partly with an intention of gaining instruction in Ecclesiasticall matters Moreover we are certainly informed that in Africk Asia Egypt Greece and all other ●●rts of the world through which the Church is spread how different soever the inhabitants be in language and manners yet they all universally celebrate Easter at the same time with us So that these Scotts and their complices the Picts and Brittains inhabitants of two remote Islands and not all of them neither are the only persons which with a foolish obstinacy contend against the whole world 9. Whilst Wilfred was thus speaking Colman interrupted him saying I wonder you will call our practise foolish since no man can deny but that therein we follow the example of so great an Apostle as S. Iohn dignified by our Lord to be permitted to lye in his bosom and who certainly can not be charged with folly 10. Hereto Wilfrid replied God forbid that any of us should impute folly to S. Iohn for observing litterally the Rites of Moyses his Law at a time when the Christian Church did as yet Iudaize because it was not possible for the Apostles on a sudden to cast off all the Legall observances The Iewish Church therefore at first being the only true Church of God the Gentiles who were converted when they were admitted into it were obliged not only to cast away all their Idols invented by the Devill but likewise in many countreys where the Iews abounded to conform to many of their Rites for fear of giving scandall to them Hence it was that S. Paul circumcised Timothy that he offred Sacrifices in the Temple and together with Aquila and Priscilla at Corinth cutt off his haire in sign that he had made a vow all which Ceremonies were in themselves of no proffit at all but were done by him because he would not offend the Iewes And upon this ground it was that the Apostle S. Iames said to the same S. Paul Thou seest Brother how many thousands among the Iews there are who beleive and are withall extremely zealous for Legall Observances c. But notwithstanding these practises of the Apostles in the beginning yet now that the Gospell is clearly preach'd and beleived through the world there is no necessity yea it would be unlawfull either to be circumcised or to offer carnall sacrifices to God Therefore it was that S. Iohn in a charitable complyance with the Iews according to their custom celebrated the Paschall Solemnity on the fourteenth day of the first Month at even not regarding whether that day hapned to be a Sabbath or any other day of the Week 11. But as for S. Peter he preached at Rome and considering that it was on the first day of the Week that our Lord rose from the dead therby giving the world hope likewise of a resurrection he understood that Easter was so to be celebrated that according to the precept of the Law the fourteenth day of the Moon of the first Month was first to be expected as S. Iohn did also in the East And that day being come if it hapned that the next following was Sunday call'd in Scripture our Lords day or first of the Week then at even of the Sabbath day he began to celebrate the Paschall Solemnity But if the next day after the fourteenth Moon was not Sunday but the Sixteenth Seaventeenth or so following to the one and twentieth he expected till Sunday came and the Saturday-even before he began the Paschal Feast Thus Easter-day being a Sunday was observed from the fifteenth Moon till the one and twentieth Neither does this Evangelicall and Apostolick Tradition dissolve but fullfill the Law by which the Paschal Feast is to be observed from the even of the fourteenth Moon of the first Month untill the even of the one and twentieth Moon of the same Month. Which Observance is imitated by all S. Iohns Successours after his death and by the Vniversall Church through the world And that this is indeed the true Easter and only to be observed by all Christians hath been not newly ordained but confirmed as an ancient practise by the first General Nicene Council as Ecclesiasticall History informs us 12. Hence it is manifest O Colman that you Scotts neither follow the example of S. Iohn what ever you pretend and you directly contradict the Tradition of S. Peter so that in Observing Easter you neither conform to the Law nor Gospell For S. Iohn observing the Paschal time according to the Letter of the Law had no regard whether it was our Lords day or no Wheras you keep it only on our Lords day And S. Peter observed it from the fifteenth to the one and twentieth Moon but you from the fourteenth to the twentieth insomuch as you oft begin that Solemnity on the thirteenth Moon at even for which the Law it self gives no warrant Neither did our Lord himself the Authour of the Gospell either eat the ancient Pasch on that day but on the fourteenth Moon at even or deliver the Sacraments of the New Law to be observed by the Church Moreover by your disorderly observance you sometimes exclude the one and twentieth Moon from your Solemnity which yet the Law commands to be celebrated most solemnly Thus as I said in your Rite you neither agree with S. Iohn nor S. Peter you are neither conformable to the Law nor Gospel 13. Against this discourse of Wilfrid Colman thus obiected Will you presume to say that Anatholius a Holy man and highly commended in Ecclesiasticall Story did in his iudgment contradict both the Law and Gospell who yet wrote that the Feast of Easter was to be observed from the fourteenth Moon to the twentieth Or is it credible that our most Reverend Father Columba and his Successours did teach contrary to Divine Scriptures when as their Sanctity has been attested by many celestiall Miracles For my part being assured that they are Saints I will never desist following their practises and Discipline 14. Here to Wilfrid reioynd It is not to be doubted said he but that Anatholius was a man of admirable Sanctity and learning But why doe you alledge him since you doe not somuch as observe his Decrees For he in his Paschall Computation observing the Rule of Truth placed the Cycle of Nineteen years or Golden Number Which Cycle either you are ignorant of or if you understand it you impudently despise it though in use through the whole Church He did so compute the fourteenth Moon in the Sunday on which he perform'd the Paschal Feast that on the same day at even he according to the Egyptian custom confessed that it was the fifteenth Moon In like manner he did so reckon the twentieth Moon in his account on the Easter Sunday that the declining part of that day he attributed to the one and twentieth Moon Now it is manifest that you are ignorant of his distinction since some times you celebrate your Paschal Solemnity before full-Moon that is when

Rudborn in the greater Chronicle of the Church of Winchester further shews the speciall affection that King Lucius bore to that Church and the Immunities which he bestowd on it The glorious and most Christian King Lucius saith he perceiving how by the two holy men Fugatius and Duvianus his Kingdom did wonderfully increase in the Worship of God taught by true Faith and being therfore replenishd with great ioy he converted to a better use the possessions and territories formerly possess'd by the Temples of the Flamens transferring them to the Churches of the Faithfull and he not only added more and larger Mannors and lands but advanced them likewise with all sorts of Priviledges And particularly touching the Church of Winchester which in his affection he in a speciall manner preferd before others he raisd it from the very foundations And before he had perfected the whole work he built a little habitation an Oratory Dormitory and Refectory for the Monks design'd by him to dwell there Having finishd the entire building in the fifth year after his Conversion the foresayd Prelats and Monks Fugatius and Duvianus dedicated it to the honour of our holy Saviour on the fourth of the Calends of November in the year of Grace one hundred Sixty nine and filld it with Monks who devoutly served our Lord there constituting the Abbot of the place a certain Monk called Den●tus The same excellent Prince likewise resolved to conferr on the Bishop and Monks of that Church of Winchester all the possessions and farms which anciently belonged to the Flamens of the same Citty together with all their Priviledges and Immunities 5. What those Priviledges were the same Authour a little after thus declares saying The foresaid most Christian King Lucius bestow'd on the said Church newly founded by him the Suburbs of the Citty of Winchester together with the Priviledge of Dunwallo Molmutius Which Dunwallo as Moratius Gildas and Geffrey of Monmouth also testify was the sixteenth King of the Brittains And being extremely zealous in his Heathenish Superstition he enacted Lawes famous till the dayes of King William the Conquerour under the Title of Molmutian Lawes by which he ordained That the Citties and Temples of their Idoll-Gods as likewise the high wayes leading to them together with the Farms of their Tenants and husbandmen should enioy the immunity of Sanctuary Insomuch as if any Malefactour should seek refuge there he might safely depart though his adversary were present Now by means of such endowments and Priviledges the Church of Winchester enioyd its possessions in all tranquillity dayly singing the praises of God the space of one hundred and two years to wit from the first year of the most Christian King Lucius his Conversion to the second year of the Tyrant Diocletian Thus writeth this Authour though he faile somewhat in his Chronology Which defect is rectified by the ancient Authour of the Book of Antiquities of the Church of Winchester who numbers exactly one hundred years from King Lucius his Conversion to the first year of Diocletian during which time the said Monks quietly served God in their Monastery 6. If any one have the curiosity to enquire what the Rule and Institut of these ancient Monks were the foresaid Thomas Rudburn will satisfy him presently adding That S. Faganus and Duvianus filld that Church with Monks devoutly serving and praising God and profess'd according to the Rule delivered by S. Mark the Evangelist 7. Now the order and manner of the Rule prescribed by S. Mark is thus declared by Cassianus an ancient Writer of the Church In the beginning of the Christian Faith saith he a very few and those of approved sanctity were dignified with the Title of Monks Which men as they receiv'd their Rule of living from S. Mark the Euangelist first Bishop of Alexandria of blessed Memory they did not content themselves with retaining the order of living practis'd by the Primitive Christians concerning which wee read in the Acts of the Apostles That all the multitude of beleivers were of one soule Neither did any one esteem that which he possessed to be his own but they had all things common For those who were possessors of lands or houses sold them and brought the price laying it at the Apostles feet Which was divided to every one according to their need But besids this the ancient Monks aspired to other practises more sublime For retiring themselves into the most secret places of the suburbs there they lead a life so austere and with such rigorous abstinence that even those who were strangers to Christian Religion were astonish'd at it For with so wonderfull fervour they attended day and night to the reading of holy Scripture prayer and labouring with their hands that neither the appetite nor so much as thought of meat did interrupt their abstinence except every second or third day and then they received food not to satisfie their desire but meer necessity And neither did they this till after Sun-set so dividing their time as to make the Light accompany the exercise of their spirituall Meditations and darknes the care of their Bodies These and besides these many other more perfect and sublime were the practises of the Ancient Monks Thus Cassianus 8. Such were the Monks who first possess'd the Church of Winchester and in such holy exercises they continued till the Tempest of the persecution raised by the Tyrant Diocletian dissipated them After which in a short time they were restored and the Church consecrated by Constantius Bishop of Winchester in the year of Grace three hundred and nine taking its new name from S. Amphibalus who together with Saint Alban was crow'nd with Martyrdom at which time the Abbot was named Deodatus Hence it is that Gildas the most ancient of all our Historians mentions it under that Title where he relates how the sons of Mordred to avoyd the cruelty of Constantin fled thither But in vain For the Tyrant not regarding the Sanctity and Priviledge of the place took the sons of Mordred and murdred one of them before the Altar of the Church of S. Amphibalus at Winchester whither he had fled for Sanctuary 9. The same Church afterward suffred another Ecclipse when the barbarous Infidell-Saxons profan'd and layd wast all the sacred places of this Island But not long after the same Saxons having by Gods mercy embraced that Faith which they formerly persecuted repaired with advantage all the ruins they had made And particularly this Church and Monastery of Winchester called afterwards de Hida was restored with far greater splendour and magnificence then ever before And thus it with the rest continued for many Ages fortified with the Charters of Kings encreased by the Devotion of the people secured by the Bulls of Popes and the Curses of Prelats against all tyrannous usurpations till by the schism avarice lust and fury of King Henry the eighth more fatall to the Church then the savage cruelty of heathenish

By means of which frequent taking away the dust a trench of no small depth and largenes was made in the place His name therefore is deservedly commemorated in our Martyrologe and the Roman likewise among the Saints on the Nones of Iuly 2. S. Hedda being dead the Bishoprick of that Province saith the same Authour was divided into two Dioceses one whereof was given to Daniel who governs the same to this day that is to the year of Grace seaven hundred thirty one in which S. Beda concluded his History and the other to S. Aldelm who worthily administred the same the space of four years Both these men were eminently skilfull in Ecclesiasticall affairs and in the doctrine of Holy Scriptures 3. S. Beda does not mention the name of the Episcopall See assigned to Daniel but other Authours doe generally agree that it was Winchester which he governed forty years As for S. Aldelm the Seat of his Bishoprick was Shirburn in the Province of the Durotriges or Dorsetshire in which a few of his Successours continued till the Episcopall See was afterward translated to Sarū or Salisbury 4. These were two Prelats of eminent learning and illustrious starrs of the West-Saxon Kingdom As touching Daniel we shall shew hereafter how S. Boniface the glorious Apostle of the Germans frequently consulted him in difficulties occurring about the discharge of that sublime office Hence it is that Bishop Godwin gives this Character of him Daniel was a man excellently learned and wrote many volumes amongst others these following Of the affairs of the Province of the South-Saxons Of the Life of the Holy Bishop Cedda Of the affairs of the Isle of Wight All which are now lost 5. As for S. Aldelm he was frō his youth bred up in learning and piety by S. Ma●dulf a Scottish Hermi● from whom the famous Monastery of Malmsbury received its name for many devout persons moved with the fame of his Sanctity had recourse to him in that solitude by whom they were coenobitically governed and a Monastery was there erected by Kenwalch King of the West-Saxons In the year six hundred and seaventy S Maidulfus dying Saint Aldelm succeeded Abbot in his place And five years after the said Monastery was endowed by the liberality of Leutherius Bishop of the West-Saxons upon the suggestion of S. Aldelm For before that time the Monks lived there only upon courtesy Thirteen years after he attended King Cedwalla to Rome where he obtained from Pope Sergius a Breif of Priviledges and immunities to his Abbey How in the year of Grace six hundred ninety two he was appointed by a Synod to write to a certain Prince of Cornwall called Geruntius a Book in confutation of the Brittains erroneous observation of Easter and other miscariages hath heretofore been declared At last this year he was upon the death of S. Hedda ordained a Bishop of the West-Saxons and as hath been said kept his Episcopall residence at Shireburn 6. Being thus made a Bishop he gave a full and free authority to his Monks of Malmsbury to chuse their Abbot But their duty and affection to him was such that during his life they would acknowledge no other Spirituall Father Only they humbly petitioned him to grant them the Priviledge after his death to elect their own Abbot And that such Election should not pertain to the Bishop as the custom was in Kent by the Ordinance of King Withred but descend to the Monks This Priviledge S. Aldelm granted not only to them but to all other Monasteries which he had founded And moreover caused his Indult to be confirmed by the Subscription of K. Ina and of Daniel Bishop of Winchester Authentick Copies are still extant of this Indult and Priviledge granted both by S. Aldelm and King Ina in the Register of the said Abbey of Malmsbury Concerning this holy Bishop S. Aldelm more remains to be said when we come to speak of his death In the mean time the affairs of Germany happily managed by S. Swibert and his blessed companions recall us thither II. CHAP. i. 2 c. Swiberts Preaching and miraculous freeing a man possessed by the Devill 1. SAint Swibert after he had successfully preached the Gospell to the Inhabitants of Brunswick and other neighbouring Nations directed his steps to a people called Boructuarians or Prussians lying more Northerly and yet more savage then the former Concerning his progresse in their conversion we have this account from his companion S. Marcellinus Assoon as he was entred that Province saith he he instilled the saving Mysteries and precepts of the Gospell into their foolish and blind hearts and enlightned their savage minds with the luster of divine Truth being glorious among them in his preaching and holy in his actions So that turning them from their profane superstitions to the Faith of Christ he confirmed them in the same Faith by many wonderfull miracles But the multitude o● Converts encreasing the Devils envy likewise encreased who enraged to see so many escape his snares earnestly endeavoured by his malicious instruments either to kill him or expell him from that Province 2. On a certain day therefore as he was preaching to a great multitude of Pagans their sacrilegious Preists drunk with the Idolatrous cupp of Babylon sett violently upon him and after they had beaten him with their fists rodds and stones they endeavoured to drive him out of their coasts But by the industry of certain courageous Christians he was taken out of their hands and for a few days was concealed by them for they durst not kill him out of fear least their Governour should be offended But presently after the Holy Bishop renewd his preaching among them and dayly baptized great numbers which despising their Idols publickly confessed the Name of Christ. 3. Consequently the same Holy Writer declares how by occasion of the Devills malice the Faith of Christ became more illustrious among that people For saith he on a certain time in a village of the Boructuarians a Rich and potent man named Ethelhere was possessed by the Devill insomuch as they were forced to bind him with chains because he endeavoured to bite all that came near him and tore his own cloaths Now the same Ethelhere was one of those who had persecuted and incited others to persecute the Holy Bishop and was the first that had the boldnes to smite him with a staff This man being thus dayly in a horrible manner tormented by the devill it hapned on a certain day in the presence of severall Pagan Preists and others who came to visit and condole with him that the Devill cryed out Except Swibert servant of the living God and Bishop of the Christians come hither I will not depart out of this man And when he oft more and more loudly repeated the same words the Idolatrous Preists and other freinds of the Demoniack went away in great confusion and perplexity what they should doe At last they all agreed that Saint

did not enter into that See till the year of Grace seaven hundred thirty five And indeed that seems to have been one of the last things he ever wrote for in it he complains of his age and sicknes Neither would it have been very seemly for a simple Monk to write instructions of that Nature to an eminent Father of the Church but that the advantage authority of age might iustify it 17. Many Books he has written of great curiosity and subtilty but his cheif delight was to meditate and interpret Holy Scriptures which he did with so unwearied a diligence that he allowed no time o● leasure for the Devill or the flesh to tempt him And particularly concerning his Expositions of Scripture he says That if they brought no other proffit to the Readers at least they were beneficiall to himself in this that whilst he employed his whole studies on them he avoyded all vain thoughts of wordly things 18. A principall encourager and inciter of him to proceed in such expositions was the Reverend and Holy Bishop Acca the successour of S. Wilfrid in the Episcopall See of ●●gustald as William of Malmsbury testifies There is still extant a Letter of Acca to him in which he exhorts him to explain the Gospell of S. Luke with a iust Commentary after he had finished that upon the Acts of the Apostles Many others had desired the same thing from him but he deferred or rather excused the labour partly for the difficulty and likewise because S. Ambrose had left a sufficient explanation of the Gospell But these reasons not satisfying the Holy Bishop Acca who told him that the commentary of S. Ambrose it self needed an Interpretation Hereupon S. Beda delayd no longer but in an Answer testifyed his Obedience Which Letter also he prefixed to the same Commentary 19. Such his Expositions of Holy Scriptures were even in his own age of so reverend esteem that by an Ordonnance of an English Synod they were received into the Ecclesiasticall Office and at this day by the consent of the Vniversall Church many Lessons on severall occasions are publickly read in the Church-Service out of his Homilies 20. It is not unexpedient to treat so particularly concerning S. Beda's study meditation and explanation of Holy Scripture to stop the mouths of Modern Sectaries who vainly impute the pretended Errours and Superstitions of Catholicks to their ignorance in Scripture Whereas we see a holy mortified disinteressed person who spent his whole life in prayer and Meditation on Scripture and yet confidently taught those Doctrins and Practises which such men will needs call Superstitions Errours 21. I will conclude this Discourse of this Holy Doctours Life with those words which he is sayd a little before his death to have spoken to his Disciples If by my labours and study I have in any measure proffited you or the Church of God render mee I beseech you this requitall to be mindfull of mee after my death there where Christ our Lord is every day both the Preist and Sacrifice of Propitiation XXV CHAP. 1.2 c. The order and circumstances of the happy Death of S. Beda 1. AS touching S. Beda's happy departure out of this Life to God there is still exitant an Epistle written by one of his Disciples whose name I suppose was Cuthbert afterwards Abbot of his Monastery It is written with great sincerity neither is it obnoxious ●o any suspicion of being supposititious We find it annexed to the end of his Works and well deserves a place in this History The person to whom it was directed is not known and the Writers name onely guessed at But the tenour of it is as follows 2. The small Gift you were pleased to send mee I gratefully received and your devout Letter I read with much consolation especially finding in it that your Community does carefully celebrate Masses and Prayers for our Beloved Master and Father in God Beda Therefore being moved rather by my affection to him then any opinion of mine own ability I will most willingly acquaint you in a short discourse with the order and circumstances of his happy departure out of this world since I perceive that you desire and have requested to be informed of it 3. His last sicknes began about a forthnight before Easter and continued till the Feast of our Lords Ascention The thing which most troubled him in it was shortnes of breath other pain he had little or none During all which time he ceased not day and night to give thanks to God All this hindred him not to continue his Lessons to his Disciples at the Ordinary howers and except that short time all the rest of the day he spent in singing of Psalms with great chearfullnes of mind The whole night likewise except when sleep which was very short interrupted him he spent in Prayer and giving of thanks to God I sincerely professe I never saw nor heard of any man who so incessantly employed his time in praising God A most blessed man certainly he was He would sometimes repeat also that sencence of S. Paul It is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of God and other like passages of Holy Scripture to admonish us by meditating on our last hour to awake from spirituall sleep and negligence Again at other times he would sing certain Antiphones for both our and his own consolation Particularly in repeating one which begins thus O King of glory Lord of all power when he came to those words Leave us not orphans he broke forth into excessive weeping But he would again resume it and such was his employment all the day As for us his Disciples who attended him we could not abstain from weeping Some times wee would read and presently burst forth into tears and sometimes we would read and weep together 4. In such an exercise mixt with greif and ioy we passed the dayes of Lent till the aforesaid Feast And he would oftimes reioyce and give God thanks for his sicknes frequently saying God corrects every child whom he receives sometimes also he would repeat that speech of S. Ambrose I have not so lived among you as that I need to be ashamed neither doe I fear to dye because I have a mercifull Lord. 5. In those dayes moreover besides our dayly Lessons he accomplished two Works which deserves to be remembred for the strangenes the one was the Translation of S. Iohns Gospell into the English tongue for the Churches proffit till he came to those words in the sixth Chapter but What are these five loaves and two fishes among so many The other was a Collection of memorable passages out of S. Isidores works 6 But when the Tewsday before our Lords Ascension was come his sicknes became much more violent and breathing more difficult and besides that a swelling began to arise in his feet Yet all that day he taught and dictated to us very chearfully and he would now and then say