that there is one body and one spirit one hope of their calling one Lord one Faith one Baptisme and the Scripture testifieth that in the Apostles dayes the multitude of Believers were of one heart and of one soul Acts 4.32 The Universality of the Church is also twofold in time and in place this later was foretold by the Prophet Moses relating Gods promise made to Abraham of an ample posterity and that all the nations of the earth should be blessed in his seed Gen. 22.18 Gal. 3.8 by the Royall Psalmist declaring that God the Father would give unto his Son the heathen for his inheritance and the uttermost part of the earth for his possession Psal 2.8 and that he should have dominion from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth Psal 72.8 and by the Prophet Isaiah affirming that all nations shall flow to the mountain of the Lords house Isa 2. v. 2. For the accomplishment of these Prophecies our Blessed Saviour declared Luke 24. v. 44. that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses aend in the Prophets and in the Psalmes concerning him and v. 47. that repentance and remission of sinnes should be preached in his name among all uations beginning at Jerusalem and for the performance hereof he gave a commission unto his Apostles to teach all nations Matth. 28.19 and to preach the Gospel to every creature Mar. 19. v. 15. That the Church of Christ should be universall for time and continue perpetually unto the worlds end it was plainly foretold by the Prophet Isaiah who speaking of our B. Saviour saith that of the encrease of his government and peace there shall be no end Vpon the throne of David and upon his kingdome shall he sit to order it and to establish it with judgement and with justice from henceforth even for ever and that no doubt may be made of the performance hereof the Prophet addes the zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this And by the Prophet Daniel affirming that in the dayes of those Kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdome which shall not be left to other people but it shall break in pieces and consume all those kingdomes and it shall stand for ever Dan. 2.44 All which was confirmed by the Angel Gabriel saying The Lord shall give unto Christ the throne of his Father David and he shall reign over the house of Jacob and of his kingdome there shall be no end Luke 1. ver 32 33. For the perpetuall settlement and establishing of this Church Christ said unto S. Peter Vpon this rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it Matth. 16.18 Touching the sanctity of the Church of Christ God by the Prophet Ezekiel saith I will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore and the heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctifie Israel when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore Ezek 37. v. 26 28. and by the Prophet Malachi Mal. 1.11 From the rising of the sunne even to the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name and a peace-offering Unto this sanctity our Blessed Saviour exhorts us saying Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in heaven Matth. 5.16 and Mark 7. v. 13 14. Enter ye in at the strait gate for strait is the gate and narrow the way which leadeth unto life and few there be that find it And teaching how to distinguish the good from the bad he saith v. 20. By their fruits ye shall know them As for Apostolicall succession S. Paul saith Ephes 4. v. 11 12 13. that Christ gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastours and teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the ministery for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come into the unity of faith and of the unity of the Sonne of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ that is as Doctour Fulk against the Rhem. Test in Ephes 4. sect 4. fol. 335. and Mr. Calvin in his Instit cap. 8. de fide sect 37 38. pag. 233. 234. do expound for ever As for the second point whether the Church of Christ can erre or no S Augustine saith that neither the violence of heathens nor the subtilty of hereticks can overthrow it which agrees with our Savionrs promise Matth. 16.18 that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it and to preserve her from all errour and heresie Christ promised to be alwayes with her even to the worlds end Matth. 28.20 and God made this covenant with her Isa 59.21 My spirit that is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever by which words saith Mr. Calvin in Comment hujus loci God promiseth that the Church shall never be deprived of this inestimable benefit to be governed by the Holy Ghost and to be suported by heavenly doctrine and to this effect he sent down the Holy Ghost to teach the Church all truth and to remain with her for ever Joh. 16.13 Joh. 14.16 Thus thou seest how S. Augustines instructions for finding out the truth are grounded in Scripture but more expressely in S. Pauls doctrine who tells us Rom. 10.17 that faith cometh by hearing and hearing is by the word of God if we ask him how men may come to heare the word of God he answers v. 14 15. How shall they hear without a preacher and how shall they preach unlesse they be sent So that faith is bred in men by hearing and believing the word of God made known unto them by preachers lawfully sent which preachers as he saith to the Ephesians Ephes 4. v. 11 12 13. are alwayes to be found in the Church of Christ and are placed there ver 14. that from henceforth we be no more children tossed to fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the sleighs of men and cunning craftinesse whereby they lie in wait to deceive which is an office that cannot be performed by men that are frail and subject to errour unles the Lord by his divine assistance doth preserve them from erring Doctour Field having considered the facility and solidity of this method doth advise all those to practise it that desire to be satisfied in matters of Religion in these terms Epist dedic of the Church Seeing the controversies in our time are grown in number so many and in nature so intricate that few have time and leisure fewer strength of understanding to examine them what remaineth for men desirous
Glory and Dominion through all ages for ever Amen FINIS THE PROFIT OF BELIEVING Very usefull Both for all those that are not yet resolved what Religion they ought to embrace And for them that desire to know whither their Religion be true or no. Written by S. Augustine LONDON Printed by ROGER DANIEL In Lovels Court near Pauls Church-yard 1651. The Preface To the well-disposed READER Learned Reader I Know thou art not ignorant that of all the affairs and businesses in this world there is none of that consequence and importance unto thee as the saving of thy soul and that our Blessed Saviour who knew best of all the mestimable value thereof and vouchsafed to redeem it at so dear a rate as with his own pretious bloud plainly declared the importance thereof when he said in the Gospel Mat. 16.16 What is a man profited if he shall gain the world nnd loose his own soul Or what shall he give in exchange thereof Wherefore let me advise thee to seek out and embrace the true Faith and Religion for that without such a Faith according to the Apostle Heb. 11.6 it is impossible to please God and without pleasing of him it is impossible to be saved If thou thinkest that thou hast found out the truth already and that thou dost embrace it then give me leave to tell thee that the world at this present abounds with an hundred heresies at least the embracers whereof shall not according to S. Pauls doctrine Gal. 5.20 inherit the kingdome of God and yet as the same Apostle doth affirm Ephes 4.5 there is but one Lord one Faith one Baptisme so that it is an hundred to one but that thy Faith and thy Religion are false and thy salvation is in danger thereby Is there not then great reason that thou shouldest well consider whither the Faith and Religion which thou embracest be true or no when upon this resolution depends thy fruition of unspeakable blisse or intolerable suffering of endlesse pains for all eternity How to find out the true Faith Religion it is a matter of very great difficulty not onely by reason that there are many faiths and religions in the world and of all these there is but one true and all the rest be false but also for that the controversies debated now adayes are so many and so intricate that few have leasure to study them and fewer ability to conceive and understand them yet the zeal of learned Writers hath not been wanting to satisfie men herein But what age since the Apostles dayes hath brought forth any man so able to perform so great a task as was that incomparable Doctor S. Augustine lib. 3. de Eccles fol. 170. who as Doctour Field asserteth was the greatest and chiefest of the antient Fathers and the most famous of all the Divines which the Church hath had since the Apostles time and as Doctour Covell affirmeth in his answer to Master Burges pag. 3. hath farre excelled all others that have been or are like to be hereafter those onely excepted that were inspired by the Holy Ghost both in Divine and Humane knowledge What man since the Apostles dayes could ever so well discern true doctrine from false truth from errour and true faith from heresie as could that great S. Augustine who did not onely like another David fight against the Goliah of one heresie but like another Joshua fought the battels of the Lord against all the force and power of heresie in his dayes for fourty years together Wherefore if this great Doctour should have left any advises or instructions behinde him unto any of his dear friends that were then hereticks whereby he taught them how to find out the true faith and religion amongst so many heresies ought not such instructions to be greatly desired and if any such could be found to be highly esteemed and diligently perused Surely thou wilt say that coming from so great a Doctour and being so proper and necessary fot these times without doubt they ought Why then Learned Reader give me leave to present unto thee a learned Treatise of his which he sent unto his dear and learned friend Honoratus to draw him from the Manichean heresie to the true Religion I durst not presume to tender it unto thee in this poor English habit were I not confident that thou seekest more after the true Religion and the saving of thy soul then after vain eloquence the entising words of humane wisdome 1 Cor. 2.4 but I will assure thee under this poore attire thou wilt find a rich and a learned discourse of great S. Augustine not onely very profitable for those that are not yet resolved in point of Religion but also for them that dere to be satisfied whither the faith and Religion which they embrace be true or no. If the stile be displeasing and ungratefull unto thee know that very many of the African Fathers have harsh stiles besides consider how hard a matter it is to teach a native African to speak true English In this work first he shews how the old Testament is to be expounded and defends the Authority of it against the Manichees that rejected it Secondly he overthrowes that Manichean principle That nothing is to be believed in point of Faith which is not first by reason made manifest and evident unto the Believer In the third place he adviseth fervent and frequent prayer peace and tranquility of mind and a sequestration of affections from terrene things as aids necessary for the finding out the truth then declaring that Christ hath raised a very great and a famous Church consisting of all Nations which is to continue very visible and conspicuous even to the worlds end he exhorts Honoratus to addresse himself unto the Pastours and Teachers thereof and to learn of them the true faith and Religion This way of proceeding to find out the truth is far more short and easie then by the examination of all the points of controverted doctrine by their conformity to the holy Scriptures for it consists in two points onely first in seeking out which of all the Churches is the Church of Christ and secondly whither this Church can erre or no. For the finding out of the Church S. Augustine proposed four marks unto Honoratus Unity Universality Sanctity and Apostolicall Succession the which are set down very plainly in Scripture The Unity of the Church is twofold in body and in faith in regard of the first our Saviour saith his Church is one fold and hath one shep-heard Joh. 10.16 and the Apostle calls it one body 1 Cor. 12.13 In respect of the second S. Paul earnestly exhorted the Corinthians 1 Cor. 1.10 to speak the same thing and that there be no division amongst them but that they be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same judgement and he beseeched the Ephesians to endeavour to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace Ephes 4.3 4 5. affirming
cruel Emperour of the Gothes after he had destroyed so many thousands by innumerable massacres wasted and consumed whole Nations not being able to suffer the countenance of S. Bennet a poor Monk fell down prostrate on his face and could scarce raise himself when the servant of God commanded and assisted him to rise In like manner Theodosius the Emperour returning to Millain after his cruel slaughter of the Thessalonians was by the authority of S. Ambrose chiding him and reviling his cruelty denied the entrance into the Church untill he had by a publick penance enjoyn'd him by the Bishop expiated his cruelty and injustice I should want time if I should recount the examples in this kind but it is not for my present purpose to prove that which by daily examples is known to all for I have often seen arrogant and wicked men in the presence of the holy and virtuous both to have changed their words and with great sorrow and compunction of heart to have reformed their lives For the divine Spirit doth adorn the exteriour both of men and women the younger with a wonderfull sweetnesse and grace the elder men with the veneration of their white hairs and makes them as the present matter requires to become now amiable to some and now again to some others formidable This effect in the exteriour proceeds out of the supernaturall bounty of the mind that is out of the grace of God adorning the understanding will and other powers of the soul which we gather hence that our soul vehemently altering our bodies by force of the imagination doth exceedingly change the countenance and visage as by lascivious thoughts the body is stirred up to lust and by the instigation of hatred it is inflamed with desire of revenge whnnce we experience that the body is much altered by force of the imagination and by the alteration of the sensible appetite and the commotion of the spirits the face and visage is straightway changed so that by fear men are wont to become pale and wan by anger and bashfulnesse red and blushing and joy and sorrow make their severall impressions in the countenance The reason is because our understanding using corporall instruments and organs what ever passes in the interiour especially any vehement conceits hath its influence into the corporall and exteriour parts especially into the face and eyes for we plainly discern in proud men an arrogance of look in the cruel a stern and fierce cast of their eyes in the light ones a subtil and unconstant deportment and in the lascivious a wanton aspect nay some malevolous old women with the very contagion of their looks are said to infect and fascinate little infants to conclude the good and evill habits of the mind especially if they have taken deep root can scarce by any dissimulation be so hidden that they appear not in the exteriour Every cause therefore likening its effect and every effect making an expression of its cause this exteriour beauty and comlinesse of Christians and this honest and venerable manner of deportment cannot proceed from any other cause then the beauty of the mind and integrity of their life Which effect we daily see to be of such virtue that as we daily experionce there is nothing to be found more energeticall and efficacious for the conversion of sinners for we experience that the examples of simple Christians living uprightly have profited men more then the perswasions of learned and eloquent Philosophers nay even the relations or beholding of miracles For we often see eloquent and learned men whilst they are preaching high and elevated subtilties of knowledge to be hearkned unto with great attention but their lives not corresponding to their words they have profited the Church very little but onely born away the reports and praises of their eloquence and wisdome In past and present Ages there have been many miracles which little conduced to the amendment of life for though we see multitudes of men flock together to see them yet if we look more diligently into it we shall find that very few have reaped the profit of bettering their lives by them but by the perfection of a virtuous Christian we both have known and seen innumerable sorry and contrite for their sins and converted unto Almighty God and those not onely of the vulgar and simple sort of people but most eminent in prudence and learning of the which very many having felt the odour of a good fame and sanctity contemning the pleasures and delights of the world have betaken themselves to these happy and religious Societies and Monasteries where loathing their former courses they passe their lives with exceeding content pleasure and sincerity Hence it is manifest that there is some virtue in Christians by which these admirable effects are produced for a body hath no substantiall influence into a spirit which we see manifestly expressed in the most formall body of all to wit the celestiall which suffer nothing from any corporall virtue for the heavens suffer not from the neighbouring fire much lesse therefore shall a spirit suffer by any corporall influence Those things therefore that are exteriour and visible in a Christian life being corporall they cannot have any proper and substantiall influence into the soul by which it may receive benefit unlesse thereby some virtue be together infused into it but in a Catholique and virtuous man the most eminent and chief virtue from which an upright institution of life exteriour beauty and holy conversation doth proceed is the immaculate Faith and Love of Christ crucified for this Faith and Love being augmented their exteriour ornaments and veneration are increased and of greater efficacy for the conversion of men Faith therefore which operates with love cannot be a deceit seeing that falsity is void of all virtue and cannot penetrate the heart of man Verity is more powerfull then falsity but there was never any virtue or remedy found more efficacious for the living well and virtuously then a Christian life as we are taught by the comparison of Philosophers and other men by whose learning and examples very few have been converted to a good life and by the life of Christians innumerable do daily rise and leade most unspotted lives and therefore a vain and erroneous falsity cannot be the ground or root of this life otherwise men would more easily be reclaim'd to the amendment of their lives by the learning and morality of Philosophers then by Christian examples which we find most false by experience Moreover Almighty God being the first mover without whom there is not the least motion and doing all things by his wisdome he subordinates the nobler effects to the nobler causes but the most excellent of all effects is a Christian life Almighty God therefore by exhortations and chiefly by internall inspirations stirring up men to this life by most conspicuous examples of the faithfull to the end that the cause may produce an effect like it self as the
should be ignorant how that all our Pathers were under the cloud Exod. 13.21 Num. 14.14 Deut. 1.33 Psal 78.14 and all passed through the sea Exod. 14.22 Josh 4 23. Psal 78.13 and were all Baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea and did all eat the same spirituall meat and did all drink the same spirituall drink for they drank of the spirituall Rock that followed them and the Rock was Christ but with many of them God was not well pleased Num. 24.28 and 26.65 for they were overthrown in the wildernesse Now these things were our figures or examples to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted Psalm 106.14 Neither let us worship Idols as some of them did as it is written Exod. 32.6 The people sate down to eat and drink and rose up to play Neither let us commit fornication as some of them did and there fell in one day three and twenty thousand men Num. 25.9 Neither let us tempt Christ as some of them tempted him and were destroyed by serpents Numb 21.6 Neither let us murmure as some of them murmured and they perished by the destroyer Numb 14.37 And all these things happened to them in a figure or for an example but they were written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come The same Apostle useth also a certain Allegory which is much to our purpose because the Manichees are wont to alledge it in their disputations and boast of it when writing to the Galathians he saith Gal. 4.22 23 24 25 26. For it is written that Abraham had two sonnes the one by a bond-maid Gen. 16.15 the other by a free-woman Gen. 21.2 but he that was by the bond-maid was born according to the flesh but he that was by the free-woman was born according to promise which things are said by an Allegory for these are the two Testaments the one from the mount Sina which gendreth to bondage which is Agar for Sina is a mountain in Arabia adjoyning to Hierusalem that now is and is in bondage with her children But Hierusalem which is above is free which is the mother of us all Here therefore those too too wicked men whilest they endeavour to frustrate the Law do enforce us to allow and approve of those Scriptures for they diligently observe that it is said that they are in bondage that are under the Law and they often alledge that last above the rest Galath 5.4 Christ is become of no effect unto you that are justified by the Law ye are falne from Grace We grant all these things to be true neither do we say that that Law is necessary but onely for â—ose unto whom bondage is yet profiâ—able and expedient and therefore thaâ—t it was fitly and commodiously ordained that such men as could not be reclaimd and withdrawn from sinning by reason ought to be constrained by sucha law namely by the threats and terrours of those punishments which even fools themselves can perceive and apprehend from which when the grace of Christ doth free us it doth not condemn that Law but it invites us for the time to come to obey his charity and not to serve and be subject to the terrour of the Law For that is a Grace that is to say a Benefit which they that yet desire to be under the bonds of the Law do not understand that the Divine Majesty hath imparted unto them whom Paul the Apostle doth deservedly reprove as though they were Infidels because they did not believe that they are now freed by our Lord Jesus Christ from that servitude and bondage whereunto they were subject for a certain time by Gods most just order and disposing Hereupon it is that the same Apostle saith Gal. 3.24 The law was our Pedagogue or usher in Christ he therefore gave unto men a Pedagogue whom they should fear who gave them afterwards a master whom they should love and yet neverthelesse in those precepts and Commandments of the Law which it is not lawfull for Christians now to use such as are either the Sabbath or Circumcision or the Sacrifices and whatsoever is of that sort so great mysteries are contained and comprehended that every godly man may understand that there is nothing more pernicious and hurtfull then that whatsoever is comprised therein should be understood according to the letter that is to the native sense of the words and nothing more wholesome and profitable then to have it expounded according to the spirit or spirituall sense and understanding hence it is that the letter killeth but the spirit quickeneth or giveth life 2 Cor. 3.6 hence it is that in the reading of the Old Testament the self same veil remaineth untaken away because in Christ it is made void vers 14. for not the Old Testament but the veile thereof is made void in Christ to the end that may be understood and made manifest by him which without him is hidden and obscure and therefore the same Apostle immediately after saith But when thou shalt turn to Christ the veil shall be taken away vers 16. but he doth not say that the Law or the Old Testament shall be taken away they are not therefore taken away by our Lords grace as though unprofitable things lay hidden and were covered there but rather the veil or cover is taken away wherewith wholesome and profitable things were covered and kept close This is the benefit which they reap and receive who with a studious and a devout mind and not with a troubled and wicked spirit do seek after the sense of those Scriptures and both the order of things and the causes of what is said and done and so great an accord of the Old Testament with the New even to the last tittle and so great mysteries and secrets of figures are clearly and plainly demonstrated and shewn that all the things that are found out by interpreting them may enforce men to confesse and grant that they are miserable and wretched that will condemn these things before they have attained to the knowledge of them Touching those words of the Apostle The letter killeth but the spirit quickneth as they are here expounded by S. Augustine he passeth this judgement that he did more conveniently in his opinion expound them in his book De Spiritu Litera though this sense is not to be rejected Lib. 1. Retract c. 14. CHAP. IV. Of three wayes whereby men fall into errour THat for the present the depth and profoundneste of knowledge and science being set aside I may so treat with thee as I think I ought to treat with my familiar friend that is as well as I can but not so well as I have admired to see very learned men been able to do there be three kinds of errout into which men may fall when they reade any thing I will speak of every one of them The first kind is when that is thought to be true which indeed
whom all things are subject For unless there were some Angells which conversed both with the dead and the living our Lord Jesus would not have sayd it came to pass that the beggar dyed and was carryed of the Angels into Abrahams bosome Therefore they could be now here now there seeing as God would have it they were used to carry him from hence unto the place of his rest The souls of the dead also may know some things by divine Revelation either of such things as be necessary for them to know or at least not necessary to be unknown and this not only of things past or present but of those also which are to come even as in times past not all men in generall were made acquainted with the Secrets of God but only Prophets and such other holy men while they lived and they not every one of them knowing all things but every one some according as the Divine Providence was pleased to reveale And that some of the dead also may be sent unto the living the Scripture it self doth testifie as contrarily S. Paul from among the Living was rapt up into Paradise for so we read the Prophet Samuel after he was dead appeared unto King Saul yet living and foretold him things to come 'T is true there are some that say it was not Samuel himself that appeared who could not they think have been so feecht up with magicall charmes but rather some evill Spirit ready and apt for such business borrowed his shape But the book we call Ecclesiasticus written as 't is commonly said by Jesus the Son of Sirach but for resemblance of stile and eloquence not unlike to be Solomons own work in the praises of holy men sayes of Samuel that being dead he Prophecyed But if again you extenuate the authority of this book with the Jewes because they say it is not in their Canon yet at least concerning Moyses no doubt can be made Deut. 34.5 but that in Deuteronomy he is related to be both dead and buryed and yet in the Gospell to have appeared unto the living togither with Elias who as yet is not dead CHAP. XVI HEnce also we answer an other question viz what may be said of the Martyrs who by the favours which are granted unto such as pray unto them do declare themselves both to understand and to have care of our affairs 7 favours obteined by prayer to Saints if the dead know not at all what the living do for 't is certain and we know it by report of witnesses beyond exception that when the City of Nola was besiedged by the Barbarians the Blessed Confessour Felix Saints appear miraculously sometimes when invocated not onely by the effects of his particular favours but even personally and in plain view did appear unto many good people inhabiting that City whom he had formerly dearly loved But it must be said that such things as those happen miraculously and are farre different from the usuall course which God hath appointed unto the nature of all sorts of things For because our Lord turned once water into wine we must not therfore forget what the nature of water is and what its proper virtue in the order of elements is not because Lazarus rose again from death that therefore every man that dyeth may rise again when he will or that a dead man is raised by no greater power then another is awakened out of sleep For to speak according to the limits and condition of mans nature in it self is one thing and to speak according as God is pleased to demonstrate his divine power in it is another and the things which come to passe naturally and as it were by constant course are of one sort and those which are done miraculously by God are of an other yet is God alwayes assistant unto nature without whom it could not be and in miracles themselves nature is not absolutely excluded because at least in her though not by her they are wrought We must not therefore imagine that the dead do ordinarily and of course mix themselves in the affairs of the living because the Martyrs do somtimes shew themselves present How miracles are wrought by praying to Saints for the curing or help of some particular persons But rather we are to know it is by divine power of priviledge dispensation that the Martyrs themselves are present with us at any time because the dead generally by any vertue of their own nature cannot be so Although I confesse to determine in what particular manner the Martyrs do help them Here he inquires the maner how miracles are obteined by praying to Saints who for certain are helped by the Martyrs is a mater farre above my capacity that is to say whither the Martyrs be present in their own persons at the same time in so divers and farre distant places as their Memories are or that they otherwise happen to shew themselves or whither that God Almighty the Martyrs abiding alwayes in that place which is appointed for their merits farre remote from the conversation of men yet praying generally for the necessities of those who pray unto them in the same manner as we pray for the dead to whom we are never present nor know where they be or what they do or I say whither that God Almighty himself who is every where present though not as joyned to us nor as divided from us hearing the prayers which the Martyrs make doth by the ministery of Angels which he sends abroad into all places exhibite such comforts unto people against the miseries of this life as he seeth to be most expedient who by his wonderfull power and goodnesse giveth testimony unto the merits of his Martyrs both where Merits of the Martyrs acknowledged by S. Austin and when and how he pleaseth but chiefly at their memories as knowing this in his divine wisdome The Memory and mediation of Saints expedient for confirmation of faith to be most expedient for the Confirmation and Exaltation of the Faith of Christ for which the Martyrs suffered This I say is a thing much higher then I can reach unto more abstruse and difficult then I can search out and therfore which of the two it be or whither perhaps both of thē may not be true viz. that sometimes by the very presence of the Martyrs themselves and sometimes again by Angels personating the Martyrs these things may be done I dare not determine I desire rather to learn such things of those who know them For some there are surely who do know them as there be some others also perhaps who think they do but do not For doubtlesse such things as these are the Free Guifts of God who liberally bestoweth them as he pleaseth some to one some to another according to that of the Apostle saying The manifestation of the spirit is given to every one for their profit 1 Cor. 12.7 c. To one saith he is
given by the spirit the word of wisdome and to another the word of knowledge according to the same spirit To an other faith in the same spirit to another the grace of doing cures in one spirit to an other working of miracles to an other kinds of tongues to an other prophesie to an other discerning of spirits to an other interpretation of tongues And all these worketh one and the same spirit dividing to every one according as he will Of all which spirituall Gifts reconed up by the Apostle he that hath the discerning of spirits he onely is the man who knoweth the things we speak of as they ought to be known CHAP. XVII ANd such most probably was that Holy Person John the Monk whom the good Emperour Theodosius the Elder was pleased to consult concerning the event of the civill war for this man had also the gift of Prophesie as I doubt not concerning those gifts but as every one might have any one in particular and alone so How S. Aug. reverenced monks as it pleased God some one had many as this John for example of whom it is recounted that a certain woman very devout and religious being as it were passionately desirous to see him and labouring by her husband to procure it some way or other with the Holy man it not being his manner to admit the conversation of women upon any terms he refused but yet Go saith he tell your wife she shall see me at night but it shall be in her sleep and so she did The good man appeared to her and instructed her in all the duties of a faithfull wife as she her self as soon as she did awake told her husband describing the man of God to him in such form and shape as he knew him to have This truly I have heard reported by one who had it from the parties themselves The manner how apparitions are made a grave and honourable personage and worthy I think of all credit But as to the matter if I my self had ever seen that Saintly Monk as report of him that he was a man of most sweet conversation and wont most patiently to hear what men propounded to him and most wisely to give answer I would have enquired of him something pertaining to this question that is Whither himself or which is all one his spirit in the figure of his body did indeed come unto that woman in her sleep in such manner as we men dream of our selves in the shape of our bodies or else that himself being otherwise busied or sleeping yea perhaps dreaming too this vision happened to the woman by an Angel or by some other means and that he by the spirit of prophecy knowing before-hand when such a vision should be vouchsafed unto her was pleased by a kind of promise thereof to gratifie the desires of that good woman For if himself in person were present at the time of that vision certainly it was by speciall nay by wonderfull grace and priviledge that he so was not by nature or any proper faculty of his own And whither the woman saw him personally and really present or no yet surely something of like nature it was to that we reade of in the Acts of the Apostles concerning Saul Act. 9.11 of whom our Lord Jesus speaking to Ananias tells him that Saul had seen Ananias coming to him c. when as Ananias himself as yet knew not Saul nor any thing of the businesse Yea and which way soever of these that man of God should have answered me I would yet have proceeded further with him concerning the Martyrs and asked him in what manner it is that they are present either in mens sleep or otherwise to such persons as have the favour to see them sometimes viz. when and how they please and chiefly how they are present when devils in mens bodies do cry out confessing that they are tormented by them and do beseech the Martyrs to spare them Why God Almighty dispenseth his favours at the memory and intercession of Martyrs or whether such things be done indeed and immediately by Angelicall powers onely yet in the honour and commendation of Martyrs as God is pleased to command for the good of us men the Martyrs themselves in the mean time remaining in perfect rest attending wholly unto an other and much better vision wherein though separated from us yet their charities cease not to pray for us For of a truth at the Martyrs S Devils tormented by the relicks of Martyrs Gervasius and Protasius in Millain the devils did expresly and by name confesse besides sundry persons that were deceased Saint Ambrose Bishop of the place who was then alive Saints living absent torment devils in possessed bodies and entreated that he would spare them yet was he at that time busied elsewhere about other matters and knew nothing of that which passed Now supposing these things to be done sometimes as I have said by the Martyrs themselves present and sometimes by the presence of Angels by what signs they may be discerned or distinguished the one from the other none I suppose can certainly know or determine but he onely who hath the proper gift thereof which gift is distributed unto every one who hath it by the Spirit of God according as himself pleaseth That holy man John A wonderfull humility in S. Aug. mixed with great Christian piety 't is very like would have satisfied me in all these points at least thus far that either by his teaching me I should have learnt and perceived the things I heard to be true or else not being able to perceive them my self I should yet believe them upon his credit who did both know them and affirm them to be so Nay if perchance he should answer me out of holy Scripture and say Enquire not of things too high for thee Ecclus. 3 search not after things that be too hard but what our Lord hath commanded thee think on that alwayes yet even this also I should take in good part For surely there being many things so obscure and intricate that we can hardly expect to attain them perfectly in this life it should be no small advantage but to know clearly and certainly that they are not to be enquired further after as when a man studies hard to learn a thing which he supposeth perhaps will be much for his profit yet I think it doth him no harm when an other man rightly informs him how to do as well without it CHAP. XVIII TO conclude therefore things standing thus as hath been said we are not to imagine that any thing we do for the dead doth profit them save that onely which we beg for them of Almighty God by the sacrifices which we make to him on their behalf Masse Almes and Prayer profitable for the dead accord to S. Austin that is to say by the Holy Sacrifice of the Altar by Almes or by our own prayers yea even these advantage not all for whom they are made but such onely Prayers and Masses for the dead profit onely such who died in Gods Grace whose former life hath deserved that such good offices should profit them after death But because we our selves discern not certainly among the dead who are such and who are not such it is thought more expedient to do these things in generall for all the faithfull departed A pious and prudent discourse to the intent that none be omitted to whom such favours may of right belong For it is much better if it so fall out that some thing superfluous be done in regard of those who receive neither good nor harm by them then that any thing necessary should be wanting to those who have need Howbeit every man performeth these things with more diligence and devotion for his particular friends then otherwise as expecting the same measure of Charity afterwards from his own But as to this matter of Funerall and all that solemnity which we use about interring the body whatsoever is spent or done that way it is no succour or salvation to the soul but an office of pure humanity agreeable unto and issuing from that affection whereby all men naturally love their own flesh The final resolution of the question that it is good carefully to bury the dead and also to bury them in places consecrate to Martyrs and when their reliques are the reason of it yea and think it reasonable that in some cases a man should have care of his neighbours body as well as of his own and in this case especially when the spirit is gone to whom it did belong when time was to uphold and govern it And truely if they who believe not the resurrection of the flesh do yet perform such things to their dead how much more ought we to do so who believe not onely that the dead body shall rise again and live for ever but that the performance of such good offices towards them is it self in some sort a testimony of that Faith But that we bury them at the Memories of the Martyrs as I have said before in this respect onely it seems to me to advantage the dead namely that thereby the affection of his friends praying for him and commending him to the Patronage of these martyrs may be increased Thus have you my answer framed as well as I could unto such points as you thought expedient to enquire of me if it seems overlong I desire you would pardon me and impute it to the delight and affection I have to hold discourse with you As for the book it self I intreat your venerable Charity would let me know by your letters ere long what you think of it I believe it will be much more welcome for the bearer's sake viz. our Brother and fellow-Priest Candidianus whom for the report your letters gave of him I received with all affection and dismissed again as much against my will For verily he much comforted us with his presence in Christs Charity and to speak but the truth I complied with your desires much upon his instance For indeed your letters found me so distracted with other cares that you may attribute not a little to his daily solliciting and minding me thereof if you receive any competent answer to your question Deo Gratias