In vaine doe you goe about to terrifie or fright this man for he feareth nought bnt sinne Saint Chrysostome reports that it must bee our hand that must bring us to Heaven and not our tongue only Hee calls the life of man a Faire or Market where some are seeking for gaine and profit others for pleasure and delight others for prayer and devotion and the last of these are those that walke as children of light Saint Chrysostome calls Saint Paul the tongue and Teacher of the whole World who lived like an Angell on earth and now enjoyes a crowne in Heaven Saint Chrysostome gives man the reason why the Angels did not bring the tydings of our Saviours birth first to Kings and Princes or other great men aswell as to the poore Shepherds And this is it because saith hee great mens eares were so stopped with cares and honours that they have no pleasure to heare it or would not take so much pains themselves but sent their servants His Works are here registred He departed in the thiriteenth of Arcadius and Honorius Hee was made Bishop in the fourth of Arcadius and received Priesthood in the eleventh of Valentinian the younger and in the eighth of Theodosius the elder His Works as Bellarmine doth reckon them whom I follow are contained in five Tomes printed at Venice 1575. Tome 1. 1 Homilies on Genesis in number 67. 2 On the Psalmes 26. 3 On sundry places of the Old Testament in number 52. 4 Whereof five out of Esay Tome 2. 1 Homilies on Matthew in number 89 2 More on the same 54. 3 On sundry places of Saint Matthew 26. 4 Homilies on Saint Mark 14. 5 Homilies on sundry places of Saint Luke Tome 3. 1 Homilies on Saint John 87 2 More or some places of Saint John 6. 3 Homilies on the Acts 51. 4 Sermons for Feast days 32. 5 On severall places of Saint Paul and many things in commendation of him Tome 4. Commentaries or Homilies on all Saint Pauls Epistles Tome 5. 1 Homilies to the Antiochians 80. 2 Dialogues of the Priesthood 6. 3 Of compunction of heart 2. 4 Of Gods providence 6 books 5 Of praying to God two books 6 Against the dispraysers of a Monastick life three books 7 Against the Gentiles one book 8 12 Sermons of Penitence 9 Against Jewes and Heretickes 15 Sermons 10 Against Concubinists two Sermons 11 Of divers arguments 48 Tracts 12 To Innocentius the Pope two books 13 To Cyriacus one booke 14 To Bishops and Priests in prison one book 15 To Theodorus being falne two books 16 To Eutropius one book 17 To Olympia a famous Matron 1 book 18 St. Chrysostomes Lyturgie I have not followed the Edition of Paris those who would fully bee satisfied they may have their choice either of the Venetian Parisian or Eaton Edition An. Christi 420. Sanctus Aurelius Augustinus S. AVGVSTINVS IN describing this Fathers life I follow not any uncertaine Relations but I follow the method of Possidonius who in writing the passages of his life saith such things quae in eodem vidi ab eodemque audivi which I saw in him and heard from him two sure witnesses the eyes and the eares and therefore may for succeding times be easily admitted for truth This Augustine therefore was an African by birth borne in the City of Thagasta of pious and Christian Parents bred and nourished by their care and diligence and singularly well learned and approved for skill in the Liberall Arts for he taught Grammar in his owne City and Rhetorique in the head City Carthage and after going over sea he came to Rome and so to Millaine where hee was appoynted to instruct the Emperour Valentinian being the fifth of that name and the Bishop at the same time of that City being that worthy Prelate Saint Ambrose whose sermons to the people and publicke disputations this Augustine did attentively heare and like of He was living in Carthage tainted with the Pestilent Heresie of the Manichees but by the providence of God and the wisedome of Saint Ambrose his heart was enlightned so he was brought safe from that Rocke was confirmed in the faith and a little before Easter did receive the Doctrine of the Catholick Church and also Baptisme by the ever honoured Father Saint Ambrose and being in this state so fairely recovered he set his heart wholly and intirely to seeke the Lord and to leave the world not now regarding honors wealth or riches but sought diligently heavenly treasures striving with might and maine to be one of that little flocke of whom it is said Feare not little flocke it is your Fathers good will to give you the Kingdome Hee was about thirty yeares old when hee thus beganne having onely his mother Monica alive who did mainly rejoyce to see him so intirely converted His Father called Patricius was dead before and now also he left his Scholars whom hee taught Rhetorique and told them they should provide themselves another Master for hee would onely serve the Lord. It pleased him being baptized to goe and live in Affricke with other faithfull Christians where when hee was come how speedily did he performe what he had resolved for leaving all secular affaires how constant was hee in Watching Fastings and Prayers and those graces which it did please God to give him how did he imploy them so that by his Sermons and Bookes he taught those that were absent as well as those that were present for hee converted one to the faith in a short time At the same time one Valerius was Bishop of Hippo and having a great care to provide able men to teach the people he with the peoples great desire ordained this Augustine a Priest and being entred into that holy function hee did strive to grace the Gospell by an holy Life This Valerius ordained him being banished This Augustine did powerfully preach the Word and had great conflicts with Fortunatus a defender of the Manichees who was appointed to meete Augustine in a publicke place and to dispute with him which with a great deale of feare he did undertake but was quite foiled and so by Gods blessing and the consent of all the learned men the Manichees fell and sincere Religion was maintained in the City of Hippo. He also preached and writ with singular care and dextrous learning against the Affrican Heretiques as the Donatists Manichees and Pelagians so that by his writings the Affrican Churches did recover the ancient Truth and he was so able and powerfull in the Scriptures that the very Heretiques were forced to confesse him a Divine Man He was appoynted by the Bishop to dispute of Faith which hee did with the approbation of all but this good old man Valerius finding him so rarely qualified sent to the Primate of Carthage and certified him that he was so old and weake and the charge was so great to manage and this Augustine was so learned and pious a man that hee intreated him to bee
Haymo lib. 7. c. 8. Nâ—ceph lib. 9. Beda Ruffinus Suidas speaks of him also Factus Episcopus signis c. that is Being made Bishop he exceld for signes and wonders above humane power He was full of holinesse Phedinus Bishop of the Amassensians ordained him a Bishop Hee flourisht under Aurelianus and he reigning this Gregory died At his death he thanked God that hee left as many faithfull Christians in that City as hee found Infidels at his comming The Roman Breviary stiles him Sanctitate doctrinaque illustris c. famous for sanctitie and doctrine and much more for miracles At this death hee asked how many Infidels there were in Neocesarea it was answered but seventeene thanks be to God said he for at my comming there were just seventeen Orthodoxe Christians in this place Bellarmine and Baronius declare his worthy parts and say that he was famous for Learning and Miracles and that hee flourisht in the Reigne of Alexander Severus and Baronius testifies in his second Tome that hee was made Bishop in the tenth of Severus hee suffered so much for the Truth that in the Greek Churches he is reputed a Martyr S. Gregorius Thaumaturgus in Ecclesiast cap. 12. It will be worth thy labour whilst thou art in the prime of thy youth to be affected with the feare of God before thou give up thy selfe unto sinne and wickednesse and so that great and terrible day of the Lord steal upon thee at unawares when thou art unprovided for it Ibid. Cap. 11. If thou feed the hungry and cloath the naked what though others thinke all 's lost that goes that way and no better then bread â—ast upon the waters yet let mee tell thee that in processe of time thou shalt have it returned ten-fold into thy bosome againe Idem Cap. 10. Listen to the voice of the King and of those that are set in authority over thee doe them no harme nor be thou too free in thy speeches against them for assuredly know that whatsoever thou doest or sayest against them though never so secretly it will appeare against thee when thou shalt least think of it Idem Cap. 10. This World 's at no certainty now it is all warre anon all peace this yeere comes famine the next brings plenty nay such is the inconstancie of things sublunary that hee which we knew one day abounding in prosperity the next day we saw dejected by adversitie His Works extant are these according to Bellarmine 1 A Metaphrase on Ecclesiastes 2 A Panegyricke of Origen 3 A briefe Confession of Faith which hee learned of St. Johns Revelation 4 An exposition of Faith against Elianus 5 A Canonicall Epistle To these Vossius hath put twelve Sentences Greeke and Latine with Anathematismes 6 Three Sermons of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin 7 Of the Baptisme of Christ. Of the Epiphany 8 A dispute of the soule against Tatianus Hee was borne of Gentile parents but had good education at Alexandria he cast out a Devill from a woman which would have tempted him and did accuse him of lust to the wonder of all So after great paines endured for the Truths sake he died peaceably Read more of him in Baronius Annals Tome 2. I cannot omit to speake some things of him in briefe 1 His patience when a Strumpet reviled him 2 Divine revelation and receiving the Articles of the Faith so effectually 3 His erecting of a Church his flight in the persecution by Decius 4 He cured divers of the Plague and so also converted them to the Faith 5 He frees himselfe from the calumnies of Sabellius 6 Hee was at the former Councell at Antioch and opposed Paulus Samosatenus 7 Before his death he visits the Churches 8 Gave away all his possessions and yielded quietly his spirit to God An. Christi 250. Sanctus Cyprianus S. CIPRIANVS IT hath always beene the providence and goodnesse of God to raise up and finde men of parts and gracious endowments to mayntaine the cause of his Church amongst which this Saint Cyprian merits a place whom so many of the ancient Fathers of the Church doe highly commend as Gregory Nazianzen Hillarius Ambrose Prudentius Saint Augustine Fulgentius Maximus Isidore Petrus Chrysologus Beda and Râ—banus Maurus as also Eusebius Zonaras Nicephorus and Divine Saint Ierome who bestowes this Encomium of him Quam purissiâ—i fontis instar dulcis incedat placidus ingenio sit facili copioso suavi quae sermonis maxima est virtus aperto ut discerni nequeat ut rumne ornatior in eloquendo an facilior in explicando an potentior in persuadendo fuerit When as this Father runs like a Fountain sweetly and calmly of an apprehensive copious delicious note and that which adds grace to him of an holy wit so that it is hard to distinguish whether he was more rich in eloquence or facile in his explication or more powerfull in perswasion Pontius his Deacon writing of him stiles him thus Cyprianus religiosus Antistes Testis Dei gloriosus Saint Cyprian that Religious Prelate that Glorious Witnesse and Martyr to passe by therefore the part of his life as he was a Rhetorician wee will onely describe him as a Christian. At this first ingresse to Christianitie he chiefly studied to keepe his body continent and cleane from lusts and occasions provoking saying Tunc enim posse fieri pectus idoneum sensum ad plenam veri capacitatem pervenire si conâ—â—piscentiam â—arnis robusto atque integro sanctimoniae vigore rigore calcaret That then his heart would be truly fit and his spirits to come to the full capacitie of the truth if that once he could with a strong and entire vigour and rigor of Holinesse trample down his concupiscence of flesh And not onely eminent for his austeritie but also in the reading of the Scriptures hee chiefly aimed how hee might improve his labours to Gods glory Hee at his initiation to Christianity gave and distributed all his estate to the poore ut ambitionem saeculi spernerâ—t that hee might avoid worldly ambition and performe an act of mercy well pleasing to Gâ—d A strange thing and not to be paralleld by any of the Fathers Upon this hee entred into the Priesthood Where how worthily hee did behave himselfe is manifest hee was not daunted with any oppositions nor frighted with any persecutions so that as Pontius saith well Non illum penuria non dolor fregit It was not want or sorrow that startled his noble heart not his Wifes disswasions not the worlds frownes not the malice of his adversaries could affright him He stood firme unshaken in all estates and conditions keeping his faith and devotion and blessed God in his deepest sufferings His house was free to all commers he never turn'd widow empty away from him he was the blinde mans eye and the lame mans legs and the naked mans garment Haec debent facere dicebat qui Deo placerent These things
Citie but did wholly apply himselfe to his study and in short time by his excellent wit and memory the great helps to Learning hee was eminent for his parts so that he publickly professing and handling matters was taken notice of by Probus then a Praetor and was approved of for abilitie of Counsell and Judgment so that this Probus adjudg'd him a fit man to governe the affaires being as Baronius testifies cruditione praeclarum eloquentiae studiis egregie excultum optimisque compositum moribus that is famous for his Learning excellently accomplished for eloquence and of worthy carriage and sweet behaviour so that hee made him Ruler of Insubria Liguria and Emilia and so this Ambrose came to Millain to whom as he departed Probus uttered as it prov'd prophetically these words Vade age non solum ut Iudex sedut Episcopus that is goe and manage the affaires not onely as a Judge but as a Bishop which came to passe five yeares after Auxentius the Arrian Bishop being dead who governed the Church of Millain Dionysius the Confessor of blessed memory being banish'd and the people being divided and almost ready to rise and mutiny about the election of a Bishop this Ambrose to stop the fury of the peoples rage and to hinder the Arrian faction undertook to decide the matter but of a suddain there was a voice as it were of a Child heard to sound these words Ambrosium Episcopum that is Ambrose the Bishop and so both parties as well the Orthodox Christians as the Arrians cried out publikely with one consent the same words but hee was offended at this and going out of the Church caused a tribunall to be erected and some persons to be punished but they cried out let his sinne be upon us and knowing him to be a Catechumenist they did promise remission of his sins by the vertue of baptisme well he gave himselfe to study Philosophy shewing indeed what a wise man he would prove in the Church of God nay to divert the peoples intention he gave admittance to common women to resort unto him but seeing that would not take effect hee intended to fly and leave the place so in the middle of the night hee intended to have gone to Ticinum but hee was discovered at the Gate of the City of Millaine called Romana so that God seemed to hinder his flight so being kept by the people word was sent to the Emperour Valentinian how Ambrose who was their Judge was of all men desired to be their Bishop which gladded the good Emperour and especially rejoiced Probus who heard that his words were come to passe but Ambrose againe prepares to escape and hides himselfe in a great mans house called Leontius but the matter being concluded by the Emperour and the peoples desires satisfied Leontius who had formerly hid now brings him forth well finding no hopes any longer to resist hee was brought to Millain and desired to be baptized by none but a Catholike Bishop Cavebat enim solicite perfidiam Arrianorum that is for he did solicitously beware of and shun the treachery of the Arrians being baptized he fulfilled all Episcopall Functions was eight days after his Baptisme to the great content of all named and ordained Bishop a few yeares after his Ordination Hee goes to Rome where he findes his sister and the other Virgin but his Mother was dead Hee going over the River Tyber to a rich Womans House healed one of the Palsie which was published and knowne abroad only by touching his Garment which shee presently devoutly kissed and was restored Comming to Syrmium to ordaine Anemius Bishop hee was opposed by Iustina a Queen who would have not him but the Arrians to doe it well he proceeded to it where an impudent Maid boldly putting on the priests habit came boldly and sate by Saint Ambrose to whom hee spake that though hee was unworthy of such an Office himselfe yet shee nor any of her Sexe were to be admitted into the Office of Priesthood and told her shee had neede to feare some heavy judgment which fell out for the day following shee died having perform'd this hee returnd to Millain But Iustina prosecuted him with all her power and malice for she set the people against him and promised them places of eminence and great rewards if they would take him and send him to banishment Amongst the rest one Euthymius thought to have performed it but failed for it is in vaine to dispossesse those whom God hath placed but Iustina's malice ceased not but shee intended to act that by force which shee could not by policie For the Arrians by her counsell beset the Church call'd Portiana and would not suffer any Catholicks to enter but God stirr'd up holy men to put by this plot also at this time there were Anthems and Hymnes and Vigils kept in the Church of Millaine and so have continued in the Western Churches to this day but the Arrians informed Iustina that Ambrose should give men money to give of that she was troubled with ill spirits but that lie was disclosed and one of the Arrians was presently possessed of an ill spirit and was forced to cry That so let all those be tormented which would deny Martirs or the unitie of the Trinitie or the Trinity which Saint Ambrose maintained but the Arrians took him and drowned him in a fishpond adding murther to their treachery but in spight of all these adversaries St. Ambrose every day grew more famous then other retaining his Integrity and Humility at the same time as Paulinus hath it there was a man who was a great Disputant and an Arrian and would not yield to the truth being in the Church where this Saint Ambrose preached saw an Angell stand by his eare as it were speaking to Ambrose what he taught the people at which sight hee presently altered his minde and was converted to the faith there were likewise two Bedfellows who were Arrians and they intended to propose a question to Saint Ambrose and so comming to the Church with a great Company the question was of Christs Incarnation these swelling with pride and forgetting the power of God or his Judgements upon scorners both in their comming fell down suddenly dead which when Saint Ambrose heard hee presently made an admirable Sermon to confirme the Incarnation of Christ as it is to bee read in his Workes and in his Epistle sent to Valentinian the younger Iustina being dead there was a certaine Witch called Innocentius who being punished for his Villanies and Witchcraft confest more then hee was asked and said there was an Angell to inflict greater punishments upon him then those because of Saint Ambrose for he had sent Devils to kill Saint Ambrose but they found him hedged by God as Iob was so another came to his bedside with a sword to have kild him but could not stirre his hands and hee confest that Iustina had hired him before her death so being sorry
obstinacie it selfe to submit and yield was he not wondrous diligent to gather the bodies of the Saints and interre them with great respect and in the honour of them to build famous Temples as also imitating his parents piety was he not wondrous charitable too and conversant with those that lived an holy Monastick life did not he visit them and refresh their bowels with the bowels of love and compassion Especially one Symeon called Stillites which lived austerely and one Iacobus Nizibenus and many others whose lives and vertues hee writ elegantly and left them to posterity Hee was a carefull imitator of Iohannes Chrysostomus for he alwayes proposed him as his worthiest patterne in forming his stile of writing and by this means hee proved so fluent and eloquent so full of grace and learning in his works It is good to have worthy patternes to imitate and it is no lesse ingenuitie to gather good by them they are lent for the same purpose how sweet and beautifull are his studious and mellifluous Commentaries upon the Scriptures How divinely doth he resolve the hardest places of the old Testament How significantly hath he explained the Prophets how elegantly hath he delineated that sweet singer of Israel What learning is there wanting in his divine Treatise of Gods providence How strenuously and powerfully hath he laid open the fond conceits of abundance of Heretikes as of Symon Magus Menander Basilides Carpocrates of Hermogenes Tatianus Cerdo Marcion and Manes Of Hymenaeus and Phyletus Ebion Cerinthus Paulus Samosatenus Sabellius Marcellus and Photinus Of the Nicolaitans Montanists Noetians As also of Arius Eudoxius Eunomius Macedonius Donatus Meletianists Apollinarians Messalians Nestorians with the Eutychians in the which labours hee hath shewed to all ages to come what gifts and endowments hee had lent him of God and how well and faithfully hee used them to his Creatours glory and the Churches benefit I cannot let passe that hot contention that once was betwixt that worthy Father of the Church Saint Cyril and himselfe sprung rather from zeale to Religion in them both and from the study of pietie then any vaine ambitiou or self-conceit of their own sufficiencies and it is not a wonder for where doth not that great fire-brand of Hell strive to kindle the fire of dissention and division was not there strife even amongst the Apostles and great ambition had it not beene regulated by our Saviour This contention betwixt these two Fathers happened in this manner whereas there was a Synod appointed at Ephesus to stop the grouth and spreading of the Heresie of Nestorius Bishop of Constantinople which did daily begin to spread it selfe and to infect divers with its contagion this Saint Cyrill being first come had by his owne labour and wisdome condemned Nestorius for an Hereticke not knowing that Iohn Bishop of Antioch or the other Bishops of Syria would have been there but when Iohn Bishop of Antioch and the other Syrian Bishops amongst whom this Theodoret was one of the chiefe were come and perceived that Cyrillus did not seem to respect their counsels they tooke it ill at his hands and thereupon canceld his Decrees as void and so by a generall consent with a great deale of labour they all condemne this Nestorius it is thought that had not the care and wisdome of Theodosius the younger calling the Bishops together to Constantinople taken away and removed this contention it would not have so soone ended but hee did take it away and Nestorius was anathematized and Theodoret and Saint Cyrill wondrous loving one to another ever after to proceed that renowmed Councel of Calcedon wherein sate 600 Bishops and above where this Theodoret was present I say the testimony of that so learned a Councell is a large proofe of this mans Faith and Integrity for was not he by the generall acclamations of all there present publickly stiled Catholicus Orthodoxus Ecclesiae pastor doctor sincerus that is a Catholike and Orthodoxe Pestor of the Church and a sincere Doctor for the truth a large commendation from the mouthes of such a cloud of learned Witnesses which bestowed it not on him for flattery or favour but by desert and merit doe not the learned Epistles of Leo the Bishop of Rome sent to him sufficiently commend him by which it may easily be perceived how vigilant hee was to settle Truth in the borders of the Church and how carefully he preserved the Faith amongst the high swelling surges of Heresies unviolated will not his daily meditations and explanations in and of the sacred Scriptures eternize his fame to posterity Doth not Gennadius Priest of Messilea afford him and his labours a large Encomium calling his Writings Scripta fortia per quae Confirmat ratione testimoniis Scripturarum c. that is Impregnable and undenyable arguments by which with Reasons and Testimonies out of Gods Word he doth confirme and establish it that Christ was truely incarnate of the Virgin Mary And doth not Cardinall Bellarmine ranke him equally with St. Cyril and stiles him virum planè Doctissimum c. that is an absolute learned man Photius he also reckons him an able man against Heresies first he useth his authority as well as Saint Athanasius to prove that Dionysius was not tainted with the Arrian Heresie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so also doth Theodoret censure of Dionysius and again he takes and approves of him as well as Ignatius and Clemens Stromataeus or Eusebius in the condemning the Nicholaitans for Heretiques in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. That is but Saint Ignatius and Clemens and Eusebius with Theodoret of Cyrus doe all agree the Nicholaitans to be Heretiques so that this Theodoret as appeares was a Father of no small Esteem or regard and doth not Photius in another place afford him as high praise for his Ecclesiasticall History beginning thus Lecta est Theodoreti Historia Ecclesiastica c. that is The Ecclesiasticall History of Theodoret is likewise allowed and saith of all which I have formerly nominated hee useth the most convenient Stile and phrase for an History Clarus enim grandis minimeque redundans that is for he is perspicuous weighty and not too luxuriant and praiseth him for so learnedly relating the Acts of the second Synod Is there not also a short Epigram in Greeke in an ancient Manuscript concerning the Excellency and Eloquency of Theodorets Disputations in three short Verses which are here set downe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is that as another Nilus with his overflowings hee made all the Grecian fields fat and full of Eloquence and by his labours had enlarged the Faith which shewes likewise not onely the indefatigable studies of this Theodoret but also the admirable wit and wisdome that flowed in his soule and was exprest in his works Doth not likewise Sixtus Senensis speaking of his selected questions of
Iohn and Bishop of Smyrna when Anicetus governed the Roman Church in the Reigne of M. Antoninus and Lucius Aurelius Commodus being Proconsul This Polycarpe came to Rome and had great conference with Anicetus about the Celebration of Easter as Irenaeus doth testifie and in his third Book against Heresies he speaks largely in his prayse and commendation This Polycarpe was instituted by the Apostles themselves and had great familiarity with them which had seene the Lord Jesus in the flesh hee was sent into Asia and there was made Bishop and lived a long while to a very ripe age so that the Almond-tree did flourish in his gray haires Hee was wonderfull in esteeme and repute for his reverend gravity and chiefly because hee taught nothing but what hee learned of the Apostles themselves and what the Catholike Church delivered and such points onely as were really true and orthodox And this all the Churches of Asia manifest and all the Bishops which succeeded him in that great dignitie Hee was not as Valentinus or Marcion but testis fidelis veritatis constansque a faithfull and a constant witnesse to the truth nay by his powerfull wisdome and singular piety he recall'd and did reduce many from Heresie and Errour It is reported for certain that Iohn the Lords Disciple and he going to a Bath at Ephesus and espying Cerinthus an Heretick in it that he said fugiamus ocyus c. Let us depart for feare lest the Bath wherein the Lords Adversary is doe suddenly dispatch us which indeed he had just cause to feare forasmuch as the places where wicked men are in a manner seeme to detest their wickednesse so that one of the Fathers made hast out of the house of a wicked man and soon after it fell to the ground Thus this holy man Polycarpus shewed a great zeale vigor of spirit for the defence of the truth And indeed those Primitive Fathers were very circumspect and cautious how they kept company with those whom they thought not to be sound in the faith imitating that rule of Saint Paul An Heretick after the first and second admonition shunne knowing that such an one is fallen away being condemned in his own conscience It is to be wondred to thinke how constant and couragious these Primitive Fathers were in their sufferings For they were not disheartned when their bowels were ript up when they rubd with shels and rough stones when their very heart-strings were crackt in the fire when there were beasts appointed to teare them nay per quodcunque supplieiorum genus whatsoever punishment was laid upon them they did rejoyce in the middest of them and so did this Polycarpus and Germanicus and Ignatius This blessed Martyr when the Heathens did cry out quaeratur Polycarpus kept his countenance and resolution so firme that it bred amazement in his Friends who would have had him gone out of the City into some place to avoid the fury of his Adversaries but hee continued in devout prayers night and day for the Church of God and for its peace hee did foretell to his Friend that hee should die in the flames for the Lord Jesus when as they that came to apprehend were entred something neere the place where hee was his Friends advised him to depart which hee easily might have done but would not and said Domine fiat voluntas tua Lord let thy will be done And so came to them whose countenance when they beheld they were abashed much but he commanded meat to be set before them and intreated them to eat heartily and desired them to give him respite but for one houre onely in which he prayed most fervently for the pardon of all his sinnes and for the Catholike Church and so was upon a solemne day brought into the Citie Herod being Prefect disswaded him not to suffer that death but to recant and to enjoy life and liberty he constantly after a little pause told him plaine hee would not yield to his suggestions which when they saw they drove him in a Chariot with violence to the place of Martyrdome and broke his leg in the journey but comming before the Proconsul he did aske him whether he was Polycarpus or not to whom he answered resolutely that hee was then hee bad him deny Christ and sweare by the Emperour to whâ—m Polycarpe replyed Octoginta sex annos illi jam inservivi c. I have served him these eighty six yeares and all this time hee never did mee any hurt how can I then speake ill of my King who hath kept me â—afe so long a time and cleerly did professe himselfe to be a Christian â—hen the Proconsull told that hee had beasts in readinesse to devoure him and Polycarpus answered Bring them for I am ready then the Proconsull said to him that he would tame him in the flames but Polycarpus told him that they were but momentany and that he neither feared beasts nor fire nor any other punishment Sâ— when they did see that hee would not be frighted they all with fury cryed out Iste Asiae Doctor Christianorum pater deorum nostrorum eversor This is the Doctor of Asia this is the Father of Christians this is hee that speaks against our gods and will not worship them So the fire being made hee was cast into it but it was a strange thing that the fire would not burne him but hee gave a smell as if of sweete Odours and Confections till at last they ranne him through the bowels with a sword and there issued our so great a quantity of bloud that it amazed them all and extinguished the flame Such was his holy detestation of Hereticks and Enemies to the Religion of Christ that when Marcion an Arch-heretick but one of his acquaintance met him in the street at Rome and wondring that he took no notice of him said unto him Dost thou not know mee Polycarpus yea said he I know thee well thou art the eldest sonne unto the Devill When the Proconsul had urged Polycarpus as much as in him lay to deny Christ Hee made this answer to him as before I have served him eighty six yeeres and hee hath not once hurt mee and shall I now deny him And when hee was come to the place of his Martyrdome the stake being fastned in the ground and the wood ready to be kindled they began to tie him to the stake with iron chains and he required to stand untied saying Let mee alone I pray you for hee that gave mee strength to come to this fire will also give mee patience to abide in the same without your tying Indeed that man which is accustomed to patience will never quit or forsake any place for any pain or trouble whatsoever for the paines and perplexities that good and vertuous men doe endure and suffer doe as it were prick them forwards to have a more earnest desire to loath and to leave this wretched and sinfull World whose sweetest pleasures as the wise man
his reigne but the ancient Martyrologies affirme that Saint Denis suffered martyrdome under Hadrianus as Cardinall Baronius hath well and judiciously obserued it And so secondly we may conclude safely that Denis lived one hundred and ten yeers His writings are extant yet not without some scruple or doubting howbeit those of the best judgment give good reason why they are his I will not rehearse any of those great Miracles which the papists doe ascribe to him however I must not neglect to recite unto you his works being so loftie and divine and relishing of a Spirit which was ruled by the Dictate of the Holy Ghost And indeed I could bee large if I should but recite the Testimonies of all Ecclesiasticall Writers who have commended this godly martyr Bellarmine saith that hee used often that saying of Ignatius of Christ Amor meus crufixus est that is to say My love and delight is crucified His Sentences follow And his Works as Cardinall Bellarmine hath registred them He used to say that hee desired of God but two things first to know the truth himselfe Secondly to preach it as he should to others No lesse observable was his speech to Timothy Hadst thou seene the Saints agonies at that time as I did speaking of their cruell persecutions of him thou couldst not but weep considering the sentence denounced against them that Peter was crucified and Paul beheaded that multitudes of the common Rabble smiting them did spit in their faces and it is worthy the remembring that at their parting after they had received the sentence of death from the Magisâ—rate Paul said to Peter Peace beâ— with thee thou Foundation of the Church and Shepherd of Christs Lambs and Sheep And Peter to Paul Go in peace thou Preacher of good things thou Mediator and Captain of our Salvation and chiefest Labourer in the Lords Harvest But at their departure saith he did follow my Master Paul And in the same Epistle Observe a Miracle my brother Timothy not to be slightly passed over I who was present at their parting after their death saw them hand in hand entring into the gates of the Citie clothed with a garment of light and wearing on their heads glorious Crowns 1 Of the Celestiall Hierarchie 1 Book 2 Of the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchie 1 Book 3 Of Divine Names 1. 4 Of Mysticall Divinity 1. 5 Epistles to Caius 4. 6 To Dorotheus 1. 7 To Sosipater 1. 8 To Polycarpus 1. 9 To Demophilus 1. 10 To Titus 1. 11 To Apollophanes 1 12 To John the Apostle 1. To confirme that these Works were his it is sufficient that they were allowed of Saint Gregory the Great in his 33 Homily on the Gospels and not only of him but of divers others who have writ of him as St. Maximus and others An. Christi 150. Iustinus Martyr IVSTINVS MARTER LOoke upon this effigies and you behold an acute Philosopher a Judicious Divine a constant Martyr a stout shield of the Christian Faith an Elegant ancient and eloquent Writer in the defence of the Truth Whom many of the Fathers have highly esteemed and deepely praised as Photius in his Book entituled the Library and Eusebius in his Ecclesiastical History S. Ierom likewise reckons him none of the meanest amongst those famous Champions of the Church so Epiphanius terms him Vir sanctus Dei a man an holy man and a lover of God Anastasius Paulus Orosius in his seventh Book and fifth Chapter and Plinius secundus in his Epistles in the tenth booke But Photius doth amongst the rest give and afford him a large Eulogie it begins in these words Est autem vir ille ad Philosophiae tum nostrae tum potissimum prophanae summum evectus fastigium c. which is That this man came to a great height not onely of our philosophy but also of that which is counted prophane flowing in the copiousnesse and abundance of all sorts of learning and histories and knew very well how to beautifie and adorn his words with Rhetoricall expressions Hence was it that hee was so able to deliver his mind in apt termes and significant phrases so that those things that came from him were wonderfull emphaticall patheticall and significant and work'd much upon the souls of his Auditors Hee was sonne to Prisâ—us Bacchius hee was borne in a certain little Towne in the province of Palestine called Naples But hee tooke great delight in Rome and therefore hee chose that to be the seat of his residence where both in speech life and habit he professed himselfe a Philosopher but he made his philosophy subservient to his sacred studie of divinity and would say He kept it for use and that in his studies he found great profit by it Tritenhemius the famous Abbat of Spanheim in his collections of the ancient fathers doth give this Iustin Martyr a very good report for he cals him Christi amatorem cultorem insignem a great lover and worshipper of Christ Jesus Cardinall Bellarmine and Baronius doe both highly prayse and exâ—oll him for his Learning in their Writings especially Baronius in his Annals doth commend him because Hee was the first Champion that set himself against the dangerous Heretick Marcion His words are these Caeterum non defuerunt qui statim adversus Marcionis venena pararent antidotum praestilit id quidem omnium primus Iustinus Martyr that is There wanted not those that presently prepared antidotes against the poyson and venome of â—arcion but the first that undertooke the cause was Iustin Martyr Nay hee not onely prayses him for that according to his due merit but also for his valour and prudence in discovering the Heresie of the Valentinians he cites Tertullian adversus Valent cap. 4. 5. to utter these words Viri sanctitate praestantia Insignes Haeresiarcharum contemporales instructissimis voluminibus prodiderunt retardarunt ut Iustinus Martyr There were men famous for sanctity worth and excellencie who by their dexterous Writings supprest the Heresie of Valentinus as Iustin Martyr so that it easily doth appeare that he did not onely suffer much for his Saviours cause but also did much study and accustome himself to defend it against all oppositions in his time For custome is a second nature and when the soule takes delight in any vertue it is gain'd upon by an usuall and customary iteration He began to flourish in the Reigne of Antoninus Pius and in the time of Telesphorus as doth appeare by his Apologie which hee dedicates to the same Emperour wherein hee grievously complains against the Prâ—consul in Asia because he did with such extream crueltie persecute the poore Christians with the sword as was thought against the minde of that good Emperour who was calme and gentle towards them and would not suffer them to read any Books of the Prophets which spoke of Christ upon pain of death But this Iustin Martyr lays him open to the Emperour and saith
the Macedonians by these three the Churches were miserably vexed But foure yeeres after the Councell of Sardis even to the death of Constantius some ten yeeres space this Athanasius was again banished into the Desarts of Libya but the Emperour was sorely vexed at him but Liberius then Bishop of Rome pleaded hard for him in so much that Constantius banished him for it well in the absence of Athanasius Constantius caused councels to be held in severall places that was chiefe against Photinus the Heretike who dispraised both the Orthodoxe and Arrians Against this Photinus both the Orthodoxe Christians and Arrians agreed well But in what troubles was the Church under the Reigne of Constantius who gouerned 24 yeers in which space there were so many Councels and nine contrary Confessions of Faith to that of the Nicene Councell the two first were proposed at Antioch the third by Constantius his Embassadours to Constans the fourth was sent by Eudoxius to the Westerne Bishops the fifth sixth and seventh was at Sirmium the eighth at Seleucia by the Acacians the ninth was at Constantinople to which Vlphilas the Bishop of the Gothes subscribed upon all these hath Athanasius divinely spoken Witnesse his Creed every syllable whereof beares matter of importance answerable to the judgment of so divine an Author whose doctrine in other things was no lesse judicious though not altogether so profitable as in this his compendious abridgment and abbreviation of the Christian faith briefly comprehended in a short Epitome yet not so briefely as plainly dilucidated and expounded to the general benefit and edification of the Church Concerning which it may be said maximum in minimo that the greatest thing is in the least the most matter in fewest words And albeit in the Apostles Creed there are not many words yet the words might appeare unto some not sufficient for restrayning Heretikes from their opinions and hence this Father advisedly undertooke the penning of this his Creed for explication of those articles which others wrested and perverted to their own and others destruction which had it bin sooner written in all probability those their errors had bin nipped in the bud never germinated to the scandal and annoyance of the Church of God So that as it is said of the good woman by the Son of Syrach Many daughters have done vertuously but thou excellest them all so may we say of this learned and reverend man many have written Creeds of the Christian faith but thine the Apostles onely excepted is inferiour unto none yea superiour being compared with others Upon these occurrences Constantius died sorrowing for three reasons The first that hee had furthered his Kindreds death the second because hee had nominated Iulian the Apostate Emperour the third that he had too much approved those new and Hereticall Arrian points But now the case of the Church under Iulian was deplorable who strive to put downe all Christianity But for all this Athanasius receives his charge at Alexandria where while he staid he called the Bishops together and they strengthened the Nicene Confession and they condemned the Arrians Eunomians Macedonians and the Audaeans and Apollinarians with the Sabellians but now the Church increasing at Alexandria by Athanasius presence the great Philosophers Magicians Wisards and South-sayers cry out that they can do nothing unlesse this Athanasius be removed So Letters were granted not onely to take him but to kill him upon this Athanasius leaves Alexandria and intends to go by ship to Thebais his friends grieving at his departure he told them Nubecula est â—ito transitura It was a cloud that would soone be over and so it came to passe for the yeere after Iulian died fearfully but how ever he sent after Athanasius to apprehend him but they were deceived that sought him for hee came presently back to Alexandria and kept close till Iulian was dead Then Iovianus succeeding in the Empire recall'd the banished Orthodox Bishops and embrac'd them highly Athanasius writ an Epistle to this ' Emperour of the Nicene Faith but this good Iovianus after seven moneths raigne died at Bythinia so Valentinianus and Valens succeeded him different these were for Valentinian was Orthodoxe but Valens was an Arrian and did persecute the Easterne Churches so that Athanasius was forced to hide himselfe in his Fathers Monument the space of foure moneths yet for all this stir this Emperour was in a manner forc't to give leave to Athanasius to reside in Alexandria so long as this Athanasius liv'd the Church of Alexandria was quiet but this good Father died in the seventh yeere of Valens his Raigne peaceably and in his old age having been Bishop 46 yeeres of Alexandria This Father is commended of all Ecclesiasticall Writers Gregory Nazianzen stiles him Tubam ingentem columnam Ecclesiae The great Trumpet of the Church and the Churches Pillar and further he calls him Oâ—ulum Orbis Doctorem Certaminum vocem magnam fidei sustentaculum secundum Christi praecursorem Lampadem Epiphanius calls him patrem rectae fidei Theodoret stiles him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Bulwarke of Truth Saint Basil praises this Father highly so doth Iulius the Roman Bishop in his Epistle to the Alexandrians So doth Constantine the younger in his Letters to the said Citizens So doth Saint Hierome Ruffinus lib. c. 14. So doth Cassianus lib. 7. de Incarnat cap. ult and Vincentius Lirinensis and Cyrillus of Alexandria and divers others and so this Father having finisht his course and kept the faith expects the second comming of the Lord Jesus Athanasius his Sayings Of Faith The religious forme of godlinesse is above every forme and is knowne only by Faith For it is the light of the soule the doore of life the foundation of eternall salvation for without it no man can come neere the number of the sons of God and without it all the endevoâ—â— of man is of none effect So the Apostle Paul declares himselfe saying ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus Againe his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertaine to life and Godlinesse 2 Pet. 1. 3. To believe rightly in God and also of the whole Trinity is to direct all our hope unto God and with sure trust to depend only upon his truth and goodnesse These are the works of faith saith he namely a quiet and good conscience the love of God and the blessed Trinitie and the hope of things to come a boldnesse to come to the Throne of grace prayer true worship confession of the truth obedience perseverance in yielding up of the spirit and to goe immediatly to God Saint Athanas. de meditatione Let the Sun when it riseth in the Firmament see the Psalter or thy Prayer book in thy hands that so the Sonne of righteousnesse may shine into thy heart by faith in thy heart Saint Athanas. de meditatione Be instant at prayers with God and worship him that hung upon the Crosse
sayes they did not nor should professe the faith Catholike nor would they suffer any objections to be brought in against this famous Cyril nay moreover those that were invited to the hearing the cause of Saint Cyrill decided who had also determined his deposition were not onely not there nor was there any who answered for them yet as Baronius reports St. Cyrill was driven from his place by the Arrians in the Councell of Constantinople Mark saith Nicephorus the admired integrity of this Cyrill who appeared to defend his innocency notwithstanding all his enemies bravadoes and menacings nay he was so farre from being daunted that he affrighted the hearts of all his enemies so that they durst not maintain their forged accusations before so many famous and learned Judges But when as they found the Emperour infected with their heresie then they grew potent and impudent and Cyrill being removed Heraclius was brought in and after him Hillarius as Nicephorus maintaines for they two administred the affaires of that Church untill the reigne of Theodosius and then Cyrill was again restored and how reverently and piously hee determined all affaires belonging to that place is easily seene And Epiphanius who was the Hammer of Heretiks gives this Cyrill a worthy Encomium in these words Qui praeter Acacium Arrianum cum multis aliis illius sectae Episcopis contendere religionis ergô non dubitavit that is who not onely not feared to encounter Acacius the Arrian but did Christianly and faithfully oppose divers other Hereticall Bishops nor is Saint Ierome wanting to commend him for Cyrillus saith he Fâ—rtissimus Christi athleta orthodoxae fidei Assertor constantissimus c. That valiant Combatant of Iesus Christ that most constant Mayntainer of the Orthodoxe faith for many yeeres together strove for the propagation of Divine Truth suffered various and heavy persecutions exercised in these dangers from the beginning almost of Constantius Reigne to many yeeres of Theodosius yet all this while in these manifold grievances kept his first resolution and died in the faith at last Thus he And saith Nicâ—phorus though the Arrians at that time by their flatteries policies and suggestions had corrupted the minde of the Emperour though the Court was also all of that Sect yet this Cyrill startled not which was an infallible demonstration that he preached not Christ out of vain glory or in hope of reward at Court noâ— yet that hee was desirous to follow the times but that thee strove to keepe the â—aith in a pure conscience as knowing that would be his recompence at last Cardinall Bellarmines testimony of him shal briefly conclude my discourse of this laborious and constant Embassadour in the cause of Christ. Saint Cyrill saith hee after he was made Bishop of Ierusalem for his singular parts and Learning the state of the Church at that time requiring faithfull Dispensers of Gods Word was often driven by the Arrians from preferment yet did hee hold the faith till his death which was under Theodosius the Emperour Hee preached every Sunday and all the Lent every day with great pains and profit These are some of his Sayings Sanctus Cyrillus Hierosolymitanus Praefatio in Cat. Be not curious in things of vanity seeke not to know what 's done in the Citie what the King doth at the Court what the Bishop in his Consistâ—ry what the Priest in his Parish it is high time to looke into thy selfe and then up to Heaven from whence thy salvation commeth Idem 16. Some come to Church for fashion others to meet their friends this man upon one pretence that man upon another yet it s better to come so then not to come at all in the meane time the net is cast out the Word being preached draws in them which came with no intent to be caught at all being thus taken they shall be preserved for it is Christ that hath catch'd them not that hee may destroy them but that being dead hee may bring them to life eternall Idem Cat. 16. Let every good Christian say thus within himselfe certainly now the mystery of iniquitie is wrought the rumour of warres affrighten mee the Schismes and divisions of the Church are ready to distract me the difference amongst brethren make me amazed surely the end is not far off Lord when thou commest let me be prepared for it Idem Cat. 16. What though thou suffer for Christs sake suppose that fire and swords racks and torture be now ready to seize thee harken what the blessed Spirit of God the Comforter saith unto thee Trust still in God those are but flea-bitings continue but a while and thou shalt be in Heaven for evermore Here follow the Treatises of his which are called his Catechismes by the Paris Edition Anno 1631. 1 An introductory to Baptisme and his Lecture out of Esay upon that Lavamini 2 Of Repentance and of remission of sin of the adversary of man Lectures upon that of Ezechiel Justitia justo 3 Of Baptisme Lectures upon that of the Romans Know ye not c. 4 Lectures upon that of the Colossians Cavete ne quis vos c. 5 Of faith out of that to the Hebrewes Chap. 11. 6 Of the soveraignty of God of Heresies and Lectures out of Esay upon that Turn unto mee ye Isles 7 Of the Father Vpon the Ephesians for this cause 8 Lectures upon that of Jeremy Deus magnus fortis 9 Lectures upon Job upon that who is he 10 Vpon that and in one Lord Jesus Christ. 11 Vpon that the onely begotten Sonne of God Vpon that of the Hebrews Multis multifariam 12 Vpon that Hee was incarnate and was made flesh 13 Lectures upon that He was crucified 14 Lectures on Christs Resurrection 15 Lectures upon that He shall come again to judge the quicke and dead And of Antichrist out of Daniel Aspiciebam Throni c. 16 Lectures upon the Holy Ghost Vpon the first of the Corinthians 17 Lectures upon the holy Catholicke Church the Resurrection of the body and the life everlasting Out of Ezechiel And the hand of the Lord was upon me 1 Lectures to those who are newly baptized out of that of Saint Peter Be yee sober and watchfull c. 2 Lectures upon the body and bloud of Christ out of that of the Corinths What I have received of the Lord c. 3 Lectures upon that of Saint Peter Cast away therefore c. These were the pious and learned Works of this Father which the Church hath always kept as a solid buckler against Hereticks and as a restorative to the faithfull members of our Lord Iesus Christ. An. Christi 368. Sanctus Ephraem Syrus S. EPHREM SYRVS IT is not fitting that such eminent Lights should be hid under a Bushel but that their renowmed and pious actions should be blazon'd to the World for admiration and imitation the time in which he died in the Church was under Valentinian and Valens He
complaints made by the poore St. Basil to mitigate this griefe did whatsoever he could for he sold all his Lands and other goods and freely distributed them to the poore as well Iewes Children as Christians the goodnesse of this man stayed not here but as he had made himselfe an example to all so he frequented the publicke places and there exhorted the rich by severall places of Scripture and sweet speeches to distribute to the poors necessity so that at last hee got provision for the needy Hee was also as carefull to see the sick provided for and he caused publicke places to be erected for their maintenance and would often not onely visit them but also administer to them Some there were that hated him even for these worthy deeds but he left not off but proceeded the more couragiously because he was opposed for vertue is alwayes envyed yet it faints not Iulian the Emperour having knowne him at Athens before sent and desired him to write to him but though he was Emperour yet because of his Apostacy this Basil would not entertaine any courtesies from him whereupon this Apostata intended when he had finished the Persian Warre to have put this Basil and Nazianzen to death but he failed for he dyed miserably in that warre nay when Valens the Emperour persecuted the Orthodox Christians and had remov'd some and had put 80 Priests into one Vessell thinking to have burned them in the Sea this Valens meeting St. Basil spoke him faire and afterward sent to him by severall messengers to winne him to that Heresie yet nor the threats nor promises of this Emperour could once stirre or move him Then Modestus his Praefect commanded him to be brought before him which was perform'd and Basil being come the Praefect looking sternly upon him told him he wondred that he could stand before him so impudently and art thou only he that opposest the Emperor to whom St. Basil answered he wondred that he should so taxe him of Impudence when as he was free but he was bound to obey the King and Emperor of heaven earth but saith the Praefect will you nil you you shall be made to obey for know you not who we are that command it no body said St. Basil while you do command such things Know you not said the Praefect that we have honours and preferments to bestow upon you but said St. Basil they are but changeable like your selves then the Prefect said none of the Christians ever answered him so perhaps said St. Basil you never examined a true Bishop before Upon this the Prefect all in a rage threatned to confiscate his goods to torment him to banish him or to kill him to whom St. Basil made this answer he need not feare confiscation who hath nothing to lose nor banishment to whom onely Heaven is a Country not torments when his body would bee dasht with one blow nor death because it was the onely way to set him at liberty Thus they parted onely St. Basil had that night given him to resolve what he would doe but he was the same next morning The Prefect related all to the Emperour how he lost his labour in examining this Basil whereupon the Emperour thought to have disturbed him even in the performance of holy duties in the Church upon a Twelfth-day but suddenly comming in and seeing the Reverend carriage of the Bishop and the Priests about him all seeming as glorious starres he made a large offering but Basil refused it as comming from an Hereticke The Emperour was so suddenly taken with a swimming giddinesse in his head that he was faine to be upheld by the hands of his Courtiers and after speaking with this St. Basil he was so mitigated that he was intended to have proved favourable to all the Orthodox Christians but such was the uncessant malice and policy of the Hereticks that they procur'd that Valens banished this Great and famous Basil. And now it was expected that the Emperors decree should be fulfilled to the griefe of the people and to the joy of the Hereticks his adversaries but God crossed this for the same night the Physitians had laid the Emperours sonne Galate downe sicke of a doubtfull disease whereupon the Empresse told Valens this is a just revenge from God inflicted for the banishment of St. Basil whereupon the Emperour called for him and said to him If thy prayers bee right and faithfull pray that my Son may live to whom St. Basil replyed If you would be of the same faith your son would be well his son did recover and Basil went home but shortly after the Emperor caused the Hereticks to pray for his sonne it was performed but to the grief of the Emperour afterwards for his son speedily dyed The Arrians insisted and urged that there was no hope of good successe as long as Basil stayed at Caesarea whereupon it was decreed again to have him banishedâ— but when the writing was brought to Valens to confirme the pens would not write being often tried and the Emperour could not write hee was so amazed and convinced in his owne judgement finding that God did protect this Basil. Many and great were the troubles and tryals of this great Bishop but he still kept his faith and constancie and never was moved by feare or favour it was not the frownes nor promises of great Ones that could taint Him he desired heavenly not earthly contentments So having beene Bishop of Caesarea and Cappadocia eight yeeres and an halfe and some odde dayes hee departed this life with these words Into thy hands O Lord I commend my spirit he was buried with great state and lamenting by all the Inhabitants of Caesarea as well Iews as Christians but above all the Physician which Saint Basil converted from Judaisme to Christianity shewed his depth of sorrow The Church of God is enriched with the rare labours of this father Saint Gregory Nazianzen writing of this Saint Basils workes avers thus much of him Neminem ante ipsum adeò divine adeoque securè sacr as liter as interpretatum That before this man none ever did expound the sacred Scriptures more divinely or more safely and the same Father calles him elsewhere nolesse then Vinculum pacis Tubam Veritatis Clarissimum Reipub. Christianae oculum virumque cujus doctrinae moribus doctrinae mores rectè concinuerint The Generall Peacemaker Truths Trumpet the bright Eye of the Christian World and a man whose life and learning did in all points justly concentre Gregory Nyssen stiles him thus Prophetam Sancti Spiritus Interpretem Generosum Christi Militem Excellentem Veritatis Praeconem Invictum Catholicae fidei propugnatorem that is a Prophet an Interpreter of the blessed Spirit a truly valiant Soâ—idier of Christ an excellent Preacher of the Truth an unconquered Defender of the Catholick Faith and that for valour and for strictnesse of Life hee was another Elias or like Saint Iohn Baptist. Saint Ephrem saith
most for abundance of Similitudes which adde lustre to ones speech and worke upon the Affections Comparisons and Metaphors to stirre delight in the Hearers He is not like St. Ambrose for his difficulties nor doth hee use Poets and their Fancies with St. Ierome nor yet Jests and pleasant Conceits with Tertullian but with a Father-like affection fits himselfe to edifie soules committed to his charge That famous Historian Theodoret stiles him Ioannem eximium orbis terrarum luminare Iohn the eminentest light of the whole world and againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This great Iohn being made governour of the Church of Constantinople upbraided the wickednesse and lewdnesse of many men for wickednesse and lewdnesse in the heart of man maketh the Spirit of God dull and insensible that is not to worke in him according to his divine Nature Likewise he admonished the Emperour and his Empresse to stand in the faith for faith is the gift of God and breathed by the Holy Ghost which is the Spirit of God into the hearts of those that bee his Children and walke in his wayes Hee also exhorted the Priests to frame their lives according to the Canons of the Church and told them that such as would not should not enjoy their places and he used this speech unto them recorded by Theodorete 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is that it was not fitting that they should enjoy any Priestly honour who doe not live as true and zealous Priests should doe and by this meanes Saint Chrysostome did not onely reforme those of that place but also by his reverend carriage did also settle all the Thracian Churches which did containe sixe Bishopricks nay and by Authority rectified at the same time all the Churches in Asia which then had eleven Bishopricks and further his good patterne extended if you please to reade the aforesaid Theodorete in his fifth Booke before cited Ponticam praeterea Ecclesiam quae eundem habet Episcoporum numerum quem Asia eisdem legibus adornavit hee also adorned and graced the Churches of Pontus with the same institutions which did containe in it as many as Asia And here a little to digresse any one may see plainly these foure particular poynts and they deserve imitation 1. That if the Churches Discipline bee not strictly maintained corruption of manners presently breake in for want of Discipline ushers in Licentiousnesse 2. That when Churches are fallen from their pristine and ancient Government they are to bee reformed by Discipline For Discipline well managed settles Reformation 3. That the fittest and onely men who still have and alwayes should reforme Churches by good Discipline are Bishops for they have both power and discretion 4. That good examples are of admirable operation for doth it not easily appeare that by the wisedome of this one Reverend Bishop how all the other Churches strive to follow his patterne It is an old one yet a true saying Exempla magìs praevalent quam praecepta Examples make a deeper stampe than precepts In briefe the two first of these well considered our Zelots would not so much speake against such good meanes unlesse they bee ignorant The third well observed would teach all to afford those reverend Prelates more honour and to learne the fifth Commandement better and to practice that rule of Saint Paul Let such as rule well have double honour they would not surely if they had any insight into the Primitive Times so rashly and unchristianly murther their spirituall Fathers nor yet so deeply wound their Mother by Scandals Slanders Reproaches Schismes Factions Fractions Conventicles Libells and the like hasty hare-brain'd fancies The last will directly condemne them for not obeying and following such ancient and allowed Fathers But I will not insist upon this though it doth fairely offer it selfe to mee but returne to our Father Chrysostome as he hath begun a faire Reformation in the Church Having so fairely wrought upon these Churches he proceeds further he settles the Churches likewise in Phaenice though addicted to Idolatry nay though they worshipped Devils and gatherd together all the Priests and settle them to study Piety and send thither the Emperours Edicts obtained by him for that purpose to demolish and throw dowâ—e the Images of the Idols and to ruine their Temples and as for the Officers and workemen which should effect this great taske hee payed them not out of the Emperours Coffers but stir'd up the spirits of noble Matrons whom he had instructed in the Faith and flowing in wealth to give large summes of money to this purpose assuring them that it was a worthy worke to cast out the Devill by this meanes and this his Counsel was so powerful and wrought so effectually that in short space he left the Devil not an house to put his head in but level'd them to the ground And this able Enginiere left not off thus but proceeds further when as hee perceived the whole Nation of the Scythians to bee deepely intangled and insnared in the Arrian Heresie â—o expell this and the professors of it he took this course he ordeined many Priests and Deacons that could speake the Tongue expertly and placed them in several Churches and appoynted likewise Readers and thus hee by his care reduced many that were farre gone with that Heresie to the Orthodox Faith and often hee himselfe would give those Churches visits and speake to them learnedly by an Interpreter and still inducted others who had a faculty that way and thus as in Phaenicia he had expelled the Devil so in Scythia hee drove out his Champions and strongest upholders And now finding in these his undertakings such an happy successe hee being incouraged in his vertuous proceedings stops not here but stoutly workes whilst hee sees an opportunity which was as followes Hearing for certain that those Scythians who are called Nomades living by the River Ister eagerly â—hirsted after the knowledge of the truth and yet did want all meanes which should direct them to the knowledge of Christ being as those Children spoken of who cryed for bread but there was none to give it them This Saint Chrysostome sorrowing that the Devill should keepe their soules in the shadow of darknesse any longer sought diligently farre and neare for such men as imitated the footesteps of the Apostles labours and having found them sent them to bring those wilde people to the knowledge of the Gospell and sent his Letters with all speed to Lâ—ontius then Bishop of Ancyra wherein he signified that the Scythians had embraced the Truth and exhorted him to send able men to them to confirme them in the received Faith furthermore having heard of the Marcionists who had about his jurisdiction infected some people with their Heresie to stay this running soare hee dispatched Letters to the Bishop of the same place that He should carefully expell all of them out of their places and for feare least hee
now sordescere coeperunt postea illos ut novos detestabatur that all were farre short nay in respect of this one man hee detested all new Writers and to speak truth as I do verily think one mayne reason why Factions and Schismes have such great growth of late is because most of our younger wits and hottest Preachers doe not tie themselves to the reading of the Primitive Fathers but slightly content themselves others with conversing onely with some few Geneva Writers of late or think to carry it away with the strength of their owne braine by which meanes many of them know but the shell of Theologie when as if my advise might take place I would have them enquire of the Ancients Moses doth invite them to the same for saith he Aske thy Father and hee will shew thee aske the Elders and they will tell thee Deut. 32. 7. They they I say are onely the ancient Bulwarks of Truth they onely and chiefely have maintained Gods truth against Heretiques and they are the pure Wells out of whom our Divines might exhaust wholsome Waters Give thy selfe to reading was Saint Pauls Councell to Timothy and it is not unfit to be practised of many young Zelots in our Church but to returne to our occasion Many and admirable are the writings of this Father He writ to Theodosius to prove the dangerousnesse of Nestorius Heresie Photius stiles this Cyril thus when amongst many other Fathers as he stiles Athanasius strenuus Praeful Infractus Ambrosius Decus Ecclesiae Basilius Verborum flumen Nyssenus fortis Athleta Cyrillus Athanasius that stout Prelate Irrefragable Saint Ambrose Saint Basil the grace of the Church Gregory Nyssen a River for copiousnesse of words and that valiant Champion of the Church St. Cyril nay hee is stiled Beatus Cyrillus twice for condemning the Nestorian Heresie He is also called Perstrenuus Cyrillus multis modis pietatem corroborans Cyrillus that is Cyrill who so many wayes confirmed and strengthened piety upheld religion established Councells confounded Heretiques defended the Orthodox Christians And Eulogius his Scholar praised him calling him Doctum pium minimeque vacillantem Cyrillum Learned godly and not fearefully hearted in the cause of truth And Photius hath registred his praise Leguntur Cyrilli Thesauri refertus est liber pugnat valide ac varie cum Arii Eunomii furibunda rabie etenim Logicis argumentis sapienter illorum destruit amentiam quibus dum sacrae scripturae adnectit adtexitque testimonia quà m sit doctrina illa futilis omni ex parte divulgat adhibet idem quoque nuda Sacrae scripturae testimonia ut quò se fastuosi vertant obsepti undique atque conclusi non habeant Est autem inter omnia ejus Scripta liber hic maximè perspicuus ijs potissimum qui Logicorum argumentorum sensum capere possunt which is in English thus much that Booke of Saint Cyrils which is stiled his Thesauri is plentifull and abounding with wit and learning and fights valiantly and diversly with the fury and madnes of Arius and Eunomius for he doth by force of Logicall arguments wisely â—verthrow and destroy their folly to which while hee joynes and annexeth the testimony of the holy Scriptures he doth divulge to the eye of the world how empty and weake their Doctrines are and by using those testimonies of the Scriptures he doth so hedge those Heretiques in that they know not which way to turne or winde themselves off or out from shame This booke of his is so perspicuous for learning that it is highly esteemed of all pious and judicious scholars and more specially of those who can apprehend the sence and vigour of Logicke and his scholar Eulogius stiles him thus againe accuratissimus autem Doctor Cyrillus singulâ—s Haereticorum pariter execratus est sententias duas in Christo naturas concurrentes indivisas inconfusas planissimè demonstrat And again Cyrillus rerum divinarum sciens And Ardens ille â—eritatis studiosus Cyrillus and Sapiens Cyrillus Cyrillus homo divinus in English that most accurate and smart doctor Saint Cyril hated the positions of all Hereticks and did most plainly demonstrate the two Natures in Christ undivided and unconfused Cyril had true knowledge of holy things he was studious and zealous for the truth and full of wisedomâ— a man plainly divine nay it plainly appeares that his authority was great to whom Councells yielded to for his learning for it is said of him Sic Concilium Cyrillus so the Councell holds and so doth Cyrillus too Cardinall Bellarmine calls him Virum Sanctissimum Doctissimum ac praesertim circa mysterium Dominicae incarnationis a Deo doctum Nestorium Haeresiarcham primum scriptis deinde etiam authoritate damnavit a most holy man and learned and especially hee was taught and instructed of God in the mystery of Christs Incarnation He condemned as is said before Nestorius the Heretique who was then Bishop of Constantinople first by his famous Writings then by his authority This â—Nestorius Doctrine was That the Blessed Virgin Mary was the Mosher of Christ c. Christ as he was Man but not as God thereby most impiously inverting that great Mystery of the Incarnation of the Sonne of God this being taught at Constantinople by Nestorius and his Disciples was a great trouble to the people and so much the more because he had ingratiated himselfe into the Emperours favour so that no meanes was left for redresse but the calling of a Councel yet in the interim this good man tooke pen and inke and wrote a briefe and modest Epistle to Nestorius wherein hee admonished him of the peoples discontents and what great danger was in all likely-hood to fall upon the Church through his still obstinacy and indiscretion but all in vaine the answer return'd was rather reprehensory than otherwise The Bishop in tendernesse of his dignity and as he was Caesars friend writes againe and againe but still answered with the same successe as before if not worse hereupon several Councels were called one at Rome the other at Alexandria but that Oecumenicall one at Ephesus called by the Emperour Hit the Naile on the head where the reverend Prelate of Alexandria sate as President amongst two hundred Fathers of the Church much ado there was on all sides and there wanted not some that sided with Nestorius in his errors but such was the grave carriage of our reverend Father and strength of argument there used that the very sinewes of Nestorius Doctrine were againe cut in sunder he himself deprived from all spiritual promotion digraded from all Ecclesiasticall function and his positions condemned as most blasphemous against the Sonne of God Christ Iesus Thus the Councell closed but with applause unanimously conferred on their learned President Blessed for ever be the memoriall of Cyrill Arch-bishop of Alexandria many were the Epistles commendatory sent unto this renowned Prelate
Apologeticall booke to Euoptius against Theodoret 7 Exposition of the Nicen Creed 8 Schoole Notes on Christs Incarnation 9 Two Epistles to Succensus the Bishop 10 Twelve Synodall Epistles 11 Nestorius Tenets gathered out of his owne Works 12 A speech of the going out of the soul of the second comming 13 A famous Worke called Thesaurus containing fourteene books 14 Seven bookes of Dialogues with Hermias 15 Of worshipping in spirit and in truth 17 books 16 Against Julian the Apostate ten books 17 Of the right Faith to Theodosius and his Queens 18 Against the Anthropomorphites 19 Of the Trinitie Besides these there are extant printed at Ingolstadt his Commentaries on the lesser Prophets Greeke and Latine in Folio and five Books against Nestorius Greeke and Latine in the end of the first Tome of the Generall Councell of the Roman Edition And there shortly are expected thirty Paschall Sermons In these Workes you may finde Learning Wit and Eloquence in all which this Father excelled So that if a man call him the Magazine and store house of divine perfection hee shall not mistake himselfe nor transcend the bounds of modestie But of him ne me Crispini scrinia lippi Compilâsse putes verbum non amplius addam An. Christi 440. Sanctus Petrus Chrysologus S. PETRVS CHRISOLOGVS THis Worthy Fathers Birth-place was at Imola a village neare Revenna in France sprung from Parents who are commended for their uprightnesse and sincerity not of meane or dejected fortunes but having ability of meanes to support them with credit and reputation and they are prayse-worthy for their great care that they had to see their sonne vertuously brought up in study and good Arts. This Chrysologus had institution for good manners and learning from Cornelius who was Bishop of that City so likewise from the same Bishop he received holy Orders and was found wondrous able for that holy function insomuch as not long after hee was by Sixtus the third of Rome chosen to bee Arch-bishop of Ravenna and was the two and twentieth that had successively managed the affaires of that Sea Hee deserves high commendation for his rare parts and indefatigable paines and various studies Hee was present at two Councels the one was held at Ravenna the other at Rome by the authority of Caelius Symmachus then Pope of Rome and Theodoriâ—ns King of the Ostrogoths He sent Letters full of learning to the Synod of Calcedon against Eutiches the Heretique which are yet extant but what a copiousnesse of wit he did enjoy may easily be perceived as also what a measure of Eloquence he possessed by the number of his Homilies and Sermons full of Elegancy and matter being above 176. He sate Bishop the space of sixty yeares and governed the Church of God with admirable wisedome and industry Trithemius amongst his Ecclesiasticall Writers speakes thus of this Chrysologus Petrus Archiepiscopus Ravennas vir eruditus atque Sanctissimus c. that is Peter who was Arch-bishop of Ravenna a man full of learning and holinesse performed many worthy actions in the Church of Christ. He was so powerfull in Eloquence especially in his Sermons to the people and so holy in his conversation that he by both these did daily bring some to the imbracing the truth and did set forth many rare pieces pro edificationâ— fidelium that is for the edification of the Faithfull You have this Father sufficiently commended for his excellent parts in an Epistle set before his Workes which were printed at Paris with the Workes of Leo the Great the first of that name Pope of Rome as also of Maximus the Bishop of Taurinum and Fulgentius Bishop of Ruspa with the Workes also of Valerianus Bishop of Cemelium in one Volume where this Chrysologus is commended with these words En tibi Chrysologum c. that is behold this Chrysologus not onely famous for his Divine Eloquence and solidity of Learning but also for his honour'd antiquity and faithfulnesse in the Episcopall function He lived within a while after Saint Chrysostome and other famous pillars of the Church He got this name as Chrysostom got his for he is termed of all Divines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the Golden spoken man for who wil but reade his Workes shal finde a lofty Majesty of stile and phrase absolute and profound Learning such purity of Divinity not stained or tainted with any vaine affectation nor any rigid and harsh Interpretation no obsolete deductions or conclusions but direct and even Natural so that if you compare Neotericks either Commentators or as my Author speakes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Homily Writers with this man you shall finde them as Pigmies to another Atlas for where have you a more modest Interpreter of the sacred Scriptures Where can you finde one so conspicuous for pious Eloquence or Eloquent PIETIE Who opens the most obscure places of the Text with a more apt consonant ingenuous sincere interpretation so that he doth not wrest the sence nor corrupt it nor unfitly expound it but with judgement integrity exact Learning and industry so that in these respects hee doth well deserve to bee ranked with the most eminent Fathers he doth not rashly or childishly heape together a few places of Scripture but doth where the place or matter wants testimony wisely and discreetly exhibit his proofs for confirmation As hee was studious in his preachings so always before he pend any thing he would with great ardencie and humilitie set himselfe to prayer Cardinall Baronius in his Annalls doth commend this Petrus Chrysologus for his Epistle writ to Eutyches dignam plane tanto viro Episcopo Epistolam that is An Epistle indeed worthy such a great Bishop and it doth begin in these words Tristis legi tristes literas tuas with grief of heart I have read thy heavy and dolefull Letters as the peace of the Churches the concord of the Priests the tranquillitie of the common people makes our joy to abound so no lesse doth the dissention of brethren arising out of such causes deeply afflict and torment us oh now why should the actions of Christ done so long since allowed and approved in all ages by your pen be calld to question How Origen too nicely searching into Divinity and how Nestorius disputing too curiously of the Natures fell your wisedome cannot but know the Wisemen câ—nfesse him to be a God though at that time laid in a Cratch by presenting their Mysticall presents the Priests do acknowledge him that should be borne of a Virgin the heavenly Army of Angels sing at his Nativitie Glory to God in the Highest And when as at the Name of JESUS every knee should bow both of things in heaven in earth and under the earth what a strangenesse is it that your pen should move a question of his beginning we do Beloved with the blessed Apostle safely conclude that though we have knowne Iesus after the flesh yet now know wee him no more nor
Beda Dei famulus Presbyter Monasterii Apostolor Petri Pauli quod est ad Wirimudam Ingiruam c. omnem meditandis scripturis operam dedi Hee was sent for to Rome by Pope Sergius that he might discourse with him Bede being so famous in all parts for his vertues and science The Epistle of that Pope is to be seene in the third Tome of the generall Councells and begins in these words Opportunis ergo c. the subject of it was that there was a great need of the advice of learned Divines to settle the Churches peace and he was knowne to be able in the study of Theology and therefore was desired to repaire to Rome with all convenient speed but it is concluded by the best Historians that he stirred not out of England He was wonderfully modest and did never hunt after preferments but contented himselfe with that life and daily study in his readings oftentimes he was so devout that hee would shed teares abundantly and after he had done reading he would fall to prayers for he would say that prayer was of great force to get the true understanding of Gods Word O famous instrument to Gods glory who not onely was fervent in his prayers but exceedingly both by life and learning edified the Church of Christ. Hee hated idlenesse and would say hee thought there was so much worke to doe for a Divine in so little a space of time that hee ought not to lose any of it it is imployment keeps the soule safe and sound He did not begin to take this taske upon him when the Sun was setting in his old age or begin to live when he should dye no he offered God his youth and began in the strength and prime of his age He was a Bee in his owne hive he dressed his own Garden hee managed his owne affaires forgetting all desire of honour and riches which bringeth with it miserable and stupendious effects And for pleasure and delights of the World we must deale with it saith hee as men doe who buy and taste honey onely touch it with the tip of the finger not with our whole hand for feare of surfeit He had many famous Schollars which he provoked to study by his owne example in a word he was full of knowledge charity devotion and chastity For his person he was of a comely stature grave in his going of a lofty voyce pleasant of speech comely of countenance and pleasantly severe Being aged 59 yeares in the yeare of Grace 731 he finished the Catalogue of his Workes but it is not on all parts resolved justly what yeare he dyed in Marianus Scotus saith in the yeare of oâ—r Lord 729. Sigebertus saith in the yeare 731. Trithemius saith in the yeare 733. Some have much erred who say that he dyed in the yeare 700 but Baronius he approves them not How he departed this life is to be seene by an Epistle of one of his Scholars who after great commendations of him for piety learning patience and the like saith Gravatus infirmitate anhelitus hardnesse of breathing a little after Ascention day hee was sicke of it and had a tumor in his feet in his sicknesse hee was not any whit disturbed to appearance but would often exhort his Scholars to bee quicke in gathering notes from him for hee had not long to stay with them For my life said hee is uncertaine at the best and that man which goeth on wandring without any faith or constancy feedeth his thoughts and cogitations with vapour no man knoweth what will happen in time to come howbeit God governeth all men in the midst of all perills and dangers and many times on the contrary hee bloweth upon us a strong winde or tempest of adversity And that life is good and best to be esteemed which is led in honesty and vertue for at the day of death it will trie it selfe for the day of death is the Master and judge of all other dayes being the tryall and touch-stone of all the actions of our life then doe wee make our greatest assay and gather the whole fruit of all our studies and he that judgeth of the life of a man must looke how he carrieth himselfe at his death for the end crowneth the workes and a good death honourerh a mans whole life There was a young man one Witberch that spoke to him and said Loving Master there is something left to write to which he answered and said it was finished and so cald him to hold his head and then singing Gloria Patri Filio Spiritui Sancto with cheerefulnesse he breated out his Spirit and slept in the Lord. Many famous men have praised him as Hildwines and Marianus Scotus Albinus Flaccus termes him Eximium Doctorem and Amalarius calls him Venerable according to that Verse Hic sunt infossa Bedae venerabilis ossa So also St. Boniface the German Apostle calls him sagacissimum scripturarum Indagatorem I should bee too large should I reckon up each particular praise that is given to this Father yet I cannot let passe that which Trithemius speakes of him in his Ecclesiasticall Writers He was saith he uncorrupt of life devout in heart full of knowledge wondrously industrious excellently acute usually reading the Scriptures adorned and graced with all sorts of vertues a witty writer Possevinus speaking of him useth these expressions Ingentibus Dei dâ—nis doctrina sanctitate ornatus c. that is adorned with the great gifts of Gods Spirit with learning and sanctity a diligent Writer full furnished with wit and wisedome wondrous charitable devout humble patient in a word a patterne to Preachers a lanthorne shining into all parts c. So doth Cardinall Bellarmine extoll him also But I shut up all in these wordâ— Hee did much and suffered much to defend Gods Truth and to propagate the Gospell of Iesus Christ. Hee flourished in the time of Gregory the Great and long after to the yeare 750. being the ancient glory of our English Nation and a man of greatest worth and learning of any in his time So after hee faithfully shewed himselfe a worthy Steward a carefull Watchman a painfull husband-man a powerful Labourer a learned Priest in the thirteenth yeare of his Primacy God cald him from hence His Sayings He is a sluggard that would reigne with God and not labour for God In the promised rewards he takes delight but the commanded Combates doe him affright Flattery is the nurse of sinne which like Oyle doth feed the flames of sinfull affections True love doth love truth judge in truth strive for truth and finish Workes with truth None doth ascend into Heaven but hee that doth descend from Heaven Therfore he that will ascend into heaven must joyne himself by true faith and love unto him that descended from Heaven knowing that hee cannot ascend into Heaven but by him that descended from heaven It is lesse labour to resist carnall pleasure unknowne than
by way of Commentaries and Illustrations on them hee composed many Volumes therein following Origen of whom he was a diligent admirer and imitator Hee flourished under Constantine the Great and Constantius about the yeere of our Lord 320. And after a long and studious life hee surrendred his soule into his Makers hands His Life was written by Accacius his Successour and Eusebius Bishop of Emesen His Apologie is to be found in his Workes sacr a lib. 2. hist. there collected Now appertaining to the understanding of the divine Scriptures are these Works following 1 All the Canonicall Books of the old Testament translated into Greek 2 Of Hebrew places one Book 3 Of the description of the Holy Land one Book 4 Of the doctrine of the Ancients and another of collections of Divinitie 5 Learned Commentaries literally and mystically on the whole Psalmes 6 Fifteene Bookes of Commentaries on Isaiah the Prophet 7 Thirty Volumes in defence of either Testament opposed by Porphyrie in fifteen Books 8 Of Evangelicall preparation five Books 9 Of Evangelicall demonstration twenty books 10 Of the dissonance of the Evangelists one Book 11 Of Evangelical Canons one Book 12 Commentaries on the first Epistle to the Corinths An. Christi 330. L. Caelius Lactantius Firmianus LACT FIRMIANVS I Doe not finde any mention of the parents Countrey or education of this Father nor is his fame and reputation therefore diminished seeing that hee is registred and numbred amongst the ancient Pillars of the Church for his Pietie and Learning and hee is sufficiently praysed by those pens whose worth and veritie have been approved in all ages It is no small credit to be enrolled amongst a cloud of so divine and pious Fathers I finde by the testimony of Saint Ierome that hee was the Scholer of Arnobius who in the Reigne of Dioclesianus the Emperour was together with Flaviâ—s the Grammarian cald to preferment and that hee publikely taught Rhetorick in Nicomedia Hee addicted himselfe to writing Bookes amongst other his workes Saint Ierome speakes these words of his Treatise of Gods Anger Edidit Lactantius librum qui inscribitur Grammaticus pulcherrimum de Ira Dei that is Lactantius set forth a booke called the Grammarian and another beautifull and faire piece of Gods Anger and indeed his subjects which hee treates of and the stile in which he writes are both excellent divine and fluent savouring of a minde that was truly mortified and intended to bring his Auditors to a resolved course of sanctification and pietie For piety and holinesse is the true knowledge of God it was never yet saith hee rewarded with punishment or shame For true piety preserveth and defendeth every vertuous man from shame The party to whom he dedicates the most of his Workes addes no small testimony to his parts and learning for most of them were inscribed to no lesse person than to Constantine the Great an Emperour whose fame doth and will for ever flourish in the Church if for no other cause than even for his pietie and studie to preserve the professors of the Gospell and for his bounty and liberality to the Bishops of his time as also for his building of Churches for divine worship and his valour and heroicke constancie in opposing Hereticks and Schismaticks who began to grow potent And Saint Ierome leaves him not thus but proceeds further in his divulging his prayses in the translation of Eusebius under Constantinus the Emperour in these words Lactantius quasi quidam fluvius Eloquentiae Tullianae Crispum filium Constantini Latinis literis â—rudivit vir omnium suo tempore eruditissimus that is This Lactantius flowed with Eloquence and was as abounding as Tully himselfe and as famous for his stile of Latine Hee was Tutor to Crispus the sonne of Constantine and learned him the Latine tongue A man in his time of all others the most learned and dexterous for the education of Princes and well and deeply seene in the points of Divinity and againe Lactantium propter eruditionem hic legendum that is Lactantius therefore is approvedly read for his singular Learning Quis mihi interdicere potest ne legam institutionum ejus libros quibus contra Genies fortissimè scripsit quos silegeris stylum Ciceronis excerptum reperies that is who can forbid me to reade his Bookes of Institutions which with such a noble and valorous resolution Lactantius published against the Heathens which if you doe reade you shall finde a pure elegant and eloquent phrase no whit inferiour to that of Cieero Platina gives this Lactantius also a faire commendation in these words and to the same effect His verò temporibus floruisse Firmianum Lactantium constat Arnobii Discipulum c. that is about these times flourished Firmianus â— actantius Arnobius his Scholler who taught Rhetoricke in Nicomedia who upon some disturbance left that profession betaking himself to writing in which hee was so excellent that next to Cicero he bore away the name from any other Writer Hee writ many famous Treatises full of judgment and discretion so that in his old age hee was for his rare parts appointed to be Tutor to Crispus the sonne of Constantinus the Emperour a place of great weight and estimation and of no lesse carefulnesse and wisdome which arguâ—â—h this Lactantius to be able in his parts or else hee would scarce have beene admitted to a place of that dignity Saint Augustine and Ierome in severall places are not sparing to commend this Lactantius the latter of them speakes that although his parts were great and his preferments eminent and large yet he died very poore and so lived not gaping or greedily pursuing worldly preferments of honour and riches but as one who was willing to count all as dung and drosse so that hee might gaine the eternall inheritance For a quiet and peaceable life ought to be preferred before all other things and should be the chiefest study and care of every man so that hee might passe his life time in joy and tranquillitie that his soule might bee free from anguish and trouble at his death For it is impossible for that man to be excellent both in riches of this world and in the practise of godlinesse Honour and riches are the occasions of all kindes of mischiefs for they doe draw and seduce a man out of the right way In the time of the great persecution of the Church of Christ under Dioclesianus the Emperour begun against the Christians as Eusebius relates it in the nineteenth yeere of Dioclesian in which there was cruell demolition of Churches and sacred Temples burning of holy and godly Books inhumane tortures and torments inflicted against the Christians so that where any were found that were pious and Christian they were fetcht and most severely martyred for the truth as Cardinall Baronius averres and indeed all other Ecclesiasticall Historians that though the Tempest raged horribly yet this worthy constant Father retain'd his piety and
feared not any Tormentors but resolv'd both in life and death to keepe his stedfast faith in the merits and mercies of Jesus Christ. Behold in this Lactantius a true patterne of a true follower of Jesus who despaired not in the depth of his penury and poverty nor yet was daunted or struck off from Heaven by the rage of persecution these two I dare boldly say have made many to deny their Lord that so dearly bought them with the price of his most precious bloud To bee poore by nature is no shame unto a man for we brought nothing into this world with us nor must we carry any thing out of it but to be made poore by any evill or unhappy occasion of our own that we ought to be ashamed of and hate And there is one thing only for which poverty ought to be beloved because that maketh triall and shew of whom thou art beloved for who was poorer on earth then Christ which died for us for he had no where to repose or lay his head But this furious Thunderclap removed not this stout Lactantius but as his name so his nature was firme and fixed his education under such a stout Master was a great motive to him to stand fast for Arnobius whose Disciple this Lactantius was did to testifie to the World his constancie in Religion even in the Reigne of Dioclesian set forth seven Books against the Heathens as Bellarmine avers by which and his Masters example Lactantius learn'd to imitate so noble a vertue It is none of the least testimonies of a pious mind to be spurred on to follow good examples And it is a thing very unfit and inconvenient for any man to carry goodnes in his mouth and have none at his heart I cannot omit to mention likewise thus much of him that when as with much profit and commendation Hee had learn'd of Arnobius that being sheltered by some friends to the Gospell of Christ during the time of persecution as I am perswaded not without the singular providence of God ordering it for the preservation of this man that hee was in his old age as I have said before upon severall proofs called to instruct Crispus the sonne of Constantinus as Saint Ierome Ruffinâ—s and Socrates doe witnesse any man of judgement I suppose will conclude that such a wise religious potent and munificent Emperour as Constantine would never have taken such speciall notice and knowledge of a decrepit old man had he not certainly been informed of or really knowne the worthy parts and pious endowments of this Reverend Lactantius neither could hee have beene admitted into the Emperours favour had hee not beene formerly well approved by the Fathers of the Church and had of them Letters Testimoniall and Commendatory for his integritie and learning nay unlesse he had been well furnished with learning and gravity holinesse of life Constantine would not have committed the Education of his sonne unto him Good Education being the manifest pillar of Nobility and Greatnesse and indeed good and able Tutors are necessarily requisite about the persons of Princes Education indeed alters the whole course of Nature Hence it is said that an ill man by due ordering and good governance is made good as a piece of ground which is full of weeds may by a skilfull and diligent hand be cleere and fruitfull to bring forth fruit So a minde that is full of vices and corruption may by good discipline be made honest and vertuous Education saith one is compared to a Sickle and a Hand and being demanded the reason made this answer that if there was any vice in the soule it would weed it out and if there was no vertue as yet in the soule it would plant some in These things aforesaid seriously considered doe not a little set forth the lustre and glory of our Lactantius and to adde this one thing to what hath been said all the Historians do not mention any thing of his removeall from his great charge but by all probabilitie he continued his place with repute and a generall approbation as well of the Emperour as of his sonne For his carriage in the place or how long hee continued it nor Saint Ierome nor Eusebius Ruffinus nor Nicephorus nor Bellarmine or Baronius do once mention and therefore we may safely suppose that Lactantius was upright and vertuous If we may give credit to Saint Ierome this Father also was an industrious man for his Writings of which there were many penned that are not now extant And wee may believe that though the Author did escape the great persecution yet many of his works perished in the flames when as the enemies of the Church did not spare to burne the Word of God and of those that are extant Cardinall Bellarmine hath censured some of them to be none of Lactantius Especially the Verses and those of the Phaenix his words are these Et quidem opera omnia quae extant exceptis carminibus sine controversiâ Lactantii sunt carmen de Phaenice Ethniei hominis videtur esse and carmen de Resurrectione Paschate de Passione ambiguum est an Lactantii sint that is and truly all the Bookes that are extant except the Verses without controversie are of this Lactantius making the Verses of the Phaenix seeme to be an Heathens as also the Verses of the Resurrection of the Passeover and Passion are doubtfull whether they be his or not neither do I certainly finde the time of his death nor yet the manner but all agree that he lived till he was very aged an argument that God saw him necessary for the benefit of his Church His Sayings I have added some of the famous Sentences of this Lactantius that you may by them perceive what a learned man he was in his Treatise of false Religion against the Gentiles in his third Chapter of the Governance of the World to prove one God hee saith Deus ergo quia perfectus est non potest esse nisi â—nus ut in eo sint omnia that is God being a perfect substance must needes bee one that all things may bee in one All vices are temporary nor can alwayes be and therefore the followers of them are vain in the prosecution De divino praemio lib. 7. cap. 10. The followers of righteousnesse are contemned here but their reward is great hereafter Godlinesse alwayes enriches the possessour Lib. 7. de divinâ— praemio cap. 11. No righteousnesse no wisdome no knowledge of God no way to curbe our unruly affections and to suppresse sin without Religion Lib. de ira Dâ—i cap. 12. Every man is mortall because corporeall for every body is soluble and corruptible they are but unwise therefore who trust upon long life when at any time they may be dissolved Lib. de opific. Dei cap. 4. There is no conquest but there is also a battaile nor no vertue but hath its enemy God would have our graces proved and known not