there were brought vnto him more than sixe thousande heades of little children whiche had bene cast in there for to couer and hide the whoredome of the Priestes and other Ecclesiasticall persons Wherefore Gregorie seeing the same was constrayned to saye condemning the decree that he had made against the maryage of the ecclesiasticall persons The Apostle saithe it is better to marye then to burne And I say also for my part that it is better to mary then to giue occasion of death This Epistle was founde in a library of the towne of Hollande called Aldwater Of vowes S. Ambrose vpon the fyrst to the Corinthians 7. Chap. NO man ought to be constrayned least hauing forbid things that are lawfull he doe fall into thinges vnlawfull The counsell of Toledo .8 did permitte to breake the vowes and othes made against the faith Dauid sinned in swearing that he would put to death Nabal and all his men hee did very well to breake that vowe whiche was against God And therefore he praysed greatly God for that he letted him to shead bloud by Abigail Herode made a vowe to giue vnto the daughter of Herodias that daunced before him whatsoeuer shee would aske And she being before instructed of hir mother said giue me here Iohn Baptist his heade in a platter And the king sorowed neuerthelesse for his othes sake for their sakes which sat also at the table he commaunded it to be giuen hir He did euill in fulfilling that vowe against God. Saule did euill to vowe to put to deathe his sonne Ionathas who was hindred to accomplishe his vowe by the people God hath sayde and commaunded thou shalt not kill Iephtha vowed a vowe vnto the Lorde and sayde if thou shalt deliuer the children of Ammon into my handes then that thing that commeth out of the dores of my house against me when I com home in peace from the children of Ammon shall be the Lordes and I will offer it vp a burnt offring After the wars were ended he came home and see his daughter came out against him with Timbreles and daunces And when he sawe hir he rente his clothes and sayde Alas my daughter thou hast made me stoupe and art one of them that trouble me For I haue opened my mouth vnto the Lorde and cannot goe backe c. And he killed his daughter against the commandement of God which forbyddeth to kill Saint Cyprian the Martyr of Iesus Christ. 11. Epistle fyrst booke If the virgins haue giuen them selues with a good wil vnto Christ let them perseuere in chastitie not dissembling being so strong and constant that they attend the rewarde of their virginnitie if they will not or cannot perseuere it is better for them to mary then to be throwne hedlong into the fire through their pleasures The counsel of Arausique or Orenge the 11. chapter hath decreed that we can vowe nothing rightly vnto God but that which we haue receiued at his hand In asmuch as all thinges which we can offer vnto him are gyftes proceeding from him The counsell of Gangres in Galatia in a Canon and rule saith if any of those which keepe virginitie for the loue of Iesus Christe doe eleuate them selues against those that are maryed let them bee excommunicated or giuen to the diuell In an other Canon it is saide when a man bicause of dissembling countenance vseth strange apparell beleeuing that thereby he hath righteousnesse in him selfe and despiseth others which with honesty and reuerence doe weare caps and other comely apparell that he be excommunicated Iohn le Maire of the difference of schismes and of the counsels of the Churche Pope Gregory the seuenth was the first which made a lawe that priestes shoulde not mary Platyna in the life of Pope Pius .2 or Aeneas Syluius The Pope Pius borne at Senee aforenamed Aeneas Syluius among other prouerbes which he was wont to speake was accustomed also to saye by good right and by good cause they haue taken awaye maryage from priestes but for better cause they ought to restore it vnto them againe Iesus Christ sayth in vayne they worshippe me teaching for doctrines whiche are but mens preceptes All plantes whiche my heauenly father hath not planted shall be plucked vp by the rootes It is better to mary then to burne Of the church and howe it may be knowen and of hir authorytie Chrysostome vpon S. Mathewe .48 homily .24 Chapter THere be some who doe greatly seduce althoughe that it be through liyng yet neuerthelesse they doe preache Christe they declare the faith For they also haue orders and priestes aswell as the faithfull They doe also reade the holy Scriptures Also they doe thinke that they do giue the same Baptisme and the same Sacramentes of the body and of the bloud of Christe likewyse they doe honor the Apostles Martyrs and thereby doe cause the thoughtes of men greatly to erre not onely of the meane and simple people but also of the prudent and wyse Who shall he be whom Antechrist will not moue partly doing the workes of Christe and fulfilling al the offyces of the Christans before the Christians excepte it bee paraduenture hee which considereth that which the Apostle hath sayde Forasmuch then as Sathan himselfe is changed into the fashion of an angell of light Therefore it is no great matter though his ministers fashion them selues as though they were the ministers of righteousnesse whose ende shall be according to their deedes and not after the fayning and forme of their christianitie Chrysostome vpon S. Mathew 9. Homilie Chapt. 24. All the Christians in this present time ought to conferre themselues in the holye Scriptures For sithence the time that heresie hath obtayned and gotten hir churches men can haue no certayne proofe or triall of true christianitie And there can be no other refuge for the Christians who are willing to know the truth of the faith but the holy Scriptures Afterwardes he sayth Whosoeuer then will knowe what the true church of Iesus Christ is howe shall he knowe it but onely by the Scriptures Saint Augustine 2. Tome 166. Epistle In the holy Scriptures we haue learned Iesus Christ and in the Church we haue commonly those holye Scriptures Wherefore then is it that in them we kepe and holde not altogither in common both Iesus Christ and his Church S. Augustine .7 Tome in the Epistle against Petilian a Donatist Chapter 2. 3. 4. Amongst vs and the Donatistes is a question where the Church is What is it then that we shall doe Ought we to seke it in our wordes or in those of our heade Iesus Christ Truly we ought to seeke it in the wordes of him whiche is the truth and which also knoweth his bodie Chrysostome vpon Saint Mathewe 49. Homilie Chap. 24. Heresies are the bandes and troupe of the souldiers of Antichrist chiefly those whiche haue obtayned the place
here for he is rysen as he sayd come and see the place where the Lord was layde Behold my handes and my feete for it is euen I my selfe handle me and see for a spirite hath not flesh and bones as ye see me haue And when he had thus spoken he shewed them his hands his fete And while they looked stedfastly vp to heauen as he went behold two men stode before them in white apparell which also sayd ye men of Galyle why stand ye gasing into heauen This same Iesus which is taken vp from you into heauen shall so come euen as ye haue seene him goe into heauen Also whom the heauen must contayne vntill the time that all thinges be restored That we ought not to take from the lay people the wyne of the supper Gelasius Pope of Rome of consecration in the seconde distinction chapter Comperimus c. We haue vnderstoode that some men receyuing only the bodye of the Lorde doe abstayne themselues from the Cup who forasmuch as they sinne by superstition ought to be constrayned and compelled to receyue the Sacrament wholy or else to reiect it altogither For the diuision of this mysterie cannot be without great sacriledge Iesus Christ commaunded in his supper and sayde Drinke ye all of this For this is my bloude of the newe testament The Counsaile of Basile hath ordeined that the laye people shoulde communicate the supper in two kindes Saint Cyprian in his Sermon of penitent sinners Howe shall we exhort the people to shed their bloude for the confession of Christ if we doe denie vnto them the bloude of him when they ought to fight Or howe can we make our selues capable to drinke the cuppe of Martyrdome except that we suffer our selues firste to drinke of the cuppe of the Lorde That we ought not to keepe the breade of the supper nor to carie it here and there Saint Clement in his 2. Epistle to Iames. And of the consecration in the 3. Distinction Chapter tribus c. So many hostes ought to be offred at the Aulter as shall be sufficient for the people And if any remaine we ought not to keepe it vntill the next day but through the diligence of the clarkes with feare and trembling ought to be receiued and eaten Origen vpon the 7. chapter of Leuiticus The Lorde hath not ordayned or commaunded that the bread should be kept vntill the morrowe the which he gaue vnto his disciples but sayd vnto them take ye and eate c. And in this he commaunded not to carry the bread by the wayes it may be that by the same is conteyned a mysterye that is to say that alwayes thou oughtest to bring forth the newe breade of the worde of God whiche thou bearest within thee Iesus Christ sayth Take and eate In which sense we ought to vnderstand the auncient Doctors when they haue sayde we offer we sacrifice in calling the supper a sacrifice S. Augustine writing against Faustus the 8. Chapter The Hebrues sacrificing the brute beastes did exercise themselues in the prophecie of the sacrifice which Iesus Christ hath offered And nowe the Christians in the oblation and communion of the bodie of Iesus Christ doe celebrate the memorie of the sacrifice already ended Chrysostome in his first tome vpon the 8. Chapter of Saint Mathew in the 16. homily For this cause these reuerende and salutarie mysteries which we celebrate in all the congregation of the Church are called Eucharistiae that is to saye a giuing of thankes for they are the remembrance of many benefites and doe shewe the verye heade of the heauenly loue towardes vs and doe make vs alwayes render thankes vnto God. The Prophet Dauid in the 50. Psalm Offer vnto God thanks giuing c. Irenaeus in his 4 booke against the heresies Chap. 32. 33 34. He hath willed that we shoulde offer often the gift at the aultar and without intermission The aultar then is in heauen for thither our prayers and oblations are addressed and directed to the temple as S. Iohn saith in his Apocalips And the temple of God was open and the tabernacle For beholde sayth he the tabernacle of God in the whiche I doe dwell with men S. Cyprian in his 2. boke of Epistles the 3. Epistle vnto Cecill We must not welbeloued brother that any man thinke that one ought to followe the custome of some men whiche haue thought or iudged that we must offer the water only in the Lordes cuppe we must aske of those whō they haue for example For if in the sacrifice which is Christ we must followe none but Christ truly then we must heare and doe that which Christ hath done and commaunded to be done Inasmuch as he sayth in his Gospell if you doe whatsoeuer I commaunde you I will call you no more seruauntes but my frendes And that Iesus Christ ought to be onely hearde the father himselfe doth witnesse it from heauen saying This is my welbeloued sonne in whom I am well pleased heare him Wherefore if Christe ought to be only hearde we ought not to regarde that whiche another before vs shall thinke good to be done But that he who is before all that is to saye Christ hath done first For we must not followe the custome of man but the veritie of god forasmuche as he sayeth by his Prophete Esay They worshippe me in vayne teaching doctrines whiche are but mens preceptes And the Lorde himselfe repeateth the same in the Gospell saying ye doe reiect the commaundement of God for to establishe your owne tradition But yet he hath sayde in another place Whosoeuer shall break one of these least commandements teacheth men so to doe he shall be called the least in the kingdome of heauen Then if it be not lawfull to breake the least of all the commaundementes of God howe much lesse shall it be lawfull to breake these so greate so excellent and so properly appertayning to the Sacrament of the passion of the Lorde and of our redemption Or to chaunge it thorow the ordinance and tradition of men to an other thing than to that to the which it hath ben godly instituted For if Iesus Christ be the very souereygne Priest of God the father and if he hath bene the first offered sacrifice to God his father and hath commaunded to doe this in remembraunce of him he shall doe truly the office of Christ which shall followe that which Christ hath done And if he doe begyn to offer in the Church to God the father according as he shall see that Christ him selfe hath offered then he shal offer vnto God a full and whole sacrifice Furthermore if one kepe not that faithfullye which is spirituallye commanded the discipline of all religion and truth is ouerthrowne S. Augustine in his booke of fayth vnto Peter Chap. 16. In that sacrifice which we doe vse there is giuing of thankes
at the commandement of the Lorde And was buryed in a valley in the land of Moab besides Beth Pheor but no man wist of his sepulcher vnto this daye Iohn was beheaded of Herode and after his disciples came and tooke vp his body and buryed it And certayne men fearing God carryed Stephen among them to be buryed and made great lamentation ouer him God saide vnto Adam earth thou art and vnto earth shalt thou returne Eusebius in the ecclesiasticall history 4. booke .15 Chapter The diuell inuyted Niceta the father of Herodes and brother of Alces to obtayne of the iudge that he would not suffer the body of Saint Policarpe to be buryed fearing saith he least the Christians should leaue and forsake him whiche hath bene crucified and would beginne to worshippe him here c. The faithfull wil aunswere The miserable men doe not knowe that we can neuer forsake Iesus Christe who hath suffered death and passion for vs and that we cannot adore or worshipe any other then he whom we doe knowe to be the true god And afterwardes they gathered the bones of the Martyr which were burned and haue put them in a sepulchre c. Chrysostome in his vnperfect worke vpon Saint Mathewe 23. Chapter They make their Phylactaries broade c. O ignorante priestes saith he is not the Gospell reade euery day in the church that is to say in the congregation and heard of all And if the Gospell put into the eares of many doe not profit them any thing at all to saluation doest thou thinke that it will profite them any thing to hang it about their neckes Furthermore I doe aske thee wherein consisteth the truthe of the Gospell in the figures of the letters or in the vnderstanding of the same If the vertue of the Gospell dooth consiste in the figures of letters written thou doest well to carry them hanging about thy necke But if the vertue of the Gospel consisteth in the true sense and true vnderstanding as thou must beleue thou shalt then doe better to beare and carye them in thy heart than about thy necke But other which would shewe themselues to be more holye adde with the letters of the Gospell one part of the hemme or of the heares to wete of Iesus Christ and doe hang them about their necke O wickednesse they woulde shewe that there is greater holynesse in the robes than in the proper bodie of Iesus Christ And seeing that they are not healed in receyuing the bodie of Iesus Christ they thinke to bee through the holynesse of the hemmes they despayre of the mercie of God and put their trust onely in the robe of man And thou wilt say vnto me Did not S. Paule giue his partlets and napkins for to heale those that were diseased I doe confesse the same but that was before that men had knowledge of the true God whom he declared and shewed forth And it was good reason and to the same had Saint Paule respect to the end that through the holynesse of the men whiche doe declare the true God they shoulde acknowledge his vertue and power but nowe it is folie For sithence that wee haue the power of God what doth it profite to knowe the puissance and strength of men Ye men of Israel why maruayle ye at this or why looke ye so stedfastly on vs as though we by our owne power or godlynesse had made this man go The God of Abraham and Isaac and Iacob the God of our fathers hath glorified his son Iesus c. I my selfe whose name is the Lorde which giue my power to none other neyther myne honor to the Gods. Epiphanius in the 2. Tome 3. booke Heresie 79. God which is the worde hath taken fleshe of the virgin neuerthelesse not to the ende that the virgin shoulde bee worshipped or that we should make hir God or to that ende that wee shoulde offer in hir name And agayne he sayth that the father the sonne and the holy ghost should be worshipped that none doe worshippe Marie nor anye woman nor anye man That mysterie is due vnto god The angels themselues are not capable of suche glorie Anon after he sayeth Let not the women saye we will honour the Queene of heauen c. Of one onely mediator S. Augustine vpon the first Epistle of S. Iohn the first treatise THis manne here hath not sayde yee haue an aduocate with the father but if any man haue sinne wee haue an aduocate with the father He hath not sayde ye haue nor hath sayde ye haue me And also he hath not sayde ye haue also very Christ but he hath put Christ and not himself and hath sayde we haue and not ye haue He had rather to put himself in the number of sinners for to haue Christ for an aduocate than to put himself an aduocate for Christ to be found amongst the proude damned creatures My brethren we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous he it is that obtayneth grace for our sinnes He that holdeth this doctrine holdeth no heresie nor doth any schisme For from whence come the schismes or diuisions but when men saye wee bee righteous when men saye we doe sanctifie those that be defiled we doe iustifie the infidels we aske and obtayne it But what is that that Iohn sayth If any man sinne wee haue an aduocate with the father to wete Iesus Christ the righteous But some will say doe not the Sayntes then aske for vs doe not the Bishoppes then praye for the people vnderstande the Scriptures and marke that also the Prelates doe commend themselues vnto the people in praying also togither for vs. The Apostle prayeth for the people and the people doe praye for the Apostle My brethren we doe pray for you but pray ye also for vs Let all the members pray one for another and the heade shall be the mediator for all Therefore it is no maruayle that he sayde that which followeth where he stoppeth the mouth of those which deuyde the Church of god For he sayeth we haue Iesus Christ the righteous for an aduocate he it is that obtayneth grace for our sinne for those which ought to talk and saye Lo here is Christ or there is Christe and for those which will shewe in parte him which hath redeemed all and possesseth all thinges Augustine against Parmenian in his 2. and .6 booke .8 Chapter The Christians doe commend them selues the one to the other in their praiers but he which prayeth for all for whom no man can praye is the true and onely mediator Although that Saint Paule were one of the chefest members neuerthelesse in asmuch as he was a member knowing that the Lorde Iesus the true hie priest for all the church and congregation was entred into the sanctuary of God not by figure or image but in truth he commendeth him self to the prayers of
of the church And it is holden in the holy place insomuche that it seemeth that they are there holden as the worde of truth but it is the abhomination of desolation that is to saye of the hoste and bande of Antichrist the which hath made the soules of many men desolate forsaken and destitute of God. And peraduenture that is that which the Apostle speaketh of which is an aduersarie and is exalted aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped so that he shall sit as God in the temple of God and beare in hande that he is god And so all his euils of diuerse heresies the which were before but only hearde of are afterwarde holden in the holye place in ouerthrowing the Churche of Iesus Christ c. Chrysostome vpon Saint Mathewe Chapt. 24. Homilie .49 He then which woulde knowe what is the true Church of Iesus Christ howe shall he knowe it in so great confusion of such likelyhoode but by the scriptures In the same The Lorde then knowing so great confusion to be come in the latter dayes therfore willed that the Christians which are in Christianitie which will take the surenesse of the true fayth should haue refuge vnto nothing but vnto the Scriptures Otherwyse if they regarded other things they shall be euill spoken of and shall perishe not vnderstanding what the true Church is and thereby shall fall headlong into the Abhomination of Desolation which standeth in the holye place of the Church c. In the same If any mā shal say vnto you behold here is Christ in the houses beleeue it not For nowe you doe iniurie and wrong to the Godheade if you seeke it in houses that which filleth both heauen and earth or if ye think that he which is come for to resist the proude and for to exalt the humble and meeke is hydde there shewing by suche things howe of his true Churche oftentimes doe ryse vp seducers Therefore we must in no wyse beleeue them if they saye not or doe not that whiche is agreeable to the Scriptures beleeue them not for as the smoke goeth before the fire and the battaile before the victorie euen so the temptation of Antichrist preceedeth and goeth before the glorie of Christ c. Saint Barnard vpon the Canticles 33. Sermon From whom shall the church hide hirselfe all are freendes and all are enemies all are kinsefolkes and al are aduersaries all are houshold seruantes and there is none at peace all are neighbours and all seeke but their owne profite They are the ministers of Christ and serue Antechrist they do walke in the honor of the gooneds of the Lorde vnto whom they doe no honor thereby commeth that beauty of the harlotte whiche thou seest dayly in their apparell as the players of Comedyes as in the apparell of a King thereby thou seest the golde in the brydels saddels and spurres Thereby are the tables beautified with meates and vessells Thereby commeth drunkennesse and gloutonye thereby proceedeth the harpe and the viol thereby are the priestes ouerrunning and the garners full aunswering the one the other Thereby are the boxes full of oyntmentes and sweete sauor thereby are the purses filled therefore would they be and are the princes of the Churches the Prouostes Deanes Archedeacons Bishops Archebyshoppes and such thinges come not lawfully but bicause they doe walke in the businesse of darkenesse By that before it hath bene forespoken and nowe is come the time of the fulfilling of the same Behold nowe in peace my bitternesse is most bitter it hath bene before bitter in the death of Martyrs afterwardes more bitter in the controuersye of Heretickes now it is most bitter in the manners of those of our owne house we can neyther chase them nor driue them away they are so mighty and multiplyed without number The fores and plagues of the Church are entred into the inwarde partes and are incurable and therefore is hir bitternesse most bitter c. S. Hilary writing against Auxentius I doe admonishe you to take heede of Antechriste ye staye your selues to muche on the walles seeking the church of God in the fairenesse of buyldings thinking that the vnitie of the faithfull is there contayned doe wee doubte that Antechriste ought there to haue his seate The mountaines and the woodes lakes prisons and desertes are more sure vnto me and of better truste for the Prophets being therein hid haue prophecied Saint Barnard vpon the .90 psalm Qui habitabit verse .6 O Lorde Iesus thou hast multiplied the people and thou hast not increased theyr ioye for many be called but fewe bee chosen Al the Christians almost al doe seeke their owne profite not of Iesus Christe And haue remoued the offyces from the ecclesiastical dignitie into shameful gaine and into workes of darkenesse and the health of soules is not searched for in suche thinges but the pleasure of riches Therefore are they shoren therefore doe they frequent the Churches and doe celebrate masses and sing psalmes They stryue and contende most impudently dayly by proces for Byshoppryks Archebyshoppryks in somuch that the reuenewes of the Churches are bestowed and wasted in superfluyties and to vayne vses There remayneth nothing but that the man of sinne be reueled the sonne of perdition c. S. Barnard in his Sermon of the conuersion of S. Paule Alas O Lord God for these are the first which doe persecute thee whome we doe see to loue the hyest places in thy Church and to holde the principalitie They haue taken the Arches from Sion they haue occupied the Castle and afterwards haue freely by power and strength set all the citie on fire their cōuersation is miserable the subuertion of thy people is pitifull S. Ierome vpon the .9 Chapter of the Prophete Oseas I doe not finde in the olde hystories any other to haue seperated and diuided the Churche and seduced the people from the house of God than the Priests and Prelates which are placed of God for to bee the spyes and watchmen for the Christian people agaynst the enimies of the church S. Barnarde in his first booke De considera to Eugenius Speaking vnto Pope Eugenius what are those thy flatterers whiche saye vnto thee nowe vp boldly thou doste by them of the spoyle of the Churches The lyfe of the poore is sowen in the places of the riche Siluer shyneth in the myre they runne thither out of all partes the poorest sort doe not carie it awaye but the most strong or hee that runneth swyftest this custome or rather this mortall corruption hath not begon in thy time but I beseeche God that it may ende in thine In the meane time thou art apparayled and decked vp very gorgeously and sumptuously If I durst speake it thy seate is rather a Parke of diuels than of sheepe Did S. Peter so Did S. Paule mocke after that sort Thy Court ought rather of custome to receyue the
thinges that which was secrete is declared and that which is hid is made knowen without any kinde of pryde which is no sacriledge not hauing a necke puffed vp with pride without any contention or enuye with holynesse humilitie with the catholicke peace with christian charitie Irenaeus in his .3 booke .4 chap. What would it be if there were any disputation or debate moued of anye lighte question must wee not haue our recourse vnto the moste auncient churches whiche were in the time of the Apostles and to take of them that which is cleare and certayne for to resolue the debate or question put foorth S. Augustine of baptisme against the Donatistes .3 booke .9 Chapter Honoratus Attuca hath saide forasmuch as Christe is the truth we ought rather to followe the truth then custome The Byshop Castus in the 5. Chapter He that presumeth to follow custome in condemning the truth eyther he is enuyous or wicked towardes the brethren vnto whom the truth is reueled or he is ingratefull towardes God through whose inspiration the church is instructed Trust not in false lying wordes saying here is the Temple of the Lorde here is the Temple of the Lorde here is the temple of the Lorde c But take heede howe ye doe trust in coūsels that beguile you and doe you no good God hath witnessed of his sonne saying This is my deare sonne in whome I delight here him The Lorde hath saide But the prophet which shall presume to speake ought in my name whiche I commaunded not to speake and he that speaketh in the name of strange Gods the same prophet shall dye Moyses saide ye shall doe after nothing that we doe here this daye euery man what seemeth him good in his owne eyes Moyses saide ye shall doe afer nothing that we doe here this daye euery man what seemeth him good in his owne eyes Ye shall put nothing vnto the word which I commaunde you neyther doe oughte there from that ye may keepe the commaundementes of the Lorde your God which I commaunde you Beholde I haue taught you ordinances and lawes such as the Lorde my God commaunded me S. Augustine writing vnto Orosus against the Priscillanistes and Originistes .11 Chapter The doctrine of man seemeth to haue reason so long as it is not compared vnto the heauenly knowledge but when the lye approcheth to the truth it is by and by deuoured and destroyed as a sparke of fire and all the teachinges of faulshod and lyinges the whiche nowe are called Idolles Forasmuch as they are made they shal be altogither broken He that commeth from an hie is aboue all he that is of the earth is earthly and speaketh of the earthe he that commeth from heauen is aboue all And what hee hath seene and heard that he testifieth but no man receiueth his testimony howbeit he that hath receiued his testimonye hath sealed that God is true For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God. Iesus Christ saith And his wordes haue ye not abiding in you for whom hee hath sent him ye beleeue not Search the scriptures for in them ye thinke ye haue eternall life and they are they which testifie of me My doctrine is not mine but his that sent me If anye man will doe his will hee shall knowe of the doctrine whither it be of God or whither I speake of my selfe He that speaketh of him selfe seeketh his owne prayse but he that speaketh his prayse that sent him the same is true and no vnrighteousnesse is in him He that sent me is true and I speake in the world those thinges which I haue hearde of him If ye continue in my wordes then are ye my disciples and shall know the truth the truth shall restore you to libertie c. I speake that I haue seene with my father and ye doe that which ye haue seene with your father Verily verily I saye vnto you if a man keepe my saying hee shall neuer see death My sheepe heare my voyce and I know them and they followe me I haue not spoken of my selfe but the father which sent me gaue me a commandement what I shoulde saye and what I shoulde speake And I knowe that this commaundemente is lyfe euerlasting Whatsoeuer I speake therefore euen as the father bade me so I speake The wordes that I speake vnto you I speake not of my selfe If ye loue me kepe my commaundements He that hath my commaundements and keepeth them the same is he that loueth me He that loueth me not keepeth not my sayings and the wordes which ye heare are not mine but the father which sent me Many other signes also did Iesus in the presence of his disciples which are not written in this booke These are written that ye might beleeue that Iesus is Christ the sonne of God and that in beleeuing yee might haue lyfe through his name Though that wee or an aungell from heauen preach vnto you other wayes than that whiche we haue preached vnto you holde him as accursed As we sayd before so say I nowe agayne if any man preache vnto you other wayes than that yee haue receyued holde him accursed The woman that was a Samaritane sayde vnto Iesus I wote well Messias shall come which is called Christ when he is come he will tell vs all things I haue kept nothing backe but haue shewed you all the counsell of God. Chrysostome in the first homilie vpon the Epistle vnto Titus The Gospell doth contayne all things the things present and things to come honor pietie and fayth c. Saint Hilarie vpon Saint Mathew 14. Canon Euery plant which my heauenly father hath not planted shall be plucked vp by the rootes that is to say all mans traditions ought to be plucked vp by the fauor of the whiche they haue transgressed the commaundement of the lawe And therefore he called them the blinde leaders promising the waye of euerlasting lyfe the which they see not themselues and sayth that the falling hedlong of those blind leaders and their conductors is common S Augustine vpon S. Iohn .49 treatise .9 Chapter Although that the Lorde Iesus Christe hath done many things which haue not bene written as also his owne Euangelistes doe witnesse it that the Lord Iesus Christ hath sayde and done many things whiche are not written neuerthelesse the things haue bene chosen to be written whiche were thought sufficient for the saluation of the beleeuers Of the holy scripture and howe it is lawfull for all men to reade it HAppie is he that readeth and happie are they that heare the wordes of this Prophecie and keepe those things which are written therein for the tyme is at hande Iesus Christ sayeth Happie are they that heare the worde of God and kepe it Thy worde is a lanterne vnto my feete and a light vnto my pathes Gods worde in the
worde be of spirituall things and let vs take in our handes Gods bookes and calling togither our neyghbors sprinkle with heauenlye wordes oure owne selues and of the assistentes that thereby we may chase and driue away the treasons and assaultes of the diuell S. Ierome in his first Tome vnto Marcellus perswading him to goe to Bethleem In the towne where Iesus was borne there are none but rusticall people where ye shal here nothing but singing of psalms in euery place the ploughman holding the plough by the tayle singeth Alleluya The mower to passe away the time singeth psalmes the Vine dresser with his hooke cutting the vine singeth some thing of Dauid these are the songes of this prouince these are as we say commonly the songes of loue Athanasius vpon the Epistle vnto the Ephesians .6 Chapter Ye fathers moue not your children to wrathe c. he addeth the cause of the obeying of the fathers commaundement and sheweth vnto the parents how they should make their children obedient and ready to doe that that they are bydde If thou wylt saith he that thy children doe obey thee accustome them vnto heauenly wordes and saye not that it belongeth vnto the Monkes to vnderstand holy letters For truely it is the office rather of euery christian and chefelye of him which medleth and hath to doe with the affayres and businesse of this worlde And the more that he hath neede of the greater healpes the greater neede hath he to vnderstand it for he is more prouoked with the assaults of this world This then is greatly for thy profite that thy children may heare read holy Scriptures for thereby they shall learne to honor father and mother But thou doest the contrary thou bringest vp thy children in the doctrine of panims and gentiles of whiche they shall learne moste wicked thinges the which shall not be so when they are instructed in the heauenlye Scriptures Primasius Byshop of Vtica in Africa disciple of S. Augustine vpon the Epistle to the Collos 3. chapter Let the worde of Christ dwell in you plenteously c. Here is most amply declared that the laye people ought also to haue the word of God not only simply but also aboundantly and plenteously and they ought also to admonishe and teach the one the other Athanasius vpon the .3 Chapter of the Collossians Let the worde of Christe dwell in you plenteously in all wisedome He declareth the way by the which we may giue thanks in all things For if the worde of God sayth he dwell in you that is to say the doctrine or heauenly commaundementes and admonitions by the which he instructeth vs to despyse this lyfe we cannot greatly esteeme earthly riches Truly we shoulde not fall or bee ouercome with to grieuous things but to beare all things stoutly and manfully rendring thankes vnto God although there happen aduersities For he hath not sayde let the word of God be in you simply but let it dwell in you plenteously For if we doe abound in the knowledge of the holy Scriptures we shall easly beare trybulations paines and calamities and all other manner of euill Theophilacte vpon the .6 chap. to the Ephesians If thou wylt saith he that thy children should obey thee instruct them in the word of our Lorde and saye not that it dooth belong onely vnto the Monkes to reade the Scriptures For it belongeth aswell vnto euery christian and cheefely vnto all those which haue to doe in this worlde S. Ierome vpon the .6 chap. vnto the Ephesians If he doe commaund the Ephesians being laye men and vnto many that are occupyed in the businesse and affaires of this life as we see among the people to teach their children in all discipline and admonition of the Lorde what oughte wee to thinke or iudge of the priestes of whose order he hath written vnto his disciple Timothe saying hauing children subiect in all reuerence c. S. Ambrose vpon the .2 Epistle vnto Timothe 3. chapter All scripture giuen by inspiration of god c. It is manifeste that all scripture of which God is said to be the author to be profitable For it is giuen to that ende that it may profite the ignorant and amend the disformed creatures drawing the wicked into all good workes For in profitting a little and little to the newe man it will make him the man of God. Chrysostome vpon the .2 Epistle vnto Timothe .3 chapter Thou hast saith he through me the Scriptures if thou doest desire to learne any thing of them thou mayest learne it If he did write those thinges vnto Timothe who was full of the holy ghoste howe much more ought we to thinke that it is spoken vnto vs. Lactantius Firmianus in the Proeme of his heauenly institutions We which haue receiued the Sacrament of true religion for asmuch as the truthe is reueled vnto vs and that we may followe God the doctor of sapyence and wysedome let vs call vnto that heauenlye banket all men vniuersally without anye difference eyther of kinde or age for there is no meate sweeter and more delectable vnto the soule then the knowledge of the truthe S. Augustine in the .6 chapter of the vtilitie and profyte of beleeuing All that which is in the Scriptures is high and heauenly all is truth and moste fitte and holsome doctrine beleeue me for to fill and satisfie the spirites in such sorte that euery one may drawe out that which is sufficient for him so that he drawe it deuoutly and holily according as true religion requireth Augustine of true religion .51 chapt about the letter E. In forsaking sayeth he the open and Poeticall trifles and foolishnesse let vs feede and comfort our spirite in treating and considering of holy scriptures The which spirite being wearye and to muche ouercome with the heate hunger and thirst of vayne curiositie and things to no purpose desireth to bee refreshed and comforted with vain fantasies as of goodly and daintie meates Chrysostome vpon S. Iohn 5. Tome .10 Homilie first Chapter Before I doe come to intreate of the wordes of the Gospell I would request of you one thing which I woulde not haue you to despyse For I doe not demaunde of you heauie things nor such as are hard to be done neyther that which is onely profitable to me but a great deale more to you What is then the request that I demaunde That one day in the weeke or at the least vpon the Sundayes and Festiuall dayes ye be diligent to haue in youre handes before the preaching the Gospell which we doe reade vnto you and to repeate them often in your houses searching diligently the vnderstanding thereof and noting that which is easie or obscure and harde in them and that which seemeth to haue contrarietie yet notwithstanding hath not and after that ye haue throughly examined it bee very attentiue to those Sermons by whiche meane shall come great profite both to you