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
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
And also we must wryte letters vnto our companions that the lawe of the Gospell and the doctrine of the Lorde be kept of euery one and that wee doe not goe backe from that the Christ hath taught and done c. Afterwardes he saithe If wee bee the priestes of God and of Christe I doe not finde that we ought to followe any other than God and Christ Forasmuch as especially he saith in the Gospell I am the light of the worlde he that followeth mee shal not walke in darkenesse but shal haue the light of life Lactantius Firmianus in the .6 booke of his godly institutions 8. Chapter We ought not to follow men but God. S. Augustine writing vnto Fortunatus 198. Epistle We ought not to holde or esteeme all the disputations of men as canonicall scriâ—tures although they haue bene made by learned men insomuch that it is lawefull for vs sauing the honor of men which is due vnto them to gainesay or reproue some thinges in their writinges if peraduenture we doe finde that they sauor otherwyse then the veritie conteyneth vnderstoode by others or of vs through the help of god I am such a one in other mens writings as I woulde that they shoulde be which doe vnderstand mine S. Augustine in his Prologue of the .3 booke of the trinitie Obey not my writinges as if they were the canonicall Scriptures but all that which thou shalt finde in them beleeue the same without doubting But giue no farther credit vnto myne than they do accorde and agree with them In the same booke I cannot denie but aswell in my greate workes as in my small workes there are many thinges which iustly and without any temeritie might be blamed S. Augustine in his Epistle vnto S. Ierome .19 Epistle .3 Tome folio .161 I doe confesse thorowe thy loue tâ—â—t I haue learned to beare that honor and reuerence only vnto the bookes of the holy Scriptures which are called canonicall And I doe beleeue most surely that no Authors of them writing them haue erred but if any thinges are found in them the which do seeme to be repugnant to the truth I doe esteeme it none otherwyse but that eyther the booke is euill written or that the interpreter hath euil vnderstode that which is saide therein or els that I doe vnderstande it nothing at all And as for others I doe reade them in such sort that with whatsoeuer holinesse or doctrine they be set and paynted forth yet I do not thinke that to be true which they saye bicause that they haue such an opinion but so farre as they coulde persuade me eyther by those canonical authors or by probable reasons which are not disagreing from the truth And as for thee my brother I doe thinke that thou thinkest none otherwise Yea I doe esteeme truly that thou wouldest not that we shoulde reade thy bookes as the bookes of the Prophetes and Apostles which haue written so certainly that it shoulde be a wicked thing to thinke that they haue erred or fayled in their wryting S. Augustine in the .112 Epistle written vnto Paulinus I woulde not that thou shouldest follow mine authoritie thereby to thinke that it is necessary for thee to beleue it bicause I haue spoken it but to the ende that thou beleeue the canonicall scriptures c. Saint Ierome vpon the Epistle vnto Titus .1 Chapter Without authoritie of the Scriptures babling and scoffing ought not to be beleeued Tertullian in his prescriptions agaynst the heretikes It is not in our desire or free will lawfully to bring in to chose or to alledge for witnesse that that another shall bring in or alledge for his will and pleasure For we haue the Apostles of the Lord for authors who haue brought in nothing for their pleasure neyther no newe thing but they haue faythfully taught vnto the people the discipline knowledge which they haue receyued of God. S. Augustine of one onely Baptisme in the Epistle vnto Vincent What is hee that knoweth not the holy scriptures c. My brother meddle not against so great heauenly things For the places are knowen by the Canon lawe of the Bishops Saint Augustine writing vnto Vincent in the .48 Epistle Gather not togither false accusations agaynst the brethren of the writings of the Bishops or of ours as of Hilarie or of that vnitie before that the part of Denatus be deuided or seperated as of Cyprian or Agrippin agaynst the heauenlye witnesses which are in so great number so cleare and not to be doubted First of al bicause that such kynde of letters ought to be discerned from the authoritie of the canonicall Scriptures For we do not read them after that sort as for to take witnes to whiche it is by no meanes lawfull to speake agaynst except peraduenture they haue perceyued any thing otherwyse than the truth requireth Immediatlye afterwarde he sayeth But neuerthelesse let vs walke in that in which we are come vnto that is to saye in that waye whiche is Christ For the integritie and the knowledge of letters of any Bishop howe noble and vertuous so euer he be cannot bee kept as the canonicall Scripture is kept through or by so many letters orders and tongues and through the susception of the ecclesiasticall celebration Against the which there are some notwithstanding who vnder the name of the Apostles haue inuented and imagined many things neuerthelesse it hath bene in vayne bicause that it is to well proued celebrated and knowen c. S. Augustine in his .2 booke of Baptisme against the Donatistes 3. Chapter You haue accustomed to put before vs the letters of Cyprian the sentence of Cyprian wherefore doe you take the authoritie of Cyprian for your schisme and do repeale and keepe backe his example for to trouble the churche And what is he but that he knoweth that the holy canonicall scripture aswel of the olde testament as of the newe is kept within his limits which are certaine and that the same is to bee preferred before all the writinges of the Byshoppes that are past insomuch that we must nothing doubt thereof neyther dispute to wete whither that all that which is written in the same be true But it is lawefull to rebuke the writinges of the byshops which haue bene written or whiche they haue written sithence the confirmation of the canonicall scriptures or by word peraduenture more full of wisedome of euery one better instructed in such things or by greater authoritie of other byshops or through the wisedome of the wyse or by the counsels if peraduenture they haue swarued in any thinge from the truth and also the counsels which are done through out euery region or prouince without all doubtes ought to giue place vnto the authoritye of the first counselles whiche are made through out all Christendome and the first generall determinations ought often times to be amended by those that follow after when through any experience of
made miserable bicause that we haue proued what power we haue without god Beholde man was made good and through free will he was made euill Then when shall the wicked man be a good man in forsaking God through free will. He being good coulde not kepe himselfe good Nowe he being euill can he make himselfe good When hee was good he coulde not keepe himselfe good And when he is euill he sayth I do make my selfe good What doest thou being euill when thou art lost being good except that he which continueth alwayes good doe not repayre and amende thee Augustine writing vnto Paulinus 106. Epistle What is he which shal seperate vs from that masse or burthen of perdition and from that fight but only he which is come to saue that whiche was lost Of whome also the Apostle being asked say who is he that doth iudge or discerne thee where if man say it is my fayth it is my will it is my good worke It may be answered him agayne and what hast thou that thou hast not receyued If thou hast receyued it why reioycest thou as though thou hadst not receiued it And yet neuerthelesse all this is sayde not that man shoulde reioyce but hee that reioyceth shoulde reioyce in the Lorde and not of workes to the ende that none doe exalte himselfe not that good workes are frustrate thorowe that faythfull cogitation Howe is it that God will rewarde euery man according to his deedes And that vnto euery man which doth good shall be rendred prayse honor and peace but bicause that workes are of grace and not grace of workes for faith which worketh by loue is nothing worth if the loue of God bee not spreade abroade in our heartes by the holy Ghoste which is giuen vnto vs yea we haue not that faith if God doe not deale to euery man the measure of faith c. Augustine writing to Valentin 46. Epistle Euery good gift and euery perfecte is from aboue and commeth downe from the father of lightes and let no man say that the grace of God is giuen vnto him eyther by the merites of workes or by the merite of his prayer or by the merites of his faith And that he doe not esteeme that to be true which the Heritickes say that the grace of God is giuen vnto vs according to our merites the which is altogither false But the grace and mercie of God doth conuerte man of whom the Psalmist sayeth The mercie of my God shall goe before me to the ende that he that is an infidell be iustified that is to say that of an infidell he be made a righteous man and that he doe begin to haue good merites the which God shal crowne when the world shall be iudged Augustine in his booke of the true definition of faith There is neyther Saint nor righteous man which is without sinne and yet neuerthelesse he leaueth not of nor ceaseth therefore to be holy and iuste inasmuche as through affection hee holdeth sanctification for we are not holy through the force and strength of mans nature but we doe obtayne sanctification through the grace of God whiche dooth ayde and helpe our purpose And therefore all the Saintes truely doe declare them selues to be sinners for truely they haue inough for to lament and bewayle And although that their consciences doe not rebuk them yet they haue to lament bicause of the nobilitie and vnconstancie of nature subiecte to preuarication S. Ierome against the Pelagians A certayne man of our writers hath very well affirmed the Philosophers to be the Patriarkes of Heriticks to haue defiled the puritie of the Church through peruerse doctrine insomuch as that they doe not knowe that which they speake of mans fragilitie or weakenesse Whereof should earth and ashes bost them selues In asmuch cheifely as of them the Apostle speaketh saying I see another law in my members c. And againe I doe not that good thing which I would but that euill doe I which I would not If he doe not that which he woulde how can that be true whiche is sayde that man may bee without sinne if he will By what reason may he be that which he will when the Apostle affirmeth that he cannot accomplishe and fulfill that which he desireth When I shall thinke my selfe to be come to the ende of vertues then shall I but beginne the onely perfection of men is to acknowledge them selues imperfect Chrysostome in his imperfect worke Chapter 6. If euery one doe consider the motions or mouinges of his flesh he shall be founde to do no goodnesse for all goodnesse is accomplished of vs in gainesaying and speaking against our selues bicause that the nature of the fleshe is contrary to goodnesse S. Ierome against the Pelagians firste booke Then are we righteous when we doe confesse our selues to be sinners and our righteousnesse is not of our owne proper mertie but consisteth in the mercy of God for the Scripture saith the righteous man is an accuser of him selfe in the beginning of the worde S. Barnard in his .5 Sermon of dedication Who shall be saued Say the Apostles to the Sauiour And he saide vnto them things which are vnpossible with men are possible with god This is all our trust this is all our consolation this is all the reason of our hope but we whiche are already certayne and sure of the possibilitie what doe we determine of the wil Who knoweth whither he be worthy of loue or hatred Who hath knowen the minde of the Lorde Or who was his counseller Now it is here necessary for vs that fayth doe helpe vs It behoueth here that the truth doe ayde vs insomuche as that which is hid from vs in the heart of the father be reueled vnto vs by his holy spirite and that his spirite in giuing witnesse doth perswade our spirites and mindes that we are the children of God that he doth perswade vs in calling in iustifying vs freely through faith c. Gregory in his morales .22 booke 6. Chapter There are also some men who in doing any good thing doe forget incontinently their sinnes and doe fasten the eye of the hart in the consideration of the good works that they doe therby doe esteme thinke themselues already holy wherefore among the goodnesse that they do they take away the remembrance of their faults in the which peraduenture they are yet stil wrapped who if they did consider diligentlye the rigours of the Iudge they woulde more feare their euils then they woulde reioyce of their imperfect goodnesse They ought to regarde rather that they are debters of thinges that they ought to doe that they haue not payed by their good workes the parte already due And so after the manner of the trauayler we ought by no manner of meanes to regarde or marke what way we haue walked in but what way we haue yet to
Ierome vnto Chromatius in the 5. Distinct. Chapter which beginneth Sancta The Covnsell of Laodicea the 59. chap. doth not name them in the roll of the canonicall Scriptures and reciteth that which is of other canonicall bookes amongst his other Decretals The author of the boke of the Machabees in the ende of the sayde booke doth praye that if he haue sayde any thing whiche is not good to pardon him Let vs then willingly pardon his faultes Of honoring and worshipping of Saintes S. Augustine of true religion The last Chapter Let vs not loue the outwarde and visible spectacles for feare that in erring and straying from the truth and in louing the shadowes wee bee cast into darkenesse That our religion be not after our fantasies For whatsoeuer truth it be it is better than all that our will can feyne and inuent That our religion be not the worshipping of deade men For if they haue liued faythfully they are not suche to demaunde and aske suche honor but they woulde that wee shoulde honor him by whom they being illuminated are gladde that we shall be seruaunts with them of their holy lyfe We ought then to honour them bicause of their imitation and not to adore and worshippe them bicause of their religion For the same was done through temporall dispensation for our helth that the vertue of God and the immutable wysedome of God which is of one substance which is coeternall to the father toke on him mans nature by the which he would teach vs that man ought to honor the thing which ought to be honored of all creatures hauing vnderstanding and reason And let vs also beleeue that the varye Angells them selues the most good and excellent administrators of God woulde it so to wete that we should honor one onely God with them through whose contemplation they are blessed For we are not blessed in seeing and beholding the Angells but in beholding the verytie by the which we doe loue the Angells and doe reioyce of them wherefore we doe honor them through loue and charytie and not through seruice c. And let vs not buylde any temples for them for they woulde not be so honoured of vs for that they doe knowe when wee bee good wee are the temples of the soueraigne God And so it is rightly written that it was forbydden to men by the Angels that they should not worshippe them but one only God vnder whome they all were togither seruauntes I doe greatly feare least that I shoulde set the honor of a man in the steede of the glory of God and that I woulde worship none but only thee my God. Cornelius fell downe at Peters feete and worshipped him But Peter tooke him vp saying stand vp for euen I my selfe am a man. Barnabas and Paule sayde vnto the people whiche would haue done sacrifice vnto them O men why doe ye these thinges we are mortall men like vnto you and preache vnto you that ye shoulde turne from these vayne Idoles vnto the liuing God which made heauen and earth and the sea and all thinges that are in them Chrysostome vpon S. Mathewe .45 homilye .23 Chapter Howe shoulde ye escape the damnation of hell shal that be in buylding the sepulchres of Saintes or rather in making cleane your heartes from malyce dooth God iudge as man doth man iudgeth man in works but God iudgeth the heart But what is that righteousnesse to honor the Saintes and to contemne their holynesse The first degree of fidelitie is to loue sanctite afterwardes the Saintes for the Saintes haue not bene before holynesse but holynesse hath bene before the Saintes He then without cause doth honor the righteous which despiseth righteousnesse Shall the Saintes whose sepulcres ye decke and beutifie deliuer you The Saintes cannot be the freendes of those to whome God is an enemye Can the houshold be in peace and quietnesse when the Lord is an aduersarye Howe can ye doe it will the bare name deliuer you for asmuch as possible ye thinke that ye are the people of God What profiteth it the harlot if shee haue the name of a chast woman Euen so doth it not profite the sinner to be called the seruant of god In the same towardes the ende he sayth howe can ye escape the damnation of hell In buylding of churches and not holding the ende of the ecclesiasticall veritie In reading the Scriptures and not beleuing them In naming the Prophets Apostls and Martyrs and not following the works of the Martyrs nor their confession c. Augustine vpon Saint Iohn .23 Treatise .5 Chapter This is the Christian religion that one God onely be adored and worshipped and not many Gods. For nothing maketh the soule blessed but one onely god It is made blessed through the participation of God and the soule being feeble is not made blessed through the participation of an holy soule and also the holy soule is not made blessed through the participation of an angel but if the weake and feble soule requireth to be made blessed it must demaunde that whereof the holye soule is made blessed For thou shalt not be made blessed by an angel but thou shalt be made blessed by him of whome also the angell is made blessed Augustine of the Citie of God. 10. booke They which are constituted immortall and blessed in the heauenly places who togither doe reioyce themselues of the participation of their creator the which are made strong through his eternitie by good reason woulde not that wee shoulde make any sacrifice vnto them but onely vnto him of whom they doe acknowledge themselues with vs to bee the sacrifice For with them we are togither the Citie of God of the whiche it is sayde in the Psalme Very excellent things are spoken of thee O thou Citie of god c. Augustine in his 10. booke of the Citie of God. 16. Chapter Then if there be any angels which desire that any shoulde offer vnto them sacrifice truly we ought to preferre those which doe not desire that one shoulde sacrifice vnto them but vnto God the creator of all vnto whom they serue For therby they shewe how entire the loue is that they doe beare vnto vs for they pretende not to make vs subiecte vnto them thorowe sacrifice but vnto him throughe whose contemplation they are also blessed and they do go about to leade vs vnto him from whom they themselues are not turned Augustine of the Citie of God .8 booke Chapter .27 We doe not ordayne for the Martyrs temples neyther sacrifices of diuine seruice for they are not our God but their God is ours Truly we will honor their memorials as of the holye men of God which haue fought for the truth euen vnto death that true religion might bee knowne and that false religions might be vanquished Epiphanius agaynst the Colliridians The bodie of the virgin Marie was in dede holy neuerthelesse she was not god 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
and thinke it not sufficient for thee to remember or to haue in mynde the commaundementes of God and not fulfilling them by workes But knowe them to the ende you may learne that which ought to be done For before God they are not righteous which heare the lawe but the doers of the lawe shall be iustified Truly the fielde of the heauenly lawe is muche and without measure enlarged the which doth shyne with many witnesses of truth and as with a certayne heauenlye flower feedeth and nourisheth the spirite of him that readeth it with a marueylous delite All which things you shall knowe to be very good to keepe iustice S. Ierome writing vnto the Ladie Gaudentia of the bringing vp of hir daughter Pacantull When the little yong damsel shal come vnto seauen yeares of age and that she beginneth to be shamefast to knowe when she woulde keepe silence and to doubt of that that she ought to speake Let hir then learne by heart the Psalmes and vnto twelue yeares that shee doe make a treasure in hir hart of the bokes of Salomon of the Gospels of the Apostles and Prophetes Agayne writing vnto another good Ladie called Leta exhorting hir to instruct hir daughter from the cradle in the holy scriptures he willeth hir to loue the godly bookes in steade of precious stones and silke in which bookes let not the couers being embrodered with diuers colours please hir but the erudition distinct and corrected according to fayth Let hir learne first the Psalter and through such songs that shee doe withdrawe hir selfe from the worlde Let hir be taught to liue vertuously in the Prouerbes of Salomon And that shee doe accustome hirselfe to despyse and contemne worldlye things in Ecclesiasticus That she doe followe the example of vertue and pacience in Iob. That she doe learne the Gospell not letting it go out of hir handes That she willinglye learne the Actes and Epistles of the Apostles And when she hath enriched hir heart with suche riches to learne by heart the Prophetes and the bookes of Moyses the bookes of the Kings Paralipomenon Esdras also Hester and last of all the Canticles of Salomon called Cantica canticorum For if she should read them at the beginning it might hurt hir vnderstanding not the holye songs of the spirituall mariages vnder carnall words That she doe auoide all bookes that are apocrypha or hidden That shee haue alwayes in hir handes the workes of Cyprian Athanasius and Hilary S. Ierome in his Proeme of his commentaries vpon Esay vnto Eustachius I giue vnto thee that which I doe owe thee obeying the commaundementes of Christe whiche saithe seeke diligently the Scriptures seeke and you shall finde that it be not sayde vnto me as it was said vnto the Iewes you doe erre knowing not the Scriptures and the vertue of God and the wysedome of God and hee that knoweth not the Scriptures knoweth not the vertue of God nor his wisedome Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of God. Chrysostome in his .3 Sermon of Lazarus I haue tolde you many times before nowe whereof we ought to speake to the ende that in the meane season you maye take the booke and consider it diligently and after that you haue vnderstoode that whiche shall be saide and that whiche shall remayne to be declared you shall make your spirites more instructed redy to heare the thing spoken of I doe exhort you and wil not cease to exhort you alwais to be attentife not only to that which shall be spoken here but also when you shall be in your houses alwayes giue good eare to the holy Scriptures which I haue not ceased to pricke forwarde cheefely those which haue bene with me and that none say vnto me his wordes are colde there are many things smally to be esteemed I am an aduocate I am let with publicke affaires I haue an occupation I haue a wyfe I doe bring vp my children I haue charge of my familie I am a temporall man it belongeth not to me to reade the Scriptures but for those that haue forsaken the worlde whiche dwell aboue the mountaynes which chastly leade a solitary life What saiest thou O thou man doth it not belong vnto thee to reade the Scriptures bicause thou art let and hindred with businesse and innumerable cares Therefore the more thou haddeste neede to reade them then they For those haue not so much neede of the ayde and helpe of the Scriptures as thou which art tossed through the middes of the waues of businesse troubles and cares for truely the Monkes and those that dwell in solitary places which liue without sute of lawe and other businesse and which dwell in the desertes haue none acquaintance with any man but studye philosophy in moste peaceable tranquillitie with safetie and haue the fruition of most safe thinges On the contrary we as in the middest of the sea tossed with innumerable sinnes haue alwayes neede of the perpetuall and continuall solace and comfort of the scriptures They are very farre of from the combat and therefore they doe not receiue many strokes and woundes but thou bicause thou art still in the battayle and that thou doest receiue many woundes thou hast the greater neede of remedy For thy wyfe doth prouoke thee and thy sonne doth make thee sad and doth styrre thee vp to anger and thy enemy goeth aboute to circumuent and deceiue thee and thy freende doth beare thee enuye and hatred thy neighbour doth persecute thee and thy companion doth deceiue thee and many times the Iudge doth threaten thee and pouertie doth molest and greeue thee the losse of the thinges in thy house dooth make thee sorowfull and prosperitie maketh thee proude and aduersitie draweth thee awaye to conclude diuers occasions and necessitie of cares troubles sorrowe boasting pride doe compasse and inuirone thee on euery side and rounde about innumerable dartes doe flye for whiche thinges it is necessary to take incessantly the weapons and armor of the Scripture Acknowledge thē that thou walke through the pinnacles that is to say the most high places of the citie For the concupiscences of the fleshe doe eleuate themselues more sharply against those which liue amongest the multitude of men whom the beauty of the face and the comlynesse of the bodye conceiued through looking on and dishonest wordes which entre in at the eares doe trouble muche And the harmonious and pleasant songes doe weaken often times the constancy of the spirite But to what ende doe I recyte this The sauor of the sweete smelles which seemeth to be a thing more vile then all that comming from those women whiche dwell at the stewes for gayne in playing the whores doth leade vs captife and ouercommeth vs by only meeting them so many things there be which doe assayle our soule And therefore we haue neede of heauenly remedyes not aswell to heale the hurtes wee receiued as for to keepe vs from them
truth the virgin was a virgin and honoured neuerthelesse she was not put forth to be worshipped but she hirselfe worshipped him who according to the fleshe proceeded and was borne of hir Augustine in his booke of the care and sorowfulnesse that men ought to haue for the deade Chap. 13. If the soules of the deade were present with those of the liuing when we doe see them in dreames they woulde speake vnto vs And without speaking of others my holy mother who hath followed me by sea and by lande for to liue with me woulde not forsake me one night God forbydde that through the most blessed life in which she is it shoulde chaunce that she woulde not comfort hir sorrowfull sonne when I haue any anguishe in mine heart whome she loued dearely whome she would neuer see sorrowfull But truly that which holye Dauid sayth is true My father and mother haue forsaken me but the Lorde hath taken me vp If then our fathers haue forsaken vs howe are they present at our affayres or doings And if our parents are not present who are they among the dead which doe knowe what we doe or suffer The Prophet Esay sayth Thou art our father for Abraham knew not vs neyther is Israell acquainted with vs If the worthie Patriarkes were ignorant or knewe not the things whiche the people of the worlde did which were engendred and begotten of them vnto whome that people were promised that he wold come of their lyne and stocke bicause they haue beleeued in God and was promised that the people themselues shoulde come of their roote or stocke Howe is it possible that the deade shoulde knowe and helpe the affayres of the liuing Howe doe we saye that it happened well vnto them which are departed to die before that the euilles shoulde come which are come after their decease if it be so that after their death they perceyue all things which shall happen in the calamitie of mans lyfe Shall it be possible that wee can erre in saying and thinking those to be in rest which are tormented with the lyfe of the liuing whiche is full of ingratitude What is that then that God promised vnto the most holyest king Iosias for a great benefite That is that he shoulde die before the euils whiche shoulde happen vnto that place and vnto that people should come and that to the end he shoulde not see them The words of the Lorde are these Thus sayeth the Lorde God of Israel as touching the wordes which thou heardest bicause thine heart did melt and thou didst humble thy selfe before the Lorde when thou heardest what I spake agaynst this place and the inhabiters of the same howe it shoulde be destroyed and made accursed and tarest thy clothes and didst weepe before me of that also I haue hearde sayth the Lorde And therefore see I will receyue thee vnto thy fathers and will fet thee vnto thy graue in peace thyne eyes shall see none of the euill which I will bring vpon this place Iosias being afraid of Gods threatnings did weepe and rent his clothes and beleeued all the euilles to come by the death which shoulde come bicause that by that meanes he shoulde rest in peace in suche sort that he shall not see all those things Then the soules of the deade are in one place where they see not the thinges which are done or chaunced in the lyfe of men S. Ierome in his commentary vpon Ezechiel .16 Chapter The righteousnesse of the righteous shall be vpon him and the wickednesse of the wicked shall dwell vpon him euerye one shall die in his owne sinne and shal be saued through his righteousnesse And the Iewes doe saye in vayne Abraham is our father forasmuch as they haue not the workes of Abraham and if there bee any thing whereon we must put our trust let vs haue our hope and trust in the Lorde onely for the man is cursed whiche putteth his trust in man yea though he be holy yea and also a Prophet We doe reade in the Scripture put not your truste in Princes nor in the sonnes of men And againe It is good to truste in the Lorde rather then in Princes not only in the Princes of the worlde but also in the Prelates of the churche who if they be righteous will saue only their soules God sayde vnto Abraham in thy seede shall all the nations of the earth be blessed S. Paule saith that the seede is Christ Among men there is giuen none other name vnder heauen whereby we must bee saued but by the name of Christ Seke the Lord while he may be found and call vpon him while he is nie The time shall come that whosoeuer that calleth on the name of the Lorde shall be saued He is ritche vnto all that call on him Augustine in his manuell .22 chapter And of the wordes of the Lord 40. Sermon All my hope is in the death of my Lord his death is my meryte my refuge my health my life and my resurrection Epiphanius in his .3 booke the 2. commentarye Speaking of the Christians whiche committed Idolatrye with the dead bodyes sayth many thinges and the like vnto this haue bene done in the world for the seduction of the deceiued not that the Saintes are a cause of offence to any man But bicause that the thoughtes of men cannot be kept quiet but are peruerted and turned into euil For although that the Virgin Marye be dead and buryed her sleepe is in honor and the death in chastitie and the crowne in Virginitie or be it that shee hath bene killed as it is written the sword shall pearce throughe thy soule among the Martyrs that is hir glory and the holy body of her by whome the light is come into the world in prayses or be it that shee doe continewe For it is not impossible to God to doe all that he wyll for the ende of her is not knowen of any man we must not honor the Saints besides the deutye but we must honor the Lorde of them Then let that error of the seduced cease for Marye is not God and hath nother body from heauen but of conception of man and of woman disposed neuerthelesse according to the promise as the body of Isaac Chrysostome of the seuen Machabees 2. homilye Speaking of the seuen Machabees Staye not vpon the ashes of the bodyes of Saintes and of the relikes of their fleshe and to all the bones which are consumed by the time But open the eyes of faythe and beholde the hidden thinges of the heauenly vertue and of the grace of the holye spirite and shining of the clerenesse of the heauenly light Yet Michael the Archangell when he stroue against the deuill and disputed about the body of Moyses durst not blame him with cursed speaking but sayth the Lorde rebuke thee Moyses the seruant of the Lorde dyed there in the land of Moab