Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
authority_n	church_n	time_n	word_n	3,610	5	4.0576	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A02208	The dialogues of S. Gregorie, surnamed the Greate: Pope of Rome: and the first of that name deuided into fower bookes. Wherein he intreateth of the liues, and miracles of the saintes in Italie: and of the eternitie of mens soules. With a shorte treatise of sundry miracles, wrought at the shrines of martyrs: taken out of S. Augustin. Together with a notable miracle wrought by S. Bernard, in confirmation of diuers articles of religion. Translated into our English tongue by P.W.; Dialogi. Part 1. English	Gregory I, Pope, ca. 540-604.; Woodward, Philip, ca. 1557-1610.; Augustine, Saint, Bishop of Hippo. De civitate Dei. Book 22. Chapter 8. English.	1608 (1608)	STC 12349; ESTC S121026	216,240	619

enacted against vulgar translations no such necessitie then occurring which might moue the gouernours of the Church to make any such lawe men in those tymes generally proceedinge with more discretion and moderation But the licentiousnes of latter times hath herein bene so exorbitant that requisite it was the precipitate headines of mens vnbridled affections shoulde be restrained and curbed by the seueritie of lawe So in old tyme not only fasting but also watching in the Church vpon the Eues of principall feastes was with greate deuotion obserued and Vigilantius the hereticke about Contra Vigilant that very pointe taxed by the famous doctor S. Hieron yet the greate abuses which latter tymes brought forth caused that custome to be quite abandoned for God hath left that authoritye with his Church in such matters as these to commande or sorbidde as the varietie of tymes and edification of mens soules shoulde require Lastly neuer did the Church so forbidde vulgar translations that they might no manner of waies in priuate be readde of lay people for euene in these our daies they be founde generally in all languages translated by Catholickes and may be redde of those that haue licence which is easily graunted to such as are knowne to be of staide iudgement and humilitie and likely to reade them with spirituall profitt to theire soules yea in those countries which be not infested with the late doctrine of Protestants marry where that infection rangeth the reason of reading is more apparant and consequently the libertie more inlarged This being so the fact of Seruulus giueth no shelter of refuge to the vnruly practise of our tymes both because the scripture readde to him was in the latin tongue which neuer any lawe interdicted and thoughe it had bene in an other vulgar language yet was it not tainted with the leuin of hereticall noueltie against which kinde of Bibles in those daies I suppose no prohibiting decree can be produced and though there coulde yet not so strict but that deuoute people and of an humble spirit might haue them with licence especially such a one as Scruulus was who as S. Gregorie reporteth vsed therein the helpe of religious people VVere men in these daies endoued with his spirit and the scriptures sincerely translated this question woulde be sone determined But alas we are fallen into these tymes in which newe masters with extreme boldnes haue corrupted both the sacred text it selfe and the vnlearned of either sex be mounted to so highe a pitch of presumption and so addicted to the suggestion of the priuate spirit that they neuer blushe to censure cotrary both fathers Councels by reason whereof newe faithes be Anabaptistes burnt in Smith field in the 17. yeare of Queene E●●zab Hāmond Ket and Cole burnt at N●● wich H●ckat with his prophets Lib. 1. cap. 10. pag. 74. daily forged and vnspeakeable blasphemies haue bene broached some oppugning the incaernation of the sonne of God some denying his diuinitie others with insernal inspiration aduācing thē selues I know not to what participatiō of Christ and diuine digniti● which being so can any m●ruaile oriustly cōplaine that either such insectious trasla●ios be sorbidē or the outra giouslices of such vnrulye spirites be reslrained An other doubt also which may occurr is that fearefull punnishment which besella certaine gēt lewoman present at a processiō in which the relickes of the blessed martir S. Sebastian were translated for the dedication of a newe oratorie sor as S. Gregorye saith not abstaining the night before from her husbande she was there by a deuile possessed by which it shoud seeme that she committed therein a greiuous synne This lamentable accident because it may breede some scruple in those that be of a timorous and goode conscience when they are to receiue the holy communion I haue thought goode bri●sely to speake thereof Certayne therfore it is that it is goode counsell for married folke at such holy times to refrayne as the Israelites did at the receiuing of the Exod. 19. v. 25. lure that they may be the better disposed for so heauenly a bancket and that sometyme likewise a veniall synne may be cowmitted especially by the partie demanding that coniugall dutye so according to the resolution of holy and learned men no synne at all may be incurred and verie hardly a mortall except it be either done in contempt of God or the holy tyme which malice is not almost imaginable amonge Catholickes or els against our conscience for to do any thinge thoughe otherwise indifferent or neuer so goode against our conscience is accompained alwaies with synne more or lesse which 4. dist 32. q. vnica a● 5. quest 2. ad pr. Sancher lib 9. de Matrim 6. disput 12. was the error of this woman mentioned by S. Gregorie as S. Thomas Aquinas affirmeth other learned mē following him teach maynetaine Yf any desire further instructiō herein let them in the feare of God cōsult with their learned vertuous and discrete spirituall fathers Now to make an ende I reserre the gentle Reader to the diuine communication and most pleasant conferences that passed betwixt S. Gregorie and Peter his Deacon Voutsafe them I beseeche thee of audience and no question but thow wilt saye that they are Psal 18. more to be desired then golde many pretious stones and more swete then the hony and the hony combe and that in this small booke be more rich treasures and rare spices contayned then euer kinge Ezechias 4. Reg. 20. shewed to the embassadors of Babilon gardins more fuller of delighte for the soule to sollace it selfe then euer were the vyneyardes of Engaddi and to conclude varietie Cant. 1. of most excellent and sacred stories far more pleasaunt to the eare then euer was bewtifull to the eye Genes c●p 13. the Paradise of God or Egipt to them that come into Segor P. W. FAVLTES TO BE CORRECTED IN SOME COPIES Pag. 1. lin 20. reade cap. 39. Pag. 16. lin 11. reade since THE CHAPTERS OF THE FIRST BOOKE 1. OF Honoratus Abbote of the monasterie of Funda 2. Of Libertinus Prior of the same Abbey 3. OF a monke that was gardiner to the same Abbey 4. Of Equitius Abbote in the prouince of Valeria 5. Of Constantius clerke of S. Steuens church 6. Of Marcellinus Bishoppe of Ancona 7. Of Nonnosus Prior of the Abbey in Mount Soracte 8. Of Anastasius Abbote of the monasterie called Suppentonia 9. Of Bonifacius Bishoppe of the citye of Tuderti 10. Of Fortunatus Bishoppe of the citie of Tudertin 11. Of Martirius a Monke in the prouince of Valeria 12. Of Seuerus a Priest in the same prouince THE DIALOGVES OF S. GREGORIE THE GREATE POPE OF Rome The first Booke BEINGE vpon a certayne daye too muche ouercharged with the troubles of worldelye busynes in which oftētymes men are enforced to do more then of dutye they are bounde I retired my selfe into a solitarye place verye fitt for a sad and melancholy disposition where each

concerning mice and owles as that which S. Gregory telleth of snakes and birds The strange accident Anno Domini 1581. Regni Elizab 23. is by Stovve thus sett downe About hallowtide last past in the marshes of Dansey hūdrec in a place called South minster in the country of Essex a strange thinge happened there suddainly appeared an infinite multitude of mice which ouerwhelming the whole earth in the saide marshes did sheare gnawe the grasse by the rootes spoiling tainting the same with their venimous teeth in such sort that the cattel which grased thereon were smitte with a murrin died thereof which vermin by pollicy of man could not be destroied till at lēgth it came to passe that there flocked together all about the same marshes such a number of owles as al the shire was not able to yelde wherby the marshholders were shortly deliuered from the vexation of the said mice Hauing then the like miracle recorded in scripture which no christian can deny and an other accident as wonder full though haply without any miracle at all which fell out in our owne dayes shall we be yet for all this so wedd to our owne will or peruersely setled in opinion as to belieue these and to discredite the other and in plaine termes without all reason admit what wee like and reiect what wee please This indeede may be the humor of some extrauagant conceipt but neuer can be the resolution of a sober and staide iudgement But what do I dispute in a matter so clere as though the authority of one only S. Gregory were not of more waight to discharge him from falshoode then the empty wordes of thousandes that nowe liue to impeach him of that crime Yet let vs graunt a thinge not to be graunted to witt that there be diuers false thinges reported in his booke which is vnreasonable that the most of his stories be not true which is incredible nay that they be all false and fables which is monstrous and intollerable yet this being admitted of necessity for all that graunted it must be that all those points of religion before mentioned as praier to Saints praier for the deade visitation of relickes and the rest were then belieued and practised throughout the worlde for otherwise how coulde he haue spoken of them so familiarly yf no such thinges had then bene in vse which is sufficient to proue the antiquity of our religion and that it was the currant doctrine of the primatiue Church which is the principall and maine pointe that I intended now to proue VVhat hath beue saide I hope may yelde full satisfaction to any indisserent and moderate man that rather desireth truth for the sauing of his soule then to contende in wordes not to lose the victory Yet for a more clere demonstration of our saith and to shew that what religion S. Gregory speaketh of was also long before his dayes generally taught and receiued I haue to the ende of this booke adioyned an other small treatise taken out of the most famous and renowned doctor of Gods Church glorious S. Augustine who liued two hundred yeares before the other the contents whereof shall declare that the faith of his dayes was in these very points which the Protestants condemne for most abhominable the very selfe same which S. Gregory taught and we now prosesse and mainetayne and that so plainly and perspicuously as none shall deny it that haue so much conscience that their tongue can truly report what their harts do thinke so that no doubt can be made but that it was our religion which the Apostles planted in the world and consequently that which hath from them descended vnto vs by the continuall succession of Pastors and Doctors as we can plentifully shew out of diuers histories and the notable monuments of approued antiquity Much more concerning this matter might be saide but a Preface giueth not scope to large discourses hereafter Gods grace assisting me I intende more plentifully and exactly to intreate of this subiect Before I conclude I cannot but lightely touch one pointe which in reading may somwhat trouble such as be not of learning nor beaten in matters of controuersie And it is concerning Lib. 4. cap. 14. pag. 385. one Seruulus registred in this booke for a Saincte who albeit he knewe neuer a letter in the booke yet did he cause the worde of God to be readd vnto him and did much profit therein which fact of his may seme to some to controull the custome of the Catholicke churche that neither liketh nor alloweth the promiscuall reading of the scriptures by ignorāt vulgar people But the endes of this difficultie are so open that the knot is soone loosed For the Church neuer forbad the scripture in the three learned tongues of the Latin Greke Hebrewe therfore the Latin being the vulgar language in Rome where Seruulus liued thoughe somwhat decayed by the mixture of forraine inundation lawfully might he doe that which by no lawe was then forbidden But suppose it had bene a vulgar translation yet certaine it is that the text was syncere and not fashioned by certaine vpstart teachers to fitt that religion which most pleased the ytching eares of their newe disciples nor inuenimed with the deadly drugges of hereticall inuention as the translations of our aduersaries english Bibles be not to speake of any other as any that please may sone finde in the Rhemes Testament of the latter edition straight after the Preface in a speciall rable made for that purpose Printed at Antuerp 1600. See the Conserence pag. 46. and none can be ignorant when as his Maiesty in the Conserence at Hampton courte openly censured them all for corrupt and that of Geneua for the wo●st of all whereupon order was giuen● for a newe translation as ●he worlde know 〈…〉 being so in what a lamen●able state haue those bene and still be the same bookes yet remayning which these man● 〈◊〉 past thinking to haue tasted the hols●●●●●ters of Gods worde leading into life euerlastinge b●●e on the contrarye druncke the filthie p●d●lles of corrupt translations that infect the soule with the vtter perrill of eternall damnation No mother that tendereth her children woulde suffre them to be present at that dinner in which thoughe she knewe very well that there were sundrye dishes verie healthfull and goode yet verie pregnant suspitions she also had that some one or two she knewe not which were dressed with a dramme of poison And shall the Church of God like a me●cilesse cruell stepdame permitt her children to feede vpon that soode which thoughe of it selfe it be neuer so soueraigne cordiall and angelicaell yet she knoweth and that not by suspi●io us collections but experiment all demonstrations that it is intersprinkled with many distillea droppes of poison not killing the corruptible carcasse but vtterlye destroying the immortall soule God forbidde Besides all this I do not finde that in those daies there was any such prohibition

monke of mount Marsico 17. Of a monk dwelling in the mountaine called Argētario who raised vp a deade man 18. Of Bennet the monke 19. Of the churche of S. Zeno the martir into which the swellinge waters came not any further then to the dore 20. Of Steuē a Priest in the Prouīce of Valeria 21. Of a Nunne that with her only authority dispossessed a deuil 22. Of a Priest in the prouince of Valeria that held a thiese at his sepulchre 23. Of the Abbot of mount Preneste and his Prieste 24. Of Theodorus clarke of S. Peters churche in Rome 25. Of Abundius clarcke of the same churche 26. Of a solitarye moncke 27. Of fourtye coūtrye men that were martired because they wolde not eate fleshe sacrificed to Idols 28. Of a great multitude of captiues that were slaine because they wold not adore a goates heade 29. Of an Arrian Bisshop strooken blinde 30. Of a churche of the Arrians consecrated catholicklye in the city of Rome 31. Of Ermigildus the sonne of Liuigildus kinge of the Visegothes put to death by his father for the catholike faithe 32. Of certaine Bisshops of Africk that had for defence of the catholik faithe theire tongues cut out by the Arrians and yet spake as perfectly as they did before 33. Of the seruant of God Eleutherius 34. How many kinde of compunctions there be 35. Of Amantius a Priest in the countrye of Tuscania 36. Of Maximianus Bisshop of Siracusa 37. Of Sanctulus a Priest in the prouince of Nursia 38. Of a vision which appeared to Redemptus Bisshop of Ferenti THE THIRDE BOOKE OF S. GREGORIES DIALOGVES BEING carefull to intreat of such fathers as liued not longe since I passed ouer the worthy actes of those that were in former tymes so that I had almost forgot the miracle of Paulinus Bishop of Nolas who both for tyme was more auncient and for vertue more notable then many of those which I haue spoken of wherfor I will nowe spenke of him but as briefely as I can For as the life and actions of goode men are soonest knowne to suche as be like them so the famous name of Venerable Paulinus became knowne to myne holy elders and his admirable facte serued for theire instruction Who for theire grauity and old yeres are as well to be credited as yf that which they reported they had seene with theire owne eies OF S. PAVLINVS BISSHOP of the city of Nola. CHAPTER I. VVHen as in the tyme of the cruell Vandals that parte of Italy which is called Campania was ouerrunne and sacked and many were from thence carried captiue into Affricke then the seruaunt of God Paulinus bestowed all the wealthe of his Bishopricke vpon prisoners and poore people And not hauinge nowe any thinge more lefte a certaine widowe came vnto him lamentinge howe her sonne was taken prisonner by one that was sonne in lawe to the kinge of the Vandals and by him carried away to be his slaue and therfore she besoughte him that he wolde vouchsafe to helpe her with a ransome for the redeeming of her sonne But the man of God seeking what he had to giue the poore woman founde nothinge left but him selfe alone and therfore he answered her in this manner Good woman nothing haue I to helpe the withal but my selfe and therfore take me a Gods name say that I am your seruant and see whether he will receiue me for his slaue and so sett your sonne at libertye which wordes she hearinge from the mouthe of so notable a man tooke them rather for a mocke then to proceede indeed from true compassion But as he was an eloquent man and passinge well learned in humanitye so did he quickly perswade the doubtefull woman to giue credit to his wordes and not to be affraide to offer a Bishoppe for the ransome of her sonne wherevpon awaye they trauiled both into Asfricke And when the kinges sonne in lawe ca●e abroade the widowe putt vp her petition concerninge her sonne humbly beseeching him that he wolde vouchesafe to sett him nowe at liberty and bestowe him vpon his mother But the barbarous man swellinge with pride and puffed vp with the ioye of transitorye prosperitye refused not only to doe it but disdayned also to giue any eare to her petition This waye therfore taking no successe the desolat widowe tried the next and saide vnto him Beholde I giue you here this man in steade of him onlye take compassion on me and restore me myne only sonne At which wordes he castinge his eies vpon Paulinus and seeinge him to haue an honest and goode face asked him of what occupation he was to whom the man of God answered Trade or occupation I can none but some skill I haue in keepinge of a gardin This pleased the Pagan verye well wherevpon he admitted him for his seruaunt and restored the widowe her sonne with whom she departed out of Affricke and Paulinus tooke charge of the gardin The kinges sonne in lawe comminge often into the gardin demanded certayne questions of his newe man and perceiuing him to be very wise and of goode iudgement he began to giue ouer the company of his old familiar friendes and conuersed much with his gardiner taking greate pleasure in his talke Euery day Paulinus brought him to his table diuers sortes of grene herbes and after dinner returned to his gardin After he had vsed this a longe tyme vpon a day as his master and he were in secret talke together Paulinus spake vnto him in this manner Consider my Lord what is your best course and howe the kingdome of the Vandals shall be disposed of for the kinge is to dye shortly which newes because he was in speciall grace with the kinge he gaue him to vnderstande addinge that his gardiner who was a passinge wise man had told him so much The kinge hearinge this was desirous to see the man he spake of Your Maiestie quoth he shall see him for his manner is to bring me in daily fresh herbes for my dinner and I will giue order that he shall do it in your presence which direction being giuen as the kinge satt at dinner Paulinus came in bringing with him diuers sallettes fresh herbes whom so soone as the king beheld he fell a trembling and sending for Paulinus master who by the marriage of his daughter was so nere allied vnto him acquainted him with that secret which before he had concealed saying It is verie true that which you haue hearde for the last nighte in a dreame I sawe certaine iudges in theire seates sittinge vpon me amongest whom this man also sat for one and by theire sentence that whipp was taken from me vvhich for the punnishment of others some tyme I had But inquire I praye you vvhat he is for I do not thincke one of so great merit to be an ordinary man as he outvvardly seemeth Then the kinges sonne in lavve tooke Paulinus in secret and asked him vvhat he vvas to vvhom the

man of God ansvvered your seruaunt I am quoth he vvhom you tooke for the ransome of the vvidovves sonne but vvhen he vvolde not be satisfied vvith that ansvvere but did instantly presse him to tell not vvhat he vvas novve but vvhat he had bene in his ovvne countrye and did vrge him very often to ansvvere to this pointe the man of God adiuered so strictlye not bee●nge able any longer to deny his request tolde him that he vvas a Bishop vvhich his master and Lorde hearinge became vvonderfully affraide and humbly offered him sayinge demaunde vvhat you vvill that you may be well rewardred of me and so returne home to your countrye To whom the man of God Paulinus saide One thinge there is where in you may muche pleasure me and that is to sett at libertye all those that be of my citye which fute he obtained for straighte waies throughout Affricke all were soughte out theire shippes laden with wheate and to giue venerable Paulinus satisfaction they were all discharged and in his company sent home and not long after the king of the Vandals died and so he lost that whipp and seuere gouernemēt which to his owne destruction and the punnishement of Christians by Gods prouidence he had before receiued And thus it came to passe that Paulinus the seruant of almightye God told truthe and he that voluntarilye alone made him selfe a bondman returned not back alone but with many from captiuity imitatinge him who tooke vpon him the forme of a seruaunt that we sholde not bee seruauntes to synne for Paulinus followinge his example became him selfe for a tyme a seruant alone that afterwarde he mighte be made free with many Peter When I heare that which I can not imitate I desire rather to weepe then to saye any thinge Gregory Concerninge this holy mans death it remayneth yet in the records of his owne church how that he was with a paine of his side broughte to the last cast and that whiles all the rest of the house stoode sounde the chamber only in which he lay sicke was shaken with an earth quake and so his soule was loosed from his bodye and by this meanes it fell out that they were all strookē with a great feare that mighte haue sene Paulinus departing this life But because his vertue by that which I spoke of before is sufficiently handled nowe yf you please we will come to other miracles which are both knowne to many and which I haue hearde by the relation of such persons that I can make no doubt but that they be most true OF SAINCTE IOHN THE Pope CHAPTER II. IN the tyme of the Gothes when the most blessed man Iohn Bishoppe of this churche of Rome trauailed to the Emperour Iustiniā thelder he came into the countrye of Corinth where he lacked an horse to ride vpon which a certaine noble man vnderstandinge lent him that horse which because he was gentle his wife vsed for her owne saddle with order that when he came where he coulde prouide him selfe of an other his wiues horse shold be sent backe againe And so the Bishop rodd vpon him vntill he came to a certaine place where he got an other and then he returned that which he had borrowed But afterwarde when his wife came to take his backe as before she vsed by no meanes could she do it because the horse hauing caried so greate a Bishoppe woulde not suffre a woman to come any more vpon his back therfore he began with monstrous snorting neying and continuall stirringe as it were in scorne to shewe that he coulde not beare any woman vpon whom the Pope him selfe had ridden which thinge her husbande wisely consideringe straight wayes sent him againe to the holy man beseechīg him to accept of that horse which by riding he had dedicated to his owne seruice Of the same man an other miracle is also reported by our auncetors to witt that in Constantinople when he came to the gate called Aurea where he was mett with great numbers of people in the presence of them all he restored sight to a blinde man that did instantly craue it for laying his hande vpon him he bannished awaye that darcknes which possessed his eies OF S. AGAPITVS THE Pope CHAPTER III. NOt longe after about busines concerninge the Gothes the most blessed man Agapitus Bishop of this holy churche of Rome in which by Gods prouidence I do now serue went to the Emperor Iustinian And as he was trauailinge throughe Grece a dumbe and lame man was brought vnto him for helpe The holy man carefully demanded of his kinsfolke that brought him thither and stoode there weepinge whether they did beleue that it was in his power to cure him who answered that they did firmely hope that he mighte helpe him in the vertue of God by the authoritye of S. Peter vpon which wordes forthwith the venerable man fell to his praiers and beginninge solemne The sacrifice of the masse masse he offered sacrifice in the sighte of almighty God which beinge ended he came from the aultar toke the lame man by the hande and straightwaies in the presence and fighte of all the people he restored him to the vse of his legges and after he had put our Lordes bodye into his mouthe The real presence that tongue which longe tyme before had not spoken was loosed At which miracle all did wonder and began to weepe for ioye and forthwith both feare and reuerence possessed theire mindes beholding what Agapitus coulde do in the power of our Lorde by the helpe of S. Peter OF DATIVS BISHOPPE OF Millan CHAPTER IIII. IN the tyme of the same Emperour Datius Bishopp of Millan about matters of religion trauailed to Constantinople And comminge to C●rinthe he soughte for a large house to receiue him and his company and coulde scarse finde anye at length he sawe a far of a faire greate house which he commanded to be prouided for him and when the inhabitants of that place tolde him that it was for many yeares haunted by the deuil and therfor stoode emptye so much the sooner quothe the venerable man oughte we to lodge in it yf the wicked spirit hath taken possession thereof and will nor suffer men to dwell in it Wherevpon he gaue order to haue it made readye which being done he went without al feare to combat with the olde enemye In the deade of the nighte when the man of God was a slepe the deuill began with an huge noise and great out●ry to imitate the roaringe of lyōs the bleatinge of sheepe the brayinge of asses the hissinge of serpentes the gruntinge of hogges and the skreaking of rattes Darius suddainly awaked with the noise of so many beastes rose vp and in great anger spake aloude to the olde serpent and saide Thowe art serued well thowe wretched creature thowe art he that diddest saye I will Isai 14. place my seate in the northe and I will be like to the highest now throughe thy pride

Ghost sang the psalme Te Deum answering mutually one the other After in prayer writinge preachinge he so much profited the Church that his name is worthyly had in reuerence of all men and generally all Protestants so esteeme him as of no one Doctor more To this holy and learned Father we appeale for tryall of our cause They denye prayer and inuocation of Saintes as iniurious to Christ and sauoringe of idolatrye we defend it as Catholicke and Apostolicall They condemne pilgrimage and visitinge of Martyrs tombes for superstitious and abhominable VVe teach it to be goode and lawfull They detest shrininge of Saintes bones the reuerent touchinge and carrying their relicks in procession VVe imbrace it as highly redoundinge to the honour of God from whose diuine fountayne all their grace did flow and by such signes do praise God in his Saints and know their death to be precious in his sight Now whether in these pointes S. Austen doth fauor vs or helpe them that I leaue to the iudgment of all Protestants thoughe neuer so partiall in their owne cause aster they haue readd ouer this smal treatise for our cause is so clere and the auncient father so close on our side that most assured I am were his name suppressed and a title prefixed accordingly which spirituall stratagem with such as allowe the authoritye of this Father any that please may sone put in practise they would rather scoffe and deride them for phantastical newes sent out of the new world by the Iesuits and trim tales meete for dotinge old wemen to solace them selues then once imagin that such doctrine was current in the slourishinge time of the primatiue Church or so much as dreame that such grosse stuffe in their concept could come from the penn of that learned Clerck and worthy Father S. Austen VVhat salue then for this sore can be deuised will they haply say that the booke from whence this doctrine is fetched is some bastarde lipp and falsely fathered vpon that holy Doctor This shiste can not serue there being not so much as any colour to countenance such a cauill for all learned men confesse it not only to be his but also one os the most notable monuments that euer he published being made in his ●iper age against insultinge Pagans and infidels in defence of Christian religion and about which he laboured many yeares besore he brought it to perfection all which circumstances maturely considered make his authoritie in the foresayd articles far more great and wayghtye VVill they tell vs that he wrot a booke of Retractations and so not vnlikely that these opinions of his be there recalled willingly should I graunt it yf any such thinge were there extant but seinge no cunninge in searchinge can finde that out which is not there to be found they must needes graunt that this answeare bringeth rather corsiue then comfort to their cause sor yf in his latter times he perused ouer all his workes and yet neuer reuoked any one article of the Catholike faith then can not his booke of Retractations any wayes preiudice but rather giue them more creditt and make his authoritye more to presse them And what man of common sense that readeth his owne woordes will euer thinke that he could retract what he there writeth concerning prayer to Saints visitation of relicks and the like seinge they were not any priuate opinions of his owne but the common beleefe and practise of Gods Church as is euident out of the treatise followinge Smaller matters God knoweth they be which he speaketh os in his Retractations and two only things he retracteth in his booke of the City of God from whence these stories are taken The first is that he thought it a miracle that fire from heauen did runne betwene Abrahams sacrifice It should not quoth he haue bene put downe for a miracle Lib. 10. because this was showne him in vision The second is where he sayth that Samuel was not the sonne of Aaron I should rather quoth he haue sayd that he was not the sonne of a Priest because Samuels father is foūd amongst the sonnes of Aaron but a Preist he was not c. Such priuate opinions as these of smal importance as each one seeth he retracteth in that booke other mayne and many articles of diuinitye in controuersie betwixt them and vs he doth not retract which argueth playnly that they are sound and Catholike and were the beleefe of that time And this the Protestants that be learned be not ignorant of sor which cause when we obiect that S. Austen prayed sor his mothers soule Lib. 9. cōfes cap. 11. 12. 13. Epist 99. ad Euodiū 20. de ciuit cap. 15. Tract 118 in Ioan. Haeres 82. that he beleeued Christ to haue descended into that part of hell called Limbus patrum or Abrahams bosome and deliuered Adam from thence and the rest os the holy fathers that he thought it necessary to vse the signe of the Crosse that it was heresy to teach that virginity and marriage were os like merit and such like points in controuersie they neuer tell vs that he retracted these opinions knowing full wel that no such thing is there to be found and therfore though this deuise runneth vp and downe in corners helpeth sometimes amongest ignorant people and giueth a prety grace when his booke is not present yet most sure I am that not any of our learned aduersaries would be willinge to ioyne with vs vpon that yssue being not ignorāt that this answeare rather desireth darknes then loueth light which is the reason as I suppose that it cōmeth seldome in print sor except it were once yf once neuer did I se any such thinge though in common conserence it be the common refuge and sanctury The Protestantes of Magde burge destitute of a better answer help out the matter with flatte lying making S. Augustin to reprehende that which he doth Centur. cap. 6. co 699. highely commende Augustin say they in his 22. booke of the citie of God the 8. chapter concerning the relicks of Steuene writeth that a superstitious and greate cōcurse of multitudes was made vnto them euene into Affricke the people being become mad with certaine illusions which were reputed for miracles But this ouer-reaching libertie argueth their cause to be desperate and that no sounde answere can be found to auoide so irrefragable a testimonie they greatly iniurie that worthy father he neither calleth those miracles illusions nor censureth the people for superstitious or madde those termes be slippes of their owne planting nay what doth he els in that whole chapter but proue that the catholicke faith wanteth not miracles can any then beleeue that he would call them illusions by which he affirmeth our faith be proued Peruse goode reader the treatise followinge and I leaue it to thy iudgement whether they had the feare of God before theire eyes that entertayned so grosse and gracelesse an inuention