is not for to obtaine righteousnesse the which inwardly is the beautie of the kings daughter Chrysostome in the 4. tome of fasting in Lent. Homilie 73. If we doe dayly here agree and that we doe fast all the Lent and doe not amende our lyues greater occasion of damnation shall be done vnto vs. Gregorie the 7. hath commaunded to fast the Lent vpon payne of deadly sinne Reade Platyna Pag. 171. in his life Apollonius the martyr of Iesus Christ in the ecclesiasticall hystorie 5. booke Chapt. 11. Rebuked the heretike Montanus bicause he was the first which made the law of fastings Saint Ierome to Nepotian first tome Laye vpon thee such maner of fasting as thou canst beare That thou haue pure chaste simple and moderate fastings not supersticious What profiteth it not to eate of the oyle and to seeke certayne dainties and difficult kyndes of meates as figges peares nuttes fruites of palmes or dates the flower of wheate of honie and such maner of meates There is no kynde of garden fruite wherewith we do not torment our selues to the ende we eate not of breade and whylest we doe folowe our pleasures we are drawen from the kingdome of heauen Furthermore I haue hearde of some who against the rule of the nature of men drinke not water and eate no breade but doe eate of delicate suppings and of punned Leekes and drinke not the pottage in a cuppe but in a dishe What shame is this howe are we not ashamed of such maner of follies how are we not weried with such superstitions Furthermore also we seeke in delicates the renowne of abstinence The strongest fasting is breade and water but bicause that there is no glorie therein and bicause all liue of breade and water as of a common thing we doe not esteeme it to be fasting In the olde time they fasted vntill night The fasting without workes of mercie displeaseth God. Cassiodorus reciteth in the 9. boke of his historie That the Romaynes had but three weekes for the Lent fasting euery day except the Sundaye and Saterdaye The Illerickes and the Grecians had sixe and the other seauen but they fasted by space betweene Reade of fasting Actes 13. 1. Cor. 16. Math. 4. Luc. 2. Tobi. 2. 1. Reg. 6. 2. Cro 20. 1. Esdras 8. Ioel. 2. Ionas 3. Hester 4. and .14 Psalme 35. and .69 and .109 Deut. 9. 3. Reg. 19. Dauid and his people fasted vntill euening hearing that Saule and Ionathas were dead Dauid fasted and prayed for the people which were stroken of God. Achab fasted and slept hauing on sackecloth walking comfortlesse and the Lord had compassion and pitie on him Iudith fasted all the dayes of hir life Hester purposing to enter vnto the king for to speake vnto him fasted three dayes and three nightes Iosias declareth the fasting to all the people and caused the wordes of the booke of Ieremye to be reade openly Iesus Christ humbled his soule with fasting psalm 35. and .69 and .109 Vnto whome is he like that fasteth and neuerthelesse ceaseth not to sinne Fasting profiteth nothing at all to the wicked and obstinate people Iesus Christ saith Take heede to your selues least at any time your heartes bee ouercome with surfeting and drunkennesse and cares of this worlde Ye haue bene called vnto liberty onely let not your libertye be an occasion vnto the fleshe but in loue serue one an other Of maryage and of vowes THe spirite speaketh euidently that in the latter time some shal depart from the faith and shal giue heede vnto spirites of error and doctrins of deuills which speake false lies through hipocrysie and haue their consciences marked with an hotte iron forbidding to mary Iesus Christe saithe haue ye not reade howe that he whiche made man at the beginning made them man and woman and sayde for this cause shall a man leaue father and mother and cleaue vnto his wyfe and they twayne shall be made one fleshe wherfore they are no more twayne but one fleshe Let not man therefore put asunder that which God hath coupled togither Origene vpon Saint Mathew 23. Homilye The Scribes and Pharyses are set in Moyses chayre c. He doth rebuke then such manner of preachers who doe not only that they saye but also doe cruelly and without mercy great thinges whiche one cannot doe not esteeming or iudgeing what is the vertue of euery one of the hearers as those which forbid to mary And doe constraine the people to a moste vyle vyllanye for that they doe forbydde that which is expedient Those also which doe teach to abstayne from meates and other such manner of thinges to the which the faithfull ought in no wyse to be constrayned They do laye great burthens through the worde of their expositions against the will of Christ saying my yoke is easie and my burthen is light And often times we doe see that those that doe teache suche thinges doe liue altogither contrarye to their sayings doing all thinges for the regarde of men and for vaine glorye as the word following doth shewe it saying All their workes they doe for to be seene of men Salomon in the .18 Chapter of the prouerbes doth describe the blessing of maryage The Prophet Dauid in the .128 psalme dothe describe the blessing of God vppon those that are maryed The angell Raphael did teache Tobie howe hee ought to marie as God commaundeth The confirmation of mariage is in the 9. Chapter of Genesis vnder the letter A. Eusebius in the Ecclesiasticall hystorie 3. booke .27 Chap. Saint Clement as Eusebius of Cesaria doth recite hath written agaynst those who doe despyse mariage Among other things that he hath written sayth as followeth Will they also reproue the Apostles Saint Peter and Saint Philip had wyues and maried their daughters and Saint Paule in one of his Epistles was not ashamed to make recommendations and salutations vnto his wife whom he sayth he woulde not leade with him about the countrie to the ende he might be the more free to preache the gospell And by and by after hee sayth that Clement in his 7. booke of his work sayth as followeth It is sayde that S. Peter when he did see his wyfe to be martyred reioyced seeing that by that meanes shee was of the number of the elect and that she returned vnto hir owne house of Paradise and that he cryed after hir when they brought hir to hir death calling hir by hir name saying vnto hir O deare wyfe remember god Such were the mariages of the Saintes and their affections perfect In the 4. of the sentences distinction .17 Chapter .4 and in the 27. decret question 2. Chapter which beginneth Cum societas c. The Pope in his Decretals calleth mariage vncleannesse pollution and carnall filthynesse Saint Paule answereth the Pope saying Wedlocke is to be had in honor among all men and the bed
ovvn conscience vvhether vve be the ennmies of the fathers or they The auncient fathers haue sayde that the breade of the supper abideth alvvayes breade not being transubstantiated or chaunged I doe demaund of you in good faith vvherefore or vvhat is the cause that they shead dayly so abundantly the bloude of the poore children of God Is it not vpon this only poynte or for this cause that the fathers haue beleeued and mayntayned vvith a common consent as you shall see in that booke vpon the artycle of the Lordes supper I leaue it to your ovvne iudgement Furthermore vve doe reade that the ancient fathers of vvhom these here doe aduance and bost them selues to keepe and mayntayne their doctrine haue broken in peeces the images of Iesus Christe and of the Saintes that haue bene set vp in the temple of the christians saying that it is against the Christian doctrine to haue Images in the Church VVhat is he that doubteth that if the good fathers vvere yet liuing and that they shoulde so breake the Images as they did in that time but that they shoulde be out of hande or vvith all speede condemned as heretickes to be burned yea if they escaped so For vve do see many dayly vvhich doe not escape so good cheape but they haue done vnto them all the torments and paynes that these vvorshippers of the fathers can inuent or imagin Then vvhen you shall reade the doctrine of the fathers contayned in this present booke iudge vvhether it may be confessed and maintayned openly before these vvorshippers of the fathers vvithout daunger of lyfe In the meane time I desire you my deare brethren that ye feare not to abandon your bodie and lyfe for a doctrine so iust holy and good and let vs reioyce in this that vve holde the true auncient doctrine of the Prophets Apostles and Doctors of the Church And as touching you O ye Princes Iudges and Magistrates betvveene vvhose handes this present booke shall happen to fall I desire and require you in the name of the liuing God and of his sonne Iesus Christ our Lorde vvhich hath shed out all his bloud vpon the crosse for the loue of vs that you doe giue right iudgement vpon the poore faithfull people of vvhome your prisons are at this time full through the furor and madnesse of those vvorshippers of the fathers and bee no more the hangmen of that vvicked Vermine for it is not counted a thing honest nor meete among men that the Kings Emperours Princes and Magistrates shoulde bee made the hangmen of beggers Be ye then more ashamed than euer you vvere bicause that you beare the name of God and the povver to gouerne the people is giuen you from God not for to abuse it in punishing the good and defending the vvicked but to maintayne and ayde the good and to punish the vvicked as the Apostles haue taught vs But alas my God into vvhat blindenesse is the vvorlde fallen into to esteeme and thinke that they vvhich holde and keepe the true auncient doctrine are heretikes O you Iudges and Magistrates doe you not see dayly in your prisons the poore children of God to eate and drinke very scarsly bread and vvater and to be cast most vilely and filthily into a lovve dunge on vvith the venimous beastes lying as the poore beastes vpon a little stravve hauing their armes and legges broken vvith the racke Doe you not see I say on the other side those goodly masters vvhich beare such great zeale to the auncient fathers to haue their bellye altogither stuffed vvith vvine and delicate fare coming forth from their bankets and feastes vvith a face as red as fire or like to a Butchers boule comming forth to passe avvaye the time for to examine the poore faythfull people vvhich are not sought for at the table vvhere good cheare is but in a most filthie and darke dungeon they are poore children of God tyed and bounde vvith chaynes vvith a pale face and thinne cheekes brought before those fat bellies and firie faces through their ouermuche drinking and quaffing of vvine and the first vvords they speake is come hither thou vvicked heretick avvay thou dāned seducer of the people thou hast the deuil vvithin thee And assone as the pore children of God did thinke to haue spoken for their defence the fatte bellies quicklye put their hands to their Bible but it is another Bible than the olde olde or nevve testament For they can do nothing but prouide faggots and crie to the fire to the fire vvith those vvicked heretickes I knovve not vvhere they haue learned to doe so Haue they learned that of the Prophetes and Apostles It appeareth no. Neyther haue they learned it of the auncient fathers For they shall finde vvithin this present booke that they haue spoken and done altogither othervvise therefore they declare that it is a rage and a madnesse that they haue conceyued against the truth for to extinguishe and abolishe it vtterly and all those that maintaine it For libertie to speake is taken from vs Those that vvould speake their tongues are cut out of their heades and aftervvardes are burned In the meane time O ye Iudges and Magistrates vvhich haue the publicke charge haue regard from henceforth vvhat you doe in condemning them to death You cannot condemne them to death except ye condemne all the good and auncient fathers to death vvith them VVhat order doe you call this to condemne to death as Heretickes the Saintes and their doctrine vnto vvhom they crye and dayly pray vnto in their Letanie saying O Sancte Augustine O Sancte Cypriane O Sancte Hieronime c. Ora pro nobis that is to say O Saint Augustine O Saint Cyprian O Saint Ierome and so consequently of the other pray for vs And in the meane time they condemne them and their vvritinges and all those that follovve theyr doctrine to be burned as the experience dothe dayly teach vs. Therefore ye that Iudge the people haue a good respect vnto that that you haue to doe for it is not onely vnto vs that you doe adresse your selues but also to the sonne of God vvhich hath sayd vnto vs he that toucheth you toucheth the apple or sight of mine eye The same hath bene vvell shevved to Paule VVhen he persecuted the poore faythfull crying from heauen after him Saule Saule vvhy persecutest thou me he did not persecute him in his ovvne person but he persecuted him in his members vvhich are all the faithfull that beleue in him Euen so my deare brethren vve shall rest in patience and shall not be ashamed to be condemned vvith all those good and auncient fathers of the church and not onely vvith them but also vvith all the Prophets and Apostles Then vvhen you see your selues bound and brought before the Iudges to receiue sentence of death and condemnation against you behold vvith you the Prophets Apostles and the auncient doctors bound vvith you to be condemned in the same
those whiche doe reste in Christe we desire thee that thou wylt giue them place of comforte through the same Christe our Lord amen Aunswere In the 4. of the sentences Distinction 45. and the 13. glose Iniuriam facit martyri qui or at pro martyre That is to say he which prayeth for a Martyr doth iniury and wrong vnto the Martyr S. Cyprian in his .4 booke of baptisme and the maister of the sentences 4. distinct .4 Chapter If all the deaths and all the tormentes that all men the Patryarckes Prophets Apostles Martyrs and confessors haue euer suffered should be put togither they shall not be sufficient to put out the leaste sinne of the world Knowe ye not that the vnrighteous shal not inherite the kingdome of God Bee not deceiued neyther fornicators neyther idolaters neyther aduouterers neyther wantons neyther abusers of them selues with the mankinde neyther theeues neyther couetous neyther dronkardes neyther euill speakers neyther extorcioners shall inherite the kingdome of god And such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are iustified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the spirite of our God. Christe loued the church and gaue him selfe for it to sanctifie it and clensed it in the washing of water through the worde To make it vnto him selfe a glorious church without spot or wrincle or anye such thing but that it should be holy and without blame Iesus Christ sayth verely verely I doe saye vnto you except that a man be begotten of water and of the spirite he cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen Saint Iohn Baptist sayde of Iesus Christe he shall baptise you with the holy Ghoste and with fire which hath his fanne in his hand and will make cleane his floure and gather the wheate into his garner but will burne the chaffe with vnquencheable fire Iesus Christ saith nowe are ye cleane through the wordes which I haue spoken vnto you Also Peter saide vnto Iesus thou shalt neuer washe my feete Iesus sayde vnto him if I doe not washe thee thou shalt not haue parte with me Peter saide vnto him Lord not my feete only but also my hands and my head Iesus sayd vnto him he that is washed needeth not saue to washe his feete but is cleane euery whit He shall put downe our wickednesse and caste all our sinnes into the bottome of the sea Raymonde sayth Gratia magna dei veniamnon dimidiabit Aut nihil aut totum propitiando dabit That is to say God doth not pardon the moytie or halfe but his great mercye pardoneth all or nothing Moyses and Saint Paule doe say our God is a consuming fire The Pope in his Canons in the Glose of Baptisme and of his effect Chap. which beginneth maiores Causas Larga dei pietas veniam non dimidiabit Nam nihil aut totū te lachrymante dabit That is to say the great goodnesse of God wyll not giue pardon for the moyte for when thou commest vnto him with teares and weepings he will giue thee all or nothing Moyses saith The workes of God are perfect O Lorde thou forgiuest all our sinnes Chrysostome in the .2 homily vpon the 50. psalme When one demandeth mercy that is that he might not be examined of his sinne to the end he should not be handled according to the rigour of righteousnesse and to the ende that all punishment may cease for where there is mercie there is no more hell fire neyther rigour nor paine Chrysostome in his sermon of penance and confession The Lord doth punish vs for our sinnes not for to take anye recompence of oure sinnes but for to aduise vs of things to come S. Ambrose vpon S. Luke of repentance first distinction Chapter which beginneth Petrus Peter was sorowfull and did lament for he hath transgressed as man I doe not finde what he sayde I doe knowe verye well that he hath wept I doe reade of his teares and not of his satisfaction The Priestes doe sing in the beginning or prose of those that be deade such wordes Rex tremendae maiestatis qui saluandos saluas gratis salua me fons pietatis That is to saye O redoubtable king in maiestie whiche doest saue freely those which ought to be saued saue me O fountayne of goodnesse Blessed are the deade which hereafter die in the Lorde euen so sayth the spirite For bicause they rest from their labours and their works followe them Of a truth he onely taketh away our infirmitie and beareth our payne yet wee shall iudge him as though he were plaged and cast downe of God where as he notwithstanding shall be wondred at for our offences and smitten for our wickednesse For the payne of our punishment shall be layde vpon him and with his wounds shal we be healed As concerning the place of S. Paule 1. Cor. 3. That euery one shall be saued as it were by the fire S. Augustine in his boke of the Citie of God the 21. booke Chapter .26 And in his treatise of fayth and of workes Chapter .16 And in his Enchiridion Chapter 28. expoundeth it of the fire of tribulation and of the crosse and persecutions of this worlde by the which the Lorde examineth those that be his Gregory vpon Iob the .29 Chapter And in his morals the .28 booke the .17 chap. And in the .16 distinct Chap. whith beginneth Canones glossae atque As touching the bookes of the Machabees the church doth not hold them for canonicall saying we doe nothing vnorderly if we bring in the examples of the bookes which although that they be not canonicall yet neuerthelesse doe serue for the edification of the churche S. Augustine of the citie of god .18 booke 36. Chapter And of christian doctrine .2 booke .8 chapter Speaking of the number of the times which haue bene sithence the returne from Babilon vntill the comming of Iesus Christe the count and computation of them are not found in the holy Scripturs which are called canonical but in the other among whom are the bookes of the Machabees S. Ierome in the Epistle written vnto Chromatius and Heliodorus bishops And also in the Byble before the booke of the Prouerbes The Churche doth reade the bookes of the Machabees but it doth not receiue them as canonicall Also although that the Church doth reade the bookes of Iudith Tobie and of the Machabees yet neuerthelesse the Church doth not receyue them as Canonicall scripture And so the Church may read these two bokes for the edification of the people but not for to confirme ecclesiasticall doctrine Ierome in his Prologue Galeatus which is set before the booke of the Kings Sayth that he hath neuer founde the seconde booke of the Machabees in the Hebue tongue but he hath founde it in the Greeke tongue And writing against the Pelagians The seconde booke of the Machabees is written by Iosephus the Historiographer
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
in faithe For vve ought not to maruayle if the auncient fathers haue done many thinges in that time vvhich novv can not serue nor profite vs any thing at all inasmuch as they haue serued but onely for their time For the Apostles haue ordayned some thinges vvhich novve ought not to be follovved nor kept As vve doe reade in the actes of the Apostles that the counsell that vvas celebrated by the Apostles in Ierusalem decreed that vve should abstaine from bloude and from the fleshe of beastes that vvere strangled VVe knovve vvell inough that this ordinance novv hath no more place and is not in force among the christians nor ought to haue bicause that all thinges are cleane and purified through the vvorde and prayer Then vvee see that that decree vvhich hath bene decreed by the holy spirite by the Apostles to haue bene made bicause of the personnes and to serue onely but for that time Iudge novve if an ordinance made by the Apostles to support the infirmitie of men hath bene set foorth and aftervvardes abolished vvhat oughte vve to iudge of those vvhich are of lesse importance vvhich haue bene ordayned by men a great deale inferior and of lesse estimation then the Apostles There is no doubt that forasmuch as they haue bene ordayned to serue onely for that time that novve vve may let them alone and forsake them bicause that there is neyther Ievves nor Turkes among vs but christians at the least as they saye Also vve ought not vpon this to holde our peace or hide the vnshamelesse malice of many vvho neuerthelesse calling themselues christians vnder colour of antiquitie and of the auncient doctors doe forge and inuent of their ovvne vvicked and filthye brayne naughty and most detestable errors and aftervvard say that the auncient fathers haue vvritten so and preached so and by that meanes make the poore vvorld being seduced to beleeue it And yet the malice is so great in them that all they that vvill not receiue and allovve that vvhich their brayne hath inuented vnder the name of holy men they crye after them vvith open mouth to the fire to the fire vvith the Heritickes They reiecte the doctrine of the fathers Alas O my God and Lord thou knovvest our hearts and the heartes of these lyers that vve doe not desire but that in all and through all be it through life or death that thy son Iesus Christ and his doctrine may be onely receiued loued and vvorshipped And for this are vve apoynted as sheepe to be slayne vve are nought set by mocked beaten banished chased from tovvne to tovvne To be short vve are esteemed and counted as the most vile stinking filthynesse of all the vvorld troden dovvne vnderneth the feete of the vvorldlinges But for all that vve possesse our soules in patience looking for the righteous Iudge vvhich vvill iudge all the vvorld not according to the doctrine of men but according to hys holy vvorde for vvhich vve are had novve in suche abhomination to the vvorlde Furthermore they vvhich dayly accuse vs vvith so greate rage and furye against the auncient doctrine of the Apostles and Doctors shall at the last acknovvledge their malice and liuing that they haue declared in their bookes corrupting and marring the bookes of the auncient fathers of the churche If I durst I vvould gladly name one vvho in that occupation or science hath serued out his prentyshyppe for that cause is called our maister in his booke that he hath intituled The bouckler of the faithe vvherein he declareth the subtiltie of his intent and craft alledging the auncient Doctors in Latine after translating them into Frenche and at euery place where he found Sacrificium or the like manner of speaking in steade to put in sacrifice or holy mysterie he hath translated them alvvayes the holy mysterie of the Masse and so by that meanes they finde that vvorde Masse in the bookes of those good fathers vvhich they neuer thought nor did I beleeue he thought that his booke should not come but only in the handes of yong children or else he thought that he had to doe but vvith beastes like vnto himselfe There is no man though he haue but small iudgement and vnderstanding vvhich reading that booke but that he may see at the first dashe hovv he lyeth and vnsayeth and reuoketh it agayne and neuerthelesse he is heard and accounted as halfe a God not only of the poorest sort but of the greatest in the vvorlde In the meane time vve ought not to maruayle at this that such gallants haue bene so hardy and ouerbolde forasmuch as they vvere supported and maintayned of Kings Emperors Princes and Magistrates and that they vvere the best vvelcome to their Court. I remember that I haue reade in the Ecclesiasticall histories that in the time of the auncient Doctors there vvere abusers and seducers of the people that sovved their pestilent venim amongst the doctrine of the auncients Of that Denise bishop of Corinth complayned very much saying that many haue sovvn in his Epistles much vvicked doctrine Therefore thinke that if they haue bene so hardy and bolde that they durst corrupt the vvrytinges of the auncientes yea vvhilest they vvere yet aliue VVhat vvill they doe novve at the least they vvill doe asmuch as their auncient fathers that is to saye those Apostates ennemies of the fathers Novv notvvithstanding their shamelesse malyce they rebuke and checke vs vvith a vvhores face that vve are ennemies of the fathers despisers and contemners of their doctrine and disturbers of the vvorld I vvould to God that they vvould permitte and suffer vs to compare our doctrine openly and before all the vvorld vvith theirs to the end that all men might knovve vvho be the contemners and ennemies of the fathers somuch it vvantith that vve should be found condemners and ennemies of those good fathers that altogither it vvoulde be seene that the same doctrine that vve hold keepe at this day is the very same for vvhiche manye of those good fathers haue shead their bloud and vvould shead it if they vvere novve aliue It seemeth that the same is not true that I haue spoken that if the fathers vvere yet aliue that men vvould put them cruelly to death as most vvicked Heritickes Yea they vvhich at this daye doe boste and brag them selues to be their obedient children and make bucklers of their bookes Vnderstand and hold fast in minde dearely beloued behold this present booke may serue vs for a certayne argument of that vvhich is composed and faithfully gathered togither out of the very bookes of the auncient Doctors That if I vvould present this present booke vvherein there is nothing in it of mine but altogither of the auncientes for confession of my faith to those enemies of the fathers I doubt not but presently I should be as a moste vvicked Heretick condemned to be burned quicke into ashes Novve see dearely beloued and iudge iustly before God according to your
wrate many learned workes for the defence of religion Socrates lib. 4. cap. 25. lib. 5. cap. 11. Sozomen lib. 7. cap. 13. Gregorie a Grecian Bishop of Nyssa brother of Basile before named flourished in the yeare of our Lorde 381. vnder the reygne of Gratianus in the West Hee wrate certayne works and especially one very learned De anima agaynst the Philosophers of the Gentiles Of Basile his Epistle to him De differentia essentiae substantiae reade the Tripartite in the ende of Theodoret. Ierome Priest a Latine borne at Stridonium in Dalmatia flourished the yeare 390. vnder the reygne of Valentinian the yonger He liued in Bethlehem in Syria and was verye famous for his workes Pantaleon pag. 31. He dyed the yere 422. the 30. of Septēber Paulus Eberus pag. 317. Reade his owne workes Augustine a Latine disciple of Ierome Bishop of Hippo now called Bona within the realme of Tunes in Aphrick flourished in the yeare 395. vnder Theodosius the elder He is so famous by his workes that the reader may plainely see him in them He died the yeare 433. in the 40. yeare of his Bishops sea the 28. of August Chrysostome a Grecian called Iohn of Antioch but so surnamed of his eloquent speach that is to say golden mouth Bishop of Constantinople flourished in the yeare 405. vnder the reygne of Arcadius Honorius He was the scholer of Libanius the Sophister afterwardes left him and was christened by Meletius Lastly made Bishop of Constantinople whence he was twyce banished by Eudoxia the Empresse wyfe of Arcadius by the meanes of Epiphanius In the last time of his exile being at Cucussa in Armenia he sickened and was caried to Potij and there dyed the yere 410. the 14. of September His workes are extant being large and learned Tripartit pag. 422. Glycas 359. Eberus pag. 301. Cyrillus a Grecian Bishop of Alexandria flourished the yere 432. vnder Theodosius the seconde Theodorit lib. 5. pag. 35. Socrates lib. 7. cap. 7. He was a great enimie of the Iewes and threw them out at Alexandria Socrates lib. 7. cap. 13. Reade of him the whole Tripartite Primasius a Latin a bishop of Aphrick and disciple of S. Augustine flourished the yeare 435. Pantaleon pag. 35. Reade more of him in Gesner Fulgentius a Latine Bishop of Ruspa in Aphricke florished the yeare 456. vnder the reygne of Martian He wrate certaine workes now extant But of his actes read his lyfe prefixed to his works Read Gesn Prosper a Frenchman flourished in the yeare 456. vnder the reigne of Martianus read Gennadius in catalogo He wrate certayne sentences and a Chronography read Gesner Simlerus in catalogo scriptor Gelasius a Latine borne in Aphricke first of that name bishop of Rome flourished in the time of Zeno and Anastasius Emperors of the East He wrate manye learned bookes Read Platyna in his life Iustinian the 57. Emperor of Constantinople sonne of the sister of Iustinus the Emperor flourished the yeare 527. Hee collected the Codices of the lawe into a short volume for the beginners and called them his Institutions He reygned 38. yeares Reade Iornandes Pomponius Laetus Ignatius Constantinus Manasses pag. 83. Annales Glycae pag. 371. Cassiodorus a senatour of Constantinople afterwardes made a Monke flourished the yeare 575. vnder Iustinianus the Emperor But as Pantaleon accounteth 497 before the reygne of Iustinian vnder Anastasius He wrate being as yet extant an Historie and abridged the Tripartite Reade Diaconus lib. 1. cap. 11. Gregorie the first Bishop of Rome called Gregorie the great flourished in the yere 605. But according to Pantaleon 586. vnder Mauritius the Emperour He wrate diuerse things but especiallye his Moralles are most excellent Reade Bedae histor Anglosaxon Platyna in his lyfe Theophylactus a Grecian constituted Bishop of Antioch by Marua chiefe of the Saracenes flourished the yeare 608. But according to Pantaleon 761. vnder Constantine 6. He wrate certayne workes being extant in the Greeke tongue Gesn Simlerus Pantaleon pag. 61. Beda a Latine borne in Englande and as it seemeth about Cambridge For he calleth himselfe Beda Giruinus which Girni or Giruij were Cambridge shyre men as appeareth by the towne of Cambridge called of olde Granta Giruiorum Leland in Cyenaea cantione Flourished in the yere 732. But as the truer with Pantaleon 704. vnder Leo the 2. and Iustinian Emperors His workes extant testifie what the man hath bene He wrate an historie of the Saxones Platyna in the lyfe of Iohn the sixt Druthmarus a Latine Monke of the order of Saint Bennet flourished the yere 800. vnder Irene the Empresse He wrate certayne Commentaries vpon the Euangelistes The Abbot of Augspurg in Germanie a Latine called Saint Vlrike or Vldarike flourished the yeare 860. vnder the reygne of Michael the 3. of the East and Lotharius the first in the West Barnard a Latin borne in Burgoigne the first Abbot of Clarenaux in France flourished in the yeare 1111. vnder Henrie the Emperour of the West and Alexius the first Emperour of the East He wrate moste flourishingly and learnedly His works are extant in one volume Irenicus lib. 30. cap. 106. Volater Gulielmus Abbas in his lyfe Abbot of Vrsperg in Germanie a Latin by name vnknowne flourished the yeare of our Lorde 1200. vnder Alexius the first Emperour of the East and Philip Emperour of the West He wrate an historie which is extant of the Emperors and other things most notable from the beginning of the world to his time to the which there are added Paraleipomena or Chronicles not touched vnto our time Pantaleon pag. 95. Gesner Pantaleon in his Posopograpie lib. 2. Thomas Aquinas a Latine borne in Italie Frier of the order of Preachers and descended of a noble house of the Lordes of Aquino He flourished the yere 1271. vnder Michael Palaeologus the 7. Emperour of the East and Rodolphus the first Earle of Augspurge of the West He made Commentaries vpon all Aristotle and likewise in Diuinitie His works are extant in 14. volumes in Fol. newly imprinted at Rome Reade his owne life set forth in a priuate booke Xystus the 4. Bishop of Rome borne at Cellae in the territorie of Genoa in Italie named Frier Francis de Rouere of the order of Minores He was created Pope the yeare 1414. He lyued vnder Sigismond the Emperor Onuphrius Panuinus in hys lyfe Bishop of Panormus in Sicilie a great Lawyer called commonly of his Bishopricke Panormitan Flourished the yeare 1415. vnder Sigismunde the Emperor of the West He wrate very large volumes of the lawe Iohn Gerson a Diuine of France one of the Chancellors of the Vniuersitie of Paris flourished in the same time with the former Byshop and stoutlye resisted the decrees of the Counsell of Constance Peucer in synodo Constantiensi Platyna an Italian Secretarie of the sea of Rome flourished the yeare 1470. vnder Fredericke the first Emperour He wrate of the liues of the Popes from Linus vnto Xystus the 4. Sabell Gesner Simler Sanazarius an Italian
good than to make them such For the wicked do profite nothing but the good doe very muche empayre Afterwardes hee concludeth Beholde the murmuring and common complaynt of all Churches they doe crie out that they are cut in peeces and dismembred There are very fewe or almost none whiche doe not feare the stroke or wounde Doest thou demaunde what The Abbots are drawen away from their Bishops the Bishops from their Archbishops It is great maruayle if one can excuse the same In doing so you doe shewe very wel that you haue fulnesse of power but not of Iustice You doe the same bicause that you can doe it but the question is whether you ought to doe it You are there constituted and placed for to keepe and preserue vnto euery one his honour and his degree and not for to beare him enuie and malice In the 34. distinction Chapter Lector Glose and distinct 82. Chap. Presbyter Glose And in the Canon of the Apostles .17 quest 4. Chapt. And distinct 40. Chapt. Si Papa And distinction .96 Chapt. Satis And Chapter Simplici And Incipitis It is written in those Canons that the Popes haue such power and authoritie that they may dispence agaynst the Apostolicall doctrine and agaynst the right of nature and consequently agaynst the Gospell and the worde of god For the Pope hath all the rightes as well diuine as humane in the inwarde partes of his brest wherefore he ought to iudge euerye man and ought to be iudged of none Insomuch that though he should lead a great number of people into hell yet no mortall man ought to presume to rebuke his faultes For he is God which cannot be iudged of men Saint Paule aunswereth vnto the same saying Let no man deceiue you by anye meanes for the Lorde commeth not except there come a departing first and that that sinnefull man be opened the sonne of perdition which is an aduersary is exalted aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped so that he shall sitte as God in the Temple of God and shewe himselfe as God. Saint Hilary in his booke against Auxentius Whosoeuer denieth Christe to be suche as he hath bene preached by the Apostles he is Antechrist The property of the name of Antechriste is to bee contrary vnto Christe The Priestes doe saye that the Pope cannot erre neyther the counsels Iesus Christ hath sayde vnto S. Peter I haue prayed for thee that thy faith faile not Vnto the same their owne Canons doe aunswere in the .40 distinction Chap. which beginneth Si Papa If the Pope doe fall into an error in the in the faith and that he be an Hereticke one may very well rebuke and checke him in his faultes Pope Alexander the .6 speaking once vnto an Embassador of the king of Fraunce vnto whome he had these wordes this fable of Iesus Christe hath gotten vnto vs great riches Sanazarius an Italian Poet in his Epigrammes in the .2 booke Speaking of that Pope Alexander noting the inceste of him with his owne daughter Lucrecia and asking hir Lucrecia wil Alexander desire thee alwayes afterwardes aunswered O wicked case it is thy father Behold the witnesse whiche the writers of his time haue declared of that head of the churche Abbas Vrspurgensis reciteth of Gregory the .7 otherwise called Hildebrand That the common wealth of Rome and all the Churche hath bene vnder him in great danger through the error of newe schismes and not heard of and that he hath vsurped the Papall seate through tyrannye and not by lawfull election The counsell holden at Wormes in the yeere .1080 Affirmed of Gregory the seuenth that it is most true that he was not chosen of god but that hee exalted him selfe without all shame through disceit and money and that he hath turned vpside downe the ecclesiasticall order and that he hath troubled the kingdome of the Christian Empyre and that he hath attempted the deathe both of the bodye and soule of that Catholicke and quiet king and that he hath defended and holden vp the wicked and periured king and that he hath sowen discorde among those that agreed togither and strifes amongest the peace makers and offences amongest brethren and diuorcement betweene maryed folke and that he hath remoued and troubled all that was at reste quiet and in peace betweene the good lyuers We being assembled togither of God agaynst the sayde Hyldebrand preaching sacriledges and fires mayntayning periured persons and homycides or men slears putting in question or doubt the catholicke and Apostolicke faith of the body and bloud of the Lorde being an obseruer and keeper of diuinacion and coniuring and of dreames and a most manifest Necromancyer hauing familiar spirites and for that cause swaruing from the true faith we doe iudge that he ought to be canonically deposed driuen away banished and condemned perpetually if he doe not leaue of his seate after that he hath heard these thinges Benno Cardinall in the life of the sayde Gregorye Amongest many wickednesses that he alledged of him sayde that he alwayes vsed to beare about with him a booke of Necromancye the which was vnto him very familiar and that he did cast through his enchauntments the consecrated hoste into a fire that by that meanes he might faine to haue had a heauenly reuelation against the Emperor Henry Benno alledgeth for witnesse Iohn Byshop of Porta Secretary of the said Hildebrand Platyna in the lyfe of Iohn the 8. And Sabellicus lib. 1. of the 9. Ennead The woman called Iohn the eyght was borne in Englande and hir parents were of Mentz She followed in hir yong age a yong scholler in the studies of learning and profited so well at studie that she was esteemed at Rome amongst the wysest for which cause she was chosen to be Pope thinking that shee had bene a man and was chosen with as great consent as euer was Pope following still the studie that she had learned with hir studie felow At the time that she was chosen Pope she was founde with childe with one of hir owne seruants who perceiuing hirself big knewe so well to prouide for hir great bellye that none coulde perceiue it vntill such time as she trauayled of childe in the open streete and in the open procession vppon the shoulders of those that did beare hir dyed in the same trauayle the second yere after hir Papacie One maye nowe well see whether the Pope cannot erre Platyna in the life of Syluester And Sabellicus Lib. 2. of the 9. Ennead Syluester the 2. was a Monke in his youth afterwards did giue himselfe vnto the diuell as a right sorcerer vpon condicion that his bodie and soule should be his after his death Prouided that the diuell doe helpe to obtayne that that he desireth by which meanes he came afterwardes to be Pope Platyna in the life of Bennet 8. And Sabellicus lib. 2. of the 9. Ennead
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
heygth is the well of wisedome and the euerlasting commaundements are the entrance of hir When I had founde thy wordes I did eate them vp greedilye they haue made my heart ioyfull and glad Take the helmet of saluation and the sworde of the spirite which is the worde of God. S. Augustine of the Citie of God .19 booke .19 Chapter It is forbidden no man to knowe the truth that which he ought to doe through honest repast and recreation howe much time doe men and women lose daylye in going and comming playing and scoffing in detracting and beholding playes and follies Chrysostome vpon S. Iohn in the end of the .16 homilye I praye you marke well one thing which is true is it not a thing full of absurdite that a surgian a shoomaker a weauer and generally all men of occupation euery one of them doe striue for the profession of their arte and science and that a christian knoweth not howe to make an account or a reason of his religion It is very true that when the occupation is not knowen it is but a losse of mony but the despising of christian religion bringeth with it the losse of the soule and yet neuerthelesse we doe trauayle through so greate misery and through so great madnesse that we doe put therein all our heart and cogitation but the thinges which are necessary for vs and which are as most strong holdes of our saluation we esteeme them nothing at all That same is that which letteth the Gentils to knowe their error Forasmuch then as they doe ground them selues vpon lyinges for to doe all that that they doe and for to defend the ignominye and sclander of their teachinges we which doe obey and serue the truth dare not open the mouth for to defend that which is oures What letteth them that they cannot condemne our great imbecillitie and weakenesse and that they should not suspect vs of some disceyt and follye That they doe not speake euill of Christe as of a lyar whiche by his fraude and disceyt hath abused a great multitude we are the cause of that blasphemy This is commaunded vs of Saint Peter For he saith let vs be ready alwayes to giue an answere to euery man that asketh vs a reason of the hope that is in vs. Let the word of Christ dwel in you plenteously But what do they which are more fooles then madde answere vnto the same blessed be euery simple soule and he that walketh surely But this is the cause of all euilles that many knowe not to bring witnesses of the Scriptures in due time for we must not vnderstand in this place here the simple for the foole and for him that dothe vnderstande nothing but for him which is not crafty and malitious For if we should vnderstand it so it should be superfluous to say be wyse as serpents and innocent as doues S. Ierom in his Prologue vpon the Prophet Sophony If they had knowen that Huldah did prophecie when men held their peace and that Debora did iudge and prophecy who ouercame the enemies of Israell when Barack was a frayde and that Iudith and Hester in figure of the church killed the aduersaryes and deliuered Israell whiche were like to perishe they would neuer haue played the noddyes behinde my back that is to saye they would not mocke me behind my backe And a little after he saith it suffiseth me to saye in the ende of the prologue that our Lorde Iesus Christ appeared first vnto the women and they were Apostles of the Apostles to that end that the men should be ashamed that they haue not sought that which that same brittle or frayle kinde hath already founde Chrysostome vpon S. Iohn .3 homilie .4 Chapter Let vs then bee ashamed that the wyfe that had fiue husbandes and a Samaritane was so diligent to learne who neyther for the time of the day nor for any other businesse coulde not be drawne from the doctrine of Christ But as for vs we are not only far of frō enquiring any thing of that which appertayneth vnto the erudition of heauēly things but also we are as it were assured in all things we do care no more of the one than of the other and therefore wee are ignorant of all things What is he among vs I pray you who being come into his house doth go about to doe anye worke appertayning vnto a Christian What is he that will declare the sense and meaning of the scriptures Trulye none Wee doe finde oftentimes Dyce and Cardes but verye seldome tymes bookes and if any haue them they doe keepe them sure in their chambers as though they had none Or else all their delyte and studie is to haue fayre and pleasāt couerings painted or goodly figures of letters not for to read them nor vse thē but for to shewe forth their riches and ambition and studie none other thing Vaine glorie is so great as I doe not heare any ambitious persons to vnderstād any boke but onely to esteme letters of golde What gayne commeth thereof I pray you The Scriptures are not giuen vnto vs for to haue them only in bookes but to that ende we shoulde print and engraue them in our heartes Wherefore such hauing and keeping of bookes is of the ambition of the Iewes vnto whom the commandements were giuen in letters But vnto vs it is not so vnto whome they are giuen in the tables of the heart of charitie I doe not forbyd to haue bokes but I doe admonishe them and instantly pray them that we may so haue them that neuerthelesse as wee maye rehearse often times in oure myndes both the letters and the sense in such sort that thereby we may be cleane For if the diuell dare not enter into an house where the Gospell is muche lesse shall he touch his soule which by continuall reading hath that doctrine familiar and common Sanctifie then the soule and the bodye and that shall come if thou haue alwayes the Gospell in thy heart and in thy tong S Ierome in his Proheme vpon the first booke of his Exposition vnto the Ephesians .9 Tome All words and all reasons are conteined in the holy bookes by the which also wee knowe God and forgette not the cause wherefore wee are created I doe muche maruayle that some haue bene giuen so muche vnto foolishnesse and to slothfulnesse not willing to learne the most excellent things yea they haue esteemed and doe esteeme worthie of rebuke and blame all those whiche haue such a studie vnto whome although I coulde aunswere more straitly and briefely leauing them eyther angrie or appeased I doe say that it is a great deale better to reade the scriptures than to giue themselues after riches for to gather and heape them vp Chrysostome vpon Genesis .6 Tome 5. Homilie .1 Chapter I desire you that wee bee not negligent vnto our owne saluation yea rather that our
that they doe not assault and afflict vs againe but to auoyde and giue the repoulse through the continual reading of the scriptures to the darts of the diuell comming a farre For if we be alwayes hurt take no remedy what hope of health shall we haue Doest thou not see the workers of mettal goldsmythes coyners and all those which doe exercise any occupacion to haue all the instrumentes of their occupacion readye and to lacke none Although that honger constrayneth them and pouertie doth afflict them they had rather to suffer all thinges then to sel any instrument of their occupacion for to nurrish them yea many had rather to borrowe mony vpon vsurye then to lay to gage any little instrument of their science or occupacion and for a good cause for they doe knowe that after that they haue solde it the occupacion shoulde be vnprofitable and all the foundation of their gayne taken away but in hauing them it may be that in time they will paye that they haue borowed of another in vsing alwayes their occupation But if they doe sell them to other before they haue payde that they doe owe they haue not whereby to excogitate or inuent any thing to helpe their hunger and pouertie Truly it behoueth vs to be of such courage for euen as to them the Hammers Anuiles and Tongs are instruments of their Artes euen so the bookes of the Apostles and Prophets are instruments of the Arte and waye of saluation and all Scripture being heauenly inspired is profitable And euen as they finishe all that they doe take in hande to doe by those instruments euen so truly by those bookes we frame our soule and amende and correct it when it is wicked and renue it when it is waxen olde For those can but onely by their Arte giue formes and fashions to things for they cannot chaunge nor alter the substaunce of the mettall neyther make golde of siluer but onely giue them their figures to be like But it is not so with thee but thou mayst doe more for thou mayest sometime of a vessell of wood make a vessell of golde of which thing S. Paule is witnesse speaking after this maner In a great house are not onely vessels of gold and of siluer but also of woode and of earth some for honour and some for dishonour But if a man purge himselfe from such fellowes he shall be a vessell sanctified vnto honor meete for the Lord and prepared vnto all good works Wherfore let vs not be negligent to buye vs bookes that we receyue not woundes in our heartes and let vs not lay vp our gold in the earth but let vs furnishe our selues with a treasure of spirituall bookes Truly when that golde aboundeth greatly then it deceyueth greatly those which possesse it but great store of bookes gotten togither doe bring great vtilitie vnto those that haue them euen as weapons in the roial assemblies although that none doe vse them yet neuerthelesse they giue great assurance vnto them which dwell in the house where they are when neyther theeues nor breakers of wals nor anye wicked persons dare not assayle the house Euen so in any house where these spirituall bokes shall be from them all the force of the deuill is driuen awaye and great consolation and comfort commeth vnto those that dwell there for the onely beholding of bookes maketh vs the slower to sinne And although that we haue done some things that are prohibited and haue defiled our selues the conscience doth condemne vs more sharplye when wee are come vnto the house and haue behelde the bookes and are made slower to committe at another time such things agayne If we doe persist in holynesse wee are made surer and stronger by the bookes For as soone as any hath touched the Gospell he hath by and by withdrawne his spirite from worldly things by the beholding of them and if he reade diligently the soule is by such meanes purged made better no otherwise thā being in the holy secrets it imploieth it selfe to holy things God speaking vnto it by such scriptures What thē say they if we vnderstand not that which is contayned in the bokes truly although thou vnderstād not that which is hid yet neuerthelesse great holines cōmeth of such reding For it cannot be that thou be ignoraunt of it altogither For trulye the grace of the holy spirite hath so dispenced and moderated it to the ende that the Publicanes and sinners makers of Tabernacles Pastors and Apostles Idiotes and the vnlearned shoulde be saued by those bookes And to the ende that none of those Idiotes might excuse themselues alledging the difficultye thereof he woulde that those things whiche are spoken shoulde be easie at the first sight and that the labourers seruants women wydowes and the most ignorante of all men should receiue some gaine and profite of the reading that they did heare For those whom God hath reputed from the beginning worthy of the grace of the holy spirite haue not done all these things through vayne glorie as gentilles but to the saluacion and healthe of the hearers Truely the Philosophers being ignorant of Christe good orators and composers of bookes not seeking that which profiteth all men but tending to make them selues esteemed although they haue saide some thing that is profitable yet not withstanding obscuritie hath kept it hid as in a certayne kinde of foolish wysedome but the Apostles and the Prophets haue done altogither therwyse expounding vnto all men the bookes clearly and manyfestlye that they haue written as publicke doctors of the worlde in such sort that euerye one may learne the thinges which are spoken by the onely reading That whiche the Prophet did pronounce saying al shall be taught of God and from thence foorth shall no man teache his neighbour or his brother and say know the Lorde But they shall all knowe me from the loweste vnto the hyest I brethren when I came vnto you came not in gloriousnesse of wordes or of wysedome shewing vnto you the testimonye of God And agayne my wordes and my preachinges was not with entising words of mans wysedome but in shewing of the spirite and of power And againe That which we spake is not the wisedome of this worlde neyther of the rulers of this worlde whiche goe to noughte For vnto whome are not all the thinges that are in the gospell manyfest who would haue a maister for to learne hearing any of these wordes Blessed are the meeke blessed are the mercifull blessed are the pure in heart and such other thinges The signes miracles and historyes are not they knowen and manyfest vnto euery one That is a colour and a cloked excuse of their slothfulnesse to saye thou vnderstandest not the thinges which are there how canst thou a-thing at all vnderstand when thou wilt not but with great paine lightly see it Take the bookes in thy handes reade all the hystory and keeping in memory
the thinges that are playne and knowen let passe the harde and obscure thinges And if thou canst not with continuall reading find out that whiche is there spoken goe vnto one that is wyser then thy selfe or vnto a doctor declare vnto him the thinges that are written declare vnto him thy feruent desire And if God would giue vnto thee so great promptitude of corage he will not dispise thy diligence and carefulnesse But yet although that no man will teache thee that whiche thou desirest to knowe yet without doubt he will declare it vnto thee Remember the Eunuch of the Queene of the Ethiopians who although he were a barbarous and rude man letted and hindred with innumerable cares and on euery side enuironed with worldly affaires and troubles and that he did not vnderstande that which he reade neuerthelesse he did reade it sitting in his charret If all the time as he went in the way he ceased not to reade much lesse when he was at rest in his house if he did reade vnderstanding not that which he reade and hath not ceased to reade muche lesse after that he hath learned Now to the ende that thou know that he did not vnderstande that which he did reade heare what Philip sayde vnto him Doest thou vnderstande sayth he that which thou readest And he hearing his wordes was not ashamed but confessed his ignorance and sayde Howe can I vnderstande except I had a guyde When there was none that coulde shewe him the way neuerthelesse he did reade and therefore he had immediatly a guyde God knowing his prompt and ready courage and louing his diligence incontinently did sende him a doctor but we haue not Philip ready Let vs not despyse my brethren and frendes our health and saluation all thinges are written for the loue of vs for our correction vnto whome the endes of the ages are come vpon The reading of the Scriptures is a great munition against sinne the ignorance of the Scriptures is a greate perill of falling headlong into hell to know nothing of the heauenly lawes is a great perdition of saluation This thing hath engendred heresyes this hath made vs lead a naughty life and hath mingled all thinges bothe high and lowe Truely it can not be that he shoulde be sent awaye without fruite which taketh pleasure in continuall and attentiue reading of the Scriptures S. Ierome in his .6 Tome vpon Ieremie Chapter .9 The error of our forefathers ought not to be followed but the authoritie of the Scriptures and the commaundement of God which he teacheth vs And agayne truly through the ignoraunce of the lawe they receyue Antichrist for Christ Chrysostome in the 29. homilie vpon Genesis There is neither the passion of the body nor of the soule in mans nature but that it maye take medicine of the holy Scripture Afterwarde he sayth Therefore I pray you come often hither and marke diligently the reading of the holy scripture not onely when you doe come hither but also in your houses take in your handes the holy Byble and receyue with greate diligence and care the vtilitie that lyeth therein hid for thereby you shall get great profite First trulye that by the reading your tongue bee reformed afterwarde your soule taketh wings and eleuateth hir selfe and is illuminated through the splendor and brightnesse of the sunne of righteousnesse And in the meane time it is deliuered from the inticementes and allurements of filthie and vncleane thoughtes reioicing with great rest and tranquillitie And furthermore that whiche the corporall meate doth vnto the body for to augment increase strength the same doth the reading of the holy scriptures vnto the soule The Canon lawe in the Chapter Praelatum de consecratione .3 Distinction That whiche the Scripture doth vnto the readers the same doth the Paynter vnto the Idiotes and ignoraunt in beholding it for in the same the ignorant people doe see that whiche they ought to followe in the same they doe reade whiche knowe not the letters The Emperor Iustinian in his newe Constitutions autentike in the 146. Constitution of the Hebrues sayth thus It was expedient that the Hebrues shoulde take great pleasure not of the hystorie onely when they gyue eare vnto the holy bookes but that they shoulde marke and beholde the sense hidde in them by the whiche they shewe forth the great God Iesus Christ sauiour of mankinde But although that by the interpretation among them dreamed they doe debate and reason it among them selues vnto this day neuerthelesse they haue erred from the right sentence And bicause we haue knowen that they haue amongst themselues debates we woulde not leaue them in such dissentions For wee haue known by the interpellation and reports whiche haue bene tolde vs that some of them would not receiue but the Hebrewe tongue onely and would that we shoulde vse them in the reading of holy bookes other doe holde an opinion that wee muste haue the Greeke tongue and there hathe bene for this thing of long time sedition among them We then hauing vnderstode this debate haue iudged those better whiche desire to haue the Greeke tongue in the reading of holy bookes and for to be short such a tongue as the place requireth moste fitte and meetest for the hearers we then doe ordayne that in what soeuer place the Hebrewes are it shall be lawefull for them in their assemblies to reade the holy Scriptures in the Greeke tongue and in the Italian tongue or translated and changed into any other tongue as the place shall require to the ende that all the continuation and order of that whiche is sayde be manifested vnto those which shal vnderstand the holy boks by the reading of them And according to these thinges they doe direct their lyfe and study and their interpretors whiche doe vse only the Hebrewe tongue may not after their owne fancie maliciously entreate and expounde them hiding and cloking their wickednesse by the ignorance of the people And a little after he saith let vs altogither forbyd that which they doe call Deuteros as the second tradition not contayned in the holy bookes not giuen from aboue by the Prophets but conteyning a certayne extracte of men whiche speake not but of earthly and terrestriall things not hauing in it any thinge of the heauenly spirite But truly we desire that they reade the holy sayinges when they declare the holy books not hiding the things that are therein contayned and not heape togither vaine wordes that are not written but excogitated and inuented by them to the destruction of the simple people which licence by vs giuen shall not turne to any mans hurt or dammage of those that receiue the Greeke tongue other tongues and that shall not be prohibited nor forbidden them by no man what soeuer he bee And ouer and besides those which are cal-Archpharasies or Auncients or maisters shall not haue licence to prohibite through their cautelous inuentions or
6. The diuels dvvell in the temples of Idolaters Leuit. 26. 2. Cor. 6. Iohn 14. Exo. 22. Esay 2. Those vvhiche doe honor images doe honor the deuill Psal. 97. Those are cursed that vvorship Images 2. Cor. 6. Exod. 20. Deut. 5. Psal. 81. 4. Reg. 18. Ezechias did burne the Image of Iesus Christ bicause it vvas abused The Canon lavve permitteth those vvhich can reade to haue the scriptures Abac. 2. Iere. 10. Marc. 7. Esa. 57. Gala. 3. VVe haue a true Image of the crucifixe in the Gospell Epiphanine entring into a temple of the christians founde there the Image of Iesus Christ the vvhich he did teare in peeces The heretikes had thought that it had turned to their dishonestie if they had persecuted Epiphanius for his holy life 1. Tim. 4. Those vvho doe forbid mariage and to eate of certayne meates doe teache the doctrine of diuels Faith is necessarie and not the obseruation of meates 1. Cor. 10. Mat. 15. Behold the order of the Monkes in times past 1. Cor. 6. VVe ought to giue meates according to charitie Titus 1. Collos 2. 1. Tim. 4. Spiridion durst eate fleshe in Lent. Rom. 14. 1. Cor. 8. Rom. 14. Rom. 14. 1. Cor. 8. 1. Cor. 8. Esa. 58. The true fast vvhich pleaseth god is to abstayn from all euils Math. 6. Col. 2. 1. Tim 4. Math. 9. Mar. 2. Luc. 5. Christian libertie is to fast alvvayes and not by obseruing of dayes VVe finde not in the Scripture in vvhat time vvee must fast Superstitious fastings The most strong fasting Iudg. 20. Zacha. 7. 2. Reg. 1. 2. Reg. 12 3. Reg. 21. Iudith 8. Hest. 4. Iere. 36. Math. 4. Esay 58. Ierem. 14. Luc. 21. Rom. 13. Gal. 5. 1. Tim. 4. Mat. 19. Genes 1. Genes 2. Ephes 5. 1. Cor. 6. No constraint from mariage Mat. 23. Pro. 18. Psal. 128. Tob. 6. Genes 9. The Apostles vvere maried Clement sayth that Saint Paule vvas maried Heb. 13. Iohn 2. Note vvhat chastitie is The Councell of Nice vvould not make a lavve that the Priestes shoulde not marie Priestes maried in France S. Hilarie bishop of Poictiers vvas maried 1. Tim. 3. S. Paule teacheth that the byshops may be maried The Deacons vvere maried in the primatiue church 1. Tim. 4. Titus 1. Naucler Albertus Crantzius Lambert Hirsued Genes 2. 1. Cor. 7. Virginitie not commanded but desired 1. Cor. 7. 1. Cor. 7. Note the fruite vvhich came of the forbidding of mariage vnto Priests VVe maye breake the vovves made agaynst the fayth 1. Sam. 25 The vovve of Dauid Mat. 14. The vovve of Herode 1. Sam. 14 The vovve of Saule Exod. 20. Iudg. 11. The vovve of Iephtha If the virgins vvil not or cannot perseuere in their virginitie let them marie If the Mones do think themselues more holy than the maried folk they ought to be excommunicated or giuen vnto the deuill The prouerbe of the Pope Mat. 15. Math. 15. 1. Cor. 7. The vvicked haue Churches Preachers Orders and Clarkes 2. Cor. 11. The true Church knovvne by the holye Scriptures The Church is in the vvordes of Iesus Christ Heresie the troupe of the souldiers of Antichrist 2. thess. 2 For to haue the surenesse of the true fayth vvee must haue regard vnto the holy Scripture Mat. 24. Mat. 24. VVe must beleeue no men if they do not teach the scriptures Iudges of the Church in our time The Priestes are apparalled pompously like harlots and those that play in comedies or tragedies vvhen they doe their diuine office Esay 38. VVe ought to take hede of Antichrist for if vvee doe marke vvell the scriptures vve shall finde him in the Church Esa. 9. Mat. 20. Philip. 2. The Priests are shoren and shauen and doe all their ceremonies for couetousnes Esay 1. The heades of the Church doe persecute the Church The Pope sayth that he hath povver to make lavves against nature and agaynst the Gospell 2. Thes 2. Iudge yee novve vvho is Antichrist according to the Canon and according to the vvord of God. Luc. 22. Alexander .6 Pope .227 in the yeare of our Lorde 1492. Reade Guliel Bud. Beholde the enormitie of the Popes and their life more than diabolicall The Popes may verye vvell erre Gregorie .7 vvas not chosen of God. Gregorie hath put in question the catholike fayth and hath bene a coniurer necromancer Note the lyfe of Gregorie The Papesse Iohn 8. Pope 107. Yeare 855. Apoc. 17. Esay 3. Beholde the goodly stuffe that hath bene holden by the popes Syluester 2. Pope 147. Yeare 999. The Pope giueth himselfe to the deuill Benet 8. Pope 152. Yeare 1012. The Pope did shevve himselfe a diuell being aliue and the diuell appeared Pope after his death The Pope vvas founde in a lie and proued a lier The Councell of Ariminū hath erred neuerthelesse it vvas general The Councell of Carthage in vvhich Saint Cyprian vvas present hath erred VVe are not holden by the authoritie of Coūcels but by holy scripture A lay man vvell instructed in the Scriptures may be obiected against the Councell or the Pope if they erre Articles of the faith not to be altred VVhat it is to sit vpon Moyses seat Iohn 15. Mat. 17. Christ alone ought to be hearde Esay 29. Mat. 15. Those vvhiche doe reiecte the vvorde of God haue none excuse Iohn 8. The vvritings of holy men are not to be preferred before the canonicall scriptures Augustine vvoulde not that vvee should obey his vvritings as canonical There is no fault in the canonicall scriptures Augustines opinion VVe ought not to bring the faults of the auncient doctors againste so great number of vvitnesses of the holy scriptures Custome ought not to be follovved Iere. 7. Mat. 17. 2. Pet. 1. Deut. 18. Deut. 17. Deut. 12. Deut. 12. Deut. 4. Apoc. 22. Mans doctrine hath great apparance in it selfe but compared to the truth is confounded Iohn 3. Iohn 5. Iohn 7. Iohn 8. Iohn 8. Iohn 10. Iohn 12. Iohn 14. Iohn 20. Galat. 1. Iohn 4. Act. 20. Mat. 15. All mans traditions ought to be plucked vp by the rotes Apoca. 1. Luk. 11. Psal. 119. Eccle. 1. Iere. 15. Ephes 6. VVe ought not to forbid any man to knovve the truth The ignorance of the Christians is the cause that the infidels doe not acknovvlege their error 1. Pet. 3. VVe ought to be readie to giue a reason of our fayth vnto those that aske vs Colos 3. Prou. 10. Common vvordes to be simple Mat. 10. 4. Reg. 22 Iudges 4. Iudith 13 Hester 7. The slothfulnesse of Christians in not reading diligentlye the vvorde of God. A great number of those vvhich doe cal themselues christians haue oftener the tables and dyce in their hands than holy bokes Prou. 7. Scriptures to be grauen in our harts and the bokes diligently read ouer Iere. 31. Psal. 1. 1. Tim. 6. Neighbours ought to take holye scripture in their handes to sprinkle their soules Ephes 6. Reading of the scriptures maketh children obedient Collos 3. The lay people ought to haue the
holy scriptures Collos 3. The holy scriptures cause vs to beare all tribulations paciently Little children ought to be taught the holye scriptures 2. Tim. 3. Euery one may dravve out of the holy scriptures that vvhich is needefull for his soules health VVe ought to teach one another in Gods vvord VVhat is the cause that manye doe profite so little in the scriptures No excuse from reading of scripture An admonition vnto the poore people to haue the holy bookes He ought to feare vvhich vvill not reade the Scriptures to be tormēted vvith eternall paynes Esay 5. 1. Cor. 14. Math. 25. Pro. 28. Hee that vvoulde be hearde of God ought first to heare God. Rom. 15. Rom. 1. 1. Cor. 10. The maried vvife ought to be an example to all those of hir house in holynesse of life and conuersation Ephe. 5. 1. Cor. 11. The vvicked lyfe of another to couer ours ought not to be alledged Rom. 2. Hovve vve ought to bring vp the yong daughters in reading The canonicall bokes Iohn 5. Christ is the vertue of God. The excuses that the temporall people doe make to auoyde from reading the holy scriptures Monkes vvere solitarie people vvho notvvithstanding did lead a common life not as the Monkes at this day Euen as the instruments of arte for to gayne the lyfe euen so are the bookes of the Apostles for the lyfe of our soules 2. Tim. 2. The profite that commeth vnto vs of the holy bookes Although that manye doe not vnderstand all the scripture they must not therefore leaue of to profit in it The Philosophers haue not searched that vvhich profiteth but to make themselues esteemed The Apostles and Prophetes haue vvritten clearely and plainly Iere. 31. Heb. 8. 1. Cor. 2. Math. 5. Act. 8. The diligence of the Eunuch reading the scriptures not vnderstanding them Act. 8. 1. Cor. 10. VVe ought not to follovve the error of oure forefathers This constitution in the bodie of the lavve is imprinted at Paris at the signe of the golden sunne The holye ordinaunce that Iustinian made touching the holy bokes to haue thē in al tōgues to the ende they should be reade of all men VVe ought to take hede of the malice of the interpreters The Emperour Iustinian giueth libertie vnto all men to read the holy scriptures and the reason vvherfore Those vvhiche vvoulde not suffer the scripture in all languages and tōgues vver punished through the confiscation of their goodes Iohn 6. Num. 11. Moyses enuyed not those vvhich had the gift of god Amos. 7. The Priestes doe say that it appertayneth not vnto the laye people to dispute in the Church behold diligently the contrarie Chrysostom vvould that all vvere doctors 1. Thes 5. Many doe learne sooner foolish and baudie songs than spirituall The excuse of many Math. 21 Rom. 13. Iam. 1. Iohn 3. Act. 5. Act. 16. The Christians neuer assembled themselues to the hurt of any man. If rhere happeneth any euill vnto the vvorlde the vvorldlings doe say that it is bicause of the faithfull Act. 16. Act. 20. Act. 2. Act. 1. Act. 21. In the auncient assemblies they prayed for the Emperors and magistrates Praier is the best sacrifice that one can offer vnto God. Plinie vvriteth vnto the Emperor of the lyfe and maner of the faithfull in their assemblies Eusebius Caesariensis in the ecclesiasticall historie lib. 11. Chap. 4. Theodorite lib. 4. cha 24. Historie tripartite lib. 10. chap. 20. Ievves burned in a caue 2. Mac. 5. Psal. 133. Math. 18. In this latter time the vvicked are called good the good vvicked Mortal man is vvoorth nothing Truth and force inseperable and righteousnes and crueltie To kill and exercise crueltie belongeth not vnto the good but to the euill The signe of the good and the euill Compulsion auayleth not God vvill auenge the griefes of his seruants Esay 59. Ezec. 34. Veritas odium parit VVhat patience is It is necessary that the righteous man be afflicted of the vvicked to the ende he haue pacience The cause vvhy aduersaries are stirred vp Through persecutions a great nūber is ioined to the gospell Rom. 14. Math. 13 Iesus Christ doth not require shedding of blud The persecutors do seke to put to death for feare that their malice shoulde bee vncouered and knovvn Genes 27. Exod. 2. The holye men haue fled from the handes of the persecutors 1. Reg. 21. 3. Reg. 19. 3. Reg. 18 Iohn 20. Act. 9. Num. 35. Iosua 20. Mat. 10. Iohn 8. Iohn 12. Math. 2. Mat. 12. Iohn 11. Iohn 8. Luc. 4. Men ought not to burn them that speake other vvise than the truth allovveth Mat. 14. The persecutors them selues are ignorant of the gospell Iohn 7. Iohn 2. Iohn 7. Math. 26 Sapien. 6. Rom. 10. An admonition vnto Kings Princes and Iudges Miche 3. Persecuters cruelly tormented Luk. 18. The despising of the poore people of God is pitifull Mat. 23. Esay 26. Eze. 22. Miche 7. Iohn 16. Mat. .12 Psal. 116. Esa. 26. Zacha. .2 Mat. .23 Persecution is prophecied to happen vnto the children of God. 3. Reg 21. Prou. 17. Esay 5. Prou. 29. Prou. 29. Prou. 31. Prou. 29. Ierem. 26. Ieremy vvas accused by the priests Esa. 10. The torments of the vvicked princes 2. thess. 1 Sap. 5. The complaint of the persecutors at the day of iudgement Sapi. 5. The doctrin of the Apostles nevve doctrine Act. 17. Act. 28. Act. 24. Act. 24. The resurrection of the righteous and vnrighteous shall come Act. 17. 1. Tim. 4. 1. Sam. 31 Note the vengeance of God agaynst the vvicked persecutors Act. 1. Esay 37. 2. Mac. 8. Act. 12. Euseb li. 1 cap. 9. li. 2 cap. 10. 3. Reg. 22 4 Reg. 15.21.24.25 A Table to finde oute the principall things contayned in this present booke and first of the Letter A. ABstinence Pag. 229. Adam condemneth his posteritie Pag. 50. Adam not good of himselfe Pag. 59. Adam his free vvill Pag. 59. Aduocate for vs Iesus Christ Pag. 192. Aduocate any other is error Pag. 191. Aduocate for S. Iohn onely Christ Pag. 191. Aduocates none vvith God as Earles and Lordes vvith Kings Pag. 200 Angels not to be honoured Pag. 175 Angels vvould vve should honour god Pag. 175. Apostles maryed Pag. 245. Apostles teach the commaundements of god Pag. 284 Apostles vvrite clearely Pag. 325. Apostles praying for the Cananite Pag. 197. Apostles assembled secretly Pag. 340. Assemblies certified by Plinie Pag. 345. Assemblies of the Christians by night Pag. 342. Assemblies their deedes Pag. 343. Assemblies harmelesse Pag. 241. Assembled their prayers Pag. 343. Assemblie of Ievves burned Pag. 346. Ashes of Saints Pag. 186. Augustine counteth but tvvo Sacraments Pag. 38. Augustine his recantation Pag. 48. Augustine of free vvill Pag. 60. Augustine his exposition Pag. 171. Augustine his opinion Pag. 283. B. Baptisme purgeth not sinnes Pag. 23. Bishop of Bishops none Pag. 50. Bloude of Oxen. Pag. 37. Bodie of Christ not carnally eaten Pag. 3. Bodie of Christ not diuided Pag. 3. Bodie of Christ vvhole in