Gather my Saints together vnto mee Psal 50. 5. THE GLORY OF THEIR TIMES OR The Liues of the Primitiue Fathers CoÌ„tayning their Chiefest Actions workes Sentences and Deaths Aske thy father and hee will shew thee Aske thy Elders and they will tell thee Deu. 32. 7. LONDON Printed by I Okes. and are to be sold in Pauls Church-yard at the white Lyon 1640. G Glouer fecit To the Reader on the Religious and Illustrious Lives of the Primitive Fathers THe publication of a Book doth draw on much expectation but this Worke doth not only satisfie the Readers curiosity but even draw him to wonder and admiration For was not the Creation of Heaven and Earth most wonderfull and glorious For when there was nothing but rudis indigestaque moles quam dixere Chaos a rude lumpe void of forme then God made the Sun Moon and Stars also and set them in the Firmament to give light upon the Earth and this natural Light the World enjoyed in the beginning but afterward out of the Chaos of blind Ignorance God to the Worlds greater amazement created and ordained the Firmament of Religion and placed therein the Sun of Righteousnesse our Saviour Jesus Christ then clouded under Types and Figures and also the Moon which was the Primitive Church round about which the Fathers shined like Stars of severall magnitudes but all glistering with light of Life and Learning Here is a poesie gathered out of old Gardens not decayed nor withered with Time or Age but as fresh and fragrant as from the newest stocke This savoury meat hath God brought to hand Here is sweeâ— out of the strong let your soule taste it and then blesse God for sending such able men into his Harvest in the innocencie of the Church and in the time of the hottest persecutions These were Gods Champions on earth who did fight his battails and defend his cause even reproving Kings and Princes for his sake These were called Fathers of honour and therefore let us honour them because they honoured God and though we cannot imitate them so neere in their lives as wee ought yet let us strive to imitate them as neere as we can in our minds and let us follow thousands of Martyrs through temporall death to eternall life and with Nazianzen give our selves wholly to the performances of all Christian duties For these Primitive Fathers they all gloried and tooke delight in their sufferings and bid large profers for Heaven come what torment could come even the losse of their lives for by their humility and patience they both triumphed over Tyranny and Death and now have obtained for their reward the eternall Crown of Glory which they enjoy and weare When any of these Holy Fathers met at Generall Councels concerning any weighty cause about setling Religion or suppressing of any Heresie sprung in the Church with what devotion reverence did they meet not trusting in their own knowledge sharpnesse of wit strength of brain deepnesse of judgement as it were in an arme of flesh they knew that there was a Divine power who ruled and governed all their actions and intentions they trusted in Him that hath the Key of David opening and no man shutting and prayed to the Lord the Father of our Lord Jesus to direct their cogitations this was the way they took and persevered in And should such good men as these bee forgotten such Pillars of Truth as these not seene and made manifest pity it were that their worth should be obscured or that the grave should bury their deserts All which time hath now brought to light and collected together in one Volume the use and fruit of which I wish to every Christian man This Work being then a Constellation of Divine Lights that were visibly seene in the East and Westerne Horizon of the Church and are here set in their severall places and Centuries of yeares wherein they lived shewing not onely their mortall aspect by curious and lively brasse Sculptures representing their Effigies and Countenances but also the divine influences of their souls in their lives actions and divine sentences for their Seraphick Contemplations were full of sublime and sweete expressions that as their faces were full of Reverend lines of gravity so did their Writings abound with sententious lines of Piety Insomuch that these words may justly be subscribed under their severall Pictures Exempla plus dictis valent facta mea non dicta vos Christianos milites sequi volo nec disciplinam modo sed exemplum etiam à me petere Examples prevaile more than Precepts I would have all Christian Souldiers follow my steps in works as well as words and in your lives make me your Rule and Example for Omnia prosperè Deum sequentibus eveniunt adversa spernentibus for Gods servants and followers are always fortunate and blessed but his foes miserable and wretched In a word the faces of the holy Primitive Fathers are here the object of your sight their Graces of your knowledge and understanding their Sentences may serve for your minds illustration and illumination and their Lives for your practice conversation and imitation and in all they have been and are accounted sacra Ecclesiae Lumina holy Lights of the Church shining once on Earth and now in Heaven and therefore all that would become Stars in glory after this life let them imitate these resplendent Stars of Grace that hereafter they may shine in glory with Christ Jesus the Sonne of Righteousnesse in his Fathers Kingdome for ever Amen Typographus The Names of all the Primitive Fathers contained in this Booke Philo Iudeus Ann. Mundi 4024. Iosephus 4057 Ann. Christi Ignatius 71 Polycarpus 71 Dionysius 71 Saeculum secundum ab anno 100 ad 200. Iustinus Mart. 150 Irenaeus 170 Ab 200 ad 300. Tertullianus 204 Clemens Alexandrinus 204 Origenes Adamantiâ—s 226 Gregorius Thaum 233 St. Cyprianus 250 Arnobius 285 Lactantius Firmianus 290 Ab anno 300 ad 400. Eusebius Caesari 329 St. Athanasius 340 Hilarius Pictav 355 Cyrillus Hieros 365 Ephrem Syrus 365 Basilius Mag. 370 Gregorius Nazâ—anzenus 370 Epiphanius 370 S. Ambrosius 374 Gregorius Nyssenus 380 Theodoretus 389 S. Hieronymus 390 S. Chrysostomus 398 Ab anno 400 ad 500. S. Augustinus 420 Cyrillus Alexan. 430 Petrus Chrysologus 440 Prosper Aquitan 445 Ab anno 500 ad 600. Fulgentius 529 Ab anno 600 ad 700. S. Gregorius Magnus 604. Isidorus Hispal 630 Ab anno 700 ad 800. Beda venerabilis 731 Iohannes Damascenus 731 Ab anno 800 ad 900. Nicephorus 828 Ab anno 900 ad 1000 ad 1100. Theophylactus 1071 Anselmus Cant. 1081 Ab anno 1100 ad 1200. Rupertus Tuitiensis 1119 S. Bernardus 1130 Petrus Lombardus 1145 Ab anno 1200 ad 1300. Alexander Hales 1245 Bonaventura 1265 Thomas Aquinas 1265 An. Mundi 4024. Philo Iudaeus PHILO IVDAEVS THis Philo was a Iew of Alexandria of the stocke of the priests and hee is deservedly placed among the Ecclesiasticall Writers because that in his workes hee
him yet there was such a gracious lustre and radiancie in his countenance and gravity that some of their hearts failed them when they beheld him and they repented of their intent and many others were cast into a sudden feare and fled from the performance See but how strong God is over the actions of wickedâ—men who though they would yet cannot act any thing beyond Gods divine disposall As there is nothing so sacred but there will be still found in all ages sacrilegious hands to attempt and touch it And though there be not wanting multitudes of men whose tongues and hands have no other imployment but to defile and diminish so much as in them lyeth the honour of God and of good men yet for all that the vertuous mans minde is not a whit daunted or lesse assured then before And most men know that the vertue and vigour of him who in fighting hath vanquished his enemy is alwayes greater then his who did never try the combat at all Even so may wee think and say of the vertuous constant and well disposed person who like to good metall the more he is fired the more hee is fined the more hee is hated and opposed the more is he approved For wrongs and attempts may well try him touch him or prick him but they cannot imprint in him any false stampe Many out of envy and malicious disposition may attempt and set upon a just and upright man and assaile him both by words and actions yet not injure him for in that case hee is like a brazen wall which the darts of the wicked cannot pierce through but rather rebound on their owne breasts And though that such mischievous and malicious men levell right at him to hit and to hurt him with their harmfull shafts yet doe they come short of their aymes for either they hit him not or if they doe they hurt him not at all Therefore let all good and vertuous men be qualified and comforted and with patience and peaceable playsters such as are joy exultation and delight for these will bring him unto greater content then humanitie can imagine But suddenly after Hescennius Sisinnius the Praefect gave command that Dionysius with his fellows should be apprehended and when hee was taken Sisinnius had much talke with him and did much reprove him and blame him for that hee had preached against the worship of their Gods and because by his Sermons their gods had lost their former honour and worship and seriously charged him to confesse his errour and to stop up that breach which hee had made to leave off those novelties and unheard of doctrines grounded upon no sufficient warrant or solidities that so the people by this recantation might see how vainly they were seduced and so returne to their ancient Rites and Customes againe To whom Dionysius answered not without a great deale of Constancie and Zeal mixed with Wisdom and Divine Eloquence how that they were no gods whom they worshipped and how that they were but Idols the worke of mens hands and that it was meere folly ignorance and Idolatry to adore them and added that there was but one God which he preached at which words spoken with so deepe a resolution Sisinnius was wondrously incensed and angry and commanded him to be laid upon an hurdle and a gentle fire to be put under to roast him Hildrinus relates that hee was cast to wilde beasts that were kept hungry but they would not teare him and how hee was throwne into an Oven made hot but the fire did not seise upon him but hee was the second time with his fellow-labourers brought before Sisinnius and they were publikely beaten with cruell and many blows by the Officers But the Judge perceiving their valour and unmoveable courage that they were not at all daunted with thesâ— dealings He standing up commanded in a rage that seeing they had contemned their gods derided the Emperours Edicts that they had wrought by Magicke and other unlawfull Arts as with Miracles to delude the people that they had seduced the people and had drawn them from their obedience to the Emperour to their faction and part that although these things came upon them for their faults and that they might be punished by the Emperour for suffeâ—ing such Seducers to remayne in the Confines of his Empire commanded them foâ—th-with to be beheaded At which this Saint Dionysius Rusticus and Eleutherius were not any whit terrified but with joy and mirth answered that all they who worshipped such gods were like them and would perish even as the dung of the earth But as for us said Dionysius Come life or death we will worship the God of Heaven and earth At these words of these holy men the Judges anger was kindled like fire and gave strict charge that their execution should not be deferr'd and so they were haled out of the Citie to the top of an high Mountaine and delivered to the Officers and Executioners to be tormented which was accomplished with all the cruelty that could be at the time of Dionysius his beheading he devoutly lifting up his hands and eyes to the God of Heaven expressed himselfe in this prayer DOmine Deus omnipotens Filiunigenite Sancte Spiritus Sancta Trinitas principio carens in quem non cadit divisio suscipe servorum tuorum in pace animas quoniam propter te morte afficimur Which deserves to be registred in letters of Gold I have thus Englished it O Lord God Almighty thou onely begotten Sonne and holy Spirit O Sacred â—rinity which art without beginning in whom is no division Receive the souls of thy servants in peace who are put to death for thy Cause and Gospell to which Rusticus and Eleutherius answered Amen Which prayer being ended at the command of the Ruler they were beheaded with a sword that was made dull that so their paine in their Martyrdome might be the greater These worthy Martyrs suffered the eighth of the Ides of October in the Reigne of the Emperour Hadrianus in the 110 yeere of Dionysius his age It is true that Metaphrastes Hildrinus Hincmarus the Bishop of Rhemes and others doe say that hee suffered under the Emperor Domitian in the ninety first yeere of his age but they are deceived for Dionysius in a certaine Epistle which hee writ to Iohn being banished into Pathmos in which he saith that he did foresee that he should be released from that misery and should return into Asia and that by Gods providence they should see one another face to face which proved true when as the bloody Decrees of Domitianus were cald in and revoked and those which were exiled for the name of Jesus were recalled And againe the same Dionysius speaks of an Epistle which Saint Ignatius writ to the Romans though then dead who as is manifest suffered martyrdome under Trajan whom Nerva succeeded Miâ—hael Syngellus reports it that Dionysius lived til the latter time of the Emperour Trajan
who strive to corrupt the Christians by their Idolatrous shews then Tertullian wrote his learned Treatise de spectaculis wherein hee handles the case to the full And at the same time how did hee stop an Heresie arising in Affrick called the Apelletians from one Apelles which worke is desired but not as yet enjoyed In the fifteenth yeere of the Emperour Severus did hee not famously write against that great Heretick Marcion and set forth his Book De Resurrectione Carnis And presently after wrote his Booke De Carona Militis worthy here to be spoken of a little upon a Triumph all the Emperours Souldiers for the greater pompe were to weare Crowns made of Bayes but one Christian there was who when he had his Crown given held it on his arme but would not weare it whereupon being demanded why hee alone had refused to set forth the pompe of that day he did boldly answer Non decet Christianum in hac vita coronari A Christian ought not to be crowned in this life a true and a worthy answer And so upon this Tertullian wrote his Book so entituled I read not after this that Tertullian did write any thing for the Church but against it The more is the pitie so great a Scholer should fall so fouly There are many Fathers who have discoursed what might be the cause of this Tertullians revolt Some as Saint Ambrose say it was Envie Vincentius Lirinensis makes a good application of it It was saith he a great tentation and triall The Lord saith Moses tries us whether wee love him or not when there ariseth up one of these false prophets or teachers or dreamers Saint Ierome gives him a great praise for his wit but laments his losse Saint Cyprians phrase was when hee would read Tertullian to say Da Magistrum Give me my Master Trithemius terms him Tam in divinis quà m in saecularibus Scripturis doctissimum The most learned in sacred and secular affaires And that hee taught Rhetorick at Carthage a long time Gloriosè saith he with great glory and credit and againe scripsit Latino sermone penè c. That hee wrote almost infinite Workes in Latine wherein he hath most judiciously confuted and overthrown all the Heresies hee wrote against licet in aliquibus c. and though saith he he erred in some things yet he wrote profitably in many other his Books Hee lived till hee was old and decrepite and so yielded up his spirit after that he had painfully and learnedly studied the Word of God and carefully and discreetly answered all those that proved Hereticks to the Truth I have here not followed Trithemius Catalogue nor yet Bellarmines concerning his Works but as Pamelius hath registred them in the Collen Impression Anno 1617. Hee hath a learned commendation set under his Effigies wherein as Tullius was the Pillar and praise of Rome so Africk glories in her Tertullian His Oratory was famous and Tertullians speech was sweeter then honey as may appeare by some of his Sentences Tertul. de poenitenia If thou be backward in thoughts of repentance be forward in thy thoughts of Hell the flame whereof only the streame of a penitent eye can extinguish and first so thinke on the greatnesse of the punishment that thou mayst not doubt of getting a remedy against it Idem de fuga in persecutione The Legion of Devils could not have conquered a Herd of Swine if God had not given them power farbe it then the Devill should have power over Gods owne Sheepe I may say That even then the bristles of those Swine were numbred before God and much more are the haires of his Saints De Fide Ex personis probamus fidem an ex fide personas Doe wee try mens faith by their persons we should try their persons by their faith Idem de Oratione The remembrance of Gods precepts chalkes out a way for our prayers to Heaven the chiefe of which precepts is That we come not first to make our atonement with God on his Altar before wee have made our atonement with our brother in our hearts For what profit is it to come to the peace of God without peace to come for remission of debts without remission of debts How can he appease his Father that is angry with his brother Idem de Oratione Let us not approach unto Gods holy Altar before wee have made peace with our offended brother for to what end should wee come to the God of peace without peace for the remission of our own sinnes without any intention to forgive one another How can hee that is not pleased with his brother thinke to please the God of his brother seeing that God commands him not to be angry at all but forgive him Hee that then prepareth himselfe on earth shall be sure of his reward in Heaven Tertullians houres of prayer They were the third the sixt and the ninth houres for they are saith he the more eminent part of the day to distribute and distinguish the publike affaires of men so have they beene accounâ—ed the most solemne times for Prayer and Divine Duties in the Church of God For at the third houre were the Apostles met together at their Devotions and were filled with the power of the Holy Ghost GOd Almighty who is the protector and defender of Kings grant to your Sacred Majesty along life a happy Reigne a secure State and habitation a strong Army a faithfull Senate or Councell and a Royall people These were the solemne Prayers of Tertullian for the Emperours and used by the ancient Church De Sanctorum Passione Tertullian saith that Paul thought himselfe unworthy to suffer for his Saviour because hee had no more lives to lose for his sake For hee that lost his life for us that wee might live deserves our lifes and all to bee laid downe for him Whence it is that the Saints have rejoyced in their sufferings not counting their life deare that they might winne Christ. Yea to mee saith Saint Paul in his Epistles to live is Christ and to die is gain And elswhere he saith I beare in my body the marks of the Lord Iesus And indeed the sufferings of the Saints though for the present grievous and hard to bee borne bring forth an hope of reward exceeding great and glorious while wee looke not at the things temporall but at the things eternall And this should encourage us for Christs Name sake to passe through bad report and good report setting before our eyes the example of the Saints and not onely so but with cheerfulnesse to sustain all injurious dealings of men though they deprive us of livelihood and life it selfe for Christ and his Truths sake knowing that it is a good thing to suffer in a good cause and that this shall make our Crown to be glorious and enstate us into blessednesse with eternity to have a period De Christo VERBO Tertullian upon occasion taking a
satisfying Gods Justice and working our salvation Of serving God There are two ways of serving God when wee despise the World and love God onely this is Religion in perfection the other is when wee love God and the world and this is an imperfect affection and profession of Religion The former is perfection without imperfection which is not attainable in this life for since wee bee partly flesh and partly spirit our affections are divided in their operations I sleepe saith the Spouse but my heart waketh her better part was directed towards God her carnall part was lesse capable of heavenly raptures being sluggish and drowsie The good that we would do that doe wee not but the evill we would not doe that doe wee Wee love God and the World here as if the love of God and the World were competible but the good Christian labours as much as hee may to renounce the World to gaine God which is better then 1000 Worlds to lose God is to lose all Tolle meum tolle Deum to lose the World and get God by the losse of it is with Mary to choose the better part which never shall be taken away God is All in All. None but Christ. Of Christs Incarnation Christ that he might shew himselfe unto men and teach them the true way of adoring and worshipping his Father taking on him our nature came downe into the World his first Miracle being to shew God in the shape of a man And surely that was a great miracle farre beyond the reach of our capacitie that the Creatour should so farre stoop to the Creature as to take upon him the nature of man that hee that made woman should be borne of a woman that he whom the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain should be contained in the narrow wombe of a Virgin that God that made man should himselfe be made man in all things like us sin alone excepted that the Sonne should take upon him the nature of a servant that the King of Kings should be subject himselfe to the meanest vassals that he that was invested with the Robes of the Deity should be clothed with the rags of our humanity A wonder exceeding all wonder a Miracle without a parallell Of the Devils power The Devill doth worke upon the natural inclination and free will which men have unto evill thereby overthrowing States and Cities and by the flattery of pleasures drawing many soules to all kind of wickednesse taking their affections with pleasant and delightfull objects hee doth hold the World in captivity and subjection The Devill cannot compell us to commit sin hee may move externally by propounding objects but the tinder which taketh fire is our own naturall corruption We may thanke our selves for sin and the punishment of sin Eve blamed the Serpent the Serpent beguiled me this made her not excusable had shee not consented to the temptation the Serpent had not deceived her but the occasion of sinning being offered and the will consenting sin is committed and punishment for sinne is admitted Of the Apostles Christ chose illiterate men to convert the whole World which hee did that his divine counsell and power working and operating in them might be manifested and declared It is Gods ordinary proceeding by small or no meanes to bring great things to passe what were a few fishermen for converting the whole World What weake instruments were Rams Horns for the blowing downe of the walles of Iericho Elijahs Mantle divideth Iordan A little barley Cake tumbling downe the Hill overthrows the tents of Midian Thus Gods strength is perfected in weaknesse and his Majestie shines in meannesse and the more contemptible the means the greater is his glory manifested in the meanes that hee that glorieth may glory in the Lord. Of Christs Divinity Christs Divinity shined through his body as light doth through a Lanthorn with beams of humane and divine light illuminating the soules of men No marvell then that his Adversaries confesse saying Never man spake like this man his words argued his Divinity which were socelestiall and void of exception as mans wisdome could not contradict When his Adversaries would have apprehended him they went backwards and fell to the ground another argument of his Deity the rayes whereof confounded the faces and daunted the courage of malicious men When Pilate said Knowest thou not that I have power to condemne thee reply was made thou couldst have none except it were given thee from above My Deity stoops not to thine humanity Of Gods Word The Fountaines of Israel were the words which were delivered to Israel for to them the Oracles of God were first committed whence living waters should be drawn to water the Church of Christ. Therefore Saint Pauls caution was not in vaine that wee should not despise the Iewes they being broken off from the Olive tree wee being graffed in and partaking of the fatnesse of it their ruine is our rising Let us not be high-minded but feare least wee suffer by their example Of Gods Omnipotencie God doth order augment perfect penetrate and move all things in every place yet his nature is not thereby impaired or polluted and thus he becomes a Saviour and Physician to the wicked and as the Musician sheweth his Art in tuning a disordered Harpe so Christ declareth himselfe to be the soules Physician by curing mans discording affections and regulating them by his exemplary Life and Doctrine It is God that is able when and how hee will to dispose of the creature for his owne glory and our good If wee bee so fast bound with chains in prison that wee cannot get out hee turnes our captivity as the Rivers in the South if sicknesse oppresse God is our health Are we hungry God is the bread of Life to feed us thirsty God is water of life to refresh us naked his robes of righteousnesse cloath us he is every way able to relieve us Of Salvation Christ by his precious bloud wrought mans freedome and redemption his desertion by God on the Crosse was either to manifest the dignity of his passion or his miraculous affection to mankind laying downe his soule for mans salvation Admirable was his love to man in so great a worke and in the manner of performing it the worke was wonderfull that enemies should be saved who were to be destroyed and the manner of it as wonderfull that it should be procured with the shedding of his owne bloud a drop whereof is more precious then a thousand Worlds Our sins were of a deepe die which nothing but Christs bloud could expiate It was not the shedding of the bloud of Bullocks or Goats in time of the Law that was satisfactory to God they were types of the shedding of the bloud of the Lambe of God which taketh away the sins of the World manent actn tolluntur reatu This is Christ our Saviour And as hee was infinitely read in Books of Divinity so
children doe they might please God better in obeying his Commandement and their Parents who lege talionis deserve more respect then their children can give them Many Bishops by the Emperours command being assembled at Selâ—ucia to give their opinions concerning the Arrian Heresie Saint Hâ—lary comming on a Sunday into a Chappell belonging to a Castle Florentia a Heathen Maid cry'd cut with a loud voice That a servant of God was come thither and falling downe at his feet shee earnestly desired his benediction and afterward leaving her parents shee followed him even to Poicters saying That though hee were not the father of her generation yet he was the Father of her regeneration Thus it is an easie thing with God of the stones to raise up Children unto Abraham to mollifie stony hearts and make them fructifie and beyond all mans beliefe by small or no meanes to bring great things to passe no lesse then an Heathens Conversion at the sight and approach of a man of God Such is the freenesse of Gods grace which is agens liberrimum The Winde bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but knowest noâ— whence it commeth nor whither it goeth even so is every one that is borne of the Spirit Hee got much credit and approbation in the Arrian Synod and by persecution of his enemies Valens and Vrsatius was sent back againe into France where Saint Martin met him seeking his acquaintance and adoring him as an earthly Deity Afterward Saint Hilary being come home and finding his Daughter to whom he had written a former Epistle constant in desiring to be married to the Bridegroome which her Father had provided shee returned unto Christ the Bridegroome of her soule whose body her Father with his owne hands buried O glorious Funerall better than life being translated from Earth to Heaven and that in the flowre of her age and spring of her youth Thus despising naturall affection hee shewed loves perfection in seeking her eternall felicity and glorification An History which sets forth to the life the reward of obedient Children She that obeyed her earthly father is rewarded by God her heavenly Father And whereas she did expect for a recompence of her patience an earthly Bridegroome she was espoused to the Bridegroome of her soule fairer than the sons of Men richer than the greatest Potentates whose are all the Beasts of the Mountaines and the Cattell on a thousand Hills sweeter than all sweetnesse and better than all goodnesse Within few yeeres after Saint Hilary departed this present life in the Reigne of the Emperours Valens and Valentian Earth deploring Heaven rejoycing and also our Saviour Jesus Christ admitting him into felicitie to whose glory he had lived and died Thus a blessed Life was seconded by a blessed Death and he that had seene the various changes in the revolutions of times did at last exchange 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 drosse for gold misery for happinesse and in peace was gathered to his Fathers But what eloquence can expresse his facundiousnesse he being in discretion provident in handling matters profound in learning eloquent for vertue admirable in composition various in resolution subtle and wise as our Saviour saith as a Serpent yet gracious as the simple Dove He was the Salt of Wit the Fountain of Eloquence the Treasury of Knowledge the Light of Learning a Defender of the Church and an Enemy to the opposers thereof whose words read seemed not words but thunder He that would know the character of his minde let him remember his constancie reade his Volumes and weigh his Sayings some whereof are here inserted Whose excellency may appeare to any indifferent Reader who shall weigh them in the ballance of mature judgement and they deserve no lesse approbation or title than sometimes did the sayings of Pythagoras among the ancients which were intitled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the golden words of Pythagoras for according to that of the Wise man A word spoken in due season is like unto Apples of Gold in pictures of silver Such were these following viz. Of Custome Custome is a strong obligation and therefore he is a better Christian who not only by remission of sinne but by ignorance in sinne is blamelesse and innocent Whence it was that the Prophet denounceth a woe against such as draw iniquity together with cords of vanity Such are the cords of long continued custome which habituate a man in an evill way making him irrecoverably wicked Can a Blackamoore change his skin saith the Prophet or the Leopard his spots no more can yee that are accustomed to evill learne to doe good So that the truth of the ancient Proverbe is manifest that Custome is a second Nature for as slips of trees that are ingrafted and inoculated into another stocke partake of the nature of the stocke whereinto they are ingrafted so whatsoever vice a man accustometh himselfe unto to the same are his affections glued as it were and inseparably joyned and the corruption thereof concentraâ—ed and made coessentiall unto it Of Gods Works God hath performed many things whose naturall causes being hid yet their effects are knowne And Faith is religious though joyned with naturall ignorance A fit Register of Gods various wisedome yea the treasure house thereof is the whole Universe wherein all his workes are done in number weight and measure all which by their operations and impressions they make are easily to be discerned to bee nothing else but the foot-steps of his Majesty Now as Moses could not see GODS face but his hinder parts he saw so can we not many times discerne Gods workes in themselves à priori but à posteriori wee may by necessary collections Proportionably Faith which is the gift of God in it selfe is a glorious grace but because of our ignorance naturall and affected wee doe not attaine to that height and depth of that divine mystery which they that shall doe must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must have an Eagles eye not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having their understandings darkned being strangers from the covenant of grace Of hidden treasure By the similitude of hidden treasure the riches of our hopes are shewed because God was found in man for obtayning of whom all is to be sold that wading through all wants we may attaine the riches of Heaven That man can want nothing which hath him which is All in all And as sometime the Philosopher said Omnia mea mecum porto Whatsoever is mine I beare about mee so may a Christian rich in grace say Deus meus omnia since I enjoy God I enjoy all without whom enjoying all I enjoy nothing other things utor non fruor I enjoy for their use but have no true contentment in enjoying them Of the Church Those that are out of the Church cannot be capable of understanding divine mysteries for the ship wherein Christ preached the Word of Life was a Type of the Church those without being like the sands were
the Historian came to see him so did Sulpitius Severus who highly commended him Apodemius out of France with many others with him Hee was full of Eloquence but hee that will read Erasmus commendation of him will admire how one man should be so generally expert in such rare gifts Quis docet apertius quis delectat urbanius quis movet efficacius quis laudat candidius quis suadet gravius quis hortatur ardentius c. that is who teaches more distinctly who delights more modestâ—â— who moves more effectually who prayses more candidly who perswades more gravely who exhorts more ardently Dalmatia Pannonia Italy may boast of him Stridon rejoyceth in him for bringing so great a Light to the world Italy comforts her selfe in three respects First that she instructed him next that shee baptized him lastly that shee reserves his bones as a memoriall of him France is glad that hee sent Epistles to her inhabitants all the world may bee comforted in having such an excellent Bulwark for the truth all ages and sexes may get profit out of his Volumes the best wit may hee helpe and all cannot but praise him except Heretikes whom hee detested Heare but what Trithemius speaks of him Vir in saecularibus valde eruditus in divinis Scripturis inter omnes doctores eruditissimus c. that is Hee was a man well seene in secular Learning but in Divinitie he carries the chiefe fame amongst all the Doctours of the Church famous for the knowledge in Languages he was the rooter out of all Hereticks the defender of the Truth a labourer in Vertue an hater of Vice a true Meditatour on Gods Law Baronius doth commend him deeply as you may read in his Annals So doth Prosper Sentences out of Saint Hierome Vpon Heresies Dead flesh is to bee cut off for feare of Gangreenes the scab'd sheepe is not to be admitted into the Fold lest it defile corrupt and spoile others Arrius at first was but as a sparkle but because he was not at first suppressed he proved the incendiary of the whole Church Of Innocence Wee must be like to children who forget hurts who doe not retaine anger look not on beauty to lust after it doth not speak one thing and think another so unlesse wee have puritie and such innocence we shall not enter Heaven Of Gods Word If according to the Apostle Christ is the power and the wisdome of God then hee that knows not the Scriptures knows not the power of God hee that is ignorant of Gods Word knows not Christ. Of simplicitie Thou must be a Dove and a Serpent the one not to doe hurt to others the other not to be hurt by others Vpon disgrace The Sonne of God endured the shamefull death of the Crosse and dost thou think to follow him and be where hee is and live here in pleasures Vpon Women Womens beauty is not to be respected but their chast modesty shee is truly chast who hath liberty and opportunitie to sinne and will not E duris ad placida He used to say of himselfe that whether hee did eat or drinke or whatsoever else he did that horrible voice was ever in his eares Surgite mortui venite ad jâ—dicium Arise you dead and come forth to judgement He saith the first Adam sinned by a Tree whereby we were lost and our second Adam to redeeme us dyed on a Tree If Adam was cast out of paradise for one sin O Lord what shall become of a sinner that hath a world of sins All Vertues are so united together that hee that wants one wants all and therefore hee that hath one hath all Whatsoever it is a shame to speake it is a shame also to thinke therefore the safest and perfectest course is to accustome the minde to watch over the thoughts and at their first motion either to approve or reject them that so good cogitations may be cherished and the bad extinguished Beware that thou hast not an itching tongue or eares Doe not detract from others nor harken unto them that doe detract from others He that doth afflict his body and yet forsake concord doth prayse God in the Cymball but doth not prayse him in the Quire He that gives almes to a poore sinner is truly mercifull For nature is to be respected not the person For he that gives to a poore sinner not as hee is a sinner but as hee is a man hee doth not relieve a sinner but a man Christ was a sacrifice ordained for our reconciliation and if thou dost contemne the mystery of the Sacrament thou contemnest the remedy contained in the Sacrament A just and valiant man should neither be deject in adversity nor puft up with prosperity but in both estates should be moderate When the body is strong the soule is weake and again when the body is weake the soule is strong The kingdome of Heaven suffers violence for it is great violence that men borne on earth should seek Heaven by vertue possesse it whereunto they have no right by nature I have here set out his Works as they are recorded by the Edition set forth 1567 contained in nine Tomes Tome 1. 1 Hortatory Epistles 42 2 To Heliodorus 3 To Rusticus and Laeta 4 To Salvina 5 To Ageruchia two Epistles 6 To Paulinus 7 To Paula 8 To Eustochius 3 Epistles 9 To Paulus Concordiensis 10 To Theophilus of Alexandria 11 To Castrutius 12 To Exuperantius 13 To Julianus 14 To the Virgins of Hermon 15 To Ruffinus 16 To Chromatius to Antonius of shunning suspected places 17 To Sabinianus Nepotianus 18 To Florentius Demetriades 19 To Furia Gaudentius 20 To Caelantia Eustochius two Epistles 21 To Lucinius Abigaus 22 To Julianus Castorina 23 To Theodosius Augustine 24 To Nycaeas Chrysogonus 25 To Rusticus 26 Twelve funerall Epistles in prayse of many Tome 2. 1 Against Heretikes 2 Helvidius Jovinianus 3 Apologie for his bookes against Jovinian 4 Apologie to Domnio 5 To Pammachius 6 Against Vigilantius 7 Against the same one booke 8 To Marcella against Montanus 9 Against the Luciferians 10 Originists 11 Against John of Jerusalem 12 To Pammachius to Theophilus 13 Apologies against Ruffinus three books 14 To Câ—esiphon against Pelagius 15 Against the Pelagians three books 16 Thirty Epistles of divers Arguments 17 Eight Epistles to Hierome Tome 3. 1 Prefaces and explication of questions 2 To Paulinus 3 Prefaces on the Pentateuch 4 On Jonah Kings Chronicles Esdras Tobiah Judith Hester Job Proverbs Ecclesiastes Canticles Esaiah Jeremiah Ezekiel Daniel 5 Twelve prophets and foure Evangelists 6 Then follow the explication of questions propouÌ„ded by divers as Damasus Dardanus Vitalis Amandus Miverius Alexander Cyprian Paula Euagrius Marcella Sophronius Hedibia Principia Fabiola Ruffinus Sunia Fretella Algasia Paulinus Desiderius 7 Then follow some questions out of Hebrew on Genesis Chronicles Kings 8 Also books of Hebrew names which are in the Old or New Testament
In vaine doe you goe about to terrifie or fright this man for he feareth nought bnt sinne Saint Chrysostome reports that it must bee our hand that must bring us to Heaven and not our tongue only Hee calls the life of man a Faire or Market where some are seeking for gaine and profit others for pleasure and delight others for prayer and devotion and the last of these are those that walke as children of light Saint Chrysostome calls Saint Paul the tongue and Teacher of the whole World who lived like an Angell on earth and now enjoyes a crowne in Heaven Saint Chrysostome gives man the reason why the Angels did not bring the tydings of our Saviours birth first to Kings and Princes or other great men aswell as to the poore Shepherds And this is it because saith hee great mens eares were so stopped with cares and honours that they have no pleasure to heare it or would not take so much pains themselves but sent their servants His Works are here registred He departed in the thiriteenth of Arcadius and Honorius Hee was made Bishop in the fourth of Arcadius and received Priesthood in the eleventh of Valentinian the younger and in the eighth of Theodosius the elder His Works as Bellarmine doth reckon them whom I follow are contained in five Tomes printed at Venice 1575. Tome 1. 1 Homilies on Genesis in number 67. 2 On the Psalmes 26. 3 On sundry places of the Old Testament in number 52. 4 Whereof five out of Esay Tome 2. 1 Homilies on Matthew in number 89 2 More on the same 54. 3 On sundry places of Saint Matthew 26. 4 Homilies on Saint Mark 14. 5 Homilies on sundry places of Saint Luke Tome 3. 1 Homilies on Saint John 87 2 More or some places of Saint John 6. 3 Homilies on the Acts 51. 4 Sermons for Feast days 32. 5 On severall places of Saint Paul and many things in commendation of him Tome 4. Commentaries or Homilies on all Saint Pauls Epistles Tome 5. 1 Homilies to the Antiochians 80. 2 Dialogues of the Priesthood 6. 3 Of compunction of heart 2. 4 Of Gods providence 6 books 5 Of praying to God two books 6 Against the dispraysers of a Monastick life three books 7 Against the Gentiles one book 8 12 Sermons of Penitence 9 Against Jewes and Heretickes 15 Sermons 10 Against Concubinists two Sermons 11 Of divers arguments 48 Tracts 12 To Innocentius the Pope two books 13 To Cyriacus one booke 14 To Bishops and Priests in prison one book 15 To Theodorus being falne two books 16 To Eutropius one book 17 To Olympia a famous Matron 1 book 18 St. Chrysostomes Lyturgie I have not followed the Edition of Paris those who would fully bee satisfied they may have their choice either of the Venetian Parisian or Eaton Edition An. Christi 420. Sanctus Aurelius Augustinus S. AVGVSTINVS IN describing this Fathers life I follow not any uncertaine Relations but I follow the method of Possidonius who in writing the passages of his life saith such things quae in eodem vidi ab eodemque audivi which I saw in him and heard from him two sure witnesses the eyes and the eares and therefore may for succeding times be easily admitted for truth This Augustine therefore was an African by birth borne in the City of Thagasta of pious and Christian Parents bred and nourished by their care and diligence and singularly well learned and approved for skill in the Liberall Arts for he taught Grammar in his owne City and Rhetorique in the head City Carthage and after going over sea he came to Rome and so to Millaine where hee was appoynted to instruct the Emperour Valentinian being the fifth of that name and the Bishop at the same time of that City being that worthy Prelate Saint Ambrose whose sermons to the people and publicke disputations this Augustine did attentively heare and like of He was living in Carthage tainted with the Pestilent Heresie of the Manichees but by the providence of God and the wisedome of Saint Ambrose his heart was enlightned so he was brought safe from that Rocke was confirmed in the faith and a little before Easter did receive the Doctrine of the Catholick Church and also Baptisme by the ever honoured Father Saint Ambrose and being in this state so fairely recovered he set his heart wholly and intirely to seeke the Lord and to leave the world not now regarding honors wealth or riches but sought diligently heavenly treasures striving with might and maine to be one of that little flocke of whom it is said Feare not little flocke it is your Fathers good will to give you the Kingdome Hee was about thirty yeares old when hee thus beganne having onely his mother Monica alive who did mainly rejoyce to see him so intirely converted His Father called Patricius was dead before and now also he left his Scholars whom hee taught Rhetorique and told them they should provide themselves another Master for hee would onely serve the Lord. It pleased him being baptized to goe and live in Affricke with other faithfull Christians where when hee was come how speedily did he performe what he had resolved for leaving all secular affaires how constant was hee in Watching Fastings and Prayers and those graces which it did please God to give him how did he imploy them so that by his Sermons and Bookes he taught those that were absent as well as those that were present for hee converted one to the faith in a short time At the same time one Valerius was Bishop of Hippo and having a great care to provide able men to teach the people he with the peoples great desire ordained this Augustine a Priest and being entred into that holy function hee did strive to grace the Gospell by an holy Life This Valerius ordained him being banished This Augustine did powerfully preach the Word and had great conflicts with Fortunatus a defender of the Manichees who was appointed to meete Augustine in a publicke place and to dispute with him which with a great deale of feare he did undertake but was quite foiled and so by Gods blessing and the consent of all the learned men the Manichees fell and sincere Religion was maintained in the City of Hippo. He also preached and writ with singular care and dextrous learning against the Affrican Heretiques as the Donatists Manichees and Pelagians so that by his writings the Affrican Churches did recover the ancient Truth and he was so able and powerfull in the Scriptures that the very Heretiques were forced to confesse him a Divine Man He was appoynted by the Bishop to dispute of Faith which hee did with the approbation of all but this good old man Valerius finding him so rarely qualified sent to the Primate of Carthage and certified him that he was so old and weake and the charge was so great to manage and this Augustine was so learned and pious a man that hee intreated him to bee
his death and all that while hee prayed fervently at the time of his death his sight and hearing were good and divers priests being present and praying with him he departed this life in fulnesse of days and gave order to them for his buriall and so offered himself as a sacrifice to God hee made no Will at all but gave order that his Library and all his Bookes should be safely reserved to posterity for the Church he left an able Clergy after him his Epitaph was this Distich Vivere post obitum vatem vis nosse Viator Quod legis ecce loquor vox tua nempe mea est This doth sufficiently shew what a jewell this Saint Augustine was in the Church of God Sentences out of Saint Augustine What availes it to keepe the flesh entire if the minde be corrupted holy marriage is more excellent then proud virginity a solid hope a firm faith a sincere Charity is the virginity of the mind Of servitude Doest thou desire to have thy flesh serve the spirit let thy spirit then serve God that must be ruled that the other may rule Of Prayer If it be pure and holy it pierceth the Heaven it returnes not empty thy prayer is thy speech to God when thou readest God speaks to thee when thou prayest thou speakest to God More of Prayer It is the shelter and safeguard to the soule a sacrifice to God the scourge of the Devill Of Death There is nothing doth more abate sin then a frequent meditation of death hee cannot dy ill who lived well nor seldome doth hee die well that liv'd ill Of Riches If men want wealth it is not to bee unjustly gotten if they have wealth they are by Good works to lay it up in heaven a Christian must not be proud in their aboundance nor despaire for their absence Non verborum flores sedsequere Mores If thou wilt be perfectly purged from all vices strive to kindle in thy self the fire of divine love For if thou hast perfectly tasted the sweetnesse of divine love thou wilt not care for any temporall sweetnesse The reasonable soule made to the likenesse of God may find in this world much careful distraction but no ful satisfaction for it being capable of God cannot bee satisfied with any thing but God The covetous man like Hel devoures all and desires that there were no man else in the world that he might possesse all the World The blessednesse of this life doth consist in the heavenly wisedome quietnesse of conscience and sublimity of vertue For not to be without affliction but to overcome affliction is blessednesse Love is as strong as death for as death kils the body so the love of eternal life doth kil al worldly desires and affections for heavenly love grown to perfection grows insensible of earthly affection and he that will mortify his body must first mortify his mind Hee is a Christian that at home and in his own house thinks himselfe to be a stranger our countrey is aboue and there wee shall not bee strangers None can separate Christ from thee unlesse thou separate thy selfe from Christ. Our Redeemer was born like a child died like a Lambe rose from death like a Lion and ascended into heaven like an Eagle If Adam for one sin was cast out of Paradise O Lord what shall a poore sinner be become that hath a world of sins St. Augustine saith he that gave his son for his enemies surely hee will give his Sonne to his friends Reject not ô Lord the worke of thine own hand but be favourable and shew mercy upon me who hath been a sonne of perdition and a child of rebellion And though ô Lord I cannot weare out my tongue with praying nor my hands with lifting up to Heaven for my sins I may weare out my eyes with weeping for them And be thou ô my God more gratious to heare then the Devill is ready to be malicious to hinder Of Ingratitude Saint Augustine calls Ingratitude the Devils sponge wherewith he wipes out all the favours of the Almighty Saint Augustine was so great a lover and admirer of the seven Penitentiall Psalmes as wee call them those Psalmes that expresse the Prophet Davids sorrow for this grievous sin that hee commanded them to be written in a great letter and hung about the curtains of his death-bed within next unto him that so hee might give up the Ghost in the contemplation and meditation of them Saint Augustine speaking of the conversation of the wicked amongst the godly used to say For my part I am a man and live among men how dare I promise to my selfe that my house shall be better than Noahs Arke for there were in it both clean beasts and unclean good and bad Saint Augustine saith ô let ô let the Scriptures be my pure delight let mee not be deceived in them neither let me deceive by them Of Prayer Saint Augustine saith Lord give first what thou requirest and then require of mee what thou wilt And again saith Saint Augustine hee that prayes well cannot chuse but live well and prayers is a private expression of the soule to God for by prayer Gods eare is tied to the tongue of man we speak to God by prayers and he speaks to us by preaching I have here also set the Catalogue of his Works which are many and rare so that they may be called a little Library Tome I. 1 Retractations two books 2 Confessions thirteen books 3 Of Grammar one book 4 Of Logicke one book 5 Of the predicaments one book 6 Principles of Rhetorick one book 7 Of Musique sixe books 8 Against Academick three books 9 Of order one book 10 Of a blessed life one book 11 Soliloquies two books 12 Of a Master one book 13 Of the immortalitie the soule one book 14 Of the quantitie of the soule one book 15 Of Free Will three books 16 Of true Religion one book 17 Of the manners of the Church 18 Of the manners of Monks 19 Against the Manichees two books Tome 2. 1 Epistles of St. Augustine with rescriptions being 222. 2 Epistles to Deo gratias 49. 3 Two to Januarius 4 To Honoratus 120 5 To Paulinus 112. 6 To Boniface 150. 7 To Dardanus 57. Tome 3. 1 Of Christian Doctrine foure books 2 Speeches of holy Scripture 7 books 3 Of Faith one book 4 An Enchyridion 1 book 5 Of the Trinitie 15 books 6 Of Genesis twelve books 7 Of the wonderfull things of the Scripture three books 8 Of a Christian fight one book 9 Of the worke of Monks one book 10 Of the spirit and letter one book 11 Of Divination one book 12 Of Ecclesiasticall tenets one book 13 Of the spirit and soule one book 14 Of faith to Peter one book 15 His looking-glasse one book 16 Questions of the Trinitie one book 17 Of the Patriarchs blessings one book 18 Sentences one book
16 Of the two wils in Christ. 17 How we are created in the Image of God 18 Of Images three speeches 19 St. Stephens life 20 A dispute of a Christian and Saracen 21 A fragment of Sentences 22 Of the eight naughty thoughts by Euagrius 23 Of the same by Nilus 24 Of the day of judgment 25 Damascens History 26 Of the holy Sabbath 27 An Oration by Damascen Cardinall Bellarmine amongst his Ecclesiasticall Writers calls him a man of great Holinesse and Learning And as Beda was admired in the West so was he in the East Hee suffered many things for the Faith under Constantinus Copronymus wrote many famous things before he died whom the Master of the Sentences and all the Schoole Doctours have imitated for his worth and wit An. Christi 828. Sanctus Nicephorus NYCEPHORVS HAving drawne the pictures of so many famous Fathers eminent in the Church for their piety sanctity and learning it is necessary leviter tantûm vitam S. Nicephori adumbrare lightly to shadow out the life of St. Nicephorus for indeed what praises can reach the height of his perfection who like a bright lampe of learning and of religious life shined forth in the Horizon of the Church in the yeare 840. for then he lived in his brightest lustre like the East starre leading both the vulgar by his Doctrine and the wise men by his writings to the knowledge of Christ for sapientes faciunt loquuntur sapienter omnia wise men doe and speake all things wisely and Nicephorus being really religious must needs bee wise in words wise in actions and which is the highest wisedome wise to salvation Neither was he inferiour to most of the Fathers for profound judgement and learning both in Humanity and Divinity having read much and spent many houres to adorne his soule with Art and Grace that so he might informe others in the Doctrine of Salvation and illuminate the world then being in great darknes and under the shadow of sin and death He was a Physitian to cure the miseries of humane life and especially those which are incident to the soule namely tenebras intellectus errores mentis vitia appetitus irrectitudinem voluntatis the errors of the understanding the viciousnesse of the appetite and the crookednesse of the will for all these maladies of the soule he cured by his powerfull Doctrine and religious exemplary life so that those that were blind through spiritual ignorance he made them see and abhorre their sinne the lame in Charity and good workes hee made chearefull and forward to doe good the stubborne hee convinced and confuted by Arguments the weake he comforted and instructed And as the Sunne doth with his chearefull beames soften waxe refresh the drooping flowers and cherish the new sowne seeds so with the beams of his life and learning hee did warme and soften the obdurate hearts of men refreshed wearied soules groaning under the burthen of their sinnes and by his Doctrine cherished the seeds of Grace to bring forth in others the fruits of good life and conversation The Philosophers were derided quia in librossnâ—s quos de gloria contemnenda scripserunt nomina sua inscripserunt because to those bookes which they writ of contemning glory they set their owne names shewing themselves thereby most vaine-glorious But Nicephorus Workes are a glory to his name living to eternity in his learned Volumes If therefore his great wisedome and learning which attracted generall admiration may deserve commendation If the gifts and graces of his soule were so wonderfull and divine If his life were so sanctimonious and exemplary hee being a spirituall Physitian and a Sunne to illuminate the ignorant world if all these may render his life perfect and glorious then Nicephorus may be acknowledged amongst the most famous Fathers of his time who after this Pilgrimage of life peregrè constitutus properabat in Patriam regredi being a stranger on earth made haste to returne to heaven leaving to the world his Sentences and Workes He lived in the time of the Emperour Andromicus senior to whom he dedicated his Ecclesiasticall History containing eighteen Bookes and survived after the yeare of our Lord 1300. not long after exchanging this life for eternall glory His Sayings Of Example The naturall man cannot attaine to the height and perfection of active vertue or contemplative unlesse he propose unto himselfe our Saviours example as perfect God and man equall in power and vertue to God the Father and beseech him to give him the power of operation and contemplation Of Security He that liveth in security is so farre from thinking of appeasing Gods just anger towards him that he heaps sinne on former sinnes as if God did not behold them and would not require an accompt of them Of Providence God doth behold and moderate our actions using the scourge of affliction for our castigation and conversion and after due correction sheweth his Fatherly affection to those that put their trust in him for salvation Of the Scriptures The Scriptures rightly conceived make us cheerefull and active in the performance thereof also good just quiet upright and conformable to our great example of righteousnesse Christ Jesus Of Christ. The Wisedome and Divinity of Christ was seene by his words and actions drawing his Disciples to divine contemplation and imitation and working Miracles for their Faiths confirmation so bringing them to perfection which consisteth in the love of God Of Martyrs The ancient Martyrs would not be so called though they suffered Martyrdome yet they would not bee called Martyrs ascribing that title onely to Christ and so by their humiliation deserved a glorious exaltation Of Faith None of the ancient Fathers and Patriarchs did please God but by Faith in Christ as appeareth by Abraham his faithfull obedience being his justification Of Peters denyall Christ asked Peter three times if he loved him not for his own knowledge or information but that by his three-fold profession he might help and heale his threefold negation of him These are those things which he writ Namely his Ecclesiasticall History which hee composed both for style and words in elegant Greeke Also a Synopsis of the whole divine Scripture digested into Trimeter Iambicks wherein he briefely contained the arguments of all the bookes This Worke beginneth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Gulielmus Esingr in his Catalogue of Ecclesiasticall Writers doth adde that he did write of the Acts done after the Maccabees even to Christ and the destruction of Ierusalem The Genealogy of the Patriarchs unto David Of Mosaicall Rites A Catalogue of the Iudges of Israel A description of tbe Kings of Israel and of the Patriarchs of Constantinople The Genealogy of Christ. Of our Saviours Miracles according to the foure Evangelists An. Christi 1071. Sanctus Theophylactus THEOPHILACTVS THe birth place of this Father was the famous City of Constantinople which once was the glory of the Roman Empire and the bulwarke of Christendome against the Turkes but
till hee was very old and in this his old age he did with abundance of teares lament and bewail the vanities of his life still desiring God to pardon his sins to omit his errors to make him one of those of whom it is said Come yee blessed children of my Father c. all his desire was to be loosed from the Tabernacle of corruption so that it appeares he had hopes of a better possession in that Citie whose builder and maker is God So in fulnesse of dayes after many tedious labours and travels hee was struck with a Fever of which he died with great expressions of joy and comfort that at the day of accompts hee should rise to live with the just and upright men made perfect I have here set downe his Workes as they are registred before his books printed at Mentz in the yeer of our Lord 1631 in two Tomes Tome 1. Commentaries of the Works of the sacred Trinitie in fortie two books 1 On Genesis nine books 2 On Exodus foure books 3 On Leviticus two books 4 On Numbers two books 5 On Deuteronomy two books 6 On Josuah one book 7 On Judges 1 book 8 On the Kings five books With the Psalmes annexed 9 On Esay two books 10 On Jeremiah two books 11 On Ezekiel one booke 12 On Daniel one booke Haggay Zachary Malachy being added 13 On the foure Evangelists one booke 14 On the Works of the Holy Ghost nine books 15 Commentaries on the twelve lesser Prophets one and thirty books 1 On Osee five books 2 On Joel one book 3 On Amos foure books 4 On Abdiah one booke 5 On Jonah two books 6 On Micha three books 7 On Nahum three books 8 On Abacuck three books 9 On Zephaniah two books 10 On Aggee one book 11 On Zachary five books 12 On Malachie one book 13 Of the Canticles of the Incarnation seven books 14 On Ecclesiastes one book 15 On Job one book These are of late annexed Tome 2. 1 On Saint Matthew of the glory of the Sonne of God thirteen books 2 Of the Trinity nine books 3 On Saint John thirteen books 4 On the Apocalypse twelve books 5 Of the victory of Gods Word thirteen books 6 Of divine Offices twelve books 7 Of the misery of his Monastery one book 8 Of the meditation of death two books 9 The life of Heribet Archbishop of Collen To these now are added 1 Of the losse of Virginitie one book 2 Of the Divine will one book 3 Of the Omnipotencie of God one book These are the demonstrations of the Labours of this man which are large enough to prove him an eminent man and so I end and shut up my discourse of him desiring those that reade his Life or his Works both to imitate his Learning and Holinesse that they with him may receive comfort at the second comming of our blessed Saviour Happy are they then when our Lord shall come shall be found so doing An. Christi 1130. Sanctus Bernardus S. BERNARDVS IT is not fitting that this great Light which God did set up should be hid under a bushell but that his pietie and vertues should be celebrated to all posteritie Hee was borne in those parts of Burgundie in which his Father held much land and large possessions His parents were noble and religious His Fathers name was Tecelinus a great Souldier and such a one as Saint Iohn wish'd others to be laid violent hands on none but kept himselfe within the bounds of civility and sobriety and so followed his Commanders here that hee did not neglect his chiefe Commander in Heaven his mothers name was Aleth sprung from a Towne not farre from the mountaine called Barrus shee following the rule of the Apostle was subject to her own husband and ruled her family with wonderful care and religion shee bare to her husband six sonnes all devoted to God and religion and one daughter which was also addicted to pietie all these shee lovingly did give suck to from her own brests the third of these was this Bernard whose Life I will now set forth In his minority hee was very obedient and dutifull to his parents wonderfull apt to learn and quick to conceive of an admirable memory accute wit ready apprehension ingenious of nature flexible to discipline of an excellent feature comely personage sweete behaviour courteous meeke all these shewing what a rich Harvest this Spring would produce when he was young he was troubled with a great pain in his head which a woman having long time used that way was brought to him who said she would remove that pain by certain verses by way of enchantment but when shee came before him hee utterly rejected her and her devise rather being willing to endure the hand of God then the hand of the Devill and God in short time after in great mercy did acquitt and free him of this pain and did comfort him and confirme him as he did Samuel in Shiloe being put forth to learning he was not onely as forward as the rest but exceeded and even in his youth did learne to mortify his head-strong affections he was as well by education as nature addicted to a solitary life hee was also full of charity for if hee had any money hee would privately give it away to the poor his master dyed in his youth and was honourably interred this Bernard was to be admired for his chastity and for quelling of lustfull thoughts so that hee did often use that speech of Iob I have made a covenant with mine eyes not to looke upon a maid which will appeare if you consider those two eminent demonstrations of it the one was thus by the instinct and suggestion of the Devill there was a young beautifull maid laid in bed which thing when Bernard perceived though then in height of bloud and she an object to incite him to violate his chastity yet hee never so much as tooke any notice of her but lamenting her impudencie lay on the other side remote from her and so kept himselfe continent to the astonishment of that bold intruder And the other passage is this It so fell out that Bernard with some other of his associates should lodge at a Matrons house but the woman being overcome with tentation viewing the comely countenance of Bernard and the beauty of his eyes and graceful deportments of his person when night came did prepare a more sumptuous Chamber for him than for the rest and shee burning in lust towards him in the middle of the night came to his bed which thing Bernard suspecting suddenly cried out as if there had beene Thieves in his Chamber so the people awaking and the woman fearing to be taken fled well they all goe again to rest but the woman not being daunted with this approached the second time but he as before cryed Thieves so the houshold rose again but found non nay shee was so impudent that shee adventured the third time but being by