Gentils through fayth and therefore preached before hande the Gospell vnto Abraham saying in thee shall all the Gentiles be blessed so then they which be of fayth are blessed with faythfull Abraham For as many as are vnder the deedes of the law are vnder the curse For it is written Cursed is euerye man that continueth not in all things that are written in the booke of the lawe to fulfill them And that no man is iustified by the lawe in the sight of God it is euident For the iust shall lyue by fayth and the lawe is not of fayth but the man that shall fulfill those things shall liue in them Nowe Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the lawe when he was made accursed for vs. For it is written Cursed is euery one that hangeth on a tree That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Iesus Christ and that we might receyue the promise of the spirite through fayth But the Scripture hath concluded all things vnder sinne that the promise by the fayth of Iesus Christ shoulde be giuen to them that beleeue c. For ye are all the sonnes of God by fayth in Christ Iesus Galat. 3. De poenitentia Distinction 3. chap. which beginneth Totam c. And we are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus whome God hath set forth to be a pacification through fayth in his bloude to declare his righteousnesse in that hee forgiueth the sinnes that are passed Without fayth it is impossible to please God. In whome euen nowe though yee see him not yet doe ye beleeue and reioyce with ioye vnspeakable and glorious receiuing the end of your faith the saluation of your soules c. And God which knoweth the heartes bare them witnesse in giuing vnto them the holy Ghost euen as he did vnto vs and he put no difference betwene them and vs seing that with faith he purified their heartes S. Ierome vpon Sophon Chapter 3. They doe seeke the righteousnesse the which is not but Christ alone Iesus Christ sayeth Daughter bee of good comfort thy fayth hath made thee whole Agayne Beleeue ye that I am able to doe this And they sayde vnto him yea Lorde Then touched he their eyes saying according to your fayth bee it vnto you Also Daughter be of good comforte thy fayth hath made thee whole goe in peace Also What shall we doe that wee might worke the workes of God Iesus aunswered and sayd vnto them This is the worke of God that ye beleeue on him whom he hath sent Likewise all things are possible to him that beleeueth The wages of sinne is death but the gyft of God is eternal life through Iesus Christ our Lorde If thou shalt confesse with thy mouthe the Lorde Iesus and shalt beleeue in thine heart that God raysed him vp from death thou shalt be saued For the beleefe of the heart iustifieth and to confesse with the mouth saueth a man. Who soeuer beleeueth on him shal not be ashamed But ye are of him in Iesus Christ who of God is made vnto vs wisedome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption that according as it is written He that reioyceth shoulde reioyce in the Lorde This is the name that they shal call him euen the Lorde our righteous maker To him giue all the Prophets witnesse that through his name all that beleeue in him shall receyue remission of sinnes For among men there is giuen none other name vnder heauen whereby wee must be saued Ye are gone quite from Christ as many as are iustified by the lawe and are fallen from grace Let no man esteeme of himselfe more then it becommeth him to esteeme but that he discretely iudge of himselfe according as God hath dealt to euery man the measure of fayth How shoulde I then aunswere him or what wordes shoulde I finde out agaynst him yea though I be righteous yet will I not giue him one worde agayne but meekely submit my selfe to my Iudge If I will iustifie my selfe myne owne mouth shall condemne me If I will put forth my selfe for a perfect man he shall proue mee a wicked doer for that I shoulde be an innocent my conscience knoweth it not yea I my selfe am weary of my life Thou hast graunted me lyfe and done me good and the diligent heede that thou tookest vpon me hath preserued my spirite c. If I doe wickedly wo is me therfore If I be righteous yet dare I not lift vp my heade so full am I of confusion and see mine owne miserie What is man that he shoulde be cleane what hath he which is born of a woman whereby he might be knowen to be righteous Beholde there is no trust in hys Saintes yea the very heauens are not cleare in his sight Howe much more then an abhominable and vile man which drinketh wickednesse like water But how may a man compared vnto God be iustified Or how can he be clean that is borne of a woman We are all as an vncleane thing and all our righteousnesse are as the clothes stayned or a menstruous cloth There is not one iust vpon earth that doth good and sinneth not Verely in the Lord is my righteousnesse and strength To him shal men come but all they that thinke scorne of him shal be confounded And the whole seede of Israell shall be iustified and praysed in the Lorde The Lorde helpeth me therefore shall I not be confounded I haue hardened my face like a flint stone for I am sure that I shall not come to confusion Mine aduocate speaketh for me who will then goe with me to lawe My righteous seruant shall with his wisedome iustifie and deliuer the multitude for he shall beare away their sins c. We being iustified by his grace should be amde heires according to the hope of eternall life Yet darest thou say I am giltlesse Tushe his wrath cannot come vpon me behold I wyll reason with thee bicause thou darest say I haue not offended O howe euill will it be for thee to abyde it when it shall be knowen how oft thou hast gone backwarde Doubtlesse our owne wickednesse rewarde vs but Lorde doe thou according to thy name thoughe our transgressions and sinnes be many and haue sinned against thee They that put their trust in me shall inherite the land and haue my holy hill in possession Be it knowen â—nto you therefore men and brethren that through this man is preached vnto you the forgiuenesse of sinnes and that from all sinnes from which you could not be iustified by the lawe of Moyses by him euery one that beleeueth is iustified And of his fulnesse haue all we receyued euen grace for grace Which he predestinated before them also he called and whoÌ„ he called them also he iustified
thinges that which was secrete is declared and that which is hid is made knowen without any kinde of pryde which is no sacriledge not hauing a necke puffed vp with pride without any contention or enuye with holynesse humilitie with the catholicke peace with christian charitie Irenaeus in his .3 booke .4 chap. What would it be if there were any disputation or debate moued of anye lighte question must wee not haue our recourse vnto the moste auncient churches whiche were in the time of the Apostles and to take of them that which is cleare and certayne for to resolue the debate or question put foorth S. Augustine of baptisme against the Donatistes .3 booke .9 Chapter Honoratus Attuca hath saide forasmuch as Christe is the truth we ought rather to followe the truth then custome The Byshop Castus in the 5. Chapter He that presumeth to follow custome in condemning the truth eyther he is enuyous or wicked towardes the brethren vnto whom the truth is reueled or he is ingratefull towardes God through whose inspiration the church is instructed Trust not in false lying wordes saying here is the Temple of the Lorde here is the Temple of the Lorde here is the temple of the Lorde c But take heede howe ye doe trust in coūsels that beguile you and doe you no good God hath witnessed of his sonne saying This is my deare sonne in whome I delight here him The Lorde hath saide But the prophet which shall presume to speake ought in my name whiche I commaunded not to speake and he that speaketh in the name of strange Gods the same prophet shall dye Moyses saide ye shall doe after nothing that we doe here this daye euery man what seemeth him good in his owne eyes Moyses saide ye shall doe afer nothing that we doe here this daye euery man what seemeth him good in his owne eyes Ye shall put nothing vnto the word which I commaunde you neyther doe oughte there from that ye may keepe the commaundementes of the Lorde your God which I commaunde you Beholde I haue taught you ordinances and lawes such as the Lorde my God commaunded me S. Augustine writing vnto Orosus against the Priscillanistes and Originistes .11 Chapter The doctrine of man seemeth to haue reason so long as it is not compared vnto the heauenly knowledge but when the lye approcheth to the truth it is by and by deuoured and destroyed as a sparke of fire and all the teachinges of faulshod and lyinges the whiche nowe are called Idolles Forasmuch as they are made they shal be altogither broken He that commeth from an hie is aboue all he that is of the earth is earthly and speaketh of the earthe he that commeth from heauen is aboue all And what hee hath seene and heard that he testifieth but no man receiueth his testimony howbeit he that hath receiued his testimonye hath sealed that God is true For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God. Iesus Christ saith And his wordes haue ye not abiding in you for whom hee hath sent him ye beleeue not Search the scriptures for in them ye thinke ye haue eternall life and they are they which testifie of me My doctrine is not mine but his that sent me If anye man will doe his will hee shall knowe of the doctrine whither it be of God or whither I speake of my selfe He that speaketh of him selfe seeketh his owne prayse but he that speaketh his prayse that sent him the same is true and no vnrighteousnesse is in him He that sent me is true and I speake in the world those thinges which I haue hearde of him If ye continue in my wordes then are ye my disciples and shall know the truth the truth shall restore you to libertie c. I speake that I haue seene with my father and ye doe that which ye haue seene with your father Verily verily I saye vnto you if a man keepe my saying hee shall neuer see death My sheepe heare my voyce and I know them and they followe me I haue not spoken of my selfe but the father which sent me gaue me a commandement what I shoulde saye and what I shoulde speake And I knowe that this commaundemente is lyfe euerlasting Whatsoeuer I speake therefore euen as the father bade me so I speake The wordes that I speake vnto you I speake not of my selfe If ye loue me kepe my commaundements He that hath my commaundements and keepeth them the same is he that loueth me He that loueth me not keepeth not my sayings and the wordes which ye heare are not mine but the father which sent me Many other signes also did Iesus in the presence of his disciples which are not written in this booke These are written that ye might beleeue that Iesus is Christ the sonne of God and that in beleeuing yee might haue lyfe through his name Though that wee or an aungell from heauen preach vnto you other wayes than that whiche we haue preached vnto you holde him as accursed As we sayd before so say I nowe agayne if any man preache vnto you other wayes than that yee haue receyued holde him accursed The woman that was a Samaritane sayde vnto Iesus I wote well Messias shall come which is called Christ when he is come he will tell vs all things I haue kept nothing backe but haue shewed you all the counsell of God. Chrysostome in the first homilie vpon the Epistle vnto Titus The Gospell doth contayne all things the things present and things to come honor pietie and fayth c. Saint Hilarie vpon Saint Mathew 14. Canon Euery plant which my heauenly father hath not planted shall be plucked vp by the rootes that is to say all mans traditions ought to be plucked vp by the fauor of the whiche they haue transgressed the commaundement of the lawe And therefore he called them the blinde leaders promising the waye of euerlasting lyfe the which they see not themselues and sayth that the falling hedlong of those blind leaders and their conductors is common S Augustine vpon S. Iohn .49 treatise .9 Chapter Although that the Lorde Iesus Christe hath done many things which haue not bene written as also his owne Euangelistes doe witnesse it that the Lord Iesus Christ hath sayde and done many things whiche are not written neuerthelesse the things haue bene chosen to be written whiche were thought sufficient for the saluation of the beleeuers Of the holy scripture and howe it is lawfull for all men to reade it HAppie is he that readeth and happie are they that heare the wordes of this Prophecie and keepe those things which are written therein for the tyme is at hande Iesus Christ sayeth Happie are they that heare the worde of God and kepe it Thy worde is a lanterne vnto my feete and a light vnto my pathes Gods worde in the
downe from the father of lights Saint Paule also We are not able of oure selues to thinke anye thing that is good as it were of our selues but our abilitie commeth of God. Agayne vnto the Romaynes I knowe that in me that is to saye in my fleshe dwelleth no good thing For to will is present with me but I finde no meane to performe that which is good for I doe not that good thing which I woulde but that euill doe I which I would not Also the naturall man is not able to perceyue the thinges of the spirite of God for they are but folishnes vnto him neyther can he knowe them bicause they are spiritually discerned And 1. Cor. 12. God worketh all things in euery man. Agayne No man can say that Iesus is the Lorde but by the holy ghost Also Dauid Euery man liuing is altogither vanitie And in the 8. Chapter of Genesis The heart of man is enclined to euill euen from his youth To the Ephesians We were naturally the children of wrath euen as well as other Gregorie vpon the 7. psalme vpon the versicle Anima mea c. Forasmuch as freewill is corrupted in our first father we haue not the power to will well if we bee not ayded with the grace of God. Saint Hierome in his commentarie vpon Ieremie Chapter 23. Forasmuch as the heretikes haue accustomed to promise felicitie and to open to sinners the kingdome of heauen saying thou mayest imitate the maiestie of God so that thou be withoute sinne bicause thou hast receyued the power of free will and the intelligence and vnderstanding of the lawe by the which thou mayst obtayne that which thou wouldest Euen so the sayde heretikes doe abuse the poore simple people through fayre wordes and chieflye the yong women charged wyth sinnes who are caryed here and there with euery kynde of doctrine deceyuing thorowe flatterie all those which heare them Augustine in the 30. booke of his homilies Homilie 41. Let vs not consent vnto those which thorowe great pride go about to eleuate and extoll free will the whiche so doing doe bring more euill than good and seeke nothing but to ruinate and destroy man but let vs consider meekely that which the Apostle speaketh It is God that worketh in vs both the will and also the dede euen of his free beneuolence Let vs giue thankes vnto the Lorde our redeemer which without any merite preceding hath healed vs of our wounds sores and hath reconciled vs vnto God and redeemed vs from captiuitie and reduced and brought vs from darkenesse into light and called vs from death to lyfe c. Of merite and of good workes By grace are yee made safe throughe faith and not of your selues it is the gift of God not of workes least anye manne shoulde boast himselfe For we are his workemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God ordeyned that we shoulde walke in them S. Ambrose in the first booke of Cain and Abel Chap. 7. It is the deede of a dull and slowe heart to attribute to his proper vertues that which is good or that whiche he doth obtayne of God and not to the author of grace but to esteeme himselfe to bee the author of his goodnesse There is another kinde of sinne yea lesse but of equall arrogancie and pryde that is to say of those which doe not denie God to be the distributer of goodnesse but doe thinke the goodnesse which commeth vnto them is bicause of their prudence and wisedome and that the merites of all other vertues are giuen vnto them of right And for that cause it is sayde agaynst those which haue receyued the heauenly grace that they doe not esteeme themselues in no wise to bee vnworthy to haue suche goodnesse of God When the Lorde thy God shall begyn to consume his people here in thy presence saye not in thine heart the Lorde hath brought me in to possesse this lande for my righteousnesse c. S. Barnard in the fyrst sermon of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary Beleeue not that thou canst throughe any workes merite eternall life except it be giuen thee freely For who is that which can make him cleane being conceiued of filthy seede but only he which is altogeather cleane And so that which is done cannot be vndon But bicause that God doth not impute it it shall be as though it had neuer bene done Whiche the Prophet considering speaketh in this sort blessed is the man vnto whome the Lord imputeth no sinne But as concerning good workes it is most certaine that none hath them of him selfe for if the humayne nature being yet entire and whole coulde not holde it selfe in his estate how much lesse can it rayse it selfe when it is already corrupted But we doe knowe very well concerning this eternall life that the afflictions of this life are not worthy of the glory that shall be shewed vnto vs Yea when man shall suffer them all togeather For mans merites are not suche as by them eternall life shoulde of right be due vnto them or that God doth iniury and wrong vnto some men if he doe not giue it For although I should not say that all merites are the giftes of God in somuch as man is more bound vnto God for those merytes then God is vnto man yet what are all the merites in respect of so greate glory S. Barnarde of free will. What hast thou that thou hast not receyued art thou created art thou healed art thou saued whiche of them hast thou of thy selfe whiche of them is not impossible for free will thou couldest not create thy selfe when thou wast not made nor iustifie thy selfe when thou waste a sinner c. Agayne in the same booke But if that will vpon which all merites doe depende was not in Saint Paule by what meanes did he presume that the crowne shoulde bee kept for him which he calleth the crowne of righteousnesse But it is bicause that whiche is promised thankfully is of right demaunded as a thing due Finallye he sayth I knowe him in whome I haue beleeued and am persuaded that he is able to keepe that which I haue committed to his keeping He doth call the promise of God the thing kept and therefore he hath beleued him which hath promised it confidently he doth aske agayne the promise the promise I say done through mercye but the which ought nowe to bee restored through righteousnesse The crowne then whiche Saint Paule hath striued for is the crowne of righteousnesse but it is of Gods righteousnesse and not of his This is trulye a iust thing that he doth restore that whiche he hath sayde but he oweth that whiche he hath promised and that is the righteousnesse of the whiche the Apostle did presume euen the promise of God. S. Barnarde vpon the Canticles sermon 47. Wherefore is that That is to the ende it doe
goodnesse are of God yea faith it selfe Againe the Apostle saith I haue obtayned mercie O true confession He doth not say I haue obtayned mercy bicause that I was faithful but to the ende that I should be faithfull I haue obtayned mercie Let vs come vnto the first works of Paule Let vs behold Saule which did wax madde let vs behold him in his crueltie let vs behold him breathing out his threatnings and thirstie after bloude This was the way of Paule Christ was not yet his way what had he in his heart What had he but euill Giue me his merites Whiche if we doe searche his merites they shall bee merites of damnation and not of deliuerance Augustine vpon the wordes of the Lorde Sermon 40. The medecine of the soule is the only propitiation for the sinnes of all that is to beleeue in Christ c. Afterwarde he saith wherefore doe the children of God whiche beleeue in him liue for they are borne of God by the adoption of grace whiche is through the faith of our Lorde Iesus Christ And therefore welbeloued it is not without cause that our Lord and Sauiour saith that same to be the only sinne of which the holy Ghost rebuketh the world to wete because they haue not beleeued in him He would then that the world should be reproued only of that sinne that they doe not beleeue only in him to wete because that in beleeuing in him all sinnes are pardoned he woulde that to be imputed by which all the other are assembled And therefore in beleeuing they are borne of God and are made the children of God for he hath giuen vnto them the power saith he to be the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name c. Chrysostome vpon the .25 chapter of Saint Mathewe 2. Tome .2 homilye Come ye blessed of my father inherite ye the kingdome prepared for you from before the beginning of the worlde bicause that you haue giuen that which you cannot haue receiue that which you shall possesse eternally for one graine that you haue sowen vpon earth you shall haue an hundreth folde asmuch in heauen For the kingdome of heauen hath not bene created suche as the righteousnesse of man could merite it but such as the power of God might prepare it for if he woulde haue created the kingdome of heauen according to the merites of mans righteousnesse Truely he would haue created it after mans workes but bicause that nowe he hath not ordayned the reward of Saintes according to the reward of men but according to his greatnesse therefore hath he prepared the kingdome of heauen in heauen before that he created the saints in heauen S. Barnarde vpon the first sermon of the Annunciation of the virgin Marie The testimonie of our conscience is our reioycing sayth the Apostle not such testimonie as the proud Pharisey had in his wicked thought and seducing his master which bare witnesse of him selfe whiche witnesse is true which the spirite doth witnesse vnto our spirite For I doe beleeue that this witnesse consisteth in three things First and aboue all things it is necessarie to beleeue that thou canst not haue remission and forgiuenesse of thy sinnes but throughe the indulgencie of god Secondly thou canst not haue any good workes except he himselfe doe giue them vnto thee Finallye that thou canst not merite eternall life for any workes and it must be giuen thee freely c. Afterwardes he sayth For we doe well know that as for eternall life the afflictions of this lyfe are not worthie of the glorie which shall be shewed vpon vs although that one only man doth abide and suffer al. For mans merites are not suche that for them eternall life shoulde be due of right or that we shoulde saye that God doth vs wrong if he doe not giue them vs by reason of them For though I shoulde holde my peace that all merites are the gifts of God insomuch that for them man is more indebted to God than God is to man What is that that all the merites doe in respect of so great glorie To conclude what is he that is more excellent than the Prophete vnto whome the Lorde doth giue so excellent a witnesse saying I haue founde a man according to mine owne heart And yet he had neede to saye vnto God Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant c. Let no man then deceyue himselfe for if he will thinke well he shall finde without all doubt that he can not with ten thousande men go to meete him whiche commeth agaynst him wyth xx thousande But these things which we haue now spoken of are not yet altogither sufficient but wee must the rather holde them for a beginning and foundation of fayth Therefore if thou beleeue that thy sinnes cannot be put or blotted out but by him agaynst whome onely thou hast sinned thou doest well But adde yet one thing more to wete that thou beleeue also that thy sinnes by him are pardoned Beholde the testimonies and witnesses which the holy ghost doth giue into our heartes saying thy sinnes are pardoned thee For euen so doth the Apostle think that man is iustified freely through fayth In lyke maner as touching merites if thou beleeue that one cannot haue them but by him it sufficeth not vntill such time as the spirite of fayth doth witnesse that thou hast them through him Euen so it is necessarie that thou haue also witnesse to wete that thou doest come therevnto thorowe Gods liberalitie For it is he which pardoneth sinnes which giueth merites and yet neuerthelesse doth giue agayne the rewarde For all his testimonies are most assured For as to the remission of sinnes I doe hold the passion of our Lord for a most strong argument For the crye of his bloude hath had greater force than the bloude of Abel in as much as he doth crie in the heartes of the electe remission of all sinnes For he was deliuered to death for our sinnes And there is no doubt but that his death is more puissant and of greater force to doe good than our sinnes are to doe euill As touching good workes his resurrection is an argument for me which hath no lesse vertue For asmuch as he is rysen againe for our iustification as touching the hope of reward his ascention serueth for a witnesse for he is ascended for our gloryfication Thou hast these three things in the psalm saying Blessed is the man vnto whome the Lorde imputeth no sinne And in another place blessed are the men whose strength is in thee Also in an other place Blessed is the man whom thou hast chosen and receiuest vnto thee that he maye dwell in thy courte such is the true glory I say which is within for that dooth departe from him whiche dwelleth in our heartes through faith But the sonnes of Adam seeking the glorye which
the lawe of workes by the whiche none is iustified but to the lawe of faith by which the righteous man liueth Who shall be of so wicked opinion to thinke that the administration of death figured in the tables of stone is not saide of all the tenne commaundementes but only of one which appertayneth to the saboth Where shall we put then this place the lawe ingendreth wrath For where no lawe is there is no transgression and sinne hath bene in the worlde euen vntill the lawe and sinne was not imputed when there was no lawe c. Read the chapter all at length Reade also the same booke the .31 chapter Of purgatory It is written in the Hebrewes the first chapter which sonne being the brightnes of the glorye and the ingraued forme of his person bearing vp all thinges with the worde of his power hath by him selfe purged our sinnes and sitteth at the right hand of that most highe maiestie Through Iesus Christ we haue redemption through his bloud euen the forgiuenesse of sinnes of his ritch grace In whom we haue redemption through his bloud that is to saye the forgiuenesse of sinnes to reconcile all thinges vnto him selfe and to set at peace through the bloud of his crosse both thinges in earth and thinges in heauen For asmuch as ye knowe how that ye were not redemed with corruptible things as siluer and golde from your vaine conuersation which ye receyued by the traditions of the fathers but with the precious bloud of Christ as of a lambe vndefiled and without spot And the bloud of Iesus Christ his son clenseth vs from all sinne Vnto him that loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes in his bloud If the bloud of bulles and of goates and the ashes of an heyfar sprinkled sanctifieth them that are vncleane as touching the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the bloud of Christ which through the eternall spirite offered him selfe without spot to God purge your conscience from dead workes for to serue the liuing God Esay speaking in the person of God saith it is I it is I only that for mine owne selfe sake doe away thine offences and forget thy sinnes For I confirme that the afflictions of this life are not worthy of the glory which shall be shewed vnto vs. After that the kindnesse and loue of our sauiour God to manward appeared not of the deedes of righteousnesse whiche we wrought but of his mercy he saued vs by the fountayne of the newe byrth and with the renuing of the holy Ghost Nowe goe to saith the Lorde we wil talke togither Is it not so Though your sinnes be as redde as scarlet shall they not be whyter then snowe And thoughe they were like purple shall they not by like white wooll And hee put no difference betweene them and vs seeing that with faith he purified their heartes There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus Iesus Christ saith verely verely I say vnto you he that heareth my wordes and beleeueth on him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shall not come into damnation but is escaped from death vnto life Againe he that shall beleeue and bee baptised shall be saued Also enter in at the straite gate for wyde is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be which goe in there at Obiection Agree with thine aduersarie quicklye whiles thou art in the way with him least thine aduersarie deliuer thee to the iudge and the iudge deliuer thee to the sergeant and then thou be cast into prison Verily I saye vnto thee thou shalt not come out thence till thou hast payde the vtmost farthing Aunswere Saint Ambrose sayth vpon these words of Saint Mathewe When thou shalt go vnto the magistrate c. Chrysostome vppon S. Mathewe 5. Homelie 10. Doth expounde it of the reconciliation And Theophilact vpon the same place sayth as much Likewise S. Hilarie vnderstandeth it so in his Canons Obiection Verily I saye vnto thee thou shalt not come out thence till thou hast payde the vtmost farthing Answere In the first of S. Mathewe it is sayde that Ioseph knewe not his wife till shee had brought forth hir first borne sonne S. Augustine expoundeth that place by the Rauen that Noe did sende forth and sayth that the Rauen did neuer returne agayne euen so Ioseph neuer knewe the virgin Marie for she is a virgin Also Sit thou on my right hande vntill I make thine enimies thy footestoole Obiection Whosoeuer shall speake agaynst the sonne of man it shall be forgiuen him but whosoeuer shall speake agaynst the holye ghost it shall not be forgiuen him neyther in this worlde neyther in the worlde to come Aunswere Chrysostome in the 12. of S. Mathewe Homely 24. expoundeth it thus Forasmuche as this sinne is not veniall you shall be grieuously punished both in this lyfe and in the life to come Saint Augustine vpon Genesis 10. booke It is better to doubt of secrete things than to pleade of incertayne things I doe not doubt but that we must vnderstande that the riche man was in most cruell torments and that poore Lazarus in ioy c. Thoughe the righteous bee ouertaken with death yet shall he be in rest The soules of the righteous are in the hande of God and the payne of death shall not touch them In the sight of the vnwise they appeare to die and their ende is taken for very destruction The waye of the righteous is iudged to be vtter destruction but they are in rest Oure Lorde sayde vnto the woman Daughter be of good comforte thy fayth hath made thee whole go in peace Agayne vnto the theefe Verily I saye vnto thee to day shalt thou be with me in paradyse Man after his death goeth to his long home Also the bodie shall returne agayne vnto the earth from whence it came and the spirite shall returne vnto God whiche gaue it Put not your trust in Princes nor in any childe of man for there is no helpe in them For when the breath of man goeth forth he shall turne agayne to his earth and so all his thoughts perishe I woulde not brethren haue you ignorant concerning them which are fallen a sleepe that ye sorrowe not as other doe which haue no hope For if we beleue that Iesus died and rose agayne euen so they also which sleepe in Iesus God will bring with him Augustine of the Citie of God .13 boke 9. Chapter The soules of the good men being seperated from the bodie are at rest and we must nothing at all doubt of it But those of the wicked are punished vntil that the bodie of those shall ryse againe to eternall lyfe and of those here to eternal death which is called the seconde death Irenaeus sayth as much writing against the hereticke Valentine Augustine
torment Be ye ioyfull and reioyce to be enrovvled in their bande for to beare vvith them the yoke of Iesus Christ perseuere valiantly in the doctrine that you haue already receiued for no man can hurt you Ought vve not greatly to reioyce of this that the persecuting tyrantes can doe our bodyes no more hurt then a vvolfe or theefe of the vvoods vvhich can but murther or kill vs Let vs reioyce for our names are vvritten in heauen VVe haue yet this good turne thankes be vnto our good God therefore that the persecutors can do vnto vs no vvorse then to to put and place vs vvith our good God in the company of Angelles and all the blessed soules in heauen VVhat is he that vvould not desire to goe playe vvith so happy a company eternally and vvithout ende Yea to be in glory vvhich the eye hath not seene and eare hath not heard neyther hath entred into mans minde the thinges vvhich God hath prepared to such as loue him Againe forasmuch as they esteeme and court vs so vvicked and abhominable and crye so spitefully after vs as after the vvickedest people of all the vvorld to make vs and our doctrine odious vnto the people They commaund them not to heare or harken vnto vs they make the simple people beleeue vvhen they haue them vnder confession that if they doe not accuse vs they shall be damned Their craft subtiltye and enuye agaynste the truth is to be maruayled at In the meane time I vvould vvillingly that they vvould accord and agree vvith vs to conferre their doctrine vvith ours their crosse and persecution vvith ours their lyfe vvith ours theyr church vvith ours By that means vve should plainly see vvhether they be the childrē of God or vve First of all haue not vve the baptisme purely administred as vve doe reade that the Apostles haue administred it vvithout any inuentions of men but onely according to the vvord of God Let one reade the Scriptures and he shall see vvho it is that hath added to the Sacramentes eyther vve or they Furthermore let men behold the persecutions that they suffer for their doctrine the number is soone counted for there is not one vvhich hath suffred death for their doctrine neuerthelesse Iesus Christ hath promised that his church shal haue persecution in the vvorld saying ye shall be hated of all men for my name Hovv can they be hated of all men sith that they be in all places the best vvelcome Hovv commeth it that one shoulde thinke to doe sacrifice vnto God in putting them to death I did neuer knovve any I doe accord and agree in this that they are often times taken prisoners but it is in the good feastes and bankettes and in the best seates of the table and vvhereas the children of God are burned vvith fire they here are burned throughe the heate of VVine Their innocent fleshe is hevven and cut in peeces but it is at the table vpon their treachers They are rotten and consumed vvith the Goute of Naples insomuch that they fall in peces They are melted and melted againe many times in a yeere Besides all the dangers they put them selues into both day and night to runne after other mens vvyues in great danger of their life And yet some vvill say that they are not persecuted It appeareth that they be for one shall see a great many more among them to dye Martyrs of the paines that vve did speake of euen novv then of their naturall diseases or sicknesses They are then Martyres no man can denie yea but it is of the diuell and vvhat is he that doubteth of it And as concerning their life it is knovven vvell inough and manyfested vnto all men Their good vvorkes and godly fruites vvhat it bringeth in all places destroying and corrupting all the vvorlde asvvell spiritually as corporally This I am sure of that forasmuch as I haue touched and medled but vvith the doore of their kitchin they vvill say I am a vvicked Hereticke But vvhat then Shoulde I hold my peace for their menaces and iniuries No no God forbid but rather I vvill crye vvith open mouth after them bicause they haue so corrupted and destroyed the Lordes Vineyard Alas alas my God vvhat is he that ought not but to lament and vveepe vvith bloudy teares seeing all the vvorld to be so led into the bottome of hell so many poore soules led to perdition O Lord regard thy poore people haue some pitie and compassion on them for vvhom thy sonne our Lorde Iesus Christ hath offred to thee his body and bloud in a sacrifice and suffer not that thy poore sheepe be so put as a pray for to be deuoured of al beastes For vve are dayly assaulted vvith so many ennemyes that sathan riseth agaynst vs for to make vs forsake and abandon our Lord Iesus Christ and to renounce his Gospell One day vve haue vvarre agaynst the Heretickes Anabaptistes an other day agaynst Libertines Epicures Arians Dauidistes and agaynst dissemblers and consequently against the vvorshippers of the fathers through vvhose zeale the children of God are put to death Haue not vve then great neede of vveapons It appeareth yea if vve vvould not be taken in their snares as many at this day are through the iust iudgement of God. Therefore if there be any time to pray or to vvatch it is novve Let vs then vvatch and praye to the end vve may auoyde all those dangers and perseuer and continevve to the ende You haue bene the first of your citie dearely beloued I also doe hope in the Lord you shall not be the last But as you haue bene vntill novv the example and myrror of the poore ignorant people to dravve them to the true light of the spirite I doe hope through the grace of God that nothing shall hinder you to continevve vnto the end on so holy a vvorke For the poore ignorant people seeing the peace and vnitie and the promptnesse and good courage that is in you to receiue the holy doctrine are constrayned through your holy life and conuersation to come vnto the knovvledge of Iesus Christ and consequently to saluation Forasmuch then as the Lord doth vnto you dayly so much good or shevveth vnto you so much of his grace shevving vnto you from day to day his maruaylous vvorkes set to so your handes in the vvorke of the Lord so long as he giueth you time and life that you doe not leaue for your children that shall come after you an euill example of life but instruct them in that holy doctrine that you haue receiued to the ende they may knovve after your death that they had fathers and mothers that feared God and vvell instructed in his vvord and that they haue not receyued the gospell in their mouthe onely but also in their handes And that they vvere not dissemblers but true confessors of the name of God. Dispose and bestovve then vvhilest you haue time so vvell your affayres and
businesse according to the meanes as God hath giuen you that youre successors may haue none occasion to complayne that you haue left them an euill example That they say not after that you are dead vve haue had parents ancesters vvhich haue had great knovvledge of God but they feared more to lose the amytie and freendship of the vvorlde then of God. O hovv much ought you to feare the same for it vvill turne to your great confusion Remember also that vvhich the Apostle speaketh saying if there be any that prouideth not for his ovvne and namely for them of his housholde the same denieth the faithe and is vvorse then an infidel Therefore all faithfull people ought to take god heede and marke vvell those vvordes for it is a great euill to denye the fayth Take good heede you be not an offence to any man I doe meane in doing euil be gentle curteous mercifull the one to the other not rendring euill for euill but render good for the euill Liue so holy that if men vvold punish persecute you that they doe not punish any thing in you but righteousnes and good life And in that doing you shall declare your selues to be the children of god VVatch alvvayes praying that you be made vvorthy to auoyd al things that are to coÌ„e that you may staÌ„d before the son of God after the end of your dayes I beseeche our good God and father which according to his great goodnesse mercy hath done so much good for vs to adopt vs for his children to the eternall inheritance of heauen that it woulde please him through his goodnes to ioyne and knit you in such sort togither my dearly beloued brethren and sisters through the bonde of his holy spirite which by the same will gouerne and leade you to eternall life Amen To the Reader HOVV EASIE A THING it is gentle reader rashly to discoÌ„mend eche one is vnto himselfe a witnesse but how hard a thing rightly to commend few yet the wyser can testifie Therefore to make any great or tedious relation of that which of it selfe is worthy I thinke a thing vayne and superstuous or to commend that which in the very shew is commendable should be to bereeue thee of thy iudgement Notwithstanding least I should be accused and condemned of negligence which I haue sought to shunne and auoyde I determined priuatly to set thy sight openly that this booke hath bene out of the Doctors and Counselles collected carefully composed by the authour pithilye and by the same alledged fitly and aptlye and not onely out of the Doctors but out of the Popes owne Canons culled gratiously whereby he hath not brought a Doctor agaynst a Pope but a Pope with a Pope conferred learnedlye This being rightly wayed and considered I thinke there is nothing left for the more enuious being the motion godly the matter their owne the order fitte and conuenient as an obiect to worke on theyr insatiable minde and desire of reprehension except they wyll seeke and runne to the manners of the author common practises now a dayes to search and prye ouer curiouslye something to animaduert and oppugne and sore agreeued that he hath beaten them with their owne rodde say with Zeuxis contending with Parrhasius when he had seene all now vncouer thy sheete Parrhasius that we may see thy worke Yet least there shoulde growe in their mindes some vndeserued suspition being the authour vnknowen I will endeauour not onely to remoue but to roote it cleane out of their entendement and playnely affirme that which is credibly and sincerely referred to me that he was of manners modest of life laborious of countenance sober and of witte quicke and willing to profite euery one to his power and abilitie Therefore as I iudge and esteeme there is no cause for any one nor yet for the aduersaryes to bee greeued seeing to the one it redoundeth to his vtilitie and the other may not complayne that in disclosing the veritie he paynted foorthe that which he hath worthelye deserued Next to this is the cause of the translatour whome thou shalte thanke that for thy further benifite he hath with good zeale learned the authour to talke in an other tongue and shewing that which before was well spoken to a fewe to be better spoken to a great many rendered it copied out of the French into thy Englishe vulgare and natiue speache Lastly I admonishe the to view and reade diligently the cataloge of the doctors and counselles alledged by the authour which I haue layde downe to the ende thou mightest see for thy emolument what euery one hath bene and what he hath suffred and written and the time he florished wishing thee to ponder the same and loke if they haue thought any otherwyse then truth or fallen into any inextricable error not redily to condemne them as the enuious doe but to ascribe it to mans fragilitie as christians ought and to marke and imprint the same in thy minde not to fall into the like nor to stay on mans sayinges seeing as it is vsually sayde nihil omni parte beaâ—um Nothing meaning mortall thinges is blessed or happy on euery side but to boulster and trust wholy to Gods mercyes who is onely the truthe and the phisition for euery sore Thus much I thought good to aduertise thee gentle re-der of this present booke being as it may be sayde in sight fayre in matter good in effect fructuous and godly wishing and willing thee to accepte gratefullye that which for thy pleasure hath bene penned paynefully Farewell Concussus surgo C. A. The Catalogue of the Doctors and Councels out of the which we haue gathered togither this present booke for the approbation of the Articles of our Faith and to shewe in what time they flourished and were celebrated DIonysius Areopagita a Grecian borne and iudge in the causes of weight at Athens was conuerted by S. Paule when he disputed with the Stoikes and Epicures in the same Citie and constituted byshop there of the faythfull Afterwarde he went into Fraunce and was made byshop of Paris where he was also beheaded by the gouernour Fesceninus in the yeare of our Lorde as Trithemius reporteth 96. and Paulus Eberus Pag. 327. being the ix daye of October vnder the Emperor Domitian in the seconde persecution He flourished chiefly vnder the two Vespasians father and the sonne Hee was called the French mens Apostle and lieth buried in a place in Fraunce called after his name S. Denis a little distant from Paris verye famous throughe the sepulchres of the Kings of that Countrie reade Act. 17. Euseb lib. 3. cap. 4. and lib. 4. cap. 22. Martinus Polonus in the life of Domitian Onuphrius Panuinus in his Chronologie Pag. 14. Gregorius Turonicus pag. 23. Roffin pag. 365. Pantaleon pag. 4. Of his iudgement of the Eclipse of the sunne in the passion of our Lorde reade the annales of Glycas pag. 306. and in his owne Epistle to
of this breade hee shall liue for euer the breade that I will giue is my fleshe which I will giue for the life of the worlde c. That which I deliuered vnto you I receyued of the Lorde to wit That the Lorde Iesus the same night in whiche he was betrayed tooke breade and when he had giuen thankes he brake it and sayd Take ye eate ye this is my bodie which is broken for you this doe ye in remembrance of me After the same maner also he tooke the Cup when he had supped saying This Cup is the newe testament in my bloude this doe as ofte as ye drinke it in remembrance of me For as often as ye shall eate this breade and drinke this Cuppe yee shewe the Lordes death till he come Wherefore whosoeuer shall eate this breade and drinke this Cuppe of the Lorde vnworthily shall be guiltie of the bodie and bloude of the Lorde Let a man therefore examine himselfe and so let him eate of this breade and drinke of this Cup. Is not the Cup of blessing whiche we blesse the Communion of the bloude of Christe Is not the Breade which wee breake the Communion of the bodie of Christ Bicause that we whiche are manye are one breade and one bodie in as muche as wee are all partakers of one breade Our fathers haue all eaten the same spirituall meate and did all drinke the same spirituall drinke for they dranke of the spirituall rocke that followed them and that rocke was Christ I am the breade of life he that commeth to me shall not hunger and he that beleeueth on me shal neuer thurst c. This is that breade which commeth downe from heauen that he whiche eateth of it shoulde not die Augustine in his 2. Quinqua vpon the 96. Psalme When the Lorde commaunded this he spake of his fleshe and sayde He that eateth not my fleshe shall not haue eternall lyfe And sayd The words that I speake vnto you are spirite and life Vnderstand spiritually that which I haue sayde vnto you you shall not eate that bodie whiche you do see you shall not drinke the bloud which shall be shedde by them which will crucifie me Augustine vpon Saint Iohn in the 27. treatise vpon the 6 Chapter If ye shoulde see the sonne of man ascend vp where he was before What is this By that he resolueth those whom he hath knowen of that he manyfested the thing whereby they haue ben offended For they did thinke that he would giue vnto them his body but hee sayth that hee will ascend vp into heauen all whole saying when yee shall see the sonne of man ascend vp where he was before at the least you shall see then that he doth not giue his bodie in the same maner as ye thinke and iudge at the least you shal then vnderstand that his grace is not consumed by morsels c. Augustine in his Sermon of the Sacramentes of the faithfull in the 2. ferie of Easter And for this cause as also the men of God haue vnderstoode it before vs our Lorde Iesus Christ hath recommended his body and his blood to the thinges which of many are reduced and brought into one thing For also the one of many Graynes is confecte and made into one and the other of many Grapes is reduced into one he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him Then to eate this meate and to drink this drinke is to dwell in Christ and to haue our dwelling in him And so hee that dwelleth not in Christ and in whome Christ doth not dwell without doubt hee eateth not the flesh and drinketh not the bloud although that he eate and drinke the Sacrament of so great a thing to his iudgement Augustine in his .3 booke of the christian doctrine If you eate not sayth he the fleshe of the sonne of man and drinke not his blood you shall haue no life in you It seemeth that he doth commaund an vnlawful thing or a fault That is then a fygure commaunding that it must be communicated to the passion of our Lorde and gentlye and profitablye to put in memorye that his fleshe hath bene wounded and crucified for vs. Augustine of the words of the Apostle in his .2 sermon Saith If ye eate not my flesh and drinke not my blood ye shall haue no life in you c. The disciples were offended not all truly but many of them saying within themselues This is an harde saying who can abide the hearing of it What doth this signifie Doth this offende you Did you thinke that of this bodie here whiche you doe see I ought to make peeces and that I shoulde deuyde in peeces my members for to giue them vnto you What and if you shoulde see the sonne of man ascende vp where he was before Truly he which is ascended vp all whole cannot be consumed c. What is it to drinke this thing but to liue Eate the lyfe drinke the lyfe thou shalte haue lyfe and thou shalt be the whole lyfe And then this shall be that is to saye that the bodie and bloude of Christ shall be the lyfe of euerye one if that which they do take visibly in the sacrament be in dede spiritually eaten and drunke For we haue hearde the Lorde himselfe saying It is the spirite that quickeneth the fleshe profiteth nothing The wordes that I speake vnto you are spirite and life Augustine in his Decrees of penance in the 2. distinction Chapiter of Charitie To eate the breade and drinke the wyne that is to beleeue in Christ and in louing him to giue our selues vnto him Bede in his Collection These are also the wordes of Saint Augustine in his sermon made to the children at the aultar of the Sacrament The Cuppe of blessing c. That which ye see in the Aulter ye haue also seene it the night past But you haue not yet vnderstoode what it doth signifie and howe it conteyneth a Sacrament of a greate thing That then whiche ye haue seene is bread and wine the which your eyes doo demonstrate vnto you But that which your faith desireth to be instructed in the bread is the body of Christ and the wine the blood And that truly is brefly sayde in asmuch peraduenture that it suffiseth the fayth but the fayth desireth to be instructed for the Prophet sayth If ye beleeue not you shall not vnderstand Yee may then say vnto me thou hast commanded that we should beleeue expound it to the ende that we may vnderstand it For such cogitacion and thought may enter into the mindes and vnderstanding of euery one we doo know very well from whence our Lord Iesus Christ hath taken his flesh that is to say of the Virgin Mary he was nourished vp in his infancie he was brought vp he became great and came to the age of a young man He
walke in we ought then rather to behold the goodnesse which we haue not yet done then those of which we doe reioyce our selues to haue already done and the elect are often times tempted with such vices and oftentimes it is rysen in their heartes to bring them in remembraunce of all the goodnesse that they haue done and to reioyce themselues of the band of assurance But if they be truly elected they will turn awaye their eyes from thinking of the same wherein they doe please themselues and keepe backe in them all the ioy of the goodnesse which is alreadye done and be sorie for those which they knowe to be by no maner of meanes done They doe esteeme themselues vnworthye and they onely do not see their goodnesse which are of all men seene by good example c. Of iustification of Fayth Augustine in the first Quinquagesima in the prologue of the 31. psal TRuly the Apostle Saint Iames in his Epistles hath praised the works of Abraham agaynst those which woulde not do any good and which presume them selues of fayth of which Abraham Saint Paule hath praysed his fayth and yet the Apostles are not contrarie the one to the other but he speaketh of the work which is knowne to all men that is to saye that Abraham did offer his sonne vnto God for to doe sacrifice That is a great worke but that is of fayth I doe prayse the buylding of the worke made vpon the foundation but I doe beholde the foundation of faith I doe prayse the fruite of the good and iust worke but I acknowledge the roote in fayth For if Abraham did those things without right fayth nothing woulde haue profited him whatsoeuer worke it hadde bene Furthermore if Abraham did keepe so the fayth that when God commaunded him to offer his sonne for sacrifice hee thought in himselfe I will not doe it and yet neuerthelesse I doe beleeue that God will deliuer me although that I doe contemne and despise his commaundements Fayth without workes shoulde be deade and shoulde abyde as a drie roote barren and without fruite What then we ought not to preferre workes before fayth that is to say nothing is sayde to be well done before fayth although that they are esteemed of men prayse worthye yet notwithstanding they are vayne And me thinketh that they are like vnto great strengths and vnto the easie course out of the waye Let none then esteeme his workes c. Afterwardes he sayth Let vs not then obiect the Apostle Saint Iames to Paule but the same Paule to himselfe and let vs say vnto him by this worde thou doest suffer vs somwhat to sinne without punishment when thou sayest wee doe esteeme man to bee iustified thorowe fayth withoute workes but thou wilt saye to the same faith worketh by loue How am I so much assured by the same if I doe nothing yea I shall not bee counted by the same to haue trust in the good fayth if I doe not worke by loue O Apostle I doe heare thee wilt thou here prayse vnto me fayth without workes But loue is the worke of fayth which loue cannot be ydle that it doe forsake all euill and doe all the good that it can And what maketh loue Declyne from euill and doe good Praysest thou then fayth without works And thou sayest in another place If I had all fayth so that I coulde moue mountaynes out of their places and yet had not loue I were nothing then if fayth doe not profite any without loue and that there where loue shall be it behoueth that it work for faith worketh by loue howe then is man iustified without workes The Apostle aunswereth O thou man therefore haue I sayde this thing vnto thee that thou doe not presume of thy workes and that thou doe not thinke to haue receyued the grace of fayth thorowe the merite of thy works Presume not then of workes before fayth acknowledge that fayth hath founde thee a sinner and if the fayth which hath founde thee a sinner hath made thee righteous then it doth finde him an infidell whiche it hath made righteous The fayth sayth he is counted for righteousnesse vnto him which beleeueth on him that iustifieth the vngodly Augustine in his booke of the 83. questions 76. Chapter If any man doe departe out of this life immediatly after that he hath beleued the iustification of faith abideth with him and commeth not to him by any workes precedent or going before for it is not giuen through merite but through grace nor through workes following bicause that he is not permitted to be in this life and therefore the two sentences of the two Apostles Paule and Iames are not contrary the one to the other For the one saith that man is iustified through faith without workes And the other saith that faith is dead without workes for Paule speaketh of workes whiche goe before faith and Iames speaketh of works which doe followe faith Origene vpon the Epistle to the Romans 3. booke 3. Chapter The onely iustification of God sufficeth so that he which beleeueth onely is iustified when in deede no workes shall be done by him For the thefe was iustified through faith without the workes of the lawe and vpon that faith the Lorde did not demaunde what that is that he had done before and did not tarry after that he had beleeued what worke he shoulde doe but receiued him as iustified throughe the onely faith for to enter with him into paradise Also that woman which is receited by the Euangelist the which did heare at Iesus feete thy sins are forgiuen thee And again thy faith hath saued thee go in peace But also in many places of the gospell Iesus Christ hath vsed such wordes where he sayth that the cause of saluation is the faith of him which beleeueth Man then is iustified through faith vnto whome the workes of faith serue nothing at all for iustification But where faith is not which iustifieth the beleeuing man when any one shall haue the workes of the law neuerthelesse bicause they are not buylded vpon the foundation of faith although that in appearance they are good yet they cannot iustifie the worke if it be without faith the which is the marke and token of those which are iustified of god And what shall he be which wyll boste him selfe of his righteousnesse when he heareth God and the Prophet saying all our righteousnesse are as a menstruous cloth wherefore the only right glorye is in the fayth of Christ Augustine in his .50 homilies homily 17. Peace be vnto the bretheren and loue with the faith of God our Father and of our Lorde Iesus Christ What hast thou that thou hast not receiued If thou hast receiued it why reioysest thou as though thou haddest not receiued it Did Abraham so reioyce He reioysed of faith what is the full and perfect faith The same which beleeueth that all our
for to make of twayne one new man in himselfe so making peace Christ hath put out the hande wryting of ceremonies that was agaynst vs which I say was contrarie vnto vs he tooke it out of the way and hath fastened it on his crosse For by the lawe commeth the knowledge of sinne Lawe entred in that offence shoulde increase I had not knowen what lust had ment except the lawe had sayde Thou shalte not lust We knowe that the lawe is spirituall but I am carnall solde vnder sinne Augustine in his 9. booke of confessions Chapter 13. Woe be vnto mans life although it be praysed neuer somuch if the mercy of God drawen from it thou wilt examine or discusse it Augustine in his first booke of Retractions Chapter 19. All the commaundementes of God are reputed to be done when that whiche is not done is pardoned Augustine in his booke of the spirit and of the letter Chap. 36. This first commaundement of righteousnesse by the which it is commaunded vs to loue God with all our heart with all our soule and with all our thought the which is following the other which is to loue our neighboure in this life then wee shal fulfil them when we shall see thee face to face But therefore it is commanded vs in this world that we may be admonished and warned of that which we ought to aske through faith afterwardes and by that same as farre as I can perceiue hee profiteth much in this life in righteousnesse which ought to be ended who in profiting knoweth how much he is farre from the perfection of righteousnesse Ambrose vpon the .3 Chapter of the Romaynes He that beleeueth in Christ keepeth the lawe The similitude of the creditor the goodman of the house willing to take account of his seruants one was brought vnto him which ought him ten thousande talentes and had not wherewith to paye and yet notwithstanding woulde be payde c. We are debters not to the fleshe to liue after the fleshe but to the spirite Ye haue not receyued the spirite of bondage to feare anye more but ye haue receyued the spirite of adoption whereby we crye Abba that is to say father There is no feare in loue but perfecte loue casteth out feare for feare hath painfulnesse and hee that feareth is not perfect in loue We loue him bicause he loued vs first Augustine of free will and grace Chapter 19. Iohn sayth God is loue And the Pelagians also doe saye that they haue God not of God but of themselues And where they confesse that the lawe is giuen vs of God they will haue the loue of themselues and do giue no eare vnto the Apostle which sayth Knowledge maketh a man swell but loue edifieth Also the Scripture sayth that true fayth and holy doctrine are both of god For it is written From his face proceedeth wisedome and vnderstanding And it is written Loue commeth of God. Augustine vpon the exposition to the Galat. 3. Chap. The lawe is not of fayth but the man that shall fulfill those things shall liue in them He doth not say he which shall doe the lawe shall liue in it insomuche that thou doe vnderstande that the lawe in that place is put for the workes themselues But those who doe liue in their workes doe feare that if they had not done them they had bene stoned or crucified or suffred some other kinde of payne Wherefore he sayeth he whiche shall doe those things shall liue in them that is to saye he shall haue the rewarde to the ende not to be punished with such death Saint Barnarde vpon the Canticles Sermon 50. He which hath commanded the commaundementes was not ignorant that the burthen of the commandement exceedeth the strength of men but by that meanes hath iudged that it is profitable to admonishe them that they are not able and that they may plainely know to what ende of righteousnesse they must endeuor them selues with all their vertues then in commanding impossible thinges God hath not made men transgressors of the lawe but hath made them humble that euerye mouthe might be stopped and that all the world be made subiect to god For no flesh shall be iustified before him through the workes of the lawe Euen so when wee haue receiued the commandement and that we doe feele our default we crye vnto heauen and God hath mercye on vs and knowe in that time that he hath saued vs not of the deedes of righteousnesse whiche we wrought but of his mercy Augustine against the aduersary of the lawe and of the Prophetes 2. booke 7. Chapter It was very needefull that the lawe in the old Testament should be set forth vnto the proud and vnto those which did truste in the vertue of their owne will the which lawe doth not giue iustice but it doth command it and euen as those being wrapped in through the death of preuarication or transgressiō ought to haue their refuge to grace the which only doth not commande but also helpeth The blasphemers of the heauenly wordes doe thinke that the lawe whiche was giuen by Moyses was euill bicause that it was called the administration of death figured in letters of stone not regarding that it is sayde for those whiche doe thinke that the lawe was sufficient for their free will. c. The lawe was giuen by Moyses but grace and truth came by Iesus Christ Did not Moyses giue you a lawe and yet none of you keepeth the lawe Augustine vpon Saint Iohn 3. Treatise 1. Chapter The lawe was giuen by Moyses which helde them guiltie For what sayeth the Apostle The lawe entred in that offence shoulde encrease This is heauye vnto the proude that is that he sayth to the ende that sinne may encrease For they doe attribute muche to themselues and doe assigne much to their strengths And cannot accomplish righteousnesse if he which hath commaunded it helpe them not God willing to tame their pride gaue the law As if he had sayde beholde accomplishe it to the end that you doe not thinke your selues to be without him which commandeth you are not without a commaunder but there is no fulfiller Augustine of the spirite and the letter Chapter 14. Doth not S. Paule call that lawe written in his two tables killing letters When he sayth the letter killeth speaketh he only of the lawe of Circumcision and of other olde Sacramentes alreadye abolished Howe shall we esteeme it so in as much as it is put in this lawe thou shalt not couet By the which commaundement although that it be holy iuste and good he saith that sinne hath deceiued it and thereby killed And what is that the letter killeth and the spirite quickeneth but that the law cannot iustifie c. Immediatly afterwarde he saith these my commaundementes if they are well kept as they are written we must thinke that it appertaineth not to
agaynst the Pelagians 5. booke There is but two wayes that is one to damnation and one to saluation Augustine in his Enchiridion 108. Chapter The time then which is betwene the death of man and the latter resurrection the soules are receyued into secrete receptacles euen as euery one is worthy eyther of rest or of miserie according to that that he hath deserued when it liued in the flesh Augustine of the Citie of God .10 boke 24. Chapter Speaking vnto Porphyrius a Platonist He hath not known Iesus Christ to be the beginning throughe whose incarnation we are purged In the same booke Chapter 22. We haue then victorie in his name who hath taken mans fleshe and hath liued without sinne to the ende that he being the Priest and the sacrifice was made the forgiuenesse of sinnes that is to saye by the mediator of God and men the man Iesus Christ through whom the purgation of our sinnes is made we are restored agayne with god For men are not seperated from God but through sinne of which the purgation is not done in our life through our vertue but through Gods diuine mercie through his clemencie not through our power for the same vertue which is called ours whatsoeuer it be is graunted vnto vs through his goodnesse Reade Lactantius Firmianus 6. booke 3. Chapter of the institutions agaynst the Gentiles and Idolaters There is but two wayes the one of vertue the other of sinne which leadeth vnto hell Augustine of the Trinitie .4 booke 13. Chapter By his death that is to saye throughe one onely and moste true sacrifice whiche hath bene offered for vs he hath purged and hath abolished and put out all the faultes for the whiche the principalities and powers doe detayne vs for to bee punished and hath called vs through his resurrection vnto a newe lyfe we which are predestinated he hath iustified those whom he called and hath glorified them whome he iustified Augustine in his Enchiridion vnto Laurence Chapter 66. Some men beleeue that those also whiche haue not abandoned the name of Christ and whiche haue bene baptised in his Churche and haue not bene cut of from the same through any schisme or heresies that in whatsoeuer sinnes they haue liued the which they haue not defaced and blotted out through penaunce nor redeemed through almes but shall perseuer and continue in them continually vntil the last day of this life shall be saued through the fire Although that according to the greatnesse of their sinnes and misdeedes that fire shall be diuturnall not eternall But me thinketh that those which beleeue that and notwithstanding are catholikes are deceyued through mans beneuolence For the holy Scripture if one doe loke in it answereth an other thing S. Ierome vpon the Prophet Esay 65. Chapter He which shall not obtayne pardon of his sinnes whilst that he liueth in this body and shall so depart out of this life hee perisheth to God and leaueth to bee although that he ryse vnto himselfe in paines Augustine writing vnto Macedonius 54. Epistle There is no other place for to correcte the manners then in this life for after this life euery one shall haue that he hath here gotten Againe in this world the mercye of God helpeth those which doe repent but in the world to come repentance profiteth not but we must render and giue account of our workes Libertie of repentance is only giuen vnto vs in this life after the death there is no licence of correction nowe is the time of mercye afterward shall be the time of iudgement Augustine vpon S. Iohn 12. treatise Expounding the wordes of Christ hee which beleeueth not is already iudged Also the iudgement is not yet appeared but the iudgement is already done And the Lorde knoweth those which are his and knoweth those which shall abyde looking for the crowne of glorye and those whiche abyde looking for the fire S. Chrysostome in the .2 sermon of Lazarus Make readye the woorkes for the ende and prepare thy selfe to the waye And if thou hast taken by violence anye thing from anye man restore it and make restitution and saye with Zachaeus if I haue taken any thing from any man by forged cauillation I restore it him foure double And if thou art angry with any man reconcile thy selfe before that thou cummest to iudgemente paye here all thinges to the ende that without trouble or molestation thou mayest see that iudgement All the while that we be here in this life we haue a most faire and shining hope but when we shall be departed and deade we shall no more repent nor doe penance nor washe and clense the sinnes that wee haue committed Afterwardes he saith truly he which shall not in this lyfe washe and clense his sinnes in the other lyfe he shall finde no consolation Saint Cyprian agaynst Demetrian 1. Treatise Beleeue and ye shall liue and ye which doe persecute vs for a certayne time bee ioyfull with vs for euer When one shall depart from hence he shall haue no more place of repentaunce nor no more effect of satisfâ—â—tion Here is the lyfe lost or wonne Here is conquered the eternall health through the veneration of God and through the fruite of faith and so long as one shall abyde in this lyfe no repentance is to late c. S. Ierome in his .7 Tome vpon Ecclesiastes 9. Chapter Bicause that before he hath sayde that the heartes of men are full of wickednesse and shame and after that all these things doe ende when they doe die nowe he maketh an ende of the same and repeateth that as long as men doe liue they may be made righteous but no occasion of good workes is giuen after death For the sinner that is alyue maye be better than the righteous whiche is deade If he will passe into the vertues of him or verily he maye be better than he which reioyceth in his wickednesse and in his strength and shame the which is deade and maye be better than he howe poore or base soeuer he be Wherefore Bicause that those that be liuing for feare of death may doe good workes But the deade can nothing adde to that that they haue once caried away with them from this life c. Chrysostome vnto the people homily .69 and .70 and vpon S. Iohn 11. Chap. and vpon the Hebrues 2. chapter 4. Homelye Let vs not bewayle without reason those that are deade but let vs bewayle those which are dead in sinne Those are worthy of sorowe and of teares For what hope hath he to be gone with his sinnes where it is not giuen him to put of the sinnes Ambrose in the first Tome of the goodnesse of the dead chap. 2. The holy man Dauid hasted him selfe to goe out of the place of his pilgrimage saying I am a stranger and a pilgrimme with thee as all my forefathers were and therefore as a pilgrimme he
truth the virgin was a virgin and honoured neuerthelesse she was not put forth to be worshipped but she hirselfe worshipped him who according to the fleshe proceeded and was borne of hir Augustine in his booke of the care and sorowfulnesse that men ought to haue for the deade Chap. 13. If the soules of the deade were present with those of the liuing when we doe see them in dreames they woulde speake vnto vs And without speaking of others my holy mother who hath followed me by sea and by lande for to liue with me woulde not forsake me one night God forbydde that through the most blessed life in which she is it shoulde chaunce that she woulde not comfort hir sorrowfull sonne when I haue any anguishe in mine heart whome she loued dearely whome she would neuer see sorrowfull But truly that which holye Dauid sayth is true My father and mother haue forsaken me but the Lorde hath taken me vp If then our fathers haue forsaken vs howe are they present at our affayres or doings And if our parents are not present who are they among the dead which doe knowe what we doe or suffer The Prophet Esay sayth Thou art our father for Abraham knew not vs neyther is Israell acquainted with vs If the worthie Patriarkes were ignorant or knewe not the things whiche the people of the worlde did which were engendred and begotten of them vnto whome that people were promised that he wold come of their lyne and stocke bicause they haue beleeued in God and was promised that the people themselues shoulde come of their roote or stocke Howe is it possible that the deade shoulde knowe and helpe the affayres of the liuing Howe doe we saye that it happened well vnto them which are departed to die before that the euilles shoulde come which are come after their decease if it be so that after their death they perceyue all things which shall happen in the calamitie of mans lyfe Shall it be possible that wee can erre in saying and thinking those to be in rest which are tormented with the lyfe of the liuing whiche is full of ingratitude What is that then that God promised vnto the most holyest king Iosias for a great benefite That is that he shoulde die before the euils whiche shoulde happen vnto that place and vnto that people should come and that to the end he shoulde not see them The words of the Lorde are these Thus sayeth the Lorde God of Israel as touching the wordes which thou heardest bicause thine heart did melt and thou didst humble thy selfe before the Lorde when thou heardest what I spake agaynst this place and the inhabiters of the same howe it shoulde be destroyed and made accursed and tarest thy clothes and didst weepe before me of that also I haue hearde sayth the Lorde And therefore see I will receyue thee vnto thy fathers and will fet thee vnto thy graue in peace thyne eyes shall see none of the euill which I will bring vpon this place Iosias being afraid of Gods threatnings did weepe and rent his clothes and beleeued all the euilles to come by the death which shoulde come bicause that by that meanes he shoulde rest in peace in suche sort that he shall not see all those things Then the soules of the deade are in one place where they see not the thinges which are done or chaunced in the lyfe of men S. Ierome in his commentary vpon Ezechiel .16 Chapter The righteousnesse of the righteous shall be vpon him and the wickednesse of the wicked shall dwell vpon him euerye one shall die in his owne sinne and shal be saued through his righteousnesse And the Iewes doe saye in vayne Abraham is our father forasmuch as they haue not the workes of Abraham and if there bee any thing whereon we must put our trust let vs haue our hope and trust in the Lorde onely for the man is cursed whiche putteth his trust in man yea though he be holy yea and also a Prophet We doe reade in the Scripture put not your truste in Princes nor in the sonnes of men And againe It is good to truste in the Lorde rather then in Princes not only in the Princes of the worlde but also in the Prelates of the churche who if they be righteous will saue only their soules God sayde vnto Abraham in thy seede shall all the nations of the earth be blessed S. Paule saith that the seede is Christ Among men there is giuen none other name vnder heauen whereby we must bee saued but by the name of Christ Seke the Lord while he may be found and call vpon him while he is nie The time shall come that whosoeuer that calleth on the name of the Lorde shall be saued He is ritche vnto all that call on him Augustine in his manuell .22 chapter And of the wordes of the Lord 40. Sermon All my hope is in the death of my Lord his death is my meryte my refuge my health my life and my resurrection Epiphanius in his .3 booke the 2. commentarye Speaking of the Christians whiche committed Idolatrye with the dead bodyes sayth many thinges and the like vnto this haue bene done in the world for the seduction of the deceiued not that the Saintes are a cause of offence to any man But bicause that the thoughtes of men cannot be kept quiet but are peruerted and turned into euil For although that the Virgin Marye be dead and buryed her sleepe is in honor and the death in chastitie and the crowne in Virginitie or be it that shee hath bene killed as it is written the sword shall pearce throughe thy soule among the Martyrs that is hir glory and the holy body of her by whome the light is come into the world in prayses or be it that shee doe continewe For it is not impossible to God to doe all that he wyll for the ende of her is not knowen of any man we must not honor the Saints besides the deutye but we must honor the Lorde of them Then let that error of the seduced cease for Marye is not God and hath nother body from heauen but of conception of man and of woman disposed neuerthelesse according to the promise as the body of Isaac Chrysostome of the seuen Machabees 2. homilye Speaking of the seuen Machabees Staye not vpon the ashes of the bodyes of Saintes and of the relikes of their fleshe and to all the bones which are consumed by the time But open the eyes of faythe and beholde the hidden thinges of the heauenly vertue and of the grace of the holye spirite and shining of the clerenesse of the heauenly light Yet Michael the Archangell when he stroue against the deuill and disputed about the body of Moyses durst not blame him with cursed speaking but sayth the Lorde rebuke thee Moyses the seruant of the Lorde dyed there in the land of Moab
the faithfull and maketh not him selfe a mediator betwene God and man but requireth that all the members of the body doe praye also for him as he also prayeth for other according as all men ought to haue mutuall care and compassion In this manner the mutuall prayers of all the members which doe trauaile yet vpon the earthe ought to mount and ascend vnto the heade which is gone before to heauen in whome we haue remission and forgiuenesse of our sinnes for if Saint Paule were a mediator the other Apostles should be also and so there woulde be manye mediators the which will not agree with that which is sayde in an other place that there is one God and one mediator betweene God and man c. Ambrose in his boke of Isaac and of blessed lyfe Iesus Christ is our mouth by whome we doe speake vnto the father or eye by whome we doe see the father or right hand by whom we do offer vnto the father with out which mediator there is no nerenesse toward God neyther to vs nor to all the Saintes Augustine in his Quinquagesima vpon the .94 psalme If thou doe seeke thy mediator for to bring thee vnto God he is in heauen and prayeth there for thee as he dyed for thee in earth It is most true that we doe not imagine that he kneeling vpon his knees maketh humble supplication But we doe vnderstand it with the Apostle that he appeareth so before the face of God that the vertue of his death is auaylable to perpetuall intercession And he being entred into the sanctuary of heauen representeth only the prayers of the people who haue not neare accesse vnto God. Augustine vpon the Epistle of S. Iohn .2 Treatise But in whose name be our sinnes pardoned Is it by the name of Augustine Then it is not also through the name of Donatus Doest thou see that it is of Augustine or of Donatus neyther is it by the name of Paull nor of Peter In loue the mother bringing forth the little children openeth hir bowells in the Apostle vnto those which deuyded the church and which desired to make many partes of the vnity And by words doth somwhat breake his wordes and bewayleth those whom he seeth to de carryed out and calleth againe vnto one name those which woulde make them many names and repealeth them backe from his loue that Christ be onelye loued and saith was Paule crucified for you eyther were ye baptised in the name of Paule what saith he I wyll not that ye be to me but with me be with me wee are all to him which is deade for vs who is crucified for vs. Augustine in his Quinquagesima vpon the 108. Psalme The prayer which is not made through Iesus Christ not onely doth not put away sinnes but it is sinne it selfe Chrysostome in the .16 homilie of the profite of the Gospell Speaking of the woman that was a Cananite But tell me O thou woman howe hast thou bene so bolde to come vnto him in as muche as thou art a poore sinner I know very well sayde she what I doe Beholde the wisedome of the woman she neyther prayed to Iames nor Iohn she did not go vnto Peter and regarded not all the assembly of the Apostles shee sought not a mediator but in steade of all those she tooke repentaunce for hir companion who holdeth the place of an aduocate c. In the same Wilt thou knowe that when we do pray for our selues we doe more towards God than when other doe praye for vs This woman did crie out and the disciples approched vnto him and sayde sende hir awaye for she cryeth after vs And he sayd vnto them I am not sent but vnto the lost sheepe of the house of Israel Then shee came and worshipped him saying Lorde helpe me But he answered and sayde It is not good to take the childrens breade and to cast it to whelpes And she sayde truth Lorde for in deede the whelpes eate of the crummes which fall from their maisters table Then Iesus answered and said vnto hir O woman great is thy fayth be it vnto thee euen as thou desirest Doest thou see howe he refused when the other desired him But when she hirself cried in praying for the gift he accorded vnto hir For he sayde vnto them when they intreated him I am not sent but to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel But he sayde vnto that woman great is thy fayth be it vnto thee euen as thou desirest In the same It is not needefull to haue patrons with God nor to runne much here and there for to entreate others but althoughe that thou art alone and that thou art without a patron and that by thy selfe thou doest pray vnto God thou shalt haue altogither that thou desirest For God will not so easily giue it when other men doe praye for vs as when wee doe praye our selues yea although that we are full of many euils Chrysostome vpon Genesis 43. Chapter We are constrayned to set forth all this hystorie to the ende to learne that we doe not so muche by others as by our selues So that we doe approche or come with a pure and vigilant thought Also the same woman hauing the disciples praying for hir profited nothing at all vntill suche time as she presented hir selfe for to draw vnto hir the mercie of the Lorde Chrysostome in the first Tome 5. homilie of the first chapter of S. Mathewe We may a great deale sooner bee assured by our prayer and supplication than by the prayer of another For God will will not giue so soone our health vnto others which doe praye for vs as vnto our selues to the ende that by the same that we desire his ire and wrath maye be appeased in vs We may come to do better and that wee maye gather the trust of a good conscience Euen so truely had he pitie of that Cananite And in like manner he did giue saluation vnto the harlote Euen so did hee transporte and carye the theefe that did hang vpon the crosse into Paradise not entreated of any patrons neyther through the puritie of any There is one God and one mediator betweene God and man which is the man Christe Iesus Iesus Christ is rysen againe who is also at the right hand of God and maketh intercession for vs. He is able also perfectly to saue them that come vnto God by him seeing hee euer liueth to make intercession for them Iesus Christe saith I am the waye and the truth and the life no man commethe vnto the father but by me I am the dore he that entereth not in by the dore into the sheepefolde but clymeth vp some other way the same is a theefe and a robber Thou O Lorde onely doest knowe the heartes of all men God knoweth the very secretes of the hearte Iesus Christe saith God knoweth your heartes Also Come
worde be of spirituall things and let vs take in our handes Gods bookes and calling togither our neyghbors sprinkle with heauenlye wordes oure owne selues and of the assistentes that thereby we may chase and driue away the treasons and assaultes of the diuell S. Ierome in his first Tome vnto Marcellus perswading him to goe to Bethleem In the towne where Iesus was borne there are none but rusticall people where ye shal here nothing but singing of psalms in euery place the ploughman holding the plough by the tayle singeth Alleluya The mower to passe away the time singeth psalmes the Vine dresser with his hooke cutting the vine singeth some thing of Dauid these are the songes of this prouince these are as we say commonly the songes of loue Athanasius vpon the Epistle vnto the Ephesians .6 Chapter Ye fathers moue not your children to wrathe c. he addeth the cause of the obeying of the fathers commaundement and sheweth vnto the parents how they should make their children obedient and ready to doe that that they are bydde If thou wylt saith he that thy children doe obey thee accustome them vnto heauenly wordes and saye not that it belongeth vnto the Monkes to vnderstand holy letters For truely it is the office rather of euery christian and chefelye of him which medleth and hath to doe with the affayres and businesse of this worlde And the more that he hath neede of the greater healpes the greater neede hath he to vnderstand it for he is more prouoked with the assaults of this world This then is greatly for thy profite that thy children may heare read holy Scriptures for thereby they shall learne to honor father and mother But thou doest the contrary thou bringest vp thy children in the doctrine of panims and gentiles of whiche they shall learne moste wicked thinges the which shall not be so when they are instructed in the heauenlye Scriptures Primasius Byshop of Vtica in Africa disciple of S. Augustine vpon the Epistle to the Collos 3. chapter Let the worde of Christ dwell in you plenteously c. Here is most amply declared that the laye people ought also to haue the word of God not only simply but also aboundantly and plenteously and they ought also to admonishe and teach the one the other Athanasius vpon the .3 Chapter of the Collossians Let the worde of Christe dwell in you plenteously in all wisedome He declareth the way by the which we may giue thanks in all things For if the worde of God sayth he dwell in you that is to say the doctrine or heauenly commaundementes and admonitions by the which he instructeth vs to despyse this lyfe we cannot greatly esteeme earthly riches Truly we shoulde not fall or bee ouercome with to grieuous things but to beare all things stoutly and manfully rendring thankes vnto God although there happen aduersities For he hath not sayde let the word of God be in you simply but let it dwell in you plenteously For if we doe abound in the knowledge of the holy Scriptures we shall easly beare trybulations paines and calamities and all other manner of euill Theophilacte vpon the .6 chap. to the Ephesians If thou wylt saith he that thy children should obey thee instruct them in the word of our Lorde and saye not that it dooth belong onely vnto the Monkes to reade the Scriptures For it belongeth aswell vnto euery christian and cheefely vnto all those which haue to doe in this worlde S. Ierome vpon the .6 chap. vnto the Ephesians If he doe commaund the Ephesians being laye men and vnto many that are occupyed in the businesse and affaires of this life as we see among the people to teach their children in all discipline and admonition of the Lorde what oughte wee to thinke or iudge of the priestes of whose order he hath written vnto his disciple Timothe saying hauing children subiect in all reuerence c. S. Ambrose vpon the .2 Epistle vnto Timothe 3. chapter All scripture giuen by inspiration of god c. It is manifeste that all scripture of which God is said to be the author to be profitable For it is giuen to that ende that it may profite the ignorant and amend the disformed creatures drawing the wicked into all good workes For in profitting a little and little to the newe man it will make him the man of God. Chrysostome vpon the .2 Epistle vnto Timothe .3 chapter Thou hast saith he through me the Scriptures if thou doest desire to learne any thing of them thou mayest learne it If he did write those thinges vnto Timothe who was full of the holy ghoste howe much more ought we to thinke that it is spoken vnto vs. Lactantius Firmianus in the Proeme of his heauenly institutions We which haue receiued the Sacrament of true religion for asmuch as the truthe is reueled vnto vs and that we may followe God the doctor of sapyence and wysedome let vs call vnto that heauenlye banket all men vniuersally without anye difference eyther of kinde or age for there is no meate sweeter and more delectable vnto the soule then the knowledge of the truthe S. Augustine in the .6 chapter of the vtilitie and profyte of beleeuing All that which is in the Scriptures is high and heauenly all is truth and moste fitte and holsome doctrine beleeue me for to fill and satisfie the spirites in such sorte that euery one may drawe out that which is sufficient for him so that he drawe it deuoutly and holily according as true religion requireth Augustine of true religion .51 chapt about the letter E. In forsaking sayeth he the open and Poeticall trifles and foolishnesse let vs feede and comfort our spirite in treating and considering of holy scriptures The which spirite being wearye and to muche ouercome with the heate hunger and thirst of vayne curiositie and things to no purpose desireth to bee refreshed and comforted with vain fantasies as of goodly and daintie meates Chrysostome vpon S. Iohn 5. Tome .10 Homilie first Chapter Before I doe come to intreate of the wordes of the Gospell I would request of you one thing which I woulde not haue you to despyse For I doe not demaunde of you heauie things nor such as are hard to be done neyther that which is onely profitable to me but a great deale more to you What is then the request that I demaunde That one day in the weeke or at the least vpon the Sundayes and Festiuall dayes ye be diligent to haue in youre handes before the preaching the Gospell which we doe reade vnto you and to repeate them often in your houses searching diligently the vnderstanding thereof and noting that which is easie or obscure and harde in them and that which seemeth to haue contrarietie yet notwithstanding hath not and after that ye haue throughly examined it bee very attentiue to those Sermons by whiche meane shall come great profite both to you