Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	faith_n	true_a	truth_n	4,594	5	5.5207	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

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

surnamed the great the holy and learned Bishope of Rome And master Coper not long since of Winchester In his Chronicle in the yeare of our Lorde 599 See also his Dictionarij in the worde Augustinus in his Chronicle intreating of the conuersion of our country from Idolatry and paganisme to the faith of Christ writteth thus Gregory sent Austen Melitus and Iohn with other godly and well learned men to preach the christian faith to the Angles which were first receiued of Ethelbert king of kent whom they conuerted to the faith with diuers of his people Finally his memory is continued in the church of England and him selfe enrold in the callendar for a Saint in heauen and I verily thinke fewe Protestants yet so far waded in malice that they dare condemne him of false doctrine and heresy or without blushing affirme him for infidelity to be damned in hell This being so what better vmpiere in this cause can be had then he what arbiter more indifferent to tell vs what religion florished not only in his time but also in the agesprecedent and so consequently which is the true faith of Iesus Christ For by common confession what religion was in those pure times by holy men taught beleued and practised is that which the only bogottē Sonne brought from the bosome of his Father that which the Apostles planted in the world and registred in the writinges of the newe testament and that which euery one that desireth to come to heauen ought with his hart firmely to embrace and in his life sincerely and constantly to followe and professe Reade then and peruse ouer these his Dialogues and yf thou findest in them the platforme of that faith which the Protestants preach confidently in Gods name followe it for it can not be false which the holy Fathers in the pure time of the primitiue church taught nor disagreing with sacred scriptures which verneralle antiquity practised But yf on the contrary plaine euidence shall conuince that Pag. 11. 116. 358. Abbies and Nuneries were then vsual that the solitary life of Pag. 390 426. 445. Eremits and Anchorets was knowne to Christians that Pag. 28. 238. 385. 330. religious men were a differēt habit from seculare people that Pag 135. 18. young children were admitted into Abbeius and trained vp for a religious life that Pag. 500 religious men obserued monasticall pouerty according to their rule that it was Pag. 239 278. 291. 385. d●mnuable for virgins consecreated to God to marry that Pag 220 379. Eccle●●asticall persons dedicated them selues to chas●ity and after holy orders were bounde to forsake the carnall company of their former wi●es that the Pag. 197 Saints in heauen knowe our praiers that Pag. 43. 68. 288. 338. inuocation of Saints Pag. 44. 86. 145. 266. 371. Pilgrimage and visiting of holy places Pag. 74. 300. 307. reuerent reseruing and translation of relickes were then in practise Pag. 197. 258. 264. 280. that they also wroughte miracles Pag. 300 that churches were then hallowed that they were also Pag. 744. 131. 328. dedicated to the honour of Saints and that Pag. 6● holy dayes were likewise instituted for their memory and due veneration that the Pag. 11. 79. 109. 218. 2●0 222. 321. 459. signe of the holy crosse hath sorce to driue away deuils and worke miracles that Pag. 83. 328. holy water was had in deuotion that Pag. 465 490. all sinnes were not mortall and damnable but some small and veniall that the Pag. 464. 503. fire of Purgatory was then taught and beleued that the Pag. 65. 213. 301. 432. 505. sacrifice of the holy masse was highly estemed that it was Pag. 165 499. 506. 509. auailable for faithfull soules departed yea that Pag 503 trentalles of Masses were not then strange or vnkne●●ne to Christian people That the Pag. 213 510. reall presence was confessed that the Pag. 325 Sacrament was reserued that Pag. 286 298. burning lampes for reuerence were kept in the church that Pag. 92. 266. S. Peter was reputed Prince of the Apostles and his successour the Bishope of Rome pag. 467 superior ouer other Bishiops that Christs seruants might Pag. 274 402. meritt vpon earth and that according to the variety of goode work in this life pag. 443 diuersity of rewardes was founde in the next Yf thou doest finde I say as thou shalt finde these and such like articles so much detested of Protestāts so highly ebraced of all Catholicks to haue bene currēt in these goldē ages beleeued of S. Gregory his predecessors then what doubt can be made which religiō is most true and of euery good Christian to be followed Here it may be that some to the discredit of antiquity and disgreace of S. Gregory will say that the stories reported in his looke be incredible and many miracles seme vtterly voide of all truth But answere is some returned that the authority of him that u●rote them and the testimonies before alleadged of Catholicks and Protestants in commendation of the author be of far more waight to iustify his relation then the light and vaine suspition of any to call the booke in question To this may be added that seing S. Gregory was a man of great learning and had by reason of his high place the best kinde of intelligence easily coulde he not be deceaued and being besides of great vertue and holines neuer woulde he willingly deceiue others Nay to free vs from all feare of any suspition him selfe was so carefull of truth that being about to write this booke of the miraculous lines and deathes of Italian Saints inuited thereunto by the vertuous importunity of his familiar friends he directed his letters to others for certaine information therein as namely to Maximinianus Bishope of Syracusis in Sicilie to whom he wrotte touching this matter in these very wordes My Lib. 2. epist 50. cap. 89. indict 11. brethren that liue familiarly with me do enforce me by all meanes briefly to commit vnto writing some miracles of those fathers which we haue heard done in Italy For the effecting wherof I stande in very great nede of your charitable assistance to witt that you woulde signify vnto me such things as come to your memory or it hath bene your chance to knowe For I remember See lib. 1. cap 7. well that you tolde me some thinges concerning Abbot Nonnosus who liued nere vnto Anastasius of Pentumis which I haue quite forgotten Wherefore I desire you to write vnto me both that and whatsoeuer els you knowe of like quality and spedily to sende them vnlesse you determine to be here shortly your selfe in person This was the great care and singular circumspection which he vsed in this heauenly busines by reason whereof he was the better able to performe that thinge which abundantly he hath done and that is diligently to sett downe howe and by what meanes he came to the particularities of whatsoeuer in his Dialogues he reporteth a greater thinge then which to giue credit to his writinges

forthwith he sent his officers of execution to putt to death that most constant confessor in the verye prison where he lay which vnnaturall and blody commandement was performed accordingly for so sone as they came into the prison they claue his braynes with an hatchet and so bereaued him of mortall life hauinge only power to take that from him which the holy martir made small account of Afterwarde for the publishinge of his true glorye to the worlde there wanted not miracles from heauen for in the nighte tyme singinge was hearde at his bodye some also reporte that in the nighte burninge lampes were sene in that place by reason whereof his bodye as of him Worshippinge of martirs bodyes that was a martir was worthily worshipped of all christian people But the wicked father and murtherer of his owne sonne albeit he was sory that he had put him to deathe yet was not his griefe of that qualitye that it brought him to the state of saluation For althoughe he knewe verye well that the catholicke faithe was the truth yet for feare of his people he neuer deserued to be a professor thereof At length falling sicke a little before his deathe he commended his sonue Recharedus who was to succede him in the kingdome and was yet an hereticke vnto Bishop Leander whom before he had greatly persecuted that by his counsell and exhortation he mighte likewise make him a member of the catholicke churche as he had before made his brother Hermigildus and when he had thus done he departed this life After whose death Recharedus the kinge not followinge the steppes of his wicked father but his brother the martir vtterly renounced Arrianisme and laboured so earnestlye for the restoring of religion that he broughte the whole nation of the Visegothes to the true faithe of Christe and wolde not suffer any that was an hereticke in his country to beare armes and serue in the warres And it is not to be admired that he became thus to be a preacher of the true faith seing he was the brother of a martir whose Merit of martirs merites did helpe him to bringe so manye into the lapp of Gods churche wherein we haue to consider tha● he coulde neuer haue effected all this yf kinge Hermigildus had not died for the testimony of true religion for as it is written ●●les the graine of wheat fallinge Iohan. 12. 〈◊〉 24. into the earthe doth dy it selfe remayneth alone but if it dy it bringeth forth muche fruite This we see to proue true in the members which before was verified in the heade for one died amongest the Visegothes that many mighte liue and of one graine that was sowne for the faithe a great croppe of faithefull people sprunge vp Peter A wonderfull thinge and much to be admired in these our daies OF CERTAINE BISHOPPES OF Africk who had theire tongues cut out by the Vandals that were Arrian heretickes for the defence of the catholike faithe and yet spake ●til as perfe●tlye as they did before CHAPTER XXXII Gregory LIkewise in the tyme of Iustinian the Emper●r when as the Vandals that were Arrian heretickes did grieuously per●ecute the catholicke faithe certaine Bishoppes continewing constant were ope●lye examined whom when the kinge of the Vandals sawe that he coulde neither by any wordes or rewardes drawe to imbrace his hereticall religion yet he thoughte that by tormentes he mighte doe it and therfore when he commanded them not to speake in defence of truthe and they refused to obey his precept least by silence they mighte seme to giue consent vnto wicked heresie● in a greate fury he commanded theire tongues to be cut out by the rootes A miraculous thinge and yet knowne to manye olde men they did as perfectlye afterwarde speake in defence of true religion as they did before when they had theire tongues safe and sounde Peter You tell me of a maruailous ●●range thinge and greatly to be admired Gregory It is written Peter of the only sonne of the eternall father In the beginninge Ioh. 1. was the worde and the worde was with God Of whose vertue power it straighte waies followeth All thinges were made by him Why then shoulde we maruaile yf that eternall worde coulde ●●eake without a tongue which made the tongue Peter What you say pleaseth me very well Gregory These Bishopes therfore flyinge at that tyme from the persecution came vnto the citye of Constantinople and at suche tyme as my selfe about the affaires of the churche was sent thither vnto the Emperor I founde there a Bishop of goode yeares who tolde me that he sawe them him selfe speake without tongues for they opened theire mouthes and saide Beholde and see howe we haue no tongues and yet doe speake for as he saide theire tongues being cutt of by ●he rootes there seemed as it were a deep hole in theire throate and yet thoughe theire mouthes were emp●ye they pronounced theire wordes very plaine and distinctlye One of which falling afterwarde in that place into carnall synne was forthwith depriued of that supernaturall gifte and that by the iust iudgement of almighty God seing reason requireth that he which was carelesse to preserue the continencye of his body which he had shoulde not any longer vtter the wordes of truth without the tongue of his body which he had not But because I haue now spoken sufficient for the condemnation of Arrianisme therfore I will returne to entreate of such other miracles as haue lately fallen out here in Italy OF THE SERVANTE OF GOD Eleutherius CHAPTER XXXIII ELeutherius of whom I made mention before father of the abbey of the Euangelist S. Marcke which is in the suburbes of the citye of Spoleto liued longe tyme together with me in this city in my monasterye and there ended his daies Of whom his monkes doe reporte that by his teares he raised vpp one that was deade for he raised vpp one that was deade for he was a man of such simplicitye and compunction that no doubt but those teares comminge from his humble and simple soule were of force to obtaine many thinges of almighty God One miracle of his I will nowe tell you which him ●elfe beinge demanded by me did with great simplicity confesse As he was trauailinge vpon a certaine daye and not findinge at mighte any other place to lodge in he went to a Nunnery wherein there was a little boye which the wicked spirit did vsually euery nighte torment The Nunnes giuinge entertainement to the man of God desired him that the saide little boye mighte remaine with him all nighte where-with he was well content In the morninge the Nunnes diligently enquired of the father yf the childe had not bene sore troubled and tormented that nighte who maruailinge why they asked that question answered that he perceiued not any such thinge Then they tolde him howe a wicked spirit did euerye nighte pitifully afflict the childe and earnestly desire● him that he wolde take him home to his owne Abbey

Monarches and Princes the sacking of cities the slaugther of men the triumphes of conquerors this describing the spirituall battles of the soule the voluntary forsaking of all temporal prefermēt riches and earthly pleasures the vertuous liues and happy endes of holy men and the triūphant crownes of martirs who sacrificed their bodies for the name of Christ and washed Apocal. 9 v. 14. theire robes and made them white in the bloude of the lambe that out of sundry prudēt obseruations giuing vs occasiō togather many politick notes moral lessons for the ordering of our life in this vale of misery this with diuine documents and examples of Gods seruants informing vs how to arriue to the toppe of all perfection and as it were with the arcke of Noe to escape the vast deluge of sinne which ouerfloweth the worlde and safely to arriue at the mountaynes of the heauenly Armenia Genes ● v. 4. These being the pleasant fruits and swete flowers which the caelestiall gardin of Saint● liues doth yeld in vaine I think it goode Reader further to commende this booke of S. Gregories Dialogues which now in our english tongue I present to thy viewe thy soule haply desiring as much to enioy the conuersation thereof as euer did the olde Patriarch Iacob Genes cap. 45. v. 28. 2. Reg. 14 cap. 14. v. 32. 2. Paralip cap. 9. v. 23. to see his sonne Ioseph Absalon to come vnto the presence of his father Dauid or the kinges of the earth to behould the face o● Salomon yet for thy better instruction and more to inflame thee I can not but add a worde or two Thou shalt therfore vnderstand that this booke hath in auncient tyn●es bene so highly esteemed and thought so necessary that great Prelats and Princes though otherwise charged with the waight of their gouernment and occupied with the continuall flowe of newe busines yet were they so inamored with this pretious pearle and so much desired that the light thereof might be sett vpon a candle-sticke for the profitte of others that they found spare time to translate it into the language of their owne country Pope Zachary a Graecian Genebrard in his Chronicle borne who liued about an hundred and fourty yeares after that blessed Doctor for the benefit of the East church did turne it into the greke tongue And here in our country king Alfrede seauen hundred yeares agoe either trāslated it him selfe or els as Ingulphus writeth caused In his history it by the holy Bishope of Worcester Werfredus to be translated into the Saxon tongue so highly was this worcke esteemed in former ages and thought so necessary for the goode of Christian people VVherefore seing continuance of time hath not abased the dignity thereof but rather made it more venerable and of greater authority no lesse reason nay sar more haue we to embrace it then our forefathers had and that not only inrespect of vertuous life none as I thinke making any doubt but that we are many degrees inferiour to them synne neuer so tyrannizing as in these vnhappy dayes of ours but especiallie in respect of faith and true religion whereof they had none or litle nede and we most of all seing we be fallen into the latter dayes in which as our Sauiour saith many false prophets Math. 24. v. 12. shall rise and ●seduce many and as the Apostle foretolde men will not beare sound religion but according to their owne desires heape to them selues masters and as experience teacheth newe religions dayly spring vp and multiply and therfore great reason we haue carefully to looke vnto our selues that we suffer not s●ipwrake about the faith and perish vpon the mutable sandes of late inuen●ions For auoyding of which perill what pilot more cunning can we desire in the tempes̄tuous sea and surging waues of these diuerse opinions to conduct vs to the secure harbour of the auncient catholicke and Apostolick church then blessed S. Gregory For if we wish an indifferent iudge and one that was longe before we fell at variance he is so auncient that he liued a thousand yeares agoe and so by common computation within the compasse of the primatiue church Yf we seeke for vertue he was therein so rare that both in his life tyme he was had in great reuerence and after his death honoured for a Saint Yf we desire learning he is so excellent that he is reputed for one of the fower princicipall doctors of the church and worthily surnamed the Greate and generally so famous that with his praise the earth is full ana his glory aboue the heauens S. Iohn Damascene a doctor of the greke church who liued not long after his time giueth him this commendation Prodeat in Orat. de defunctis med●um Gregorius Dialogus c. Let Gregory quoth he that wrote the booke of Dialogues Bishop of the elder Rome be brought forth a man as all knowe that was notable and renowned both for holinesse of life and learning who had as men report when he was at the holy mysteries an heauenly and diuine Angell present with him in that sacred action Isodorus also Bishop of Seuill in Spaine prosecuteth De scriptorib ecclesiasticis cap. 27. his praises in this manner Gregorius Papa Romanus c. Gregory pope of Rome Bishop of the Apostolicke sea full of compunction of the feare of God and for humility most admirable and so endewed through the grace of the holy Ghost with the light of knowledge that neither in our dayes nor in former tymes there was euer any doctor his equall And the Councell of Toletan 8. can 2. Toledo in this manner extolleth him Blessed Pope Gregory honorable both for merit of life and worthily almost to be preferred before all for his morall discourses To conclude such as desire more herein I referre them to our dere country man venerable Bede that liued within lesse then one hundred yeares after him as is euident out of the two last chapters of his history translated into our english tongue who in that saide story of our countries conuersion maketh Lib. 2. cap. 1. a briefe rehersall of his learned works among which this of his Dialogues is also mentioned There also he calleth him holy Pope Gregory and the Apostle of our country and recounteth many of his notable acts of piety and religion and diuerse zealous labours emploied for Christ and his church which for breuity sake I willingly passe ouer with silence Neither haue only Catholicke fathers and councels had this reuerent opinion of blessed Pope Gregory but Protestants also iudge him worthy of honour and commendation Among many to name two or three Master Iewell sometime of Salisbury thinketh him so sound for religion that for credit of his cause he thus cryeth out O Gregory ô In his challenging sermon Leo ô Austen c. Yf we be deceiued you haue deceiued vs. Thomas Bell also so magnisieth this father that he vouchsafeth him of this honorable title Saint Gregory Suruey pag. 187. quoth he

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

reioysed at that which had happened Word of this miracle was brought vnto me where I was sitting ready to come into the Church one posting after an other the latter euer bringing that for newes which others had told before him As I was glad and secretly in myne heart gaue God thankes in cometh the man himselfe with a great troupe following him whome falling downe at my fecte I embraced and lifted vp againe Forth we came to the people where we found the Church sounding with ioy each man on all sides crying out God be thanked and his name be blessed for euer I saluted the people and sorth with out they cried againe repeating but far more feruently the same very words At lenght when silence was made the sacred scriptures were solemnely read when my time of preaching was come a few words I spake meete for that time and answearable to that great mirth and ioy The man went home with me to dinner where very diligently he told me the whole history of the calamitie of his mother and brethren The next morning after the sermon was ended I promised the people that the particularities of the matter should in writing be readde vnto them the day following which was accordingly performed and whils it was in reading I caused both him and his sister to be sett vpon an highe place not far from the pulpitt where all the people men and wemen might see them both standinge the one safe and sound the other pittifully shaking in all partes o● her body and they which before had not sene him in his misery beheld in his sister what God had mercifully done for him and in him they did see for what to thanke God and in her for what to pray vnto Christ When there bill was readde I willed them both to departe and then I began somewhat more exactly to entreat of the matter but whils I was thus busied all on a suddaine we heard new showtinge and crying out at the shrine of the martyr wherwith my auditors began to looke that way and to runne to see what the matter vvas For the poore wooman departing from the place where before she stoode wen● straight way to pray Prayer ●● Saintes vnto the holy martyr and so sone as she touched the barres she fell downe as her brother had done before and after a litle sleepee she rose vp perfect and sound Demaunding therfore what had happened and what was the cause of that ioyfull crying out they brought her from the shrine of the martyr into the Church where we were wherevpon there was such a marueilous crying out of men and women and such weeping for ioy that one would haue thought it would neuer haue ended Backe agayne was she brought to the same place where a litle before she stoode trembling and shaking Reioysing there was that she was found like vnto her brother for whom a litle before sory they were that like she was not and although as yet they had not prayed for her yet by the sequell they perceiued that the desires of their harts were already heard Such reioysing and showtinge out ther was such lauding praysing God not in words but with such a wonderfull ioyfull noyse that myne eares could scarce indure it what was in the harts of that ioyfull people but the fayth of Christ for which blessed Steuen shed his bloud A NOTABLE MIRACLE VVROVGHT BY S. BERNARDE in confirmation of diuers articles of religion written by one william an Abbot in the thirde booke of the saide Saintes life Chap. 8. TO THE GOODE CHRISTIAN Reader THe miracle ensewing gentle Reader I haue thought verie expedient to adde in this place though far inserior to the former sor antiquity because it was wrought for the proose and confirmation of diuers articles denied by the Protestants and mayntained by the Catholike church and is of that qualitie that no shadowe of iust exception can be taken against it For it was written by a religious and vertuous mā that liued in S. Bernards time Se the Preface o● S. Bernardes life and was very well acquainted with his life and conuersation and he relateth it as done in the sight of the world with the particular circumstances of persons words and such like that no place is left for incredulous suspition or calumniation for he that will deny so manifest a story may with like reason deny any histories of former times what-soeuer To ascribe so powerable a signe to the operation of the common enemy is too iniurious to the renoumed sanctitie of that holy and great seruant of God whose memory is not only reuerenced of vs but also venerable to our aduersaries them selues and besides it is an olde deuise of wicked Porphirius and Eunomius as S. Hierom noteth Cōtra Vi●ilant descending to them by inheritance from the Pharisees who by like blasphemie laboured to obscure eneruate the miracles of Christ himselfe saying This fellow casteth not out deuils but in Beelzebub the Prince of the deuils To this may be added that if any Math. 12. v. ●●4 miracles be of force to proue the truth of religion as none without note of infidelity can denie no questiō but they be especially those which haue bene wrought in defence and confirmation of faith and religion for in this case the prouidence of God who desireth the saluation of all and whose honour it principally concerneth neuer permitteth his holy name to be in that kinde abused or superstitious idolatrye or any damnable doctrine as it were by his owne seale to be confirmed and commended to the world neyther euer in former times can any such president be produced but many examples to the glory of Gods name and comfort of Catholiks may be alleaged to the contrary The idolatrous Priests of Baal iointly and ernestly with lou● voyce and that a long time called vppon their God yea and launced them selues with kniues to the sheddinge of their bloud and all this that miraculous fire would descend from heauen for the consuminge of that sacrifice which they had prepared sor his honour and confirmation of that religion which they taught but as the scripture sayth no voyce was heard neyther was there any that gaue them 3. Reg. Epist ● Trallian Lib. 3. excidio Hierosol cap. 2. Amb. ad uersus gentes li● 2. Ciril catach ● Philastr de heres cap. 3. A● gus her● 1. answeare Simon Magus whom S. Ignatius calleth the deuils eldest sonne attempted to rayse vp one that was dead as Egesippus reporteth but with vnfortunate successe The same arch heretike as both the foresayd author and many more report hauing by magicall enchantments mounted him selfe vp in the aire to ascend into heauen was ouerthrowne by the prayers of S. Peter and so disgratiously fell downe One * Vide a● synodi se tae act ● Gregor Turō l 3. hist. Franco cap. 30. Polychronius a Monothelite heretike with great ostentation vndertooke to