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
in faithe For vve ought not to maruayle if the auncient fathers haue done many thinges in that time vvhich novv can not serue nor profite vs any thing at all inasmuch as they haue serued but onely for their time For the Apostles haue ordayned some thinges vvhich novve ought not to be follovved nor kept As vve doe reade in the actes of the Apostles that the counsell that vvas celebrated by the Apostles in Ierusalem decreed that vve should abstaine from bloude and from the fleshe of beastes that vvere strangled VVe knovve vvell inough that this ordinance novv hath no more place and is not in force among the christians nor ought to haue bicause that all thinges are cleane and purified through the vvorde and prayer Then vvee see that that decree vvhich hath bene decreed by the holy spirite by the Apostles to haue bene made bicause of the personnes and to serue onely but for that time Iudge novve if an ordinance made by the Apostles to support the infirmitie of men hath bene set foorth and aftervvardes abolished vvhat oughte vve to iudge of those vvhich are of lesse importance vvhich haue bene ordayned by men a great deale inferior and of lesse estimation then the Apostles There is no doubt that forasmuch as they haue bene ordayned to serue onely for that time that novve vve may let them alone and forsake them bicause that there is neyther Ievves nor Turkes among vs but christians at the least as they saye Also vve ought not vpon this to holde our peace or hide the vnshamelesse malice of many vvho neuerthelesse calling themselues christians vnder colour of antiquitie and of the auncient doctors doe forge and inuent of their ovvne vvicked and filthye brayne naughty and most detestable errors and aftervvard say that the auncient fathers haue vvritten so and preached so and by that meanes make the poore vvorld being seduced to beleeue it And yet the malice is so great in them that all they that vvill not receiue and allovve that vvhich their brayne hath inuented vnder the name of holy men they crye after them vvith open mouth to the fire to the fire vvith the Heritickes They reiecte the doctrine of the fathers Alas O my God and Lord thou knovvest our hearts and the heartes of these lyers that vve doe not desire but that in all and through all be it through life or death that thy son Iesus Christ and his doctrine may be onely receiued loued and vvorshipped And for this are vve apoynted as sheepe to be slayne vve are nought set by mocked beaten banished chased from tovvne to tovvne To be short vve are esteemed and counted as the most vile stinking filthynesse of all the vvorld troden dovvne vnderneth the feete of the vvorldlinges But for all that vve possesse our soules in patience looking for the righteous Iudge vvhich vvill iudge all the vvorld not according to the doctrine of men but according to hys holy vvorde for vvhich vve are had novve in suche abhomination to the vvorlde Furthermore they vvhich dayly accuse vs vvith so greate rage and furye against the auncient doctrine of the Apostles and Doctors shall at the last acknovvledge their malice and liuing that they haue declared in their bookes corrupting and marring the bookes of the auncient fathers of the churche If I durst I vvould gladly name one vvho in that occupation or science hath serued out his prentyshyppe for that cause is called our maister in his booke that he hath intituled The bouckler of the faithe vvherein he declareth the subtiltie of his intent and craft alledging the auncient Doctors in Latine after translating them into Frenche and at euery place where he found Sacrificium or the like manner of speaking in steade to put in sacrifice or holy mysterie he hath translated them alvvayes the holy mysterie of the Masse and so by that meanes they finde that vvorde Masse in the bookes of those good fathers vvhich they neuer thought nor did I beleeue he thought that his booke should not come but only in the handes of yong children or else he thought that he had to doe but vvith beastes like vnto himselfe There is no man though he haue but small iudgement and vnderstanding vvhich reading that booke but that he may see at the first dashe hovv he lyeth and vnsayeth and reuoketh it agayne and neuerthelesse he is heard and accounted as halfe a God not only of the poorest sort but of the greatest in the vvorlde In the meane time vve ought not to maruayle at this that such gallants haue bene so hardy and ouerbolde forasmuch as they vvere supported and maintayned of Kings Emperors Princes and Magistrates and that they vvere the best vvelcome to their Court. I remember that I haue reade in the Ecclesiasticall histories that in the time of the auncient Doctors there vvere abusers and seducers of the people that sovved their pestilent venim amongst the doctrine of the auncients Of that Denise bishop of Corinth complayned very much saying that many haue sovvn in his Epistles much vvicked doctrine Therefore thinke that if they haue bene so hardy and bolde that they durst corrupt the vvrytinges of the auncientes yea vvhilest they vvere yet aliue VVhat vvill they doe novve at the least they vvill doe asmuch as their auncient fathers that is to saye those Apostates ennemies of the fathers Novv notvvithstanding their shamelesse malyce they rebuke and checke vs vvith a vvhores face that vve are ennemies of the fathers despisers and contemners of their doctrine and disturbers of the vvorld I vvould to God that they vvould permitte and suffer vs to compare our doctrine openly and before all the vvorld vvith theirs to the end that all men might knovve vvho be the contemners and ennemies of the fathers somuch it vvantith that vve should be found condemners and ennemies of those good fathers that altogither it vvoulde be seene that the same doctrine that vve hold keepe at this day is the very same for vvhiche manye of those good fathers haue shead their bloud and vvould shead it if they vvere novve aliue It seemeth that the same is not true that I haue spoken that if the fathers vvere yet aliue that men vvould put them cruelly to death as most vvicked Heritickes Yea they vvhich at this daye doe boste and brag them selues to be their obedient children and make bucklers of their bookes Vnderstand and hold fast in minde dearely beloued behold this present booke may serue vs for a certayne argument of that vvhich is composed and faithfully gathered togither out of the very bookes of the auncient Doctors That if I vvould present this present booke vvherein there is nothing in it of mine but altogither of the auncientes for confession of my faith to those enemies of the fathers I doubt not but presently I should be as a moste vvicked Heretick condemned to be burned quicke into ashes Novve see dearely beloued and iudge iustly before God according to your
suffered persecution by the Iewes He hath ben hanged on the tree and dyed on the tree and was buryed and rose againe the third day and ascended into heauen the day it pleased him There he eleuated his body and from thence he shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead there he sitteth now at the right hand of the father How then is the bread his body And the cuppe or that which the cuppe conteineth how is that his blood My bretheren therefore are these thinges here called Sacramentes because that in them one thing is seene and an other thing is vnderstoode That which we see in a corporall likenesse but that which we vnderstand to a spirituall fruite He that receaueth the mistery of vnity and keepeth not the bond of neace he receiueth not by him the mistery but receaueth a witnesse agaynst him selfe And no man ought in any thing to doubt but that then euery faithfull man is partaker of the body and of the blood of the Lorde As to baptisme he is made a member of Christ and is not depryued from the company of that bread and of that cuppe also when hee which is constituted in the vnitie of the body of Christ shall depart out of this world before he doo eate that bread and drinke the cuppe for also he is not depryued from the participation and from the benefite of that Sacrament whiche hath found that which the Sacrament dooth signifie Prosper in his booke of sentences He that abydeth in Christ and in whom Christ dwelleth hath taken the meate of lyfe and hath drunke the drinke of the eternitie For he whiche discordeth from Christ doth not eate the fleshe of Christ nor drinketh his bloud Although that he doe take euery daye indifferently the Sacrament of so great a thing according to his iudgement Innocent in his thirde booke of the holy Aultar 4. 13. 14. Chapter Iudas sayth he hath eaten the Lordes breade but he hath not eaten the breade which was the Lorde Saint Hilarie in his 8. booke of the Trinitie The breade which descended from heauen is not receiued but of him which hath the Lorde and which is the true member of him Augustine in his 49. treatise vpon Saint Iohn the 11. Chapter If fayth be in vs Christ is in vs For what other thing sayeth the Apostle Christ dwelleth in your heartes through fayth but that through the fayth whiche thou hast of Christ Christ is in thy heart Augustine vpon Saint Iohn in his 25. treatise and 6 Chapter This is then to eate the meate not that which perisheth but which abideth vnto eternall lyfe Wherefore make ready thou the teeth and the belly beleeue and thou hast eaten c. Saint Cyprian in his Sermon of the vnction of Christ. Our Lorde Iesus Christ hath giuen in the table in the whiche he hath made his last banket with his Apostles the breade and the wyne with his owne hands but he hath giuen his bodye for to be wounded on the Crosse by the handes of the souldiers c. Augustine vpon Saint Iohn in the 26. Homely Sayth All we haue very well this daye receyued the visible meate but it is another thing of the Sacrament and of the vertue of the same From whence commeth it that many doe come vnto the aultar and take to their condemnation that which they receyue For the morsell of breade which our Lord gaue vnto Iudas was poyson vnto him not for that it was euill but bicause the man which tooke it was euill he tooke it euill c. A little after he sayth the Sacrament of this that is to saye the spirituall vnitie whiche we haue with Christ is presented vnto vs at the Lordes table to the one to lyfe to the others to death A little before hee hath sayde He which shall eate shall not die but I doe vnderstande it of him whiche shall haue the veritie of the Sacrament and not the visible Sacrament whiche shall eate him inwardlye and not outwardly whiche shall eate him in the heart and not crashe him with the teeth In what sense the auncient Doctors of the Church haue vnderstoode this place Hoc est corpus meum This is my bodye S. Augustine wryting against Adamantius the disciple of Manichaeus in the 12. Epistle Saith after this manner I maye interpret that this commandement cōsisteth in a signe for the Lord hath made it no doubt to say This is my body when hee gaue the signe of his body In the same place he sayth these three thinges The blood is water Behold my body And the rocke was Christ He teacheth these thinges to be sayde as though he spake by figure in signe and by signification Tertullian in his .4 booke against Marcion Sayth after this sort Iesus Christ after he toke the bread and distributed it to his disciples made it his body in saying this is my body That is to say saith he the signe of my body Chrisostome vpon S. Mathewe in the .83 homily the .26 chapter called the symbole of the supper and signe of the body of Christ. Augustine in his first quinquagesima in his prologue of the 3. psalm Saith Christ receiued Iudas vnto his supper in the which he recommended and gaue the figure of his body and of his blood to his disciples Chrisostome vpon S. Mathew in the .83 homelye Saith When the Heritickes say how shall it appeare that Christ hath ben offered We wyll stoppe their mouthes thus if Iesus Christ be not dead to what ende shall that sacrifice be a signe Saint Ierome vpon the 26. Chapter of S. Mathewe After that he acomplished the mysticall Passeouer or Easter had eaten the flesh of the Lambe with his Apostles He toke the breade which comforteth the heart of man and passed further to come vnto the Sacrament of the true Easter That euen as Melchisedech the highe Priest of the souereygne God hath done in the figure of this in offering of breade and wyne Euen so he representeth the veritie of his bodie and of his bloude Saint Ambrose vpon the first Epistle to the Corinthians the 11. Chap. Forasmuch as we are deliuered by the death of the Lorde hauing recordation thereof in eating and drinking wee doe signifie the fleshe and the bloude the which haue bene offered for vs c. Chrysostome vpon the 22. psalme Christ hath ordeyned the table of his holye Supper to the ende that in that sacrament he doe shewe vnto vs daylye the breade and the wine for the similitude of his bodie and of his bloude Saint Ambrose in his 6. booke of the Sacramentes the first Chapter The Priest sayth Make this oblation to bee acceptable vnto vs the whiche is the figure of the bodie and bloude of oure Lorde c. Chrysostome in the 83. Homelie vpon Saint Mathewe If thou haddest bene withoute a bodie hee woulde haue giuen thee all his signes naked and bare but bicause that thy soule is ioyned to a
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
good than to make them such For the wicked do profite nothing but the good doe very muche empayre Afterwardes hee concludeth Beholde the murmuring and common complaynt of all Churches they doe crie out that they are cut in peeces and dismembred There are very fewe or almost none whiche doe not feare the stroke or wounde Doest thou demaunde what The Abbots are drawen away from their Bishops the Bishops from their Archbishops It is great maruayle if one can excuse the same In doing so you doe shewe very wel that you haue fulnesse of power but not of Iustice You doe the same bicause that you can doe it but the question is whether you ought to doe it You are there constituted and placed for to keepe and preserue vnto euery one his honour and his degree and not for to beare him enuie and malice In the 34. distinction Chapter Lector Glose and distinct 82. Chap. Presbyter Glose And in the Canon of the Apostles .17 quest 4. Chapt. And distinct 40. Chapt. Si Papa And distinction .96 Chapt. Satis And Chapter Simplici And Incipitis It is written in those Canons that the Popes haue such power and authoritie that they may dispence agaynst the Apostolicall doctrine and agaynst the right of nature and consequently agaynst the Gospell and the worde of god For the Pope hath all the rightes as well diuine as humane in the inwarde partes of his brest wherefore he ought to iudge euerye man and ought to be iudged of none Insomuch that though he should lead a great number of people into hell yet no mortall man ought to presume to rebuke his faultes For he is God which cannot be iudged of men Saint Paule aunswereth vnto the same saying Let no man deceiue you by anye meanes for the Lorde commeth not except there come a departing first and that that sinnefull man be opened the sonne of perdition which is an aduersary is exalted aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped so that he shall sitte as God in the Temple of God and shewe himselfe as God. Saint Hilary in his booke against Auxentius Whosoeuer denieth Christe to be suche as he hath bene preached by the Apostles he is Antechrist The property of the name of Antechriste is to bee contrary vnto Christe The Priestes doe saye that the Pope cannot erre neyther the counsels Iesus Christ hath sayde vnto S. Peter I haue prayed for thee that thy faith faile not Vnto the same their owne Canons doe aunswere in the .40 distinction Chap. which beginneth Si Papa If the Pope doe fall into an error in the in the faith and that he be an Hereticke one may very well rebuke and checke him in his faultes Pope Alexander the .6 speaking once vnto an Embassador of the king of Fraunce vnto whome he had these wordes this fable of Iesus Christe hath gotten vnto vs great riches Sanazarius an Italian Poet in his Epigrammes in the .2 booke Speaking of that Pope Alexander noting the inceste of him with his owne daughter Lucrecia and asking hir Lucrecia wil Alexander desire thee alwayes afterwardes aunswered O wicked case it is thy father Behold the witnesse whiche the writers of his time haue declared of that head of the churche Abbas Vrspurgensis reciteth of Gregory the .7 otherwise called Hildebrand That the common wealth of Rome and all the Churche hath bene vnder him in great danger through the error of newe schismes and not heard of and that he hath vsurped the Papall seate through tyrannye and not by lawfull election The counsell holden at Wormes in the yeere .1080 Affirmed of Gregory the seuenth that it is most true that he was not chosen of god but that hee exalted him selfe without all shame through disceit and money and that he hath turned vpside downe the ecclesiasticall order and that he hath troubled the kingdome of the Christian Empyre and that he hath attempted the deathe both of the bodye and soule of that Catholicke and quiet king and that he hath defended and holden vp the wicked and periured king and that he hath sowen discorde among those that agreed togither and strifes amongest the peace makers and offences amongest brethren and diuorcement betweene maryed folke and that he hath remoued and troubled all that was at reste quiet and in peace betweene the good lyuers We being assembled togither of God agaynst the sayde Hyldebrand preaching sacriledges and fires mayntayning periured persons and homycides or men slears putting in question or doubt the catholicke and Apostolicke faith of the body and bloud of the Lorde being an obseruer and keeper of diuinacion and coniuring and of dreames and a most manifest Necromancyer hauing familiar spirites and for that cause swaruing from the true faith we doe iudge that he ought to be canonically deposed driuen away banished and condemned perpetually if he doe not leaue of his seate after that he hath heard these thinges Benno Cardinall in the life of the sayde Gregorye Amongest many wickednesses that he alledged of him sayde that he alwayes vsed to beare about with him a booke of Necromancye the which was vnto him very familiar and that he did cast through his enchauntments the consecrated hoste into a fire that by that meanes he might faine to haue had a heauenly reuelation against the Emperor Henry Benno alledgeth for witnesse Iohn Byshop of Porta Secretary of the said Hildebrand Platyna in the lyfe of Iohn the 8. And Sabellicus lib. 1. of the 9. Ennead The woman called Iohn the eyght was borne in Englande and hir parents were of Mentz She followed in hir yong age a yong scholler in the studies of learning and profited so well at studie that she was esteemed at Rome amongst the wysest for which cause she was chosen to be Pope thinking that shee had bene a man and was chosen with as great consent as euer was Pope following still the studie that she had learned with hir studie felow At the time that she was chosen Pope she was founde with childe with one of hir owne seruants who perceiuing hirself big knewe so well to prouide for hir great bellye that none coulde perceiue it vntill such time as she trauayled of childe in the open streete and in the open procession vppon the shoulders of those that did beare hir dyed in the same trauayle the second yere after hir Papacie One maye nowe well see whether the Pope cannot erre Platyna in the life of Syluester And Sabellicus Lib. 2. of the 9. Ennead Syluester the 2. was a Monke in his youth afterwards did giue himselfe vnto the diuell as a right sorcerer vpon condicion that his bodie and soule should be his after his death Prouided that the diuell doe helpe to obtayne that that he desireth by which meanes he came afterwardes to be Pope Platyna in the life of Bennet 8. And Sabellicus lib. 2. of the 9. Ennead
the thinges that are playne and knowen let passe the harde and obscure thinges And if thou canst not with continuall reading find out that whiche is there spoken goe vnto one that is wyser then thy selfe or vnto a doctor declare vnto him the thinges that are written declare vnto him thy feruent desire And if God would giue vnto thee so great promptitude of corage he will not dispise thy diligence and carefulnesse But yet although that no man will teache thee that whiche thou desirest to knowe yet without doubt he will declare it vnto thee Remember the Eunuch of the Queene of the Ethiopians who although he were a barbarous and rude man letted and hindred with innumerable cares and on euery side enuironed with worldly affaires and troubles and that he did not vnderstande that which he reade neuerthelesse he did reade it sitting in his charret If all the time as he went in the way he ceased not to reade much lesse when he was at rest in his house if he did reade vnderstanding not that which he reade and hath not ceased to reade muche lesse after that he hath learned Now to the ende that thou know that he did not vnderstande that which he did reade heare what Philip sayde vnto him Doest thou vnderstande sayth he that which thou readest And he hearing his wordes was not ashamed but confessed his ignorance and sayde Howe can I vnderstande except I had a guyde When there was none that coulde shewe him the way neuerthelesse he did reade and therefore he had immediatly a guyde God knowing his prompt and ready courage and louing his diligence incontinently did sende him a doctor but we haue not Philip ready Let vs not despyse my brethren and frendes our health and saluation all thinges are written for the loue of vs for our correction vnto whome the endes of the ages are come vpon The reading of the Scriptures is a great munition against sinne the ignorance of the Scriptures is a greate perill of falling headlong into hell to know nothing of the heauenly lawes is a great perdition of saluation This thing hath engendred heresyes this hath made vs lead a naughty life and hath mingled all thinges bothe high and lowe Truely it can not be that he shoulde be sent awaye without fruite which taketh pleasure in continuall and attentiue reading of the Scriptures S. Ierome in his .6 Tome vpon Ieremie Chapter .9 The error of our forefathers ought not to be followed but the authoritie of the Scriptures and the commaundement of God which he teacheth vs And agayne truly through the ignoraunce of the lawe they receyue Antichrist for Christ Chrysostome in the 29. homilie vpon Genesis There is neither the passion of the body nor of the soule in mans nature but that it maye take medicine of the holy Scripture Afterwarde he sayth Therefore I pray you come often hither and marke diligently the reading of the holy scripture not onely when you doe come hither but also in your houses take in your handes the holy Byble and receyue with greate diligence and care the vtilitie that lyeth therein hid for thereby you shall get great profite First trulye that by the reading your tongue bee reformed afterwarde your soule taketh wings and eleuateth hir selfe and is illuminated through the splendor and brightnesse of the sunne of righteousnesse And in the meane time it is deliuered from the inticementes and allurements of filthie and vncleane thoughtes reioicing with great rest and tranquillitie And furthermore that whiche the corporall meate doth vnto the body for to augment increase strength the same doth the reading of the holy scriptures vnto the soule The Canon lawe in the Chapter Praelatum de consecratione .3 Distinction That whiche the Scripture doth vnto the readers the same doth the Paynter vnto the Idiotes and ignoraunt in beholding it for in the same the ignorant people doe see that whiche they ought to followe in the same they doe reade whiche knowe not the letters The Emperor Iustinian in his newe Constitutions autentike in the 146. Constitution of the Hebrues sayth thus It was expedient that the Hebrues shoulde take great pleasure not of the hystorie onely when they gyue eare vnto the holy bookes but that they shoulde marke and beholde the sense hidde in them by the whiche they shewe forth the great God Iesus Christ sauiour of mankinde But although that by the interpretation among them dreamed they doe debate and reason it among them selues vnto this day neuerthelesse they haue erred from the right sentence And bicause we haue knowen that they haue amongst themselues debates we woulde not leaue them in such dissentions For wee haue known by the interpellation and reports whiche haue bene tolde vs that some of them would not receiue but the Hebrewe tongue onely and would that we shoulde vse them in the reading of holy bookes other doe holde an opinion that wee muste haue the Greeke tongue and there hathe bene for this thing of long time sedition among them We then hauing vnderstode this debate haue iudged those better whiche desire to haue the Greeke tongue in the reading of holy bookes and for to be short such a tongue as the place requireth moste fitte and meetest for the hearers we then doe ordayne that in what soeuer place the Hebrewes are it shall be lawefull for them in their assemblies to reade the holy Scriptures in the Greeke tongue and in the Italian tongue or translated and changed into any other tongue as the place shall require to the ende that all the continuation and order of that whiche is sayde be manifested vnto those which shal vnderstand the holy boks by the reading of them And according to these thinges they doe direct their lyfe and study and their interpretors whiche doe vse only the Hebrewe tongue may not after their owne fancie maliciously entreate and expounde them hiding and cloking their wickednesse by the ignorance of the people And a little after he saith let vs altogither forbyd that which they doe call Deuteros as the second tradition not contayned in the holy bookes not giuen from aboue by the Prophets but conteyning a certayne extracte of men whiche speake not but of earthly and terrestriall things not hauing in it any thinge of the heauenly spirite But truly we desire that they reade the holy sayinges when they declare the holy books not hiding the things that are therein contayned and not heape togither vaine wordes that are not written but excogitated and inuented by them to the destruction of the simple people which licence by vs giuen shall not turne to any mans hurt or dammage of those that receiue the Greeke tongue other tongues and that shall not be prohibited nor forbidden them by no man what soeuer he bee And ouer and besides those which are cal-Archpharasies or Auncients or maisters shall not haue licence to prohibite through their cautelous inuentions or
anathematisations if they will not be chastised nor corrected with corporall punishment and after confiscation of their goodes malgre their heades to consent vnto vs who doe will and commaunde thinges better agreable vnto God. And againe a little after he saith For our will is that by this and other tongues those which giue good eare vnto the holy bookes ought to be ware of the malice of the interpretors and that they doe not onely vnderstand the letters but also taste well the thinges therein contayned and receiue it throughly and vnderstande the moste holy sentences to the ende they may learne better that which is best and be no more deceiued erring and fayling in the ende For there is nothing so excellent as for to haue affiance truste in God Therefore we haue opened vnto them all tongues for the reading the holy bookes to that ende that if all by order do embrace the science and knowledge of them they may be the more diligent to learne that which is the best Forasmuche as it is most euident that he whiche hathe ben and is nourished and instructed in the reading of holy bookes is more prompte and ready to discerne and receiue that which is the best to receiue correction and to be conducted and leade into goodnesse then he that vnderstandeth none of all this depending of the only name of religion and staying him selfe as to the anker of respecte and soueraigne refuge thinking that the scyence and true knowledge of God is in the only calling of the secte This then whiche hath pleased vs and which is declared by this holy lawe shall keepe aswell thy glorye as those whiche are vnder thy obedience And also shall keepe and obserue them which shall succeede in the honor of thy magistrate and ruler And shall not suffer that the Iewes doe contrary or against those thinges but shall vtterly put to exile and banish al those that shall resiste or attempt to let this ordinance punishing them first by corporall punishment afterward confiscating theyr goodes to the ende they may not eleuate them selues against God and the imperial maiestie more insolently through a foolishe and rashe boldnesse and vse their Edictes towardes the presidentes of the prouinces considering our law to that end that knowing those thinges they may set them foorth in euery towne and village and that they may knowe that they ought necessarily to obserue these thinges by them whiche doe feare our indignation and displeasure S. Ierome in his Proeme of the Prophete Ieremie What other lyfe can there be without the knowledge of the Scriptures by the which Christ also is knowen who is also the lyfe of the beleeuers Saint Ambrose in his .35 Sermon The Lorde doth witnesse that the reading of the Scriptures is lyfe saying The wordes that I speake vnto you are spirite and lyfe Moyses sayde What is he that causeth that all the Lordes people doe prophecie and that the Lorde doth giue them his holy spirite c. As for me I am no Prophete nor Prophetes sonne but a keeper of cattell c. Eusebius bishop of Caesaria in his Ecclesiasticall historie lib. 6. Chapter .11 Alledging the Epistle of Alexander bishop of Ierusalem agaynst Demetrius and rebuking him thus sayeth That which thou hast added in thy letters thou sayest that it was neuer seene that the lay and secular people shoulde dispute of the fayth in the presence of the Bishoppes I maruayle what moued thee to affirme a lye so euident In asmuch that as often as there is founde any man that is sufficient and apt for to giue good counsayle and to instruct the people the Byshops haue accustomed to desire him to doe it as oure brother the Byshop Neon did vnto Euelpius in the Citie of Laranda and the Bishop Celsus vnto Paulinus in the Citie of Iconium and the Byshop Atticus vnto Theodosius in the Citie of Sinnas And there is no doubt but that the other Byshops may doe the lyke in their diocesses when they finde any one whiche is a man for to profite the people Chrysostome vpon the first Chapter of Genesis 8. homilie I desire most earnestlye and doe praye that ye may be all in the order of doctors and not only to be hearers of our wordes but also that ye woulde report and declare vnto others our doctrine and that ye wold correct those that doe erre and go astraye to the ende they may returne into the way of truth as S. Paule sayeth Exhort one another and edifie one another c. And a little after he sayth God would not that the Christian shoulde bee onely content with himselfe but that he do also edifie others and not only with doctrine but also with good lyfe conuersation c. Chrysostome vpon the .2 Chapter of Genesis .10 Homilie He which hath the care to teach and instruct his neyghbour doth not so muche good vnto his neighbor as he getteth gret gayne vnto him selfe when hee shall receyue double rewarde and obtayneth of God great retribution c. In the same place he sayeth moreouer If we do vnderstand rightly those things we may being at home in our houses and taking the holy Scriptures after we haue well dyned or supped to take the profite and giue spirituall meate vnto the soule For as the bodie hath to doe with sensible meates in lyke maner also hath the soule neede to refreshe it selfe dayly with spirituall meates to the ende that the same be corroborated and made strong agaynst the assaultes of the flesh and agaynst the continuall battayle by the which we are constrayned that it may resist it And it is to be feared least the soule should be brought into seruitude and bondage if we will be slothfull any thing at all Chrysostome vpon the first Chapter of Saint Mathew 1. Tome 2. Homilie You that are here present aunswere me I pray you what is he among you who if one demaunde of him a Psalme can say it without booke or any other parcell of the holye Scripture There is not one and yet this euill is not only here but for bicause you are slothfull and negligent in spirituall things so much do you surmoūt through feruentnesse the fire vnto diuelish things For if any man will demaunde or aske you foolishe or as men call them merye songs or songs of bawdrie they shall finde many which moste diligentlye haue learned them which they will sing very willingly But yet they would defend such crimes saying I am not a Monke I am maried and haue care of children of my house keeping Truely it cometh thereby that you doe corrupt and marre all thinges togither as a plague bicause that you doe thinke the reading of holy Scriptures to belong only vnto the Monkes where it is a great deale more necessary and needefull for you then for them For those whiche are in the middest of the battayle and which doe receiue continually wounds vpon
woundes suche people haue more neede of Gods medicine or helpe c. Chrysostome vpon the .21 Chapter of S. Mathewe 39 homily And when he was come into the temple the cheefe priestes and the elders of the people came vnto him as he was teaching and sayde By what authoritie doest thou these thinges and who gaue thee this power They declared that there was some which did giue power vnto men be it corporall or spirituall As if they had said thus thou art not engendred of the sacerdotall family the Senat hath not permitted thee to doe this Ceasar hath not giuen it thee but if they had beleeued that all power is from God they woulde neuer haue asked who hath giuen thee this power knowing that euery good gift and euery perfect gifte is from aboue and commeth downe from the father of lightes and that a man can receiue nothing at all except it be giuen him from heauen Of the assemblies and congregations of the faithfull Saint Hilary against Auxentius I Praye you O ye Byshoppes whiche doe thinke your selues to be so what suffrages haue the Apostles vsed for to preach the gospell with what power were they ayded for to preache Christ and as it were to change all Gentils from images to God haue they taken any dignitie of the palace in singing of Himnes Psalmes vnto God in prison being in yrons and chaynes and afterwarde to be whipped and scourged Did Paule assemble the Churche of Christ by the Kings Edicte when he was as a spectacle in the theater He did defende himselfe as I beleeue by Nero or Vespasian or Decius through whose hatred and malice the confession of the heauenly preaching hath flourished they nourishing and keeping themselues with their owne handie labour in assembling themselues togither within chambers and secret places and by the stretes and villages did enuiron and compasse about almost all people by lande and by water against the decrees and ordinaunces of the Senators and Edictes of the Kings Tertullian in his Apologie against the Gentiles .29 Chapter This assemblie of the Christians should be very vnlawfull if it were like or equall vnto the vnlawfull things it shoulde bee worthilye condemned if it were complayned of as of a faction or sect But whome haue we endammaged or hurt by our assembling and meeting togither wee are the very same as when we were all dispersed asunder euerye one by himselfe not hurting any man When wyse men and good and faythfull people doe assemble themselues togither we must not call that a faction or sect but rather a court And on the contrary we must applye the name of faction vnto those which hate good mē that crie agaynste the bloude of the innocents vnder colour of their vnitie and for defence of their hatred forasmuche as they doe esteme and iudge that the Christians are the causes of all losses and common mishaps If the riuer Tyber mounteth or swelleth aboue the walles If the riuer Nylus doe not descende vppon the fieldes If the heauen doe stande still If the earth tremble If there be famine or pestilence by and by they crie after the Christians for to cast them into the lyons denne Saint Luke declareth in the Actes the order of the primitiue Church that the faythfull assembled themselues oftentimes in the fieldes saying thus On the Saboth day we went out of the citie besides a ryuer where they were wont to praye and wee sate downe and spake vnto the women which resorted thither c. They assembled themselues togither in the night within chambers for to preach the word celebrate the Lords supper as it appeareth by that which is written And the first day after the Saboth the disciples being come togither fo to breake breade Paule preached vnto them redy to depart on the morowe and continued the preaching vnto midnight And there were many lightes in an vpper chamber where we were gathered togither c. And when the dayes were ended we departed and went our wayes and they all brought vs on our way with their wyues and children till we were come our of the citie and we kneeling downe on the shore prayed c. Tertullian in his Apologie 39 Chapter We coming and assembling our selues togither doe pray for the Emperors for their seruants and for the magistrates for the estate of the worlde for peace c. We are assembled to make commemoration of the diuine scriptures we doe feede and nourishe the fayth with voyce and holye wordes we hope well we plant and graffe most stronglye our fayth and doe trauayle much to imprint in the hearts the discipline of the commaundements c. Tertullian in his Apologie 30. Chap. We christians haue our eyes eleuated vnto heauen and our handes streched out bicause they are innocente and the heade bare and vncouered bicause we are not ashamed and we doe it without bydding For we doe pray with the hearte we pray alwayes for all the Emperors that God would giue them long life and assured empyre and a trusty and sure house mightye in battayle a faithfull counsell good people a quiet worlde and all that man and the Emperour can desire I may not demaunde and aske these thinges but of him of whom I doe know I shal obtaine them for it is he onely that will giue it and I am he that ought to require it that is to say his seruant which doe honor him and which haue in reuerence him only which am killed for his doctrine and discipline and whiche doe offer the best and greatest sacrifice that he hath commaunded that is to saye the prayer that proceedeth from a chast body and from the innocent soule and from the holy ghoste Not with little graines of incence of small valew nor also with the teares of the tree of Arabie nor those two drops of wine neither the bloud of a wicked man that desireth his owne deathe c. Plinie in the .10 booke of his Epistles 317. Epistle The Emperor Traianus did sende him a commaundement commaunding him to make enquirye of the faithfull and of their manner of liuing and afterward to persecute them Plinie did write againe vnto the Emperor that after he had throughly enquired yea with most cruelty and tormentes vntill suche time as he deliuered them into the handes of the hangmen to see them executed he neuer did finde anye other thing but that the faithfull haue accustomed to assemble them selues togither at certayne times in the morning before daye and when they were come togither they did sing prayses and psalmes vnto Christe as vnto god c. If any wyll see more amplye these thinges let him reade the ecclesiasticall history and there he shall finde howe the faithfull did assemble them selues in the mountaines in caues and dennes for feare of persecutions As it is declared in the historye of Theodorite after this manner When that the faithfull