Sermon 17 November 1599, Apology · Part 2 · Answer 3 – Section 3
Anſwere.
Note.In this Accuſation of Maſt. Saunders firſt obſerue that this obiectiō doth eſpecially concerne that Church-celebrity, which he affirmeth is now vſed in England the 7. of Septēber, which is the day of our Q. happy Nativity: ſo that this accuſation in ſhew, and at the firſt ſight cometh not within the compaſſe of any publike celebrity perfourmed in England the 17. of November: ſo that here I might referr this to ſome other diſcourſe, as a mater meere impetiment to this preſent caſe. Yet in regard I promiſed at the beginning of this treatiſe to anſwer, as farre forth as God ſhould enable me, all ſuch matters of accuſation, as the adverſaries had artificially, though maliciouſly, & impertinently infer…ed ioyntly with that which materially & immediatly concerneth the ſolemne action of this Realme the 17…0 Novemb. I wil as briefly as I can by Gods grace diſcover the myſteries of this ſequele, and the weaknes of thoſe foundations where vponupon it is grounded. And the rather for that, in mine opinion, though in words M. Saunders doth eſpecially mention the Nativity of Q Elizabeth; yet by ſequele, and by the waye of iſſue his ſpeeches can beare no ſenſe at all, vnleſſe thoſe things, that he hath vttered in the bitterneſſe of his gall, be vnderſtoode of the actions of this Realme now yeerely perfourmed the 17. of November. The ſequele of the Maior is that thing which I firſt demur vponupon; I would willingly hauehave them proue by the warrant of Gods word, and by the practiſe of the vniverſall church, that there is any church-office due to the …. Virgine the Mother of God the 8. of September yeerly, and by what authority the church of Rome can make it an Holly day.
Firſt there is no ground of it out of the Scripture.Aug de Sanct 1. Ser. 20. Secōdly S. Auſtine de Sanctis affirmeth, Poſt illum ſacroſanctum Domini Natalis diem, nullius hominum Nativitate legimus celebrar… niſi ſolius beati Iohannis Baptiſtae. In alijs ſanctis & electis Dei novimus illum diem coli, quo illos, poſt conſummationem laborum & devictum triumphatum que mundum in perpetuas aeterni…atei, praeſens haec vita parturit. In ali…s conſummata vltimi die… merita celebrantur: … hoc etiam prima dies, & ipſa etiam hominis …tia conſecrantu… pro hac abſ que d…bio cauſa, quta per hunc Dominus adventum ſuum, ne ſubitò homines …ſperati m…on ag…ſcerent, volu…t eſſe teſtatum. Iohannes autem figura fuit vereuis I eſtamenti, & in ſe fo…mam praetulit legis: & ideò Iohannes praenunciavit ſalvatorem, ſicut lex gratiam praecurrit: Beſides that holy day of the Nativity of our Lord, we read of no Saints day that is celebrated but only the nativity of Iohn the Baptiſt. Wee doe know concerning other Saints and elect of God that day to bee remembred in honor by vsus wherein the laſt day of this preſent life was made a paſſage vntounto them to eternall bleſſed …eſſe, af…er they had finiſhed their courſe in this vale of miſery, and triumphantlie made a conqueſt of this world of vanitye. In other Saincts wee remember their conſummat merites of their laſt houre, but in this Saint (that is Iohn Baptiſt) his firſt day, & the very firſt fruits of his nativity are cōſecrated or hallowed, queſtiōleſſe for this cauſe, becauſe the Lord would hauehave his comming teſtified by him, leaſt vponupon the ſuddaine men ſhould not acknowledge him, whom they (in the dulneſſe of their hearts) did not hope for. For Iohn was a figure of the old teſtament, and carried in him ſelfe a figure of the law: & therefore Iohn foretolde of our Saviour, as the lawe went before grace: and in his ſecond ſermon in eodem feſto. Natalem Sancti Iohannis fratreschariſſio i hodi… celebramus, Aug de Sā ctus. 21. Se.quod nulli vnquam Sanctorum legimus furſſe conceſſum. Solius enim Domini & beati Iohannis dies nativitatis in vniverſo mundo celebratur & colitur: we celebrate (dea…e brethren) this day the birth of S. Iohn, which prerogatiue we doe not read to hauehave beene granted to any other Saint. For only the birth-day of our Lorde, and Iohn the Baptiſt is celebrated in the whole world.B…ronius Ser. 8
Beſides Cardinall Baronius confeſſeth that the French Church in the time of Carolus Magnus and Lodovicus P…us knew not of it,Con…l. Mogua Cano 55 as it appeareth in Cōcilio Mogunti…o celebrated about the eight hundred and thirteenth yeare after Chriſt,Vſvardus Ma…yro. I…hannes M…tu…us Sigebe tu… Iemblace. de v… hiſt Ca. 85. as it appeareth by the 35. Canon of that councell, wherein no mention at all is made of …he Feaſt of the Nativity of the B. Virgine. In this alſo obſerue that in Vſuardus Martyrologe this feſtivity is foiſted in en… by Iohannes M…a…us, who hath cauſed this Martyrol…ge of Vſuardus to be printed a new. For it could not be that this feaſt could be at that time, in aſmuch as Vſuardus liued in the time of Carolus Magnus, at whoſe commaund hee collected his Martyrologe.
Thirdly I doe anſwere that the groundes of the Feaſtes of the Nativity of the B. Virgine are meere repugnant to h…ly ſcripture,Dur…nd. lib 7 Rational di in. offi…io c 58 Pſal 45.5. according as they were laide downe in Durandus. The Feaſts of the Nativity of the B Virgin Mary (ſaieth Durandus) is this day celebrated becauſe the B. Virgine was ſanctified in her mothers wombe. This he endevoureth to verifie by a place of the 14. Pſal. according to the Latine, namely the 5. Verſe. Sanctificavit tabernaculum ſuum Attiſſimus &c. which place in no ſenſe approueth that vvhichwhich Durandus affirmeth of the Nativity of the B Virgin Moreover the book which was writtē of the birth of the Nativity of the B. V…g…ne is forbidden to be read in the church,Annotat in Vſuardum apud Iohā nem Molanſi 8. Sept. Breviar ſecundum Vſū Sarum parte 1. de Nativ B.V. Durand. rational divin officiorum. becauſe ſome of the auncient Fathers hauehave iudged it Apocryphall Laſtly that cauſe that Durandus yeeldeth of the inſtitution of the celebration of this Feaſte is meere fabulous: namely, Quod quidam vir religioſus pluribus annis audivit Angelos in hac …octe ſolemrizantes in calis, cui cauſam qua renti revelatum eſt, A gelos gaudere, quoniam Beata Virgo nata fuit in illa nocte; quod Apoſtolicus authenticavit, et Feſtum celebrari praecepit, vt in ſolemnizando caeleſti Curiae conformemur That there was a certaine religious man, that for many yeares as this right hard the Angels melodiouſly triumphing in heavē, to whome ſeeking out the cauſe it was revealed, that the angels did reioyce becauſe the bleſſed Virgine was borne on that night, which the power apoſtolike hath made authentical, & cōmāded that f…aſt to be celebrated, that in ſolemnizing therof we might ſo be conformable to the heavenly company.
Fourthly I anſwere that that office, which that day is preſcribed by the Canōs of the church of Rome to be obſerued in the vniverſall church, is many waies derogatory to the glory of the ſonne of God; as it appeareth in the Breviary ſecundum vſum Sarum. For vvhat the doe theſe wordes impart; Cuius vita glorioſa lu…en dedit ſeculo. ipſa conteret eaput tuū. And theſe: Ave regina calorū, ave Domina angelorum: Virgo Moria facta eſt imperioſa ſecundum charitatem erga ſuperos, ac ſuper inferos per diſtrictionem.
Alma redemptor is mater quae pervia coeli.
Porta manens, et ſtella maris ſuccurre cadenti &c.
Haile Queene of heaven, Haile Queene of the Angels: the Virgin Mary is made imperiour & Ladylike by louelove towards the ſaints in heaven, and by regorouſe ſeverity over them that are in hell. O bleſſed mother of redemption, which art the ready way and gate of heaven, & orient ſtarr of the ſea, helpe and ſuccour me that are nowe falling.
Or theſe words: Cū iucunditate nativitatē B. M…riae celebremus. Vt ipſe pro nobis interceant ad dominū noſtri… C…u Ieſū. Let vsus with all ioyfullneſſe ſolemnize the birth of the Bleſſed Ʋirgine Mary, that ſhee may be a mediator for vsus to our Lord and Saviour Ieſus Chriſt
Bellar prae fat 7. cōtr. Tom. 1. Tantus eſt in libris & moribus hae reticotum Sanctorum omniū cō temptus tā quam, horribiteſ que in omnes coelitos blaſphemiae, vt ego hi…c pot…ſſimùm vehemēter admi…t divini numinis patientiam 1. Cor. 10.For theſe & ſuch like matters implied in the feaſt of the Nativity, the reformed churches hauehave memorably abrogated the Feaſt of the Nativity of the B. Virgin, as a feaſt of mans invention, noe waies ground vponupon the authority of Gods word, neither of any conſtitution of the Primitiue church, neither eſtabliſhed by any decree of the Catholicke church 8. or 9. hundred yeeres after our Saviour Chriſt his bleſſed Incarnation. But ſome will heere obiect that in this diſcourſe I imitate my forefathers of one pretē ded reformation, and tread in their ſteppes, whoe longe agoe hauehave proclaimed open warre againſt Gods ſaintes. & eſpecially againſt the Bleſſed Virgine the mother of God, whome from the time of the conception and birth of our Saviour foreign, &c. all generation ſhal call bleſſed VntoUnto whome I make this anſwere God forbid that I or any one that cal vponupon the name of God, their God & ours, ſhould ſpeake diſhonourably of the leaſt member of Gods houſe, much leſſe of thē that walke with the lambe vponupon mount Sion, whoſe teares God hath wiped awaye, vvho reſt from their labours, vvho raigne vvith Chriſt,Ap… Si…a… … Har lib; To. 2. he 68 foreign Prov. 4. Hom Ilia foreign. 1. Tim. 4. foreign. Iud. 11. by whome the Lord hath gotten great glory, who (as Epiphanius ſaith) are Sanctum honore, quies ipſorum ingloria, profectio ipſorum tunc in perfectione: ſor…s ipſorum in beatitudine in manſionibus ſanctis, tripudium cum Angelis, diaeta in caelo, converſatio tra…vines ſcripturis, gloria in honore incomparabili ac perpetuo, bravia in Chriſto Ieſu Domino noſtro per quem, et cum quo, gloria Patri cum ſancto spiritu in ſaecula ſaeculorum Amen Saintes in honor, vvhoſe reſt is in glory, vvhoſe departure berchence is in perfection, vvhoſe portion is in perpetuall bliſſe, in holy manſions, their ioy with the Angels, their diet in heaven, their converſation in the divine ſcriptures, their glory and honor incomparable and everlaſting, their crowne in Chriſt Ieſus our Lord by whome and with whome be all praiſe to the Father vvith the holy Ghoſt now and for ever Amen. Neither let any bee ſeduced with any ſuch ſiniſter perſuaſion, that any one that profeſſeth ſincere religion hath any miſconceipt, or will vſe any diſpitefull, or contumelious ſpeeches againſt the mother of God, to whome the Angell Gabriell ſaide foreign. Haile thou that artfreely beloued the lord be with the: In the Epithet of whoſe name the glorie of her vertues ſhineth as Epiphanius hath demonſtrated in the places marginally noted; yet heerein vvee muſt ever obſerue this caveat in all ſpeech, wherein vvee mention her honour, that none of theſe attributes, titles, and dignities, whereby ſhee is remembred, be not waies derogatory to Gods glory, or raungingly waver out of the limittes that Gods holy word hath preſcribed vntounto vsus to bound our ſelues in: which thing the ſame Epiphanius alſo hath in holy deſcretion, in the places before ſpecified, very ſincerely delivered vntounto vsus: The nature of man hardly ſtayeth himſelfe in one place, and is ever indangered by his owne ſl…pperineſſe or lubricity, ſometimes it bowes to much on the right hand, ſometimes it bendes to much on the left hand, it rūnes ſometimes one point to much vponupon Sylla, by and by it croſſeth a contrarie courſe vppon the gulfe Charybdis, not able to keepe his current foreign Beſides both fire and water as the Poet hath ſaide: which thing, how true it is, this preſent argument manifeſtly deſciphereth: ſome ſortes of people lend eare to much to the Andicomarians, ſome liſten to much to the Collyridians, ſome ſpeake deſpitefully of the B. Ʋirgine, and that is impiety: ſome make her a God by deifying her, and that is a madd fury This humor invegled certeine women in Arabia to offer ſacrifice to the B. Ʋirgine blaſphemouſly. In which ſervice was fulfilled that of the Apoſtle: In the later times ſome ſhall depart from the faith, and ſhal giuegive heede to ſpirites of errour, and doctrine of devils, Erunt enim, t…quit, mortuis euitum divinum preſtantes, quemadmodum etiam in Iſraell coluerunt. For there ſhalbe (ſaith he) ſuch as veelae the divine worſhippe to the deade, as there were alſo in Iſraell. This ſpectacle one may palpably find in them of Sichem that hauehave in like ſorte honoured the daughter of Iephthe vvhichwhich vvas once offered to God in ſacrifice by her fathers vowe. And in Thermutis the daughter of the king of Aegypt who was foſter-mother vntounto Moſes. Concerning all actions of like quallity I conclude in this ſorte with the ſame, Epiphanius foreign.foreign. It is not meete to honor ſaints beyond that which is meete, but rather to honor their maſter and maker. The body of Mary the B. Ʋirgine was holy, but not foreign. Shee was a Virgin to be honored, yet not a God to be adored; but ſhe adored him which was borne of her fleſh, which alſo deſcended from heaven out of the boſome of his Father: let Mary the bleſſed Virgin be honored, the father, the ſonne, & the holy ghoſt onelyonly be adored. For if God will not hauehave Angels adored, much leſſe the B. Virgin, which was begotten by Ioachim, conceiued by Anna, which was giuen to her parents praiers according to promiſe, yet was ſhe noe othervviſe borne, then as naturally man is borne of the ſeede of man, conceiued in the wombe of her mother.
There remaineth yet of this argument the diſcourſing of the Minor, which I beſeech you in like manner giuegive me leaue to vnfold vntounto you.
In the Eccleſiaſticall ſervice perfourmed in the church of England the 7. of September, and the 17. of November, at theſe times ſome rites are vſed diſhonourable to GOD, and to the office of the B. Virgin the mother of God.
I demaund the adverſaries conviction herein.
The evidence herein (ſaith the Accuſer) I demonſtrate in this manner. To the greate contempte of the B. Virgin you make the 7. of September an holiday, which is the Even of the B, Ʋirgines Nativity. This 7. you ſolemnize moſt devoutly: this day you ſignificantly note in your Calender with red letters, but the day of the Nativity of the B. Ʋirgine you expreſſe onelyonly in blacke Characters &c.
The firſt part of the Accuſation implieth thus much (omitting that which is ſpoken of the noting of the 7. of September the day of Queene Elizabeths Nativity with red lines referring you to mine anſwere herein in the argument of the ſecond generall head.) England nowe-adaies celebrateth with greater devotion the 7. of Septē ber their Queene Elizabeths birth-day being the Even of the Nativity of the B. Virgine, then the feaſt of her Nativity, namely the B. Virgine. Firſt I deny that the church of England celebrateth the 7. of September as an holie day, let the adverſary proue this by practiſe, or preſident Canonicall, or decree Epiſcopall or Archiepiſcopall of the preſēt church of England, & let me beare the ſhame of it. I anſwere to this with the Orator pro Muraena. Cicer. pro Mur.Haec ſivera eſſent, ſunt ſeveri Accuſatoris, ſin falſa maledici convitiatoris. If theſe things were true they proceed from a spitefull Accuſer, if falſe, they proceede from an evill-tongued backbiter.
Beſides by what groūds of Arte can this Accuſer proue, that if we did ſolemnize the 17. of September in ſuch ſort as his wordes in ſenſe importe, yet it muſt neceſſarily follow that the church-ſervice performed the 17. of September being the Even of the B. Virgines Nativity is the occaſiō for which the ſacred office that day by the Catholicke Church preſcribed is neglected, and is diſhonourable to Gods eternall maieſty. The Illation of this pointe perſuadeth mee to beleeue that this Accuſer thought that Accuſaſſe ſatis eſt It was ſufficient for him to accuſe vsus, that noe body durſt examine his writing, that his tongue was his owne,Pſal. 12.4. that he might ſay what he liſted without controlement, that all men when he ſhould ſpeake ſhould holde their handes on their mouthes, that his auditors were noe better then thoſe dogboults whom the very ſight of Gorgons head trāsformed to ſtones. For what can this elſe importe. Becauſe on the Even Engliſh ſubiectes giuegive thanks to God, and ſhew ſome ioy of thankfulneſſe for the comfortable Nativity of Queene Elizabeth, happy in regiment; Ergo on the day next enſuing immediatly they contemne to celebrate the Nativity of the B. Virgine. Even as much as one ſhoulde ſaye: Some yeares the 25. of March falleth out on Eaſter Even: Ergo the celebration of the feaſt of the Annunciation of the B. Ʋirgine worketh a contempt of the ſolemnization of Chriſt our Saviours Reſurrection.
The ſecond branch of the Accuſation galleth deeper, which this Accuſer ioyneth by the vvaye of Addition in theſe wordes: Quod que est anditu incredibilius, in ſummo vrbis Londinenſis temple, et neſcio an alibi, ad complementum divini officij quod olim terminabatur Antiphona ad Divā Ʋirginē hodic nōnunquā dicūtur decantarilandes Reginae Elizabethae. Which may be engliſhed in this ſenſe: Beſides this before ſpecified; In the chiefeſt temple in all London for the accompliſhment of the ſacred office of the church that day (a thing incredible wel moſt to be herd) That Antiphone or Himne that was accuſtomably in the end of the ſervice ſonge by the Quierin the honor of the bleſſed Virgin, is now converted (as it is reported by common fame) to the laude and honor of Queene Elizabeth, thereby to ſounde her praiſes.
To this I anſwere by negation, denying vtterly that any ſuch forme of Antiphone is vſed in Pawles Church at London, or in any other Cathedral church or chappell of this Realme: Yet will I not deny but that there is an Antiphone ſonge in Paules a little before the concluſion of ſervice both at morne and even the 17. of November, but this Antiphone is meere Euchariſtical, indited only to this purpoſe to giuegive God thankes for the happy regimente of Queene Elizabeth, noe waies tending to her commendations, further then to glorifie God for her happy and peaceable regiment, vvhichwhich GGD hath lent vsus his 41. yeares, which God graunt ſhe may long continew & proſper in. Moreover obſerue this (Gentle Reader) that this Antiphone is ſonge in the church the 17. of November onelyonly, and at no other time: wherein it is evident that the author and contriver of this accuſation hath either wilfully and maliciouſly chardged the church of England with an vntruth. (for no other Antiphone is vſed in any publike place in Englād, as al this Realme knoweth, to whoſe cenſure I appeale herein) or elſe that this accuſation moſt eſpecially concerneth the Antiphone vſed in the church now yearely the 17. of November: vvhereby I infer that thoſe Accuſations that he hath made in this Syllogiſme are meere impertinent, or confounded with thoſe things which concerne the day of her highneſſe Coronation. Which if it be true, I muſt thinke that the accuſers memory was no better then Calvitius Sabinus memory,Seneca. whoe as Seneca repo…teth forgotte in the ende of a ſentence vvhat words he vſed in the beginning of the ſame.
But this action of the Accuſer may be ſomewhat qualified, if we conſider the word dicuntur. Which word importeth ſo much, that his reference is, by the voice of others. To ſpeake merely vntounto him, I ſay thus much; Plinyes fertur is thought commonly a lie, and ſo reputed among learned ſchollers: but leaſt any Spaniſh or Italian f…iend of Saunders ſhould offer me the ſtabb, for giuing Saunders the lye in this Argument; I anſwere, that Saunders dicitur is of one nature with Plinies fertur, relinquiſhing the conſideration hereof to the conſideration of the learned Reader, deſiring all not to be offended though I ſhroud my ſelfe with that veile herein,Tully Orator. Exo. 22 28. foreign. Quia princeps populi capu eſt, cuius tu pars wherwith the painter throwded the face of Agamemnon.
Laſtly I anſwere this to Saunders out of Exod. 22.23. Saunders, thou ſhalt not raile vponupon the Iudges, nor speake evill of the Ruler of the people: Saunders thou ſhalt not receiue a falſe tale, neither ſhalt thou put thy handes to the wicked to be a falſe witneſſe.
Hauing ſufficiently anſwered the premiſes, I conclude in this manner.
All Eccleſiaſticall ſervice wherein God is honoured, & wherein the B. Ʋirgine the Mother of God is not diſhonoured is lavvfull, holy, tollerable, and noe-vviſe impious.
But the church-ſervice now yearely vſed in England the 17. of November is of this quality.
Ergo it is lawfull, holy tollerable, and no-vviſe impious.
The Eccleſiaſticall ſervice vſed yearly in the church of England the 17. of November is lawfull, holy, tollerable, and no wiſe impious.
I ſhould heere vntounto hauehave adioyned the ditty or Antiphone vſually and yerely now ſonge in Paules the 17. of November: but partly for brevity ſake I omitt it, partly I let it paſſe, purpoſing then to inſerte it by Gods grace, if any man ſhal reply againſt the truth of my anſwere.
The third obiection Accuſatory.
That church ſervice which worketh among Chriſtian people any neglect, contempt, or forgetfulnes of any one ſaint canonized by the church, according to that order which the Romane conſiſtory hath preſcribed, is not allowable.
But the ſolemnization of Q. Elizabeths holy day worketh among Chriſtiā people neglect &c. of a ſaint canonized, namely of Saint Hugh ſometimes B…ſhoppe of Lincolne.
Ergo the ſolemnization of Q. Elizabeths holy day is not allowable.
In theſe premiſes the Maior is firſt to be examined: ſecondly I acknowledge my ſelfe boūd to anſwere vntounto the Minor. But firſt I beſeech thee (good Reader) to giuegive me leaue in briefe tearmes to deliver vntounto thee ſummarily, to anatomiſe & recapitulate the hiſtory of the life of S. Hugh ſometimes Biſhop of Lincolne. Caeſ in Martyro. 17 Novem. Ioh. Molan. 17 Novem. Pet. Sutor de vita Car Lib. 2 ca. 5. Surius car. Tomo 6. de probatis Sanctorum Hiſtorijs 17 November De humanae hiſtoriae author. Lib. 11.For the deſcription wil effectually ſerue to diſcover the weaknes of each braunch of the Minor. Cardinall Baronius 17. November affirmeth that Silveſter Gyraldus and Adamus Carthuſ. hauehave written an hiſtory of S. Hughes life, and hauehave digeſted this hiſtory into fiue bookes. This fragment Baronius borrowed out of Iſm…laus notes vponupon the ſame day &c. Beſides theſe, one Petri…. Sutor de vita Carthuſ. lib. 2. cap. 5. and an Archdeacō of Lincolne hath at large diſcourſed of many holy actes, wonders, or miracles wrought by S. Hugh in a volume cō poſed of this argument. Laſtly Laurentius Surius hath collected his life at lardge by collectiō of an author anonymall in the Tome of his great Martyrologe or Legēd, to which we may ſafely yeeld as good a teſtimony, if we liſt, as Melchior Cane Biſhop of Canary aſcribed to Legendae aureae. In illo miraculorum monſtra ſapius quam vera miracula legas: hanc Legēdam homo ſcripſit ferrei oris, Melch. Cā. Lib 11 locoricom. Cap. 6. Pag. 337.plumbei cordis, animi certèparum ſeveri et prudentis. In that booke you may reade oftene… of monſtrous then of true miracles. The man that wrote the legend had a braſen face, a leaden dull heart or vnderſtanding, & an vnſober & vndiſcreet minde.
But leſt I ſtay longer in this circumſtance, I will endevour by Gods grace to reduce the eſpeciall points of the hiſtory of his life to theſe pointes and heads.
His Birth and Infancy.
He was borne in the yeare. 1141.S. Hugh was borne in Burgundy in that part of the coū trey which confireth vponupon the Alpes. By lineall iſſue hee deſcēded of a worſhipful parentage, his Father was a man ſerviceable & trained vp in warres, his Mother deceaſed, Hugh being but a child about 8. yeares old, whervpon his father immediatly tooke order for the educatiō & ſchooling of his ſonne in a religious houſe of Canons Regulars, not farre diſtante from that caſtell where his chardge ſay, by this action devoting his ſonne to Gods ſervice according to orders of Monaſticall life, his ſchool-maiſters that trained him delte with him ſeverely and rigorouſly, and in that age licenſed him not to vſe childrens play games. Herevpon the childe profited more then a man vvoulde deeme or deſire in the ſpirit of wiſedome,Some of theſe words be takē out of 1 Sam. 2 26. and ſome out of Luke 2. verſ. 50. & are very impertinētly applied to S. Hugh Note legale verbum levite. and vnderſtanding, miniſtring as a ſecond Samuell in the Lords Tabernacle, accepted to God and beloued of men.
His Youth.
At 19. yeares olde he tooke the inſtitution or degree of a Levite in the church; which function he diſcharged ſo faithfully, that immediatly a paſtorall chardge was impoſed vponupon him, wherein he behaued himſelfe ſo laboriouſly & religiouſly, that common ſame prophecied of him that he would proue of rare wiſedome and holineſſe.