The Religion Anciently Professed by the Irish and British, Chapter 7
CHAP. VII.
Of the Church, and various state thereof, especially in the dayes of Antichrist: of Miracles also, and of the Head of the Church.
COncerning the Catholike Church, our Doctors taught with S. Gregory; that God aHaber vineam, universam scilicèt Eccl…siam; quae ab Abel iusto usque adul…mum e…ectum qui in …ne mundi na…riturus est, quot sanctos prouilit, quasi tot palmites mis…t. Claud. lib. … in Matth.hath a vineyard, to wit, the universall Church, which from just Abel untill the last of the elect that shall be borne in the end of the world, as many Saints as it hath brought forth, so many branches (as it were) hath it budded. that bCongregatio quippe iustorum, regum …lorum dicitur; quod est Ecclesia in…rum Id. lib. 3. in Matth.the congregation of the just is called the kingdome of heaven; which is the Church of the just. that cEcclesiae filii sunt omnes ab institutione generis humani usque nu…c, quotquet iusti & sancti esse pomerunt. Id. lib. 2. in Matth.the sonnes of the Church bee all such as from the beginning of mankinde untill now, have attained to be just and holy. that dHis & caeteris instruimur, tam Apostol…s omnesque credentes, quàm ipsam quoque Ecclesiam, coluamnam in Scripturis appellari; & nihil interesse de corpore quid dicatur in membris, cùm & corpu… dividatur in membra, & membra fint corpori…. Id. in Gal. 2. … Hitro…ymo.what is said of the body, may bee said also of the members; and that in this respect, as well the Apostles and all beleevers, as the Church it selfe, have the title of a pillar given them in the Scriptures. that eEcclesias vocat, quas post…à errore arguit depravatas. Ex quo noscendum, dupliciter Ecclesiam posse dici: & cam, quae non habeat maculam aut rugam, & verè corpus Christi sit; & eam quae in Christi nomine absque plenis perfectisque virtutibus congregetur. Id. in Galat. 1. ex eodem.the Church may be considered two manner of wayes: both that which neyther hath spot nor wrinkle and is truely the body of Christ, and that which is gathered in the name of Christ without full and perfect vertues; which notwithstanding by the warrant of the Apostle, may have the name of the Church given unto it, although it be depraved with errour. that fEcclesiam non habituram maculam ne que rugam dicitur, respectu futurae vitae. Sc…ul in Ephes. 1.the Church is said not to have spot or wrinkle, in respect of the life to come. that when the Apostle saith; In a great house there are not only vessels of gold, &c. but some to honour and some to dishonour: (2 Tim. 2. 20.) by this gMagnam domum non Ecclesiam dicit (ut quidam putant) quae non habet maculam neque rugam: sed mundum, in quo z…zauia sunt mixta tritico. Id. in. 2. Tim. 2.great house he doth not understand the Church (as some have thought) which hath not spot nor wrinkle: but the world, in which the tares are mingled with the wheate. that yet in hSancta Ecclesia decem Virginibus similis denuntiatur: in quâ quia mali cum bonis & reprobi cum electis admixtisunt, rectè similis virginibus prudentibus & fatuis esse perhibetur. Claud. lib. 3▪ in Matth.the holy Church also, the evill are mingled with the good, and the reprobate with the elect: and that in this respect it is resembled unto the wise and foolish virgins; as also to iPerhas regis nuptias praesens Ecclesia designatur; in quâ cum bonis & mali conveniunt. Id. lib. eod.the Kings marriage, by which this present Church is designed, wherein the good and the bad doe meet together. So that kIn h…c ergo Ecclesiâ, nec mali esse sine bo…is, nec boni esse sine malis possunt: quos tamen sancta Ecclesia & nunc indiscretè suscipit, & postmodum in egressione discernit. Id. ibid.in this Church, neyther the bad can bee without the good, nor the good without the bad: whom the holy Church notwithstanding doth both now receive indifferently, and separate afterwards at their going from hence.
The number of the good, Gildas complaineth to have beene lExceptis paucia, & valdè, paucis, qui (ob amissioné. tan…ae multitudinis, quae quotidiè p…ona ruit ad tartara) tam brevis numeri habentur; ut …os quodammodò venerabilis mater Ecclesia in suo sinu recumber…es non videat, quos solos veros filios habet. Gild. epist.so exceeding short in his time among the Britons, in comparison of the other; that their mother the Church in a manner did not see them lying in her own lap, albeit they were the onelyonly true sonnes which she had. And for externall pressures, our Doctors have delivered, that mNonnunquam Ecclesia …ntis gentilium pressuris, non solùm aftlicta, sed & faedata est; ut, si fieri possit, redemptor ipsius cam prorsus de…eruisse ad tempus videretur. Claud. lib. 2. in Matth.the Church sometimes is not only afflicted, but also defiled with such oppressions of the Gentiles; that if it were possible, her redeemer might seeme for a time utterly to have forsaken her: and that, in the raging times of Antichrist,nEcclesia non apparebit, impiis tunc persecutoribus ultra modum saevientibus. Id. lib. 3. in Matth. the Church shall not appeare; by reason that the wicked persecutors shall then exercise their cruelty beyond all measure. that in those oTemporibus Antichristi non solum tormenta crebtiora & acerbiora, quàm priùs consueverant, ingerenda sunt fidelibus; sed (quod gravius est) signorum quo que operatio eos qui tormenta ingerunt, comitabitur: tests Apostolo, qui ait; Cujus est adventus secundùm operationem Satanae, in omni seductiorie, signis, & prodiglis mendacii. Id. lib. c…d.times of Antichrist, not onelyonly more often and more bitter torments shall be put upon the faithfull, than before were wont to be; but (which is more grievous) the working of miracles also shall accompany those that inflict the torments: as the Apostle witnesseth, saying; Whose comming is after the working of Satan, with all seduction, signes, and lying wonders. namely, pPraestiglosis: sicut antè praedictum est; Dabunt signa, ita ut seducantur, si fieri potest, etiam electi. per phantasticam virtutem: ficut Iamnes & Mambres coram Pharaone …ecerunt. Sedul. in … Thes. 2.juggling ones: as it was foretold before; They shall shew such signes that, if it were possible, the very elect should bee deceived, by such a phantasticall power, as Iamnes and Mambres wrought withall before Pharao.qQuis ergo ad fidem convertitur incredulus? cujus jam credentis non pavet & concutitur fides? quando persecut…r pietatis fit etiam operator virtutis: idem que ipse qui tormentis … ut Christus negetur, provocat miraculis ut Antichristo …. Claud. lib. 3. in Matth. What unbeleever therefore (say they) will then bee converted unto the faith? and who is hee that already beleeveth, whose faith trembleth not and is not shaken? when the persecuter of piety is the worker of wonders: and the same man that exerciseth crueltie with torments, that Christ may be denyed; provoketh by miracles, that Antichrist may bee beleeved? And rQuàm ergo mundo & simplici oculo opus est, ut inveniatur via sapientiae, cui tantae malorum & perversorum hominum deceptiones erroresque obstrepunt? quas omnes necesse est evadere, hoc est, venire ad certissimam pacem, & immobilem stabilitatem sapientiae. Id. lib. 1. in Matth.what a pure and a single eye is there need of, that the way of wisedome may be found; against which so great deceivings and errours of evill and perverse men, doe make such a noyse? all which notwithstanding men must passe through; and so come to most certaine peace, and the unmoveable stabilitie of wisedome.
Hence concerning Miracles, they give us these instructions. First, that sNec si se Angelus nobis ostendat, ad seducendos nos subornatus fallaciis patris sui Diaboli, praevalere debebit adversum nos: ne que si virtus ab aliquo facta siet, sicut dicitur à Simone Mago in aäre volâsse. Sedul. in Rom. 8.neyther if an Angel should shew himselfe unto us to seduce us, being suborned with the deceits of his father the divell, ought he to prevaile against us; neither if a miracle should be done by any one, as it is said of Simon Magus that he did flye in the ayre:tNeque signa vos terreant, tanquam per Spiritum facta: quia hoc & Salvator praemonuit. Id. in 2 Thess. 2. neyther that signes should terrifie us, as done by the Spirit; because that our Saviour also hath given us warning of this before-hand. (Matth. 24. 24, 25.) Secondly, that uHic ostenditur, crescente fide signa cessare: quando fidelium causâ danda esse praedicantur. Id. in 1 Corinth. 14.the faith having increased, miracles were to cease; forasmuch as they are declared to have beene given for their sakes that beleeve not. and therefore that xVnde nunc cùm fidelium numerositas excrevit, intra sanctam Ecclesiam multi sunt qui vitam virtutum tenent, & signa virtutum non habent: quia frustrà miraculum foris ostenditur, si deest quod intùs operetur. Nam iuxta Magistri Gentium vocem: Linguae in signum sunt, non fidelibus sed in fidelibus. Claud. lib. 1 in Matth.now when the number of the faithfull is growne, there bee many within the holy Church that retaine the life of vertues, and yet have not those signes of vertues: because a miracle is to no purpose shewed outwardly, if that bee wanting which it should worke inwardly. For according to the saying of the Master of the Gentiles; Languages are for a signe, not to the faithfull but to infidels. (1 Cor. 14. 22.) Thirdly, that the working of miracles is no good argument to prove the holinesse of them that bee the instruments thereof: and therefore yQualia propter infideles cùm fecerit Dominus, monuit tamen ne talibus decipiamur, arbitran…es ibi esse invisibilem sapientiam, ubi miraculum visibile viderimus. Adiungit ergo & dicit, Multi dicent mihi in illâ die, Domine, Domine: … in nomine tuo prophetavimus, & in tuo nomine daemonia eiecimus, & in tuo nomine virtutes multas fecimus? Id. lib. eod.when the Lord doth such things for the convincing of infidels, he yet giveth us warning that we should not bee deceived thereby, supposing invisible wisedome to bee there, where we shall behold a visible miracle. For hee saith: Many shall say unto me in that day, Lord, Lord; have wee not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name cast out Divels, and in thy name done many miracles? (Matth. 7. 22) Fourthly, that zIlle Deum tentat, qui iactantiae suae vitio, superfluam & inutilem vult ostentare virtutem. Quid e…im utilitatis habet, quid commodi confert, si praeceps hin… in plana descendero? &c. Id. lib. eod.he tempteth God, who for his own vaine glory will make shew of a superfluous and unprofitable miracle. such as that (for example) was, whereunto the Divel tempted our Saviour, Matth. 4. 6. to come downe headlong from the pinnacle of the Temple unto the plaine, aInane est enim omne miraculum, quod utilitatem saluti non operatur humanae. Ibid.every miracle being vaine, which worketh not some profit unto mans salvation. Whereby wee may easily discerne, what to judge of that infinite number of idle miracles, wherewith the lives of our Saints are every where stuffed: many whereof wee may justly censure (as bAmphiloch▪ in l … ambis ad Sel…um.Amphilochius doth the tales that the Poets tell of their Gods) for
foreign,
Fables, of laughter worthy, and of teares;
Yea some of them also we may rightly brand, as
foreign
Vnseemely fables, and Divels documents.
For what (for example) can be more unseemely, and tend further to the advancement of the doctrine of divels, than that which Cogitosus relateth in the life of S. Brigid? that she, for saving the credit of a Nunne that had beene gotten with childe, cCogitos. Vit. Brigid. in exemplaribus MSo. antiquiss. Bibliothec Cottonianae, & Ecclesiae Sarisburiensis.blessed her faithfully forsooth (for so the author speaketh) and so caused her conception to vanish away, without any delivery and without any paine. which for the saving of St. Brigids owne credit, eyther dTom. 5. Antiqu. lection. in lacunâ, sub … nem, pag. 629.Hen. Canisius or the friars of Aichstad (from whom he had his copie of Cogitosus) thought fit to scrape out, and rather to leave a blanke in the booke, than to suffer so lewd a tale to stand in it. But I will not stirre this puddle any further: but proceed on, unto some better matter.
And now are wee come at last to the great Point, that toucheth the Head and the foundation of the Church. Concerning which Sedulius observeth, that the title of eFundamenta.] Christum, & Apostolos, & Prophetas. Sedul. in Hebr. 11.foundation is attributed both to Christ, and to the Apostles and Prophets. that where it is said, Esay 28. 16. Behold, I lay in Sion a stone, &c. fCompertum est in petrâ vel lapide Christum esse significatum. Id. in Rom. 9.it is certaine, that by the rocke or stone Christ is signified. that, in Ephes. 2. 20.gApostoli fundamentum sunt, vel Christus fundamentum est Apostolorum. Christus est fundamentum, qui etiam lapis dicitur angularis, duos conjungens & continens parietes. Ideò hic fundamentum & summus est lapis; quia in ipso & fundatur, & consummatur Ecclesia. Id. in Ephes. 2. the Apostles are the foundation, or Christ rather the foundation of the Apostles. For Christ (saith hee) is the foundation, who is also called the corner stone, joyning and holding together the two wals. Therefore is hee the foundation and chiefe stone; because in him the Church is both founded and finished. and we are to account the Apostles hVt ministros Christi: non ut fundamentum. Id. in 1 Cor. 4.as Ministers of Christ, and not as the foundation. The famous place, Matthew 16. 18. (whereupon our Romanists lay the maine foundation of the Papacie) Claudius expoundeth in this sort. iSuper hanc petram aedificabo ecclesiam meam, id est, super Dominū salvatorem, qui fideli suo cognitori, amatori, confessori, participium sui nominis donavit, ut scilicet à petrâ Petrus vocaretur. Aedificatur Ecclesia: quia non nisi per fidem & dilectionem Christi, per susceptionem sacramentorum Christi, per observantiam mandatorum Christi, ad sortem. electorum & aeternam pertingitur vitam, Apostolo attestante qui ai…; Fundamentum enim aliud nemo potest ponere praeter id quod positum est, qui est Christus Iesus. Claud. lib. 2. in Matth.VponUpon this rocke will I build my Church, that is to say, upon the Lord and Saviour, who granted unto his faithfull knower, lover, and confessor the participation of his owne name; that from petra (the rocke) hee should be called Peter. The Church is builded upon him: because onelyonly by the faith and love of Christ, by the receiving of the Sacraments of Christ, by the observation of the commandements of Christ, wee come to the inheritance of the elect and eternall life, as witnesseth the Apostle, who saith, Other foundation can no man lay beside that which is laid, which is Christ Iesus.
Yet doth the same Claudius acknowledge, that kPettum solum nominat, & sibi comparat: quia primatum ipse accepit ad fundandam Ecclesiam: se quoque pari modo electum, ut primatum habeat in fundandis Gentium Ecclesiis. Id. in Galat. 2.St. Peter received a kinde of primacy for the founding of the Church (in respect whereof hee termeth him lId. in Galat. 5.Ecclesiae principem, and mId. in Galat. 2.Apostolorum principem, the prince of the Church, and the prince or chiefe of the Apostles) but hee addeth with all, that Saint Paul also was chosen in the same manner, to have the primacy in founding the Churches of the Gentiles. and that hee nAb his itaque probatum dicit donum quod accepit à Deo, ut dignus essect habere primatum in praedicatione Gentium, sicut & habebat Petrus in praedicatione Circumcisionis. Id. in Gal. 2.received this gift from God, that hee should bee worthy to have the primacie in preaching to the Gentiles, as Peter had it in the preaching of the Circumcision. and therefore that oGratiam sibi soli primus vendicat concessam à Deo, sicut & soli Petro concessa est inter Apostolos. Id. ibid.St. Paul challengeth this grace as granted by God to him alone, as it was granted to Peter alone among the Apostles. and that hee esteemed himselfe pNon illi sum inferior; quia ab uno sumus ambo in unum ministerium ordinati. Id. ibid.not to be inferiour unto St. Peter, because both of them were by one ordained unto one and the same ministery. and that writing to the Galatians,qApostolum se Christi titulo praenotavit, ut ex ipsâ lecturos nominis auctoritate terreret; judicans omnes, qui in Christo crederent, debere sibi esse subjectos. Id. in Gal. 1. he did in the title name himselfe an Apostle of Christ, to the end that by the very authority of that name hee might terrifie his readers; judging, that all such as did beleeve in Christ, ought to be subject unto him.
It is furthermore also observed by Claudius, that rNam sicut interrogatis generaliter omnibus, Petrus respondit unus pro omnibus: ita quod Petro Dominus respondit, in Petro omnibus respondit. Id. lib. 2. in Matth.as when our Saviour propounded the question generally unto all the Apostles, Peter did answer as one for all; so what our Lord answered unto Peter, in Peter he did answer unto all. and therefore sQuae solvendi ac ligandi potestas, quamvis soli Petro data videatur à Domino; absque ullâ tamen dubietate noscendum est, quia & caeteris Apostolis datur: ipso teste, qui post passionis resurrectionisque suae triumphum apparens eis insufflavit, & dixit omnibus: Accipite Spiritum sanctum, quorum remiscritis peccata, remittuntur eis, & quorum retinueritis, rerenta sunt. Id. lib. eod.howsoever the power of loosing and binding might seeme to be given by the Lord unto Peter alone, yet without all manner of doubt it is to be knowne, that it was given unto the rest of the Apostles also: as himselfe doth witnesse, who appearing unto them after the triumph of his passion and resurrection, breathed on them, and said unto them all; Receive the holy Ghost, whose sinnes ye remit, they are remitted unto them, and whose sins ye retaine they are retained. Gildas the Briton goeth further, affirming that tVero sacerdoti dicitur: Tu es Petrus, & super hanc petram aedificabo ecclesiam meam. Gild. epist.to the true Priest it is said; Thou art Peter, and upon this rocke I will build my Church. that uPetro ejus que successoribus dicit Dominus: Et tibi dabo claves regni coelorum. Ibid.to Peter and his successors our Lord saith; And unto thee will I give the Keyes of the Kingdome of heaven. and consequently, that xItemque omni sancto sacerdoti promittitur: Et quaecunque solveris super terram, erunt soluta & in coelo; & quaecun que ligaveris super terram, erunt ligata & in coelo. Ibid.unto every holy Priest it is promised: Whatsoever thou shalt binde on earth, shalbe bound likewise in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, shalbe loosed likewise in heaven. Whereupon hee pronounceth of the good Priests of Brittaine; that they yApostolicam sedem legitimè obtinent. Ibid.doe lawfully obtaine the Apostolicall state, and zSi hunc vos Apostoli retinetis in omnibus affectum; ejus quoque cathedrae legitimè insidere noscatis. Ibid.lawfully sit in the chaire of St. Paul: and on the other side of the bad, that aSedem Petri Apostoli immundis pedibus usurpantes; sed merito cupiditatis in Iudae traditoris pestilentem cathedram decidentes. Ibid.with uncleane feete they usurpe the seate of the Apostle Peter, but by the demerit of their covetousnesse fall into the pestilent chaire of the traytor Iudas; and so the ordainers of such, place bIudam quedam modo in Petri cathedrâ Domini traditorem statuunt. Ibid.after a sort Iudas the betrayer of our Lord, in the seate of Peter.
Lastly, as Claudius noteth, thatcSuper ipsos Ecclesiae fit positum fundamentum. Claud. in Gal. 2. the foundation of the Church was laid not onelyonly upon St. Peter, but also upon St. Iohn: so in a certaine Hymne supposed to be written by Secundinus (knowne in this country commonly by the name of St. Scachlin) in the yeere of our Lord CCCCXLVIII. St Patrick also is thus commended. dConstans in Dei timore, & fide immobilis, super quem aedificatur ut Petrum Ecclesia: cujusque Apostolatum à Deo sortitus est, & inferni porta adversus eum non praevalebunt. Hymn in laud. S. Patricij.He is constant in the feare of God, and unmovable in the faith, upon whom the Church is builded as upon Peter; whose Apostleship also he hath obtained from God, and the gates of Hell shall not prevaile against him. yeaeChristus illum sibi elegit in terris Vicarium. Ibid. Christ is there said to have chosen him for his Vicar upon earth. His See likewise of Armagh, is by one Calvus Perennis in the dayes of Brian king of Ireland (who was slaine, as appeareth byfBrianus rex Hiberniae, Parasceve Paschae, sextâ feriâ, IX. Calend. Maii, manibus & mente ad Deum intentus necatur. Marian. Scot. See Caradoc of Lhancarran, in the Chronicle of Wales, pag. 80. Marianus in the yeere 1014.) termedgSanctus Patricius iens ad coelum, mandavit totum fructum laboris sui (tam baptismi, tam causarum quàm eleemosynarum) deserendum esse Apostolicae Vrbi, quae Scoticè nominatur Arddmacha. Sic repperi in Bibliothecis Scotorum. Ego scripsi, id est, Calvus Perennis, in conspectu Briani Imperatoris Scotorum. Ex. Vet. Cod. Ecclesiae Armachanae. the Citie Apostolick. So Desiderius Bishop of Cahors in France, is by our countryman Gaellus saluted bothhDomino semper suo, & Apostolico Patri, Desiderio Papae, Gallus peccator. Papa and Apostolicus: and the Bishop of Kildare in Ireland, honoured by Cogitosus, with the stile ofiCogitos. in vit. Brigid. tom. 5. antiqu. lect. Henr. Canisii, pag. 625. lin ult. Summus Sacerdos, and kIbid. pag. 640. lin. 2.Summus Pontifex, the highest Priest and the highest Bishop. those titles and prerogatives, which the Pope now peculiarly challengeth unto himselfe, as ensignes of his Monarchy, being heretofore usually communicated unto other Bishops, when the universall Church was governed by way of Aristocratie.