The Marrow of Ecclesiastical History, Bede – Nicephorus
BEDE
The Life of Bede, who dyed Anno Christi. 735.
VEnerable Bede, His birth and education.an English Saxon, was born Anno Christi 671. near to the Monastery of S. Peter and S. Paul in Wyrimunda. His Parents dying when he was but seven years old, he was bred up in that Monasterie, under two Abbots, Bennet and Ceolfride, men famous in those times for Religion and Learning; under whom he was trained up, and from his childhood accustomed to Virtue and Piety. He proved very learned in Philosophie, Astronomie, Musick, and Poetrie; In Greek, Rhetorick, Arithmetick, and Historie: but especially he was very studious of the Holy Scriptures: Three things were familiar to him in his whole life; To Pray, Write, and Preach. He was made Deacon at nineteen years old,He is made Deacon. and a Presbyter at thirty: after which time he wholly devoted himself to the meditation of the Holy Scriptures.And Presbyter. He was so famous for Learning and Piety, that he was sent for to Rome by Pope Sergius, to help to settle the Churches peace:His humility. He was very modest, never hunting after preferments, so devout in reading the Scriptures, that he would often shed tears,Scriptures read with devotion. and after he ended reading, conclude with Prayers.
He hated idleness, and would oft say, That there was so much work to do for a Divine in so little time, that he ought not to lose any of it. And for pleasures we must deal with them (said he) as we do with honey, Pleasures to be avoided.onelyonly touch it with the tip of the finger, not with the whole hand, for fear of surfeit. He finished his works Anno Christi 731.His death. and dyed about 735. and of his Age 70.
He used to say, His sayings.He is a sluggard that would reign with God, and not labor for God: in the promised rewad he takes delight: but the commanded … do affright him.Anger. And, Anger doth languish by …, but flames higher by expressing.
He wrote on all the Liberal Arts sundry excellent Treatises. Though he lived in the uttermost corner of the World, yet neglected he not the body of the Greek and Hebrew Tongues: He had many excellent scholars, whom by his counsel and example he drew to an inestimable love of the holy Scriptures, endeavouring to make them as famous for their Religion and Piety as they were for their Learning.His virtue. He was of a very bountiful Disposition, Venerable for his knowledge and Integrity of Life; Full of Charity, Devotion, and Chastity.
He was of a comly Stature,His character. grave Pace, clear Voice, Eloquent Tongue, amiable Countenance, which seemed to be composed of gravity and mildness. He was very affable to such as were good: A terror to such as were proud and wicked: yet milde and humble to his Fraternity. What he learned out of Gods Word by study and meditation, he communicated it to others without envy: He had Scholars that flockt to him but of all parts of England, desiring to be trained up in Learning and Manners under such a Master: For his Conversation was a rule of Religion and honesty to all about him.
Anno Christi 731.His works. and of his Age 59. he finished the Catalogue of his Writings which are many, and that upon most Books in the Old and New Testament, besides Epistles, Histories of the Saints, the History of his own Abbey, the Ecclesiastical History of his own Nation in five Books, a Martyrologie, a Book of Hymns, and many others, which are all printed at Collen, Anno Christi 1612.
In his sickness he comforted himself with that of the Apostle, Heb. 12. 6. Whom the Lord loveth he chastneth, and scourgeth every for whom he receiveth. When his Scholars were weeping about him, he said in the words of S. Ambrose, Non sic vixi ut pudeat me inter vos vivere, sed nec mori timeo, quiah onum Dominum habemus. The time is come if my Creator pleaseth, that being freed from the flesh, I shall go to him, who made me when I was not, out of nothing: I have lived long, and the time of my dissolution is approaching: And my soul desireth to see my Saviour Christ in his glory. After his death one of his scholars was very desirous to have made an Epitaph: Haec sunt in fossa Bede sancti, or Presbyteri, Ossa. yet he could not make up the verse with those words: But in the morning this was found on his Tomb: Hâc sunt in fossa Bedae venerabilis ossa.
Here lies intombed in these stones
Of Venerable Bead the Bones.
The Life of John Damascen, who flourished Anno Christi 730.
IOhn Damascen was born in Damascus, His birth and education.of Religious Parents, who carefully brought him up in Learning, wherein he profited exceedingly, so that he attained to the knowledg of all the Liberal Sciences; After which going to Jerusalem, he studied the Scripture and Divinity, where he was made a Presbyter, Preached diligently, and much propagated the Faith by his Sermons and Writings:His death. A great opposer of Hereticks he was: He flourished under Leo▪ and dyed in peace.
He was a very Eloquent man, and second to none of that Age in Learning: He wrote three Books of Parallels of the Sacred Scriptures,His works. four Books of the Orthodox Faith, besides many other Works which are printed at Paris, Anno Christi 1619.
The Life of Theophylact, who flourished Anno Christi 880.
THeophylact born in Constantinople, His birth and imployments.and afterwards Archbishop of the same, was much imployed in visiting and reforming the Churches in Bulgarie, and when he had proved himself a painful laborer in the dangerous persecutions there,His death. he yielded up his spirit to his Maker.
He used to say, His sayings.Be not troubled if this man lives in tranquillity, and thou in tribulation,Submission to Gods will. God will have it so: he puts thee into the combat,His Contentation. thou must therefore sweat hard before thou com'st off with the victory: whereas he that comes forward in the World, goes back in Grace: his estate is miserable that goes laughing to destruction, as a Fool to the stocks for correction.
He wrote in Greek Commentaries upon the four Evangelists which are translated into Latine by Charles Morell, His works.and printed at Paris Anno Christi 1631.
The Life of Anselm, who flourished Anno Christi 1080.
ANselm, His birth and education.Archbishop of Canterbury, was born at Aosta, or Augusta Praetoriana, at the foot of the Alps in Italy, and therefore as an Italian, he always favoured the cause of the Romane Bishop. He was carefully brought up in Learning by his Mother Ermerburga, till he was fourteen years old; when she dying,Given to pleasures. he gave himself awhile to vain pleasures, and his Father being severe to him, he resolved to travel, in which he met with wants,His travels and want. spent three years in Burgundie and France, and then became Scholar to Lanfrancus Abbot of Beck, where being held hard to his study,Enters into a Monastery. he entred into a Monasterie, and by his strict carriage there, his fame spread abroad, and the old Abbot dying,Is made Archbishop of Canterbury. he succeeded him, and after the death of Lanfrank, he was chosen Archbishop of Canterbury: He received such honours and uncouragements from Pope Vrbane, as never Bishop received greater from a Pope. For at the Council of Barum in Apulia, the Pope placed him at his right foot above al others, which was ever since the place of the Archbishops of Canterbury in all General Councils Much contention was between William Rufus King of England, and him,His contention with our Kings. which caused him to leave the Kingdom till Henry the First his time, when he was reinvested again, but lived not long after his return into England before he dyed,His death. which was Anno Christi 1109. and in the 9. year of the Reign of King Henry the First, and of his Age 76. He was indeed the Popes Factor in England for denyal of Investures to the King, and Marriages to the Ministers: but otherwise he was found in the main points of our Religion; and taught many things contrary to the corrupt Tenents of the Church of Rome.
He used to say, His sayings.That if he should see the shame of sin on the one hand,Sin hateful. and the pains of Hell on the other, and must of necessitie chuse one, he would rather be thrust into Hell withoute sin, then go into Heaven with sin.Mans fall. And again, O durus casus▪ &c. Oh hard-hap! Alas, what did man lost? what did he finde? He lost the blessedness to which he was made; and found death to which he was not made.
The Life of Nicephorus, who flourished Anno Christi 1110.
NIcephorus, His learning.a man of profound Judgment and Learning, both in Humanity and Divinity, flourished under Andrenicus senior the Emperour, Anno Christi 1110. He was a great light, when the World was in great darkness, and both by his Life and Doctrine illuminated many.His works. He wrote his Ecclesiastical History in eighteen Books in Greek, and Dedicated them to the Emperour Andronicus, and not long after exchanged this Life for Eternal glory.His death.
He said,His sayings. God beholds, and moderates our actions, using the scourge of affliction for our castigation, Afflictions.and conversion: and after due correction, shews his Fatherly affection to those that trust in h…m for Salvation. And, Christ asked Peter three times if he loved him: not for his own information, but that by his threefold profession, he might help and heal his threefold negation of him.