The glory of their times. Or The liues of ye primitiue fathers Co[n]tayning their chiefest actions, workes, sentences, and deaths.

An. Christi, 355. The Life of St Hillarie Pictavius.

[illustration]

S. HILLARIE PICTAVIVS

SAint Hillarie Bishop of Poicters,* 1.1 was borne in the Countrey of Aquitaine, ninety miles distant from the British Ocean, nobly and generously descended, and his naturall gifts so improved by education, that hee became a worthy Champion in de∣fence of Christian Religion.

For although Saint Paul say, that not many wise, many noble according to the flesh, yet when they that are noble by birth receive Christ and the faith of Christ, they prove singular instru∣ments of Gods glory, and the good of his Church; accordingly did this blessed Father shine to posteritie, by the manifold naturall en∣dowments,

and spirituall graces, wherewith he was beautified.

His Wife and Daughter hee endoctrinated with the rudiments of Christianitie,* 1.2 and him∣selfe lived a strictaustere life, shunning the con∣versation of Iewes and Hereticks. Herein hee shewed himself a true Christian, whose practice must be answerable to his profession; for other∣wise a man may be said to beare fire in one hand, and water in another: whatsoever a man pro∣fesseth, except he put what he professeth in pra∣ctice, there is a shadow without substance, a tree without fruit; whose leaves of profession will not keep it from being cut downe and cast into the fire. No such tree was Saint Hilary, but the Psalmists tree, which brought forth his fruit in due season.

O most perfect man, whose life was with love to feare, and with feare to love Christ.

Hee preached often to informe the people of the mysterie of the Trinitie, sowing the words of truth on the ground of their hearts.

In this he was a faithfull Minister of Christ: he did feed Christs sheep, aswell as cloath him∣selfe with the wooll: and how did he feed them? pavit verbo, pavit exemplo, by doctrine, and ex∣ample: his example availed to the teaching of the ignorant; his doctrine for information of the judgement, both of learned and unlearned.

This his pious zeale being knowne, hee was elected Priest, and his fame spread abroad through France, and forraine Countries. After∣wards

he resisted and opposed the Arrian Here∣sie; whereupon the Bishops Valens and Vrsatius; perswaded the Emperour to banish Saint Hilary into Phrygia, together with Dionysius Bishop of Millain, and Eusebius Bishop of Vercels.

And it is observable, That wheresoever God hath his Church, the Devill hath his Chappell; and where the Husbandman sowes wheat, there the enemy sowes tares. As the truth of God was propagated, so the tares grew up among the wheat: and not onely so, but the tares w••uld overgrow the wheat, and not suffer it to grow up with them.

During his banishment, hee understood that his Daughter Abra left at Poicters with her mother, was sought in Marriage by a wealthy proper young man; whereupon he wrote a Let∣ter to his Daughter that hee had provided her a Husband of great Nobilitie, and of such ad∣mirable beauty, that it exceeded the amiable colours of the Rose and Lilly; admonishing therefore not to match her selfe to any one un∣till he returned, and that till then she should ex∣pect the comming of this promised Bride∣groome. Whereupon his Daughter Abra, mildly embracing her Fathers counsaile, remay∣ned unmarried.

A notable example of an obedient childe in a matter of greatest consequence. Shee did not so much satisfie her fancie, as magnifie her un∣derstanding in receiving her Fathers advice. Which should other children doe, they might

please God better in obeying his Commande∣ment; and their Parents, who lege talionis, de∣serve more respect then their children can give them.

Many Bishops by the Emperours command, being assembled at Sel••ucia, to give their opini∣ons concerning the Arrian Heresie: Saint H••lary comming on a Sunday into a Chappell belong∣ing to a Castle; Florentia a Heathen Maid cry'd cut with a loud voice, That a servant of God was come thither; and falling downe at his feet, shee earnestly desired his benediction; and afterward leaving her parents, shee followed him even to Poicters; saying, That though hee were not the father of her generation, yet he was the Father of her regeneration.

Thus it is an easie thing with God of the stones to raise up Children unto Abraham; to mollifie stony hearts, and make them fructifie, and be∣yond all mans beliefe, by small or no meanes to bring great things to passe, no lesse then an Hea∣thens Conversion, at the sight and approach of a man of God. Such is the freenesse of Gods grace, which is agens liberrimum. The Winde bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but knowest no•• whence it com∣meth, nor whither it goeth; even so is every one that is borne of the Spirit.

Hee got much credit and approbation in the Arrian Synod; and by persecution of his ene∣mies, Valens and Vrsatius, was sent back againe into France; where Saint Martin met him;

seeking his acquaintance, and adoring him as an earthly Deity. Afterward Saint Hilary being come home, and finding his Daughter to whom he had written a former Epistle, constant in de∣siring to be married to the Bridegroome which her Father had provided; shee returned unto Christ the Bridegroome of her soule, whose bo∣dy her Father with his owne hands buried; O glorious Funerall better than life, being translated from Earth to Heaven, and that in the flowre of her age and spring of her youth: Thus despising naturall affection, hee shewed loves perfection, in seeking her eternall felicity and glorifica∣tion.

An History which sets forth to the life the reward of obedient Children: She that obeyed her earthly father, is rewarded by God her hea¦venly Father: And whereas she did expect for a recompence of her patience an earthly Bride∣groome, she was espoused to the Bridegroome of her soule, fairer than the sons of Men, richer than the greatest Potentates, whose are all the Beasts of the Mountaines, and the Cattell on a thousand Hills; sweeter than all sweetnesse, and better than all goodnesse.

Within few yeeres after, Saint Hilary depar∣ted this present life in the Reigne of the Empe∣rours Valens and Valentian, Earth deploring, Heaven rejoycing, and also our Saviour Jesus Christ admitting him into felicitie, to whose glory he had lived and died.

Thus a blessed Life was seconded by a blessed

Death; and he that had seene the various chan∣ges in the revolutions of times, did at last ex∣change 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 drosse for gold, misery for happinesse, and in peace was gathered to his Fathers.

But what eloquence can expresse his facun∣diousnesse, he being in discretion provident, in handling matters profound, in learning elo∣quent, for vertue admirable; in composition various, in resolution subtle and wise, as our Sa∣viour saith, as a Serpent, yet gracious as the sim∣ple Dove. He was the Salt of Wit, the Fountain of Eloquence, the Treasury of Knowledge, the Light of Learning; a Defender of the Church, and an Enemy to the opposers thereof; whose words read, seemed not words but thunder; He that would know the character of his minde, let him remember his constancie, reade his Vo∣lumes, and weigh his Sayings, some whereof are here inserted.

Whose excellency may appeare to any in∣different Reader, who shall weigh them in the ballance of mature judgement; and they deserve no lesse approbation or title, than some∣times did the sayings of Pythagoras among the ancients, which were intitled 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the golden words of Pythagoras; for ac∣cording to that of the Wise man, A word spo∣ken in due season is like unto Apples of Gold in pictures of silver. Such were these following, viz.

Of Custome.

Custome is a strong obligation, and therefore he is a better Christian, who not only by remis∣sion of sinne, but by ignorance in sinne is blame∣lesse and innocent.

Whence it was, that the Prophet denoun∣ceth a woe against such as draw iniquity toge∣ther with cords of vanity. Such are the cords of long continued custome, which habituate a man in an evill way, making him irrecoverably wicked. Can a Blackamoore change his skin, (saith the Prophet) or the Leopard his spots? no more can yee that are accustomed to evill learne to doe good. So that the truth of the ancient Proverbe is manifest, that Custome is a second Nature: for as slips of trees that are in∣grafted, and inoculated into another stocke partake of the nature of the stocke whereinto they are ingrafted: so whatsoever vice a man accustometh himselfe unto, to the same are his affections glued (as it were) and inseparably joyned, and the corruption thereof concentra∣••ed and made coessentiall unto it.

Of Gods Works.

God hath performed many things whose na∣turall causes being hid; yet their effects are knowne. And Faith is religious, though joyned with naturall ignorance.

A fit Register of Gods various wisedome, yea the treasure house thereof is the whole Uni∣verse, wherein all his workes are done in num∣ber, weight and measure; all which by their operations and impressions they make, are easi∣ly to be discerned, to bee nothing else but the foot-steps of his Majesty. Now as Moses could not see GODS face, but his hinder parts he saw, so can we not many times discerne Gods workes in themselves à priori, but à posteriori wee may; by necessary collections. Proportionably Faith (which is the gift of God) in it selfe is a glorious grace, but because of our ignorance, naturall and affected, wee doe not attaine to that height and depth of that di∣vine mystery; which they that shall doe, must be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, must have an Eagles eye, not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, having their understand∣ings darkned, being strangers from the covenant of grace.

Of hidden treasure.

By the similitude of hidden treasure, the ri∣ches of our hopes are shewed; because God was found in man, for obtayning of whom all is to be sold, that wading through all wants, we may attaine the riches of Heaven.

That man can want nothing, which hath him, which is All in all. And as sometime the Philosopher said, Omnia mea mecum porto, Whatsoever is mine, I beare about mee, so may

a Christian rich in grace say, Deus meus, & om∣nia, since I enjoy God, I enjoy all; without whom enjoying all, I enjoy nothing; other things utor, non fruor, I enjoy for their use, but have no true contentment in enjoying them.

Of the Church.

Those that are out of the Church cannot be capable of understanding divine mysteries; for the ship wherein Christ preached the Word of Life, was a Type of the Church, those without being like the sands were not intelligible.

And hence appeares the folly of them that forsake the Church, and excommunicate them∣selves for feare of being excommunicate by the Church. It was sometimes Saint Pauls saying, Brethren, I would they were cut off that trouble you: but such there are in these dayes as cut off themselves; they are so farre forth obnoxious in troubling of others among whom they live, that being conscious to themselves, they be∣come a punishment to themselves, in forsaking the Church that bred them, that educated them, that instructed them, that defended them, that (had they continued in it with sincere and pure Religion) would have saved them. But they went out from us, because they were not of us.

Of the love of God.

Such is the power of the love of God, that it

maketh us to bee of one spirit and affection with God, as distance of place or time cannot alter or change a setled affection.

Magnes amoris amor, The Load-stone of love is love. Gods love allureth ours; Prior nos di∣lexit Deus (saith Saint Bernard) tantus tantum, & gratis tantillos & tales. God first loved us, and that in a high degree, when wee were vile and contemptible. A strong inducement to render love for so great love.

Of Election.

The Elect clothed with the wedding garment do shine, in the newnesse of regeneration, nei∣ther is our election merit, but our merit procee∣deth from election.

God electeth none for their owne sakes, or any thing in them, but of his meere free mercy. Wherefore did he love Iaakob, and hate Esau? Search not into Gods secret counsell: Scrutator Majestatis opprimetur à gloria. Cannot the pot∣ter make one vessell for honour, another for dis∣honour? as the clay in the potters hand, so we were in Gods, who chose us or rejected us, ei∣ther for the magnifying of his mercies, or the manifesting of his justice.

Of Hypocrisie.

The inward part of the cup is most usefull; if it be foule within, the outward washing is to no

purpose, and so the inward integrity of the con∣science doth purifie the body.

God requireth truth in the inward parts, and of all the sacrifices of the Old Testament most esteemed of the fat of the inwards; he will have no dissembling. That Harlot in the Kings would have all the childe or none; she was the childes mother: but that other Harlot said, Let it be neither thine nor mine, but let it be diuided. God hateth divisum & dispersum cor: wee must not have one heart for God, and another for the Devill: give him all, or none at all.

Of Self-deniall.

Christ is to be followed by taking up his Crosse, and though not in act, yet in will we should be ever ready to suffer with Christ, as companions of his passion, though not in act, yet in affection, for when Christ comes to judgement, how shall eternall life be obtained? by wealth, gentilitie, or dignity? these things and the like are to be con∣temned, and Christ to be followed, whereby eternitie with losse of earthly felicitie is gained.

It is an hard matter at once to looke up to Heaven with one eye, fixing the other upon earth: we must either adhere to our selves, and deny Christ; or adhere to Christ denying our selves. No man can serve two masters, that is, commanding contrary things. Let us then de∣nie our selves, saying, with the blessed Apostle, We have forsaken all, and followed thee.

Hilary on that in Matthew, My yoke is sweet.

What is sweeter than Christs yoke? what is lighter than his burthen? to abstaine from wickednesse, to desire that which is good, to love all, to hate evill, to obtaine eternity, not to be taken with things present, and not to impose on another that which thou wouldest not thy self suffer.

Hilar. lib. 4. de Trinitate.

Words and sayings are to be understood ac∣cording to their causes, because the matter is not subject to the speech, but the speech is subject to the matter.

Hilar. de Trinitate.

The flesh became the word, that is man God: his humanity is in Heaven, his Deity was of Heaven: this is in Heaven as it was, and that is in Heaven which was not.

Hilary in principio: Lib. de Trinitate.

All humane speech and eloquence is obnoxi∣ous, to contradiction: because such as disagree in manners, disagree also in mind, and the errour of their foolish will doth strive against the

truth, either not understood, or offending their folly.

Hilar. lib. 1. de Trinit.

The beginning of Discipline is humility, whereof there are three documents which espe∣cially belong to a Reader or hearer, the first is, that hee despise not any Science or Author. Secondly that hee bee not ashamed to learne. Thirdly that when he hath gotten knowledge, he doe not despise others.

Hilar. super Mat.

Christ did so highly commend concord and peace that he affirmed that Prayers made in the Unity of the spirit should bee heard, and hath promised that where two or three were gathe∣red together in his name, hee would be in the midst of them.

An Epitaph on Saint Hilary collected out of an ancient Authour.

Hilarius cubat hac Pictavus Episcopus u••na, Defensor nostrae terrificus fidei. Istius aspectum Serpentes ferre nequibant, Nescio quae in vultu spicula Sanctus habet.

Hilary of Poicters this Grave doth contain, Our Faiths Defendor, which he did mayntain: His blest aspect did Serpents away chase, Affrighted to behold his holy Face.

His Works.

• 1 Against the Emperor Constantius, 1 book.
• 2 Two Books unto the Emperour.
• 3 Against Auxen∣tius the Arrian, one booke, and one con∣cerning Synods a∣gainst the Arrians.
• 4 An Epistle to his daughter Abra, and a Hymne.
• 5 Commentaries on Matthew.
• 6 The explanation of some places.
• 7 Of the unitie of the Father▪ and the Son.
• 8 Of the ••ssence of the Father, and the Son.
• 9 Epistles to Saint Augustine.

He was abundantly eloquent, as appeareth by his twelve Bookes of the indivisible Trinity, written in a swelling stile, as are his Commen∣taries on the Psalmes.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Fortunatus de vita S. Hillarii ante eius oper••.
• * 1.2

  Sex••i sin••si••. Et••••ioth p. 248