Actes and monuments of matters most speciall and memorable, happenyng in the Church. [vol. 2, part 2] with an vniuersall history of the same, wherein is set forth at large the whole race and course of the Church, from the primitiue age to these latter tymes of ours, with the bloudy times, horrible troubles, and great persecutions agaynst the true martyrs of Christ, sought and wrought as well by heathen emperours, as nowe lately practised by Romish prelates, especially in this realme of England and Scotland. Newly reuised and recognised, partly also augmented, and now the fourth time agayne published and recommended to the studious reader, by the author (through the helpe of Christ our Lord) Iohn Foxe, which desireth thee good reader to helpe him with thy prayer.

❧Testimonies of S. Ambrose, written vpon the 14. to the Corinth. the first epistle. Super illud qui enim loquitur linguis.

HOc est quod dicit, quia qui loquitur incognita lingua, &c. This is it that he sayth:* 1.1 because he which speaketh in an vnknowen tongue, speaketh to God. For he knoweth all thyngs but men know not, & therfore there is no profit of this thyng.

¶The same author afterwardes, Super illud, si benedi∣xeris spiritu.* 1.2

Hoc est, si laudem dei lingua loquaris ignota, &c. Uppon these wordes, if thou blesse or geue thanks with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the roume of the vnlearned, say, Amen at the geuyng of thankes, seeyng he vnderstan∣deth not what thou sayest?

That is (sayth Ambrose) if thou speake the prayse of God in a tongue vnknowen to the hearers. For the vn∣learned hearing that which he vnderstandeth not, know∣eth not the end of the prayer, and he answereth not Amē. That is as much to say as (true) that the blessing or thāks∣geuing may bee confirmed. For the confirmation of the prayer is fulfilled by them which do answer, Amen. That all things spoken might be confirmed in the mindes of the hearers, through the testimony of the truth.

¶Afterward in the same place vpon these wordes, if any Infidell or vnlearned come in.* 1.3

Quum enim intelligit & intelligitur, &c. For when hee vnderstandeth, and is vnderstanded, hearing God to bee praysed, and Christ to bee worshipped, he seeth perfectly, that the religion is true, and to be reuerenced, wherein he seeth nothyng to be done colourably, nothyng in darke∣nesse, as among the Heathen, whose eyes are couered, that they seyng not the thyngs which they call holy, might per∣ceyue themselues to be deluded with diuers vanities. For all falsehood seketh darkenes, and sheweth false things for true. Therefore, with vs nothing is done priuily, nothing couertly, but one God is simply praysed, of whom are all things, and one Lord Iesus, by whom are all things. For if there be none which can vnderstand, or of whome hee may be tried, he may say, there is some deceit and vanitie, which is therfore song in tongues (not vnderstanded hee meaneth) because it is a shame to open it.

Vpon this place: Omnia ad aedificatio∣nem fiant.* 1.4

Conclusio haec est vt nihil incassum in ecclesia geratur: hoc∣que elaborandum magis, vt & imperiti proficiant, ne quid sit corporis per imperitiam tenebrosum. Let all thyngs be done to edifie,

This is the conclusion, that nothyng should be done in the Church in vayne, and that this thyng ought chiefly to bee laboured for, that the vnlearned also myght profite, least any part of the body should bee darke thorough ig∣noraunce.

Agayne: Si non fuerit interpres,* 1.5 taceat in Ecclesia.

Hoc est, intra se tacitè oret aut loquatur deo, qui audit muta omnia. In Ecclesia enim ille debet loqui qui omnibus prosit.

If there be no interpreter, let hym keepe silence in the Church.

That is, let him pray secretly, or speake to God with∣in hymselfe, which heareth all dumme thyngs: for in the church he ought to speake which may profit all men.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ambrosius. An other argu∣ment of Saint Ambrose.
• * 1.2

  Ambrose.
• * 1.3

  Ambrose.
• * 1.4

  Ambrose.
• * 1.5

  Ambrose.