maintained without sin so neither impugned without some blot of offence CHAP. V. BUt some man will say why then doth God very often permit certain notable and excellent men in the Church to preach unto Catholicks a new Religion A very good question and such as deserveth a more diligent and ample discourse unto which notwithstanding I will not answer out of mine own head but with the authority of sacred Scripture and the doctrine of a notable Master in Gods Church let us then hear holy Moses let him give us the reason why learned men and such as for their great gift of knowledge are called of the Apostle Prophets be sometimes permitted to preach new Doctrine which the old Testament Allegorically calleth strange gods because their opinions are so observed and honoured of Hereticks as the gods were of the Gentiles thus then writeth blessed Moses in Deuteron 13. If there shall arise quoth he in the middest of thee a Prophet or one which saith he hath seen a dream that is some Master of the Church whose Disciples or followers suppose to teach by some revelation from God what then and shall foretell quoth he some sign or miracle and that shall happen which he hath said some great Master is here surely meant and one of so deep knowledge whom his followers imagine not onely to know things humane but also to foresee future and such as shall happen which is farre above mans reach as the scholers for the most part of Valentinus Donatus Photinus Apollinaris and such like did brag that their masters were What followeth And shall quoth he say unto thee let us go and follow strange Gods which thou knowest not and let us serve them What is meant by strange Gods but forrein errours which thou knowest not that is new and never heard of before and let us serve them that is believe them follow them What then Thou shalt not quoth he hear the words of that Prophet or Dreamer And why I pray you is not that forbidden by God to be taught which is by God forbidden to be heard Because quoth he the Lord your God doth tempt you that it may appear whether you love him or no in your whole heart and in your whole soul The reason then is more clear then day why the providence of God doth sometime suffer certain teachers and masters of the Church to Preach certain new opinions that your Lord God quoth he may tempt you And surely a great tentation it is when as he whom you think a Prophet a diseiple of the Prophets whom you esteem a Doctour and maintainer of the truth whom you have highly reverenced and most intirely loved when he suddenly and privily bringeth in pernicious errours which neither you can quickly spy lead away with prejudice of your old teacher nor easily condemn hindered with love to your old master CHAP. VI. HEre some man haply doth earnestly desire to see that proved by some Ecclesiasticall examples which by the authority of Moses hath already been avouched The demand is reasonable and therefore of reason not long to be deferred Wherefore to begin with those which are yet fresh in memory and to the world best known What kind of tentation think you was that of late dayes when that ungracious and cursed Nestorius suddenly from a sheep transformed into a wolf began to devoure the flock of Christ at such time as those which were spoiled commonly took him for a sheep and therefore were more subject to his cruelty For who would have easily imagined him to have erred whom every man knew to have been chosen with such judgement of the Empire who was so highly in grace with the Clergy so much beloved of all holy men so greatly in favour with the people who openly expounded the Scriptures and also confuted the pestiferous errour of the Jews why could not this man by such means easily perswade any that he taught aright preached aright believed aright who to smooth the way and make entrance for his own heresie persecuted and preached against the blasphemies of all others But this was that which Moses saith The Lord your God doth tempt you if you love him or no. And to passe over Nestorius in whom was alwayes more admiration then profit more fame then experience whom for some time humane favour had made greater then Gods grace exalted Let us rather speak of them which endowed with many gifts and men of great industrie have been no small tentation to Catholicks as amongst the Pannonians in our Fathers memory Photinus is recorded to have tempted the Church of Sirminum in which being preferred with the liking of all men unto the dignity of Priesthood for sometime he behaved himself very Catholickly but suddenly like that naughty Prophet or Dreamer of whom Moses speaketh he began to perswade the people of God committed to his charge to follow other gods that is strange and unknown errours which before they were not acquainted with But as this is usuall so that was very pernicious that he had so great helps and furtherance for the advancing of so great wickednesse For he was both of an excellent wit and singularly well learned and passing eloquent as he which both in disputation and writing was copious and grave in either language as appeareth by the Books which he wrote partly in Greek and partly in the Latine tongue But it hapned well that Christs sheep committed to his charge very vigilant and carefull in keeping the Catholick faith did speedily remember Moses warning and therefore albeit they admired much the eloquence of their Prophet and Pastour yet were they not ignorant of the temptation And therefore whom before they followed as the chief leader of the flock the same very man afterward they avoided as a ravening wolf Neither do we learne only by Photinus but also by the example of Apollinaris the danger of this ecclesiasticall tentation and therby also be admonished diligently to keep and retaine our faith and religion For this Apollinaris procured his auditours great trouble anguish of mind whilest the authoritie of the Church drew them one way and the acquaintance of their master haled them another so that wavering and tottering betwixt both they were uncertaine whether part was best to be followed But haply he was such a one as easely deserved to be contemned Nay he was so famous and worthie a man that in very many things he vvon credite to fast For who surpassed him in sharpnes of wit in exercise in learning how many heresies in many and great books hath he overthrown how many errors against the faith hath he confuted That most notable and great work of thirtie books in which with great waight of reason he confounded the franticke cavills of Porphirius doth give credit to my report and testifie the truth of my relation It were too long to rehearse up all his works for which he might have been compared to the cheefe pillours of Gods Church
doctrine in which likewise they must of necessity follow universality antiquity and consent of the Catholick and Apostolick Church And therefore if at any time a part rebell against the whole novelty against antiquity the dissention of one or a few seduced with errour against the consent of all or the farre greater part of Catholicks in that case let them preferre the integrity of universality before the corruption of a part and in universality let them also preferre the religion of antiquity before profane novelty and again in antiquity let them preferre before the temerity of one or a few the decrees of a generall Councell if any be or if no such be found let them take that which is next hand that is to follow the opinions of many and great learned Doctours agreeing together All which faithfully soberly diligently observed and kept by Gods grace we shall without any great difficulty discover the errours of new upstart Hereticks CHAP. XIV HEre I perceive in order it followeth to shew by examples how the profane novelties of Hereticks are by bringing forth and comparing the old Doctours opinions agreeing together to be found out and condemned which ancient consent of holy Fathers is not so carefully and diligently to be sought for and followed in every small question of the Scripture but onely and that especially in the rule of faith neither yet alwayes nor all Heresies are after this sort to be impugned but onely such as be new and upstart to wit at their first springing up and before they have as hindred by the shortnesse of time falsified the rules of the antient faith and before the poyson spreading farre abroad goeth about to corrupt the Fathers works But those heresies which have already got ground and be of some continuance are not this way to be dealt withall because by long tract of time they have had opportunity to steal truth And therefore such kind of profane schisms and heresies which be of longer standing we must not otherwise convince but either onely if need be by the authority of the Scriptures or els avoid and detest them being already convicted and condemned in old time by generall Councels of the Catholick Church Therefore so soon as any infectious error begineth to break forth and for her defence to steale certain words of holy scripture and craftily and fraudulently to expound them straight-wayes for the right understanding thereof the Fathers opinions are to be gathered togither by which let any what soever new and therefore prophane doctrine growing up with out all delay be dejected speedily condemned But those Fathers opinions only are to be conferred togither which with holinesse wisdome and constancy lived taught and continued in the faith and communion of the Catholick Church and finally deserved tody in Christ or happily for Christ to be martyred whom notwithstanding we are to beleeve with this condition that whatsoever either all or the greater part with one mind plainly commonly and constantly as it were a Councell of Doctours agreeing together have decreed and set down receiving it from their ancestours holding it for their time and delivering it to their posteritie let that be had and accounted for undoubted for certain and firme truth And whatsoever any although holy and learned although a Bishop although a Confessour and Martyr hath holden otherwise then all or against all let that be put aside from the authoritie of the common publick and generall faith and reputed amongst his own proper private and fecret opinions least with great danger of eternall salvation we do according to the custome of sacrilegious Hereticks and Schismaticks forsake the trueth of the universall faith and follow the novell errour of some one man The holy Catholick mind of which blessed Fathers least any man think that he may rashly contemne The Apostle sayeth in his first epistle to the Corinthians And some verily hath God set in his Church first Apostles 1 Cor. 12. of which himself was one Secondly Prophets as Agabus was of whom we read in the Acts cap. 11. Thirdly Doctours which novv are called Tractatours vvhem also this Apostle some time narneth Prophets because their office vvas to expound and declare to the people the mysteries of the Prophets these therefore disposed and placed by God at divers times and sundry places agreeing and consenting all in one mind in Christ touching the understanding of the Catholick faith whosoever contemneth doth not contemne man but God and that we disagree not by any means from the perfect and true unitie of those Fathers the same Apostle doth earnestly beseech all Christians saying I beseech you brethren that you say all one thing and that there bee no Schismes among you but that you be perfect in one sense and in one knowledge 1 Cor. 1 And if any man separate himself from the communion of their opinion let him hear that saying of the same Apostle He is not the God of dissention but of peace ch 14. that is not of him that leaveth consent and unity but of them that remain in peace and agreement As I do quoth he teach in all the Churches of the Saints that is of the Catholicks which therefore be holy because they continue in the communion of the faith And least happily any one should contemne others and proudly require onely to be heard onely to be beleeved straight after he saith What hath the Word of God quoth he proceeded from you or hath it onely come unto you And least this might be taken as spoken slightly he addeth If any quoth he seemeth a Prophet or spirituall that is a master in spirituall matters let him be a zealous lover of unity and peace in such wise that he neither preferre his own opinion before the judgement of others neither leave or forsake the sense and common consent of all men The commandements of which things he that is quoth he ignorant of that is he that learneth not those things which he yet knoweth not or contemneth those which he knoweth he shall not be known that is he shall be thought unworthy whom amongst such as be united in faith and equall humility God should regard and look upon a greater evil then which I doubt whether any man can invent or devise which yet notwithstanding according to the Apostles commination we see to have fallen upon Julian the Pelagian who either contemned to be joined at all in opinion with his fellows or else presumed to separate himself from their societie and communion But now it is time to bring forth the example which we promised how and after what sort the judgement and opinions of holy Fathers were gathered togither that according to them by the decree authority of a Councell the rule of faith might be set down which to the end that I may more commodiously do I will here make an end of this commonitorie and so take another beginning for declaring of those things which do follow A Recapitulation of all
that hath been said in the former two books WHICH being so it is now time that in the end of this second book we recapitulate touch in few words the Summe of all that which in these two commonitorie books hath been spoken VVe saied in the premisses that this alwaies hath been and at this day is the custom of Catholikes to try and examine true faith two manner of waies First by the authoritie of the divine scripture secondly by the tradition of the Catholick Church not because the Canonicall scripture is not as to it self sufficient for all things but because very many expounding Gods word at their own pleasure do thereby bring forth and hatch up divers opinions and errours And for that cause it is necessary that the interpretation of the divine Scripture be directed according to the one onely rule of the Churches understanding especially in those questions upon which the foundation of the whole Catholick religion doth depend Likewise we said that in the Church we were to consider the consent both of universality and antiquity so that we be neither carried away from sound unity to schism nor yet cast headlong from antiquity of religion into the dangerous gulf of heretical novelties We said also that in antiquity we were diligently to observe and seriously to consider two things unto which all those that will not be hereticks must of necessity stand The first is that which hath in old time been determined by all the Bishops of the Catholick Church by authority of a generall Councell The second is that if any new question did arise in which the determination of a Councell were not to be found that then we ought to have recourse to the sayings of the holy fathers but yet of these only who in their time and place were approved masters being such as lived and dyed in the unity of the communion and faith And whatsoever we knew that they beleeved and taught with one mind and consent to judge and take that without all sctuple to be the true and Catholick Religion of the Church And least any man might think that we saied this rather of presumption then of any authority of the Church we gave an example of the holy councel holden almost three years thence at Ephesus a City in Asia in the time of the right horourable Consuls Bassus and Antiochus in which disputation was had of constituting and setting down rules of faith â— and least there might by chance some prophane Novelty creep in as happened at that persidious meeting in Ariminum this was reputed and thought the most Catholick holy and best course to be taken by the judgement of all the Bishops there present which were almost two hundred in number that the opinions of those Fathers should be brought forth of whom it was certaine that some of them had been Martyrs divers Confessours all to have lived and died Catholick Priests that by their authority consent and verdict the old religion might be rightly and solemnly confirmed and blasphemous prophant novelties condemned which being so done worthily and justly Nestrius was judged to have taught contrary to the old Catholick religion and blessed Cyrill to have maintained holy and sacred antiquity And to the end nothing might be wanting which procureth credit we put down also the names and number of these Fathers although not remembring their order according to whose tonsent and uniform doctrine both the texts of holy scripture were expounded and the rule of Gods word established Neither will it here be superfluous for memory sake to repeat them all once agam These then be the names of them whose works were cited in that Councell either as judges or else witnesses S. Peter Bishop of Alxandria a most excellent Doctour and blessed Martyr S. Athanasius Bishop of the same sea a most faithfull teacher and famous Confessout S. Theophilus Bishop also of the same City a notable man for faith life and learning next after whom succeeded venerable Cyrill who at this present doth honour the Church of Alexandria And that no man happily should suspect that this was the doctrine of one City or of one Province to the former there were adjoyned those two lights of Cappadocia Saint Gregory Bishop and Confessour of Nazianzene St. Basil Bishop and Confessour of Cesaria and also another Saint Gregory Nyssen worthy for his merit of faith conversation integrity and wisdom of such a brother as Basil was And for proof that not onely the Greek East Church but also the Latine and West were alwayes of the same opinion the letters of Saint Felix Martyr and Saint Julie both Bishops of Rome which they wrote unto certaine men were there read And that not onely the head of the world but also the other parts should give testimony in that judgement From the South they had blessed S. Cyprian from the North S. Ambrose Bishop of Millan These then be the holy Fathers agreeing with that sacred number of the ten Commandements which were alleadged in the Councell of Ephesus as Masters Councellours Witnesses and Judges whose doctrine the blessed Synod holding following whose counsell beleeving whose testimony obeying whose judgement without spite without presumption without favour pronounced and gave sentence concerning the rules of faith And albeit a farre greater number of Fathers might have been set down yet was it not necessary because it was not requisite that time should be spent with multitude of witnesses and further no man doubted but that those ten did little differ in opinion from all the rest of their fellow Bishops After all this we set down the worthy sentence of Cyrill which is to be found in the Ecclesiasticall acts of that Councell For when the Epistle of S. Capreolus Bishop of Carthage was read who intended nothing else nothing else desired but that novelty might be overthrown and antiquity defended Bishop Cyril spake and gave his definition in this sort for I have thought good not to omit it here these then be his words in the end of the acts of that Councell And this epistle quoth he of the venerable and rel gious man Capreolus Bishop of Carthage shall be ad oyned to the faith of the Councels acts whose opinion is plain and perspicuous for he desireth that the doctrine of the old faith may be confirmed and new opinions superstuously invemed and impiously spread abroad may be reproved and condemned To which all the Bishops with one consent cried out This we speake all this we teach all this we desire all What I beseech you said they all what desired they all surely nothing else But that that which was of old time delivered might be still retained and that which was newlie invented might speedilie be rejected After that wee had admired and highly commended the great humilitie and holinesse of that Councell in which were so many Bishops almost the greater part of whom were Metropolitans of such erudition of such learning that they were
almost all sufficient to have disputed of matters of faith Which great assemblie and meeting together although it might in some mans opinion have imboldened them to presume and determine somewhat of themselves yet they delivered nothing presumed nothing arrogated nothing to themselves but above all things they were very carefull not to leave any thing to posterity which before they had not received of their fore-fathers not thinking it sufficient to dispose well of the businesse then present but also to leave an example to their posterity how they in like manner should reverence the Religion of sacred Antiquity and utterly condemn the inventions of profane Noveltie We inveighed also against the wicked presumption of Nestorius who boasted that he was the first and the onely man which understood the Scriptures and that all others which before his daies preached and taught all that interpreted and expounded the word of God were ignorant and unskilfull that is all Priests all Confessours and Martyrs of whom some had expounded Gods law others allowed and believed them to conclude he maintained that the Church both now did erre and alwayes had erred because as he thought it had and did follow unlearned and erroneous Doctours All which albeit they were abundantly sufficient for the overthrow and extinguishing of all profane novelties Yet least that ought should in such plenty of proofs be wanting we added for a conclusion a double authority of the Sea Apostolick the one of holy Pope Xistus which venerable father now honoureth the Church of Rome the other of Pope Celestinus of blessed memory his predecessour which I have thought good also here to set down Pope Xistus then in his Epistle which he wrote to the Bishop of Antioch touching the cause of Nestorius saith thus Therefore quoth he because as the Apostle saith the faith is one that which evidently hath obtained to be so called let us beleeve and such things as are to be holden let us beleeve Afterward he prosecuteth and explicateth what those things be which are to be beleeved what they be which are to be kept saying thus Nothing quoth he is further lawfull for Novelly because it is convenient that nothing be added to Antiquity The faith and belief of our forefathers is clear and perspiouous let it not be troubled nor defiled with any permixtion of dirt or mire A postolically spoken in commendation of our forefathers faith to compare it to light and perspicuity and in likening novell prophaness to the admixtion of frith and mire Pope Colestinus likewise is of the same opinion for in his Epistle which he sent to the Priests of France wherein he reprehendeth their dissimulation in that by their silence they left the old saith destitute and suffered profane Novelties to spring up thus he writeth Worthily quoth he the cause doth touch us if with silonce we foster erâ— rour therfore let such men be corrected let them have no liberty to speake at their pleasure Some happily may doubt who they be whom he forbideth to have their liberty in speaking whether the preachers of antiquity or the inventours of novelties Let him speak and discharge the Reader of this doubt for it followeth Let Novelty cease quoth he if the matter be sa that is if that be true which divers accuse unto me your Cities and Provinces that through your pernicious dissimulation you cause them to yield unto certain new doctrine Therfore quoth he if the matter be so let Novelty cease to molest Antiquity This then was the blessed opinion of holy Celestinus not that Antiquity should cease to overthrow Novelty but rather that Novelty should give over to trouble Antiquity Which Apostolick and Catholick decrees whosoever resists first of necessity he must proudly contemn the memory of S. Celestinus who defined that novelty should give over to provoke antiquity Again he must jest and scoff at the decree of holy Xistus whose judgement is that nothing is lawfull for novelty because it is not covenient that ought be added to antiquity Again he must contemn the determination of blessed Cyrill who highly commended the zeal of venerable Capreolus in that he desired that the old Articles of Faith should be confirmed and new inventions utterly condemned Likewise he must reject the Councell of Ephesus that is the judgement almost of all the holy Bishops of the East who inspired by God would not decree that posterity should beleeve ought but that which the sacred Antiquity of our Forefathers agreeing together in Christ had holden and belceved who with their uniform allowing and acclamation testified that they all decreed all wished all gave judgement that as all Hereticks almost before Nestorius contemning antiquity and defending Novelty were condemned so likewise Nestorius himself the Authour of Novelty and impugner of Antiquity should be condemned Whose sacred consent and agreement proceeding from Gods goodnesse if a-any dislike what remaineth but that he maintain that Nestorius his profane opinion was unjustly condemned Finally he must also reject and contemn the universall Church of Christ and her masters the Apostles and Prophets and especially the doctrine of S. PAUL as dregs and drosse The universall Church because she hath alwayes religiously kept and maintained that faith which was once delivered S. PAUL because he hath thus written O Timothy keep the depositum avoiding profane Novelties of voyces And again if any preach unto you otherwise then you have received be he accursed So that if neither the Apostle his definition nor the Ecclesia sticall Canons ought to be violated by which according to the sacred consent of universality and antiquity alwayes all hereticks and lastly Pelagius Celestinus and Nestorius were justly deservedly condemned surely necessary it is that hereafter all Catholicks which desire to shew themselves true children of their mother the Church adhere joyn and stick close unto the holy faith of their holy Fathers detesting and abhorring pursuing and opposing the profane novelties of all profane miscreants whatsoever This almost is the summe of that which in these two Commonitory Books we have more amply discoursed of and now after the manner of recapitulation in fewer words gathered together that my memory for helping whereof I have wrote this Treatise may both with daily admonition be repaired and yet not overlaid with any tedious prolixity FINIS THE VERITY OF Christian Faith Written by Hierome Savanorola of Ferrara LONDON Printed by R. Daniel 1651. The Contents CHAP. I. THat there is a true Religion Page 1 CHAP. II. There are two sorts of Divine Worship Page 5 CHAP. III. That there is no better life then that of Christians Page 9 CHAP. IIII. There cannot be imagined the last end of any life better then that of Christians Page 13 CHAP. V. There can be no better means to attain unto eternall blisse then a Christian life Page 22 CHAP. VI. By Christian Religion man most assuredly obtains eternal blisse Page 28 CHAP. VII The truth of Christian Faith is proved
Very necessary it is being thus fore-warned of God that before all things we take great heed not to be perverted and seduced by erroneous teacheâ—s or false Prophets but on the contrary do diligently preserve our faith the light of our souls the root foundation of al goodness with our which it is impossible to please God as S. Paul saith Wherin we can take no better course no way more sure then to repair to the time of the primitive Church when the bloud of Christ was yet fresh bleeding in mens hearts when the Gospel was instantly preached firmly beleeved sincerely practised confirmed by miracles established by the death of so many Martyrs especially being exhorted hereunto by the holy scriptures for as by them we are admonished of the dangers and troubles of the later dayes so are we for a preservative against them sent to ancient times to conduct us to Gods true religion Stand saith the Prophet leremy Chap. 6. upon the way and inquire of the ancient paths which is a good way walk in that and you shal find rest for your selves Solomon likewise in his Proverbs admonisheth us in this sort Do not passe the ancient bounds which thy Fathers have set down Chap. 22. And in Ecclesiasticus Ch. 8. Do not set light by the report of thy elders for they have learned of their forefathers because of them shalt thou learn understanding and in the time of necessity shalt thou give answer To the end therefore gentle Reader that thou be not carried away with the sweet benedictions of those licentious masters with which the later times according to the predictions of the Apostles should be much pestered nor seduced with the erroneous doctrine of those false Prophets and false Christs of which the son of God the true Prophet and true Christ hath forewarned us and that thou mayest find out a good way to walk in and keep thee within the ancient bounds set down by our forefathers and by their report learn wisdome and understanding I am to request thee to vouchsafe the reading of this old Father newly translated and I nothing doubt but thou wilt give that censure which the Queen of Sheba gave of the wisdome of Solomon 3. Reg 10. The second reason which set me forward was for that I find this book not written against some one or a few particular false teachers as St. Augustine and divers ancient learned Doctours did against the Arians Pelagians and such like but against all heresie or erroneous doctrine whatsoever which is a thing of so great importance as I know not what can be devised more What gold were too much or what treasures too dear for that medicine which had virtue to cure all diseases False doctrine and heresie is a great sore a canker more pestilent then any corporall infirmity whatsoever seeing this worketh onely the temporall destruction of our body but that causeth death both of body and soul everlasting In other books we find the confutation of some speciall point of false doctrine in many the overthrow of divers but to destroy all at one blow and those each so contrary to themselves so distinct for time so divers for place so many for number is a property peculiar onely to this most excellent treatise and therefore it may fitly be compared to that miraculous pond whereof we read in the Gospell John 5. which cured all diseases for as that water moved by the Angell cured whatsoever infirmity of him that first entred in so this book written no doubt by the motion of the holy Ghost hath force to cure any such as is corrupted with erroneous doctrine or to preserve him from all infection if he vouchsafe to enter in that is to read it to consider and weigh diligently what is said and discoursed of The reason why this book hath this rare quality in my opinion is because it sheweth the right way of expounding Gods divine Scripture in which so many to the great danger of mens souls do so greatly go a stray and therefore as David overthrowing Golias the chief Champion of the camp put all the Philistins to flight 1 Reg. 17. so no marvell though this ancient Authour discovering the false expositions and glosses of sacred Scripture the principall pillar of all poisoned doctrine overthroweth also all wicked heresie The third and last motive which incouraged me to this labour and ought partly to move thee to the reading is the brevity of the work the finenesse of the method the eloquence of the stile and therefore if long and large volumes do little please this is short which cannot cause dislike if confusion be ingrate full a methodicall order can not but like thee if a stile harsh and course fitteth not thy taste then I trust that which is fine pleasant and delicate will content thy humour Onely I am to crave pardon that my rough and rude English nothing answereth his smooth and curious Latin And therefore I could wish thee if skill serveth rather to consult with the authour himself then to use the help of his rude interpreter otherwise for such as be not of so deep reading for whom especially I have taken this pain I am to desire that they nothing dislike the sovereign medicine for the wooden box nor the exquisite and rare gemme for the course casket These be the reasons Gentle Reader which especially moved me to the translating of this antient and learned Father I beseech thee as thou tenderest the salvation of thy soul that thou wouldest vouchsafe to reade him attentively in whom thou shalt see clearly as in a glasse the faith of our fore-fathers the religion of the primitive Church and in whom thou shalt find by Gods word and authority of sacred Scripture the madnesse of all Hereticks crushed in pieces and that in a short methodicall and eloquent Treatise The Holy Ghost which moved no doubt this antient learned Father to the writing of this Work incline and move thy heart to the diligent reading and sincere following of the same * ⎠* An Advertisement in the reading of the XIII Chapter of the Verity of Christian Faith THe Reader is desired to take notice that wheresoever in this treatise the term Adoration is applied unto the Mother of God or to any other person or thing beside God himself it imports only Dulia that is such an inferiour degree of reverence and veneration as creatures may be capable of according to the severall degrees of excellency which is in them and according at the Word is frequently understood in Holy Scripture viz. Gen 23 7. 12. †18 2. †19 1. †50 18. Acts. 10 25. Dan. 2 46. Matth. 2 2.8.1 Chron. 29 20. Exod. 3 15. †33. 10. Jos 5 14. 15. Apoc. 19 10. †22 9. and not to signifie that supream Honour and estimation which is incommunicable and proper onely to God Almighty and commonly called from S. Austin Latria Errata's in the Profit of Believing In
from new errour to old sobernes from new madnesse to antient light from new darknesse But in this divine vertue which they shewed in the confession of their faith this thing is especially of us to be noted that in that antiquitie of the Church they took upon them not the defence of any one part but of the whole For it was not lawfull that such excellent and famous men should maintaine and defend with so great might and maine the erroneous suspicions and those contrary each to other of one or two men or should stand in contention for the temerarious conspiracie of some small Province but they did chuse by following the Canons and decrees of the Catholick and Apostolike veritie of all the Priests of holy Church rather to betray them selves then the universall ancient faith For which fact of theirs they merited so great glorie that they are accounted not only Confessours but also justly and worthily the Princes of all Confessours Great therefore surely divine was the example of these blessed Confessours and of every true Catholick continually to be remembred who like the seven branched Candlestick shining with the sevenfold gifts of the holy Ghost delivered unto all posterity a most notable example how afterward in each foolish and vain errour the boldnesse of profane noveltie was to be repressed with authority of sacred Antiquity CHAP. III. NEither is this any new thing but alwaies usual in the Church of God that the more religious a man hath been the more ready hath he alwayes resisted novell inventions examples whereof many might be brought but for brevity sake I will onely make choice of some one which shall be taken from the Apostolick sea by which all men may see most plainly with what force alwayes what zeal what indeavour the blessed succession of the blessed Apostles have desended the integrity of that religion which they once received Therefore in times past Agrippinus of venerable memory Bishop of Cart hage the first of all mortall men maintained this assertion against the divine Scripture against the rule of the universall Church against the mind of all the Priests of his time against the custom and tradition of his forefathers that rebaptization was to be admitted and put in practise Which presumption of his procured so great dammage and hurt to the Church that not onely it gave all hereticks a pattern of sacrilege but also ministred occasion of errour to some Catholicks When therefore every where all men exclaimed against the novelty of the doctrine and all priests in all places each one according to his zeale did oppose then Pope Steven of blessed memory bishop of the Apostolique sea resisted in deed with the rest of his fellow bishops but yet more then the rest thinking it as I suppose reason so much to excell all other in devotion towards the faith as he was superiour to them in authoritie of place To conclude in his Epistle which then was sent to Africk he decreed the same in these words That nothing was to be innovated but that which came by tradition ought to be observed For that holy and prudent man knew well that the nature of pietie could admit nothing else but only to deliver and teach our children that religion and that faith which we received and learned of our forefathers and that we ought to follow religion whither it doth lead us and not to lead religion whither it please us and that nothing is more proper to Christian modestie and gravitie then not to leave unto posteritie our own inventions but to preserve and keep that which our Predecessours left us What therefore was then the end of that whole busines What else but that which is common and usuall to wit antiquitie was retained noveltie exploded But perhaps that new invention lacked patrons and defenders To which I say on the contrary that it had such pregnant witts such eloquent tongues such number of defendants such shew of truth such testimonies of scripture but 〈◊〉 after a new and naughtie fashion that all that conspiracie and schisme should have seemed unto me invincible had not the very profession of noveltie it self so taken in hand under that name defended with that title recommended overthrowen the very ground of so great a schisme To conolude what force had the Councell or decree of Africke By Gods providence none but all things there agreed upon were abolished disanulled abrogated as dreames as fables as superfluous And O strange change of the world the authours of that opinion are judged and thought Catholicks the followers accounted and reputed Hereticks the masters discharged the schollers condemned the writers of those books shall be children of the kingdome of Heaven the maintainers of those books shall burne in Hell For who doubteth but holy S. Cyprian that light of all Saints that lanterne of Bishops and spectacle of Martirs with the rest of his companions shall raigne with Christ for ever And contrariwise who is so wicked to deny that the Donatists and such other pestilent Hereticks which by the authority of that Councell vaunt that they do practise rebaptization shall burn for ever with the Devill and his Angels Which judgement in mine opinion seemeth to have come from God for their fraudulent dealing especially which endeavouring under the cloak of an other mans name cunningly to frame an heresie commonly lay hold of some dark sayings of one antient Father or other which by reason of the obscurity may seem to make for their opinion to the end they may be thought that whatsoever I know not what they bring forth to the world neither to have been the first that so taught neither alone of that opinion whose wicked device in mine opinion is worthy of double hatred both for that they fear not to sowe their poysoned feed of herefie amongst others and also because they blemish the memory of some holy man and as it were with profane hands cast his dead ashes into the wind bringing with shame that to light which rather with silence were to be buried following therein the steps of their father Cham who not onely neglected to cover the nakednesse of venerable Noe but also shewed it to others to laugh at by which fact of his he incurred so great a crime of impiety that his posterity was subject to the malediction of his sinne Gen. 9. his blessed brethren doing far otherwise who neither with their own eyes would violate the nakednesse of their reverend father nor yet permit it to remain uncovered for others to behold but going backward as the holy text saith they covered him which is as much as to say that they neither approved with heart nor blazed with tongue the holy mans fault and therefore they and their posterity were rewarded with their fathers blessing But to returne to our purpose CHAP. IIII. WE have therefore much to fear the sacriledge of a changed faith of a violated religion from which fault not only the discipline of the
said to be digged Psalm 21. From this unity of Person I say it proceedeth by reason of like mystery that when the flesh of the Word of God was born of his pure and immaculate mother we do most Catholickly believe that God himself the Word was born of the Virgin and most impiously the contrary is maintained Which being so God forbid that any one should go about to deprive the holy Virgin Mary of the priviledges of Gods favour as her especiall glory For she is by the singular grace of our Lord and God her son to be confessed most truly and most blessedly to have been the mother of God but yet not in such sort as impious hereticks imagine and suspect who affirm that she is to be reputed in name onely and appellation the mother of God as she forsooth which brought forth that man which afterward became God as we say such a woman is the mother of a Priest or Bishop not because she brought him that then was either Priest or Bishop but by generating that man which afterward was made a Priest or Bishop not in that manner I say the blessed Virgin is to be called the mother of God but rather because as hath been said that most holy mystery was finished in her sacred womb wherein by reason of a singular and one onely unity of person as the Word in flesh is flesh so man in God is God CHAP. IX BUt now what hath already been said touching the foresaid heresies or concerning the Catholick faith let us in few words and compendiously for memory sake repeat them over again that thereby with more facility they may be understood and with greater certainty retained Accursed therefore be Photinus not admitting the fulnesse of the Trinity and affirming our Saviour Christ to have been onely man Accursed be Appollinaris maintaining in Christ corruption of changed divinity and bereaving him of the propriety of perfect humanity Accursed be Nestorius denying God to have been born of a Virgin teaching two Christs and so abandoning the faith of the Trinity bringing in a quaternity But blessed be the Catholick Church which adoreth one God in perfect Trinity and likewise worshipeth equality of Trinity in one Divinity so that neither singularity of substance confoundeth propriety of Persons nor distinction of Trinity separateth unity of Deity Blessed I say be the Church which believeth in Christ two true and perfect substances but one onely person so that neither distinction of natures doth divide the unity of person nor unity of person doth confound the difference of substances Blessed I say be the Church which to the end she may confesse Christ alwayes to be and to have been one acknowledgeth man united to God not after our Ladies delivery but even then in his mothers womb Blessed I say be the Church which understandeth God made man not by any conversion of nature but by reason and means of person and that not a fained and transitory person but substantially subsisting and permanent Blessed I say be the Church which teacheth that this unity of person hath so great force that by reason thereof by a mystery strange and ineffable she ascribeth unto man the proprieties of God and attributeth to God the proprieties of man For by reason of this unity of person she confesseth that man as he was God descended from Heaven and God as he was man was made upon earth suffered and was Crucified Blessed therefore is that venerable happy and sacred confession and comparable to those supernall praises of the Angels who do glorifie one onely Lord God yet with a triple Hagiologie For this is the principall reason why the Church teacheth the unity of Christ lest otherwise she should exceed the mystery of the Trinity And let this suffice touching this matter spoken by way of digression hereafter if it please God I will intreat and declare these points more copiously Now to return to our former purpose CHAP. X WE have said in the premises that in the Church of God the errour of the master is a great tentation to the people and the more learned he were that erred so much the greater was the tentation Which we shewed first by the authority of holy Scripture afterward by the examples ecclesiasticall of those men which for some time were reputed and accounted sound in faith yet at last fell either into some other mans error or els coined a new heresie of their own This surely is a great matter profitable to be learned â—â—d necessary to be remembred which once again we must inculcate and make plain by great store of examples that all Catholicks may know that with the Church they ought to receive Doctours and not with Doctours to forsake the faith of the Church But I suppose that although I could bring forth many to shew this kind of tentation yet there is almost none which can be compared to the tentation of Origen in whom were very many gifts â—o rare so singular so strange that in the beginning any would have thought that his opinions might have been believed of all men For if life procureth authority he was a man of great industry of great chastity patience and labour if family or learning who more noble being of that house which was honourable for Martyrdome himself afterward for Christ deprived not of father onely but also spoiled of all his patrimony and so much he profited in the mysteries of holy poverty that as it is reported for the confession of Christs name he often indured much affliction Neither was he only adorned with these gifts all which afterward served for tentation but was indued also with a force of wit so profound so quick so elegant that he far excelled almost all other whatsoever A man of such wonderfull learning and erudition that there were few things in Divinity in humane Philosophy haply nothing which he had not perfectly attained who having gotten the treasures of the Greek tongue laboured also about the Hebrew And for his eloquence what should I speak of it whose talk was so pleasant so delectable so sweet that in mine opinion not words but hony flwed from his mouth What things were so hard to beleeve which with force of argument he made not plaine what so difficult to bring to passe which he made not to seem easie But perchance he maintained his assertions by arguments only Nay without question there was never any Doctour which used more examples of sacred scripture But yet happelie he wrote not much No man living more yea so much that in mine opinion all his works are so far from being read over that they can not possiblie all be found who not to lack anie furtherance to learning lived also untill he was passing old But yet perchance unfortunate in his scholers What man ever more happie having trained up and been master to infinite Doctours to Priests without number to Confessours and Martyrs Now who is able to prosecute with words in what admiration
unwary youth feeling the sweetnes may nothing feare the bitter confection This devise also practise they which upon noxious hearbs and juyces write the names of good wholsome medicines whereby almost no man reading the good superscription any thing suspecteth the lurking poyson The self same thing likewise our Saviour crieth out to all Christians Take ye heed of false prophets which come to you in sheeps cloathing but inwardly are ravening Wolves Ma. 7. What is meant else by sheeps clothing but the sayings of the Prophets and Apostles which they with sheep-like sincerity did weare like certaine fleeces of that immaculate Lamb which taketh away the sins of the world And what is to be understood by ravening wolves but the cruell and destructive opinions of hereticks which alwayes trouble the sheep-folds of the Church and by all means possible teare in pieces the flock of Christ But to the end they may more craftily set upon the sheep of Christ mistrusting nothing remaining stil cruel beasts they put off their wolvish weed and shroud themselves with the words of scripture as it were with certain fleeces whereby it hapneth that when the silly sheep feel the soft wooll they little fear their sharp teeth But what saith our Saviour By their fruits you shall know them That is when they begin not only to utter those words but also to expound them not only to cast them forth but also to interpret them then doth that bitterness break out then is that sharpness espied then is that madness perceived then is that fresh new poison ejected then are prophane novelties set abroach then may you see straight-way the hedg cut in two the old fathers bounds removed the Catholick doctrine shaken and the Churches faith torn in pieces Such were they whom the Apostle sharply reprehendeth in the 2. Epistle to the Cor. Chap. 11 For such false Apostles quoth he are crafty workers transfiguring them selves into the Apostles of Christ What is transfiguring them selves into the Apostles of Christ but this The Apostles alleaged the examples of scripture they likewise cited thē The Apostles cited the authority of the Psalms they likewise used it The Apostles used the sayings of the Prophets and they in like manner brought them forth But when that scripture which was alike alleadged alike cited alike brought forth was not alike in one sense expounded then were discerned the simple from the craftie the sincere from the counterfeit the right and good from the froward and perverse and to conclude the true Apostles from those false Apostates And no marvel saith S. Paul For Sathan himself transfigureth himself into an Angel of light it is no great matter therefore if his ministers be transfigured as the ministers of Justice Wherefore according to Saint Paul whensoever either false Apostles or false Prophets or false Doctours do bring forth the words of holy Scripture by which they would according to their corrupt interpretation confirm their errour there is no doubt but that they follow the crafty slight of their master which surely he would never have invented but that he knoweth very well that there is no readier way to deceive the people then where the bringing in of wicked errour is intended that there the authority of the word of God should be pretended But some will say how prove you that the Devill useth to alledge the Scripture Such as doubt thereof let them reade the Gospel where it is written Then the devill took him up that is our Lord and Saviour and set him upon the pinnacle of the Temple and said unto him If thou be the Sonne of God cast thy self down for it is written that he will give his Angels charge of thee that they may keep thee in all thy wayes in their hands shall they hold thee up lest perhaps thou knock thy foot against a stone Mat. 4 How will he think you handle poor silly souls which so setteth upon the Lord of Majestie with the authority of Scripture If thou be quoth he the Son of God cast thy self down Why so For it is written quoth he we are diligently to weigh the doctrine of this place and to keep it in mind that by so notable an example of the Scripture we make no scruple or doubt when we see any alledge some place of the Apostles or Prophets against the Catholick Faith but that by his mouth the Devil himself doth speak For as at that time the head spake unto the head so now the members do talk unto the members that is the members of the Devil to the members of Christ the faithlesse to the faithfull the it religious to the religious to conclude Hereticks to Catholicks But what I pray saith the Devil If thou be the Sonne of God quoth he cast thy self down That is to say Desirest thou to be the Son of God and to injoy the inheritance of the kingdome of Heaven Cast thy self down that is Cast thy self down from this doctrine and tradition of this high and lofty Church which is reputed to be the Temple of God And if any one demand of these Hereticks perswading them such things how do you prove and convince me that I ought to forsake the old and Universall Faith of the Catholick Church straight wayes is ready at hand For it is written and forthwith he will alledge you a thousand Testimonies a thousand Examples a thousand authorities out of the Law out of the Psalms out of the Apostles out of the Prophets by which expounded after a new and wicked fashion he would throw headlong unfortunate souls from the Tower of the Catholick Church into the deep dungeon of wicked Heresie Now with these sweet promises which follow Hereticks do wonderfully deceive simple men For they dare promise and teach that in their Church that is in the conventicle of their communion is to be found a great and speciall yea and a certain personall grace of God So that whosoever be one of their crew they shall straightwayes without any labour without any study without any industry yea although they never seek nor crave nor knock have such speciall dispensation that they shall be carried up with the hands of Angels that is preserved by Angelicall protection that they never hurt their foot against a stone that is that they never can be scandalized But some man will say If the Devil and his Disciples whereof some be false Apostles false Prophets and false Teachers and all perfect Hereticks do use the Scriptures cite their sayings bring forth their promises what shall Catholick men do How shall the children of the Church behave themselves How shall they in the holy Scriptures discern truth from falshood To which I answer that They must have great care as in the beginning of this Treatise I said holy and learned men taught me that they interpret the Divine and Canonicall Scripture according to the Tradition of the Universall Church according to the rules of the Catholick
sunne and men do generate a man it follows necessarily that a perfect Christian is the noblest cause and most perfect instrument of producing this effect Therefore the virtue of this instrument co-operating with Almighty God is not a falsity but a most supreme Verity but this virtue is Faith inflamed with a burning charity as I have shown our Faith therefore is most true CHAP. XIII The same confirmed by the wonderfull works of Christ and first by his Power VVE have proved now by the assistance of Almighty God the Verity of Christian Faith out of the manifest effects which daily are seen in the Orthodox Church and although there might be manifold other arguments brought to the confirmation of it yet having regard to my intended brevity I will argue onely out of those events of former Ages of the Verity of which the whole world is a sufficient witnesse Wherefore as Philosophers by the effects which they saw in naturall things were moved to search into the causes of things we in like manner setting before our eyes the triumph of Christ which we have heretofore described will most exactly as farre forth as the matter requires search into the causes of those effects And as the Philosophers contemplating the nature of things out of the greatnesse the wonderfull order and perfection of the whole world did conclude that the cause of it was Almighty God who was more powerful wise and perfect then all others whom they termed the first principle and mover of all things so we contemplating the triumph of Christ crucified will shew him to have been and to be beyond all comparison more powerfull then the feigned Gods of all other Religions and to have done greater things and produced perfecter effects then any and with an ineffable and infinite wisdome and goodnesse to have infinitely surpassed them Which done it will be clear that this God is the great Lord and King above all other Gods I will begin with the effects of his Power and placing his triumph before your eyes I argue in this manner Either this Jesus the crucified Nazarean whom the Christians adore is true God and first cause of all things or he is not if he be the disputation is ended because if he be God the Christians Faith and his universall Doctrine and Religion must be true if he be not it follows that Jesus the Nazarean was a most prodigious monster of a most inexcogitable pride and unheard of arrogance whilst being a pure creature and mortall man he would be esteemed as the onely supreme Deity and adored above all others whence we might justly tearm him the most lying and worst of all creatures nay even the most notorious of all fools for undertaking phane novelties set abroach then may you see straight-way the hedg cut in two the old fathers bounds removed the Catholick doctrine shaken and the Churches faith torn in pieces Such were they whom the Apostle sharply reprehendeth in the 2. Epistle to the Cor. Chap. 11 For such false Apostles quoth he are crafty workers transfiguring them selves into the Apostles of Christ What is transfiguring them selves into the Apostles of Christ but this The Apostles alleaged the examples of scripture they likewise cited thē The Apostles cited the authority of the Psalms they likewise used it The Apostles used the sayings of the Prophets and they in like manner brought them forth But when that scripture which was alike alleadged alike cited alike brought forth was not alike in one sense expounded then were discerned the simple from the craftie the sincere from the counterfeit the right and good from the froward and perverse and to conclude the true Apostles from those false Apostates And no marvel saith S. Paul For Sathan himself transfigureth himself into an Angel of light it is no great matter therefore if his ministers be transfigured as the ministers of Justice Wherefore according to Saint Paul whensoever either false Apostles or false Prophets or false Doctours do bring forth the words of holy Scripture by which they would according to their corrupt interpretation confirm their errour there is no doubt but that they follow the crafty slight of their master which surely he would never have invented but that he knoweth very well that there is no readier way to deceive the people then where the bringing in of wicked errour is intended that there the authority of the word of God should be pretended But some will say how prove you that the Devill useth to alledge the Scripture Such as doubt thereof let them reade the Gospel where it is written Then the devill took him up that is our Lord and Saviour and set him upon the pinnacle of the Temple and said unto him If thou be the Sonne of God cast thy self down for it is written that he will give his Angels charge of thee that they may keep thee in all thy wayes in their hands shall they hold thee up lest perhaps thou knock thy foot against a stone Mat. 4 How will he think you handle poor silly souls which so setteth upon the Lord of Majestie with the authority of Scripture If thou be quoth he the Son of God cast thy self down Why so For it is written quoth he we are diligently to weigh the doctrine of this place and to keep it in mind that by so notable an example of the Scripture we make no scruple or doubt when we see any alledge some place of the Apostles or Prophets against the Catholick Faith but that by his mouth the Devil himself doth speak For as at that time the head spake unto the head so now the members do talk unto the members that is the members of the Devil to the members of Christ the faithlesse to the faithfull the irreligious to the religious to conclude Hereticks to Catholicks But what I pray saith the Devil If thou be the Sonne of God quoth he cast thy self down That is to say Desirest thou to be the Son of God and to joy the inheritance of the kingdome of Heaven Cast thy self down that is Cast thy self down from this doctrine and tradition of this high and lofty Church which is reputed to be the Temple of God And if any one demand of these Hereticks perswading them such things how hath that crafty commander of the Arabians Mahomet done he never affirmed himself God true it is by his eloquence and power by his arms gifts and a luxurious licence of pleasutes he drew unto him a barbarous and unskilfull multitude and did not he give a most honourable testimony of Christ Assuming to himself nothing above humane forces and policy but such was not Jesus the Nazarean never did any mortall propose more difficult things to be believed and done then Christ did for he absolutely commanded the belief of a Trinity to wit the Father Sonne and holy Ghost the same one God three really distinguished persons which yet being identified in substance were one and the self