in the end of this second Aduertisement which haue ben spoken of in these two We haue sayd before that this hath euer bene and is also at this day the custome of Catholickes to proue the true saith these two wayes First by the authority of Gods word Secondly by the tradition of the Catholike Church not because the word alone is not sufficient of it selfe for all matters but because many whiles they expound the Scriptures as they list themselues they conceiue sundry opinions and errors And therefore that it is necessary that the interpretation of the heauenly Scripture should bee directed by the alone Rule of Ecclesiastical iudgement or vnderstanding especially in those questions at least on which the grounds of all the Catholicke doctrine are layed In like maner we haue sayd that we should againe haue regard in the Church her-selfe vnto the consent of All in generall and also of Antiquity least we should either bee broken off from the whole body of the Church being vnited and coupled together and so become Schismatickes or else be cast head-long from the antient religion into nouell heresies We haue also sayd that in the very antiquity of the Church two certaine things are earnestly and carefully to be obserued to which all that would not be Heretiques should throughly cleaue first if any thing hath bene of antient time decreed of all the Priests of the Catholicke Church by the authority of a generall Councell secondly if any strange question should arise when that in no wise might be found that recourse should be had to the iudgements of the holy Fathers of those onely which in their times and places conteining all of them in the vnity of fellowship and of the Faith were commendable Teachers And that whatsoeuer they should be found to haue held with one meaning and consent that it should without any scruple be iudged of the Church to be true and Catholicke CHAP. 42. VVHich-least we should seeme to set abroach through our owne presumption rather then by Ecclesiasticall authority we haue vsed the example of an holy Councell which was held almost three yeares since at Ephesus in Asia those most excellent men Bassus and Antiochus being Consuls Where when there was dispute about the confirming of the Rules of Faith least perhaps any profane noueltie should steale in there after the manner of the o Ariminian Councels vnfaithfull dealing this seemed to all the Priests which had come thither to the number almost of two hundreth to be a thing most Catholicke most commodious and best to be done that the iudgements of the holy Fathers should be brought foorth and shewed of whom it should be manifest that some were Martyrs others Confessors but that all had bene and had continued Catholicke Priests that so by their consent and decree the religion of the ancient doctrine might well and solemnly be confirmed and the blasphemy of wicked nouelty condemned Which when it was so done then was that foresaid Nestorius iudged contrary to Catholicke Antiquity but blessed Cyril to consent vnto it And that the truth of those things might in no wise be called into question we haue also shewed the names and number though we had forgotten the ranke of those Fathers according to whose order therein concording and vnanimous iudgement both the sentences of holy Writ were expounded and the rule of diuine doctrine established Whom for the strengthening of our memorie it is not superfluous here also to recite These therefore are the men whose writings either as of Iudges or as it were of Witnesses were in that Councell shewed and recited S. Peter of Alexandria a Bishop a most excellent Teacher and a most blessed Martyr S. Athanasius a Prelate of the same Citty a most faithfull Teacher and a most worthy Confessor Saint Theophilus a Bishop of the same Citie too a man very famous for his religion life and learning whom worthy Cyril did succeed who doth at this time make the Church of Alexandria famous And least it should perhaps be thought to be the doctrine of one City Prouince there were ioyned also those Lights of Cappadocia S. Gregory Bishop and Confessor of Nazianzum S. Basil Bishop and Confessor of Caesarea in Cappadocia as also the other S. Gregory Bishop of Nysse and for his faith conuersation vprightnesse and wisedome a man most worthy of his brother Basil But that it might be proued that not Greece alone or that the East onely but that the Weasterne and Latine world was alwayes also of that iudgement certaine Epistles also were there read written to certaine men by Saint Foelix a Martyr and S. Iulius Bishops of the City of Rome And that not only the head of the world but that the sides also might giue testimony to that iudgement there was taken from the South most blessed Cyprian Bishop of Carthage and a Martyr and from the North Saint Ambrose Bishop of Millaine All these ten therefore were at Ephesus produced as Teachers Counsellers Witnesses and Iudges whose doctrine counsell witnesse and iudgemēt that blessed Synode mainteining following crediting and obeying did readily discreetly vnpartially giue sentence concerning the Rules of Faith Although a farre greater number of Elders might haue bene ioyned to these yet it was not needfull because it was not sitting that the time allotted for that businesse should be taken vp and spent with producing of a multitude of Witnesses and for that euery man is perswaded that those ten did differ nothing in a maner in iudgement from all their other fellowes After all which things we haue also annexed the holy iudgement of Cyril which things are conteined in the ecclesiasticall acts For after that the Epistle of S. Capreolus Bishop of Carthage was read who laboured and intreated no other thing but that Noueltie being conuinced Antiquity might be beleeued Bishop Cyril spake and defined to the same effect the which it seemeth not vnfitting for the matter in hand here also to interpose For hee saith in the end of the Acts And this Epistle which was read quoth he of the reuerend very religious Bishop of Carthage Capreolus shall bee faithfully recorded whose iudgement is manifest for hee would haue the doctrines of the ancient faith confirmed but nouell conceipts and such as are superfluously deuised and wickedly published to bee reiected and condemned All the Bishops cryed together in signe of approbation These are the words of vs all we do all affirme these things this is the wish of vs all And what I pray you were the words and the wishes of all but that That should bee embraced which was anciently deliuered and that That should be banished which was newly deuised After which things we wondred at told of the great humility and holinesse of that Councell and what a number of Priests there were the greater part welneere being Metropolitanes of such knowledge and so well learned as that almost all of them were able to dispute of
LONDON Printed for Leonard Becket and are to be sold at his Shop in the Temple neere the Church 1611. A VERY CHRISTIAN LEARNED and briefe Discourse concerning the true ancient and Catholicke Faith against all wicked vp-start Heresies Seruing very profitably for a Preseruatiue against the profane Nouelties of Papists Anabaptists Arrians Brownists and all other Sectaries First composed by Vincentius Lirinensis in Latine about twelue hundreth yeares ago And now faithfully translated into English and illustrated with certaine Marginall Notes By THOMAS TVKE Imprinted at London for Leonard Becket and are to be sold at his shop in the Inner Temple 1611. TO THE RIGHT worshipfull Sir IOHN LEVENTHORPE knight and to the right vertuous Lady Ioanna his wife all happinesse earthly and heauenly RIght Worshipfull great is the peruersenesse of Mans nature as may appeare by the multitude of errors and false religions of the which the world is now sicke euen vnto death For the Iewe hath his the Turke his the Indians theirs the Papist his yea and almost euery man is ready to turne his fansy into faith so common is this kind of Alchymie and to make doctrines of his owne deuises so fond we are by reason of selfe-loue and the blindnesse of our minds But as Eli sayd this is not well For there is but one true Religion and as Leo saith Faith is either One or None Now because there are so many religions in the world therefore some will be of none but stand as it were amazed not knowing what course to take like the fool that Salomon speakes of which knowes not the way into the Citty It behooues vs therefore seeing such variety of professions to looke before we leape to sound the waters before we hoyse vp our sailes for heauen is no harbor for heretickes no common Inne for all kinds of Trauellers I meane afore all to consult with the written word of God the oracle of truth the ground of faith a lanterne to our feet a light vnto our path is profitable to teach to conuince to correct and instruct in righteousnesse that the mā of God maybe absolute Heare saith S. Austin Thus saith the Lord not thus saith Donatus or Rogatus or Vincentius or Hilary or Austin but Thus saith the Lord. To the Law and to the Testimony saith Esay if they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them By the Scripture God speaketh his whole will saith Gregory If therefore men would in the true feare of God and lowlinesse of spirit desire diuine direction and attend vnto the word vndoubtedly they should see their way before them and could not be so transported of Impostors as they vse to be For them that be meeke will he guide in iudgement and teach the humble his way What man is he that feareth the Lord Him will he teach the way which he shall chuse The secret of the Lord is reuealed to them that feare him and his couenant to giue them vnderstanding And as our Sauiour speaketh Whatsoeuer ye shall aske the Father in my Name he will giue it you So then if we will not giue eare vnto Man but vnto God if we will not trust vnto our owne wings but seeke for aide of him we may boldly expect assistance of him according to his word And because to begin a course well is nothing vnlesse a man continue constant in it therefore it behoues vs to cleaue fast vnto the faith auoiding all impostures of Heretickes whatsoeuer For the furtherance hereof this Treatise was first written in Latine aboue a thousand yeares agoe by a learned and godly Frenchman whose authority is nothing lesse to be respected for his Monasticke kinde of liuing considering that our moderne Monkes haue almost nothing of Antiquity besides their name And for the same purpose we haue turn'd it into English desiring the Almightie to bedew the same with the blessing of his grace My labour I account as due to the Church in generall and abundantly deserued of you both in particular if therefore you shall accept it I shall haue my full desire The God of heauen and earth preserue you by his grace that after this life on Earth ye may be presented to Iesus Christ to liue in heauen with him in eternall glory Amen London S. Clem. April 14. 1611. Your VVorships in Christ Iesus to be commanded Thomas Tuke To The Reader THERE are three sorts of men for whō I haue translated this little booke The first are they that heare their fathers instruction and despise not the gouernement of their mother whom I desire God vpon my knees to keepe free from the poyson and peruersnesse of all Heretickes and Schismatickes whatsoeuer The second are they that are mis-led by Romish Impostors into many grosse and nouell errours such as the Scriptures and antient Doctors vtterly condemne as may easily be seene by viewing sundry workes of diuers learned men amongst vs either written or turned into English The chiefest cause of of whose erring partly consists in an incredible credit which they giue vnto their Teachers and partly in their owne wonderfull ignorance of the holy Scriptures which might inlighten their eies and informe their iudgements It is written of Naash that he would make a couenant with the men of Iabesh Gilead vpon condition that he might thrust out all their right eies euen so surely the Diuell delights in nothing more then in putting out mens eyes and in captiuating their vnderstanding which is as the right eye of the soule that being blinded he may leade them at his pleasure But if it would please them to search the Scriptures as Christ exhorteth and to consider of the Catholicke doctrine of the antient Church euen to the times wherein this our Author liued I doubt not but that the scales of ignorance would fall from their eyes and that those mists would be soone dispersed which Satan casts before them The third are such as are not much offended at the doctrines of the Church but condemne her gouernment and stumble at her Ceremonies which yet are neither vndecent nor superstitious or numerous and such as neither Gods word forbiddeth nor any approued Church in the Christian world condemneth as they are commanded by this Church entertained Now see heere what strange conceipts and doctrines are deuised and defended of them such as haue no foot-step in the Scripture no fellowship with Antiquity 1. It is affirmed that The true and right gouernment of the Christian Churches is a certaine Democratie 2. That a prouinciall Church is Contrary to the testament of Christ Hereupon Henry Iacob in an Epistle prefixed to a booke lately printed at Leyden labours for a Separation 3. That humane ceremonies being once abused cannot bee purged but by vtter abolishion 4. That it is out of all doubt that Christ sate or lay at his last Supper or thus that it is not
it listed to smite them downe as from some place on high Then were wiues defiled widdowes robd Virgins deflowred Monasteries demolished Cleargy-men disturbed Leuites beaten Priests banished prisons gaoles and mynes filled with the Saints the greatest part of whom being driuen out of Citties forbidden to them and exiled were euen broken and consumed with nakednesse hunger and thirst amongst deserts dens wild beasts and rockes But all these things did they for no other cause befall but euen because the superstitions of mans inuentions were taught for heauenly doctrine because well-grounded antiquity was vedermined by wicked nouelty because the ordinances of the Elders were violated because the decrees of the Fathers were repealed because the determinations of the Ancient were disanulled and for that the lust of profane and vpstart curiosity contained not it selfe within the most chaste limits of sacred and vncorrupt Antiquity CHAP. 7. BVt it will bee thought perhaps wee faine these things through hatred of nouelty and loue of Antiquity Whosoeuer iudgeth this let him giue credit at the least to blessed Ambrose who in his second book to the Emperour Gratian himselfe bewailing the bitternes of the time saith But now almighty God quoth he we haue beene sufficiently punished by our owne destruction and bloud-shed for the slaughters of the Confessours the banishments of the Priests and for such wicked villany It is cleare enough that they which violated the faith cannot be safe In like manner in the third booke of the same worke Let vs therefore keepe saith he the commandements of the Elders that wee be not bold through vnciuill rashnesse to breake the seales that are hereditary Neither the Elders nor the Power nor the Angels nor Archangels durst open that sealed booke of prophecy the prerogatiue of explaning that was reserued for Christ alone Which of vs dares vnseale the Sacerdoticall Booke sealed of Confessours and consecrated now with the martyrdome of many which they that haue bene compelled to vnseale it yet afterwards haue sealed when the fraud was condemned they that durst not violate it were Confessours and Martyrs How can wee deny their faith whose victory we do extoll Wee praise them I say O venerable Ambrose wee praise them indeed and praysing wee wonder at them For who is he that is so mad who though he be not able to ouertake them yet would not wish to follow whom no violence hath driuen from defending of the faith of the Elders Not threatnings not flatterings not life not death not the palace not Sergeants not the Emperour not the Empire not men not diuels Whom I say the Lord for their constant imbracing of holy Antiquity deemed meete for so great an office as by them to repaire Churches ruinated to quicken spirituall people extinguished to put on the Crownes of Priests that were deiected to deface a fountaine of vnfeigned teares being infused from heauen into the Bishops those wicked I say not letters but litures blots or dashes of nouell impiety and finally to call back now almost all the world being strucken with the tempest of suddaine heresie I say to call it backe to the ancient faith from vp-start falshood vnto ancient soundnesse from furious and vnsound newnesse and to the ancient light from the blindnesse of nouelty CHAP. 8. BVt in this certaine Diuine vertue of Confessions that we are also euen most of all to mark that then in the very Antiquity of the Church they vndertooke the defence not of some part but of the whole body For it was not lawful for mē so great and of such quality to mantaine with so great contention indeauour the straggling selfe-thwarting coniectures of one or two or to striue for the rash consent of some little Prouince but following the decrees and determinations of Apostolique and Catholicke truth made by all the Priests of the holy Church they choosed rather to betray themselues then the faith which was held of old vniuersally Whereby they obtained also so great a degree of glory as that they were rightly and worthily counted not Confessours only but the Principall of Confessours also It behoueth therefore all true Catholikes vncessantly to meditate on this notable and indeede diuine ensample of those same blessed men who shining like the seuen headed Candlesticke with the seuenfold light of the holy Spirit haue shewed their posterity a most euident way how the boldnesse of prophane nouelty may in all the vaine bablings of errours bee hence forth cooled with the authority of sacred Antiquity CHAP. 9. NEither is this a new thing truly for this custome was alwaies vsed in the Church that the more any man flourished in religion the more ready he was to withstand nouell deuices The world is full of such examples But for breuity sake wee will make choyce of some one and this especially from the Apostolicke Sea In times past therefore Agrippinus of venerable memory Bishop of Carthage held rebaptization first of all men against the Canon of the Word against the Rule of the Uniuersall Church against the iudgement of all his Fellow-priests against the manner and customes of the Elders The which presumption caused so great a mischiefe as that it ministred a forme of sacrilege not onely to all heretickes but gaue occasion of error to some Catholickes also When as all men therefore euery where vpon the nouelty of the thing cryed out against it all the Priests on euery side did euery one indeuour to resist it then Pope Stephen of happy memory Bishop of the Apostolike See with the rest of his Fellowes but yet aboue the rest withstood it deeming it as I suppose a thing beseeming if hee did excell all the rest as much by deuout affection to the faith as hee did surpasse them by the authority of place Finally in an Epistle which was sent into Affrica the said Stephen ordeined in these words That nothing should bee renewed but that which is deliuered For that holy and wise man knew that piety doth nothing else allow of but that all things should with the same faithfulnesse bee reteined for the Children with the which they were receiued of the Fathers and that we ought to follow religion not which way wee would lead it but rather by that way it would lead vs and that that is the propertie of Christian modesty and grauity for men not to deliuer their owne deuices to them that so come after but to keepe the things receiued of their Elders What therefore was the issue then of all the matter Surely what else but that which was vsuall and accustomed Antiquity namely reteined and nouelty exploded CHAP. 10. BVt peraduenture then that new deuise was destitute of means to defēd beare it out Yea verily there was for it so great acutenes of wit so great aboundance of eloquence so great a number of maintainers so great likelihood of truth so many Oracles of Gods word but
that goes about to prohibite that But yet let it be so that it may be indeed a proceeding not a changing of the Faith For that is to profite that euery thing bee increased in it selfe but that is changing when a thing is altered from one thing to another It behoueth therefore that the vnderstanding knowledge and wisedome as well of each as of all as well of one man as of the whole Church should by the degrees of ages and times increase and profite much and greatly but yet in their owne kind onely to wit in the same doctrine in the same sense and in the same iudgement CHAP. 29. LEt the religion of soules resemble the state and nature of bodies which although in the processe of yeares they declare and finish their proportions and degrees yet do they continue still the same which they were at first There is much difference betwixt the flower of Child-hood and the ripenesse of Old-age but yet the very self-same men become old which had bene yong that albeit the very state and quality of one and the same man bee altered yet is he neuerthelesse one and the same nature one and the selfe-same person The members of sucking children are small but of young men great yet are they the very selfe-same As many as are the ioynts of little ones so many are there of men and if those be any which come forth in riper yeares they be now already planted in the nature of the seede so that no new thing comes out in old men after which did not now before lye within them hid in their childhood Whence it is manifest that this is the lawful and right Rule of profiting that this is the certaine and most excellent order of increasing if so be that the number and degrees of age do alway discouer those parts and formes when wee are greater or elder which the wisedome of our Creator did forme before when wee were little If that the shape of man should afterwards be changed into the shape of another kinde or if at the least wise the number of the members should be increased or decreased the whole body must of necessity either perish or become monstrous or at the least be weakened So also it is fitting that the doctrine of Christian religion should follow these rules or fashions of increasing namely that it should bee strengthened by yeares inlarged by time extolled with age but yet remain incorrupted and pure and bee compleat and perfect in all the measures of her parts and in al her owne members as it were and senses as which more ouer admitteth no change no losse of property nor indureth any variety of definition CHAP. 30. FOr examhle sake our Elders sowed of old the Wheaten seedes of the faith in this Corne field of the Church it is vniust and vnbeseeming that wee their Posterity instead of the naturall and true Wheate should make choice of the Cockle of errour put into the roome thereof But this rather is right and agreeable that the beginnings and the endings being correspondent to each other we should reape and enioy of the increasings of a wheaten institution the fruit or graine also of wheaten doctrine that whenas somthing out of those beginnings of the seeds is by processe of time shot vp it may now both flourish and be trimmed vp by husbanding yet so as that nothing of the property of the sprout bee changed though forme shape and distinction bee added that yet the nature of euery kinde abide the same For God forbid that those rosy plants of Catholicke iudgment should bee turned into Thistles Thornes Farre be it I say that in this spirituall Paradise Darnell and Woolfe-bane should all vpon the sudden come from the sets and shootes of Cynnamon and Balme Whatsoeuer therefore is faithfully sowen of the Fathers in the Church which is Gods Husbandry it behooueth that by the labour of the children the very same should be husbanded and lookt vnto it is fitting that the very same should flourish and ripen that the same should grow come to perfectiō For it is lawfull that those ancient doctrines of heauenly Philosophy should in processe of time bee exactly handled trimmed and polished but it is vnlawful that they should be changed it is vnlawfull to mangle and to maime them They may lawfully receiue clearenesse light and distinction but it is needfull that they should reteine fulnesse soundnesse and property CHAP. 31. FOr if this licentiousnesse of wicked deceit be once permitted I tremble to vtter what great danger may ensue of rooting out and abolishing of religion For when any part of the Catholicke doctrine shall be reiected others also and others after them one after another will now as it were by custome and lawe be reiected and done away Moreouer also when the parts are each of them seuerely reiected what will follow at the last but that the whole should in like manner be refused Yea and contrariwise if nouelties shall begin to be mingled with antient doctrines and forreine with domesticall and profane with sacred it cannot be but that this fashion will spread it selfe ouer all that nothing in the Church wil hereafter bee left vntouched nothing sound nothing vncorrupted but that the Stewes of wicked and filthy errours should afterwards be there where there was aforetime the Sanctuary of the chast and vndefiled truth But let godly deuotion driue this wickednesse from mens minds and let this rather bee the fury of the wicked CHAP. 32. BVt the Church of Christ being a diligent and wary Keeper of the Doctrines that are cōmitted to her doth alter nothing in them at any time diminisheth nothing addeth nothing shee cuts not off things that are necessary she ads not things superfluous she looseth not her owne she vsurps not strangers but this one thing she studies with all diligence namely that by handling the antient doctrines faithfully and discreetly she might perfit and polish those if any that haue bene shaped and begun of old and if any be already perfectly declared and made manifest that she might confirme strengthen them and that if any be now confirmed and defined she might conserue and keepe them To conclude what else did she euer labour by the Decrees of Councels then that the selfe-same thing which was simply beleeued afore might more carefully bee beleeued after that the very same thing which was more slackly preached before might be more diligently preached after that the very same thing which was more carelesly kept before might more carefully be husbanded after This thing I say she hath aimed at alwayes and at nothing else being stirred vp with the nouelties of Heretiques The Catholicke Church be the decrees of her Councells hath done nothing but that what she had receiued before of the Elders onely by tradition she might moreouer set the same thing downe in hand-writing for those also that shold come after comprehending a
taketh away the sinnes of the world Who are rauening Wolues but the sauage and rauening opinions or conceits of heretickes which alwaies annoy the Foldes of the Church and rend assunder the Flocke of Christ on what part soeuer they are able But that they may steale more slily vpon the vnwary sheepe retaining still their woluish cruelty they lay aside their shape of a Wolfe and wrap themselues within the sentences of the holy Scriptures as it were within certaine Sheepe-skinnes that when a body hath felt afore the softnesse of the wooll hee might not bee afraid of the bitings of the teeth But what saith our Sauiour Yee shall know them by their fruits That is when they shall begin not only now to vtter those sayings but also to expound them nor as yet to cracke of them only but also to interpret them then that bitternesse thē the sourenesse and madnesse is perceiued then this new deuised poison will bee breathed out then are prophane nouelties disclosed then may ye see the bounds of the Fathers to be remoued the Catholicke faith to be then but chered and the doctrine of the Church torne in peeces CHAP. 37. SVch were they whom the Apostle Paul reproueth in his second Epistle to the Corinthes saying For such false Apostles saith hee are crafty workmen transforming themselues into Apostles of Christ What meaneth this transforming themselues into the Apostles of Christ The Apostles alledged examples of the Law of God and so did they The Apostles cited the authorities of the Psalmes and so did they the Apostles produced the sayings of the Prophets euen so did they too not a iot the lesse But when they had begun to expound those sentences diuersly which they had alike alledged then were the simple Apostles discerned from the subtill Apostles the sincere from the counterfeite the right from the peruerse and finally the true from the false And no wonder quoth he For Sathan himselfe transformeth himselfe into an Angel of light it is no great thing therefore though his Ministers bee transformed as Ministers of righteousnesse Therefore by the Apostle Pauls doctrine so often as euer either false Apostles or false Prophets or false Teachers all edge the sentences of Gods word with the which being vnderstood amisse they seeke to maintaine their owne errors there is no doubt but that they follow the crafty deuises of their Author which he would neuer without doubt deuise but that hee knowes that there is no way at all more ready to deceiue then that where the deceit of a wicked errour is vnderhand introduced There the authority of Diuine sentences should bee pretended But some man will say how is it proued that the Diuell is wont to vse proofes of holy Scripture Let him read the Gospels in the which it is written Then the Diuell tooke him that is the Lord and Sauiour and set him vpon a pinacle of the Temple and said vnto him If thou be the Son of God cast thy selfe downe For it is written that hee hath giuen his Angels charge ouer thee to keepe thee in all thy waies and with their hands they shall lift thee vp least it may bee thou shouldest dash thy foote against a stone What will this Fiend do to silly men that set vpon the Lord of glory with testimonies of Scripture If quoth hee thou be the Son of God cast thy selfe downe Why so For saith he it is written The doctrine of this place is to bee diligently marked and reteined of vs that when we shall see some alledge the words of the Apostles or Prophets against the Catholicke Faith we should in no wise doubt considering such a remarkeable example of Euangelicall authority that the Diuell speaketh by them For as then the Head spake to the Head so now also the Members speake vnto the Members to wit the members of the Diuell to the members of Christ the vnfaithfull to the faithfull the sacrilegious to the religious finally Heretiques to Catholickes But what I pray you saith hee If quoth he thou bee the Sonne of God cast thy selfe downe That is to say thou wilt be the Son of God and wilt receiue the inheritance of the kingdome of heauen Cast thy selfe downe that is throw thy selfe off from the doctrine and tradition of this high Church which is also counted the Temple of God And if any man should aske some hereticke which perswades him to doe thus How dost thou prooue vpon what ground dost thou teach that I ought to forsake the vniuersall and ancient faith of the Catholicke Church Hee would presently answer For it is written And forthwith hee prepares a multitude of testimonies examples and authorities from the Law frō the Psalmes from the Apostles from the Prophets through the which being after a new and naughty manner interpreted the vnhappy soule might bee plunged headlong into the gulfe of heresie And now with those promises following the hereticks are wont to deceiue vnwary men For they presume to promise and to teach That in their Church that is in the conuenticle of their communion there is a great and special and in truth a certaine personall grace of God so as that they whosoeuer they bee that are of their company without any labour without any study without any trauell though they neither seeke nor aske nor knocke are yet for all that so ordered by God that being lifted vp in the hands of Angels that is being preserued by Angelicall protection they can neuer dash their foote against a stone that is they can neuer be scandalized or offended CHAP. 38. BVt some man doth say If the Diuel and his Disciples do vse Diuine speeches sentences and promises amongst whose Disciples some are Fals-apostles False-prophets and False-teachers and all of them generally heretiques what shal Catholicke men and the Children of the Church our Mother do How shall they discerne the truth in the holy Scriptures from falsehood Surely they shall haue speciall care to doe this which wee haue in writing set downe in the beginning of this aduertisement to haue beene deliuered vnto vs by holy and learned men namely that they doe interprete the holy Scriptures according to the traditions of the vniuersall Church and by the rules of Catholicke doctrine wherein also it is necessary that they follow the vniuersality antiquity and consent of the Catholique and Apostolique Church And if at any time a part shall rebell against the whole if nouelty shall thwart antiquity if the dissention of one or of some few erronious persons shall crosse the consent of all or surely of the greatest number of Catholickes let them preferre the soundnesse of the whole to the corruptnesse of a part in the which same vniuersall body let them make more account of religious antiquity then of profane nouelty in like manner in the same antiquity let them first and foremost afore all thinges preferre the generall decrees if there
only possible or probable but certaine that he vsed a table gesture at that his last Supper 5. That because Christ vsed a table gesture therefore it is vnlawfull for vs to vse any other then a table gesture 6 That to receiue the bread and wine kneeling is vnlawfull is Idolatry Which me thinkes is very strange For what is the Idoll wee kneele not vnto the Elements but vnto God in testimony of reuerence and humblenesse of spirit Secondly if wee Must receiue the Sacrament with reuerence and humility of heart as who dare gainsay thē vndoubtedly wee May receiue it with a reuerend and humble gesture Thirdly if our kneeling be idolatry then are wee idolaters as if oppression bee theft and oppressors are Theeues if to take the Cure of soules and to take no Care of soules be murder then they that take the Cure of soules and take no Care of soules are Murderers yea and resolute Idolaters for we do not onely kneele but stand to defend it and we practise it daily yea and charge them with ignorance that do condemne it as vnlawful Now what wil follow If we be idolaters then they must not eate with vs. If any saith S. Paul that is called a brother bee an Idolater with such one eate not And againe If wee be Idolaters how dare they communicate with vs What with Idolaters Either therefore these conceits must be for saken or else I see not how wee can but swarme with Iacobites But I am perswaded better things of many of them such as accompany Saluation and tend not to Separation A. Fuluius once sayd to his sonne I begat thee not for Catiline against thy Country but for thy Country against Catiline so may I say they were not begotten by the Gospel for Iohnson for Iacob for any turbulent and phantasticke Doctor against the Church but for the Church against them And be they well assured that this sleight stuffe will shrinke when it comes to wetting this counterfeit coine will not indure triall The greatnesse of men their learning their godlinesse are no arguments to moue vs to receiue their owne conceipts for doctrines No an Angell must not be heard against the truth But mee thinkes I heare some man say How may I be resolued in this difference of opinions what shall I doe to finde out the truth I answer First giue diligent care to the voyce of God in the Scriptures what it saith that receiue though it crosse thee neuer so much and where it hath no tongue haue thou no care Do not first entertaine a conceit and then look out Scripture to draw it by the haire to thee Secondly be not ouercaried with any preiudicate opinion of thine Opposite neither let the reuerend conceit of thy Teacher that hath taught thee such a doctrine couer thine eye from beholding reason and do not thinke that because hee is a good man therefore all must needes bee good that hee hath taught thee or that his doctrines are sounder thē another mans because his life is better Thirdly be not proud or selfe-conceited For God resisteth the proud God and Pride saith Bernard cannot dwell together in the same heart which could not dwell in the same heauen And the History of the Church sheweth that Arrius of very pride fell into wicked and open heresie But the Lord giueth grace to the humble and teacheth him his way If yee aske saith Augustine what is the first step in the way of truth I answer Humility If yee aske what is the second I say Humility If yee aske what is the third I say the same Humility fourthly pray earnestly with Dauid that God would bee pleased to Giue thee vnderstanding and to teach thee good indgement and knowledge Finally bee not easily perswaded to beleeue Doctrines specially against the vnanimous consent of a true Church which neither the ancient acknowledged neither are allowed by any present approoued Church but are the conceipts of some particular persons In one word I pray thee diligently to read this Treatise ouer For it teacheth how to continue in the faith against all the fraudes and fallacies of Imposters It is not great but good learned though but litle and as sweete to them that are intelligent as short The Lord blesse it to thee and giue thee an vnderstanding head and an obedient heart April 14. 1611. Thine in Christ THOMAS TVKE A TREATISE OR Disputation of VINCENTIVS LIRINENSIS for the Antiquity of the Catholicke faith against the profane Nouelties of all Heresies The Preface FORASMVCH as the Scripture speakes and warnes vs thus Aske thy Fathers and they will shew thee thine Elders and they will tell thece And againe Apply thine eare to the words of the wise In like manner also My Son forget not these sayings and let thine heart keepe my words It seemeth to me Peregrinus the least of all the seruants of God that it will not be a little profitable through the Lords assistance if I shall set downe those things in writing which I haue faithfully receiued of the holy Fathers sure I am very necessary for mine owne infirmity seeing I may haue in readinesse whereby the weakenesse of my memory may bee relieued with continuall reading Vnto which taske not only the benefite of the work doth mooue me but the consideration also of time and the oportunity of Place The time for seeing all things are carried away therewith it behoueth vs also to catch something therefrom againe which may further vnto eternall life especially because the expectation of Gods terrible iudgement requireth the studies of Religion and the subtilty of nouell Heretiques asketh much care and diligence The Place also because auoiding the throngs multitudes that are in Citties we liue in a little Village more remote and are there inclostred in a Monastery where without great distraction we may do that which the Psalmist sings of Be still and know that I am God But indeed the reason of our purpose is agreeable thereunto as who because wee haue some while bene tossed with diuers and grieuous troubles of a secular warfare haue at the length through the fauour of Christ hidden vs within the hauen of Religion most faithful alwaies vnto all that there the blasts of vanity and pride being laid downe and appeasing God by the sacrifice of Christian humility we might escape not onely the Ship-wracks of the life present but the flames also of the future But now will I in the name of the Lord set vpon this businesse to wit set downe in writing the things that haue ben deliuered from our Elders and committed to our keeping intending to be a faithful Relator of them and not presuming to be their Author Neither meane I to set downe all but to touch those onely that are necessary that not in any polished and curious stile but in a plaine and familiar speech that the most of them may
with them Yea but perhaps these precepts belong only to the Galatians Then these things also are commanded to the Galatians onely which are mentioned in the same Epistle after such as are these If wee liue in the Spirit let vs also walk in the Spirit let vs not be desirous of vaine glory prouoking one another enuying one another and the rest Which if it bee against sense and if they be commanded vnto all alike it standeth with good reason that as these commandements concerning manners so those also concerning faith should equally belong to all CHAP. 14. ANd as no man may prouoke or enuy one another so no man may receiue ought besides that which the Catholike Church doth alway preach or else perhaps it was at that time inioyned that if any did preach otherwise then was already preached hee should bee accursed but not at this time there is no such commandement Then that also which hee likewise speaketh in the same Epistle And I say walke in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh was at that time onely commanded and is not now inioyned But if it be both impious and pernicious so to thinke it doth necessarily follow that as these things ought to be obserued of all ages so those things which are decreed concerning the keeping of the faith without alteration are commanded also to all ages To preach any thing therefore to Christian Catholikes besides that which they haue receiued was neuer lawfull is no where lawfull and neuer shall be lawfull and to accurse them which preach any thing besides that which was once receiued hath beene euer behoouefull is euery where behoouefull and shall alwaies be behoouefull Which things seeing they thus stand is there any man either so bold as to preach otherwise then hath ben preached in the Church or so light as to receiue otherwise then that hee hath receiued of the Church Let him cry and cry againe and againe let him in his letters cry both vnto all and alwaies and euery where euen that vessell of election that teacher of the Gentiles that Apostolique Trumpet that Preacher of Men and who knew the will of God That if any one preach a new doctrine hee shall be accursed On the contrary also certaine Frogs and Gnats and Flies that shall perish such as are the Pelagians cry out against him and that vnto Catholikes We say they being Authors Leaders and interpreters Condemne ye those things which yee did hold hold yee those things which yee did condemne Reiect yee the ancient faith the Fathers ordinances and those things which the Elders haue committed to your trust and Receiue ye What things I pray you I tremble to speake them for they are so insolent that mee thinkes they cannot be without some vile offence affirmed no nor intruth somuch as refelled CHAP. 15. BVt some man will say Wherefore then doth God very often suffer certaine excellent persons in the Church to broach new matters vnto Catholikes It is a good question and worthy to be diligently largely answered Which yet we must make answere to not of our owne head but by the authority of Gods word and by the instruction of an Ecclesiasticall Teacher Let vs therefore heare holy Moses and let him teach vs wherefore learned men and such as by reason of the grace of knowledge be called also Prophets of the Apostle are sometimes permitted to publish new doctrines which the old Testament vseth allegorically to call Strange Gods to wit because Heretiques worship their owne opinions as the Gentiles doe their gods Blessed Moses therefore in Deuteronomy writeth If there arise among you a Prophet or which saith hee hath seene a vision that is to say a Teacher constituted in the Church who is thought of his Schollers and Hearers to teach by some reuelation What followeth And shall giue thee a Signe or Wonder and the Signe or Wonder which he hath spoken of shall come to passe Doubtles some great I know not what Teacher is vnderstood and indued with such knowledge as who may seeme to his owne followers not onely to know things that are within the reach of man but also to foreknow things which are aboue him such almost as Ualentinus Donatus Photinus Appollinaris and the rest of that rabble were by their Disciples crakt of to haue bene But what followes And shall say quoth Moses vnto thee Let vs go and follow after other gods which thou knowest not and let vs serue them What are those strange Gods but strange errours which thou hast not knowne that is to say new and not-heard-of And let vs serue them that is let vs beleeue thē follow thē But what saies he last of all Thou shalt not hearken quoth hee vnto that Prophet or dreamer of dreames And why I pray thee doth not God prohibite that to bee taught which hee doth forbid to be receiued Because saith hee the Lord your God prooueth you that it might appeare whether you loue the Lord your God withall your heart and withall your soule The reason is cleerer then the light why the prouidence of God doth sometimes suffer certaine Teachers of the Churches to broach some new doctrines that the Lord your God quoth he might try yee And indeed it is no small temptation when as he whom thou countest a Prophet the Disciple of the Prophets and a teacher and defender of the truth and whom thou dost exceedingly reuerence loue Shall on the suddaine closely bring in some hurtfull errours which thou art neither able quickly to perceiue as long as thou art led by a fore-stalled iudgement concerning his old maisterlike authority neither dost thou easily thinke it lawfull to condemne them whilst thou art hindred by thine affection towards thine ancient Maister CHAP. 16. HEre some man may perhaps desire that those things which are in the words of holy Moses affirmed may be by some Ecclesiasticall Ensamples cleered The desire is iust and not long to be put off For that we may beginne with the neerest and those that are manifest what a temptation was that of late suppose wee when as that wretch Nestorius being suddenly turned from a Sheepe to a Wolfe had begun to rend the Flocke of Christ At which time the very same persons whom he did teare for a great part of them as yet did verily think him to be a sheep and therefore lay the more open to his teeth For who would easily imagine him to erre whom he saw chosen with such iudgement of the Empire and so highly fauoured of the Priests Who being continually honoured with the great loue of the Saints and very great good will of the people did openly preach the word of God and confute also the hurtfull errours of Iewes and Gentiles By the which meanes I pray you would hee not perssade any man that hid doctrines preaching and iudgement were right
and sound Who to make way for his one heresie inueighed against the blasphemies of all heresies But this was that which Moses saith The Lord your God proueth you whether yee loue him or no. And that we may passe by Nestorius in whom there was alwaies more wonderment then profite and more fame then experience whom the fauour of men rather then of God had for a while aduanced in the opinion of the common people let vs rather speake of those who hauing profited well and being full of industry became no small temptation to Catholike men As in Hungarie in the memory of our Ancesters Photinus is said to haue tempted the Church of Sirmion Where whēas with the great liking of al mē hee was called vnto the priesthood and had executed his office for a time like a Catholike suddenly like that euil Prophet or Dreamer which Moses speaketh of hee began to perswade the people of God committed to his trust to follow after strange gods that is to say strange errours which before they knew not But this is vsuall and that dangerous because hee was furnished with no meane helpes to so great a wickednesse For hee had a good wit and hee was an excellent Scholler and very eloquent or powerfull in speech able in both languages to dispute and write eloquently and substantially as appeareth by the monuments of his bookes which hee hath written partly in Greeke and partly in Latine But it was well that the Sheepe of Christ committed to him being very watchfull and wary for the Catholicke Faith had quicke regard to the words of Moses who did forewarne them and that although they did admire the eloquence of their Prophet and Pastor yet notwithstanding they were not ignorant of the temptation For whō before they followed as the Bel-weather of the Flocke euen him they fled frō afterwards as from a Wolfe Neither do wee come to know the perill of this Ecclesiasticall temptation by the example of Photinus but of Apollinaris also and are therby also admonished to the more diligent keeping of the faith which is to be kept For he made his hearers to haue much a doe and brought them into great straites For whereas the authority of the Church drew them one way the custome or conuersation acquaintance of their Maister drew them backe another way and so wagging and wauering betwixt both they see not which way they should rather chuse But it may be he was a man that might easily bee contemned Yea verily he was so worthy a man and so qualified as that he might in the most things be too soone beleeued For who surpast him in acutenes of wit practise and in Schollership How many heresies hee hath ouerthrown in many volumes how many errours contrary to the faith hee hath confuted that most excellent and very huge worke consisting of no lesse then thirty bookes doth witnesse wherein he hath with a great masse of argumēts confounded the furious cauils of Porphiry It is too long to reckō vp all his workes for the which he might intruth be matched with the chiefest builders of the Church had he not through that wicked lust of hereticall curiosity found out what nouelty I wot not by the which he might both defile all his labours as with the mixture of a certaine leprosie and should haue his doctrine said to be not so much an edification as an Ecclesiasticall tentation Heere perhaps some may require at my hands that I would shew them the heresies of these men of whom we spake before to wit Nestorius Apollinaris and Photinus But this is nothing to the matter which now wee are in hand with For our purpose is not to set downe the errours of all but to shew the examples of a few whereby that may euidently and plainely be cleered which Moses speaketh Namely that if at any time any Ecclesiasticall Teacher and hee a Prophet by reason of interpreting the mysteries of the Prophets shal attempt to bring in some new point of doctrine into the Church of God the Diuine prouidence doth suffer it to be done that We might be proued CHAP. 17. IT will not therefore bee amise by way of digression briefly to shew the opinions of the fore-named heretiques that is Photinus Apollinaris Nestorius This is then the doctrine of Photinus that God is single and alone and to bee confessed after a Iudaicall manner he saith that there are not full three persons neither doth he thinke that there is any person of the Word or Son of God or any of the Holy Ghost he doth also say that Christ is a meere man only to whom he ascribeth a beginning from Mary and this he teacheth by all meanes for a doctrine That we ought to worship onely the person of God the Father and onely Christ the Man These things therefore held Photinus Apollinaris also doth as it were glory that hee doth consent vnto the vnity truly of the Trinity and that with perfect soundnes of faith but he doth by open profession blaspheme against the Incarnation of the Lord. For hee saith that the soule of a man was either not at all in the flesh of our Sauiour or else surely that there was such a one as wanted vnderstanding and reason Yea and he said that the very flesh of our Lord was not of the flesh of the holy Virgin Mary but that it came downe from heauen into the Virgin and alwaies staggering and doubting he said sometimes that it was coëternall with the God the Word sometimes that it was made of the Diuinity of the Word For he would not that two substances should bee in Christ one Diuine and another Humane one of a father the other of a mother but he immagined that the nature of the Word was diuided as though a part thereof remained in God and the other had bene turned into the flesh that whereas the truth saith that of two substances there is one Christ he being opposite to the truth might affirme that of one Diuinity of Christ there are two substances These then are the errours of Apollinaris Now Nestorius being sicke of a contrary disease to Apollinaris whiles he makes fare as if hee did distinguish two substances in Christ all on the sudden hee brings in two persons and with incredible wickednes will haue two Sons of God two Christs One of them God the other Man one that is begotten of a Father the other generated of a Mother and therefore hee doth affirme that holy Mary is not to bee called the Mother of God but the Mother of Christ to wit because of her came not Christ who is God but he which was man If so be that any man thinke that hee saith in his letters that Christ is one and that hee speaks of one person of Christ let him not easily giue credit to him For either hee hath deuised this shift through his skil to deceiue that by good things he might the
well qualified whiles he doth insolently abuse the grace of God whiles he makes too much of his own wit and thinks so well of himself whiles he contēneth the ancient simplicity of Christian religion whiles he presumes he is wiser then all men and whiles that contemning the traditions of the Church and the maisterships of the Elders he doth after a new manner expound certaine places of the Scriptures he hath deserued that it should be sayd vnto the Church of God concerning him also If there arise among you a Prophet And a little after Thou shalt not quoth he listen to the words of that Prophet And againe Because the Lord your God saith he tryeth you whether ye will loue him or no. It was indeed not onely a temptation but euen a great temptation to remoue the Church being giuen vnto him and depending vpon him and through wondring at his wit learning eloquence conuersation and reputation suspecting him not nor fearing him to remoue the Church I say all vpon the sudden by little and little from the ancient Religion to nouell profanenesse But some man will say that the bookes of Origen are corrupted I gain say it not but had rather too it were so For that is both deliuered and written of some not onely Catholikes but also Heretiques But that is it which now we are to marke that although he himselfe bee not yet the bookes which are publiked vnder his name are a great temptation which being pestered with many wounds of blasphemies are both read embraced not as other mens but as his owne so that although Origen did not conceiue the error yet Origens authority may seeme powerfull to perswade the error CHAP. 24. BVt Tertullians cōdition also is euen the same For as he among the Greekes so this man among the Latines is without doubt to bee reputed the chiefest of all our men For who more learned then this man who more exercised in diuinity and in humanity For verily he did with a certaine admirable capacity of vnderstanding vnderstand compasse al Philosophy and all the sects of the Phylosophers the authors abettours of the sects and all their doctrines and all manner of stories and studies And did hee not excell for a wit so graue and vehement as that he propounded almost nothing to himselfe to vanquish which he did not either breake into with acutenesse or strike out with weightinesse Moreouer who can expresse the praises of his speech which was replenished with such I wot not what vrgent arguments as that whom he could not perswade he forced to consent vnto him whose sentences were almost as many as words and as many victories as reasons This knew the Martionists Apelles the Praxeans Hermogenes the Iewes Gentiles Gnostickes and the rest whose blasphemies he ouerthrew with his manifold great volumes as with certaine lightenings And yet this man also I say this Tertullian being vnmindfull of the Catholicke doctrine that is the vniuersall and ancient faith and much more eloquent thē happy changing his iudgment afterwards wrought that at last which the blessed Confessour Hilarie writeth of him in a certaine place By the error quoth he which he fell afterwards into he made the workes which he wrote well to loose their reputation And hee himselfe was also a great temptation in the Church But of him I will say no more This thing I will onely mention that because hee did against the commandement of Moses affirme that the new braine-sicke doctrines of Montanus arising in the Church and that those madde conceits of mad women euen the dreames of an vpstart doctrine were true prophecies he did deserue that it should be said of him also and of his writings If a Prophet shall arise among you And againe Thou shalt not heare the words of that Prophet Why so Because saith he the Lord your God tryeth you whether you will loue him or not By these therfore so many and so great examples in the Church and by the rest of that nature we ought euidently to marke and to know more clearely then the light that if euer any teacher in the Church shall wander from the faith the prouidence of God doth suffer it to be done for our tryall to proue whether we loue the Lord our God with all our heart and with all our soule or no. CHAP. 25. VVHich things seeing they so stand he is a true and right Catholicke who loueth the truth of God the Church the body of Christ and who preferres nothing to Gods Religion nothing to the Catholicke faith not the authority not the loue not the wit not the eloquence nor the philosophy of any man but contemning all these things and abiding firme and stedfast in the faith doth iudge that whatsoeuer he shall vnderstand to bee vniuersally held of old of the Catholicke Church himselfe should hold and beleeue alone but whatsoeuer nouell and strange doctrine hee shall perceiue to bee priuily brought in after by any one besides or against the iudgement of all the Saints hee knowes that it belongs not to religion but rather to tentation And is also especially by the speeches of the blessed Apostle Paul instructed for this is that which hee writeth in his first Epistle to the Corinthes There must bee saith he heresies euen among you that they which are approued among you might be knowen As if hee should say for this cause the Authors of heresies are not presently rooted out by God that they which are approued might be seene that is that it might appeare how sure faithful and constant a louer of the Catholick faith euery mā is And in truth when euery nouelty cometh vp the weightinesse of the Corne and the lightnesse of the Chaffe is presently perceiued at which time that is easily shaken frō the Floore which was held with no weight within the Floore For some doe forthwith flye quite away but others being onely driuen out doe both feare to perish and blush to returne being wounded halfe dead and halfe aliue as haiung drunke such a quantity of poyson as neither kild them nor was digested as would neither make them dye nor suffer them to liue Oh miserable condition with what waues of care with what whirlwinds are they tossed For somtimes which way the wind shal driue thē they are carried with a violent error sometimes returning to themselues they are beatē back like cōtrary waues somtimes by rash presumptiō they allow of those things which seeme vncertaine sometimes also through a reasonlesse feare they are afraid of those things that are certaine being vncertaine which way to go which way to returne what to follow what to fly what to hold what to let go Which afflictiō verily of a doubting wauering hart is the medicine of Gods mercy towards them if they would be wise For therefore are they tossed beaten and almost killed with sundry tempests of thoughts out of the most quiet
great deale of matter in a few words and commonly expressing the thing by some conuenient new tearme for the clearenes of vnderstanding and not for any new meaning of the Faith CHAP. 33. BVt let vs returne vnto the Apostle O Timotheus saith he keepe that which is committed to thee auoiding the profane nouelties of words Auoid them saith he as a Viper as a Scorpion as a Cockatrice that they may not smite thee not onely by touching but by sight also and by breathing What is it to auoid Not to eate meate with such an one What meaneth this Auoide thou If there come any vnto you saith Saint Iohn and bring not this doctrine What doctrine meanes he but the Catholicke and vniuersall which both continueth by an vncorrupted tradition of the truth one the same throughout all succeeding ages and shall continue for euer and for euer without end But what followeth Do not quoth he receiue him to house neither bid ye him God speede For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his euill deeds Profane nouelties of words saith Paul What is profane Such as are altogether voyde of holinesse and religion vtterly strange from the bosome of the Church which is the temple of God Profane nouelties of words saith he nouelties of words that is of doctrines things opinions which nouelties are contrary to antientnesse to antiquity Which if they should be receiued it cannot bee but that the Faith of the blessed Fathers should be violated either all or for a great part thereof at least it must needs bee that all the faithfull of all ages all the Saints all the chaste the continent virgines that all the Cleargy Leuites and Priests that so many thousands of Confessors so great armies of Martyrs so great an assembly and multitude of cities and people that so many Islands Prouinces Kings Nations kingdoms countries and finally that now almost all the world being incorporated into Christ the Head by the Catholicke faith it must needs bee I say that all these aforesaid should be said to haue beene ignorant for so long continuance of time to haue erred to haue blasphemed and not to haue knowen what they should beleeue CHAP. 34. AUoid saith he profane nouelties of words which to receiue and follow was neuer the propertie of Catholickes but alwayes of Heretickes And in truth what heresie was there euer which did not spring vp vnder a certaine name in a certaine place and at a certaine time Who euer brought vp heresies but which first separated himselfe from the viuersall and antient consent of the Catholicke Church Which that it was so examples shew most cleerely For who euer before that prophane Pelagius presumed that the power of Free-will was so great that hee did not thinke that the grace of God was necessary to helpe it in good thngs in euery act Who euer before Celestus his prodigious discipline denyed that all mankind was guilty of Adams transgression Who before sacrilegious Arrius dared to diuide the vnity of the Trinity who durst confound the Trinity of vnity before wicked Sabellius Who before most cruel Nauatianus affirmed that God was cruell for that he had rather the death of him that dyeth then that he should returne and liue Who before Simon the Magitian whom the Apostle cursed from whom that whirle-poole of filthinesses flowed by a continual and hidden succession euen vnto Priscilianus the last and hindermost who I say before that Simon durst affirme that God the Creator is the author of euils that is of our abhominable acts impieties and wicked enormities For he did auouch that God himselfe did with his owne hands create the nature of men so as that by reason of a certaine proper motion or impulsion of a certaine necessary will it could doe nothing else it could will nothing else but commit sin because it being chafed and inflamed with the furies of all vices it is carried by an vnsaciable desire into all the gulfes or whirlepits of dishonest and filthy facts Innumerable examples there are of the like nature which for breuity sake we pretermit by al which yet we haue euidently and clearely inough shewed that this with almost all heresies is solemne as it were and according to Law to delight alwaies in prophane nouelties to contemne the ordinances of Antiquity and through oppositions of knowledge falsly so tearmed to make ship-wracke from the faith On the contrary also this is almost proper vnto Catholickes to keep those things which were left in the custody of the holy Fathers and were committed to them and to condemne prophane nouelties and as the Apostle sayd and sayd againe If any shall preach otherwise then that which was receiued to Anathematize or curse him CHAP. 35. HEere some man perhaps may aske whether Heretickes also do vse the testimonies of the holy Scripture Indeed they vse thē and in truth with vehemency for you may see thē flie through all euery booke of the word of God through the bookes of Moses and of the Kings through the Psalmes Apostles Gospels Prophets For whether it bee amongst their owne Followers or with others whether priuately or publickly whether in Sermons or in Bookes whether at Banquets or in the streetes they neuer almost vtter any thing of their owne which they labour not also to shadow with their words of the Scripture Reade the pamphlets of Paulus Samosatenus of Priscillian Eunomius Iouinian and the rest of those Plagues you may see an infinite masse of examples that no page welneere escapes which is not painted and colored with the sentences of the Old or New Testament But they bee so much the rather to bee taken heede of and feared by how much the more closely they lurke vnder the shadowes of Gods word For they know that their stinking errours would not quikly bee pleasing almost vnto any man if they should bee vented barely and as they are in their owne nature and therefore they bespice them as it were with the word of God that he which would easily despise the errour of man might not easily contemne the Oracles of God They doe therefore as those are wont which being to giue some bitter potions to children for to drinke doe first rub their mouthes about with honey that the silly little ones hauing before felt the sweetenesse might not be afraid of the bitternesse Which thing they also are carefull of which set the names of medicines vpon ill hearbes and hurtfull syrrops that almost no body would suspect poyson where he read a remedy written ouer CHAP. 36. FInally our Sauiour also cried out for the same thing Beware yee of false Prophets which in sheepes cloathing come vnto you but inwardly they are rauening Wolues What is sheepes cloathing but the sentences of the Prophets and Apostles which they with a certaine sheepe-like sincerity haue wouen as certaine fleeces for that immaculate Lambe which
doctrines Whom when the Congregation being assembled all together might seeme to incourage to vndertake and to determine something of themselues yet would they giue nothing presume nothing arrogate nothing to themselues at all but by all meanes prouided that they might not deliuer any thing to their posterity which they themselues had not receiued of their Fathers and that they might not only order the matter well for the present but giue example also to them that should suceede that they also might embrace the doctrines of sacred Antiquity and condemne the deuises of prophane Nouelty Wee inueighed also against the wicked presumption of Nestorius because he boasted that he did first and onely vnderstand the holy Scripture and that all those whatsoeuer were ignorāt of it which being teachers before him had handled the Oracles of God to wit all Priests all Confessors and Martyrs some of which had explained Gods word and others had consented or giuen credit to the Explainers of it and lastly because he did affirme that the whole Church doth now erre and that it hath alwaies erred which as to him seemed had both alwaies followed and did now follow ignorant and erroneous Teachers CHAP. 43. ALl which things though they cannot plentifully aboundantly suffice to ouerwhelme and extinguish all prophane nouelties yet least any thing should seeme to bee lacking where there is such plenty of proofe to cleare this point we haue in the last place added a double authority of the Apostlicke See namely one of the holy Pope or Father Xistus who like a reuerend man doth at this present aduance the Church of Rome and the other of his Predecessor of blessed memory Pope Calestine whose authorities wee haue deemed needfull heere also to interpose Pope Xistus then saith in an Epistle which he sent to the Bishop of Antioch about the cause of Nestorius Therefore quoth he because as the Apostle saith there is one Faith which hath euidently preuailed let vs hold those things that are to be beleeued and let vs beleeue those things that are to bee held At the length hee sheweth the things that are to bee held and beleeued and saith Let no libertie quoth he bee giuen at all to Nouelty because it is fitting that nothing should be added to Antiquity Let the manifest faith and credulity of the Elders be troubled with no mixture of mire Speeches altogether Apostolical in that hee adornes the credulity or faith of the Elders by comparing it to the Light for the manifestnesse or clearenesse of it and describes nouell profanities or prophane nouelties by likening them to the mixture of mire But Pope Caelestine also deales in the like manner and is of the same iudgement For he saith in an Epistle which he sent to the French Ministers reprouing their conniuencie because they letting the ancient faith to be iniured through their silence did suffer prophane nouelties to start vp Iustly quoth hee the matter concernes vs if we shall nourish an error with holding our peace Let such men therefore be rebuked let them not haue liberty of speech at such their pleasure Some man here may peraduenture doubt who those may be whom hee forbids that they should haue libertie to speake what they list whether the Preachers of Antiquity or the Deuisers of Nouelty Let him speake himselfe and answer the doubting of the Readers For it followeth Let Nouelty cease saith hee if the case stand thus that is if it bee so that some accuse your Citties and Prouinces to me because you make them to giue consent to certaine Nouelties through your dangerous winking at them Let Nouelty therefore cease saith hee if the matter stand so to inuade and incroach vpon Antiquity This then was the blessed iudgment of blessed Celestine not that Antiquity should cease to ouerthrow Nouelty but rather that Nouelty should cease to gather ground vpon and inuade Antiquity Which Apostolicke and Catholicke decrees whosoeuer doth gainesay hee must needs first of al triumph ouer the memory of Saint Celestine who determined that Nouelty should cease to vexe and inuade Antiquity and in the second place scorne the decrees of holy Xystus who iudged that no liberty at all should be granted to Nouelty because it is meete that nothing shold be added to Antiquity yea contemne the determinatiōs of blessed Cyprian who did greatly extoll the zeale of reuerend Capreolus because hee desired that the doctrines of the ancient Faith should be confirmed and that nouell deuises should be condemned and despise the Counsell of Ephesus also that is the iudgements of the holy Bishops almost of all the East whom it pleased by Gods direction to determine that the Posterity should beleeue no other thing but that which the sacred and in Christ vnanimous Antiquity of the holy Fathers had held and who also with their cryes and exclamations witnessed with one consent that these are the words of all that they did all wish this that they were all of this iudgement that as almost all Heretickes before Nestorius despising Antiquity and desending nouelty should be condemned euen so Nestorius himselfe also should be condemned as an author of Nouelty and an impugner of Antiquity whose consent being inspired by an holy gift and of heauenly grace to whom it is displeasing What else doth follow but that he should affirme that the wickednesse of Nestorius was not iustly condemned and lastly also contemne the whole Church of Christ and his Teachers Apostles and Prophets but yet especially the Apostle Paul as certaine filth or off-scourings Her because she neuer departed frō the religion of the saith once deliuered vnto her to be husbanded carefully lookt vnto and Him because he hath written O Timotheus keep that which is committed vnto thee auoiding profane nouelties of words And also If any one shall preach vnto you otherwise then that yee haue receiued let him be accursed If so be that neither Apostolicall ordinances nor Ecclesiasticall decrees be to be broken by the which according to the sacred consent of the vniuersall and ancient Church all Hereticks alwaies and last of all Pelagius Celestius and Nestorius haue ben iustly and worthily condemned it is necessealy doubtlesse for all Catholickes hereafter which study to shewe themselues the lawfull Children of the Church their Mother that they should sticke and cleaue vnto and dye in the holy faith of the holy Fathers and that they should detest abhorre inueigh against and persecute the profane Nouelties of profane persons These are well nigh the things which being more largely handled in the two Aduertisments are cōtracted as a recapitulation ought to be that my memory for the helping whereof we haue done these things might bee both refreshed by being continually put in minde and not oppressed with wearinesse caused by long discourses Trin-vni Deo Gloria FINIS LONDON Printed by NICHOLAS OKES for LEONARD BECKET and are to be sold at his Shop
neere the Church in the Inner Temple 1611. a In Natiu Dom. Ser. 4. Nisi vna est fides non est b Eccles 10. 15. c Psal 119. 105. d 2. Tim. 3. 16 e Aug. ep 48. Audi dicit Dominus non dicit Donâ—â— c. f Is 8. 20. g Per Scripturam Deus loquitur omne quod vult Moral l. 16. c. 16. h Psal 25. 9. 12. 14. i Ioh. 16. 23. 1. Sam. 11. 2. Iohn 5. 39. o Indeede Christ lay at the Pass but that he did so at the last Supper the Scripture sayes not * Kneeling at Communion as it is required of the Church of England lawfull 1. Cor. 5 11. * Ego te non Catilmae aduersus patriaÌ„ sed patriae aduer sus Caulinam gonui Quest An. * Iam. 4. 6. * 1. Pet 5. 5. Psal 25. 9. * Psal 119. 34. 66. * So called of Lerme or Lerina an Iland in the MediterraneaÌ„ sea where he liued a Deut 32. 7 e Pro. 22. 17. 3. 1. o This word signifies a pilgrime or stranger a word befitting al Christian men vnder this name our Author puts forth his Booke concealing his owne proper name least the Aduersary should reiect the worke for the workemans sake Or it may be a read peregrin a pilgrime or a stranger Psal 46. 10. a By not For the Ancients knew no merits but Christs They preached mercy not merit b That is with the helpe of God for to do a thing in the name of God is either to doe it to Gods glory or by his power authority or else as here by his grace or with confidence of his assistance as â— Psa 20. 5. c Not which himselfe hath forged vpon the anuill of his owne wit * He meanes especially such as are Saints not in respect of grace onely but of place as Bishops other Ministers whose office is holy d That is their deceit full reasons wherby they seeke to catch intangle men Quest Ans Quest Ans Quest. Ans Quest Ans Quest. Ans * Or especiall duntaxat * Latini sermonis that spake the Latine tongue d Bellona Furia were two heathen god desses the one was ouer war the other was the mother of fury c He means Constantius or Valens or both who were Arrians both f Or principall Courtiers g Antiquity acknowledgeth men liuing to bee Saints not dead men onely as some do h Heretiks break from their teachers exorbitate go an whoring after the idols of their owne braines * In sine cap. vlt. Reu. 5. 3. 5. i That is the holy Scriptures so called because it is giuen them to keep and teach I meane Ministets which book is then said to be vnsealed in our Authors sense when it is violated and corrupted k That is the Ministers of the Gospell so called because they did offer the people to God as a sacrifice killing their flesh with the Word as with a sacrifycing Knife l He alludes to the Candlesticke in Exod. 25. m Or ouerthrowen quasht stayed broken câ—nteratur n Or against the custome ordin ances contra morem instituta Apud Cypri Lib. 2. Ep. 7. Obiect Ans Gen. 9. o By faith is not meant the gift of faith but the doctrine not by which but which wee do beleeue a Gal. 1. b 2. Tim. 4. c 1. Tim. 5. d Rom. 16. 17 e 2. Tim. 3. 6. f Tit. 1. 10. 11 g 2. Tim. 3. 8. h 1. Tim. 6. 4 â— i 1. Tim. 5. 13 k 1. Tim. 1. 19 l 2. Tim. 2. 17 m 2 Tim. 3. 9 o He alludes to Pedlars that go vp and downe to sell their Wares Gal. 1. 8. Quest Answer o He means not Faith whereby we do beleeue but which we doe belieue that is the doctrine of Faith which was once for euer deliuered to the Saints as in Iud. 3. Obiect Sol. Gal. 1. â— * Or infectious contagious Obiect Sol. Gal 2. 25. 26. Obiect Sol Gal. 5. 16. o There are now two sorts of Catholiks Christian AntichristiaÌ„ the former are reall the other as the Iesuits are nominall titular * He alludeth to that in Act. 9. 15. * This he saith to shew the abhominablenes of their errours Quest Ans Deut. 13. 1. 2 ' a Deut. 13. 2. b Deut. 13. 3. c Or inhibit hinder let * Or teacher False teachers are called Wolues because they bite and deuoure the Sheep of Christ with their wicked errours and like Wolues they are not of the Sheepeheards feeding but his foes e He was Bishop of the Sirmitan Church But a Galatian borne skilfull in the Greeke and Latine tongues he fostered a blasphemous error against Christ and being a man of good parts otherwise ouerthrew himselfe with pride a moath that frets the cushion in which it bred as some Ancients say f Such an one is euery godly and orthodoxall Bishop and Pastor who goes before his fellowes the Sheepe of Christ in life and doctrine ringging the word of God in their eares being at the controll of the chiefe Sheepheard as well as the meanest in the flock g Humility is the nurse of verity pride curiosity be the founders of heresie a Christ is called the Word because he is begotten of the Father as words are of the mind and because hee shewes his Fathers mind vnto vs. e Non Theâ—t ocosâ—sed Christotoâ—os Rom. 7. 13. i Lo the fond coÌ„ceit of this heretique The Colt ruins if he haue the reines o Not rage but zeale makes him thus to speake A dog will bawle bite a mad dog will not stick to bite his maister and that which he should not such are false teachers o Alius alius non aliud aliud Quest Ans Quest. Ans o Or thus is according to knowledge sayd to be created euen as in c u Psal 22. 16. a Dei non Deitatis of God not of the God head for so hee had no mother e She was holy not by generation but by regeneratioÌ„ her Sonne that tooke flesh of her gaue grace to her * Or preach * At the first sight before matters were scanned a He was the sonne of Leonides who dyed a Martyr vnder Seuerus e For his fathers goods were consiscated to Seuerus He cals his pouerty Holy because it befel him by tyranny for religion sake Cuius scientiae um Graeel encederent Obiect Sol. Obiect Sol. Obiect n Mammaa o So Cicero of Plato l. 1. Tusc quaest u He meaneth their authority Deut. 13. 1. * Or committed deliuered addicted bent * S. Ierome thinkes not so vide Epis ad Panimachium et Oceanum * Or conceipts and opinions sensus a He meaneth Priscilla and Maximil a two Montanists Deut. 13. 3. e Not cause but suffer i A quieÌ„t hauen indeed for out of this harbour men are either tossed vpon the waues of errour or swallowed vp o For a vessell is not capable of wine till the water or dregs that filled be emptied out Pro. 22. 28. Eccles. 8. 17. Ecc. 10. 8. u 1. Tim. 6. 20. 21. a Cainophonias siue Cenephonias Pron 9. 15. 16. i Furtim o Terrigenae * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 6. 20. Exod. 36. 1. * Or after a new fashion Noue non noua Quest. Ans o To proceed or make progresse o Laetetur be manured for laetamen is manure which being layd on the ground doth make it flourish Pallad lib. 1. vseth this word In laetandis inquit arboribus crs tes facicmus u 2. Cor. 3. 9. a An errour stifly mainteined is a filthy harlot * Or barely 1. Tim. 6. 20. 1. Cor. 5. 11. 2. Ioh. 10. 2. Ioh. 11. o Porrò fiue procul a sano * Or opinion concerning things or matters * Or the continent the virgins e Acts 8. 21. i That is Heretickes count is a Law and make it as a Trade * Or which the holy Fathers left in their custody Dipositâ— patrum Gal. 1. 9. Quest Ans o So he calleth pestilent and pernicious Teachers whose errors are as plague-soares rotten and infectious u Or drugs Math. 7. 15. Math. 7. 16. 2 Cor. 11. 13. o Or word u vers 14. 15. Quest An. Mat. 4. 5. Luk. 4. 9. Psal 91. 11. a These words are not in the Gospell though in the Psalme c That is the Diuell to Iesus and Hereticks to true Catholikes 1 Tim. 3. 15. Quest. Ans * He is said to steale the truth which writhes the Scriptures to his owne opinion or errour peruerting their meaning * Or Scriptures * For the person doth not commend the faith but faith the person 1. Cor. 12. 28. Acts 11. 27. 28. 1. Cor. 1. 10. 1. Cor. 14. 33. Uers 36. Vers 37. Uers 38. Which receiued Ualens the Arrian hauing before condemned him * Ad verb. to sacred Antiquity * Perhaps it shold be read Bishop of Alex. for the Comma is wanting in some bookes * Ad verb. of the sacred number of the Decalogue * That is the whole Church o For Papa Pope is Fatheria name of old giuen to other Bishops theÌ„ the Romane Ephes 4. 5. * All corrupt coÌ„ceits of men are no better then mud or mine they are foule filthy and therefore to be shunned of such as would not be desiled * Or forsaking the ancient ReligioÌ„ through silence Quest Ans * That is which the holy Fathers agreeing in Christ held of old before 1. Tim. â— Gal. 1. o Hee that hath not the Church for his mother hath not God for his father nor Christ for his brother * Or mended and repaired