had not the prophane licentiousnesse of hereticall curiositie by inventing I know not what new opinion spotted and discredited all his former labours whereby his doctrine was accounted not so much an edification as an ecclesiasticall tentation CHAP. VII HEre some man perhaps requireth to know what heresies these men above named taught that is Nestorius Appollinaris Photinus This pertaineth not to the matter whereof we now intreat for it is not our purpose to dispute against each mans particuler error but only by a few examples plainly and clearly to prove that to be most true which Moyses saith that if at any time any ecclesiasticall doctour yea and a Prophet for interpreting the misteries of the prophetical visions goeth about to bring in any new opinion into the Church that the providence of God doth permit it for our proofe and triall But because it will be profitable I will by a little digression briefely set down what the forenamed hereticks Photinus Apollinaris and Nestorius taught This then is the heresie of Photinus he affirmeth that God is as the Jewes beleeve singular and solitary denying the fulnesse of the Trinitie not beleving that there is any person of the word of God or of the holy ghost he affirmeth also that Christ was only man who had his begining of the virgin MARY teaching verie earnestly that we ought to worship only the person of God the father and to honour Christ only for man This then was Photinus opinion now Apollinaris vaunteth much as though he beleved the unitie of Trinitie with full sound faith but yet blasphemeth he manifestly against our Lords incarnation For he saith that our Saviour either had not mans soul at all or at least such a one as was neither indued with mind or reason furthermore he affirmeth that Christs body was not taken of the flesh of the holy virgin MARY but descended from heaven into the wombe of the Virgin holding yet doubtfully inconstantly some time that it was coeternall to the word of God some time that it was made of the divinitie of the word for he would not admit two maner of substances in Christ the one divine the other humane the one of his Father the other of his Mother but did think that the verie nature of the word was divided into two parts as though the one remained in God and the other was turned into flesh that wheras the truth saith that Christ is one consisting of two substances he contrary to the truth affirmeth of the one divinitie of Christ to be two substances and these be the assertions of Apollinaris But Nestorius sicke of a contrarie disease whilest he faineth a distinction of two substances in Christ suddenly bringeth in two persons and with monstrous wickednes will needs have two sonnes of God two Christs one that was God and another that was man one begotten of the Father another begotten of his Mother And therefore he saieth that the holy Virgin MARY is not to be called the mother of God but the mother of Christ because that Christ which was borne of her was not God but man And if any man think that in his books he saith there was one Christ and that he preached one person of Christ I must needs confesse that he lacketh not ground to say so for that he did either of craftie pollicie the rather to deceave that by some good things he might the more easely perswade that which is evill as the Apostle saith By the good thing he hath wrought me death R. 7. Wherfore either craftely as I said in certaine places of his writings he vaunteth to beleeve one person in Christ or else surely he did hold that after our Ladies deliverie two persons became in such sort one Christ that yet in the time of our Ladies conception or deliverie and for some time after there were two Christs and that Christ was born first like unto another man and only was man and not yet joyned in unitie with the person of God the word and that afterward the person of the word descended down assuming and joyning him self to that man in unitie of person and although he now remaine in glorie assumpted for some time yet there seemeth to have been no difference betwixt him and other men Thus then Nestorius Apollinaris Phatinus like mad doggs barked against the Catholick Church Photinus not confessing the Trinity Apollinaris maintaining the nature of the Word convertible and not confessing two substances in Christ denying also either the whol soul of Christ or at least that it was indued with mind and reason beleeving for his pleasure what he liked of the second person in Trinitie Nestorius by defending either alwayes or for some time two Christs But the Catholick Church beleeving aright both of God and of our Saviour neither blasphemeth against the misterie of the Trinitie nor against the incarnation of Christ for it worshipeth one Divinitie in Trinitie reverenceth the equalitie of the Trinitie in one and the same majestie confessing one Christ not two and the self same both God and man beleeving in him one person yet acknowledging two substances but yet beleeving one person two substances because the word of God is not mutable that it can be turned into flesh one person least professing two sonnes it may seeme to worship a quaternitie and not to adore the Trinitie CHAP. VIII BUt it is worth the labour to declare this matter more plainly more substantially more distinctly In God is one substance and three persons in Christ be two substances but one person In the Trinitie there is another and another but not another and another thing In our Saviour is not another and another but another another thing How is there in the Trinitie another and another but not another and another thing Marry because there is another person of the father another of the sonne and another of the holy ghost But yet not another another nature but one the self same How is there in our Saviour another and another thing not another and another because there is another substance of the divinitie and another substance of the humanitie but yet the deitie and the humanitie is not another and another but one and the selfe same Christ one and the same sonne of God and one and the selfe same person of the selfe same Christ and sonne of God As in a man the body is one thing and the soule is another thing but yet the body and the soule are but one and the selfe same man In Peter Paul the soule is one thing the body is another thing and yet the body and the soule are not two Peters nor the soule is not one Paul and the body another Paul but one and the selfe same Peter one and the selfe same Paul subsisting of a double divers nature of the body and the soule So therefore in one and the selfe same Christ there are two substances but one a divine
same entity Then he commands himself to be believed as God the Sonne being the same with the Father and the holy Ghost and that he is at the same time true man the sonne of the Virgin Mary whom he also commands to be adored as the true Mother of God that the Crosse also which was alwayes esteemed as the instrument of equivalent ignominy should be held in most supreme honour and veneration as the chief sign of our salvation In his last supper he commanded by his last Will and Testament that we believe that Bread and Wine by virtue of a few words of Consecration were really and substantially changed and transubstantiated into his Body and Bloud notwithstanding that the wonted accidents of Bread and Wine persisted and that we should under those signes of Bread and Wine adore him and receive him as nourishment and a celestiall viaticum by which he promised us eternall life and that no body could enter into the kingdome of Heaven unlesse they were born again of water and the holy Ghost Moreover he commanded that all his Scriptures should be believed to a tittle without hesitation doubt or derogation notwithstanding they contain things most difficult to humane understanding without the belief of all which there was no salvation Nor is this constant and firm veneration of those things sufficient unlesse contemning visible things and loving the invisible we do patiently undergo all kind of persecutions In patientia enim vestra possidebitis inquit animas vestras In your patience you shall saith he possesse your souls He promised his followers and servants in this life not riches honours and dignities but the clean contrary to wit poverty ignominy oppression and what is more outrages blows banishment gaols conflicts and torments by suffering which for his sake he promises us an unspeakable beatitude promising things unto us which exceed the understanding of man as Glory for example in heaven with the Angels the Resurrection of the bodies and that which neither eye hath seen nor ear hath heard nor hath ascended into the heart of man These things notwithstanding being so he brought to passe whatever he pleased although the world fought against him For innumerable men of all sorts and conditions have so received and maintained this Doctrine that they chose rather to leave their lives then to forsake their Faith Kings also and Princes as we see at present humbly inclining themselves under the yoke of Faith are obedient to his inferiour Ministers Let us set therefore before our eyes Christ as a poor man accounted formerly and esteemed the sonne of a Carpenter and contemned by those that knew him and let us ask him what he thinks Now let him answer I though a poor man and a stranger to the world do intend to bring the whole world under my Laws and do intend that men do adore me as a true God together with my Father and the holy Ghost and that they also worship the Crosse on which being nail'd I shall die a most ignominious and cruel death between two theeves and after this cruel death that they do most devoutly and honourably reverence the Instruments and Reliques of my torments and preserve and place them amongst their chief and precious jewels and treasures And that above all things with Faith and their best Devotions they adore this Sacrifice of Bread and Wine as the true substance of my Body and Bloud and that by the Water of holy Baptisme they believe their souls to be cleansed from all spot of sinne and that they are sanctified by the anointing of Oyl and Balm and lastly that receiving and observing my whole Doctrine entirely they esteem it as a great wickednesse to derogate ought from it even to the last tittle and that they honour and make their addresses unto my Mother being sanctified with an uncorrupted and perpetuall Virginity and esteem her next unto God as Lady and Queen of the Universe by a speciall prerogative exalted above all the quire of Angels and that they make their supplications to those whieh from being Fishermen I have chosen to be my Disciples and that they adore their very bones ashes and other reliques wouldst thou not judge this poor man thinking and speaking such things of himself to be a sot fool and worthy onely to be laughed at If further whilst thou laugh'st at him he should go on and say it is my will that they not onely do most firmly beleeve all those things but that for this reason they lead their lives most continently and uprightly and for my promise given them of an invisible happinesse they despise all terrene and sensible things and to shew their most ardent affection towards me they do most willingly undergo poverty thirst famine toils miseries torments and most cruel deaths and that they choose rather all these things then deny the least tittle of my Doctrine Wouldst thou not think this man wholly mad and out of his wits If he should adde to this it is my pleasure that all this be brought to passe against the resistance of the whole world against Kings and Princes against all the Religions and sects of Gods and men I intend to fight against infernal powers to gain the victory and triumph over them questionlesse thou wouldst burst into a louder laughter But if being asked by what confidence or arms he meant to effect those things he should answer by no other then by the preaching of himself and his Disciples and because eloquence hath a great force to perswade the minds of men lest any of his victories should be attributed unto it that he should affirm that faculty no way to fit his purpose and that his Ministers should bring those things to effect without all art by a sober modest and simple narration of those things thou wouldst ascribe this to a higher degree of madnesse If he should go on I know that for my sake an infinite multitude of men would perish that the more there die the more the number of the faithful shall increase and my Faith shall be propagated to the farthest ends of the world for the bloud of my Martyrs shall as the Seed of the Church yield a fruitfull harvest of my Believers and I will deliver unto one of those my Fishermen and to his Ministers which shall never fail by a continuall inheritance the perpetuall Sceptre of the Kingdome of Heaven and I will make to stoop the supreme City and Lady of the world and the Emperour himself to kisse the feet of my Substitutes Oh! if thou shouldst hear him say so with what furies I will not say madnesse wouldst thou think him to be agitated what peals of laughter wouldst thou not bestow upon him Hearken to him a little further there shall be infinite Books written of me by most excellent and learned men which shall praise and magnifie both me and my Doctrine and extolling it above all others shall defend it with their whole forces my
Five Treatises viz. THE GOLDEN TREATISE OF THE Antient and Learned Father Vincentius Lirinensis THE VERITIE OF CHRISTIAN FAITH THE FELICITIE OF A CHRISTIAN LIFE Written by Hierome Savonarola THE PROFIT OF BELIEVING By Saint Augustine S. AVGVSTIN'S BOOK DE Cura pro Mortuis * ⎠* PRINTED Anno Dom. MDCLI THE GOLDEN TREATISE OF THE Antient and Learned Father Vincentius Lirinensis Written about twelve hundred years since FOR The Antiquity and Universality of the Catholick Religion against the profane Novelties of all Heresies Translated into English by A. P. Very profitable for all such as desire in these dangerous times to embrace the true Gospel of Jesus Christ and to remain free from all infection of false doctrine as in the Preface more at large is declared * ⎠* Printed Anno Dom. 1651. TO THE CHRISTIAN Reader zealous of Truth and desirous of Salvation A. P. wisheth the knowledge of the one in this life and the fruition of the other in the life to come I PRESENT thee here gentle Reader the ancient Father Vincentius Lirinensis Native indeed of France but clothed in an English habit a Book though little yet learned no lesse profitable then pleasant of smal volume if thou respect the quantity but of rare price if thou consider the quality The Discourse is not of gathering and scraping together the pelf of this world which choaketh the heavenly seed of Gods word and putteth man in a dangerous state if we credit him who being rich for our sake became poor Mat 13.22 and 19.24 it disputeth not of attire nor of the art of pampering this corruptible carcase which brought that gay belli-god of whom we read in the Gospell Luc. 16. to the furious flames and endlesse torments of Hell fire it prosecuteth not wicked and wanton discourses which corrupt good manners being in very deed the bellowes to kindle the coles of carnality the nources of unchaste thoughts and the very bait with which the Devil doth daily angle and catch the unfortunate souls of men But it handleth that which redoundeth to the benefit of our soul created to the image of God and sheweth us the way how we may so govern this frail vessel of ours in the tempestuous Sea of this wicked world that at last we may safely arrive at the port and barbour of Celestiall happinesse For if the first step to heaven be to believe aright and the foundation and ground of all salvation be faith as I think no man can doubt that believeth that there is any God or truth at all then cannot this golden Treatise but be acceptable to all such as love Jesus Christ and tender the salvation of their souls being as it were the heavenly pillar of fire that may guide us through the desert of this world unto the land of promise Exod. 13. and that glittering star to lead us unto the new born King of the Jews and Saviour of mankind Mat. 2. But to the end that thou mayst more plainly and particularly view the excellency and great necessity of this rare book and as it were with Moses from the top of Mount Nebo contemplate the land of Canaan flowing with Milk and Honey Deut. 34. I will briefly set down such motives as invited me to the labour of translating it for the self same as I verily think cannot but in flame thee to the diligent reading of it also Three principall reasons then especially moved me The first was because it is very ancient being written above eleven hundred years past for it was composed three years after the generall Councell of Ephesus as appeareth in the conclusion of the book And as the Authour himself is of great antiquity so is his doctrine more antient being the self same which flourished in his time and came from the Apostles of Christ which thing as it was never of any good man doubted of so it is also most apparent First by sound reason grounded in Gods word because when any man writeth ought concerning faith and religion and the same is not controld of any of that time it is an evident argument that it was consonant to the doctrine then generally taught and received otherwise those Prestours and Doctours which God as S. Paul saith hath given that we he not little ones wavering and carried about with every blast of doctrine Ephes 4. could never have held their peace but would as the Prophet admonisheth Have cried out exalted their voice like a trumpet Esa 58. as we find in like case the licentious Nicholaiâ—s noted by S. Joâ—â— for their false doctrine Apoc. 2. Himoneus and Philetus reproved by S. PAVL for an errour about the resurrection 2. Tim. 2. Secondly because the authour himself doth not only confesse the same in serting down the answer of many excellent holy and learned men which lived in his daies not only because he acknowledgeth that what he hath here written he received it from his ancestours and forefathers both which he doth is the very first entrance and generally throughout the whole book but especially for that towards the later end he so highly commendeth the generall Councell of Ephesus that is the Parliament of the world which surely he never wold have done had he not joyned with them in opinion concerning faith and religion and what their opinion was himself recordeth for he saith that those Fathers inspired by God decreed that nothing was to be beleeved but that which the sacred antiquity of out forefathers agreeing together is Christ had holden and believed Which surely is a notable argument that what faith was by Christ planted and his Disciples preached was by them carefully kept and maintained which thing is especially of us English-men to be noted because the first four Generall Councells amongst which this of Ephesus is one and the third in order are worthily allowed by act of Parliament Anno 1. Eliz. Wherefore moved with such reasons we may without all scruple or doubt not onely read this book but also embrace and entertain it as the common doctrine of that time as the religion practised and reverenced in the primitive Church as the faith and belief of the Ephesine Councell so consequently as the true doctrine of Jesus Christ Now then seeing we live in those daies in which so many new sects and doctrines such strange and monstrous opinions such superstitious and new-fangled devises flie up down the world seeing we are fallen into the later times in which Men shall heap up to themselves masters according to their own desires and shall not indure sound doctrine but avert their ears from truth and be converted to fables 2 Tim. 4. In which they shall love pleasures more then God have a shew of godlinesse but yet denying the vertue therof 2 Tim. 3. In which many scoffers shal come walking according to their own desires whodevide themselves sensuall not having the spirit In which many false Christs many false Prophets shal arise seduct many
substance the other humane the one of God the Father the other of the Virgin his Mother the one coeternall and equall to the Father the other substantiall to his Mother yet one and the same Christ in both substances Therefore there is not one Christ God another Christ man not one increated another created not one impassible another passible not one equal to the Father another lesse then the Father not one of the father another of the mother but one and the selfe same Christ God and man the same increated and created the same incommutable and impassible the same changed suffered the same equall and inferiour to the Father the same begotten of his Father before all times the same conceived of his Mother in time perfect God and perfect man in him as God is perfect Divinitie in him as man is perfect humanitie perfect humanitie I say because it had both soule and body yet a true body such as our body is and such as his mothers was and a soule indued with understanding with mind reason There is therefore in Christ the Word the Soul the Flesh but yet all these together is one Christ one son of God our onely Saviour and Redeemer One I say not by any I know not what corruptible confusion of the divinity and humanity together but by a certain perfect and singular unity of person for that conjunction did not change or convert either into other which is the proper errour of the Arians but did rather so unite both in one that as the singularity of one and the same person remayneth alwayes in Christ so likewise the properties of both natures do for ever continue so that neither God ever beginneth to be a body nor now at any time ceaseth to be a body which thing is also more apparent by some humane example for not onely in this world but also in the next every man shall consist of body and soul yet never shall either the body be changed into the soul or the soul ever converted into the body but as every man shall live for ever so for ever of necessity in each man the difference of either substance shall continue So likewise in Christ each property of either substance shall continue for ever saving alwayes and reserving the unity of person And when we often name this word Person and say that the Sonne of God was made man we must take great heed that we seeme not to say that God the Word the second person in Trinitie tooke upon him our actions onely in imitation and and rather in shew and shadow and not as a perfect and very man practised humane conversation as we see used in Theaters and Stages where one man in a little time taketh upon him many parts of which notwithstanding himselfe is none for as often as we counterfeit another mans actions we so exercise his office that yet we be not those men whose actions we take upon us for neither a tragedie player to use prophane examples and such as the Maniches alledge when he playeth the Priest or King is therefore a priest or king for so soon as the tragedie endeth that person also which he played forthwith ceaseth God keep us from this horrible and wicked mockerie Let this madnesse be proper to the Maniches which preaching abroad their owne fantasies affirme God the sonne of God not to have been substantively the person of man but to have fained the same by supposed action and conuersation But the Catholick faith affirmeth that the word of God was so made man that he took upon him our nature the proprieties belonging to the same not deceitfully and in shew but truely and verily and did such things as belong to man as his owne and not as one that imitated other mens actions and was verily that which in life and conversation he did shew himselfe to be as we our selves also in that we speak understand and subsist do not counterfeit our selves to be men but are verily men For neither Paul and John to speak of them especially for example sake were men by imitation but by subsistence neither likewise did Paul counterfeit the Apostle or faine himselfe Paul but was in veritie an Apostle and was Paul by subsistence In like maner God the Word by assuming and having flesh in speaking doing and suffering in flesh yet without any corruption of his nature vouchsafed perfectly to performe this to wit not that he should imitate or counterfeit but exhibit himself a perfect man not that he should seem or be thought a very man but should in veritie so be and subsist Therefore as the soule joyned to the flesh and yet not turned into the flesh doth not imitate a man but is a man and not a man in shew and appearance but in substance so God the Word without any conversion of himself uniting himself to man was made man not by confusion not by mutation but by subsisting Let that exposition therefore of a fained counterfeit person utterly be rejected in which alwayes one thing is in shew another in deed inw eh he that doth ought is never the same person whom he representeth for God forbid that we should believe that God the Word took upon him the person of man after such a deceitfull manner but rather in this sort That his substance remaining incommutable in it self and yet taking upon him the nature of perfect man was himself flesh was himself a man was himself the person of a man not deceitfully but truly not in imitation but in truth and substance not finally after that sort which with action should desist but after that manner which perfectly in substance should persist This unity therefore of person in Christ was not framed and finished after the Virgins delivery but in her very womb For we must diligently take heed that we confesse Christ not onely one but also to have been alwayes one because it is an intolerable blasphemy to grant him now to be one and yet contend that once he was not one but two that is one after the time of his Baptisme but two in the time of his Nativitie which great sacriledge we cannot otherwise avoid but by confessing that man was united to God in unity of person not in his Ascention not in his Resurrection not in his Baptisme but in his mothers womb and immaculate conception by reason of which Unity of Person both the Proprieties of God are indifferently and promiscually attributed to man and the proprieties of man ascribed to God hence cometh that which is written in the Scripture That the Son of man descended from Heaven and the Lord of Majesty was Crucified upon earth Joan. 6. hence also it proceedeth that we say that when our Lords flesh was made when our Lords body was framed that the very Word of God was made the very wisdome of God was replenished with created knowledge as in the foresight of God His hands and feet are
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
good conjectures he find that he may have obtained the Grace of God Now the best of that sort especially for beginners seem to be these viz. if he find in himself a great and earnest dislike of his sins past and of himself for them a serious intention never to return to them again a firm purpose to live hereafter according to the law of God and the duties of that state wherein he is a delight and taking pleasure in divine matters and in doing of good works a contempt of the world and of all worldly things lastly a longing desire of the life to come with a wearinesse of this present He that by such signs as these shall perceive that by Gods grace he is become a Christian must also know that in the way of God not to go forward is to go backward and that he onely goeth forward who findeth himself to grow daily stronger and more fervent in the grace of God and in all virtue Now this is chiefly procured by continuall Prayers as we have said elsewhere which no man can make rightly but he that studyeth Simplicity that is to say Sincerity or purity of heart integrity of conversation together with neglect or renouncing of whatsoever is superfluous He therefore that desires to live Christianly according to the duty of that State wherein he intendeth to fix and settle himself must be carefull as we say to live Simply that is Innocently Purely and undissemblingly and in a word answerably in all things to what his profession requireth so as he may be alwayes as much as possible intent upon Divine and Good Things I mean upon the Service of God by Prayer Meditation and other Duties of Religion or upon the Service of his Neighbour by works of mercy spirituall corporall at home and abroad But because it is difficult yea almost impossible to give instructions here proper for all persons by reason of the different estates and conditions of men I shall advise every one who hath desire to live indeed this life of a Christian to addresse himself to some good ghostly-Ghostly-Father who by his learning and experience may be able to direct him and according to his counsell to govern himself in his spirituall affairs But let him take heed that he fall not into the hands of those luke-warm and indifferent Confessours who have indeed some form or shew of piety but renounce the power thereof It may be thought perhaps very hard to escape such persons who have outwardly pretenses of sanctity and God onely is the discerner of hearts Nay whereas it is said by their fruits ye shall know them though they bee indeed but a kind of hypocrites and dissemblers yet have they some apparence of good works How then shall we know them I say still it shall not be difficult to know them for any man that desires to walk uprightly seeing it is written Light is sprung up even in darknesse to the upright in heart And in another place Your anointing shall teach you all things And even in naturall things we see those which have different forms can never absolutely agree especially if those forms be contrary now the form that is to say the spirit and disposition of a true Christian and of a formalist are as contrary as can be the one that is to say the true Christian looking onely at the service of God the other ever to his own interest therefore 't is impossible they should resemble in all things and consequently impossible that the true Christian who is himself zealous for God and of a right intention should not discern him who is but luke-warm and an hypocrite especially after some conversation and that the Anointing of the Holy Ghost as was said Illuminates him As soon therefore as it appears that the Father whom he hath chosen is one of those who are not as they should be let him fly from him as he would fly from a Serpent for as Solomon saith He that walketh with the wise shall be wise but the friend of fools shall become like unto them But having found a good man indeed let him open the very secrets of his heart to him let him often and plainly confesse his sinnes and according to his advise let him frequent the holy Communion for as we have shewen elsewhere amongst all the Ceremonies of Religion the Sacraments of Pennance of the Eucharist are most efficacious both to cause to augment and to preserve Grace And therefore 't is the duty of every good Christian to keep himself diligently in estate to frequent those Sacraments with devotion After that a man is thus become a Christian and labours to live Christianly the Third precept I am to give him is This That he consider well that by many Tribulations we must enter into the king dome of God For we say in Christian Religion that to live well we must do good and suffer evill and so persevere unto death He therefore that desires to live like a Christian must prepare and fit himself for tribulation according to that of the wise man My sonne when thou comest to serve God saith he stand in fear and prepare thine heart for Temptation because adversity foreseen doth lesse trouble us And that he may more easily endure that which comes let him often remember the labours and passions of our Blessed Saviour and of his Saints as well of the New as the Old Testament let him read frequently the histories and lives of the Saints because as the Apostle saith Whatsoever things are written for our learning they are written that we by Patience and Consolation of the Scriptures might have Hope let him often yea continually if it were possible haue before his eyes the shortnesse of this life and the eternity of that which is to come that is to say the eternity of our glory or pains For seeing nothing can hinder but that this short life of ours must quickly passe away that at the end of this we must of necessity arrive at the other which never shall have end whosoever shall seriously and duely think of this will surely lesse regard the troubles of the world nay he will think himself happy if by them he can escape those eternall pains of hell and gain heaven though at last He must also remember that God Almighty hath prepared most excellent rewards for all those who for his Sake suffer temptations and persecutions here as it is written Eye hath not seen nor the ear heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man what things God hath prepared for them that love him He that thinks of this will not certainly much shrink at any temporary tribulations but rather be ready to cry out confessing with the Apostle that the passions of this present life are not equall to the Glory which is to come which shall be revealed in us by the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be ascribed
Glory and Dominion through all ages for ever Amen FINIS THE PROFIT OF BELIEVING Very usefull Both for all those that are not yet resolved what Religion they ought to embrace And for them that desire to know whither their Religion be true or no. Written by S. Augustine LONDON Printed by ROGER DANIEL In Lovels Court near Pauls Church-yard 1651. The Preface To the well-disposed READER Learned Reader I Know thou art not ignorant that of all the affairs and businesses in this world there is none of that consequence and importance unto thee as the saving of thy soul and that our Blessed Saviour who knew best of all the mestimable value thereof and vouchsafed to redeem it at so dear a rate as with his own pretious bloud plainly declared the importance thereof when he said in the Gospel Mat. 16.16 What is a man profited if he shall gain the world nnd loose his own soul Or what shall he give in exchange thereof Wherefore let me advise thee to seek out and embrace the true Faith and Religion for that without such a Faith according to the Apostle Heb. 11.6 it is impossible to please God and without pleasing of him it is impossible to be saved If thou thinkest that thou hast found out the truth already and that thou dost embrace it then give me leave to tell thee that the world at this present abounds with an hundred heresies at least the embracers whereof shall not according to S. Pauls doctrine Gal. 5.20 inherit the kingdome of God and yet as the same Apostle doth affirm Ephes 4.5 there is but one Lord one Faith one Baptisme so that it is an hundred to one but that thy Faith and thy Religion are false and thy salvation is in danger thereby Is there not then great reason that thou shouldest well consider whither the Faith and Religion which thou embracest be true or no when upon this resolution depends thy fruition of unspeakable blisse or intolerable suffering of endlesse pains for all eternity How to find out the true Faith Religion it is a matter of very great difficulty not onely by reason that there are many faiths and religions in the world and of all these there is but one true and all the rest be false but also for that the controversies debated now adayes are so many and so intricate that few have leasure to study them and fewer ability to conceive and understand them yet the zeal of learned Writers hath not been wanting to satisfie men herein But what age since the Apostles dayes hath brought forth any man so able to perform so great a task as was that incomparable Doctor S. Augustine lib. 3. de Eccles fol. 170. who as Doctour Field asserteth was the greatest and chiefest of the antient Fathers and the most famous of all the Divines which the Church hath had since the Apostles time and as Doctour Covell affirmeth in his answer to Master Burges pag. 3. hath farre excelled all others that have been or are like to be hereafter those onely excepted that were inspired by the Holy Ghost both in Divine and Humane knowledge What man since the Apostles dayes could ever so well discern true doctrine from false truth from errour and true faith from heresie as could that great S. Augustine who did not onely like another David fight against the Goliah of one heresie but like another Joshua fought the battels of the Lord against all the force and power of heresie in his dayes for fourty years together Wherefore if this great Doctour should have left any advises or instructions behinde him unto any of his dear friends that were then hereticks whereby he taught them how to find out the true faith and religion amongst so many heresies ought not such instructions to be greatly desired and if any such could be found to be highly esteemed and diligently perused Surely thou wilt say that coming from so great a Doctour and being so proper and necessary fot these times without doubt they ought Why then Learned Reader give me leave to present unto thee a learned Treatise of his which he sent unto his dear and learned friend Honoratus to draw him from the Manichean heresie to the true Religion I durst not presume to tender it unto thee in this poor English habit were I not confident that thou seekest more after the true Religion and the saving of thy soul then after vain eloquence the entising words of humane wisdome 1 Cor. 2.4 but I will assure thee under this poore attire thou wilt find a rich and a learned discourse of great S. Augustine not onely very profitable for those that are not yet resolved in point of Religion but also for them that dere to be satisfied whither the faith and Religion which they embrace be true or no. If the stile be displeasing and ungratefull unto thee know that very many of the African Fathers have harsh stiles besides consider how hard a matter it is to teach a native African to speak true English In this work first he shews how the old Testament is to be expounded and defends the Authority of it against the Manichees that rejected it Secondly he overthrowes that Manichean principle That nothing is to be believed in point of Faith which is not first by reason made manifest and evident unto the Believer In the third place he adviseth fervent and frequent prayer peace and tranquility of mind and a sequestration of affections from terrene things as aids necessary for the finding out the truth then declaring that Christ hath raised a very great and a famous Church consisting of all Nations which is to continue very visible and conspicuous even to the worlds end he exhorts Honoratus to addresse himself unto the Pastours and Teachers thereof and to learn of them the true faith and Religion This way of proceeding to find out the truth is far more short and easie then by the examination of all the points of controverted doctrine by their conformity to the holy Scriptures for it consists in two points onely first in seeking out which of all the Churches is the Church of Christ and secondly whither this Church can erre or no. For the finding out of the Church S. Augustine proposed four marks unto Honoratus Unity Universality Sanctity and Apostolicall Succession the which are set down very plainly in Scripture The Unity of the Church is twofold in body and in faith in regard of the first our Saviour saith his Church is one fold and hath one shep-heard Joh. 10.16 and the Apostle calls it one body 1 Cor. 12.13 In respect of the second S. Paul earnestly exhorted the Corinthians 1 Cor. 1.10 to speak the same thing and that there be no division amongst them but that they be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same judgement and he beseeched the Ephesians to endeavour to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace Ephes 4.3 4 5. affirming