harsh and course fitteth not thy taste then I truste that which is fine pleasant delicate will content thy humor Only I am to craue pardon that my rough rude English nothing aunswereth his smoothe and curious latin and therfore I could wish thee if skill serueth rather to cōmon and parle with the Author him selfe then to vse the helpe of his rude interpretor otherwise for such as be not of so deepe reading for whom especially I haue taken this paine I am to desire that they nothing dislike the soueraign medicine for the wodden box nor the exquisit and rare gemme for the course casket These be the reasons gentle Reader which especially moued me to the translating of this aunciēt and learned Father I beseech thee as thou tenderest the saluation of thine owne soule that thou wouldest voutsafe to reade him attentiuely in whom thou shalte see cleerelye as in a glasse the faith of our forefathers the religion of the primatiue Church and in him thou shalt finde by Gods word and authoritie of sacred scripture the madnes of all Heretickes crushed in peeces and that in a short methodicall and eloquēt treatise The holy Ghost which moued no doubt this auncient learned Father to the writing of this worke incline moue thy hart to the diligent reading and sincere folowing of the same A. P. VINCENTIVS LIRInensis for the Antiquitie and Vniuersalitie of the Catholicke faith against the prophane Nouelties of all Heresies THE holy scripture of GOD saying and warning vs in this sorte Aske thy Fathers and they shall tell thee thy elders Deut. 52 and they shall report vnto thee And againe Accommodate thy eares to the workes of wise men Likewise My sonne Prou. 22 Prou. 3. forget not these speeches but let thy hart keepe my wordes It seemeth vnto me a peregram and the least of Gods seruantes that it shall by his gratious helpe be a matter of no small profitte to set downe in writing what I haue of holy Fathers faithfully receaued being a thing very necessary for mine owne infirmitie hauing alwaies therby in readines how by daily reading therof I may helpe my weak memory Vnto which labour not only the profite to be reaped by the worke but also the very consideration of the time and opportunitie of the place moued and inuited me the time because reason it is that seing it consumeth and bereueth vs of all humane and earthly thinges that we should also take out of it something which may auaile vs to life euerlasting especially seing the terrible iudgement of God which we expect drawing neere vpon vs doth seriously inuite prouoke vs to increase our studies and exercises in religion and the fraudulent dealing of new Heretickes requireth much care and attētion The place because hauing forsaken the company and troubles of the world and chosen a solitarie Abbey in a litle towne for mine abiding where I may without any great distraction of mind put in practise that which is song in the Psalme Be vacant and see that I am God With which reasons also accordeth the purposed end and resolution Psa 45 of my whole state of life in that I haue by the helpe of Christ after long diuers stormes indured in the warres shrewded my selfe in the harbour of a religious life a secure port for all states of men where contemning the blastes of vanitie and pride I may pacifie god with the sacrifice of humilitie and so escape not only the shipwracke of this present life but also the fire of the next But now in the name of God will I set vpon that which I haue taken in hand that is to set downe in writing such thinges as our forefathers haue deliuered and committed to our charge vsing herein rather the fidelitie of a reporter then the presumption of an author meaning yet to keepe this rule in my writing not copiously to lay forth all but briefly to handle each necessary point neither that in fine and exacte wordes but in easie and cōmon speach in such sort that most things may seme rather touched then declared Let thē write delicately and penne curiously which trusting either vppon witte or moued with respect of dewty enterprise any such actiō but for me it is sufficient that for helping my memory or rather forgetfulnes I haue gathered togither this Commonitorie which notwithstanding by Gods grace I will daily endeuour by litle and little calling to mind such thinges as in times past I haue learned to correcte and make more perfect And this haue I thought good to forewarne that if haplye this worke of mine passing forth fall into the handes of Censurers they do not ouerhastely in it reprehend that which they vnderstand present promise to vndertake with future correction better to polish and amend CHAP. I. INQVIRING therefore often with great desire and attention of very many excellent holy learned men how and by what meanes I might assuredly and as it were by some generall and ordinary way discerne the true Catholicke faith from false and wicked Heresie To this question I had vsually this answere of thē all that whether I or any other desired to finde out the Note the ansvvere of many excellent holy and learned men fraud of Heretickes daily springing vp and to escape their snares willingly would continue safe and sound in religiō that he ought two maner of waies by Gods assistance to defend and preserue his faith that is first by the authoritie of the law of God secōdly by the tradition of the Catholicke Church Here some man perhaps may aske that seing the Canon of the scripture is perfect most aboundantly of it selfe sufficient for all thinges what need we ioine vnto it the autoritie of the church her vederstanding and interpretation The reason is this because the scripture being of it selfe so deepe and profound all men do not vnderstand it in one and the same sence but diuers men diuersly this man and that man this way that way expound and interpret the sayings therof so that to ones thinking so many men so many opinions almost may be gathered out of them for Nouatus expoundeth it one way Photinus another Sabellius after this sort Donatus after that Arius Eunomius Macedonius will haue this exposition Appolinaris and Priscillian will haue that Iouinian Pelagius Celestius gather this sence and to conclude Nestorius findeth out that and therfore very necessary it is for the auoiding of so greate windings and turnings of diuers errors that the line of expounding the Prophetes and Apostles be directed and drawen according to the rule of the ecclesiasticall Catholicke sence Againe in the Catholicke Church we haue greatly to consider that we hold that which hath bene beleeued euery where alwaies and of all men for that is truely and properly Catholicke as the very force and nature of the word doth declare which comprehendeth all thinges that be truely vniuersall and that shall we do
he was passing olde But yet perchaunce vnfortunate in his schollers What man euer more happie hauing trained vp and bene master to infinite Doctors to Preistes without number to Confessors and Martirs Now who is able to prosecute with wordes in what admiration he was with all men in what glory in what credite grace Who more zealous in religion repaired not to him from the furthest partes of the world What Christian did not almost worship him as a Prophet what Philosopher did not honour him as a master and how greatly he was reuerenced not only of priuate men but also of the Empire it selfe histories doe speake which reporte that he was sent for of Alexander the Emperors mother to weet for his merit of heauenly wisdome with the grace and loue wherof he was inflamed His epistles also testifie the same thing which with authoritie of a Christian master he wrote vnto Phillip the Emperor the first Christian amongest all the Romane Princes And if any man vpon our report admitteth not the testimonie of a Christian touching his wonderfull knowledge and learning at least let him receaue the confession of an heathen Philosopher For that impious Porphirie saith that him selfe being but yet as it were a boy moued with his fame trauailed vnto Alexandria where he did see him being then olde but yet such a one so learned as he that had attained to the perfection of all knowledge Day would sooner faile me then I coulde touch though breiflye those notable gifts which were in that man all which notwithstanding pertained not only to the glorie of religion but also to the greatnes of the temptation For who is he that would willingly haue forsaken a man of such wit of so deepe learning of so rare grace and would not sooner haue vsed that saying that he had rather erre with Origen then beleeue aright with others And what should I say more the matter came to that issue that as the end shewed not an vsuall commō but a passing dangerous tentation of so worthie a man so famous a Doctor so notable a Prophet caried very many from the true and sound faith of the Church For this Origen so rare and singuler a man abusing the grace of God to insolently flattering him selfe to much in his own witte beleeuing him selfe more then reason would litle esteeming the olde simplicitie of Christian religion presuming to be wiser then all other contemning the traditions of the Church and the olde Fathers documents waded so far in expounding cartaine chapters of the scripture after a new fashiō vntill he deserued that the Church of God should also say of him Yf there arise vp in the middest of thee a Prophet a litle after thou shalt not heare quoth he the wordes of that Prophet And againe because quoth he your Lorde God doth tempt you whether you loue him or no. And surely it is not only a tentation but also a great tentation when a man carieth away secretly and by litle and litle the Church depending vpon him admiring his witt knowledge eloquence conuersation grace nothing suspecting him nothing fearing him sodenly from the olde religion to a prophane new doctrine But some will say that Origens bookes be corrupted I will not gaine say it but rather it were so for that hath both bene said written of some not only Catholickes but also Hereticks But this is now the point we haue to cōsider that althogh not he yet the bookes passing abrode vnder his name are a greate tentation which stuffed with many horrible blasphemies are read and vsed loued and liked not as the bookes of others but as his owne workes so that although Origen gaue no cause of erroneous doctrine yet his authoritie hath bene the occasion why the error hath bene liked and folowed The case also of Tertullian is the very same with the former for as Origen is to be thought the best amongest the Greeke Doctors so Tertullian without controuersie the cheefe of all the latin For who was more learned then hee Who in Diuinitie or Humanitie more practised for by his great and wonderfull capacitie of witt he attained to imbraced all Philosophie all the sectes of Philosophers all their authors and patrons all their learning all sortes of histories and studies And for his witt was he not so excellent so graue so sharpe that he almost vndertooke the ouerthrow of nothing which either by quicknes of witt or waight of reason he crushed not in peeces Now who is able to set downe the commendacion and praise which his stile and phrase of speach deserued which was so fraught I know not how with that force of reason that such as could not be perswaded were cōpelled whose almost so many wordes so many sentences so many sences so many victories This is well knowne to Marcion and Appelles well knowne to Praxeas and Hermogenes the Iewes vnderstād this the Gentiles haue tried it the Gnostikcs haue proued it and diuers others haue felt it whose blasphemouse opinions he hath ouerthrowne with his many great volumes as it had bene with thūder and lightning And yet this man after all this this Tertullian I say not holding the Catholicke religion that is the vniuersall and olde faith being far more eloquent then fortunate chāging afterwarde his minde did at last that which the blessed Confessor Hillarie in a certaine place writeth of him He discredited quoth he with his latter error his probable writings and therfore he was also a greate tentation in the Church But hereof I will saye no more only this I add that by his defending against the precept of Moises for true prophecies the new madnesse of Mōtanus springing vp in the church and these mad dreames of a new doctrine of the franticke woman he deserued that we should also say of him and his writinges Yf a Prophete shall rise vp in the midest of thee and straight after thou shalt not heare the wordes of that Prophet Why so Because qnoth he your Lord God doth tempt you whether you loue him or no. We ought therfore euidently to note by these so many so great diuers others such waightie examples and by the law of Deuteronomie most cleerely to vnderstand that if at any time any ecclesiasticall teacher straieth frō the faith that gods prouidence doth suffer that for our triall whether we loue him or no in our wholle hart and in our wholle soule CHAP. XI VVHICH being so he is a true and perfect sincere Catholicke that loueth Gods truth that loueth his body the Church that preferreth nothing beefore the religion of God nothinge before the Catholicke faith not any mans authority not loue not will not eloquēce not philosophie but contemning all these things setled in faith stable permanēt whatsoeuer he knoweth the Catholicke Church vniuersally in old time to haue holden purposeth with him selfe only to hold and beleeue and therfore whatsoeuer new doctrine and not before heard
not brought forth of thee wherin thou must not be an author but akeeper not a beginner but a folower not a leader but a comer after Keepe the depositum Preserue the talent of the Catholicke faith pure and sincere that which is committed to thee let that remaine with thee and that deliuer vnto the people Thou hast receiued gold render then gold I will not haue one thing for another Do not for gold giue me either impudently leade or craftily brasse I will not the shew but the verie nature of golde it selfe O Timothie O Preiste O Teacher O Doctour if Gods gift hath made thee meete and sufficient for thy witt exercise and learning shew thy selfe Beseelel that diuine workeman in building of the spirituall tabernacle ingraue those pretious stones of Gods religion faithfully set them wisely adorne them put vpon them brightnes giue them grace giue thē bewtie That which men before beleeued obsourely let them by thy exposition vnderstand more cleerly Let posteritie reioice for comming to the knowledge of that by thy means which antiquitie without that knowledge had in veneration Yet for all this in such sort deliuer what thou hast learned that albeit thou teachest newly and after a new maner yet thou neuer preach a new religion and deliuer a new faith CHAP. XIII BVT peraduenture some will say shall we then haue no increase of religion in the Church of Christ no growing on no proceeding forward To which I answere and say Let vs a-Gods name haue the greatest and most that may be For who is either so enuious to men or hatefull to God which wold labour to stop or hinder that but yet in such sort with this prouiso that it may appeare to be truely an increase in faith not proue to be a change in religion for this is the nature of such thinges as increase that in them selues they become and grow greater And this is the nature of a change mutation that some thing be turned from one thing which it was to an other which it was not Conuenient it is and very necessary that the vnderstanding knowledge and wisdome as well of euery man in particuler as of all in common as well of one a lone as of the wholle Church in generall of all ages in times past should aboundantly increase and go forwarde but yet for all that onely in his owne kinde and nature that is in the same faith in the same sence in the same sentence In this case let the religion of our soule imitate the nature of our bodies which although with proces of time they passouer many yeeres yet they remaine the same that they were There is great difference betwixt florishing youth withered age yet the selfe same men become olde which before were yong so that although the state and condition of one and the selfe same man be altered yet one very nature and person doth still remaine The limmes members of infants be small of young men great yet not diuers but the very same So many iointes as young childrē haue so many haue they when they be men and if any partes there be which with increase of yeeres spring forth those before by nature were in man virtually planted so that no newe thing come forth in olde men which before were not contained in them being yet children Wherfore there can be no doubt but that this is the due and right order of growing the most naturall goodliest way of increasing only to haue in olde yeeres those mēbers those partes and iointes which the wisdome of our Creator before framed when we were yet but litle ones And therfore if a man be afterward chāged into some other shape or likenes thē his nature require or if the number of his mēbers be more or lesse thē nature prescribeth then of necessitie the wholle body must either perishe or become monstrouse or at least remaine lame maimed In like manner Christian religion must folow these rules of increasing and growing to weet that with yeeres it waxe more sound with time become more ample with continuance be more exalted yet remaine pure and incorrupt and continue full and perfect with each of his partes and as it were with all his members and proper sences And furthermore that it admit no change or mutation sustaine no losse of his proprietie no varietie or mutabilitie in definition for example sake Our forefathers in olde time in the spirituall feilde of the Church sowed the wheaten seede of true faith and religion it were now very iniurious and vnreasonable that we their posteritie in steed of perfecte and true wheate should reape the false error of cockle And contrariwise it is reason and very conueniēt that the beginning and ending not disagreeing with it selfe we should of the increase of wheatē seed reape the fruit of wheaten religion so that when with tract of time any of those first seedes beginne to budd and come forth let them be tilled trimmed yet without chāging ought of the proprietie of the corne springing vp and albeit fashion shape and distinction be added put to yet must the nature of each kinde remaine and abide For God forbid that those rosie plantes of the Catholike doctrine should be chaunged into thirstles and thornes God forbid I say that in this spirituall paradise of the slippes of Cinamon Balsme should sodenly grow vp darnel and poison Therfore what soeuer hath by the grace of God and our Fathers faith beene sowen in this Church reason it is that the same be cultiuated maintained by the industry of the childrē meet that it florish waxe ripe conuenient it grow come to perfectiō for lawfull it is that those auncient articles of heauenly philosophie shoulde be trimmed smoothed and polished but vnlawfull it is that they should be changed mangled and maimed And albeit they receaue perspicuitie light and distinction yet of necessitie must they retaine their fulnes soundnes and proprietie For if once this licentiousnes of wicked fraud be admitted I tremble to speake what daunger is like to ensue of rasing and abandoning religion for if we take away any parte of the Catholicke faith straight waies other partes and after that other and againe other and that as it were of custome and by law shall be abandoned And what followeth when euery parte by litle and litle is abolished but that in conclusion the wholle corps of religion at one blow be refused and reiected And contrariwise if new things and olde forraine and domesticall prophane and sacred begin once to be confounded togither then must needs this custome generally folow that nothing hereafter remaine in the Church vntowched nothinge without corruption nothing sounde nothing pure nothing sincere and so where before was the sacred schoole of chaste and immaculate truth there shall be a very brothel house of wicked filthie errors But God of his goodnes deliuer his seruants frō such minds and let the
the iudgement and opinions of holy Fathers were gathered togither that according to thē by the decree and authority of a Councell the rule of faith might be set down which to the end that I may more commodiously do I will here make an end of this commonitorie and so take a nother beginning for declaring of those thinges which do folow and ensew A RECAPITVLATION of all that hath bene said in the former two bookes WHICH being so it is now time that in the ende of this second booke we recapitulate touch in few wordes the Summe of all that which in these two commonitorie bookes hath bene spoken We saied in the premisses that this alwaies hath bene and at this day is the custome of Catholickes to try and examine true faith two manner of waies First by the authoritie of the deuine scripture secondly by the tradition of the Catholicke Church not because the Canonicall scripture is not of it selfe sufficient for all thinges but because verie many expounding Gods word at there owne pleasure doe thereby bring forth and hatch vp diuers opiniōs errors And for that cause it is necessarie that the interpretatiō of the diuine scripture be directed according to the one onely rule of the Churches vnderstāding especially in those questiōs vpon which the foundatiō of the whole Catholicke religion doth depēd Likewise we said that in the Church we had to consider the consent both of vniuersalitie and antiquitie so that we be neither caried a way from sound vnitie to schisme nor yet cast headlong frō antiquitie of religion into the daungerous gulfe of hereticall nouelties We said also that in antiquity we had diligently to obserue and seriously to consider two thinges vnto which all those that will not bee heretickes must of necessitie stand The first is that which hath in oulde time bene determined by all the bishopes of the Catholicke Church by authority of a generall Councell The second is that if any new question did arise in which the determination of a Councell were not to be found that then we ought to haue recourse to the sayings of the holy fathers but yet of these only who in theire time and place were probable maisters being such as liued and died in the vnitie of the communion and faith And whatsoeuer we knew that they beleeued taught with one mind and consente to iudge and take that without all scruple to be the true and Catholicke Religion of the Church And least any man might think that we saied this rather of presumption thē of any authoritie of the Church we gaue an example of the holy Councell holden almost three yeeres sithence at Ephesus a Citie in Asia in the time of the right honorable Councels Bassus Antiochus in which disputation was had of constituting and setting downe rules of faith and least there might by chance some prophane Noueltie creep in as happened at that persidious meeting in Ariminum this was reputed and thought the most Catholicke holy best course to be taken by the iudgement of all the Bishops there present which were almost two hundred in number that the opinions of these Fathers should be brought forth of whō it was certaine that some of them had bene Martirs diuerse Confessors and all to haue liued and died Catholicke Preists that by their authoritie consent and verdict the old religion might be rightlie and solemnely confirmed and blasphemous prophane nouelties condemned which being so done worthely and iustlie Nestorius was iudged to haue taught contrary to the old Catholicke religiō and blessed Cirill to haue maintained holy and sacred antiquitie And to the end nothing might be wanting which procureth credite we put downe also the names and number of these Fathers although not remēbring their order according to whose consent and vniforme doctrine both the textes of holy scripture were expounded and the rule of Gods word established Neither will it here be superfluous for memory sake to repeate them all once againe These then bee the names of them whose workes were cited in that Councell either as iudges or else as witnesses S. Peter Bishop of Alexandria a most excellent Doctor and blessed Martir S. Athanasius Bishope of the same sea a most faithfull teacher and famous Confessor S. Theophilus Bishope also of the same Citie a notable man for faith life and learning next after whom succeded venerable Cirill who at this present doth honour the Church of Alexandria And that no man happelie should suspecte that this was the doctrine of one Citie or of one Prouince to the former there were adioined those two lightes of Caperdocia Saint Gregory Bishoppe and Confessor of Nazianzene Saint Basill Bishope and Confessor of Cesurea also another Saint Gregory Nissen worthy for his merite of faith conuersation integritie and wisdome of such a brother as Basill was And for proofe that not onely the greeke and Easte Church but also the Latin and Weast were alwaies of the same opinion the letters of Saint Felix Martir and Saint Iulie both Bishops of Rome which they wrote vnto certaine men were there read And that not onely the head of the world but also the other partes should giue testimonie in that iudgement From the South they had blessed S. Ciprian from the North S. Ambrose Bishop of Millan These then be the holy Fathers agreeing with that sacred number of the tenne Commaundements which were alleadged in the Councell of Ephesus as Masters Councellors Witnesses and Iudges whose doctrine the blessed Synod holding following whose counsaile beleeuinge whose testimonie obeyinge whose iudgement without spite without presumption and without fauour pronounced gaue sentence concerning the rules of faith And albeit a farre greater number of Fathers might haue bene set downe yet was it not necessarie because it was not requisite that time should be spent with multitude of witnesses and further no man doubted but that those tenne did litle differ in opinion from all the rest of their fellow Bishopes After all this we sett downe the worthie sentence of Cirill which is to be found in the Ecclesiasticall actes of that Councell For when the epistle of S. Capreolus Bishop of Carthage was reade who intended nothing else nothing else desired but that noueltie might be ouer throwen antiquitie defended Bishope Cirill spake and gaue his definition in this sort for I haue thought good not to omitt it here these then be his wordes in the end of the actes of that Coūcell And this epistle quoth he of the venerable and religious man Capreolus Bishope of Carthage shall be adioyned to the faith of the Councels actes whose opinion is plaine and perspicuous for he desireth that the dostrine of the olde faith may be confirmed and new opinions superfluously inuented impiously spread a brode may be reproued and condemned To which all the Bishopes with one cōsent cried out This we spake all this we teach all this we desire all what I beseech you saied they all
acknoledgeth that what he hath here written that he receaued it from his auncestors and forefathers both which he doth in the very first entrance and generally throughout the wholle booke but especially for that towardes the latter end he so highly cōmendeth the generall Councell of Ephesus that is the Parlamēt of the world which surely he neuer wold haue done had he not ioined with thē in opinion concerning faith and religion and what their opinion was him selfe recordeth for he saith that those Fathers inspired by God decreed that nothing was to be beleeued but that which the sacred antiquitie of our fore fathers agreeing togither in Christ had holden and beleeued 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 vs English men to be noted because the first foure generall Coūcells amongst which this of Ephesus is one and the third in order are worthely allowed by acte of Parlament Wherfore moued with such reasons we may Anno. 1. Elizabe without all scruple or doubt not only read this booke but also imbrace and intertaine it as the common doctrine of that time as the religion practised reuerenced in the primatiue Church as the faith and beleefe of the Ephesin Councell and so consequently as the true doctrine of Iesus Christ Now thē seeing we liue in those daies in which so many new sectes and doctrines such strange and monstrous opinions such superstitious and new-fangled deuises flie vp and downe the world and seing wee are fallen into the latter times in which Men shall heape vp to them selues masters according to their owne desires 2. Tim. 4 and shall not indure soūd doctrine but auert their eares frō truth be conuerted to fables In which they shall loue pleasures 2. Tim. 3. more then God haue a shew of godlines but yet denying the vertue therof In which many scoffers shall come walking Ep. Iud. according to their owne desires who deuide them selues sensuall not hauing the spirit In which many false Christs and many false Prophets shall arise and seduce Mat. 24 many Very necessary it is being thus fore-warned of God that before all thinges we take great heed not to be peruerted and seduced by erroneous teachers or false Prophetes but on the contrarie doe diligentlye preserue our faith the light of our soules the roote and foundation of all goodnes with out which it is impossible to please God as S. PAVL saith Wherin we can take no Heb. 11 better course no way more surer then to repaire to the time of the primatiue Church when the blood of Christ was yet fresh bleeding in mens harts when the Gospell was instātly preached firmly beleeued sincerely practised confirmed by miracles established by the death of so many thousands of Martirs especially being exhorted hereunto by the holy scriptures for as by thē we are admonished of the daungers and troubles of the latter daies so are we for a preseruatiue against them sent to auncient times to conduct vs to gods true religion Stand saith the Prophet Ieremie Cap. 6. vpon the way and inquire of the auncient pathes which is a good way and walke in that and you shall finde rest for your selues Salomon likewise in his prouerbes admonisheth vs in this sort Do not passe the auncient boundes which thy Cap. 22. Fathers haue set downe And in Ecclesiasticus Do not set light by the report of thy elders for they haue learned of the Cap. 8. forefathers because of them shalt thou learne vnderstanding and in the time of necessitie shalt thou giue answere To the end therfore gentle Reader that thou be not caried away with the sweet benedictions of those licentious masters with which the latter times according to the predictiō of the Apostles should be much pestered nor seduced with the erroneous doctrine of those false Prophetes and false Christes of which the sonne of God the true Prophet true Christ hath forewarned vs. And that thou maist find out a good way to walke in and keepe thee within the ancient boundes set downe by our forefathers and by their report learne wisdome and vnderstanding I am to request thee to vouchsafe the reading of this olde Father newly translated and I nothing doubt but thou wilt geue that censure which Queene Saba gaue of 3. Reg. 10. the wisdome of Salomon The second reason which set me for ward was for that I finde this booke not written against some one or a few perticuler false teachers as S. Augustine and diuers auncient learned Doctors did against the Arians Pelagians and such like but against any heresie or erroneous doctrine whatsoeuer which is a thing of so great importāce as I knowe not what can be deuised more What golde were to much or what treasures to deare for that medicine which had vertue to cure all disseases False doctrine and heresie is a greate soare a canker more pestilent then any corporall infirmitie whatsoeuer seing this worketh only the temporall distruction of our carcase but that causeth death both of bodie and soule euerlasting In other bookes we find the cōfutatiō of some speciall fase point of doctrine in many the ouerthrow of diuerse but to destroy all at one blow and those each so contrary to them selues so distinct for time so diuerse for place so many for number is a propertie peculiar only to this most excellent treatise and therfore it may fitly be compared to that miraculous pond wherof we read in the Gospell Ioan. 5 which cured all diseases for as that water moued by the Angell cured whatsoeuer infirmity of him that first entred in so this booke writtē no dout by the motion of the holy Ghost hath force to cure any such as is corrupted with erroneous doctrine or to preserue him from all infection if he voutsafe to enter in that is to read it to ponder it and to waigh diligently what is said an discoursed of The reason why this booke hath this rare qualitie in my opinion is because it sheweth the right way of expownding Gods diuine scripture in which so many to the great daunger of mens soules doe so greatly go a stray and therfore as Dauid ouerthrowing Golias the cheefe chāpion of the camp 1. Reg. 17. put all the Philistians to flight so no maruell though this auncient Author discouering the false expositions and gloses of sacred scripture the principall piller of all poisoned doctrine ouer throweth also all wicked heresie The third and last motiue which incouraged me to this labour and ought partly to moue thee to the reading is the breuitie of the worke the finenes of the methode the eloquence of the stile and therfore if long and large volumes do litle please this is short which can not cause dislike if confusion be ingratfull a methodicall order can not but like thee if a stile
impious rather gracelesse follow that furious mad proceeding For the Church of Christ is a carefull diligent keeper of religion cōmitted to her charge she neuer chāgeth or altereth in it any thing she diminisheth nothing nothing she addeth What is necessarie she loseth not what is superfluous she forceth not her owne she maintaineth not her owne shee vsurpeth not but with all industrie laboureth only about this one thing that is by faithfull prudent handling of our forefathers doinges what by them in times past was well entered begone she polisheth what thē was well polished and declared she cōfirmeth what then was confirmed defined she retaineth To conclude what hath she els endeuoured by the decrees of Councells but that that doctrine which before was simplie credited the same afterward should be more diligently beleeued that religion which before was taughtmore slowly the same afterward shold be preached more instantly That faith which before was more securely reuerenced the same afterward should more carefully be practised This I say alwaies nothing els hath the Church prouoked with the nouelties of Heretickes set downe by the decrees of her Councells to weet onely to confirme that to posteritie by writing comprehēding a great summe of things in few wordes and often times for more easie vnderstāding to an olde article of faith geuing a new name which before by tradition she had receaued of her forefathers CHAP. XIIII BVT to returne to the Apostle O Timothie quoth he keepe tho depositum auoyding prophane nouelties of voices Auoyde quoth he as a viper as a scorpian as a basiliske least they infecte thee not only by towching but also with their very eies breath what is ment by Auoide that is not so much as to eate with any such what 1. Cor 5 importeth this Auoide yf any man quoth he come vnto you and bring not this doctrine what doctrine but the Catholicke and vniuersall and that which with sounde traditiō of the truth hath cōtinued one the selfe same through all successions of times and that which shall continue to the worldes ende What thē Receaue him not quoth he into the house nor say God saue you for 2. Ioan. 7 he that saieth vnto him God saue you communicateth with his wicked workes Prophane nouelties of voices quoth he what is Prophane Those which haue no holines in them no iote of religion wholie vnknowne to the Church which is the temple of God Prophane nouelties of voices quoth he of voices that is nouelties of opinions nouelties of things nouelties of senses contrarie to our forefathers faith contrarye to antiquitie which if we admitte and receaue of necessitie the faith of our blessed auncestors either all or a greate parte of it must be ouerthrowne the faithfull people of all ages and times all holy Saintes all chast all continent all virgins all widowes all Clearkes all Deacons all Priestes so manie thousands of Cōfessors so many bands of Martirs so many famous and great cities and common wealthes so manie Ilandes Prouinces Kings countries kingdomes nations to cōclude almost the whole worlde incorporated by the Catholicke faith to Christ their heade must needs be saied so many hūdredes of yeeres to haue bene ignorant to haue erred to haue blasphemed to haue beleeued they know not what Auoide quoth he Prophane nouelties of voices to receiue which which to folow neuer was the custome of Catholickes but alwaies the propertie of heretickes And to say truth what heresie hath euer peeped forth but vnder the name of some certain man in some certaine place and at some certaine time Who euer set abroche any heresie who first deuided not him selfe frō the consent of the vniuersalitie and antiquitie of the Catholicke Church which to be true examples do plainly proue For who euer before that prophane Pelagius presumed so much of mans free will that he thought not the grace of God necessarie to euery perticuler good acte Who euer before his monstrous disciple Celestius denied all mankind to be tied bound with the sinne of Adams preuarication Who euer before sacriligious Arius durst teare in peeces the Vnitie of Trinitie Who euer before wicked Sabellius attempted to confound the Trinitie of Vnitie Who euer before cruell Nouatiā affirmed God to be so mercilesse that he had rather the death of a sinner then he should returne and liue Who euer before Simon Magus punished by Apostolicall censure from whome that olde sinke of filthines came by cōtinuall secrete succession vnto Priscillian that was the last durst euer affirme that God our Creator was the author of euell that is the authour of our wickednes impieties and horrible crimes because God as he saied so made mans nature that by a certaine proper motion and impulse of an inforced will it can do nothing else but sinne desire nothing else but to offend because being prouoked and inflamed with the furious rage of all vices it is with an insatiable desire caried away headlong into the pitt and sincke of all filthines Such examples are infinite which for beuitie sake I omitt by all which not-withstanding it appeareth plainly and cleerely that it is an vsuall and common thing in all Heresies to take great pleasure in prophane nouelties to loathe the decrees of our forefathers and so fall from the faith by opposing the false counterfeit name of knowledge and learning contrariwise this is proper to all Catholickes to keepe that faith which the holy fathers haue left committed to their charge to cōdēne prophane nouelties as the Apostle hath already said again doth say Yf any man shal preach otherwise thē that which is receaued to accurse him CHAP. XV. HERE haplie some man may demaunde whether heretickes also do vse the testimonie of holy scripture To which I say that they do and that verie earnestly for a man may behold thē ranging and coursing in euery parte of the Byble in Moyses in the kinges in the Psalmes in the Apostles in the Ghosples in the Prophets for whether they be amongst their owne bretheren or with strangers whether in priuate or in publique whether in talking or in writing whether in the house a feasting or abrode in walking they almost neuer alledge any thinge of there owne which they do not pretend to shadowe with the wordes of sacred scripture Read the pamphlets of Paulus Samosatenus of Priscilian Eunomius Iouinian the rest of such like pestilent Heretickes and you shall find through all their workes an huge hepe of examples almost no page omitted which is not colored and painted with the sayinges of the new and olde testament But the more closely they lurke vnder the shadow of Gods lawe the more carefullie are they to be feared the more narrowlie to be watched for they knowe full well that their stinking and vnsauorie drugges be not likelie almost to please any if simplie and nakedly they be set forth therfore they do temper them
Judgment SAint Jerom said Whatsoever he did he still thought that that Voice was still in his Ears Arise ye Dead and come to Judgment St. Jerom used this excellent saying If my Father stood Weeping on his Knees before me and my Mother hanging on my Neck behind me and all my Brothers Sisters Children and Friends howling on every side to retain me in a sinful Life I would run over my Father fling my Mother to the Ground despise my Kindred and fling them under my Feet that I may run to CHRIST Here 's Love and Fortitude CHrisostom says God had rather Men should love him than fear him to be called Father rather than Master He wins by Mercy that he 〈◊〉 not perish by Justice O 〈◊〉 Godly Man knows how to make 〈◊〉 of Mercies It was St. Hierom's saying Dead Flesh is to be cut off for fear of Gangrene Arias at first was but a Spark but being not suppressed betimes proved the Incendary of the whole Church St. Austin saith Love is strong as Death as Death killeth the Body so Love of Eternal Life kills Worldly Desires and Affections The Love of Christ being predominant in the Soul deadens the Affections to any thing else Christ asked Peter Three Times Lovest thou me not for his own Information but that by his Threefold Profession he might help his Threefold Negation of him Nicephorus Good and Wicked Men and Hypocrites THey are like True and Counterfeit Money the one seems to be good and is not the other both seems and is good Ignatius Chrysostom saith As a Rock tho' the Winds blow and the Waves beat against it is Immovable so Faith grounded on the Rock Christ holds out in all Temptations and Spiritual Combats Chrysologus saith Neither in the Steel alone nor in the Flint alone any Fire can be seen nor Extracted but by Conjunction and Collision so nor by Faith alone nor by Works alone is Salvation to be attained but by ioyning both together Alexander of Hales saith What the Eye is to the Body Faith is to the Soul it 's good for direction if it be kept well And as Flies hurt the Eyes so little Sins and Ill-Thoughts do the Soul Divine Love says Basil is a never failing Treasure he that hath it is Rich and he that wanteth it is Poor Chrisostom saith A Bulwark of Adamant is not more impregnable than the Love of Brethren THE GOLDEN TREATISE OF THE AVNCIENT AND LEARNED FAther VINCENTIVS Lirinensis For the antiquitie and vniuersalitie of the Catholicke Religion against the prophane nouelties of all Heresies Newly translated into English by A. P. Verie profitable for all such as desire in these dangerous times to imbrace the true Gospell of Iesus Christ and to remaine free from all infectiō of false doctrine as in the Preface more at large is declared ✚ With Priuiledge ⸪ TO THE CHRISTIAN Reader zelous of truth and desirous of Saluation A. P. wisheth the knowledge of the one in this life and the fruition of the other in the life to come IPRESENT thee heere gentle Reader the auncient french Father Vincentius Lirinensis attired after the English cutt a booke as learned as litle and no lesse profitable then pleasant of smalle volume if thou respect the quantitie but of rare prise if thon consider the qualitie It intreateth not of gathering scraping togither the pelf of this world which choaketh vp the Mat. 13. V. 22 Mat. 19. V. 24 heauenly seed of Gods word and putteth man in a dangerous state if we credite him who being rich for our sake became poore it disputeth not of ambitious and gallant attire nor of the art of pampering this corruptible carcase which brought that braue belligod of Luc. 16 whome we read in the Gospell to the furious flames and endlesse tormentes 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 carnalitie the nources of vnchaste thoughts and the very baite with which the Deuill doth daily angle and catch the vnfortunate soules of mortall men But it handleth that which redoūdeth to the benefite of our soule created to the image of God and sheweth vs the way how we may so gouerne this fraile vessell of ours in the tempestious Sea of this wicked world that at last we may safely arriue at the porte and harbour of celestiall felicitie For if the first step to Heauen is to beleeue aright and the foundation and ground of all saluation be faith as I thinke no man can doubt that beleeueth that there is any God or truth at all then can not this golden treatise but be acceptable to all such as loue Iesus Christ and tender the saluation of their owne soules beeing as it were the heauenlye piller of fire that Exod. 13 may guide vs through the deserte of this world vnto the land of promise and the glittering starre to leade vs vnto Mat. 2 the new borne King of the Iewes Sauiour of mankind But to the end that thou maist more plainly particulerly view the excellencie great necessitie of this rare booke and as it were with Moises from the toppe of Mount Nebo Deut. 34. contemplate the land of Canaan flowing with milke honie I will briefly set downe such motiues as inuited me to the labour of the translation for the selfe same as I verily thinke cannot but inflame thee to the diligēt reading of the same Three principall reasons then especiallye moued me The first was because it is very auncient being written aboue an eleuē hundred yeres past for it was composed three yeeres after the generall Councell of Ephesus as appeareth in the conclusion of the booke And as the Author him selfe is of greate antiquitie so is his doctrine more auncient beeing the selfe same which florished in his time and came from the Apostles of CHRIST which thing as it was neuer of any good man doubted of so is it also most apparant 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 euidēt argument that it was consonant to the doctrine then generally taught and receaued otherwise those Pastors and Doctors which God as S. Paul saieth hath giuen that we be not litle ones wauering and be caried about with euery blast of doctrine Ephes 4 could neuer haue held their peace but would as the Prophete admonisheth Haue cried out exalted their voice like Esa 58. a trumpet as we finde in like case the licentious Nicholaits noted by S. Iohn for their false doctrine Himineus and Apoc. 2 Philetus reproued by S. PAVL for an error about the resurrection Secondly 2. Tim. 2. because the author him selfe doth not only confesse the same in setting down the answere of many excellent holy learned men which liued in his daies nor only because he
sobernes from new madnesse to auncient light from new darkenesse But in this diuine vertew which they shewed in the confession of their faith this thing is especially of vs to be noted that in that antiquitie of the church they tooke vpon them not the defence of any one part but of the wholle For it was not lawfull that such excelent famous men should maintaine and defend with so great might maine the erroneous suspitions and those contrary each to other of one or two men or should stand in contention for the temararious conspiracie of some small Prouince but they did those by folowing the Canons and decrees of the Catholicke and Apostolicke veritie of all the Preistes of holy Church rather to betray them selues then the vniuersall auncient faith For which fact of theirs they merited so great glorie that they are accounted not only Confessors but also iustly and worthely the Princes of all Confessors Great therfore surely diuine was the example of these blessed Confessors and of euery true Catholicke continually to be remembred who like the seuenfold Candlesticke shining with the seuenfold giftes of the holy Ghost deliuered vnto all posteritie a most notable example how afterward in each foolish and vaine error the boldnes of prophane noueltie was to be repressed with authoritie of sacred Antiquitie CHAP. III. NEITHER is this any new thing but alway vsuall in the Church of God that the more religious a man hath bene the more ready hath he allwayes resisted nouell inuentions examples wherof many might be brought but for breuity sake I will only make choyce of some one which shall be taken from the Apostolique sea by which al men may see most plainly with what force alwayes what zeale what indeuour the blessed succession of the blessed Apostles haue defended the integrity of that religion which they once receaued Therfore in times past Agrippinus of venerable memory Bishope of Carthage the first of all mortall men maintained this assertion against the deuine scripture against the of the vniuersall Church against the minde of all the preistes of his time against the custome and traditiō of his forefathers that rebaptization was to be admitted and put in practise Which presumptiō of his procured so great domage and hurte to the Church that not only it gaue all heriticks a paterne of sacrilege but also ministred occasion of errour to some Catholickes When therfore euery where al men exclaimed against the nouelty of the doctrine and all priestes in all places each one according to his zeale did repugne then Pope Steuē of blessed memory bishop of the Apostolique sea resisted in deed with the rest of his felow byshopes but yet more then the rest thinking it as I suppose reason so much to excell all other in deuotion towardes the faith as he was superiour to them in authoritie of place To conclude in his Epistle which then was sent to Afrike he decreed the same in these wordes That nothing was to bee innouated but that which came by tradition ought to be obserued For that holy and prudent man knew well that the nature of pietie could admitt nothing else but only to deliuer and teach our children that religion and that faith which we receaued and learned of our forefathers and that we ought to folow religion whither it doth lead vs and not to lead religion whither it please vs and that nothing is more proper to Christian modestie and grauitie then not to leaue vnto posteritie our owne inuentions but to preserue and keepe that which our Predecessors left vs. What therfore was thē the end of that wholle busines What else but common and vsuall to wecte antiquitie was retained noueltie abandoned But perhaps that new inuention lacked patrons and defenders To which I say on the contrary that it had such pregnant wittes such eloquent tonges such number of defendants such shew of truth such testimonies of scripture but glosed after a new and naughtie fashion that all that conspiracie and schisme shoulde haue semed vnto me inuincible had not the very profession of noueltie it selfe so taken in hand vnder that name defended with that title recōmended ouerthrowen the very ground of so great a schisme To conclude what force had the Councell or decree of Africke By Gods prouidence none but all things there agreed vpon were abolished disanulled abrogated as dreames as fables as superfluous And O strange change of the worlde the authours of that opinion are iudged and thought Catholickes the folowers accounted reputed Heretickes the masters discharged the schollers condemned the writers of those bookes shall be children of the kingdome of Heauen the maintainers of those books shall burne in Hell For who donbteth but holy S. Ciprian that light of all Saintes that lanterne of Bishops and spectacle of Martirs with the rest of his companions shall raigne with Christ for-euer And contrariwise who is so wicked to deny that the Donatists and such other pestilent Heretickes which by the authority of that Coūcell vaunt that they do practise rebaptization shall burne for euer with the Deuill his Angells Which iudgemēt in mine opinion seemeth to haue come frō God for their fraudulent dealing especially which endeuoring vnder the cloake of an other mans name coningly to frame an heresie commonly laye holde of some darke sayings of one auncient Father or other which by reason of the obscuritie may seeme to make for theire opinion to th end they may be thought that whatsoeuer I know not what they bring forth to the worlde neither to haue bene the first that so taught neither alone of that opinion whose wicked deuice in mine opinion is worthie of dubble hatred both for that they feare not to sow their poisoned seed of heresie amongest others and also because they blemishe the memorie of some holy man as it were with prophane handes cast his dead ashes into the wind bringing infamously that to light which rather with silence were to be buried folowing therin the steps of their father Chā who not only neglected to couer the nakednes of venerable Noë but also shewed it to others to laugh at by which fact of his he incurred so great a crime of impietie that Gen. 9 his posteritie was subiect to the malediction of his sinne his blessed brethrē doing farr otherwise who neither with their owne eies would violate the nakednesse of their reuerend father nor yet permit it to remaine vncouered for other to behold but going backward as the holy text saith they couerd him which is as much to say that they neither approued with harte nor blased with tong the holy mans fault and therfore they their posterity were rewarded with their fathers blessing But to returne to our purpose CHAP. IIII. VVE haue therfore much to feare the sacrilege of a changed faith of a violated religion from which fault not only the discipline of the ecclesiasticall decree doth restraine vs but the authoritie also of the
Apostles censure deterreth For all men know how grauely how seuerely how seriously the blessed Apostle S. PAVL inueigheth against certaine which with Gal. 8 great leuitie Were so soone transferred from him that called them into the grace of Christ vnto another Gospell which is not an other That had heaped vp to thē 2. Tim. 4 selues masters according to their owne desires auerting their eares from truth being conuerted to fables Hauing damnation because they haue made voide their 1. Tim. 5. first faith Whom those men had deceaued of whom the same Apostle in his epistle to the Romanes thus writeth I beseech you brethren to marke thē that make dissentions and scandalls contrarie Ram. 16. to the doctrine which you haue learned and auoide them for such doe not serue Christ our Lorde but theire owne bellie And by sweet speaches and benedictions seduce the hartes of Innocents That enter into houses and lead captiue seelie women 2 Tim. 3 loaden with sinnes which are lead away with diuers desires alwaies learning and neuer attaining to the knowledge of trewth Vaine speakers and seducers who subuert wholle houses teaching Tit. 1 the thinges they ought not for filthy lucre Men corrupt in their minde reprobates concerning the faith Proud 2. Tim. 3 and knowing nothing but languishing about questions and strife of wordes that are depriued of the truth that esteeme a 1. Tim. 6. 1. Tim. 5. gaine to be pietie And with all idle they learne to go from house to house not only idle but also full of wordes and curious speaking thinges which they ought not 1. Tim. 1. Which repelling a good conscience haue made shipwracke about the faith Whose prophane speaches do much grow to impietie and their speach spreadeth as a cancre But that is also worth the noting which is written of them But they shall 2 Tim. 2. 2. Tim. 3. prosper no further for their follie shall be manifest to all as theirs also was When therfore such kind of men wandering vp and downe through Prouinces and cities to set their errors to sale came also vnto the Galathians who after they had heard thē and were delighted with the filthie druges of heretiall Nouelty casting vp againe the heauenly Manna of the Apostolicke and Catholicke doctrine The Apostle vsed his authoritie decreeing very seuerely in this sort But although we quoth he or an Angel from heauen euangelize vnto you beside Gal. 1. Euangelize signifieth such preaching of good tidings as cōcerneth the gospell Anathema signifieth accursed be he that which we haue enangelized be he Anathema What meaneth this that he sayeth But although we why did he not rather say But although I That is to say although Peter although Andrew although Iohn yea finally al though the wholle companie of the Apostles euangelize vnto you otherwise then we haue enangelized be he accur sed A terrible censure for maintaining the possession of the first faith not to haue spared him selfe nor any other of the Apostles But this is a small matter Although an Angell from heauē quoth he Euangelize vnto you beside that which I haue Euangelized be he Anathema he was not contented for keeping the faith once planted to make mention of mans weake nature vnlesse also he included those excellent creatures of Angells Although we qhoth he or an Angell from heauen not because the holy Angells of Heauen can now sinne but this is the meaning of that he saith Although quoth he that might be which cannot be whosoeuer he be that goeth about to change the faith which was once planted be he accursed But peraduenture he vttered those words slightly and cast thē forth rather of humane affection then decreed them by any reason grounded in Gods word God forbid For it followeth and that very earnestly vrged very often repeated As I haue foretold you quoth he now againe I tell you If any body euangelize vnto you beside that which you haue receaued be he Anathema He said not if any man preach vnto you beside that which you haue receaued let him be blessed let him be commended let him be receaued but Anathema that is separated thrust out excommunicated least the cruell infection of one sheepe with his poisoned company corrupt the sound flocke of Christ But peraduenture this was giuen in commaundement only to the Galathians then likewise were these precepts folowing commaunded only to the Galathians to weete If vve liue Gal. 5. in the spirite in the spirite also lett vs vvalke lett vs not be made desirouse of vaine glorie prouoking one an other enuying one an other and such like which if it be absurd to say no man doubteth but that they were indifferently commaunded to all then certaine it is that as these precepts touching maners include all so likewise those concerning faith and doctrine exclude none And therfore as it is not lawfull for any to prouoke one another to enuie one another euen so it is vnlawfull for any to admitt or to receaue any other faith or religion then that which the Catholicke Church euery where teacheth or haply shal we be so mad to say that thē it was commaunded to curse and anathematize him that preached any otherwise then before had beene preached that now it is not cōmaunded then was that likewise which is there saide But I say walke in the spirite and you shall not fulfill the desires of the flesh then only cōmaunded but now is not which if it be impious and dangerous so to beleeue then of necessitie it followeth that as these precepts of life manners are to be kept of all ages so likewise those set downe against innouating of religion changing of faith are cōmaunded to all posteritie wherfore to preach vnto Christian Catholicke men besids that which they haue receaued neuer was lawfull no where is lawfull at no time shall be lawfull And on the contrarie to say Anathema and curse those which teach otherwise then once hath bene receaued was at all times needful is euery where conuenient euer shall be requisite Which being so is there any man either so bold that dare teach that which in the Church hath not bene taught or of such leuitie that will receaue ought besides that which he hath receiued of the Church Let that vessell of election that maister of the Gentiles that trumpe of the Apostles that preacher of the world he that was acquainted with heauenly affaires crie out and againe crie out in his epistles to all men to all times to all places that whosoeuer preacheth a new doctrine is to be accursed And on the contrarie parte let certaine frogges corruptible gnates and flies such as the Pelagians be reclaime and that to Catholickes Wee being your authors quoth they we being your leaders we being your interpreters condemne that which before you did hold hold that which before you condemned Cast away your olde faith your forefathers lawes your elders constitutions