the Preface Page 3. line 23. read thus S. Augustine who as D. Field lib. 3. de Eccles fol. 170. asserteth was c. p. 6. l. 9. for dere r. desire p. 12 l. 20. r. pure offering In the Book p. 13. l. 15. for when r. whom p. 50. l. 11. for one r. or p. 82. l. 24. r. adorning p. 85. l. 10. for reserue r. referre p. 89. l. 16. r. probable p. 98. l. 7. r. retractations p. 124. l. 14. r. virtue and power p. 125. l. 6. for divens r. divers p. 127. l. 11. r. bosome p. 128. l. 20. for the r. them p. 130. l. 9. r. too p. 133. l. 9. leave out a. This Golden Treatise is fitly divided into five Parts From the begnining to the fifth Chapter the Authour delivers a generall and a regular way to discern the true Faith from heresie by Vniversality and Antiquity and satisfies the objections to the contrary From the fifth to the eleventh he treats of the causes why God suffers heresies where he brings in the fall of Origen and Tertullian and of some hereticks Photinus Apollinaris and Nestorius and sets down their heresies and the Catholick doctrine opposite unto them From the eleventh to the fifteenth he shews the duty of atrne Catholick in keeping the depositum of faith and carefully avoiding all Novelties From the fifteenth to the Recapitulation he treats of the subtilty of hereticks in alledging the Scriptures The Recapitulation conteins the substance of the former discourse Vincentius Lirinensis FOR The Antiquity and Vniversality of the Catholick Faith against the prophane Novelties of all Heresies THe holy Scripture of God saying and warning us in this sort Ask thy Fathers and they shall tell thee thy elders and they shall report unto thee And again Accommodate thy ears to the words of wise men Likewise My sonne forget not these speeches but let thy heart keep my words Deut. 52. Prov. 22. 3. It seemeth unto me a stranger of this world and the least of Gods servants that it shall by his gracious help be a matter of no small profit to set down in writing what I have of holy Fathers faithfully received being a thing very necessary for mine own infirmitie having alwaies therby in readinesse how by daily reading thereof I may help my weak memory Vnto which labour not onely the profit 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 seeing it consumeth and bereaueth us of all humane and earthly things we should also take out of it something which may auaile us to life euerlasting especially seeing the terrible iudgment of God which we expect drawing neere upon us doth seriously inuite and prouoke us to increase our studies and exercises in religion and the fraudulent dealing of new Heretickes requireth much care and attention The place because having forsaken the company and troubled of the world and chosen a solitary Abbey in a little town for mine abiding where I may without any great distraction of mind put in practise that which is sung in the Psalm 45. Be vacant and see that I am God With which reasons also accordeth the purposed end and resolution of my whole state of life in that I have by the help of Christ after long and divers stormes induced in the watres showded my self in the harbour of a religious life a secure port for all states of men where contemning the blasts of varity and pride I may pacifie God with the sacrifice of humility and so escape not onely the shipwrack of this present life but also the fire of the next But now in the name of God will I set upon that which I have taken in hand that is to set down iâ— writing such things as our forefather have delivered and committed to our charge using herein rather the fidelity of a reporter then the presumption of an authour meaning yet to keep this rule in my writing not copiously to lay forth all but briefly to handle each necessary points neither that in fine and exact words but in easie and common speech in such sort that most things may seem rather touched then declared Let them write delicately and penne curiously which trust â—â— either upon witte or moved with respect of duty enterprise any 〈◊〉 action but for me it is sufficient the for helping my memory or rather forgetfulnesse I have gathered 〈◊〉 ther this Commonitory which â—â— withstanding by Gods grace I 〈◊〉 daily endevour by little and little calling to mind such things as in times past I have learned to correct and make more perfect And this have I thought good to forewarn that if happily this work of mine passing forth fall into the hands of Censurers they do not over hastily reprehend in it that which they understand present promise to undertake with future correction better to polish and mend CAHP. I. INquiring therefore often with great desire and atâ—â—â—ion of very many excellent holy and learned men how and by what means I might assuredly and as it were by some generall and ordinary way discern the true Catholick faith from false and wicked Heresie To this question I had usually this answer of them all that whether I or any other desired to find out the fraud of Hereticks daily springing up and to escape their snares and willingly would continue safe and sound in religion that he ought two manner of wayes by Gods assistance to defend and preserve his faith that is first by the authority of the law of God secondly by the tradition of the Catholick Church Here some man perhaps may ask that seing the Canon of the scripture is perfect and most aboundantly of it self sufficient for all things what need we joyne unto it the authority of the Church her understanding and interpretation The reason is this because the scripture being of it self so deep and profound all men do not understand it in one and the same sense but diverse men diversly this man and that man this way and that way expound and interpret the sayings thereof so that to ones thinking so many men so many opinions almost may be gathered out of them for Novatus expoundeth it one way Photinus another Sabellius after this sort Donatus after that Arius Eunomius Macedonius will have this exposition Appolinarius and Priscillian will have that Iovinian Pelagius Colestius gather this sence and to conclude Nestorius findeth out that and therfore necessary it is for the avoiding of so great windings and turnings of divers errours that the line of expounding the Prophets and Aposties be directed and drawn according to the rule of the ecclesiasticall and Catholick sense Again in the Catholick Church we are greatly to consider that we hold that which hath been beleeved every where alwayes and of all men for that is truly and properly Catholick as the very force and nature of the word doth declare which
from new errour to old sobernes from new madnesse to antient light from new darknesse But in this divine vertue which they shewed in the confession of their faith this thing is especially of us to be noted that in that antiquitie of the Church they took upon them not the defence of any one part but of the whole For it was not lawfull that such excellent and famous men should maintaine and defend with so great might and maine the erroneous suspicions and those contrary each to other of one or two men or should stand in contention for the temerarious conspiracie of some small Province but they did chuse by following the Canons and decrees of the Catholick and Apostolike veritie of all the Priests of holy Church rather to betray them selves then the universall ancient faith For which fact of theirs they merited so great glorie that they are accounted not only Confessours but also justly and worthily the Princes of all Confessours Great therefore surely divine was the example of these blessed Confessours and of every true Catholick continually to be remembred who like the seven branched Candlestick shining with the sevenfold gifts of the holy Ghost delivered unto all posterity a most notable example how afterward in each foolish and vain errour the boldnesse of profane noveltie was to be repressed with authority of sacred Antiquity CHAP. III. NEither is this any new thing but alwaies usual in the Church of God that the more religious a man hath been the more ready hath he alwayes resisted novell inventions examples whereof many might be brought but for brevity sake I will onely make choice of some one which shall be taken from the Apostolick sea by which all men may see most plainly with what force alwayes what zeal what indeavour the blessed succession of the blessed Apostles have desended the integrity of that religion which they once received Therefore in times past Agrippinus of venerable memory Bishop of Cart hage the first of all mortall men maintained this assertion against the divine Scripture against the rule of the universall Church against the mind of all the Priests of his time against the custom and tradition of his forefathers that rebaptization was to be admitted and put in practise Which presumption of his procured so great dammage and hurt to the Church that not onely it gave all hereticks a pattern of sacrilege but also ministred occasion of errour to some Catholicks When therefore every where all men exclaimed against the novelty of the doctrine and all priests in all places each one according to his zeale did oppose then Pope Steven of blessed memory bishop of the Apostolique sea resisted in deed with the rest of his fellow bishops but yet more then the rest thinking it as I suppose reason so much to excell all other in devotion towards the faith as he was superiour to them in authoritie of place To conclude in his Epistle which then was sent to Africk he decreed the same in these words That nothing was to be innovated but that which came by tradition ought to be observed For that holy and prudent man knew well that the nature of pietie could admit nothing else but only to deliver and teach our children that religion and that faith which we received and learned of our forefathers and that we ought to follow religion whither it doth lead us and not to lead religion whither it please us and that nothing is more proper to Christian modestie and gravitie then not to leave unto posteritie our own inventions but to preserve and keep that which our Predecessours left us What therefore was then the end of that whole busines What else but that which is common and usuall to wit antiquitie was retained noveltie exploded But perhaps that new invention lacked patrons and defenders To which I say on the contrary that it had such pregnant witts such eloquent tongues such number of defendants such shew of truth such testimonies of scripture but 〈◊〉 after a new and naughtie fashion that all that conspiracie and schisme should have seemed unto me invincible had not the very profession of noveltie it self so taken in hand under that name defended with that title recommended overthrowen the very ground of so great a schisme To conolude what force had the Councell or decree of Africke By Gods providence none but all things there agreed upon were abolished disanulled abrogated as dreames as fables as superfluous And O strange change of the world the authours of that opinion are judged and thought Catholicks the followers accounted and reputed Hereticks the masters discharged the schollers condemned the writers of those books shall be children of the kingdome of Heaven the maintainers of those books shall burne in Hell For who doubteth but holy S. Cyprian that light of all Saints that lanterne of Bishops and spectacle of Martirs with the rest of his companions shall raigne with Christ for ever And contrariwise who is so wicked to deny that the Donatists and such other pestilent Hereticks which by the authority of that Councell vaunt that they do practise rebaptization shall burn for ever with the Devill and his Angels Which judgement in mine opinion seemeth to have come from God for their fraudulent dealing especially which endeavouring under the cloak of an other mans name cunningly to frame an heresie commonly lay hold of some dark sayings of one antient Father or other which by reason of the obscurity may seem to make for their opinion to the end they may be thought that whatsoever I know not what they bring forth to the world neither to have been the first that so taught neither alone of that opinion whose wicked device in mine opinion is worthy of double hatred both for that they fear not to sowe their poysoned feed of herefie amongst others and also because they blemish the memory of some holy man and as it were with profane hands cast his dead ashes into the wind bringing with shame that to light which rather with silence were to be buried following therein the steps of their father Cham who not onely neglected to cover the nakednesse of venerable Noe but also shewed it to others to laugh at by which fact of his he incurred so great a crime of impiety that his posterity was subject to the malediction of his sinne Gen. 9. his blessed brethren doing far otherwise who neither with their own eyes would violate the nakednesse of their reverend father nor yet permit it to remain uncovered for others to behold but going backward as the holy text saith they covered him which is as much as to say that they neither approved with heart nor blazed with tongue the holy mans fault and therefore they and their posterity were rewarded with their fathers blessing But to returne to our purpose CHAP. IIII. WE have therefore much to fear the sacriledge of a changed faith of a violated religion from which fault not only the discipline of the
that hath been said in the former two books WHICH being so it is now time that in the end of this second book we recapitulate touch in few words the Summe of all that which in these two commonitorie books hath been spoken VVe saied in the premisses that this alwaies hath been and at this day is the custom of Catholikes to try and examine true faith two manner of waies First by the authoritie of the divine scripture secondly by the tradition of the Catholick Church not because the Canonicall scripture is not as to it self sufficient for all things but because very many expounding Gods word at their own pleasure do thereby bring forth and hatch up divers opinions and errours And for that cause it is necessary that the interpretation of the divine Scripture be directed according to the one onely rule of the Churches understanding especially in those questions upon which the foundation of the whole Catholick religion doth depend Likewise we said that in the Church we were to consider the consent both of universality and antiquity so that we be neither carried away from sound unity to schism nor yet cast headlong from antiquity of religion into the dangerous gulf of heretical novelties We said also that in antiquity we were diligently to observe and seriously to consider two things unto which all those that will not be hereticks must of necessity stand The first is that which hath in old time been determined by all the Bishops of the Catholick Church by authority of a generall Councell The second is that if any new question did arise in which the determination of a Councell were not to be found that then we ought to have recourse to the sayings of the holy fathers but yet of these only who in their time and place were approved masters being such as lived and dyed in the unity of the communion and faith And whatsoever we knew that they beleeved and taught with one mind and consent to judge and take that without all sctuple to be the true and Catholick Religion of the Church And least any man might think that we saied this rather of presumption then of any authority of the Church we gave an example of the holy councel holden almost three years thence at Ephesus a City in Asia in the time of the right horourable Consuls Bassus and Antiochus in which disputation was had of constituting and setting down rules of faith â— and least there might by chance some prophane Novelty creep in as happened at that persidious meeting in Ariminum this was reputed and thought the most Catholick holy and best course to be taken by the judgement of all the Bishops there present which were almost two hundred in number that the opinions of those Fathers should be brought forth of whom it was certaine that some of them had been Martyrs divers Confessours all to have lived and died Catholick Priests that by their authority consent and verdict the old religion might be rightly and solemnly confirmed and blasphemous prophant novelties condemned which being so done worthily and justly Nestrius was judged to have taught contrary to the old Catholick religion and blessed Cyrill to have maintained holy and sacred antiquity And to the end nothing might be wanting which procureth credit we put down also the names and number of these Fathers although not remembring their order according to whose tonsent and uniform doctrine both the texts of holy scripture were expounded and the rule of Gods word established Neither will it here be superfluous for memory sake to repeat them all once agam These then be the names of them whose works were cited in that Councell either as judges or else witnesses S. Peter Bishop of Alxandria a most excellent Doctour and blessed Martyr S. Athanasius Bishop of the same sea a most faithfull teacher and famous Confessout S. Theophilus Bishop also of the same City a notable man for faith life and learning next after whom succeeded venerable Cyrill who at this present doth honour the Church of Alexandria And that no man happily should suspect that this was the doctrine of one City or of one Province to the former there were adjoyned those two lights of Cappadocia Saint Gregory Bishop and Confessour of Nazianzene St. Basil Bishop and Confessour of Cesaria and also another Saint Gregory Nyssen worthy for his merit of faith conversation integrity and wisdom of such a brother as Basil was And for proof that not onely the Greek East Church but also the Latine and West were alwayes of the same opinion the letters of Saint Felix Martyr and Saint Julie both Bishops of Rome which they wrote unto certaine men were there read And that not onely the head of the world but also the other parts should give testimony in that judgement From the South they had blessed S. Cyprian from the North S. Ambrose Bishop of Millan These then be the holy Fathers agreeing with that sacred number of the ten Commandements which were alleadged in the Councell of Ephesus as Masters Councellours Witnesses and Judges whose doctrine the blessed Synod holding following whose counsell beleeving whose testimony obeying whose judgement without spite without presumption without favour pronounced and gave sentence concerning the rules of faith And albeit a farre greater number of Fathers might have been set down yet was it not necessary because it was not requisite that time should be spent with multitude of witnesses and further no man doubted but that those ten did little differ in opinion from all the rest of their fellow Bishops After all this we set down the worthy sentence of Cyrill which is to be found in the Ecclesiasticall acts of that Councell For when the Epistle of S. Capreolus Bishop of Carthage was read who intended nothing else nothing else desired but that novelty might be overthrown and antiquity defended Bishop Cyril spake and gave his definition in this sort for I have thought good not to omit it here these then be his words in the end of the acts of that Councell And this epistle quoth he of the venerable and rel gious man Capreolus Bishop of Carthage shall be ad oyned to the faith of the Councels acts whose opinion is plain and perspicuous for he desireth that the doctrine of the old faith may be confirmed and new opinions superstuously invemed and impiously spread abroad may be reproved and condemned To which all the Bishops with one consent cried out This we speake all this we teach all this we desire all What I beseech you said they all what desired they all surely nothing else But that that which was of old time delivered might be still retained and that which was newlie invented might speedilie be rejected After that wee had admired and highly commended the great humilitie and holinesse of that Councell in which were so many Bishops almost the greater part of whom were Metropolitans of such erudition of such learning that they were
not what is superfluous she forceth not her own she maintaineth what is not her own shee usurpeth not but with all industrie laboureth only about this one thing that is by faithfull prudent handling of our forefathers doings what by them in times past was well entered begun she polisheth what then was well polished and declared she confirmeth what then was confirmed and defined she retaineth To conclude what hath she else endeavoured by the decrees of Councells but that that doctrine which before was simplie credited the same afterward should be more diligently beleeved that religion which before was taught more slowly the same afterward should be preached more instantly That faith which before was more securely reverenced the same afterward should more carefully be practised This I say alwayes and nothing els hath the Church provoked with the novelties of Hereticks set down by the decrees of her Councels to wit onely to confirme that to posteritie by writing comprehending a great summe of things in few words often times for more easie understanding to an old article of faith giving a new name which before by tradition she had received of her forefathers CHAP. XIV BUt to return to the Apostle O Timothie quoth he keep the depositum avoyd prophane novelties of voices Avoid quoth he as a viper as a scorpion as a baâ—ilisk least they infect thee not only by touching but also with their very eyes and breath What is meant by Avoid 1 Cor. 5. that is not so much as to eate with any such what importeth this Avoid if any man quoth he come unto you and bring not this doctrine what doctrine but the Catholick and universall that which with sound tradition of the truth hath continued one the self same through all successions of times and that which shall continue to the worlds end What then Receive him not quoth he into the house nor say God save you for he that sayeth unto him God save you communicateth with his wicked works Prophane novelties of voices quoth he What is Prophane Those which have no holines in them no jote of religion wholly unknown to the Church which is the temple of God Prophane novelties of voices quoth he of voices that is novelties of opinions novelties of things novelties of senses contrarie to our forefathers faith contrarie to antiquitie which if we admit and receive of necessitie the faith of our blessed ancestours either all or a great part of it must be overthrown the faithfull people of all ages and times all holy Saints all chast all continent all virgins all widowes all Clerks all Deacons all Priests so manie thousands of Confessours so many bands of Martyrs so many famous and great cities and commonwealths so manie Islands Provinces Kings countries kingdomes nations to conclude almost the whol world incorporated by the Catholick faith to Christ their head must needs be saied so many hundreds of years to have been ignorant to have erred to have blasphemed to have beleeved they know not what Avoid quoth he Prophane novelties of voices to receive which to follow which never was the custome of Catholicks but alwayes the propertie of hereticks And to say truth what heresie hath ever peeped forth but under the name of some certain man in some certaine place and at some certaine time Who ever set abroach any heresie who first devided not himself from the consent of the universality and antiquity of the Catholick Church Which to be true examples do plainly prove For who ever before that prophane Pelagius presumed so much of mans free will that he thought not the grace of God necessary to every particular good act Who ever before his monstrous disciple Celestiut denyed all mankind to be tyed and bound with the sin of Adams prevarication Who ever before facrilegious Arius durst tear in peeces the Unity of Trinity Who ever before wicked Sabellius attempted to confound the Trinity of Unity Who ever before cruell Novatian affirmed God to be so mercilesse that he had rather the death of a sinner then he should returne and live Who ever before Simon Magus punished by Apostolicall censure from whom that old sink of filthinesse came by continuall and secret succession unto Priscilian that was the last durst ever affirme that God our Creatour was the Authour of evill that is the Authour of our wickednes impieties and horrible crimes because God as he said so made mans nature that by a certain peoper motion and impulse of an inforced will it can do nothing else but sinne desire nothing else but to offend because being provoked and inflamed with the surious rage of all vices it is with an insatiable desire carryed away headlong into the pit and sink of all filthinesse Such examples are infinite which for brevity sake I omit by all which notwitstanding it appeareth plainly and clearly that it is an usuall and common thing in all Heresies to take great pleasure in prophane novelties to loath the decrees of our forefathers and so fall from the faith by pretending the false and counterfeit name of knowledge and learning contrariwise that this is proper to all Catholicks to keep that faith which the holy fathers have left and committed to their charge to condemne prophane novelties and as the Apostle hath already said again doth say If any man shall preach otherwise then that which is received to accurse him CHAP. XV. HEre happily some man may demand whether hereticks also do use the testimony of holy scripture To which I say that they do and that very earnestly for a man may behold them ranging coursing in every part of the Bible in Moses in the Kings in the Psalms in the Apostles in the Gospels in the Prophets for whether they be amongst their own brethren or with strangers whether in private or in publick whether in talking or writing whether in the house reasting or abroad walking they almost never alleadge any thing of their owne which they do not pretend to shadow with the words of sacred scripture Read the pamphlets of Paulus Samosatenus of Priscilian Eunomius Jovinian and the rest of such like pestilent Hereticks and you shall find through all their works an huge heap of examples almost no page omitted which is not coloured and painted with the sayings of the new and old testament But the more closely they lurk under the shadow of Gods law the more carefully are they to be feared the more narrowly to be watched for they know full well that their stinking and unsavory drugs be not likely almost to please any if simply nakedly they be set forth and therefore they do temper them as it were with the sweet powder of Gods word that he which would have contemned mans erroneous invention dares not so readily reject Gods divine scripture wherein they are like to those which minding to minister bitter potions to young children do first annoint the brimâ—â—â— of the cup with hony that thereby