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
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
even by the eyes of common people give me leave a little to consider with my self upon whose words I have believed that there was a Christ that being already guarded and fortified by such a faith I may give ear and hearken unto thee I perceive that I believed and gave credit unto none but to a setled and confirmed opinion and to a most renowned fame and report of people and nations these people also I see in all places to be in possession of the secrets and mysteries of the Catholick Church Why shall not I then chiefly enquire of them diligently what Christ hath commanded by whose authority being moved I have already believed that Christ hath commanded some profitable thing Wilt thou better expound unto me what Christ hath said whom I would not think to have been or now to be if thou didst recommend it unto me to be believed This therefore as I said have I believed upon a famous report of men confirmed with consent and antiquity but you who are both so few and so turbulent and so new it is certain you can produce and bring forth nothing which may deserve credit and belief And therefore what a madnesse is this in thee to say Believe them the known multitude of Christendome that we ought to believe Christ but learn of us Manicheans what Christ hath said Why so I beseech thee Verily if that known multitude should fail and could teach me nothing I should much more easily perswade my self that I ought not to believe Christ at all then that I ought to believe any thing concerning him of any others but of those by whose means I first believed him O mighty confidence or rather folly I will sayst thou teach thee what Christ hath commanded in whom thou art already perswaded to believe What if I did not believe in him at all couldest thou teach me any thing concerning him But sayst thou it behooves thee to believe What upon your warrant and recommendation No sayst thou for we do by reason lead those which do already believe in Christ Why then shall I believe in him Because it is a grounded report was it grounded upon you or upon others Upon others sayst thou Shall I believe them first and be afterwards taught and instructed by thee Peradventure I ought to do so were I not above all things admonished by them not to come at all unto thee for they say that you hold pernicious doctrines Thou wilt answer they lie How then may I believe them concerning Christ whom they have not seen if I may not believe them concerning thee whom they will not see Here sayest thou Believe the Scriptures But all Scripture if being new and unheard of it be alledged or commended but by a few and hath no reason to confirm it receives no credit nor authority at all but those that alledge it wherefore if you that are so few and unknown commend those Scriptures unto me I refuse to believe them besides also you proceed against your promise rather by commanding belief then giving any reason thereof Here again for the authority of Scriptures thou wilt call me back to the known multitude of Christendome and to common report Restrain at length thy obstinacy and I know not what unruly appetite of worldly fame and rather admonish me to seek out the chief rulers of this known multitude and to enquire for them diligently and painfully that rather I may learn something of them touching these Scriptures who if they were not I should not know whither any thing ought to be learnt at all or no. As for thee return into thy corner and lurking-hole and delude us no more under a shew and pretence of truth which thou endeavourest to take away from them unto whom thou grantefl authority and credit and if they also deny that we ought not to believe Christ unlesse an undoubted reason can be rendred thereof they are not Christians For certain Pagans do alledge that against us foolishly indeed but yet not contrary nor repugnant to themselves But who can endure that those men should professe that they belong to Christ who strongly affirm that nothing ought to be believed unlesse most evident reason can be given even unto fools concerning God and divine matters But we see that Christ himself as that history teacheth which they also believe desired nothing more principally nor more carnestly then that he might be credited and believed when as they with whom he was to treat about those affairs were not yet fit to learn and conceive the divine mysteries For to what other purpose did he work so great and so many miracles he himself also affirming that they were done for no other end but that men might give credit and beliefe unto him He led the simple sort of people by belief you lead them by reason he cryed out that he might be believed you cry out against it he commended those that did believe you blame and reprehend them But unlesse he had turned water into wine to omit his other miracles could men have been brought to follow him if he had done no such things but onely taught and instructed them Or is that word of his not to be regarded 1 Joh. 14.1 Believe God and believe me Or is he to be blamed for rashnesse in belief who would not have Christ come into his house because he believed that by his command onely his sick sonne could be cured Mat. 8.8 He therefore bringing a medicine which was to cure the most corrupt manners did by miracles winne authority by authority deserved belief by belief drew together a multitude by a multitude obtained antiquity by antiquity strengthened and confirmed Religion which not onely the most foolish novelty of hereticks endeavouring by deceits but neither the antient errour of the Gentlies being violently bent against it could in any part abolish or destroy CHAP. XV. Of the most cemmodious way to Religion VVHerefore albeit I am not able to teach thee yet do I not cease to warn and admonish thee that because many men will seem to be wise and it is not easie to discern whither they be fools or no thou beseechest the divine Majesty with very much earnestnesse and fervent desires with sighs and sobs or also if it be possible with weeping and tears to free and deliver thee from the evil of errour if thou desirest to lead a blessed and an happy life Which may more easily be brought to passe if thou wilt willingly obey his commands which he hath been pleased to have confirmed and strengthened by so great an authority of the Catholick Church For seeing that a wise man is by his mind so united unto God that nothing is interposed and set between them which may divide and separate them for God is truth and no man is to be accounted a wise man that doth not attain to the knowledge of truth we cannot deny but that the wisdome of man is interposed as a certain medium
from new errour to old sobernes from new madnesse to antient light from new darknesse But in this divine vertue which they shewed in the confession of their faith this thing is especially of us to be noted that in that antiquitie of the Church they took upon them not the defence of any one part but of the whole For it was not lawfull that such excellent and famous men should maintaine and defend with so great might and maine the erroneous suspicions and those contrary each to other of one or two men or should stand in contention for the temerarious conspiracie of some small Province but they did chuse by following the Canons and decrees of the Catholick and Apostolike veritie of all the Priests of holy Church rather to betray them selves then the universall ancient faith For which fact of theirs they merited so great glorie that they are accounted not only Confessours but also justly and worthily the Princes of all Confessours Great therefore surely divine was the example of these blessed Confessours and of every true Catholick continually to be remembred who like the seven branched Candlestick shining with the sevenfold gifts of the holy Ghost delivered unto all posterity a most notable example how afterward in each foolish and vain errour the boldnesse of profane noveltie was to be repressed with authority of sacred Antiquity CHAP. III. NEither is this any new thing but alwaies usual in the Church of God that the more religious a man hath been the more ready hath he alwayes resisted novell inventions examples whereof many might be brought but for brevity sake I will onely make choice of some one which shall be taken from the Apostolick sea by which all men may see most plainly with what force alwayes what zeal what indeavour the blessed succession of the blessed Apostles have desended the integrity of that religion which they once received Therefore in times past Agrippinus of venerable memory Bishop of Cart hage the first of all mortall men maintained this assertion against the divine Scripture against the rule of the universall Church against the mind of all the Priests of his time against the custom and tradition of his forefathers that rebaptization was to be admitted and put in practise Which presumption of his procured so great dammage and hurt to the Church that not onely it gave all hereticks a pattern of sacrilege but also ministred occasion of errour to some Catholicks When therefore every where all men exclaimed against the novelty of the doctrine and all priests in all places each one according to his zeale did oppose then Pope Steven of blessed memory bishop of the Apostolique sea resisted in deed with the rest of his fellow bishops but yet more then the rest thinking it as I suppose reason so much to excell all other in devotion towards the faith as he was superiour to them in authoritie of place To conclude in his Epistle which then was sent to Africk he decreed the same in these words That nothing was to be innovated but that which came by tradition ought to be observed For that holy and prudent man knew well that the nature of pietie could admit nothing else but only to deliver and teach our children that religion and that faith which we received and learned of our forefathers and that we ought to follow religion whither it doth lead us and not to lead religion whither it please us and that nothing is more proper to Christian modestie and gravitie then not to leave unto posteritie our own inventions but to preserve and keep that which our Predecessours left us What therefore was then the end of that whole busines What else but that which is common and usuall to wit antiquitie was retained noveltie exploded But perhaps that new invention lacked patrons and defenders To which I say on the contrary that it had such pregnant witts such eloquent tongues such number of defendants such shew of truth such testimonies of scripture but 〈◊〉 after a new and naughtie fashion that all that conspiracie and schisme should have seemed unto me invincible had not the very profession of noveltie it self so taken in hand under that name defended with that title recommended overthrowen the very ground of so great a schisme To conolude what force had the Councell or decree of Africke By Gods providence none but all things there agreed upon were abolished disanulled abrogated as dreames as fables as superfluous And O strange change of the world the authours of that opinion are judged and thought Catholicks the followers accounted and reputed Hereticks the masters discharged the schollers condemned the writers of those books shall be children of the kingdome of Heaven the maintainers of those books shall burne in Hell For who doubteth but holy S. Cyprian that light of all Saints that lanterne of Bishops and spectacle of Martirs with the rest of his companions shall raigne with Christ for ever And contrariwise who is so wicked to deny that the Donatists and such other pestilent Hereticks which by the authority of that Councell vaunt that they do practise rebaptization shall burn for ever with the Devill and his Angels Which judgement in mine opinion seemeth to have come from God for their fraudulent dealing especially which endeavouring under the cloak of an other mans name cunningly to frame an heresie commonly lay hold of some dark sayings of one antient Father or other which by reason of the obscurity may seem to make for their opinion to the end they may be thought that whatsoever I know not what they bring forth to the world neither to have been the first that so taught neither alone of that opinion whose wicked device in mine opinion is worthy of double hatred both for that they fear not to sowe their poysoned feed of herefie amongst others and also because they blemish the memory of some holy man and as it were with profane hands cast his dead ashes into the wind bringing with shame that to light which rather with silence were to be buried following therein the steps of their father Cham who not onely neglected to cover the nakednesse of venerable Noe but also shewed it to others to laugh at by which fact of his he incurred so great a crime of impiety that his posterity was subject to the malediction of his sinne Gen. 9. his blessed brethren doing far otherwise who neither with their own eyes would violate the nakednesse of their reverend father nor yet permit it to remain uncovered for others to behold but going backward as the holy text saith they covered him which is as much as to say that they neither approved with heart nor blazed with tongue the holy mans fault and therefore they and their posterity were rewarded with their fathers blessing But to returne to our purpose CHAP. IIII. WE have therefore much to fear the sacriledge of a changed faith of a violated religion from which fault not only the discipline of the
said to be digged Psalm 21. From this unity of Person I say it proceedeth by reason of like mystery that when the flesh of the Word of God was born of his pure and immaculate mother we do most Catholickly believe that God himself the Word was born of the Virgin and most impiously the contrary is maintained Which being so God forbid that any one should go about to deprive the holy Virgin Mary of the priviledges of Gods favour as her especiall glory For she is by the singular grace of our Lord and God her son to be confessed most truly and most blessedly to have been the mother of God but yet not in such sort as impious hereticks imagine and suspect who affirm that she is to be reputed in name onely and appellation the mother of God as she forsooth which brought forth that man which afterward became God as we say such a woman is the mother of a Priest or Bishop not because she brought him that then was either Priest or Bishop but by generating that man which afterward was made a Priest or Bishop not in that manner I say the blessed Virgin is to be called the mother of God but rather because as hath been said that most holy mystery was finished in her sacred womb wherein by reason of a singular and one onely unity of person as the Word in flesh is flesh so man in God is God CHAP. IX BUt now what hath already been said touching the foresaid heresies or concerning the Catholick faith let us in few words and compendiously for memory sake repeat them over again that thereby with more facility they may be understood and with greater certainty retained Accursed therefore be Photinus not admitting the fulnesse of the Trinity and affirming our Saviour Christ to have been onely man Accursed be Appollinaris maintaining in Christ corruption of changed divinity and bereaving him of the propriety of perfect humanity Accursed be Nestorius denying God to have been born of a Virgin teaching two Christs and so abandoning the faith of the Trinity bringing in a quaternity But blessed be the Catholick Church which adoreth one God in perfect Trinity and likewise worshipeth equality of Trinity in one Divinity so that neither singularity of substance confoundeth propriety of Persons nor distinction of Trinity separateth unity of Deity Blessed I say be the Church which believeth in Christ two true and perfect substances but one onely person so that neither distinction of natures doth divide the unity of person nor unity of person doth confound the difference of substances Blessed I say be the Church which to the end she may confesse Christ alwayes to be and to have been one acknowledgeth man united to God not after our Ladies delivery but even then in his mothers womb Blessed I say be the Church which understandeth God made man not by any conversion of nature but by reason and means of person and that not a fained and transitory person but substantially subsisting and permanent Blessed I say be the Church which teacheth that this unity of person hath so great force that by reason thereof by a mystery strange and ineffable she ascribeth unto man the proprieties of God and attributeth to God the proprieties of man For by reason of this unity of person she confesseth that man as he was God descended from Heaven and God as he was man was made upon earth suffered and was Crucified Blessed therefore is that venerable happy and sacred confession and comparable to those supernall praises of the Angels who do glorifie one onely Lord God yet with a triple Hagiologie For this is the principall reason why the Church teacheth the unity of Christ lest otherwise she should exceed the mystery of the Trinity And let this suffice touching this matter spoken by way of digression hereafter if it please God I will intreat and declare these points more copiously Now to return to our former purpose CHAP. X WE have said in the premises that in the Church of God the errour of the master is a great tentation to the people and the more learned he were that erred so much the greater was the tentation Which we shewed first by the authority of holy Scripture afterward by the examples ecclesiasticall of those men which for some time were reputed and accounted sound in faith yet at last fell either into some other mans error or els coined a new heresie of their own This surely is a great matter profitable to be learned â—â—d necessary to be remembred which once again we must inculcate and make plain by great store of examples that all Catholicks may know that with the Church they ought to receive Doctours and not with Doctours to forsake the faith of the Church But I suppose that although I could bring forth many to shew this kind of tentation yet there is almost none which can be compared to the tentation of Origen in whom were very many gifts â—o rare so singular so strange that in the beginning any would have thought that his opinions might have been believed of all men For if life procureth authority he was a man of great industry of great chastity patience and labour if family or learning who more noble being of that house which was honourable for Martyrdome himself afterward for Christ deprived not of father onely but also spoiled of all his patrimony and so much he profited in the mysteries of holy poverty that as it is reported for the confession of Christs name he often indured much affliction Neither was he only adorned with these gifts all which afterward served for tentation but was indued also with a force of wit so profound so quick so elegant that he far excelled almost all other whatsoever A man of such wonderfull learning and erudition that there were few things in Divinity in humane Philosophy haply nothing which he had not perfectly attained who having gotten the treasures of the Greek tongue laboured also about the Hebrew And for his eloquence what should I speak of it whose talk was so pleasant so delectable so sweet that in mine opinion not words but hony flwed from his mouth What things were so hard to beleeve which with force of argument he made not plaine what so difficult to bring to passe which he made not to seem easie But perchance he maintained his assertions by arguments only Nay without question there was never any Doctour which used more examples of sacred scripture But yet happelie he wrote not much No man living more yea so much that in mine opinion all his works are so far from being read over that they can not possiblie all be found who not to lack anie furtherance to learning lived also untill he was passing old But yet perchance unfortunate in his scholers What man ever more happie having trained up and been master to infinite Doctours to Priests without number to Confessours and Martyrs Now who is able to prosecute with words in what admiration
society Then which degree and step towards heaven nothing can be found more firm and stable Verily such is the force and efficacy of this reason that I cannot resist it for how can I say that nothing ought to be believed unlesse it be known besides all friendship is taken away unlesse something may be believed which cannot be demonstrated and proved by certain reason and oftentimes without offence credit may be given to such stewards as are servants to Lords But in matters of Religion what can be done that is more unreasonable and unjust then that Gods Prelates should believe us when we promise that we come to embrace Religion with an unfeigned mind and we refuse to give credit unto them when they teach and instruct us Finally what way can be more wholesome and profitable then by believing those things which God hath appointed as preparatives for the cultivating and adoring the mind to be first disposed and made fit to understand and receive the truth or if thou beest already sufficiently disposed thereunto rather to go a little about where thou maist walk with the greatest safety then both to be the Authour of danger to thy self and an example of temerity and rashnesse unto others CHAP. XI Of Vnderstanding Belief and Opinion VVE have shewed already how without offence we may follow those that command us to believe it remains that we consider for what cause they are not to be followed that promise to conduct and lead us by reason Some are of opinion that they can hearken and give eare to these promisers of reason not onely without any blame or dispraise but also with some commendation and praise but it is not so for there be two sorts of persons that deserve praise in point of Religion the one which hath already found out the true Religion which we ought to judge most happy and blessed the other which with the greatest care and after the rightest manner doth seek after it the first sort is now in possession of it the second is in the way by which notwithstanding most certainly they will arrive at it There be three other kinds of men which are indeed to be misliked and detested The first is of those that are opinative that is who think they know that which they know not The second is of those who truly do perceive their own ignorance but do not so seek that they may find The third is of those that neither think they know nor have any will or desire to seek There are also three things in the minds of men near as it were the one unto the other most worthy to be distinguished to understand to believe and to think Of which if they be considered by themselves the first is alwaies without offence the second sometimes faultie the third never without a fault and this we ought to reserve to the same beatitude and felicity For in this life how much soever a man knows his knowledge doth not as yet make him most blessed for that there be incomparably more things whereof he is ignorant For to understand great and worthy and divine things it is a most blessed thing But it is not hurt full to understand superfluous things but perhaps it was prejudicial to learn them when as they took up the time of necessary things Also it is not a miserable thing to understand hurtfull things but to do or suffer them For if any one understands how his enemie may be slain without endangering himself he becomes not guilty by understanding it if he desires it not yea if he be free from such a desire who is more innocent and guiltlesse then he In believing a man is then to blame when either he believes some unworthy thing of God or gives too facile and easie credit unto the things reported of man But in other things if a man believes any thing he commits no fault by believing though he understnnds that he knows not the thing which he believes For I believe that in times past most wicked conspiratours were put to death by the power and authority of Cicero but this I do not ogely not know but also I know assuredly that I can by no means attain unto the knowledge thereof To be opinative or to be led by opinion is for two causes an unseemly thing First because he cannot learn a thing if it be to be learned that hath perswaded himself that he knows it already And secondly for that rashnesse is of it self a sign or token of an ill disposed minde For although any one thinks that he knows that which I said touching Cicero as there is nothing that can hinder him from learning it yet because he can have no certain knowledge of it and for that he understands not That there is a great difference whither any thing be comprehended by certain reason of mind which we say is to understand or whither it be committed to common fame or writing to be profitably believed by posterity he erres indeed and there is no errour but hath its foulnesse and deformity Wherefore that we understand we attribute it to reason that we believe to authority and that we are opinative to errour and mistaking but every one that understands doth also believe and so doth every one that is opinative but not every one that believes understands and no man understands that is opinative If therefore these three kinds be referred to those five sorts of men whereof we made mention a little before to wit to the two approved kinds which we put in the first place and to the other three vicious kinds we find that the first kind which is those that are happy doth believe truth it self and that the second kind which is those that are desirous and lovers of truth doth believe authority in both which kinds the believers deserve praise But in the first of the vicious kinds that is of those that think they know that which they know not there is indeed a faulty credulity The other two disallowed kinds that is both those that seek after truth with a despair of finding it out and they that seek not after it do believe nothing and this is onely in things belonging to some doctrine or discipline for how a man can believe nothing in the other actions of his life I understand not Albeit even amongst those that affirm that in their actions they follow probable opinions some there be that will seem rather not able to know any thing then to believe nothing For who doth not believe that which he doth approve Or how is that which they follow profitable if it be not approved Wherefore there may be two kinds of those that oppose the truth the one that opposeth knowledge onely and not faith the other that condemneth both the one and the other But whither any can be found that use such proceedings in humane affairs I am wholly ignorant These things are spoken that we may understand that believing the
things which we do not as yet fully know nor understand we are vindicated and defended from the rashnesse and temerity of opinative men As for them that say that we ought to believe nothing but that which we know they have onely regard to the name of opinion which I confesse is but base and ignominious but if any one will consider attentively that there is a very great difference between these two things whither a man thinks that he knows a thing or whither being moved by some authority he believes that which he understands that he knows not he shall certainly shun and avoid the crime both of errour inhumanity and pride Observation S. Augustine in his first book of Retractations and fourteenth Chapter would have those words The one which hath already found out the true Religion which we ought to judge most happy and most blessed so to be understood that they are most blessed not in this life but in that which we hope for and unto which we go by the way of Faith for saith he they are to be â—onceived to have found out that which is to be sought for who are there already whither we by seeking and believing that is by embracing the way of Faith do desire to arrive And again he affirms that those words To understand great and worthy and divine things it is a most blessed thing ought to be referred to eternall beatitude And upon these words There is a great difference whither any thing be comprehended by certain reason of mind which we say is to understand or whither it be committed to common fame or writing to be profitably believed by posterity and upon these That we understand we attribute it to reason that we believe to authority he maketh this explication This is not so to be understood that in common discourse we should be afraid to say we know that which we believe by credible witnesses for when we speak properly we are onely said to know that which we comprehend by firm reason of mind But when we speak with words more fit to be commonly used as the Scripture also speaketh we make no doubt to say that we know both that which we perceive by our corporall senses and which we believe upon the report of credible witnesses but yet so that we understand what difference there is between the one and the other CHAP. XII That it is the safest way to Believe Wise men IF that which is not known ought not to be believed I ask then how can children obey parents and embrace them with mutuall love and affection whom they may believe not to be their parents for that who is their father it cannot be known by reason but it is believed upon the word and authority of the Mother and as for the Mother she often is not believed but Midwives Nurses and Servants For if her child may be stoln from her and another put in the place cannot she deceive being deceived and yet notwithstanding we believe and that without any doubt and staggering at all that which we confesse we cannot know and unlesse this were so who sees not but that Piety the most holy tye and bond of mankind would be violated and defiled by a most proud wickednesse and offence For who though he be a mad man can think him worthy of blame who doth perform his obliged duties unto those whom he believes to be his parents although indeed they were not On the contrary who will not think fit to have him cast out of the society of men who will not love those which perhaps are his true parents for fear lest he should love those that are false ones Many arguments may be brought to shew that nothing at all remains safe and secure in humane society if once we are resolved to believe nothing which we cannot know nor understand But now hear that whereby I am confident I shall at the present more easily draw and perswade thee that seeing the question is concerning Religion that is about the worship of God and the knowledge of Divine things those are lesse to be followed and hearkned unto who most readily promising reason do forbid and prohibite us to believe No man doubts but that all men are either fools or wise men I call not those wisemen here that are prudent ingenious and witty but those that are endued with as firm and certain a knowledge both of Divine and Humane things as man is capable to receive and do lead their lives and frame their manners conformable thereunto but as for others how learned or unlearned soever they be or whither they deserve to be praised or dispraised for the manner of their lives I repute and account them in the number of fools which being so what man though but of a slender understanding doth not plainly see that it is more wholesome and profitable for fools to obey the precepts and commands of wise men then to frame and order their lives according to their own judgements and fancies For every thing that is done if it be not rightly done it is a fault nor can any thing be by any means rightly done which doth not flow and proceed from right reason now right reason is virtue it self But amongst what sorts of men is virtue to be found but in the mind of a wise man wherefore the wiseman onely offends not but every fool offends unlesse it be in those actions wherein he doth obey a wise man for such actions do proceed from right reason nor is the fool to be accounred Master as I may say of his own actions he being as it were but the instrument or servant of the wise man Wherefore if it be better for all men not to offend then to offend verily all fools would live better if they could be servants to wise men And if this without doubt be fit and expedient in things of lesse moment as in buying or tilling a field in marrying a wife in the education and breeding of children and finally in the managing of private affairs much more is it expedient in matters of Religion For Humane things are both more easie to be known then Divine and in all things that are more holy and more excellent we sinne so much the more grievously and dangerously by how much we owe unto them a greater honour reverence and respect Wherefore thou seest that from hence forth there remains nothing more for us to do so long as we are fools but if we desire to lead a good and a religious life to seek out wise and prudent men that by obeying of them we may not so much feel the dominion of folly whilst it is in us and at the length we may become wise men our selves An Observation S. Augustine in his first book of Retractions and fourteenth chapter advertiseth that his division of men into wise men and fools is to be understood of men after they come to the use of reason whereby they are distinguished
between his folly and the most sincere truth of the Divine Majesty For a wise man according to the ability which he hath received doth imitate God and a fool hath nothing nearer unto him which he may profitably imitate and follow then a wise man when because as I said it is not easie to understand by reason it was necessary that certain miracles should be proposed and set before mens eyes which fools do use much more commodiously then their understandings to the end that the life and manners of men moved with authority might first be purged and made clean and so they might be enabled to understand reason And therefore when as man was to be imitated and yet no confidence to be placed in him how could the Divine Majesty shew greater signs of his favour and liberality then that the sincere eternall and unchangeable wisdome of God unto whom it behoves us to cleave and adhere should vouchsafe to take humane nature upon him who did not onely do those things which might serve to invite us to follow God but did also endure and suffer those things whereby we were discouraged from following of him For whereas no man can obtain the most certain and chiefest good unlesse he doth fully and perfectly love it which by no means will be brought to passe so long as men fear the miseries of the body and the things that are subject to fortune and chance he by his wonderfull birth and admirable works hath purchased for us love and charity and hath excluded terrour and fear by his death and resurrection And finally he hath shewed himself to be such an one in all other things too long to be here expressed and set down that we may know and perceive hereby how farre the divine clemency can reach and be extended and how farre mans infirmity can be elevated and extolled CHAP. XVI That Miracles do procure Belief THis believe it is a most wholesome authority this at the first is a withdrawing of our minds from an earthly habitation this is a conversion from the love of this world to the true God It is onely authority which moveth fools to make haste unto wisdome So long as we cannot understand sincere things it is indeed a miserable thing to be deceived by authority but truly it is more miserable not to be moved thereby For if the Divine Providence doth not rule and govern humane affairs we ought not to busie and trouble our selves about Religion but if even the frame and species of all things which we must believe proceeds and flows from some fountain of the truest beauty doth as it were publickly and privately exhort all the more noble and braver spirits both to seek God in I know not what inward conscience and to serve him we ought not to despair but that the same God hath constituted and ordained some authority upon which if we lean and rely as upon a sure step we may be elevated and lifted up unto him This authority reason being set aside which to understand to be true and sincere it is a very hard matter for fools to do as I have often said doth move and excite us two manner of wayes partly by miracles and partly by the great number and multitude of followers It is certain that a wise man needs none of these things but now we are discoursing how we may become wise men that is how we may cleave and adhere unto the truth which is a thing that doubtlesse cannot be done with a foul and impure mind the uncleannesse whereof is to expound it briefly the love of all things whatsoever besides it self and God from which filth by how much any one is more purged and cleansed by so much the more easily doth he behold the truth And therefore to desire to see the truth that thou mayst cleanse the mind when therefore it ought to be cleansed that thou mayest see the truth is certainly a perverse and a preposterous thing Wherefore to a man that is not able to behold the truth that he may be made fit to see it and may suffer himself to be purged and cleansed authority is at hand which without doubt receives her strength and vigour partly by miracles and partly by the number and multitude of followers as I said a little before A miracle I call any hard or unwonted thing whatsoever which appears above the expectation and power of the wonderer In which kind nothing is more fit for the common people and for men that are absolutely sottish and foolish then that which is applyed and proposed to the senses But these again are divided into two sorts for some there be that onely move men to wonder and admiration and others which besides do winne and purchase great favour and good will For if any one should see a man fly he would onely wonder at it because it is a thing which besides the beholding of it yields to the spectatour no commodity nor profit But if any one being afflicted with a grievous and desperate sicknesse shall so soon as the disease is commanded to depart recover his health he shall overcome the wonder of the cure by the charity of the curer Such things were done as many as were sufficient when God appeared to men in the shape of a true man The sick were cured Mat. 9.6 13 15 16. Mat. 9.7 22. Mar. 3.5 10. Joh. 4.53 the leaprous were cleansed Mat. 8.3 Mar. 4 2. Luke 5.3 7.22 going was restored to the lame Mat. 11.5 sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf Luke 18.42 Joh 9.7 The men of that time saw water turned into wine Joh. 2.9 five thousand people filled with five loaves of bread Mat. 14.20 21. men walking upon the sea Mat. 14.25 Joh. 6.19 21.7 and the dead rising from death to life Luke 7.15 8.55 So some miracles were done for the cure of the body by a more manifest benefit and some for the cure of the soul by a more hidden sign but they were all for the help of mankind by the testimony of the Divine Majesty thus did the Divine Majesty then draw unto it the straying souls of mortall men Why sayst thou are not these things done now Because they would not move unlesse they were wonderfull and if they were common and usuall they were not wonderfull For bring unto me a man when he first sees the courses of day and night and the most constant order of celestiall things the 4. changes of the yeare the falling and returning of the leeves unto the trees the infinite vertue of seeds the beauty of light the varieties of colours sounds smels and tasts and if wee can but speak with him we shall find him wholly astonished and quite overcome with the sight of these miracles and yet we despise and we make and account of al these things not because they are easily known for what is more obscure then the causes of them but for that we are accustomed