Selected quad for the lemma: doctrine_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
doctrine_n	apostle_n	false_a	teacher_n	2,669	5	9.2326	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A14436	The waie home to Christ and truth leadinge from Antichrist and errour, made and set furth in the Latine tongue, by that famous and great clearke Vincent, French man borne, aboue .xi. hundred yeres paste, for the comforte of all true Christian men, against the most pernitious and detestable crafte of heretikes, which in his tyme by all subtell wayes, deuised to obscure and deface the doctrine and religion of the vniuersall churche. And now the same worke is englished, and by the Quenes highnes authorised to be sette furthe for the reliefe fo diuers Englishe menne, which yet stande in doubte, whether they may goe to heauen in the peace and vnitie of Christes vniuersall churche, or to hell in the dissention and confusion of heretikes; Pro catholicae fidei antiquitate libellus. English	Vincent, of Lérins, Saint, d. ca. 450.; Proctor, John, 1521?-1584.	1554 (1554)	STC 24754; ESTC S104650	58,039	228

whiche coulde quickly deprehende the humaine errour myghte not yet sodeinlye contempne the diuine testimonies And therefore they practise as they dooe whiche wyllynge too gyue vnto chyldren some bytter drynke dooe fyrste anoynte the lippe or brimme of the cuppe with hony or some other pleasaunt thinge that the simple and vnwarie age should not feare the bitternes hauing afore tasted the swetenes Euen so doe these Heretikes whiche doe colour and paynte before hand their euil sedes and pestilent syruppes with the termes and titles of singular medicines to the ende that none shoulde suspecte poyson when he hath readde afore wrytren remedye or medicine Of these heretikes our Sauiour warneth vs to take hede Attendite á falsis prophetis Beware from false Prophetes which come vnto you in shepes clothynge but within they be rauenyng wolues What is ment by shepes apparell or clothinge but the sentences of the Prophetes and Apostles Who be the rauenyng wolues but madde and furious heretikes whiche alwayes vexe and inuade the foldes of the church and to the vttermoste of their might rent and deuour the innocent flocke of Christ But to the ende they maye more craftelye stele vpon the vnwarye shepe they putte of the countenaunce and vesture of wolues and shroude them selues all in phrases and sentences of the scriptures as with flices of wolle inwardlye notwithstanding they continewe most cruel and rauening wolues They do thus that the simple sheepe might not feare the cruell dent of their bloudie teethe when they shal afore feele and see the soft wollye flice But what sayeth our Sauiour Exfructibus corum cognoscetis eos Ye shall knowe them by their workes That is when they beginne to expound and interpretate the sentences and textes of holye scripture whiche tofore they broughte then that bitternesse that fylthy stenche sauoreth then that rauening woddenes is felt thē that new poisō droppeth furth then doe these prophane nouelties shew thē selues then mayst thou see the hedge broken the boundes and limites of the fathers ouerrun then mayst thou see the catholike faythe mangled and cutte the ecclesiasticall doctrine rent and torne These be they whiche the Apostle Paule speaketh of in the seconde to the Corinthians saying Nam eiusmodi Pseudoapostoli operarij suhdoli transfigurant se in apostolos Christi For suche false Apostles sayeth S. Paule subtel and craftye workers doe transsigure them selues into the Apostles of Christ What dyd S. Paule meane thereby Nothinges els but as the. Apostles of Christe dyd bring furthe the testimonies of holye scripture euen so do these false Apostles And as they alleged the authorities of the Psalmes the same doe these allege as they vsed the sentences of the Prophetes so doe these false Apostles There is no part of Gods scripture but these false Apostles doe allege and brynge furthe euen as the true Apostles of Christ dyd And in thys sorte they transfigure them selues into the Apostles of Christ But when they come vnto the diuers and vnlike expositions of these sentences whiche they alyke brynge furth and allege then is it manifest whiche be the true Apostles and whiche be the false Apostles Then doeth it appere who be the simple and who be the craftye who be the godlye and who be the wycked Then are the true Prophetes discerned from the false Prophetes And no meruayle sayeth the Apostle for the Deuyll him selfe doeth transforme him selfe into an angell of light No great matter is it then yf hys ministers be transfourmed lyke the ministers of ryghteousnes Therefore accordynge to S. Paule hys doctrine as often as eyther false Apostles or false Prophetes or false teachers do brynge the sentences of diuine lawe therewith falselye vnderstanded to mayntayne theyr errors there is no doubte but that they folow the craftye and subtil wayes of their head Satan For he knoweth that there is no way to that As when he would stablish an errour to present the same wyth thauthoritie of holye Scripture O but some wyl saye Howe canne ye proue that the Deuyll is wont to vse the testimonies of holye scriptures It is proued sufficientlye to hym that readeth the Ghospell where it is writen Then the Deuyll toke our Lorde our Sauiour and sette hym vpon the pinnacle of the temple and sayde vnto hym If thou be the sonne of God caste thy selfe downe from thys pinnacle For it is written that he hathe geuen in commaundement to his Angelles of the that they kepe thee in all thy wayes they shall beare the vp in their handes that thy foote tryppe not at anye stone What woulde he stycke to doe to other selye poore creatures that thus assaulted the Creatour hym selfe the Lorde of Maiestie with the testimonies of the scripture If thou be the sonne of God sayeth he tumble thy selfe downe for it is written c. O surelye the doctrine of thys place is diligentlye to be noted and be marked of vs which letteth vs to vnderstande that as often as we shall see anye to allege and produce the testimonies of the scriptures agaynste the fayth and religion beleued and receyued in the vniuersall Churche that then we neede not doubt but that the Deuyll by them worketh his olde feite For as the head spake to the head so nowe the membres speake vnto the membres that is the membres of the Deuyll to the membres of GOD the wycked to the godlye the false periured to the faythfull the heretikes to the catholike But what sayeth the Deuyll If thou be the sonne of GOD tumble thy selfe downe That is to say Wilt thou be the chylde of God Wylte thou possesse the inheritaunce of the kyngdome of god Then tumble thy selfe downe that is dispatche the from the tradition and doctrine of thys hyghe set churche tumble thy selfe headlong downe from the pinnacle of the vniuersall faith And if ye aske any of the heretikes thus perswadinge howe he proueth by what authoritie he teacheth that ye oughte to tumble your selues from the vniuersall and auncient faieth of the catholike Churche scriptum est enim for it is writen saith he and by by ye shal heare him power out a thowsande testimonies examples authorities embeseled out of the lawe psalmes Apostles and Prophetes by whiche authorities after a new and wicked maner expounded the sely soule is tumbled headlonge from the towre of catho like trueth downe into the dungeon of blasphemous heresie And hereto all heretikes adde wonderfull promises whereby they intrap the simple and vnwary after a merueious fashion For they dare promisse and teache that in theire Churche that is in the cōuenticle of their cōmunion a great and speciall yea plainely a certaine parciall grace of God is in somuch that as manye as be of their congregation do flowe with all necessaries and are plentuously prouided for by the onely dispensation of God although they seke not knocke not and aske not for it And that they be borne vp by the Angelles of heauen that theire foote ones stumble

a remedy Thē begin where ye left teach them better and feede them lesse And for praying how it hath decaied which of you cannot beare witnesse Finallye what kinde of wickednes is there that ye haue not aboue other and what one vertue is there that ye haue not lesse then other that professe the contrarie religion to you One demaunded of kinge Agesilans what fruit and benefite the lawes that Lycurgus made had brought vnto the Citie of Spart marie quod he Contemptum vitiorum that is the contempte of vices But whoo shoulde require of me what fruit the innouatiō of religion hath brought into this realme of Englande I muste nedes saye as I knowe Contemptum virtutum the contempte of vertues and al godly liuing If it be true knowledge that ye bragge your selues to haue of Gods worde came ye not to it by the spirite of God And doth the spirite of God increase knowledge in you and decrease godlines that shoulde be in you according to your knowledge Is godlie zeale is the feare of God is holynes of life is charitee towardes your neighbours wrought in your hartes without the knowledge of Christe his true religion or els with the knowledge therof If it be in the right knowledge of worshippinge God then of necessitie must ye cōfesse that before this innouation you were in better state of knowledge because your liues were then more agreable to knowledge and that sins ye haue been erroniouslye taught and deuillishelye seduced because your dedes doinges haue euer sins been more and more vngodly and deuillishe For God did neuer begin to plante a doctrine vnknowen tofore or renewe a doctrine afore neglected and forgotten but by suche as were godly and vnspotted as in dede expressed the strength and vertue of their doctrine in their life and behauiours For as S. Ambrose saith the wordes of teaching do vehementlie moue the hartes of the hearers when the life of the teacher is not dissonant Thē is the authoritie of the preacher firme sure alewable when he clencheth his sayinges in the mindes of the hearers with the efficatie of godly workes For the iuste man in his worde and dede is alowed in his sayinges this is required in all preachers and teachers commonlie howe much more is it requisite in them that will preache and teache a newe vnknowen doctrine and woulde repell and olde knowen and well grounded religion to plant some newe fangled inuētion If thei were moued by God then no doubte God woulde also inspire them to doo it orderlie that is accordinge as him selfe did and required other to doe He him selfe as is reported of him Caepit faeere docere Began first to doe and then to teach And he instructing his preachers said who soeuer breaketh one of these least cōmaundementes and so teacheth other he shal be called the least in the kingdome of heauen but whosoeuer obserueth teacheth the same shal be called great in the kingdome of God And S. Paule the worthie preacher of Christe his trueth dothe testifie of him selfe I doe chasten my bodie saith he and bringe it into subiection least peraduenture while I preache to other I my selfe be made a reprobate Surely if God woulde innouate or alter the religion so longe receiued by reprobate men then is he not the same that he was nor one with his promise For when he first began to plant the doctrine of his sonne Christ he chose such ministers and preachers therof as for integritie of life and also for diuers miracles effectuall persuasions of anye thinge that they shoulde teache were notable through all the worlde But our holy preachers beginning to plant a newe religion or as they saye renewe an olde doctrine this .xv. C. yeres neglected lacke both Thei haue neither good conditions to authorise ne miracles to cōfirme their sayinges O you will say vnto me though they liued not accordinglye yet was their teachinge good I saie they taughte naughtie false doctrine How proue I that because it is contrarie to the faith receiued and taught by our mother the vniuersall churche But they brought the scriptures for them ye wil fai. Yea so did the deuil so did Arreus Donate Sabellius and as many heretikes as euer were to maintaine their doctrine yet was their doctrine hereticall and blasphemous and the scripture true and moost true But thei alleged the Doctours and Fathers vppon the scriptures They did in dede but in like sort and maner as diuers were noted to allege Homers verses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hedles endles for whatsoeuer they founde in any of the fathers workes that mighte in any respecte seeme in apparaunce to mainteine their errors the same wolde thei continuallie chat and charme on allthoughe in dede it made either against them and their errouious doctrine or at least nothinge with them if they had well waied their workes throughlye as they did not But they were snatchers and patchers only and only snatched here and there a piece to patche vp a botching mater I mighte well liken them to Apes for diuers qualities that were in them for as the Ape being neither apt to kepe that house as doth the mastie cur nor fitte to bere burthen as can the hors nor meete to turne and till the grounde as can the Oxe she only flattereth she only moueth vs to laughter and pleasure and with her folishe mockes and mowes maketh vs pleasaunt and merie So these newe fangled preachers for as much as thei had not the grace neither to kepe home with their mother the vniuersall churche and with her to watch and kepe the wardes that her enemies assaulte her not neither to turne till the groūde of mans soule that it might be apt to receiue that good feéde of whete whiche their mother woulde haue sowen neither yet paciontlie to bere the burthen and loode of her motherlie correction by fastinge and praiyng and to suffre the crosse of her spouse Christe which she would haue leide vpon their showlders being vnfitte I saye and vnprofitable membres to these good purposes and vses they became ministers of pleasure libertie lyeence and ease and they thēselues knowrle dope in them all Whos 's onlie purpose was as Trasmus well noteth in his epistle to Bylibaldus Census vxor thryuing and wyuing ergo in this point they be apishe Againe when so euer they toke vpon them the handlinge of any good and weightie matter their handling of it was apishelie for either thei woulde rent and teare it into peices and make it nought worth orels by wrasting and wrething of it they woulde force the same to mainteine their principall intente wyuinge and thriuynge and this is apishe Further as of euill commeth good many times so of thē came some good also For we reade that the wantonnes plaie and pastime that the Ape maketh driueth away the Agew from the Lyon In like sort the foly the lyceutious libertie of these new fangled preachers haue driuen

awaie the carelesse securitie from the catholike sort and haue been occasion that they haue giuen them selues more earnestlie to watche and warde for their mothers right whiche tofore liued as careles without feare of enemies and here in thei were as profitable to the catholike as Apes to the Lyon Thus thoughe they woulde not abide to be papishe yet were thei stil apishe Thei haue lost but one letter of the name but they lacke an hundreth good conditions of them that be so named They will say here vnto me now ye talke at pleasure of vs but all this while why haue not you amongest you confuted by argument and learning our doctrine if it were so euill I saie vnto them what nede any of vs to cōfute your doctrine by argument whiche the vniuersall church of Christ by consent hath long ago cōdempued for heresie Tushe they will say againe you could say nothing against it How know ye that that when we speake you will not vnderstand vs or els your selues haue so many wordes that ye will neither vouchesafe vs time to speake nor your selues leisure to here Ye are so ful of wordes that ye cannot abide vs to speake and soo full of malice that ye will not sauer of it if it sounde contrarie to your opinion Ye are made like Porticus ī Olympia which was called Septiuoca hauing seuen voyces or seuen soundes because for one voice it woulde giue many Soo you were made Septiuoci for one worde you will haue the tellinge of seuen score or els the sprite woulde fume and be in a greate heate howe be it manye times and often we haue confuted your doctrine although you hetherto were not coufuted which coulde not be for two causes the one was because you were become heretikes which will neuer be perswaded against their conceiued opinion as Lucifer the heretike confessed of his disciples to S. Hierom. Vnum ribi confiteor quia mores meorum apprime nom facilius cos vinci posso quàm persuaderi I cōfesse this one thing to the for asmuche as I do so well knowe the nature of my disciples that to dye for they will not be perswaded rather will they by violent cōpulsion be vāquished Next because ye are apishe as I say For as the Ape whippeth here and there and neuer staiethe in one place lykewise pour custome and maner is so to sterte and whippe from place to place from matter to matter from texte to texte that it is not possible to preuaile against you in resoninge It is an olde saying some what to true Frensie Heresie Gelosie after that they haue ones crepte into man they will neuer lightlie out of him againe Blame me not if I be some what quicke You re quicke spede heretofore requireth no lesse hast Yet am I not so quicke to touch you for your euil doinges which deserue no fauor as ye haue been ouer hastie here afore to depraue vs for such matters as were worthye praise and commendation If ye haue taken pleasure in deprauing vs that offended not take not nowe displeasure to be reproued for that ye haue offended ye haue many times spoke what ye ought not and nowe nomaruell if ye heare what ye woulde not Who hath not bothe sene and hard in booke balet and plaie your spurning and kycking your croing and cryinge your barkinge and bitinge against the faiethfull beliuers and catholike preachers and why forsothe for two causes Let Diogenes tell the first and I will not sticke to tel the nexte One asked Diogenes what was the cause that some men woulde rather giue their almes to the creplte and lazar then to a Philosopher marye quod he because they hope soner to be a creple or lazar then to be a Philosopher that is a louer of wisedome truethe Nowe why haue ye so vehemētly inueighed against the true preachers of Christ and the trueth of hys spousesse our mother the churche and haue extolled the false ministers of Antichrist and the ministrie of his harlot the malignant churche Speake Diogenes speake It is because they soner hoope to be still the false ministers of Antichriste then at any time the faithfull preachers of Christ soner to go to dwell in hell with the deuill for heresye then to raigne in heauen with god for true religion Wel saide Diogenes and by promise I must tell the nexte cause I haue readde of an vnskilfull Painter who hauinge painted on a time in a table home lie and verie euill fauoredly a companie of croinge cockes and beinge preuie of his owne ignoraunce he commaunded his hoye to driue out al the pultry out of the house and that in no wise any liuelye Cocke shoulde come night the place where the table with his painted cockes stode least the beholder or byer by comparison and collation of them together might esely deprehende the grosse and rude ignoraunce of the Painter and so hinder the vttraunce of his ware So beware saide our preachers beware of these papistes beware of their Sophistrie harken not to them Kepe not companie with them Trie fye on thē and let them go Wherfore The painter hath told the cause They were priuie of their owne wicked ignoraunce For they feared I am out of doubte that if ye had truely conferred their doctrine and liues with the doctrine and liues of the other good and godlye teachers whiche they called papistes if ye had quietly and diligently with indifferencie of minde wayed well what they haue either saied in pulpit or writen in bookes ye had longe agone perceiued the blinde and grosse ignorance of your guydes Ye had eslie found out their treacherie crafte and falshood ye had soone tried that al their gaie painted wart was but bumling and fumbling peltrie and not as they made you beleue faithfull religion but deceitful delusion not wittie writing but wyly wresting of well written trueth not truethfull preching but rutheful brekinge of all christian ordres not right reformacion of thinges amisse but denellishe deformation of thinges that were well to be short not repairing but impairing of the catholike fayth Alas most deere countremen that euer ye should be somuch bewitched by that deuelishe harlot that for her whigge whay ye should thus leaue the nourishinge milke of your louinge mothers brestes for the durtie poudle of her vncleane pittes whiche bringeth death ye shoulde forsake the cleane fountaine and well of your mother where he●s springeth the water of lyfe O alas dere frendes ye haue greatly hasarded the wealth of your soules ye haue heaped the burninge coles of vengeaunce vpon your owne headdes ye haue vtterly cast your selues awaye for euer to be tormented body soule amongest the foule deuelles of hell in fire euerlasting if vpon this callinge ye repent not and make hast homewarde into the bosome of your louinge mother Ye haue ben often called and fewe of you haue regarded What pituous plages what meruelous miseries haue not you sene and

refused as vntrue and contrarie to the catholike faith And O wōderful turne and merueilous conuersion The first authours of the same opinion are reputed catho like and the folowers of the same are iudged heretikes The maisters be absolued and the disciples be condempned The writers of the bokes out of whiche they falselye forged their opinion are made the children of the heauenly kingdome and the auouchers burne in hel For who is so mad that doubteth but that so blessed lyght of al holy martyrs and byshoppes S. Cyprian S. Cyprian and his felowship do raigne-euerlastinglye with Iesus Christe in heauen Agayne who is so deuellishe and wicked to denaye that the Donatistes and other lyke heretikes that brag that they were led by the counsell and authoritie of the saied S. Cyprian to rebaptize burne with their graundesyre the deuill euerlastinglye in hell And surely it semeth vnto me that that counsell in Affrike was promulgate and setfurthe euen by the prouidence and will of God thereby to detect and disclose the shamfull crafte of such hellyshe heretikes whose wicked fashion is when they entende to patche vp an heresie in an other mannes name to induce the bookes of suche auncient writers in that point darkly penned and leafte vnto vs whiche for the obscuritie and darknes thereof might serue as it were for the maintenaūce of their trecherie falshoode and heresie And so they might seme not to be the first nor the onely authors of such opinion Whose wickednes in this poīt I iudge worthie double hatred Firste because they feare not to quaffe the poison of heresie to open the gappe of damnable error vnto other Secondelye for that they slaunderouslye renewe the memorie of holye men in suche matter and as it were with their prophane hande do fanne abrode into the ayre the ashes whiche were well raked vp reuiuinge that not without diffamation whiche were better to be buried in perpetuall silence Herein they leappe not one inch from their graundsyre Cham. Cham. who not only vouchesafed not to couer the naked membres of his naturall father Noe Noe. but also showed other of it to laughe at Wherein he somuche transgressed the reuerence due to the parentes and somuch thereby displeased God that he and hys posteritie were cursed for hys faulte And his bretherne blessed by the mouthe of God who would neither see the nakednes of their reuerend father neither permit other to se it For turnig their backes towardes him as it is written they couered him Whiche their facte dothe let vs tunderstande that they did neither allowe ne yet be wraie the faulte of the holye man their father And therfore they and their posteritie were rewarded with the blessed benediction of God But nowe let vs returne to our purpose We ought therfore I saye greatlye to feare and to dreade the daunger and punishemente of alteringe the faieth and violating the auncient religion From whiche temerous enterpryse as well the doctrine of ecclesiasticall constitution dothe feare vs as the censure of Apostolike authoritie dothe terrifie vs. It is well knowen howe greatlye howe seuerely and with what vehemencie blessed saint Paule doth inuaighe against suche as with marueilous lightnes were allured from him by whom they were called into the grace of Christe and his true Ghospell and had heaped vnto them a numbre of maisters accordinge to their desyre and lust turning awaye their care from the veritie geuinge themselfes vp to fables hauinge dampnation What were they that wente from their firste professed faith Such as those deceiued of whō the same Apostle writeth vnto hys bretherne at Rome sayinge Ro. xvi I beseche you bretherne marke well them which sowe diuision and geue occasions of euill contrarie to the doctrine whiche ye haue learned and auoide them For suche serue not Christe our lorde but their owne bellies and with swete preaching and flatteringe wordes they deceyue and seduce the hartes of the innocent people ii Ty. iii. whiche enter into houses and bringe into bondage women laden with sinne whiche women be led with dyuers lustes euer learninge and neuer able to come to the knowledge of the trueth Thei are men full of vaine talke and deceiuers whiche subuert all houses and teache for lucre sake suche kinde of doctrine as they oughte not to teache They be men of corrupt mindes lewde corcerning the faith proud harted ignorāt yet do they busy them selues in questions and contenciōs of wordes 〈◊〉 Ty. iiii They are destitute of the truth iudginge gaines to be holinesse Also thei as idle persons doe learne to cōpasse about houses They be not onely idle but also full of wordes and very curious speaking suche thinges as they ought not whiche repelling a good conscience haue erred concerning the faith whose prophane and vaine talke auaileth much to impietie their speche crepeth furth as the canker But it is well that is written of them also in the scripture But they shall preuaile no lenger ii Tim. iii. for their madnes shal be made manifest vnto all men as theirs also was When therfore the like wanderinge from prouince to prouince from towne to towne and cariyng with them sale errours about had come also to the Galathians and when the Galathians after that they had heard of them beinge nowe as it wer glutted weried with the trueth remouing from thē the comfortable foode of the Apostolike and Catholike doctrine delited them selues with the dragges and fylthes of that hereticall noueltie S. Paule did so execute his Apostolical authoritie that with great seueritie he thus decreed Although sayeth he eyther we or an Angell from heauen preacheth vnto you any other ghospell then we haue preached accursed be he What is that whiche he sayeth although we Why doeth he not say rather although I It is to say although Peter Andrew or Iohn also finally although the hole company of the Apostles preache vnto you any other Ghospell thē we haue preached vnto you accursed be he or they This is a fearefull sentence that for the affirming and stablishynge of the first fayth he neyther fauoureth hym selfe nor anye other of thapostles But this is a smale matter He sayeth further Although an Angell from heauen preache any other ghospell thē we haue preached vnto you accursed be he It sufficed not blessed S. Paul for the retētion of the faith once taught preached to remēbre the nature of mans condicion vnlesse he had comprehended therein also the Angelical excellēcie Foralthouh we sayeth he or an Angell from heauen c. Not because the holye and heauenlye angels can now syn But this is his meanynge Yf it maye be sayeth he that which can not be Whosoeuer he be that shall attempte to chaunge and alter the faythe once taught and receyued accursed be he But S. Paule maye seeme to some perchaunce rather to haue said this of some humane affection then of anye godlye counsayle and consideration to hane decreed

otherwise can not be perfect without dayly emendation yea rather reprehēsion of the same the diuine Oracles criyng to the contrarye Ne transferas terminos quos posuerunt patres tui that is to sai beware thou go not beyonde the bondes whiche thy auncetours haue set Agayne Super iudicātem ne iudices That is to say Iudge not thou of or vpō him that hath iudged Likwise Scindentēsepem mordebít eū serpēs Whiche is in our tonge The serpent wil stinge him that breaketh or cutteth the hedge Whereby is ment that the deuyl which is figured by the serpent in the scripture wil poison stinge him to deathe that presumeth to breake the hedge of the catholike faythe and contemneth the vnitie of Christ his vniuersall churche Hereto belongeth the worthye counsail of S. Paul wherwith as with a certayne spirituall sworde all detestable nouelties of cursed heresies are and at all times haue been cut of and shal be to the worldes ende O Timothe sayeth he kepe that doctrine whiche was lefte vnto thee and auoyde all prophane nouelties of wordes and termes Beware of oppositions and obiectiōs of false named science whiche certayne promisyng haue erred cōcerning the faith What can be more vehemētly spoken against new innouations contrary to the auncient order of the vniuersall church thē this yet behold the indurate hartes the shamelesse impudēcie the stiffe outragious pertinacie of diuers whom neyther the great weight of so manifest scriptures can moue to yelde nor the weyghtie importaunce of so highe authorities canne force to retyre ne yet so terrible threatenynges of high vengeaunce can persuade to repent O Timothe sayeth S. Paule auoyde prophane nouelties of wordes and voyces He sayth not antiquities and auncienties But therby sheweth what on the other syde he shoulde folowe For he sayeth not Auoide the olde auncient receiued termes phrases and sentences but newfangled gere and prophane nouelties Then if noueltie is to be auoyded antiquitie oughte to be admitted if noueltie be prophane then is auncientie holye and diuine Auoide also sayeth he and resist oppositions and obiections of knowledge falselye so called That is obiections made by heretikes agaynst the receyued order of the catholike churche vpon knowledge as they wold lyghtlye perswade But it is not so sayeth S. Paule It is falsely called knowledge The knowledge of Heretikes is grosse ignoraunce their brightnesse is mere dymnesse Theyr light is hellishe darkenesse Yet woulde they so disgyse and colour them that in apparaunce they might seeme the selfe same thinges whiche promisyng sayeth S. Paule they haue fallen from the faithe What haue they promised Surelye I wote not what newe and vnknowen doctrine For ye shall here some say vnto you The verie fourme of wordesth heretikes vse O ye fooles and selye poore soules whiche commonly are called catholike come ye vnto vs saye they and learne of vs the true faythe which none knoweth besides vs whiche hath ben hidden from you this many hundred yeres and is nowe of late reueled and shewen vnto a fewe of vs. But learne it of vs priuelye and secretlye and you shall finde great pleasure therin And whē ye haue learned it at our handes teache it other also but priuelye in corners that the worlde heare it not and that the Churche knowe it not For thei can not beare it because it is geuen but to a fewe to vnderstande and receiue the secrete of so great mysterie I praye you be not theise the very wordes of that abhominable and deceytefull harlot spoken of in the pronerbes of Salomon Which doth allure to come vnto her suche as passe by the waye goynge in theyr iourneye sayinge He that is vnwisest of you al let him come to me And the simple she intiseth also saying Panes occultos libenter attingite et aquam dulcemfurtim bibite That is to saye Come and eate gladlye the loues whiche are hidden and drinke priuely a swete pleasaunt water These are the flattering and deceyuable wordes of that false wicked harlot the churche of Antichrist But it is worthe the labour to trauerse more at large the wordes of S. Paule O Timothe saith he kepe that which is left vnto the auoyding prophane nouelties of wordes O is an exclamation aswell of prescience as also of charitie For he aforesawe the errours to come and afore hande was careful howe to auoyde them He speaketh vnto Timothe Who is now Timothe But eyther the vniuersal churche generally or the whole bodye of the rulers speciallye For bothe them selues oughte to haue the sounde and perfect knowledge of Gods religion and also to teache the same to other What is meaned by that Deposita custodi Kepe that whiche is lefte vnto the. Kepe sayeth saynct Paule because of fylchynge theues and enuyous aduersaries Least thei when men be at rest shoulde sowe theyr zizan and Cocle vpon that good seede of Wheate whiche the sonne of man hadde sowen before in his feelde Kepe that whiche was lefte vnto thee sayeth the Apostle What was that Forsothe that whiche was credited and committed vnto thee and not that whyche was deuised by thee The religion whiche thou haste receyued and not whiche thou of thy selfe haste imagined a matter not of wyt but of doctrine not of priuate vsurpation but of publike traditiō brought vnto the from thyne auncetours not brought fnrthe by the for thy successors Wherof thou oughtest not to be an authour but keper not an institutour but folower Hold assuredly saieth S. Paule saue kepe the inuiolate and pure talent of the catholike faieth committed vnto the. Exchaunge not but what thou hast receiued holde that still and delyuer that same vnto other Thou hast receiued golde yeld golde againe I will not that thou rendre either impudentlye leade or craftely coper for good golde restore in value and substaunce gold in deed and not that whiche glistereth and hath a showe lyke to golde and yet is none O Timothe O thou priest thou doctour preacher or expoūder of scriptures if the gift of God hath made the a fitte instrument thereunto in witte doctrine and exercise bee thou Beselehel the workeman of the spirituall tabernacle Cut and graue workemanly the pretious Gemmes of the heauenly doctrine Coapt set and applye them faithfully Adorne decke set thē furth wisely Adde with the vttermost of thy power shyning grace bewtie Through the and thyne expositions let it be perceiued more clearelye whiche before was darke and yet beleued faithfully Through the and thy frauel let the posteritie reioyce in the vnderstandinge of that whiche tofore the antiquitie did worship and not vnderstande But yet teach the same thinges whiche thou hast learned and none other that when thou speakest newely yet thou speake not newe matters Here some wil saye What shal there be no increase had of religion in the churche of Christe-Yes what els Who is so iniurious bothe to God and man that would not so But increase I would should be not

S. Paule shall not be knowen That is to saye whosoeuer eyther doeth not learne whyche he knoweth not or beyng knowen doeth contemne the same man shal not be knowen That is he shal be counted vnworthy on whome amongest other vnited in fay the and knitte in christian humilitie the heauenlye mercye maye be extended And what thynge worsse What euyll more bytter canne be deuysed then thys And yet accordynge to thys Apostolycke commination we see the same hathe chaunced vnto Iulian Pelagian who eyther neglected to incorporate hym selfe to the mynde and sentence of other fathers or presumed to excorporate hym selfe that tofore was one of them But nowe time it is that accordinge to my promise I declare by example when and how the sentences of the holy fathers may be gathered together that by them the rule of Ecclesiasticall faythe myghte be assured and confirmed accordynge as by decree and authoritie of counsayle is sette furthe And to doe thys fytte and necessarye it is that I doe eftsoones reuoke what tofore was sayde I sayde at the begynnynge that thys euermore was and styl is the custome of Catholike and true beleuers to approue the true faythe by two wayes First by the authoritie of diuine Scripture Secondlye by tradition of the catholyke Churche Not because the Scripture sufficeth not or plentuously contayneth not all thinges necessarye but because euery man expounding the same accordynge to theyr owne fantasies do often times conceyue dyuers errours and straunge opinions centrary to the intent of the holy scriptures And therefore it is necessarye that the intelligence vnderstandinge of the heaueuly scripture be directed according to one vniforme rule of the ecclesiastical iudgement especiallye in those questions on whiche the foundacion of the whole catholike doctrine doeth staye We sayde moreouer that we ought to consider in the churche the consent aswel of the vniuersalitie as also of antiquitie Least we be broken of from the integritie of vnitie into some prophane error or least we be tumbled from the religion of auncientie headlong into nouelties of vnknowen heresie I haue sayde also that in the same antiquitie of the churche we ought vehementlye and studiously to obserue two thinges vnto which eche man must cleue fast that will not be an heretike The first is if any thinge in the antiquitie of the churche hathe been decreed by all catholike teachers and holy fathers and hathe been setfurth by authoritie of vniuersall counsell Next if there hap to arise any newe question whiche is not decided by generall counsell that then euery good man ought to haue recourse vnto the auncient writers which are knowē to haue stedfastly perseuered in the vnitie of the catholike communion and faieth And whatsoeuer they in one minde and consente haue receyued and taught the same we ought to iudge and accept as moost syncere pure and catholike doctrine And that this myght not seeme to be spoken rather of my owne head then by authoritie ecclesiastical I haue drawen to example the godly counsell kepte in Afia at Ephesus Bassus and Antiochus two noble persones then beinge consulles In which counsell a motion beinge made for orders and rules to be deuised for the stablishinge of the faieth it semed vnto all the fathers there assembled whiche were aboute C C. in numbre a thinge verye catholike right faiethfull and moste beest to be done lest any prophane noueltie shoulde by chaunce crepe in contrarye to their godly purpose as to fore in the counsell kepte at Arimine in Italy to bringe furthe the sentences censures opinions of the holye fathers of whiche some were Martyrs some wer Confessors and al were constātly remained catholike priestes true faiethful teachers And according to their minde consente and decree well and deuoutly considered the religion of christian faieth might be confirmed and the blasphemie of prophan noueltie condempned This thus done of righte that wicked Nestorius was condempned as an heretike iniurious to the catholike auncientye and blessed Cyrillus was pronoūced catholike consenting and agreable vnto the holye antiquitie And for the better warrant of the matter I learned the names of the same fathers although I haue forgotten their order accordinge to whose censure and iudgement both suche sentences as then were cōtrouerted were expounded and also the rule of the diuine doctrine stablished Whiche fathers here to reherse by name I thinke it not superfluous For thereby shal my memorie be confirmed Wherefore these were they whose wrytinges are recited beinge either iudges or witnesses in that coūsell S. Peter Byshop of Alexandria a verie excellente teacher mooste blessed Martyr Holy Athanasius highe prelate of the same citie a right faithful preacher and moost worthie confessor Holy Theophilus Byshoppe also of the same citie a man for his faieth lyfe and knowledge very famous Whom succeded Cyrill a father of muche reuerence To these holy fathers and godlye Byshoppes of our Citie and prouince adde those shining beames of Cappadocia as saint Gregorie Byshoppe and confessor of Nazianse S. Basil Byshop cōfessor of Caesarea Cappadocia other S. Gregorie also byshop of Nice a man for his faith conuersation integritie and wisedome most worthie to be as he was brother to holye Basill All these were Greekes Amongest the Latines also were manye that by their iudgemēt allowed the matters passed in that counsel as S. Felix martyr and S. Iulie Byshoppes of Rome Lykewise blessed S. Cyprian Byshop of Carthage martyr Holye sainte Ambrose Byshop of Mediolanū These were they whiche were in the counsell of Ephesus as iudges witnesses Maisters and Counsellers whose doctrine that blessed Synode faiethfullye imbraced and folowinge theire counsell beleuinge their testimonie obeinge their iudgement haue syncerely truely and faiethfullye pronounced of matters concerning faieth These fathers were but tenne in numbre A greater numbre mought haue been called thereto but there was noo necessitie because as the tyme serued the matters consisted not in the multitude of witnesses and noman doubted but all other catholike men thoughte and beleued as these tenne did After all these thinges I also added S. Cyrill his sentence Whiche is conteined in the eccle siasticall gestes For what tyme the Epistle of holye Capreolus Byshoppe of Carthage was readen who intended and desired nothinge els but that the holye antiquitie mought be defēded and wicked noueltie anulled and vtterlye refused then S. Cyrill pronounced defined in fourme as followeth And this Epistle saied he of the reuerend and most godly father Capreolus Bisshop of Carthage shal be regestred in the boke of our gestes and decrees concerninge the faieth whose sentence is so playne For he will that the sentences and decrees of the auncient faieth be confirmed and stablished and that newe founde fansies and inuentions be reproued and condēpned as bothe superfluous and wicked Hereto all the Byshoppes gaue their consent al wholly agreed therupon all together with one voyce wished the same Wherto gaue they their consent What was it that they in one

voyce together wished Verely that suche doctrine as was of olde taught and receyued shoulde be euermore allowed and imbraced and what of late dayes was newely deuised should for euer be refused After whiche thinges I was for my parte brought into a very greate admiration of their doinges and coulde not sufficientlye as me thought cōmend the wonderful humilitie and godly deuotion of so great clerkes and holy men For although they were suche and so many indued with suche excellent knowledge with such inestimable iudgement that eche and euery of them mought haue frelye questioned in anye matter of the auncient faythe and againe theyr assembly and congregation together mighte seeme to incourage and imbolden the same newe matters of theyr owne heades deuised to decree and set furthe yet would they innouate nothinge but by al maner meanes cared that no doctrine should be deliuered vn to theyr posteritie but such as they had receyued of the forefathers Thus dyd these fathers not onelye for the good disosition of thynges at that present tune but also to leaue example to suche as should folow them what they shoulde doe in lyke case That they ought with all their studie to honour the auncient faith and not deuise new to mayntayne suche religion as they had receyued and not to set furth what of their owne braynes was deuised I inueighed also agayust the most wicked and pestilent presumption of deuillishe Nestorius who bragged of hym selfe that he first and onelye of all other vnderstode the scriptures rightlye and that all other before his time wandred in ignoraunce and errour as many as ener had taught or written vpon the scriptures as all Priestes Bishoppes Matyrs Eonfessours that eyther haue expounded the scriptures or geuē credit to others expositions vpon the same And who finallye affirmed the whole church euen nowe to be in blindnes and errour and euer to haue been whiche nowe folowed and at all tymes had folowed as it seemed vnto hym ignoraunt blinde and erronious doctours and teachers And although to haue sayde thus muche might seeme sufficient to ouerthrowe and vtterlye to deface all prophane nouelties yet for the better furnishynge vp of the matter I haue adiected two authorities of the Apostolike See The one of Xistus Byshoppe of Rome The other of his predecessour S. Celestine whiche here I shall recount Holye Xistus in the epistle whiche he wrote vnto the Byshoppe of Antioche concernynge Nestorius matter sayeth thus For asmuche as ther is but one fayth accordynge to the Apostle whiche nowe most euidently hath obteined what ought to be taught let vs beleue that and lette vs firmelye holde what we ought to beleue Nowe what that is that ought to be taught and beleued he in his progresse doeth after declare Let no noueltie be receiued sayeth he and no credit be geuen vnto it hensfurth Because nothinge ought to be added vnto auncientie The manifest and well knowen faieth and credulitie of our elders be it troubled with no permixtion of myer Thus wrote Xistus and verye Apostolike commending the faythe of our auncetours with the termes of perspicuite and describynge prophane nouelties by permirtion of mier Holye Celestine in maner and sentence like confirmed the same in the Epistle whiche he sent vnto the priestes and preachers in Fraūce blaming them for their silence whereby they semed to geue ouer the auncient faith and suffered prophane nouelties to arise and saieth Merito nos causa respicit si silentio foueamus errorem c. The matter toucheth vs sayeth he if we by silence doe norishe and vpholde an errour Let such therfore be punished neither let it be lawfull for suche to speake what they lyst Here some man may perhappes doubt who be they whiche he forbiddeth to talke at pleasure and to speake what they lyst Whether it be ment by the preachers of the auncient doctrine or by the deuisers of fantastical nouelties Let holy Celestine hym selfe saye and dissolue this doubte in whome it foloweth desinat si ita res est If the matter be so saieth he that is to witte if it be so as diuers haue blamed your prouinces and cities for that ye through your daungerous dissimulynge and hurtfull silence cause them to consent vnto certaine nouelties If it be so sayth he let noueltie cesse to vexe and disturbe holy anncientie This was the sentence of blessed Celestine which tended not to distroye the auncient religion but to extirpe and banishe al newe inuentions contrarye to the catholike and old tradition of our forefathers Wherfore suche as contemne and wythstande the religion taught set furth by the apostolike catholike decrees what els doe they but preferre theyr owne fonde fansy iumlyng iudgement before the iuste sentence sounde iudgement of so manye godlye fathers and holy martyrs First thei herken not to S. Celestine who decreed vt desmeret nouítas incessere vetustatem That is that noueltie shoulde cesse to vexe and disturbe the auncientie They also laugh to skorne the wise counsel of holye Xistus who decreed in this wise Nihil vltra liceat nouitatí quia nihil addi conuenit vetustati They neglecte likewyse the statutes of blessed Cyril who honorablye allowed and commended the godlye zeale of reuerent Capreolus for that he by hys Epistle desyred the aunciente lessons and decrees concernyng religion to be confirmed and al new contrarye inuentions to be condempned They doe in lyke sorte treade vnder foote all the decrees lawes statutes made and agreed vpō in the Synode kept at Ephesus wherunto all the holy Byshoppes of the East part assembled and there with one voyce consent and mynde authorised and confirmed all suche doctrine as by the elders was deliuered and condemned Nestorius as an heretike for that he impugned the auncient beliefe woulde haue brought in newe nouelties The consent of whiche fathers in that counsell and so in other generall counselles the consent of other also stablishing the catholike religion who euer neglecteth whom els dothe he neglecte and despise but the holye ghost by whose inspiration their hartes were ruled and the true catholike Churche whiche they maintened and the maisters of the same the Prophetes and Apostles whom they followed And expreslye he speaketh against S. Paule his doctrine who saieth O Timothee depositum custodi c. That is O Timothe kepe that whiche was lefte vnto the auoidinge prophane nouelties of wordes And in an other place he saith to the same sense If any shall shewe vnto you any other doctrine than that ye haue receaued accursed be he Nowe if the apostolike counselles and the ecclesiasticall decrees by which in holy consent of vniuersalitie and auncientie all heretikes hetherunto haue ben condempned and the catholike religion mainteyned are in no wise to be cōtemned and despised then shall it be necessarie for all suche as desire to be coumpted the legitimate children of our mother the catholike Churche firmely to cleue adhere and sticke sure to the vnspotted faieth of oure holy auncetours and vtterlye derest abhorre and persecute al wicked nouelties of prophane men that in any point resist the vniuersal religion receiued Finis Imprynted at London by Robert Caly within the precincte of the late dissolued house of the graye Freers nowe conuerted to an Hospitall called Christes Hospitall ⁂ The .xxij. daye of Detober ⁂ 1554. Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum