seeme to bee pointed at rather then vnfolded Let them write delicately and with accuratenesse that are led thereunto through confidence of their wit or by reason of their office but for me it shall be sufficient that I haue prepared a Remembrancer for my selfe to helpe my memory or rather to preuent my forgetfulnesse the which yet I will endeauour through the Lords assistance to mend and perfite dayly by reuoluing and calling to mind the things that I haue learned And this I haue said before hand that if happily ought of ours shall come into the hands of the Saints they would reprehend nothing therein rashly which they may see by promise yet to be amended CHAP. 1. INquiring therefore oftentimes with great care and very singular diligence of very many excellent men both for holinesse and learning how I might by some certaine and as it were generall and regular way discerne the truth of the Catholicke faith from the falsehood of wicked heresies I receiued this answere alwaies from them all almost That if either I or any other would finde out the wiles of vpstart Hereticks and escape their snares and continue sound and whole in a sound faith he must fortifie his faith through the Lords assistance with a two-fold fence namely first with the authority of Gods word and then also with the tradition of the Catholicke Church CHAP. 2. HEre it may be some man will aske Seeing the Canon of the Scriptures is perfect and that it is aboundantly sufficient of it selfe to all things what need is there that the authority of the Churches vnderstanding should be ioyned therunto Surely because al mē do not after one manner vnderstand the holy Scripture according to the height thereof but diuers men interpret the sentences thereof diuersly that there may seeme to be as many meanings thereof almost as men For Nouatian expounds it one way Photinus another way Sabellius thus Donatus otherwise Arrius Eunomius Macedonius other waies Appollinaris Priscillianus by themselues Iouinianus Pelagius Celestius another way and finally Nestorius hath a sence by himselfe And therefore by reason of so great deceipts and windings of so different errours it is very necessary that a man should interpret the Prophets and Apostles according as the Catholicke Church doth vnderstand them CHAP. 3. IN like manner euen in the Catholike Church wee must haue a speciall regard that we hold that which is Euery where beleeued alwaies of all for this is truly and properly Catholike as the very force reason of the name declareth which comprehendeth al things truly vniuersally Now this we shall doe if we follow Vniuersality Antiquity and Consent And wee shall follow Vniuersality thus namely if we do confesse this one faith to be true which the whole Church through out the world confesseth We shall follow Antiquity if by no meanes we reiect those interpretations which we know to haue bene vsed and esteemed of our holy Elders and Forefathers And Consent in like sort also if euer in Antiquity we follow the determinations and iudgements of all or surely of almost all Priests and Doctors CHAP. 4. VVHat then shal a Christian Catholicke do if some few members of the Church shall cut themselues from the fellowship of the Catholicke Faith Surely what else but preferre the soundnesse of the whole body before a noysom and corrupt member And what if some new contagion shall indeuour the corruption not of some small part of the Church onely but euen of the whole body thereof also In like manner then he shall bee carefull to cleaue fast vnto Antiquity which cannot now wholly be seduced by any nouell deceipt And what if euen in Antiquity it selfe the errour of two or three or of a Citty or of some Prouince be found out Then his whole care shall be to prefer the decrees of the Vniuersal Church vniuersally of old maintained to the rashnesse or ignorance if any such be of some few persons But what if some such thing breake out where nothing of that nature may be found Then shall hee compare the sentences and opinions of the Fathers together and take Counsell of them of those Fathers or Elders I meane onely which though they liued not in one age and place did yet continue in the fellowship and faith of one Catholicke Church were laudable Teachers and whatsoeuer he shall perceiue that not one or two alone but that all alike with one and the same consent did openly commonly and constantly hold write and teach let him know that the same of him also is without any scruple to bee beleeued But that those things which wee say may be made more plaine they are each of them to be cleered by examples and to be a little more enlarged least through affectation of too much breuity the weight of things bee not perceiued by reason of passing so swiftly ouer them in our speech CHAP. 5. IN the time of Donatus from whom sprang the Donatists when as a great part of Aphrica had throwne themselues headlong into his furious errours and when vnmindfull of their honour religion and profession they did preferre the sacrilegious headines of one man to the Church of Christ then those Africans could of them all alone be safe within the sanctuaries of the Catholicke faith which hauing that wicked Schisme in detestation adioyned themselues to all the Churches of the world leauing in truth a notable paterne to them that should come after namely how and that also well the soundnesse of all might be preferred before the fury of one or but a few CHAP. 6. IN like manner when as the poyson of the Arrians had now corrupted not some fewe but almost all the world so as that well neere all the Latine Bishops being deceiued partly by force and partly by fraude knew not well by reason of a certaine kinde of blindnesse which had inuaded their vnderstandings what course they were best to follow when things were so confused then whosoeuer was a true Louer worshipper of Christ the same by making more accoūt of the ancient-faith thē of nouel-falshood was preserued from all infections of that contagious doctrine The danger in truth of which time hath aboundantly shewed what great calamity the bringing in of that vpstart doctrine caused For then were shaken not small things onely but euen the greatest also For not onely alliances kindreds friendships and houses were dissolued but also Cities People Prouinces Nations yea and the whole Romane Empire was vtterly shaken and put out of order For when that profane noueltie of the Arrians as a certaine Bellona or Furia had first captiuated the Emperour and then brought all the chiefest about him vnder new lawes it ceased not afterwards to trouble disorder all things priuat and publicke facred and profane and to haue no regard of that which was good and true but whomsoeuer
LONDON Printed for Leonard Becket and are to be sold at his Shop in the Temple neere the Church 1611. A VERY CHRISTIAN LEARNED and briefe Discourse concerning the true ancient and Catholicke Faith against all wicked vp-start Heresies Seruing very profitably for a Preseruatiue against the profane Nouelties of Papists Anabaptists Arrians Brownists and all other Sectaries First composed by Vincentius Lirinensis in Latine about twelue hundreth yeares ago And now faithfully translated into English and illustrated with certaine Marginall Notes By THOMAS TVKE Imprinted at London for Leonard Becket and are to be sold at his shop in the Inner Temple 1611. TO THE RIGHT worshipfull Sir IOHN LEVENTHORPE knight and to the right vertuous Lady Ioanna his wife all happinesse earthly and heauenly RIght Worshipfull great is the peruersenesse of Mans nature as may appeare by the multitude of errors and false religions of the which the world is now sicke euen vnto death For the Iewe hath his the Turke his the Indians theirs the Papist his yea and almost euery man is ready to turne his fansy into faith so common is this kind of Alchymie and to make doctrines of his owne deuises so fond we are by reason of selfe-loue and the blindnesse of our minds But as Eli sayd this is not well For there is but one true Religion and as Leo saith Faith is either One or None Now because there are so many religions in the world therefore some will be of none but stand as it were amazed not knowing what course to take like the fool that Salomon speakes of which knowes not the way into the Citty It behooues vs therefore seeing such variety of professions to looke before we leape to sound the waters before we hoyse vp our sailes for heauen is no harbor for heretickes no common Inne for all kinds of Trauellers I meane afore all to consult with the written word of God the oracle of truth the ground of faith a lanterne to our feet a light vnto our path is profitable to teach to conuince to correct and instruct in righteousnesse that the mā of God maybe absolute Heare saith S. Austin Thus saith the Lord not thus saith Donatus or Rogatus or Vincentius or Hilary or Austin but Thus saith the Lord. To the Law and to the Testimony saith Esay if they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them By the Scripture God speaketh his whole will saith Gregory If therefore men would in the true feare of God and lowlinesse of spirit desire diuine direction and attend vnto the word vndoubtedly they should see their way before them and could not be so transported of Impostors as they vse to be For them that be meeke will he guide in iudgement and teach the humble his way What man is he that feareth the Lord Him will he teach the way which he shall chuse The secret of the Lord is reuealed to them that feare him and his couenant to giue them vnderstanding And as our Sauiour speaketh Whatsoeuer ye shall aske the Father in my Name he will giue it you So then if we will not giue eare vnto Man but vnto God if we will not trust vnto our owne wings but seeke for aide of him we may boldly expect assistance of him according to his word And because to begin a course well is nothing vnlesse a man continue constant in it therefore it behoues vs to cleaue fast vnto the faith auoiding all impostures of Heretickes whatsoeuer For the furtherance hereof this Treatise was first written in Latine aboue a thousand yeares agoe by a learned and godly Frenchman whose authority is nothing lesse to be respected for his Monasticke kinde of liuing considering that our moderne Monkes haue almost nothing of Antiquity besides their name And for the same purpose we haue turn'd it into English desiring the Almightie to bedew the same with the blessing of his grace My labour I account as due to the Church in generall and abundantly deserued of you both in particular if therefore you shall accept it I shall haue my full desire The God of heauen and earth preserue you by his grace that after this life on Earth ye may be presented to Iesus Christ to liue in heauen with him in eternall glory Amen London S. Clem. April 14. 1611. Your VVorships in Christ Iesus to be commanded Thomas Tuke To The Reader THERE are three sorts of men for whō I haue translated this little booke The first are they that heare their fathers instruction and despise not the gouernement of their mother whom I desire God vpon my knees to keepe free from the poyson and peruersnesse of all Heretickes and Schismatickes whatsoeuer The second are they that are mis-led by Romish Impostors into many grosse and nouell errours such as the Scriptures and antient Doctors vtterly condemne as may easily be seene by viewing sundry workes of diuers learned men amongst vs either written or turned into English The chiefest cause of of whose erring partly consists in an incredible credit which they giue vnto their Teachers and partly in their owne wonderfull ignorance of the holy Scriptures which might inlighten their eies and informe their iudgements It is written of Naash that he would make a couenant with the men of Iabesh Gilead vpon condition that he might thrust out all their right eies euen so surely the Diuell delights in nothing more then in putting out mens eyes and in captiuating their vnderstanding which is as the right eye of the soule that being blinded he may leade them at his pleasure But if it would please them to search the Scriptures as Christ exhorteth and to consider of the Catholicke doctrine of the antient Church euen to the times wherein this our Author liued I doubt not but that the scales of ignorance would fall from their eyes and that those mists would be soone dispersed which Satan casts before them The third are such as are not much offended at the doctrines of the Church but condemne her gouernment and stumble at her Ceremonies which yet are neither vndecent nor superstitious or numerous and such as neither Gods word forbiddeth nor any approued Church in the Christian world condemneth as they are commanded by this Church entertained Now see heere what strange conceipts and doctrines are deuised and defended of them such as haue no foot-step in the Scripture no fellowship with Antiquity 1. It is affirmed that The true and right gouernment of the Christian Churches is a certaine Democratie 2. That a prouinciall Church is Contrary to the testament of Christ Hereupon Henry Iacob in an Epistle prefixed to a booke lately printed at Leyden labours for a Separation 3. That humane ceremonies being once abused cannot bee purged but by vtter abolishion 4. That it is out of all doubt that Christ sate or lay at his last Supper or thus that it is not
only possible or probable but certaine that he vsed a table gesture at that his last Supper 5. That because Christ vsed a table gesture therefore it is vnlawfull for vs to vse any other then a table gesture 6 That to receiue the bread and wine kneeling is vnlawfull is Idolatry Which me thinkes is very strange For what is the Idoll wee kneele not vnto the Elements but vnto God in testimony of reuerence and humblenesse of spirit Secondly if wee Must receiue the Sacrament with reuerence and humility of heart as who dare gainsay thē vndoubtedly wee May receiue it with a reuerend and humble gesture Thirdly if our kneeling be idolatry then are wee idolaters as if oppression bee theft and oppressors are Theeues if to take the Cure of soules and to take no Care of soules be murder then they that take the Cure of soules and take no Care of soules are Murderers yea and resolute Idolaters for we do not onely kneele but stand to defend it and we practise it daily yea and charge them with ignorance that do condemne it as vnlawful Now what wil follow If we be idolaters then they must not eate with vs. If any saith S. Paul that is called a brother bee an Idolater with such one eate not And againe If wee be Idolaters how dare they communicate with vs What with Idolaters Either therefore these conceits must be for saken or else I see not how wee can but swarme with Iacobites But I am perswaded better things of many of them such as accompany Saluation and tend not to Separation A. Fuluius once sayd to his sonne I begat thee not for Catiline against thy Country but for thy Country against Catiline so may I say they were not begotten by the Gospel for Iohnson for Iacob for any turbulent and phantasticke Doctor against the Church but for the Church against them And be they well assured that this sleight stuffe will shrinke when it comes to wetting this counterfeit coine will not indure triall The greatnesse of men their learning their godlinesse are no arguments to moue vs to receiue their owne conceipts for doctrines No an Angell must not be heard against the truth But mee thinkes I heare some man say How may I be resolued in this difference of opinions what shall I doe to finde out the truth I answer First giue diligent care to the voyce of God in the Scriptures what it saith that receiue though it crosse thee neuer so much and where it hath no tongue haue thou no care Do not first entertaine a conceit and then look out Scripture to draw it by the haire to thee Secondly be not ouercaried with any preiudicate opinion of thine Opposite neither let the reuerend conceit of thy Teacher that hath taught thee such a doctrine couer thine eye from beholding reason and do not thinke that because hee is a good man therefore all must needes bee good that hee hath taught thee or that his doctrines are sounder thē another mans because his life is better Thirdly be not proud or selfe-conceited For God resisteth the proud God and Pride saith Bernard cannot dwell together in the same heart which could not dwell in the same heauen And the History of the Church sheweth that Arrius of very pride fell into wicked and open heresie But the Lord giueth grace to the humble and teacheth him his way If yee aske saith Augustine what is the first step in the way of truth I answer Humility If yee aske what is the second I say Humility If yee aske what is the third I say the same Humility fourthly pray earnestly with Dauid that God would bee pleased to Giue thee vnderstanding and to teach thee good indgement and knowledge Finally bee not easily perswaded to beleeue Doctrines specially against the vnanimous consent of a true Church which neither the ancient acknowledged neither are allowed by any present approoued Church but are the conceipts of some particular persons In one word I pray thee diligently to read this Treatise ouer For it teacheth how to continue in the faith against all the fraudes and fallacies of Imposters It is not great but good learned though but litle and as sweete to them that are intelligent as short The Lord blesse it to thee and giue thee an vnderstanding head and an obedient heart April 14. 1611. Thine in Christ THOMAS TVKE A TREATISE OR Disputation of VINCENTIVS LIRINENSIS for the Antiquity of the Catholicke faith against the profane Nouelties of all Heresies The Preface FORASMVCH as the Scripture speakes and warnes vs thus Aske thy Fathers and they will shew thee thine Elders and they will tell thece And againe Apply thine eare to the words of the wise In like manner also My Son forget not these sayings and let thine heart keepe my words It seemeth to me Peregrinus the least of all the seruants of God that it will not be a little profitable through the Lords assistance if I shall set downe those things in writing which I haue faithfully receiued of the holy Fathers sure I am very necessary for mine owne infirmity seeing I may haue in readinesse whereby the weakenesse of my memory may bee relieued with continuall reading Vnto which taske not only the benefite of the work doth mooue me but the consideration also of time and the oportunity of Place The time for seeing all things are carried away therewith it behoueth vs also to catch something therefrom againe which may further vnto eternall life especially because the expectation of Gods terrible iudgement requireth the studies of Religion and the subtilty of nouell Heretiques asketh much care and diligence The Place also because auoiding the throngs multitudes that are in Citties we liue in a little Village more remote and are there inclostred in a Monastery where without great distraction we may do that which the Psalmist sings of Be still and know that I am God But indeed the reason of our purpose is agreeable thereunto as who because wee haue some while bene tossed with diuers and grieuous troubles of a secular warfare haue at the length through the fauour of Christ hidden vs within the hauen of Religion most faithful alwaies vnto all that there the blasts of vanity and pride being laid downe and appeasing God by the sacrifice of Christian humility we might escape not onely the Ship-wracks of the life present but the flames also of the future But now will I in the name of the Lord set vpon this businesse to wit set downe in writing the things that haue ben deliuered from our Elders and committed to our keeping intending to be a faithful Relator of them and not presuming to be their Author Neither meane I to set downe all but to touch those onely that are necessary that not in any polished and curious stile but in a plaine and familiar speech that the most of them may
it listed to smite them downe as from some place on high Then were wiues defiled widdowes robd Virgins deflowred Monasteries demolished Cleargy-men disturbed Leuites beaten Priests banished prisons gaoles and mynes filled with the Saints the greatest part of whom being driuen out of Citties forbidden to them and exiled were euen broken and consumed with nakednesse hunger and thirst amongst deserts dens wild beasts and rockes But all these things did they for no other cause befall but euen because the superstitions of mans inuentions were taught for heauenly doctrine because well-grounded antiquity was vedermined by wicked nouelty because the ordinances of the Elders were violated because the decrees of the Fathers were repealed because the determinations of the Ancient were disanulled and for that the lust of profane and vpstart curiosity contained not it selfe within the most chaste limits of sacred and vncorrupt Antiquity CHAP. 7. BVt it will bee thought perhaps wee faine these things through hatred of nouelty and loue of Antiquity Whosoeuer iudgeth this let him giue credit at the least to blessed Ambrose who in his second book to the Emperour Gratian himselfe bewailing the bitternes of the time saith But now almighty God quoth he we haue beene sufficiently punished by our owne destruction and bloud-shed for the slaughters of the Confessours the banishments of the Priests and for such wicked villany It is cleare enough that they which violated the faith cannot be safe In like manner in the third booke of the same worke Let vs therefore keepe saith he the commandements of the Elders that wee be not bold through vnciuill rashnesse to breake the seales that are hereditary Neither the Elders nor the Power nor the Angels nor Archangels durst open that sealed booke of prophecy the prerogatiue of explaning that was reserued for Christ alone Which of vs dares vnseale the Sacerdoticall Booke sealed of Confessours and consecrated now with the martyrdome of many which they that haue bene compelled to vnseale it yet afterwards haue sealed when the fraud was condemned they that durst not violate it were Confessours and Martyrs How can wee deny their faith whose victory we do extoll Wee praise them I say O venerable Ambrose wee praise them indeed and praysing wee wonder at them For who is he that is so mad who though he be not able to ouertake them yet would not wish to follow whom no violence hath driuen from defending of the faith of the Elders Not threatnings not flatterings not life not death not the palace not Sergeants not the Emperour not the Empire not men not diuels Whom I say the Lord for their constant imbracing of holy Antiquity deemed meete for so great an office as by them to repaire Churches ruinated to quicken spirituall people extinguished to put on the Crownes of Priests that were deiected to deface a fountaine of vnfeigned teares being infused from heauen into the Bishops those wicked I say not letters but litures blots or dashes of nouell impiety and finally to call back now almost all the world being strucken with the tempest of suddaine heresie I say to call it backe to the ancient faith from vp-start falshood vnto ancient soundnesse from furious and vnsound newnesse and to the ancient light from the blindnesse of nouelty CHAP. 8. BVt in this certaine Diuine vertue of Confessions that we are also euen most of all to mark that then in the very Antiquity of the Church they vndertooke the defence not of some part but of the whole body For it was not lawful for mē so great and of such quality to mantaine with so great contention indeauour the straggling selfe-thwarting coniectures of one or two or to striue for the rash consent of some little Prouince but following the decrees and determinations of Apostolique and Catholicke truth made by all the Priests of the holy Church they choosed rather to betray themselues then the faith which was held of old vniuersally Whereby they obtained also so great a degree of glory as that they were rightly and worthily counted not Confessours only but the Principall of Confessours also It behoueth therefore all true Catholikes vncessantly to meditate on this notable and indeede diuine ensample of those same blessed men who shining like the seuen headed Candlesticke with the seuenfold light of the holy Spirit haue shewed their posterity a most euident way how the boldnesse of prophane nouelty may in all the vaine bablings of errours bee hence forth cooled with the authority of sacred Antiquity CHAP. 9. NEither is this a new thing truly for this custome was alwaies vsed in the Church that the more any man flourished in religion the more ready he was to withstand nouell deuices The world is full of such examples But for breuity sake wee will make choyce of some one and this especially from the Apostolicke Sea In times past therefore Agrippinus of venerable memory Bishop of Carthage held rebaptization first of all men against the Canon of the Word against the Rule of the Uniuersall Church against the iudgement of all his Fellow-priests against the manner and customes of the Elders The which presumption caused so great a mischiefe as that it ministred a forme of sacrilege not onely to all heretickes but gaue occasion of error to some Catholickes also When as all men therefore euery where vpon the nouelty of the thing cryed out against it all the Priests on euery side did euery one indeuour to resist it then Pope Stephen of happy memory Bishop of the Apostolike See with the rest of his Fellowes but yet aboue the rest withstood it deeming it as I suppose a thing beseeming if hee did excell all the rest as much by deuout affection to the faith as hee did surpasse them by the authority of place Finally in an Epistle which was sent into Affrica the said Stephen ordeined in these words That nothing should bee renewed but that which is deliuered For that holy and wise man knew that piety doth nothing else allow of but that all things should with the same faithfulnesse bee reteined for the Children with the which they were receiued of the Fathers and that we ought to follow religion not which way wee would lead it but rather by that way it would lead vs and that that is the propertie of Christian modesty and grauity for men not to deliuer their owne deuices to them that so come after but to keepe the things receiued of their Elders What therefore was the issue then of all the matter Surely what else but that which was vsuall and accustomed Antiquity namely reteined and nouelty exploded CHAP. 10. BVt peraduenture then that new deuise was destitute of means to defēd beare it out Yea verily there was for it so great acutenes of wit so great aboundance of eloquence so great a number of maintainers so great likelihood of truth so many Oracles of Gods word but
that neither the distinction of the natures diuideth the vnitie of the person nor the vnitie of the person confounds the difference of the substances Blessed I say be the Church which that it might acknowledge that Christ both is was euer one confesseth that man was vnited to God not after his birth but now euen in the mothers wombe Blessed I say be the Church which vnderstandeth that God was made man not by the conuersion of nature but in regard of person person I say not counterfeit and transient but substantiall and permanent I say blessed bee the Church which affirmeth that this vnity of person is so effectuall as that by reason thereof the things of God are by a wonderfull and vnspeakable mysterie ascribed vnto man and the things of man ascribed vnto God For because of that vnitie it doth not deny that man descended from heauen in respect of the God-head and hath belieued that God was made vpon earth that he suffered and was crucified in regard of the Manhead To conclude by reason of that vnity she doth acknowledge Man to be the Sonne of God and God to be the Sonne of the Virgin Holy therefore and venerable blessed and inuiolable and to that celestiall praising performed of the Angels altogether comparable be this confession which glorifies God with a threefold sanctification For therefore it doth especially tel and glory of the vnitie of Christ least the mysterie of the Trinity should exceed Be these things spoken by way of digressing else where if God shall please they are more largely to be treated of and vnfolded Let vs now returne vnto our purpose CHAP. 23. VVE sayd therefore before that in the Church of God the Teachers error was the peoples temptation and that the tentation was so much the greater by how the the learneder he was that did erre Which we taught first by the authority of Scripture and then by Ecclesiasticall examples to wit by reckoning vp them that though they were for a time accounted sound in the faith yet at the last did either fall into the sect of some other or else deuised an heresie of their owne A matter doubtlesse of great moment both commodious to learne and necessary to be thought of and remembred the which wee ought diligently to illustrate and inculcate with the multitude of ensamples that all Catholikes for the most part may know That they ought with the Church to receiue teachers and not that they should with teachers forsake the faith that the Church embraceth But in my conceit though we might recken vp a number in this kind of tempting yet was there almost none that was so great a temptation as was Origen in whome there were many things so excellent so singular and so admirable that any man might easily iudge at first that all his assertions were to be belieued For if the life doth win authority his industry his chastity patience and sufferance was not small if either kindred or learning Who more noble then he who at the first was borne in that family which was made illustrious by Martyrdome And afterwards hauing for Christ lost not his father onely but all his substance also he did profit so much within the straites of holy pouerty he did often as they say susteine afflictions for confessing the Lord. Neither indeed were these things onely in him all which might afterwards proue a tentation but hee had also such a notable wit so profound so acute and so fine that he did much and farre surpasse almost all and so great was the skill of this notable man in all knowledge and learning as that there were but few things in diuine philosophy of humane it may be almost none which hee did not thorowly vnderstand Who when he had atteined to the learning of the Greekes he gaue himselfe also to the study of the Hebrew But why should I speake of eloquence whose speech was so pleasant so delectable and so sweete that not words me thinkes so much as hony seemed to flow out of his mouth What incredible things did he bolt out and cleer by the force of disputation What things seeming hard to be done did not he make that they should seeme most easie But he woue his assertions it may be onely with the knots of arguments Yea doubtlesse there was neuer any Teacher which vsed more examples or proofes of holy writ But he wrote I beleeue but little No man writ more that I thinke all his works cannot onely not be read ouer but indeede not so much as found And who also that he might not want any helpe to knowledge was furnished with ripenesse of age But perhaps he was not very happy in Disciples Who euer more happy For out of his bosome sprang innumerable Teachers an infinity of Priests Confessors and Martyers And now what man is able to conceiue in what admiration in what renowne and grace he was in with all men What man a little more deuout then ordinary did not with speed resort vnto him from the farthest quarters of the world What Christian did not reuerence him almost as a Prophet what Philosopher honor'd him not as a Maister And how reuerend he was accounted not onely among priuate men but euen of the chiefest in the Empire the Stories doe declare which say that he was sent for by the mother of Alexander the Emperour intruth because of heauenly wisedome which also he did much affect loue But the epistles also of the same mā beare witnes which he wrot by the authority of Christian Teacher to Emperour Philip who was the first Christian of all the Romane Princes Concerning whose incredible knowledge if any man beleeue not a Christian testimony we being the relators let him at the lest receiue a Pagan confession the Philosophers being the witnesses For that wicked Porphicie saith that being moued with his fame he went being in a manner but a boy to Alexandria and that he sawe him there being now an olde man but indeede so notably qualified as one that had attained to the height of all learning The day would sooner faile me then I shall be able to touch euen the smallest part of those excellent things which were in that man which notwithstanding did not only perteine to the glory of religion but also to the greatnesse of temptation For what man among a thousand would easily cast off from him a man of such an excellent wit so great a scholler and of so great account and not rather vse that sentēce That he had rather erre with Origen then iudge truly with other men But what should I make many words It so fell out that not some humane but as the euent declared a too dangerous temptation made by so great a person so great a Teacher so great a Prophet did draw very many frō the soundnesse of the Faith Wherefore this Origen so great and so
well qualified whiles he doth insolently abuse the grace of God whiles he makes too much of his own wit and thinks so well of himself whiles he contēneth the ancient simplicity of Christian religion whiles he presumes he is wiser then all men and whiles that contemning the traditions of the Church and the maisterships of the Elders he doth after a new manner expound certaine places of the Scriptures he hath deserued that it should be sayd vnto the Church of God concerning him also If there arise among you a Prophet And a little after Thou shalt not quoth he listen to the words of that Prophet And againe Because the Lord your God saith he tryeth you whether ye will loue him or no. It was indeed not onely a temptation but euen a great temptation to remoue the Church being giuen vnto him and depending vpon him and through wondring at his wit learning eloquence conuersation and reputation suspecting him not nor fearing him to remoue the Church I say all vpon the sudden by little and little from the ancient Religion to nouell profanenesse But some man will say that the bookes of Origen are corrupted I gain say it not but had rather too it were so For that is both deliuered and written of some not onely Catholikes but also Heretiques But that is it which now we are to marke that although he himselfe bee not yet the bookes which are publiked vnder his name are a great temptation which being pestered with many wounds of blasphemies are both read embraced not as other mens but as his owne so that although Origen did not conceiue the error yet Origens authority may seeme powerfull to perswade the error CHAP. 24. BVt Tertullians cōdition also is euen the same For as he among the Greekes so this man among the Latines is without doubt to bee reputed the chiefest of all our men For who more learned then this man who more exercised in diuinity and in humanity For verily he did with a certaine admirable capacity of vnderstanding vnderstand compasse al Philosophy and all the sects of the Phylosophers the authors abettours of the sects and all their doctrines and all manner of stories and studies And did hee not excell for a wit so graue and vehement as that he propounded almost nothing to himselfe to vanquish which he did not either breake into with acutenesse or strike out with weightinesse Moreouer who can expresse the praises of his speech which was replenished with such I wot not what vrgent arguments as that whom he could not perswade he forced to consent vnto him whose sentences were almost as many as words and as many victories as reasons This knew the Martionists Apelles the Praxeans Hermogenes the Iewes Gentiles Gnostickes and the rest whose blasphemies he ouerthrew with his manifold great volumes as with certaine lightenings And yet this man also I say this Tertullian being vnmindfull of the Catholicke doctrine that is the vniuersall and ancient faith and much more eloquent thē happy changing his iudgment afterwards wrought that at last which the blessed Confessour Hilarie writeth of him in a certaine place By the error quoth he which he fell afterwards into he made the workes which he wrote well to loose their reputation And hee himselfe was also a great temptation in the Church But of him I will say no more This thing I will onely mention that because hee did against the commandement of Moses affirme that the new braine-sicke doctrines of Montanus arising in the Church and that those madde conceits of mad women euen the dreames of an vpstart doctrine were true prophecies he did deserue that it should be said of him also and of his writings If a Prophet shall arise among you And againe Thou shalt not heare the words of that Prophet Why so Because saith he the Lord your God tryeth you whether you will loue him or not By these therfore so many and so great examples in the Church and by the rest of that nature we ought euidently to marke and to know more clearely then the light that if euer any teacher in the Church shall wander from the faith the prouidence of God doth suffer it to be done for our tryall to proue whether we loue the Lord our God with all our heart and with all our soule or no. CHAP. 25. VVHich things seeing they so stand he is a true and right Catholicke who loueth the truth of God the Church the body of Christ and who preferres nothing to Gods Religion nothing to the Catholicke faith not the authority not the loue not the wit not the eloquence nor the philosophy of any man but contemning all these things and abiding firme and stedfast in the faith doth iudge that whatsoeuer he shall vnderstand to bee vniuersally held of old of the Catholicke Church himselfe should hold and beleeue alone but whatsoeuer nouell and strange doctrine hee shall perceiue to bee priuily brought in after by any one besides or against the iudgement of all the Saints hee knowes that it belongs not to religion but rather to tentation And is also especially by the speeches of the blessed Apostle Paul instructed for this is that which hee writeth in his first Epistle to the Corinthes There must bee saith he heresies euen among you that they which are approued among you might be knowen As if hee should say for this cause the Authors of heresies are not presently rooted out by God that they which are approued might be seene that is that it might appeare how sure faithful and constant a louer of the Catholick faith euery mā is And in truth when euery nouelty cometh vp the weightinesse of the Corne and the lightnesse of the Chaffe is presently perceiued at which time that is easily shaken frō the Floore which was held with no weight within the Floore For some doe forthwith flye quite away but others being onely driuen out doe both feare to perish and blush to returne being wounded halfe dead and halfe aliue as haiung drunke such a quantity of poyson as neither kild them nor was digested as would neither make them dye nor suffer them to liue Oh miserable condition with what waues of care with what whirlwinds are they tossed For somtimes which way the wind shal driue thē they are carried with a violent error sometimes returning to themselues they are beatē back like cōtrary waues somtimes by rash presumptiō they allow of those things which seeme vncertaine sometimes also through a reasonlesse feare they are afraid of those things that are certaine being vncertaine which way to go which way to returne what to follow what to fly what to hold what to let go Which afflictiō verily of a doubting wauering hart is the medicine of Gods mercy towards them if they would be wise For therefore are they tossed beaten and almost killed with sundry tempests of thoughts out of the most quiet
great deale of matter in a few words and commonly expressing the thing by some conuenient new tearme for the clearenes of vnderstanding and not for any new meaning of the Faith CHAP. 33. BVt let vs returne vnto the Apostle O Timotheus saith he keepe that which is committed to thee auoiding the profane nouelties of words Auoid them saith he as a Viper as a Scorpion as a Cockatrice that they may not smite thee not onely by touching but by sight also and by breathing What is it to auoid Not to eate meate with such an one What meaneth this Auoide thou If there come any vnto you saith Saint Iohn and bring not this doctrine What doctrine meanes he but the Catholicke and vniuersall which both continueth by an vncorrupted tradition of the truth one the same throughout all succeeding ages and shall continue for euer and for euer without end But what followeth Do not quoth he receiue him to house neither bid ye him God speede For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his euill deeds Profane nouelties of words saith Paul What is profane Such as are altogether voyde of holinesse and religion vtterly strange from the bosome of the Church which is the temple of God Profane nouelties of words saith he nouelties of words that is of doctrines things opinions which nouelties are contrary to antientnesse to antiquity Which if they should be receiued it cannot bee but that the Faith of the blessed Fathers should be violated either all or for a great part thereof at least it must needs bee that all the faithfull of all ages all the Saints all the chaste the continent virgines that all the Cleargy Leuites and Priests that so many thousands of Confessors so great armies of Martyrs so great an assembly and multitude of cities and people that so many Islands Prouinces Kings Nations kingdoms countries and finally that now almost all the world being incorporated into Christ the Head by the Catholicke faith it must needs bee I say that all these aforesaid should be said to haue beene ignorant for so long continuance of time to haue erred to haue blasphemed and not to haue knowen what they should beleeue CHAP. 34. AUoid saith he profane nouelties of words which to receiue and follow was neuer the propertie of Catholickes but alwayes of Heretickes And in truth what heresie was there euer which did not spring vp vnder a certaine name in a certaine place and at a certaine time Who euer brought vp heresies but which first separated himselfe from the viuersall and antient consent of the Catholicke Church Which that it was so examples shew most cleerely For who euer before that prophane Pelagius presumed that the power of Free-will was so great that hee did not thinke that the grace of God was necessary to helpe it in good thngs in euery act Who euer before Celestus his prodigious discipline denyed that all mankind was guilty of Adams transgression Who before sacrilegious Arrius dared to diuide the vnity of the Trinity who durst confound the Trinity of vnity before wicked Sabellius Who before most cruel Nauatianus affirmed that God was cruell for that he had rather the death of him that dyeth then that he should returne and liue Who before Simon the Magitian whom the Apostle cursed from whom that whirle-poole of filthinesses flowed by a continual and hidden succession euen vnto Priscilianus the last and hindermost who I say before that Simon durst affirme that God the Creator is the author of euils that is of our abhominable acts impieties and wicked enormities For he did auouch that God himselfe did with his owne hands create the nature of men so as that by reason of a certaine proper motion or impulsion of a certaine necessary will it could doe nothing else it could will nothing else but commit sin because it being chafed and inflamed with the furies of all vices it is carried by an vnsaciable desire into all the gulfes or whirlepits of dishonest and filthy facts Innumerable examples there are of the like nature which for breuity sake we pretermit by al which yet we haue euidently and clearely inough shewed that this with almost all heresies is solemne as it were and according to Law to delight alwaies in prophane nouelties to contemne the ordinances of Antiquity and through oppositions of knowledge falsly so tearmed to make ship-wracke from the faith On the contrary also this is almost proper vnto Catholickes to keep those things which were left in the custody of the holy Fathers and were committed to them and to condemne prophane nouelties and as the Apostle sayd and sayd againe If any shall preach otherwise then that which was receiued to Anathematize or curse him CHAP. 35. HEere some man perhaps may aske whether Heretickes also do vse the testimonies of the holy Scripture Indeed they vse thē and in truth with vehemency for you may see thē flie through all euery booke of the word of God through the bookes of Moses and of the Kings through the Psalmes Apostles Gospels Prophets For whether it bee amongst their owne Followers or with others whether priuately or publickly whether in Sermons or in Bookes whether at Banquets or in the streetes they neuer almost vtter any thing of their owne which they labour not also to shadow with their words of the Scripture Reade the pamphlets of Paulus Samosatenus of Priscillian Eunomius Iouinian and the rest of those Plagues you may see an infinite masse of examples that no page welneere escapes which is not painted and colored with the sentences of the Old or New Testament But they bee so much the rather to bee taken heede of and feared by how much the more closely they lurke vnder the shadowes of Gods word For they know that their stinking errours would not quikly bee pleasing almost vnto any man if they should bee vented barely and as they are in their owne nature and therefore they bespice them as it were with the word of God that he which would easily despise the errour of man might not easily contemne the Oracles of God They doe therefore as those are wont which being to giue some bitter potions to children for to drinke doe first rub their mouthes about with honey that the silly little ones hauing before felt the sweetenesse might not be afraid of the bitternesse Which thing they also are carefull of which set the names of medicines vpon ill hearbes and hurtfull syrrops that almost no body would suspect poyson where he read a remedy written ouer CHAP. 36. FInally our Sauiour also cried out for the same thing Beware yee of false Prophets which in sheepes cloathing come vnto you but inwardly they are rauening Wolues What is sheepes cloathing but the sentences of the Prophets and Apostles which they with a certaine sheepe-like sincerity haue wouen as certaine fleeces for that immaculate Lambe which
taketh away the sinnes of the world Who are rauening Wolues but the sauage and rauening opinions or conceits of heretickes which alwaies annoy the Foldes of the Church and rend assunder the Flocke of Christ on what part soeuer they are able But that they may steale more slily vpon the vnwary sheepe retaining still their woluish cruelty they lay aside their shape of a Wolfe and wrap themselues within the sentences of the holy Scriptures as it were within certaine Sheepe-skinnes that when a body hath felt afore the softnesse of the wooll hee might not bee afraid of the bitings of the teeth But what saith our Sauiour Yee shall know them by their fruits That is when they shall begin not only now to vtter those sayings but also to expound them nor as yet to cracke of them only but also to interpret them then that bitternesse thē the sourenesse and madnesse is perceiued then this new deuised poison will bee breathed out then are prophane nouelties disclosed then may ye see the bounds of the Fathers to be remoued the Catholicke faith to be then but chered and the doctrine of the Church torne in peeces CHAP. 37. SVch were they whom the Apostle Paul reproueth in his second Epistle to the Corinthes saying For such false Apostles saith hee are crafty workmen transforming themselues into Apostles of Christ What meaneth this transforming themselues into the Apostles of Christ The Apostles alledged examples of the Law of God and so did they The Apostles cited the authorities of the Psalmes and so did they the Apostles produced the sayings of the Prophets euen so did they too not a iot the lesse But when they had begun to expound those sentences diuersly which they had alike alledged then were the simple Apostles discerned from the subtill Apostles the sincere from the counterfeite the right from the peruerse and finally the true from the false And no wonder quoth he For Sathan himselfe transformeth himselfe into an Angel of light it is no great thing therefore though his Ministers bee transformed as Ministers of righteousnesse Therefore by the Apostle Pauls doctrine so often as euer either false Apostles or false Prophets or false Teachers all edge the sentences of Gods word with the which being vnderstood amisse they seeke to maintaine their owne errors there is no doubt but that they follow the crafty deuises of their Author which he would neuer without doubt deuise but that hee knowes that there is no way at all more ready to deceiue then that where the deceit of a wicked errour is vnderhand introduced There the authority of Diuine sentences should bee pretended But some man will say how is it proued that the Diuell is wont to vse proofes of holy Scripture Let him read the Gospels in the which it is written Then the Diuell tooke him that is the Lord and Sauiour and set him vpon a pinacle of the Temple and said vnto him If thou be the Son of God cast thy selfe downe For it is written that hee hath giuen his Angels charge ouer thee to keepe thee in all thy waies and with their hands they shall lift thee vp least it may bee thou shouldest dash thy foote against a stone What will this Fiend do to silly men that set vpon the Lord of glory with testimonies of Scripture If quoth hee thou be the Son of God cast thy selfe downe Why so For saith he it is written The doctrine of this place is to bee diligently marked and reteined of vs that when we shall see some alledge the words of the Apostles or Prophets against the Catholicke Faith we should in no wise doubt considering such a remarkeable example of Euangelicall authority that the Diuell speaketh by them For as then the Head spake to the Head so now also the Members speake vnto the Members to wit the members of the Diuell to the members of Christ the vnfaithfull to the faithfull the sacrilegious to the religious finally Heretiques to Catholickes But what I pray you saith hee If quoth he thou bee the Sonne of God cast thy selfe downe That is to say thou wilt be the Son of God and wilt receiue the inheritance of the kingdome of heauen Cast thy selfe downe that is throw thy selfe off from the doctrine and tradition of this high Church which is also counted the Temple of God And if any man should aske some hereticke which perswades him to doe thus How dost thou prooue vpon what ground dost thou teach that I ought to forsake the vniuersall and ancient faith of the Catholicke Church Hee would presently answer For it is written And forthwith hee prepares a multitude of testimonies examples and authorities from the Law frō the Psalmes from the Apostles from the Prophets through the which being after a new and naughty manner interpreted the vnhappy soule might bee plunged headlong into the gulfe of heresie And now with those promises following the hereticks are wont to deceiue vnwary men For they presume to promise and to teach That in their Church that is in the conuenticle of their communion there is a great and special and in truth a certaine personall grace of God so as that they whosoeuer they bee that are of their company without any labour without any study without any trauell though they neither seeke nor aske nor knocke are yet for all that so ordered by God that being lifted vp in the hands of Angels that is being preserued by Angelicall protection they can neuer dash their foote against a stone that is they can neuer be scandalized or offended CHAP. 38. BVt some man doth say If the Diuel and his Disciples do vse Diuine speeches sentences and promises amongst whose Disciples some are Fals-apostles False-prophets and False-teachers and all of them generally heretiques what shal Catholicke men and the Children of the Church our Mother do How shall they discerne the truth in the holy Scriptures from falsehood Surely they shall haue speciall care to doe this which wee haue in writing set downe in the beginning of this aduertisement to haue beene deliuered vnto vs by holy and learned men namely that they doe interprete the holy Scriptures according to the traditions of the vniuersall Church and by the rules of Catholicke doctrine wherein also it is necessary that they follow the vniuersality antiquity and consent of the Catholique and Apostolique Church And if at any time a part shall rebell against the whole if nouelty shall thwart antiquity if the dissention of one or of some few erronious persons shall crosse the consent of all or surely of the greatest number of Catholickes let them preferre the soundnesse of the whole to the corruptnesse of a part in the which same vniuersall body let them make more account of religious antiquity then of profane nouelty in like manner in the same antiquity let them first and foremost afore all thinges preferre the generall decrees if there
be any of an vniuersall counsell vnto the rashnesse of one or of some very few Then secondly if that be not let them follow which is the next thing to it the iudgements of many great Teachers that are agreeable one vnto another the which being faithfully soberly and carefully obserued by the Lords assistance we shall easily perceiue all the hurtfull errours of the heretickes which rise vp CHAP. 39. HEre now I see it meete that I should shew by examples how the profane nouelties of Heretickes may bee both found out and condemned when the iudgements of ancient Teachers agreeing one with another are produced and compared Which ancient consent of the holy Fathers wee should with great labour search out and follow yet not in all the petty questions of Gods word but onely at the leastwise especially in the rule of faith But neither are heresies alwaies nor all of them thus to be impugned but those onely that are new and fresh namely when as they doe first arise before they falsifie the Rules of the ancient faith whiles they bee let with the straitnesse of the time it selfe and before that the poyson spreading it selfe farther about they do attempt to corrupt the writings of the Elders But heresies that haue gathered much ground and are waxen old must not this way be assailed because that by reason of long continuance of time they haue had opportunity offered them a great while to steale the truth And therefore it behooueth vs either to confute those more ancient wicked Schismes or Heresies by no meanes but by the sole authority of the Scriptures if neede be or else verily to auoid them being now of old confuted condemned by the generall Councels of Catholike Priests Therefore so soone as the rottennesse of euery wicked errour beginnes to breake out and to steale for the defence of it selfe certaine sentences of Gods word and to expound them falsely and deceitfully the sentences or iudgements of the Elders are presently to bee gathered together for to interpret the Canon by the which that nouell and therefore profane opinion whatsoeuer it be which shall start vp may without any coyle presently be descried without any retractation condemned But the iudgements of those Fathers onely are to be compared together which liuing teaching cōtinuing holily wisely cōstantly in the Catholike Faith and Fellowship obteined either to dye faithfully in Christ or to be slaine happily for Christ Whom to notwithstanding we must giue credit with this condition that that be accounted vndoubedly true certaine and sure whatsoeuer either all of them or the most haue manifestly commonly and constantly with one and the same meaning as in a certaine vnanimous Councell of Teachers confirmed and established by receiuing holding and deliuering it But whatsoeuer any man shall conceite or thinke otherwise then all men or else contrary to all men though he be o holy and learned though he be a Bishop though he bee a Confessour and Martyr let it be put apart from the authority of the commune publicke and generall iudgement amongst proper hidden and priuate opinions and let vs not with very great hazzard of our soules after the wicked fashion of Heretiques Schismatiques follow the nouell errour of one man forsaking the truth of Catholike doctrine CHAP. 40. THE holy and Catholicke consent of which blessed Fathers least any man should vnaduisedly it may be thinke for to contemne the Apostle saith in the first epistle to the Corinthians And God indeede hath ordeined some in the Church as first Apostles of which ranke he himselfe was one secondly Prophets as we reade in the Acts of the Apostles that Agabus was thirdly Teachers which are now called Treatizers Tractators which by this same Apostle are sometimes called Prophets because they open the mysteries of the Prophets to the people Whosoeuer therefore doth contemne these men being set by God in sundry ages and places in the Church of God whiles in the name of Christ they do determine or iudge some one thing according to the meaning of the Catholicke doctrine he doth not contemne Man but God And from whom that no man should dissent whiles with one consent they speake the truth the same Apostle doth very earnestly desire saying Now I beseech you Brethren that ye All speake one thing and that there be no Schismes or dissentions among you but be ye knit together in the same mind and in the same iudgement If so be that any man shall goe from their commune iudgement he shal heare what the same Apostle saith God is not the God of dissention but of peace that is to say he is not his God which departeth from them that doe ioyntly consent vnto the truth but theirs that continue peacably consenting with them as saith he I teach in all the Churches of the Saints that is of the Catholickes which Churches are therefore holy because they abide in the fellowship of the faith And least any perhaps the rest beeing vnregarded should arrogate to bee heard himselfe alone and that he alone should be beleeued he saith a little after Came the word of God out from you either came it vnto you onely And least this should as it were for fashion sake be receiued he hath added saying If any man thinke himselfe to be a Prophet or Spirituall that is a teacher of spirituall things let him be with all diligence a louer of equality and vnitie that in truth he do neither preferre his own opinions to the rest and that he go not from the iudgements of all The commaundements of which things he which knowes not saith he that is hee which either learnes them not beeing vnknowne or which contemnes them being knowne he shall not be knowne that is he shal be counted vnworthie to be by God respected among them that are knit together in the faith and made equall by humilitie then which euill I wot not whether any cā be thought to be more grieuous Which yet we see to haue befallen as the Apostle threatned that Pelagian Iulianus who either neglected to agree in iudgement with his Fellows or else presumed to diuide himselfe from them But it is now time that we should produce that example promised wherein and after what manner the iudgements of the Fathers are gathered together that by them the Rule of ecclesiasticall faith might be established by the decree and authority of a Councel Which that it may be done more handsomely let this be the end now of this Aduertisement that we may begin the rest of the things that follow with another beginning The second Aduertisement hath fallen betweene neither hath any thing more thereof remained then the last parcell that is onely a briefe rehearsall of that which hath bene more largely handled which is also added after CHAP. 41. THe which things seeing they thus stand it is nowe time that we should rehearse the summe of those things
doctrines Whom when the Congregation being assembled all together might seeme to incourage to vndertake and to determine something of themselues yet would they giue nothing presume nothing arrogate nothing to themselues at all but by all meanes prouided that they might not deliuer any thing to their posterity which they themselues had not receiued of their Fathers and that they might not only order the matter well for the present but giue example also to them that should suceede that they also might embrace the doctrines of sacred Antiquity and condemne the deuises of prophane Nouelty Wee inueighed also against the wicked presumption of Nestorius because he boasted that he did first and onely vnderstand the holy Scripture and that all those whatsoeuer were ignorāt of it which being teachers before him had handled the Oracles of God to wit all Priests all Confessors and Martyrs some of which had explained Gods word and others had consented or giuen credit to the Explainers of it and lastly because he did affirme that the whole Church doth now erre and that it hath alwaies erred which as to him seemed had both alwaies followed and did now follow ignorant and erroneous Teachers CHAP. 43. ALl which things though they cannot plentifully aboundantly suffice to ouerwhelme and extinguish all prophane nouelties yet least any thing should seeme to bee lacking where there is such plenty of proofe to cleare this point we haue in the last place added a double authority of the Apostlicke See namely one of the holy Pope or Father Xistus who like a reuerend man doth at this present aduance the Church of Rome and the other of his Predecessor of blessed memory Pope Calestine whose authorities wee haue deemed needfull heere also to interpose Pope Xistus then saith in an Epistle which he sent to the Bishop of Antioch about the cause of Nestorius Therefore quoth he because as the Apostle saith there is one Faith which hath euidently preuailed let vs hold those things that are to be beleeued and let vs beleeue those things that are to bee held At the length hee sheweth the things that are to bee held and beleeued and saith Let no libertie quoth he bee giuen at all to Nouelty because it is fitting that nothing should be added to Antiquity Let the manifest faith and credulity of the Elders be troubled with no mixture of mire Speeches altogether Apostolical in that hee adornes the credulity or faith of the Elders by comparing it to the Light for the manifestnesse or clearenesse of it and describes nouell profanities or prophane nouelties by likening them to the mixture of mire But Pope Caelestine also deales in the like manner and is of the same iudgement For he saith in an Epistle which he sent to the French Ministers reprouing their conniuencie because they letting the ancient faith to be iniured through their silence did suffer prophane nouelties to start vp Iustly quoth hee the matter concernes vs if we shall nourish an error with holding our peace Let such men therefore be rebuked let them not haue liberty of speech at such their pleasure Some man here may peraduenture doubt who those may be whom hee forbids that they should haue libertie to speake what they list whether the Preachers of Antiquity or the Deuisers of Nouelty Let him speake himselfe and answer the doubting of the Readers For it followeth Let Nouelty cease saith hee if the case stand thus that is if it bee so that some accuse your Citties and Prouinces to me because you make them to giue consent to certaine Nouelties through your dangerous winking at them Let Nouelty therefore cease saith hee if the matter stand so to inuade and incroach vpon Antiquity This then was the blessed iudgment of blessed Celestine not that Antiquity should cease to ouerthrow Nouelty but rather that Nouelty should cease to gather ground vpon and inuade Antiquity Which Apostolicke and Catholicke decrees whosoeuer doth gainesay hee must needs first of al triumph ouer the memory of Saint Celestine who determined that Nouelty should cease to vexe and inuade Antiquity and in the second place scorne the decrees of holy Xystus who iudged that no liberty at all should be granted to Nouelty because it is meete that nothing shold be added to Antiquity yea contemne the determinatiōs of blessed Cyprian who did greatly extoll the zeale of reuerend Capreolus because hee desired that the doctrines of the ancient Faith should be confirmed and that nouell deuises should be condemned and despise the Counsell of Ephesus also that is the iudgements of the holy Bishops almost of all the East whom it pleased by Gods direction to determine that the Posterity should beleeue no other thing but that which the sacred and in Christ vnanimous Antiquity of the holy Fathers had held and who also with their cryes and exclamations witnessed with one consent that these are the words of all that they did all wish this that they were all of this iudgement that as almost all Heretickes before Nestorius despising Antiquity and desending nouelty should be condemned euen so Nestorius himselfe also should be condemned as an author of Nouelty and an impugner of Antiquity whose consent being inspired by an holy gift and of heauenly grace to whom it is displeasing What else doth follow but that he should affirme that the wickednesse of Nestorius was not iustly condemned and lastly also contemne the whole Church of Christ and his Teachers Apostles and Prophets but yet especially the Apostle Paul as certaine filth or off-scourings Her because she neuer departed frō the religion of the saith once deliuered vnto her to be husbanded carefully lookt vnto and Him because he hath written O Timotheus keep that which is committed vnto thee auoiding profane nouelties of words And also If any one shall preach vnto you otherwise then that yee haue receiued let him be accursed If so be that neither Apostolicall ordinances nor Ecclesiasticall decrees be to be broken by the which according to the sacred consent of the vniuersall and ancient Church all Hereticks alwaies and last of all Pelagius Celestius and Nestorius haue ben iustly and worthily condemned it is necessealy doubtlesse for all Catholickes hereafter which study to shewe themselues the lawfull Children of the Church their Mother that they should sticke and cleaue vnto and dye in the holy faith of the holy Fathers and that they should detest abhorre inueigh against and persecute the profane Nouelties of profane persons These are well nigh the things which being more largely handled in the two Aduertisments are cōtracted as a recapitulation ought to be that my memory for the helping whereof we haue done these things might bee both refreshed by being continually put in minde and not oppressed with wearinesse caused by long discourses Trin-vni Deo Gloria FINIS LONDON Printed by NICHOLAS OKES for LEONARD BECKET and are to be sold at his Shop