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
examples in the rehersal allegation of such as at the beginninge were este med catholike in faieth and sound in doctrine at length not withstandynge either fell into some other sect or diuised some newe of their owne braines Verely it is a great matter profitable to be knowen verie necessarie to be often recorded worthye by dyuers examples continually to be illustrated and dryuen into euery mannes harte howe that all catholike men at all times haue thought themselues bounde to receiue the teachers within the church and not forsake the faith of the Churche with the teachers beinge in errour But where as I am able to bryng furth many in thys kind of teÌ„pting yet I suppose none to be compared with Origenes teptacion Origenes in whom were so many excellent singular and merueilous giftes that he was as it were a marke for euery man to gase and wonder at Whose sentence iudgemeÌ„t and opinion in all matters all men iudged moost worthie to be embraced And no merueill For if the lyfe geueth any authoritie to man no doubte he did leade a verye perfect holy and continent life in much pacience and suffering Yf the stocke parentage who more noble then he which was sprong of that honorable house that firste was bewtified with blessed Martyrdome Who afterwarde for Christe his sake not onely forsakinge his naturall father but leauyng also all hys goodes and substaunce somuche proffeted amongest the harde straightes of holy pouertie that many times and oft he was sharpely handled for coÌ„fes synge the name of oure Lorde Adde therto that so great was his knowledge in all kinde of literature matched with suche finenes of wit powdered with such pleasauÌ„t deliuerauÌ„ce of his wordes that he was thoughte pierelesse without felowe The highe magnificence of whose absolute knowledge was suche that few or none were thought to approche His pronunciatioÌ„ and vtteraunce so swete that from his lyppes not wordes but hony might haue semed to flowe What matters seminge neuer so hard hath not he with force of disputatioÌ„ made smoth cleere What thinges seminge veray hard to be done hath not he made to appeare easie by his owne example But some wyll thinke that he perswaded hys assertions by subteltie of argumente onely Yea there was not one of the Churche that vsed mo examples out of the holy scriptures then he did in anye worke that he made as he made veray many And that no thing might be lacking in him that either coulde encrease his knowledge or inlarge his estimation he atteined the full perfection of age And in his time he had so many disciples whom effectually bothe by continuall instruction of doctrine and effectuall example of maners he had soo framed that of hym and as it were out of his bosome issued innumerable Doctours Ministers Confessours and Martyrs Finally in howe great admiration glorye and fauour he was with all men who can expresse vnto whom diuers godlye men from all partes swarmed whome the Christians honoured as a Prophete The Philosophers reuerenced as a maister Whome for the worthines of his heauenly wisdom not onely men of priuate condition but also themperiall state honoured Recorde of histories whiche report that the mother of Alexander the Emperour sent for hym to learne at hys mouth heauenly wisdom wher of he had a speciall grace she a burnyng desire The same histories also reporte vnto vs the testimonye of an epistle whiche he endicted with the maiestie of christian prelacie and sent it vnto Philippe themperour Philippe who first was made christian of the Romayne Princes Touching the incredible knowledge expressed in that epistle yf any accept not the christian testimonye at my reporte at least wise let him receyue the gentle confession vpon the testimonye of prophane Philosophers For that impious and wicked man Porphyrius doeth confesse Porphyrius that by the sounde of his fame he was styred to trauel as far as Alexandria being in maner yet but a boye and that he there sawe Origines well stept in age but such one of such maiestie as who had buylded in him selfe a towre of all knowledge No doubt he was a man ful of worthines Al whos most worthye qualities I coulde not rehearse in a daye no not the least part of them And they all do pertayne not onelye vnto the glorye of religion but also vnto the greatnes of the temptatioÌ„ For who woulde eyther suspect such a maÌ„ of so excelleÌ„t wit so great knowledge of so wonderfull grace Or woulde not rather vse that sentence that I had leuer erre with Origent hen to thinke trueth with other What nedes many wordes It came to this passe that the moste dauÌ„gerous teÌ„ptation of so notable a person so great a mayster so hiegh a prophet allured very many from the integrite of their faythe Wherfore the same Origen whilest he more insolentlye abuseth the grace of God whilest he ouermuche trusteth to hys owne witte and iudgement slenderlye regardeth the auncient simplicitie and presumyng to be more wise then other doeth contemne the traditions of the churche and the preceptes of thelders He at length taketh vpon him to interpretate expound certen partes of the scriptures after a new guyse Wherby he hath also deserued that of him it shoulde be sayde Si sura rexerit in medio tui Propheta non audias verba illius prophetae quia tent at uos dominus deus uester vtrum dÃligatÃs eum an non That is to say If there aryse amonge you a Prophet thou shalte not heare the voyce of that Prophet because the Lorde your God tempteth you whether you loue him or not Doubtlesse it is not onelye a temptacion but a very great temptacion when he on whome the congregation of Christ doth wholly stai vnto whoÌ„ the churche leneth allured by the admiration of his witte knowledge eloquence conuersation and grace whiche were all wonderfull in him doeth sodaynlye traduce the same nothing fearinge or suspectynge from the auncient religion into newe prophanities But some man wyll saye that the bookes of Origen are corrupted I doe not withstande that Yea I would that Origens bokes wer corrupt rather then Origen him selfe And that his bookes are corrupted diuers aswell of the catholykes as heretikes haue firmed How be it this it is that we ought now to attend that if not Origen him selfe yet the bokes put furth in his name were a great temptacioÌ„ Which scatterynge full of foule blasphemies were read and receyued for his and not for anye other mans In so muche that al be it in conceyuynge anye errour it was not the minde of Origen yet to the persuasion of errour the authoritie of Origen maye seeme muche to preuayle The like may be spoken of Tertullian Tertullian a man no lesse notable and famous amongest the Latines then was Origen amongest the Greekes For what coulde be more excellent then this man Who more exercised in the holy scriptures and in all other
¶ 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 Frenche man borne aboue .xi. hundred yeres paste for the comforte of all true Christian men against the most pernitious and detestable crafte of heretikes whiche 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 Ouenes highnes authorised to be sette furthe for the reliefe of diuers Englishe menne whiche yet stande in doubte whether they maye goe to heauen in the peace and vnitte of Christes vniuersal churche or to hell in the dissention and confusion of heretikes AR 1693 W. Bect. 1856 ¶ To the most excellent and moste vertuous ladye and our moste gracious soueraigne Marie by the grace of God Quene of Englande Fraunce Naples Hierusalem and Irelande Defendour of the faith princesse of Spaigne Sicilie Archeduchesse of Austria Duchesse of Millaine Burgundie and Braband Loūtesse of Haspurge Flaunders Tyrole Your Maiesties moste faithfull louinge and obedient subiecte Iohn Proctor wissheth all grace longe peace quiet raygue from God the father the sonne and the holy Ghost WE haue with our gret harmes longe tried nothing to be more perilous thē wicked follye armed with princely authoritee Blessed be the heauenly God moost gracious Mary we nowe sauour what inestimable good thinge is godly wisedome coupled with power imperiall The first nedeth not proffe for all haue felt and none can denay I hother is nowe in vre that wordes were vaine to declare where deedes are present plentuouslye to shewe What glorie hereof riseth vnto youre maiestie I neither can expresse as I would nor yet wil as I may hauing experience of your graces nature delighted to do the beest in all and least of al to heare of it againe Sparing therfore to praise whō none but the wicked cā dispraise I yet with other can not but reioyce that so high wisedome so heauenlye inclination is nowe by Gods prouidence matched with semblable authoritie of highe gouernaunce that what Godlye wayes for the maintenaūce of Gods honour and the wealth of this realme youre grace of heauenlie inclination hath tofore wished whē ye could not require of high wisdome hath thought right to be done when ye lacked might to doo the same hensfurthe your maiestie of right may will and of authoritie commaunde that where as heretofore vnder men of courage more stoute to doo their wyll then godlye deuoute to doo thinges wel the trueth of Gods word and the zeale of good workes haue detaied so hereafter vnder Mary a lady of he auenly simplicitie the liuely sparke of godly loue may eftsones kindle that was extinct the bright sterre of Euangelike lighte maye shine that was obscured the righte vaine of heauenlye doctrine maye appere that was stopped vp If all could that woulde your highnes shoulde lacke no helping handes to further youre maiesties godlye purposes Amongest them that haue muche good wyll and litle power I haue alwayes claimed to be one and nowe for maintenaūce of that claime I do moost humbly beseche your highnes to accepte this litle worke whiche presently I present vnto your grace that beinge accepted and authorised by your highnes it mighte finde fauoure with other that can not but like what your wisedome hath not mislyked Wherein I haue expressed bothe my humble and loyall hart towardes your maiestie also my vehement affection towardes my naturall countreemen and most earnest desire of their happie retourne home to trueth that haue so long straied from home in errour And for asmuche as many seme to stray because they knowe not their home nor the waye thither I haue deuised for them a perfect table wherin our home is lyuelye set furth and the waye also thither Our home I cal the catholike church the true spousesse of Christ our most louinge mother The way to this home is to folowe her ordinaunces and lawes This haue I done howe euer the dede be liked with other if youre maiestie allowe the intent of the doer I haue a great portion of my desire The grace and blessing of God be with your highnes euer and euer Amen Your highnesse true and faiethfull oratour Iohn Proctor THE PROLOGVE TO HIS DEER brethren and naturall countree men of Englande IN this newe and miraculous raign of mercifull Mary our newe and mooste lawefull Quene gouernesse wherin we see so many good olde orders newely restored and so many new erronious nouelties antiquated and made olde I haue had a vehement desire dere brethren to exhibite vnto you some newe gifte and token therby to witnesse the great gladnes newly engendred in my harte of so many newe occasions And emongest all other giftes that myght commende the gyuer and aduauntage the receyuer I finde none either fitter for me to geue or better for you to receiue or more agreable for thys presente tyme then if I should renewe some old treasure and present you with some auncient Iewel the vse wherof might bothe increase knowledge in you to discerne the worthye value of olde and aūcient Iewelles of late daies not regarded and expell also from you blind grosse ignoraunce to the vtter defacinge of suche newe fantasticall pelfrie counterfaite trashe as latelye haue been estemed I am muche deceiued but I haue founde suche a Iewell for you as for the findinge I myght haue prayse and you pleasure in hauinge for the gyuinge I might deserue commendation you receaue consolation in the vsinge of it For what pleasure without Christ what consolation canne be had without the trueth of his heauenlye worde There is one onely waye to Thriste one onely meane to the trueth of his word This way who euer hath trased neuer missed Christe Thys meane who euer hathe obserued was neuer seduced by falshode This waie to Christ this meane to trueth is the gifte whiche I purpose in this newe face of so newe and happye worlde to gyue you It is a Iewell soo muche worth as your soules health is worth It is a treasure of so muche value and efficacie as wherwith God is pleased and heauen wōne It is a talet of such speciall propertie as neither time can diminishe nor violence deface nor vse weare it Thys waye to Christe this meane to trueth is by a generall name called Ecclesia catholica the catholyke Churche whiche is our mother we her children Without this mother as there is no waye to heauen where Christ is Porta emm coeli est Gene xxviii for she is the gate of heauen wherby we must entre to Christe so is there no trueth i. Cimo .iii. but what she alloweth Columna enim firmamentu veritatis est For she is the piller and foundation of trueth None canne sucke the sweete mylke of Christe his comfortable word but frō her pappes August in erpositione
this mother there can be no health in you but all diseases there can bee no knowledge in you but al ignoraunce there can be no hoope of lyfe lefte in you but assurednes of deathe Yea ye can not be of God but of the deuyl Qui matrem ecclesiam relinquit August in sym bolo ad Catechumenod Libro mi. cap. r. quomodo est in Christo qui in membris eius nō est Quomode est in Christo qni in corpore Christi non est Ne that leaueth his mother the church sayeth S. Austen howe may he be of Christ whiche is not of his membres Nowe maye he be in Christ whiche is not in the bodie of Christ The bodie of Christ is the churche If you wil be healthfull come home and haue it If you couet knowledge come home and sucke it at your mothers brestes in forme and maner as it shall please her and not you If you wil haue life come home bide at home with our louinge mother where deathe ne hell can preuail against you If you wil be of god come home and be incorporate into the bodie of God and man Iesus Christe and then the deuil shall haue no power ouer you Do thus and you shall be assured to inherite heauen where that wicked harlot and her hareheades shal neuer come you shal doubtlesse possesse the celestiall Paradise which that wicked maistres and her minstrelles can neuer entre You shall receiue eternite which that hereticall churche and her chyckines shall neuer haue Their disobedience and false beleife shal tomble them together into hel your true obedience and faieth shall mounte you to heauen They as vnfaithfull rebelles shal be destitute of all heauenlie grace you as obedient and faithfull children shal be supported with the maiestie of Angels For them euerlasting tormentes are appointed for you heauenlye ioyes preparedeuer to ēdure Thei shal perishe wicked with the wicked you shall raigne sanctified with saintes I feare not but you that are at home wiltarie at home for feare of so many daūgers and I mistrust not but you that are from home wyll make hast homeward allured with so many benefites There is no doubte if cloked crafte begile you not if flattering fawninge of that deceiteful auoutresse hold you not but that you wyll make spede as I said to come home againe that haue straied from home so longe But as at home with our mother there is no lacke of trueth so that harlot our cruell stepmother lacketh no crafte to entrap and entangle you no falshood no flatteringe to allure and intice you Come vnto me saith she for here is Christ here is health here is saluaciō Thus the Ape can ruffle in purple thus the Asse can strowt in the Lyons skynne thus the iarringe Iaye canne counterfeicte the pleasaunt note of the nightingale But beware brethren be not deceaued It is and euer hath been the practise of the deuill and his ministers by coulor of trueth to perswade falshood vnder the cloke of good to bringe in al euil Our true mother the true church is but one in all respectes but one only one in one vniforme vse of one Baptisme sacramētes one faith one spirite This mother is not a mother of a fewe but of many her power is not particular but vniuersall as she is extended through all the foure partes of the earth her glorie diffused in the whole world For of her it is saied Dabo tibi gentes haereditatem tuā possessionem tuam terminos terrae I wyll giue the nations thine inheritaunce and the extremities of the earthe shal be thy possession This our mother the true churche hateth not light loueth not to lurke in corners where she maye not be seene but as her power hath euer more been vniuersall so vniuersally she hath been at all tymes aperte plaine and manifest For how can she be obscure and hidden saith fainte Austē Quae obtinuit omnes gentes is that citie of whiche it is spoken Non potest abscondi ciuitas super montem constituta The citie cannot be hid which is set vppon a mountaine Our lorde hath set hys tabernacle in the sōne saith the propher his tabernacle is our mother the catholike church saith S. Austē which is set in the bright sonne not in the darke shade whiche walketh openly by daye and not preuilye by night Whose aduersarie the hereticall churche is of a contrary nature For she neither is vniuersall nor at all tymes but at some certaine time and in some one certaine place And againe she goeth and commeth preuilie and in her doinges there is no vnitie no certeintie at all Her ministers are diuided now they dreme one thinge nowe an other this daye they like to morowe they mislike one is against an other of them euen in the highest mysteries of Christ his religion Who list to cōsidre their writinges shall proue true that I saie Howe be it experience of their doinges without readinge of their bookes mighte perswade vs of Englande what thei were and wherehence they be that yeres past haue been preachers and teachers here amongest vs that haue persecuted our true mother the vniuersall churche of Christ and haue set vp their lorde Antichriste and his hereticall churche What orders what forme of religion haue they set furth sins their firste raigne that shortly after they altered not Whiche three of them amougest them all that agreed together in their matters No marueill for the deuill is their chiefe head whō they serue and he is full of lyes variaunce diuision and discorde And vnder him their scholemaisters were Hus Luther Zuinglius Decolampadius Bucer Melanethon Tindall Frythe whiche in their doctrine agree not one with an other Such maisters suche scholers come of them And this diuision this vncōstancie of doctrine was a manifest token that they were not the children of oure true mother the catholike churche nor ministers of Christ but the children of the deuill and ministers of Antichrist yea very Autichristes For who soeuer saith S. Austen is gone from the vnitie of the catholike churche he is become Antichrist Those Antichristes haue borne a great stroke here nowe to longe time in Englande in whom was no constācie no staye no stedfastues of religion and doctrine Howebeit thei al agreed wel in some thinges They all woulde be as proude as headdy as false and suttle as the deuill their father wherhence they came They al would haue wyues longe berdes and finally no olde trueth or fashions but all newe knackes and fansies as their scholemaisters lyked Bucer c. of whō they were taught Yet woulde they bere vs in haud the they wer catholike christiās But howe can ye be catholike christiaus saith sainte Austen in his treatise vpon sainte Iohn his Epistle that do not communicate and agre to the vnitie of doctrine and faith whiche is receiued and vsed through all christianitie They woulde be counted true preachers of the
handes of other that then they carpe not or rashelye disproue any thing therein conteined whereof is promised a reformation and amendement Nowe therefore to come to the matter it selfe I haue with greate studie and earnest diligence manye times sought and that of verie many godlye and learned men howe and by what certaine and generall rule I mighte trye and throughly discerne the veritie of the catholike faithe from the falshood of wicked heresye the true preacher of Christe from the false minister of Antichriste And I haue receiued of them all at all tymes thys one onlye aunswere that whether I A rule or anye other man woulde perfitely knowe and perceiue the trecherie falshood 〈…〉 Wherfore it is verie necessarie for the auoydinge so greate daungers of diuers errours doubtes that the lyne of the Propheticall and Apostolicall scripture be drawen and directed along according to the rule and exposition of the catholike churche Lykewise in the catholyke churche we oughte seriously to regard and take hede that we faythfully hold that whiche is euery where alwaies and of algenerally receiued obserued and beliued for that is properly catholike Catholike as by the Etimologie of the terme catholike doth appeare whiche comprehendethe all vniuersally And this shall we doo Vniuersalitie Auncientie Consent if we ensue and folowe the vniuersalitie the auncientie the consent of the churche These thre pointes he must firmely holde that wil be counted catholike and desireth to continue in the faieth of the catholike churche with out whiche there is no saluation Of these three pointes I shall teache as I haue learned And touchinge the firste we shall not misse to folowe the vniuersalitie if we hartely confesse acknowledge that faieth to be the true christian faieth whiche the vniuersall Churche throughoute the whole world dothe confesse and acknowledge Touchinge the seconde we shall assuredlye folowe the auncientie if we stray not from the censures and iudgementes of the auncient holy and catholike fathers Touching the third we shal rightlye folowe the consent and vnitie if in that antiquitie we admit imbrace and allowe the difinitions iudgementes and censures of all or the moost parte of the saied holie fathers Nowe what shall the catholike Christian man doo if any one particle of the churche hathe deuidid if selfe from the communion of the vniuersall faith What els shoulde he doo but preferre the helth safetie of the whole body before the corrupte and pestiferous membre What if some new contagion inuade the churche and laboureth to cōmaculate and corrupte not a parcell onely but a whole congregation Then let him cleue to antiquitie whiche cannot be seduced by anye crafte of noueltie What if in the selfe same antiquitie we shall trye that twoo or thre yea whole cities and pro uinces haue erred Then in any wise he ought to prefer before the rashenes temeritie ignoraūce of a few that decrees determinations of an vniuersal coūsell What if no suche decrees of any vniuersall counsell can bee founde in some case as some suche may befall Then shall he diligently conferre searche and considre the bookes and monumentes of the auncient fathers of the churche and receiue their iudgementes Whiche although they were neither of one place neither of one tyme yet are one in the communion and faieth of one catholike church And what soeuer these sages wyth one consent manifestlie haue defended written and taughte the same ought he beleue without all doubt For the better vnderstanding of that whiche I haue said I wyll set furthe the same one after an other by examples and declare thē more at large least whiles I study to be short I slēderly passe ouer the weight of the matter In the tyme of Donate that heretike Donate of whom suche as maintaine his heresies be called Donatistes what time a great part of Affricke had tombled them selues headlong into the goulfe of the pernitious errors of the said Donate and forgettinge their religion and profession preferred the cursed and blasphemous temeritie of one vayne man before the vnitie of the churche then throughe Affricke suche as detested that prophane scisme adhered fast to the vniforme consente of Christes vniuersal church they only of them all mought be said vnto their posteritie leauinge a speciall fourme howe hereafter the wisedome of al vniuersally ought more to be estemed then the madnes of a fewe singular persons in anye weightie matter concerning our faieth Likewise what time the pestilent poyson of the Arrians Arrians had infected not one portion but almost the whole worlde in somuche that in maner all the byshoppes of the Latine churche partlye by force partly by craft circumuented were wōderouslie perplexed and amased what were best to be done folowed in so great confusiō of matters Then whosoeuer was the true worshipper and louer of God the same was not infected with the skorfe of that fylthye contagion but preferred the auncient faith and vnitie of Christes vniuersall church before the new forged trecherie and falshood of certaine singular newe fangled harebraines And what calamitie howe great miserie dothe ensue innouation of religion the bringing in of suche newefanglenes contrarie to the vnitie of the catholike churche it is moost cleare and verie euident by that whiche folowed in the time of these Arrians For then all kinde of thinges both great and small went to wracke affinities cognations amities houses and families were deuided yea whole cities peoples prouinces nations And finally the whole Empire of Rome was merueilouslye distourbed For when that prophane noueltie of the Arrians as it were some Bellona or infernall furie the Emperour himselfe being firste bewitched withall had ones brought all the heades and nobles of the courte in subiection vnto that newe lawe sessed not after to disturbe vexe and confounde all maner of thinges bothe priuate and publique holye and prophane without discrepaunce of good and badde to disquiet and hurte whome she listed and howe she liked Then were wiues violated widowes desolated virgins defloured monasteries suppressed clearks persecuted deacons buffeted priestes hated thē were gayles prisons dongeons stuffed full of good and godly men of whō some were banished from cities and townes and compelled among wilde beastes caues and rockes in desertes in greate neede famine and thirst to end their miserable lyfe Suche miserie dothe certainely ensue and folowe whensoeuer for the heauenlye doctryne humaine superstitions are broughte in when well gounded antiquitie is vndermined throughe wicked noueltie when the orders and institutions of our elders are violated the decrees of the fathers broken the definitions of our auncetours neglected whē the pernitious desire of newefangled curiositie kepeth not it selfe within the commendable limites of the sacred and incorrupte antiquitie Some perchaūce wil thinke that I speake this of affectiō and hatred that I beare to innouations Whosoeuer thinketh soo let him at lest wise geue credite to s Ambrose in this behalf S. Ambrose
who in his seconde booke vnto Themperoure Gratian deploringe and lamentinge the cruell bitternes of that tyme writeth in thys wyse O almightie god we haue now sufficientlie purged and cleansed the slaughter of thy confessours the murder of thy ministers the wickednes of soo great impietie with our bloude and with oure destruction Thou hast now sufficiently declared that they cannot be saued whiche haue uiolated broken thy catholike faith Likewise in the thirde booke of the same worke Let us obserue therfore saith S. Ambrose the preceptes of thelders let us beware through presūptuous temeritie to uiolate the seales of oure inheritaunce The fast sealed booke of the prophet nor thi seniours nor the powers nor the Angelles ne Archaungelles durste unseale To Christ onely was the prerogatiue reserued to open the same The boke of Apostolike fathers who of us dare open being sealed by so many confessours and halowed with the bloud of so many godlie martyrs They were holie confessours and martyrs howe maie we dense their faithe whose uictorie we commende Yea playnelye holye S. Ambrose we commende and greatlye alowe thē For who is so mad who so euyl disposed that wisheth not to trace and folowe their steppes all if he cannot ouertake them whom no violence no crueltie no kinde of death coulde terrifie whome no allurementes of worldlie felicitie no hope of life no desire of libertie no flatterie of frendshippe coulde withhold from the defense of the faieth whiche their auncetours had Whom I say our heauenly lord for their cōstancie in the aūcient faieth iudged worthie by whō his diuine maiestie mighte restore his churches beinge greuouslie mangled reuiue and quicken vp the spirites of well disposed people merueilouslye discomforted set vp and restore againe the holye ordre of hys priesthood beinge trode vnder foote and by whom finally his inscrutable prouidence mought with the bloude of so innocente martyrs cleanse the people being pitiouslye defiled with the stinkinge frothe of daungerous heresies And with the plentifull teares of so godlye by shoppes washe cleane awaye and vtterly deface suche newefangled not properly writīges but rather wrestinges of well written verities And so reuoke almoost the whole worlde frome pestilent heresies vnto the most certaine trueth of hys worde from altering noueltie vnto the sounde and constante auncientie from newetangled fantasies vnto the approued iudgment of his catholike Churche But in this heauenly constācie this is to be noted and earnestlie to be considered of vs that in the auncientie of the Church they defēded nat any one singular part but the catholyke that is to witte the vniuersal faith vniuersallie receiued Neither is it leefull to thinke that suche and so many sage and learned fathers would with suche constauncie affirme maintaine and defende the dreaines of one or two persones A rule or would for the fantasticall conspiracie as it were of one smale prouince cōtende euen to deathe But they imbracinge and faithfullye ensuing the decrees censures and definitions of all the ministers of the holye Churche and of the apostolike veritie had rather to deliuer their bodies vnto moost cruell tourmentes then to be deliuered from the auncient beliefe rather to be ouerthrowen by their enemies to death thē to geue ouer their catholike faith whereby they shoulde lose the hope of life at Goddes handes Thus losing al to wyn Christ suffering themselues willingly to be ouercome of al that truth might ouercome by them they haue pourchaced vnto theire name suche inestunable glorie that they be moost rightlye reputed and accompted not onlye confessors but the princes and cheife heades of all other confessors and Martyrs Wherefore this diuine and heauēly example of these blessed fathers ought to be a special president vnto all singular Catholike mē worthie in cōtinual meditation to be recorded who in maner of the seuenfolde candelsticke braushing which the seuēfold light of the heauenly spirit haue foreshowen vnto all their posteritee a verye manifest and cleare forme howe hereafter in al vprores of vaine errours the vnaduised temeritie of fantasticall innouation ought to be repressed vtterly to be suppressed by the authoritie of holy An tiquitie and by the force of the vniuersal consent of Christ his churche This hath not been straunge amonges the fathers of the Churche For euermore the holyer the better disposed any haue been the more ernest prompt and ready he hath been alwayes to withstand newe inuentions Examples hereof are plentie But to auoide tediousnes I wyll passe ouer many only recite one whereby it may be euident vnto all with howe great care studie and contention the blessed succession of the Apostles haue at all tymes defended the integritie of the religion once allowed receyued by the consent of the vniuersall Churche Agrippinus So it was therefore that Agrippinus bishop of Carthage first of all other thought good to be rebaptised contrary to the canon and rule lefte by the Apostles contrarye to the custome or order of the elders contrary to the general consent of the Clergie Which presumption of his raysed vp so much mischiefe that therby was geuen not onelye matter of factious sacrylege to Heretikes but also to certayne catholikes occasion of errour Howe be it on euerye syde eche good man withstod it earnestly Stephen But Stephen of honourable memorie then byshoppe of Rome with certayne other godlye men most vehementlye of all other did resist that fantasye of Agrippinus And in an Epistle sent vnto Affrike vpon that occasion he ordeyned that nothinge ought to be altred or renewed but all thinges to be obserued and kept as thei were by tradition left For that holy and prudent father well perceyued that ther was not the true religion where all thinges are not receyued in lyke faythe of the children as they were lefte of the fathers where we be not led by religion but we lede religion whether we like And this is the propertie of christen sobrutie and grauitie not to deuise new sectes and fashions for his posteritie but with all his power to obserue the old and holsome lawes receyued of antiquitie What was then the ende of that busines raysed by Agrippinus Forsoth the vsuall and tofore obserued the auncient custome was reteyned the newe deuise vtterly refused But ye wyll say perchaunce Note that suche men lacke power and learninge to defende theyr new deuised opinions Yea they were so excellent in wit so stowing in eloquence and so many in numbre agayne they had so greate likelyhode of trueth and brought so many sentences of the scriptures for their purpose but wrongfully vnderstanded that assuredlye they coulde by no meanes haue been ouermated had not their matters quailed in them selues as moost vntrue and contrarye to the will of God To be shorte what shall I saye of the decrees passed in the counsell kepte by certain in Affrica Howe did God fauour the same Were not all thynges therein done accōpted as dreames abolyshed as fables abrogated and vtterlye
humayne letters then he Whose breste was farced vp with a most plenteous varietie of all maner of knowledge There was no sect of Philosophers no part of theyr studies whiche he had not sought and faithfully placed in the treasurye of remembraunce He so far excelled in grauitie and vehemencie of witte that he hath not at anye time almoste purposed to withstande or ouerthrow anye controuersie which either by finesse of witte or by wayghte of argumentes he archiued not The prayse of whose oration who can expresse Whiche was interlased wyth so greate necessitie of reason that it did impell and inforce to his opinion such as otherwyse he could not induce and perswade In which almost howe manye wordes so manye sentences be And howe many sentences so many victories A great many can recorde this and speciallye Marciones Apelles Praxee Hermogenes the Iewes the Gentiles the detestable heretikes called Gnostici Whose blasphemies he hath in great large volumes defaced and as it were with the violent stroke of percinge lightninge clene ouerthrowen And yet eueÌ„ this TertulliaÌ„ after al these godly practises not stedfastlye cleuing vnto the faithful shore of the catholik trueth the vniuersal and auncient faith beinge more eloqueÌ„t then happy more pregnaÌ„t in wit then coÌ„stant in faith forgetting as it wer him self his former profession did at length as the blessed confessor Hillary in a certaine place dothe wryte of him saiyng TertulliaÌ„ tracing and folowing error hath pluckte awaie authoritie from his probable writinges And he also hathe ben in the Churche a greate tempracion But I shall spare to speake any more of this man Onely thys shall I remembre that forasmuche as he mainteined the newfangled furies of Montanus beinge raysed in the Churche contrarie to Moyses precepte affirmed those mad dreames of newe doctrine deuised by worse then mad women to be true prophesies he therefore hath deserued that of him and his writynges it shoulde be said If a Prophet shal rise among you you shal not herkeÌ„ to the wordes of that prophet Wherefore Because saieth Moyses the lorde your god teÌ„pteth you whether you loue him or not By these other the lyke so many and so greate examples we maye euidentlye perceiue and by the lawes of Deuteronomie more clearly see and vnderstande that if at any tyme any ecclesiasticall prelate orlearned man shall erre from the catholike faith in any point that then the heauenlye prouidence dothe suffre the same to tempte and proue vs thereby whether we loue God or not in all our harte and in all our soule Wherfore seyng it is so he then is a true and perfecte catholike man whiche loueth the trueth of god which loueth the church the mysticall bodye of Christe whiche estemeth no singular mans authoritie witte or iudgemeÌ„t knowlege or eloquence aboue the true religioÌ„ of Christ whiche preferreth not the affection loue or frendeship of anye singular person before the vniuersall and catholike faith But despising all those thinges doth abide permanent and stable in faith and resolueth with him selfe to receiue hold and beleue which he knoweth the catholike Churche vniuersally and continually to haue receiued holdeÌ„ beliued And what euer new doctrine at any time after he shall perceiue to be brought in by any one either besides or aboue or contrarie and repugnant to that whiche the catholike fathers haue in consente agreid vpon he adiudgeth the same to pertaine not to religion but vnto temptation onely accordinge to the holesome doctrine of blessed S. Paule expressed in the firste epistle vnto the Corrinthians Oportet hÄ™reses esse ut probatimanifesti fÃant in uobis That is to saie Heresies must be to th ende that the proued may be made manifest amonge you As if he had saied the authors of heresies be not by by rooted oute but permitted for the time by God that euery man beinge proued maye be made manifest and euidentlye to appeare howe stedfaste faithful and sure louer he is of the catholike faith And in dede as oft as any noueltie riseth vp theÌ„ esely is the good corne tried by his weighte and the chaffe by his lightnes Then the good corn abideth within the floore notwithstandinge any puffe of noueltie And the chaffe is therwith lightly pufte out hauinge not the substauÌ„ce of good corne to keepe it within the floore of the catholike vnitie For theÌ„ we see howe some take their leaue shake handes for euer some other hange houerynge in the ayre and kepe them aloufe both fearing to depart and ashamed to retourne beynge wounded halfe dead and half aliue For why They haue receiued suche quantitie of the poyson as neither killeth ne can be digested neither forceth to dye ne suffereth to lyue Ah moost wretched and miserable condition In what restles cares are their hartes broyled trowe ye Now thei will nowe they nil one whyle they are violently plucked with the raised error where the wind of noueltie dryueth another while reuersed vpon them selues as contrarie waues they do relide and beate against the walles of theire owne conscience Nowe with foule hardie presuÌ„ption they approue that whiche semeth vncertaine now throughe causelesse feare they dreade and feare to coÌ„fesse such thinges as are moost certaine being al vncertaine which way to god or come what to desire and what to auoide what to hold or what to let passe Which affliction of so doubtfull wauering hart is no doubt the remedie and medicine of Goddes mercie towardes them if they be wise For beinge without the moost surest porte of the catholike faieth they are shaken beaten and almost slayne with the violente stormes of sondrye thoughtes to th ende that they put downe the sayles of proude minde whiche they had hoyssed alofte and vnaduisedlye had spreed to the windes of noueltie and that they ariue againe home warde into the quiet and calme hauen of their good and peaceable mother the churche where they myghte drinke the streemes of lyuelye and springing waters that thei vnlearne well whiche they learned not well and to prouoke them to forget with speede that whiche they receiued in ouer great hast And of the whole doctrine of the churche what can be comprehended in their vnderstandynge and reason to vnderstand the same and learne it by reason and what is aboue their capacitee of reason that same firmelye to beleue Thys beinge thus reuoluynge and many times recordynge the same with my selfe I cannot sufficientlye wondre at the greate madnes of certayne menne the greate impietie of blinded mindes and finallye the greate luste and desyre to erre that some haue that they cannot be contented with the auncient beleife taughte and receyued vniuersally in the churche but muste seke daylye newe gere Euermore couetynge to alter and innouate the religion eyther by adding some thing that is newe or by pullinge awaye parte of that whiche was olde As thoughe the religion of the churche were not an heauenlye decree but an earthly institucion whiche
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