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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A13839	A synopsis or compendium of the fathers, or of the most famous and ancient doctors of the Church, as also of the schoolmen Wherein is clearely shewed how much is to be attributed to them, in what severall times they lived, with what caution they are to be read, and which were their perfections, which their errors. A treatise most necessary, and profitable to young divines, and delightfull to all such whose studies in humanity take from them the leisure, though not the desire of reading the fathers; whose curiosity this briefe surveigh of antiquity will in part satisfie. Written in Latin by that reverend and renowned divine, Daniel Tossanus, chiefe Professor of Divinity in the University of Heidelberge, and faithfully Englished by A.S. Gent.; Synopsis de patribus. English	Tossanus, Daniel, 1541-1602.; Stafford, Anthony.	1635 (1635)	STC 24145; ESTC S118496	31,571	108

be our rule Also in his definitions quaest 98. Eos qui praesunt extra Scripturae Canonem nihil praecipere debere ne falsi Dei testes et sacrilegi inveniantur They saith he who rule the people ought to command nothing beyond the Canon of the Scriptures lest they befound false witnesses of God sacrilegious And in his Epistle of Apostasie to the Bishops of the West he complaines Semen Apostasiae spargi in illis ipsis Ecclesiis inquibus Evangelii doctrina primum per orbem manavit that the seed of Apostacy was sown in those very Churches whence the Doctrine of the Gospell was first spread through the world His works extant at this day are comprehended in three Tomes and are either doctrinall as Hexameron or of the world made in six daies eleven Homilies of the Divinity of the Sonne and that the holy Ghost is not a creature against Eunomius Where is to be understood that there were three Families of the Arians Arius held the Son to be equall to the Father but by grace not by Nature The Macedonians companions of the Arians affirmed the Sonne to bee like the Father but not the holy Ghost Eunomius held the Sonne to bee totally unlike the Father because the creature can by no meanes be like the Creator Saint Basil also wrote Sermons of the humane generation of Christ also of Baptisme Or his workes are expository as Sermons upon some of the Psalms a glosse upon the whole Psalter and the sixteene first Chapters of Esay Other of his works are Morall as his Sermons against drunkennesse of Wrath of Humility of Envy Also his Sermons called Asceticos or of the manners of Monks of those who aspire to an Angelicall Life The errours of S. Basilius are that hee too Hyperbollically extols fasting and a Monkish life though indeed hee describes such Monks as peculiarly exercise themselves in piety and good workes to whom the Monkes of our times are as much unlike as Crowes to Swans By the singular providence of God it came to passe that the heresies of the Arians and Pelagians beginning to spring up in the same time almost there arose famous Doctors to confute them For Hieronymus Stridonensis Pannonius lived in part of the time of Saint Ambrose and Saint Basil He was brought up at Rome and was famous in the yeare 390. He travelled over the greatest part of Europe to conferre with learned men and at length chose himselfe a place of abode in Iudaea in the fields of Bethlem where he wrote many of those things which at this day wee enjoy Hee is painted with a Cardinals Hat whereas hee rather led a Monasticke life and those red Hats were given in ages long after to some certaine Priests of the Roman Church by Pope Paul the second ann 1460. as Platina testifieth The stile of S. Hierome is elegant for he was learned and a great Linguist Hee wrote many things whereof some are Expositions upon the Psalms and upon the greater and the lesser Prophets also upon Saint Matthew and some Epistles of Saint Paul as to the Galatians and Ephesians For the Commentary which goes under his name upon the Epistle to the Romans savours too much of Pelagianisme which hee ever opposed Other of his writings are Controversiall and Apologeticall as against Helvidius concerning the perpetuall Virginity of the Virgin Mary against Iovinianus and Vigilantius Also against the Pelagians and an Apology against Ruffinus Some againe are Paraeneticall or instructive as of the life of Clergy men and concerning the Institution of a mother of the Family Hee seemeth to have a wit somewhat Arrogant and fiery which appeareth not onely by his sharpe writings and Epistles against Saint Austin but also that sometimes hee accuseth the Apostle Saint Paul himselfe of rudenesse of stile and ignorance in the Greeke tongue Beza often complaines of his wresting the Scriptures especially against Wedlocke See the Annotations of Beza on 1 Cor. 7. 1 Tim. 3. 1 Pet. 3. But it is remarkeable that although hee was an enemy to Wedlocke yet in his Age both Bishops and Priests were married for so he writeth in cap. 6. ad Ephes Legant haec Episcopi et Presbyteri qui filios suos saecularibus libris erudiunt Let those Bishops and Priests saith hee read these things who instruct their children in secular bookes But he often with too much bitternesse inveighes against Vigilantius and Iovinianus for contending with him that Wedlocke and single Life were of equall merit as also that the Rewards of the Just were alike in that life and that no choyce was to be made of Meats if they were received with thankes-giving that the ashes of Martyrs were not to be adored nor the Vespers to bee celebrated at their Scpulchers that the Saints deceased pray not for us Hee contended unseasonably with Saint Austin concerning Saint Peter that he never erred and that hee was reprehended by Saint Paul not seriously but in jest Gal. 2. How much the state of the Church was disturb'd in those Times appeares by that Learned booke of Epiphanius Bishop of Cyprus which he wrote against 80 Heresies which worke is worthy the perusall for the variety of story contained in it Then also lived Theodoret Bishop of the City Cyrus in Persia who wrote five bookes of the history of the Church and Polymorphum where in three Dialogues most worthy the reading he defends the truth of both Natures in Christ against the Hereticks of his time In the time of Arcadius and Honorius Emperours lived Iohannes Chrysostomus whose Eloquence and Zeale farre exceeded his knowledge in the Scriptures Wherefore he excels more in morals than in Doctrines and Expositions For oftentimes hee philosophizeth too subtilly Yet is hee often cited by our Divines in the interpretation of Greeke words especially in the Epistles of Saint Paul Vulgarus Theophilactus was afterward his imitator and abreviator but an Authour lesse pure It was reprehensible in Saint Chrysostome that hee was too chollericke and free of speech by which hee incurred the great displeasure of many Aurelius Augustinus by Nation an African ought not to be accounted the last amongst the Doctors of the Church Hee was instructed in Rhetoricke at Carthage and was a follower of the Maniches nine yeares together Hee relates a great part of his owne life in his Confessions Afterward being often admonished by Saint Ambrose or rather converted by God upon the abundant teares and prayers of his mother hee turned into the right way and succeeded Valerius Bishop of Hippona in Africa about the yeare 390. He sustained many sharpe Conflicts with the Maniches Arians Donatists and Pelagians whom he confuted by learned writings and personally by word of mouth Hee dyed a little before the first Ephesine Councell when Hippone was besieged in the yeare of his Age 76. Gregory 1. Bishop of Rome had his workes in so great esteeme that hee thus writes lib. 8.

the Fathers or other men were injustice and contumely against the holy Ghost himselfe especially since our Faith doth not consist in wisedome or in the words of men but in the power of God or in the evident proofes of the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 2. 8. Wherefore Saint Austine writeth thus against the Donausts lib. 2. cap. 3. Quis nescit sanctam Scripturam Canonicam tam veteris quam novi Testamenti omnibus posterioribus Episcoporum literis ita praeponi ut de illa omnino dubitari et disceptari non possit Episcoporum autem literis quae post confirmatum Canonem vel scriptae sunt vel scribuntur a doctioribus libere reprehendi et particularia Concilia a plenariis et haec quoque a posterioribus emendari Who knoweth not the holy Scripture Canonicall as well of the old as New Testament so farre to excell all the writings of the later Bishops as that there needs no doubt or dispute thereof and that the workes of Bishops which have beene or are now written after the confirmed Canon may bee freely reprehended by the more learned and that particular Councels may be amended by Generall and these also by the Successive 9. Moreover Whereas many complaine of the obscurity of the Scriptures wee ought to make no scruple thereof there being greater obscurity lesse purity and certainety in the writings of men as plainly manifest the almost infinite Commentaries upon Peter Lombard and not a few animadversions of the Sorbonists upon him Cum it a sit temperata Scripturae obscuritas they be the words of Saint Austine lib. 3. de Doct. Christ ut facile quis se possit expedire modo cum similibus et apertioribus locis Scripturae locum obscuriorem conferamus et imprimis oculos a scopo non dem●veamus et quod in uno idiomate non intelligimus ex alio cognoscere studeamus Whereas the obscurity of the Scriptures is so temper'd that wee may easily explaine it if we conferre the obscure place with places more open and perspicuous especially if wee move not our eyes from the scope and what wee understand not in one tongue wee study to know by another 10. Lastly the Fathers have often erred as also the Schoolemen as the Papists themselves confesse but that the Scriptures are voyd of all error no Christian doubteth 11. It is enquired therefore whether there bee any need of reading the Fathers and ancient Doctors and if it bee needfull how much wee ought attribute to them 12. To read the Fathers profitably no man forbiddeth but it is not necessary to reade them all neither are they promiscuously to bee read by all persons neither to the same proper end that wee read the Scriptures 13. They are not presently to bee accounted the writings of the Fathers that are fathered on them As for example Some things passe under the name of one Dionissius Areopagita others under that of Origen whereof part were forged by idle Monks part were falsly attributed to those Fathers as also many Legends of Saints Neither hath every man such light and knowledge of the Scriptures as may enable him to judge of the Fathers whom wee reade not as Foundations of our Faith 14. Civitas Dei saith Austin lib. 19. de Civit Dei c. 18. dubitatîonem Academicoram tanquam Dementiam detestatur credit Scripturis sanctis veteribus et novis quas Canonicas appellamus unde fides ipsa concepta est qua justus vivit per quam sine dubitatione ambulamus The City of God detests all the doubts of the Academicks as meere madnesse She beleeves the sacred Scriptures both old and new which are called Canonicall from whence Faith it selfe is derived wherby the Just shall live by which wee walke with full assurance 15. Wherefore Christ and the Apostles when they taught did not cite the Rabins nor any Father before them but Moses and the Prophets nor was it in vaine decreed in the third Councell of Cartharge that nothing should be read in the Church but the Canonicall Scriptures 16. But the Fathers are read and are often cited in the Schooles partly that wee may see the consent of the ancient Church concerning the principall Heads of Doctrine after they were first constituted by the sacred Scriptures and partly that we may know the History of the Church and discerne her inclination who as witnesseth Eusebeus lib. 3. Hist cap. 29. after the Apostles times remained not long a Virgin nor long retained her faith incorrupted partly also that wee may accommodate to our use the many pious admonitions and consolations savouring of the very spirit of Martyrdome together with the many elegant similitudes comparisons as somewhere saith Erasmus 17. And wee reade so that wee may try all as admonisheth Saint Hierom in epist ad Minerium Meum est prepositum Antiquos legere probare singula retinere quae bona sunt et a fide verae Ecclesiae Catholicae non recedere It is my purpose to reade the Aneients to prove every particular to retaine that which is good and not to fall from the Faith of the true Catholike Church 18. The same in a manner writes Saint Austine to Bishop Fortunatianus Neque enim inquit quorumlibet Disputationes quamvis Catholicorum et laudatorum hominum velut Scripturas Canonicas habeee debemus ut nobis non liceat salva honorificentia quae illis debetur hominibus aliquid in eorum Scriptis reprobare atquerespuere si forte inveniamus quod aliter senserint quam veritas habet Talis ego sum in Scriptis aliorum tales volo esse inttllectores meorum Neither saith he ought wee to have the Disputations of any in the same esteeme with the Canonicall Scriptures although they bee men truly Catholike and praise-worthy nor to lose the freedome paying the reverence due to them of censuring their writings if wee finde any thing in them not consonant to Truth Such am I in the workes of others such would I have the understanders of mine 19. Wherefore the madnesse of them is great who without choyce would simply admit all the sayings of the Fathers which often contradict each other and as often digresse from the Truth 20. Lapsus est a fide et crimen maximae Superbiae saith Saint Basil in oration de confession fidei velle a Scripturis recedere veleas solas cum agitur de side molle admittere Christus enim ait suas oves suam vocem audire non alterius It is a falling from the faith and a crime of the highest Arrogancy to forsake the Scriptures or when Faith is our Theme not to receive them onely For Christ saith His Sheepe heare his voyce not anothers 21. Wherefore Saint Austine when Cyprians authority was urged against him concerning Baptisme of Heretickes answered that hee held not the Epistles of Saint Cyprian for Canonicall and when Saint Hierome had cited three or foure Fathers touching the reprehension of Saint Peter by Saint Paul hee replyed that hee also

could quote the Fathers but hee had rather appeale to the sacred Scriptures 22. For it is certaine that Saint Cyprian dissented from the Church about the Baptisme of Heretickes and that Tertullian being bewitch'd by the Montanists wrote some Tracts against the Tenents of the Church as also that Saint Lactantius and others were too much addicted to the opinions of the Chiliasts and Platonists and as true it is that many things are ascribed to the Fathers falsely which savour neither of their stile faith nor piety as shall bee shewed in its proper place 23. Moreover it is most sure that Councels have often erred and that those things which had beene well constituted by some Councels were overthrowne by others Yea and in the Nicene Councell it selfe an unjust sentence had beene pronounced against the marriage of Priests had not one Paphnutius an old man opposed it In that Councell also there was an over-hard Canon written against them who after a Confession of faith once made did fight for their Princes 24. Not without reason therefore is that of Panormitanus a Doctor of the Common Law De Elect. cap. significasti Magis credendum Laico si Scriptaras adferat quam Papae et toti Concilio si absque Scripturis agant We owe a greater beleefe to a Lay man producing the Scriptures than to the Pope and a whole Councell if they determine any thing without them 25. They erre therefore who would have the common opinion passe for a Law preferring the multitude of humane Testimonies before the Scriptures 26. But some will say Heretickes beleeve not the Scriptures and therefore we must have recourse to the authority of the Fathers To which I answer that they will lesse beleeve the Fathers and the Church as appeareth in the Ecclesiasticall History by the Arians and Nestorians who after the Councels of Nice and Ephesus and the crees of the Fathers became more obstinate than before 27. Whereas therefore the Evangelicall Divines of Wormes anno 57. when they affirmed the holy Writ onely to bee the Judge of Controversie being asked thereupon whether or no thereby they meant to take away all authority from the Fathers answer'd that they willingly would receive the Fathers which lived in the first 500. yeares after Christ it is not so to be understood as if they did simply approve them in all things which the very Papists themselves doe not but comparatively that the corruption of Doctrine was lesse in those times than in the Ages following although there were not wanting who after those 500. yeares retained the Apostolicall Doctrine in many points as Fulgentius Vigilius Leo Bishop of Rome Bernard and Damascene himselfe especially if you consider the Doctrine of the person of Christ 28. It remaineth that we answer them who demand what is to be done when places are produced out of those first Fathers which seeme somewhat to confirme the opinions of the Papists or the errors of others as in prayer for the dead the sacrifice of the Masse Free-Will c. To this I answer First that proofes of opinions are to be derived from the Scriptures and the rule of Saint Paul to bee strictly observed 2 Cor. 13. Wee can doe nothing against the Truth but all for the Truth Secondly wee must compare many places together Thirdly wee must consider how and secundum quid any thing is spoken by the Fathers Fourthly we must distinguish the Authenticke books from the Bastard and supposed or suspected as are the bookes Hypognosticon of S. Austin and of Questions of the old and new Testament of a blessed life and many more not rellishing like the doctrine or stile of S. Austin as Erasmus and Iacobus Hermerus rightly observe THE SECOND PART Of the Writings of the Fathers whereof some are publike and some private CHAP. I. Of the Canons which they call the Apostles Canons and are wont to bee inserted in the first Tome of Councels in the beginning THere are certaine Canons publisht in the Greeke Tongue which they call the Apostles Canons some maintaining that they were collected by Clement the Successor of Saint Peter but it is manifest that Rapsody to have beene written long after the times of the Apostles for there are many things spoken of utterly unknowne to the Apostles dayes As of celebrating the Paschall Feast before the Vernall Aequinoctiall of gold and silver vessels sanctified of Clergy men and Lay-men c. Withall it is unjust that the Papists should object against and impose upon us those Canons which they themselves in many things observe not as the Canon of Clergy men taken in Tavernes to bee denyed the Communion of all the faithfull entring the Church who are commanded to heare and communicate the Scriptures as also the Canon that no Bishop or Priest put away his wife under the pretext of Religion c. Lastly in Gratianus himselfe Dist 16. those Canons by the authority of one Isidorus are numbred amongst the Apocripha although in another place by the authority of one Zephirinus they are simply received which contradiction the glosse cannot otherwise reconcile than by distinction of those Canons whereof some are Apostolicall and some suspected It stands otherwise with the Apostles Creed which hath authority above and is received before all other Confessions because almost all of it consists of the words of the Scripture it selfe and comes to us by Apostolicall Tradition See Cyprian and Ruffin in Symbol That Creed also is the Fountaine and Originall of all other Creeds For as Irenaeus rightly admonisheth lib. 3 cap. 1. Doctrina Apostolorum simpliciter pendemus nec cogitandum est alios doctiores aut sapientiores successisse Apostolis Wee meerely depend upon the Doctrine of the Apostles neither ought wee to thinke that any more wise or learned than they have succeeded them CHAP. II. Of Councels AFter the Apostles time there were Synods often assembled to decide Ecclesiasticall controversies and that before the Nicene Councell as about the Controversie concerning the Paschall Feast in the yeare of Christ 198. in Palestine and at Rome also against the Novatians at Rome and in Africa and against Paulus Samosatenus anno 278. to confute whose errour and blasphemy there is extant an excellent confession of Gregorius Neocaesariensis But those Synods before the Nicene were accounted but particular and provinciall because the persecution being so hot they could not conveniently call Generall Councels The Generall or Oecumenicall as Saint Augustine calls them are chiefly foure The first Nicene in the time of Constantine the great about the yeare 332. The first Constantinopolitane by Gratianus and Theodosius the elder anno 386. assembled against Macedonius and men of pneumaticall spirits The first Ephesine anno 435. called by Theodosius the younger against Nestorius The Chalcedonian in the reigne of the Emperour Martianus anno 456. In which were condemned Eutyches Abbot of Constantinople and Dioscorns Bishop of Alexandria To these foure universall Councels Beda and some others adde two more