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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
sense_n	church_n	interpretation_n	scripture_n	6,698	5	6.8649	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A14430	The golden treatise of the auncient and learned father Vincentius Lirinensis. For the antiquitie, and vniuersalitie, of the Catholicke religion: against the prophane nouelties of all heresies: newly translated into English by A.P. Verie profitable for all such as desire in these dangerous times, to imbrace the true Gospell of Iesus Christ, and to remaine free from all infectio[n] of false doctrine as in the preface more at large is declared; Pro catholicae fidei antiquitate libellus. English	Vincent, of Lérins, Saint, d. ca. 450.; A. P., fl. 1596.	1596 (1596)	STC 24748; ESTC S119131	43,517	126

harsh and course fitteth not thy taste then I truste that which is fine pleasant delicate will content thy humor Only I am to craue pardon that my rough rude English nothing aunswereth his smoothe and curious latin and therfore I could wish thee if skill serueth rather to cōmon and parle with the Author him selfe then to vse the helpe of his rude interpretor otherwise for such as be not of so deepe reading for whom especially I haue taken this paine I am to desire that they nothing dislike the soueraign medicine for the wodden box nor the exquisit and rare gemme for the course casket These be the reasons gentle Reader which especially moued me to the translating of this aunciēt and learned Father I beseech thee as thou tenderest the saluation of thine owne soule that thou wouldest voutsafe to reade him attentiuely in whom thou shalte see cleerelye as in a glasse the faith of our forefathers the religion of the primatiue Church and in him thou shalt finde by Gods word and authoritie of sacred scripture the madnes of all Heretickes crushed in peeces and that in a short methodicall and eloquēt treatise The holy Ghost which moued no doubt this auncient learned Father to the writing of this worke incline moue thy hart to the diligent reading and sincere folowing of the same A. P. VINCENTIVS LIRInensis for the Antiquitie and Vniuersalitie of the Catholicke faith against the prophane Nouelties of all Heresies THE holy scripture of GOD saying and warning vs in this sorte Aske thy Fathers and they shall tell thee thy elders Deut. 52 and they shall report vnto thee And againe Accommodate thy eares to the workes of wise men Likewise My sonne Prou. 22 Prou. 3. forget not these speeches but let thy hart keepe my wordes It seemeth vnto me a peregram and the least of Gods seruantes that it shall by his gratious helpe be a matter of no small profitte to set downe in writing what I haue of holy Fathers faithfully receaued being a thing very necessary for mine owne infirmitie hauing alwaies therby in readines how by daily reading therof I may helpe my weak memory Vnto which labour not only the profite to be reaped by the worke but also the very consideration of the time and opportunitie of the place moued and inuited me the time because reason it is that seing it consumeth and bereueth vs of all humane and earthly thinges that we should also take out of it something which may auaile vs to life euerlasting especially seing the terrible iudgement of God which we expect drawing neere vpon vs doth seriously inuite prouoke vs to increase our studies and exercises in religion and the fraudulent dealing of new Heretickes requireth much care and attētion The place because hauing forsaken the company and troubles of the world and chosen a solitarie Abbey in a litle towne for mine abiding where I may without any great distraction of mind put in practise that which is song in the Psalme Be vacant and see that I am God With which reasons also accordeth the purposed end and resolution Psa 45 of my whole state of life in that I haue by the helpe of Christ after long diuers stormes indured in the warres shrewded my selfe in the harbour of a religious life a secure port for all states of men where contemning the blastes of vanitie and pride I may pacifie god with the sacrifice of humilitie and so escape not only the shipwracke of this present life but also the fire of the next But now in the name of God will I set vpon that which I haue taken in hand that is to set downe in writing such thinges as our forefathers haue deliuered and committed to our charge vsing herein rather the fidelitie of a reporter then the presumption of an author meaning yet to keepe this rule in my writing not copiously to lay forth all but briefly to handle each necessary point neither that in fine and exacte wordes but in easie and cōmon speach in such sort that most things may seme rather touched then declared Let thē write delicately and penne curiously which trusting either vppon witte or moued with respect of dewty enterprise any such actiō but for me it is sufficient that for helping my memory or rather forgetfulnes I haue gathered togither this Commonitorie which notwithstanding by Gods grace I will daily endeuour by litle and little calling to mind such thinges as in times past I haue learned to correcte and make more perfect And this haue I thought good to forewarne that if haplye this worke of mine passing forth fall into the handes of Censurers they do not ouerhastely in it reprehend that which they vnderstand present promise to vndertake with future correction better to polish and amend CHAP. I. INQVIRING therefore often with great desire and attention of very many excellent holy learned men how and by what meanes I might assuredly and as it were by some generall and ordinary way discerne the true Catholicke faith from false and wicked Heresie To this question I had vsually this answere of thē all that whether I or any other desired to finde out the Note the ansvvere of many excellent holy and learned men fraud of Heretickes daily springing vp and to escape their snares willingly would continue safe and sound in religiō that he ought two maner of waies by Gods assistance to defend and preserue his faith that is first by the authoritie of the law of God secōdly by the tradition of the Catholicke Church Here some man perhaps may aske that seing the Canon of the scripture is perfect most aboundantly of it selfe sufficient for all thinges what need we ioine vnto it the autoritie of the church her vederstanding and interpretation The reason is this because the scripture being of it selfe so deepe and profound all men do not vnderstand it in one and the same sence but diuers men diuersly this man and that man this way that way expound and interpret the sayings therof so that to ones thinking so many men so many opinions almost may be gathered out of them for Nouatus expoundeth it one way Photinus another Sabellius after this sort Donatus after that Arius Eunomius Macedonius will haue this exposition Appolinaris and Priscillian will haue that Iouinian Pelagius Celestius gather this sence and to conclude Nestorius findeth out that and therfore very necessary it is for the auoiding of so greate windings and turnings of diuers errors that the line of expounding the Prophetes and Apostles be directed and drawen according to the rule of the ecclesiasticall Catholicke sence Againe in the Catholicke Church we haue greatly to consider that we hold that which hath bene beleeued euery where alwaies and of all men for that is truely and properly Catholicke as the very force and nature of the word doth declare which comprehendeth all thinges that be truely vniuersall and that shall we do

not brought forth of thee wherin thou must not be an author but akeeper not a beginner but a folower not a leader but a comer after Keepe the depositum Preserue the talent of the Catholicke faith pure and sincere that which is committed to thee let that remaine with thee and that deliuer vnto the people Thou hast receiued gold render then gold I will not haue one thing for another Do not for gold giue me either impudently leade or craftily brasse I will not the shew but the verie nature of golde it selfe O Timothie O Preiste O Teacher O Doctour if Gods gift hath made thee meete and sufficient for thy witt exercise and learning shew thy selfe Beseelel that diuine workeman in building of the spirituall tabernacle ingraue those pretious stones of Gods religion faithfully set them wisely adorne them put vpon them brightnes giue them grace giue thē bewtie That which men before beleeued obsourely let them by thy exposition vnderstand more cleerly Let posteritie reioice for comming to the knowledge of that by thy means which antiquitie without that knowledge had in veneration Yet for all this in such sort deliuer what thou hast learned that albeit thou teachest newly and after a new maner yet thou neuer preach a new religion and deliuer a new faith CHAP. XIII BVT peraduenture some will say shall we then haue no increase of religion in the Church of Christ no growing on no proceeding forward To which I answere and say Let vs a-Gods name haue the greatest and most that may be For who is either so enuious to men or hatefull to God which wold labour to stop or hinder that but yet in such sort with this prouiso that it may appeare to be truely an increase in faith not proue to be a change in religion for this is the nature of such thinges as increase that in them selues they become and grow greater And this is the nature of a change mutation that some thing be turned from one thing which it was to an other which it was not Conuenient it is and very necessary that the vnderstanding knowledge and wisdome as well of euery man in particuler as of all in common as well of one a lone as of the wholle Church in generall of all ages in times past should aboundantly increase and go forwarde but yet for all that onely in his owne kinde and nature that is in the same faith in the same sence in the same sentence In this case let the religion of our soule imitate the nature of our bodies which although with proces of time they passouer many yeeres yet they remaine the same that they were There is great difference betwixt florishing youth withered age yet the selfe same men become olde which before were yong so that although the state and condition of one and the selfe same man be altered yet one very nature and person doth still remaine The limmes members of infants be small of young men great yet not diuers but the very same So many iointes as young childrē haue so many haue they when they be men and if any partes there be which with increase of yeeres spring forth those before by nature were in man virtually planted so that no newe thing come forth in olde men which before were not contained in them being yet children Wherfore there can be no doubt but that this is the due and right order of growing the most naturall goodliest way of increasing only to haue in olde yeeres those mēbers those partes and iointes which the wisdome of our Creator before framed when we were yet but litle ones And therfore if a man be afterward chāged into some other shape or likenes thē his nature require or if the number of his mēbers be more or lesse thē nature prescribeth then of necessitie the wholle body must either perishe or become monstrouse or at least remaine lame maimed In like manner Christian religion must folow these rules of increasing and growing to weet that with yeeres it waxe more sound with time become more ample with continuance be more exalted yet remaine pure and incorrupt and continue full and perfect with each of his partes and as it were with all his members and proper sences And furthermore that it admit no change or mutation sustaine no losse of his proprietie no varietie or mutabilitie in definition for example sake Our forefathers in olde time in the spirituall feilde of the Church sowed the wheaten seede of true faith and religion it were now very iniurious and vnreasonable that we their posteritie in steed of perfecte and true wheate should reape the false error of cockle And contrariwise it is reason and very conueniēt that the beginning and ending not disagreeing with it selfe we should of the increase of wheatē seed reape the fruit of wheaten religion so that when with tract of time any of those first seedes beginne to budd and come forth let them be tilled trimmed yet without chāging ought of the proprietie of the corne springing vp and albeit fashion shape and distinction be added put to yet must the nature of each kinde remaine and abide For God forbid that those rosie plantes of the Catholike doctrine should be chaunged into thirstles and thornes God forbid I say that in this spirituall paradise of the slippes of Cinamon Balsme should sodenly grow vp darnel and poison Therfore what soeuer hath by the grace of God and our Fathers faith beene sowen in this Church reason it is that the same be cultiuated maintained by the industry of the childrē meet that it florish waxe ripe conuenient it grow come to perfectiō for lawfull it is that those auncient articles of heauenly philosophie shoulde be trimmed smoothed and polished but vnlawfull it is that they should be changed mangled and maimed And albeit they receaue perspicuitie light and distinction yet of necessitie must they retaine their fulnes soundnes and proprietie For if once this licentiousnes of wicked fraud be admitted I tremble to speake what daunger is like to ensue of rasing and abandoning religion for if we take away any parte of the Catholicke faith straight waies other partes and after that other and againe other and that as it were of custome and by law shall be abandoned And what followeth when euery parte by litle and litle is abolished but that in conclusion the wholle corps of religion at one blow be refused and reiected And contrariwise if new things and olde forraine and domesticall prophane and sacred begin once to be confounded togither then must needs this custome generally folow that nothing hereafter remaine in the Church vntowched nothinge without corruption nothing sounde nothing pure nothing sincere and so where before was the sacred schoole of chaste and immaculate truth there shall be a very brothel house of wicked filthie errors But God of his goodnes deliuer his seruants frō such minds and let the

impious rather gracelesse follow that furious mad proceeding For the Church of Christ is a carefull diligent keeper of religion cōmitted to her charge she neuer chāgeth or altereth in it any thing she diminisheth nothing nothing she addeth What is necessarie she loseth not what is superfluous she forceth not her owne she maintaineth not her owne shee vsurpeth not but with all industrie laboureth only about this one thing that is by faithfull prudent handling of our forefathers doinges what by them in times past was well entered begone she polisheth what thē was well polished and declared she cōfirmeth what then was confirmed defined she retaineth To conclude what hath she els endeuoured by the decrees of Councells but that that doctrine which before was simplie credited the same afterward should be more diligently beleeued that religion which before was taughtmore slowly the same afterward shold be preached more instantly That faith which before was more securely reuerenced the same afterward should more carefully be practised This I say alwaies nothing els hath the Church prouoked with the nouelties of Heretickes set downe by the decrees of her Councells to weet onely to confirme that to posteritie by writing comprehēding a great summe of things in few wordes and often times for more easie vnderstāding to an olde article of faith geuing a new name which before by tradition she had receaued of her forefathers CHAP. XIIII BVT to returne to the Apostle O Timothie quoth he keepe tho depositum auoyding prophane nouelties of voices Auoyde quoth he as a viper as a scorpian as a basiliske least they infecte thee not only by towching but also with their very eies breath what is ment by Auoide that is not so much as to eate with any such what 1. Cor 5 importeth this Auoide yf any man quoth he come vnto you and bring not this doctrine what doctrine but the Catholicke and vniuersall and that which with sounde traditiō of the truth hath cōtinued one the selfe same through all successions of times and that which shall continue to the worldes ende What thē Receaue him not quoth he into the house nor say God saue you for 2. Ioan. 7 he that saieth vnto him God saue you communicateth with his wicked workes Prophane nouelties of voices quoth he what is Prophane Those which haue no holines in them no iote of religion wholie vnknowne to the Church which is the temple of God Prophane nouelties of voices quoth he of voices that is nouelties of opinions nouelties of things nouelties of senses contrarie to our forefathers faith contrarye to antiquitie which if we admitte and receaue of necessitie the faith of our blessed auncestors either all or a greate parte of it must be ouerthrowne the faithfull people of all ages and times all holy Saintes all chast all continent all virgins all widowes all Clearkes all Deacons all Priestes so manie thousands of Cōfessors so many bands of Martirs so many famous and great cities and common wealthes so manie Ilandes Prouinces Kings countries kingdomes nations to cōclude almost the whole worlde incorporated by the Catholicke faith to Christ their heade must needs be saied so many hūdredes of yeeres to haue bene ignorant to haue erred to haue blasphemed to haue beleeued they know not what Auoide quoth he Prophane nouelties of voices to receiue which which to folow neuer was the custome of Catholickes but alwaies the propertie of heretickes And to say truth what heresie hath euer peeped forth but vnder the name of some certain man in some certaine place and at some certaine time Who euer set abroche any heresie who first deuided not him selfe frō the consent of the vniuersalitie and antiquitie of the Catholicke Church which to be true examples do plainly proue For who euer before that prophane Pelagius presumed so much of mans free will that he thought not the grace of God necessarie to euery perticuler good acte Who euer before his monstrous disciple Celestius denied all mankind to be tied bound with the sinne of Adams preuarication Who euer before sacriligious Arius durst teare in peeces the Vnitie of Trinitie Who euer before wicked Sabellius attempted to confound the Trinitie of Vnitie Who euer before cruell Nouatiā affirmed God to be so mercilesse that he had rather the death of a sinner then he should returne and liue Who euer before Simon Magus punished by Apostolicall censure from whome that olde sinke of filthines came by cōtinuall secrete succession vnto Priscillian that was the last durst euer affirme that God our Creator was the author of euell that is the authour of our wickednes impieties and horrible crimes because God as he saied so made mans nature that by a certaine proper motion and impulse of an inforced will it can do nothing else but sinne desire nothing else but to offend because being prouoked and inflamed with the furious rage of all vices it is with an insatiable desire caried away headlong into the pitt and sincke of all filthines Such examples are infinite which for beuitie sake I omitt by all which not-withstanding it appeareth plainly and cleerely that it is an vsuall and common thing in all Heresies to take great pleasure in prophane nouelties to loathe the decrees of our forefathers and so fall from the faith by opposing the false counterfeit name of knowledge and learning contrariwise this is proper to all Catholickes to keepe that faith which the holy fathers haue left committed to their charge to cōdēne prophane nouelties as the Apostle hath already said again doth say Yf any man shal preach otherwise thē that which is receaued to accurse him CHAP. XV. HERE haplie some man may demaunde whether heretickes also do vse the testimonie of holy scripture To which I say that they do and that verie earnestly for a man may behold thē ranging and coursing in euery parte of the Byble in Moyses in the kinges in the Psalmes in the Apostles in the Ghosples in the Prophets for whether they be amongst their owne bretheren or with strangers whether in priuate or in publique whether in talking or in writing whether in the house a feasting or abrode in walking they almost neuer alledge any thinge of there owne which they do not pretend to shadowe with the wordes of sacred scripture Read the pamphlets of Paulus Samosatenus of Priscilian Eunomius Iouinian the rest of such like pestilent Heretickes and you shall find through all their workes an huge hepe of examples almost no page omitted which is not colored and painted with the sayinges of the new and olde testament But the more closely they lurke vnder the shadow of Gods lawe the more carefullie are they to be feared the more narrowlie to be watched for they knowe full well that their stinking and vnsauorie drugges be not likelie almost to please any if simplie and nakedly they be set forth therfore they do temper them