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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	apostle_n	church_n	place_n	2,286	5	4.5870	4	false

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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

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

if we folow vniuersalitie antiquitie consent Vniuersalitie shall we folow thus if we professe that one faith to be true which the Church throughout the world acknowledgeth and confesseth Antiquitie shall we follow if we disagree not any whit in opinion from them whom all know that our holy elders and Fathers reuerenced and had in great estimation Consent shall we likewise folowe if amongest our forefathers we hold the definitions and opinions of all or almost of all the Priests and Doctors together CHAP. II. VVHAT then shall a Christian Chatholicke doe if some small part of the Church cut it selfe off from the communion of the vniuersall faith What else but preferre the helth of the wholle body before the pestiferous and corrupt member what if some new infection goeth about to currupt not onlye a litle parte but the Wholle CHVRCH Then likewise shall hee regarde and be sure to cleaue vnto antiquitie which cannot possibly be seduced by any craftye noueltye What if in antiquitye it selfe and amongest the auncient fathers be founde some error of two or three men or haplie of some one citie or Prouince Then shall he diligently take heed that he preferr the decrees and determinations of the vniuersall auncient Church before the temerity or folly of a few What if some such case happen where no such thing can be founde Then shall be labour by conferring and laying together amongest them selues the auncient Fathers opinions not of all but of those only which liuing at diuers times and sundry places yet remaining in the cōmunion and faith of one Catholicke Church were probable masters and guides to be folowed and whatsoeuer he perceiueth not one or two but all iointly with one full consent plainly vsually cōstantly to haue holden written taught let him know that without all scruple or doubt he ought to beleeue hold professe that faith that doctrine that religion But for more perspicuitie light of that which hath bene said ech part is to be made cleere with seuerall examples and somewhat more at large to be amplified least to much breuity breed obscurity ouermuch haste in spech take away the substance and waight of the matter When in th time of Donatus of whō came the Donatistes a great part of Africke fell headlong into his furious error and vnmindfull of her name religion and profession preferred the sacriligious temeritie of one man before the Church of Christ then all those of Africke which detested that prophane Schisme and vnited them selues to the vniuersall Churches of the world they only amongst them all remaining with in the bosome of the catholick Church could be saued leauing certainly a notable example to their posteritie how euer after by good custome the sound doctrine of all men ought to be preferred before the madnesse of one or a few Likewise when the heresie of the Arians had neere corrupted not a litle parte but well nigh the wholle world in such sort that almost all the Bishops of the latin Church deceaued partly by force partly by fraud mens minds were couered as it were with a mist what especially in so great a cōfusiō was to be folowed then whosoeuer was a louer and a folower of Christ and preferred auncient faith before new errour was not touched with any spott of that infection The daunger of which time doth aboundantly shew what calamitie entereth in when a new doctrine is admitted For at that time not onely small matters but thinges of great importāce were ouerthrowē for not only alliance kinred frends families but also cities cōmon wealthes coūtries Prouinces yea at length the wholle Romane Empire was shaken ouerturned For whē the prophane noueltie of the Arrians like a certaine Bellona or furie had first taken captiue the Emperour afterward subduing all pallaces to her new lawes neuer ceased after that to trouble and confound all things priuate and publicke holy and not holy putting no differēce betwixt good and truth but as it were from an high place did strike all at her pleasure Then maried women were defiled widowes spoiled virgins violated Abbeis suppressed Cleargie men vexed Deacons beaten Preistes banished Dungeons Prisons Mines filled with holy men of which the greater part banished the citie like exuls pined and consumed away amongest desertes dennes and wilde beastes with nakednes thirst and hunger And all this miserie had it any other begining but because humane superstitiō was admitted for heauenly doctrine well grounded antiquitie subuerted by wicked noueltie whilest our Superiours decrees were violated our Fathers ordinances broken the Cannons of our auncestors abrogated and whilest the licentious libertie of prophane and new curiositie kept not it selfe within the chaste limittes of sacred and sound antiquitie But perhaps we deuise all this of hatred to Noueltie affection to Antiquitie Who so thinketh at least let him geue credit to blessed Ambrose who in his second booke to Gratian the Emperour bewailinge the sharpe persecution of that time saith thus But now O God quoth he we haue sufficiently washed and purged with our ruine and blood the death of the Confessors the banishment of Preistes and the wickednes of so great impiety it hath manifestly appeared that they cannot be safe which haue violated and forsaken their faith Likewise in his third booke of the same worke Lett vs therfore quoth he keepe the precepts of our elders not with temerity of rude presumptiō violate those seales descēding to vs by inheritance None durst opē that propheticall booke close sealed not the elders not the powers not the Angells not the Archangelles to explicate and interpret that hooke was a prerogatiue only reserued to Christ The Preistlike booke sealed by the Confessors and consecrated with the death of many Martirs which of vs dare presume to open which booke such as were compelled to vnseale notwithstanding afterward when the fraud was condemned they sealed againe they which durst not violate or touch it becam Martirs how can we deny their faith whose victorie we so praise commend We commend them I say O venerable Ambrose we surely commend them and with praises admire thē For who is so senselesse that although he cannot ariue to their perfection desireth not yet to imitate them whō no force coulde remoue from defending theire auncestors faith not threatnings not flatterings not life not death not the King not the Emperor not the Empire not men not Deuills those I say whome for maintenance of religiouse antiquitie our Lord vouchsafed of so highlye and so greate a grace that by them he would repaire the ouerthrowē Churches geue life to the dead spiritualtie restore the ouerthrowne glory of Preistes blotte out wash away with a fountaine of heauenly teares which God put into the harts of the Bishops those wicked not bookes but blottes blurres of new impiety finally to restore almost the wholle world shaken with the cruell tempest of vpstart heresie to the aunciēt faith frō new error to olde

as it were with the sweete powder of Gods worde that he which quicklie would haue cōtemned mans erronious inuention dare not so readilie reiecte Gods diuine scripture wherin they are like to those which minding to minister bitter potions to yonge childrē do first annoint the brimmes of the cuppe with honie that ther by vnwarie youth feeling the swetnes may nothing feare the bitter confection This deuise also practise they which vpon noughtie herbes and hurtfull ioyces writte the names of good wholsome medicines wherby almost no man reading the good superscription anything suspecteth the lurking poysō The selfe same thing likewise our Sauiour crieth out to all Christiās Take ye heed of false prophets Mat. 7 which come to you in sheepes cloathing but inwardly are rauening wolues What is ment else by sheepes clothing but the sayings of the Prophetes and Apostles which they with sheepelike sinceritie did weare like certain fleeces for that immaculate Lambe which taketh away the sinnes of the world And what is to be vnderstood by rauening wolues but the cruell dogged opinions of hereticks which alwaies trouble the sheepfoldes of the Church and by all meanes possible teare in peeces the flocke of Christ But to th end they may more craftely set vpon the sheepe of Christ mistrusting nothing remaining still cruell beastes they putt of their woluish weed and shroude them selues with the wordes of scripture as it were with certaine fleeces whereby it hapneth that when the feelie sheepe feele the soft woll they litle feare their sharpe teeth But what saieth our Sauiour By their fruites you shall knowe them That is when then beginne not only to vtter those wordes but also to expound them not only to cast them forth but also to interpret them then doth that bitternes breake forth then is that sharpenes espied then is that madnes perceaued then is that fresh and new poison belched out then are prophane nouelties sett abroch then may you see straight way the hedge cut in two the olde fathers bounds remoued the Cotholicke doctrine shaken and the Churches faith torne in peeces Such were they whome the Apostle sharplie reprehendeth in the 2. epistle to the Corinthians For such false Apostles quoth he are crafty workers 2. Cor. 11 transfiguring them selues into the Apostles of Christ What is transfiguring them selues into the Apostles of Christ But this The Apostles alleadged the examples of scripture they likewise cited them The Apostles cited the authoritie of the Psalmes and they likewise vsed it The Apostles vsed the sayinges of the Prophetes and they in like maner brought them forth But whē that scripture which was alike alleadged alike cited alike brought forth was not alike and in one sence expounded then were discerned the simple from the craftie the sincere frō the counterfeit the right good from the froward and peruerse and to conclude true Apostles from those false Apostataes And no maruell quoth Saint PAVL For Sathan him selfe transfigureth him selfe into an Angell of light it is no great matter therfore if his ministers be transfigured as the ministers of Iustice Wherfore according to Saint PAVL whensoeuer either false Apostles or false Prophets or false Doctors do bring forth the words of holy scripture by which they would according to their noughtie interpretation confirme their error there is no doubt but that they folow the craftie sleight of their maister which surely he would neuer haue inuented but that he knoweth verie well that there is no readier way to deceaue the people then where the bringing in of wicked error is intended that there the authoritie of the word of God should be pretēded But some will say how proue you that the Deuill vseth to alledge scripture Such as doubt therof let them read the Gospell where it is written Then the Deuill tooke him vp that is our Lord and Sauiour and set him vpon the pinnacle of the Temple and said vnto him if thou be the sonne of God cast thy selfe downe for it is written that he will geue his Angels Mat. 4 charge of thee that they may keepe theee in all thy waies in their hands shall they hold the vp least perhaps thou knock thy foote against a stone How will he thinke you handle seely poore soules which so setteth vpon the Lord of maiestie with the authoritie of scripture If thou be quoth he the sonne of god cast thy selfe downe Why so For it is writtē quoth he we haue diligētly to waigh the doctrine of this place to keepe it in mind that by so notable an example of the scripture we make no scruple or doubt when we see any alleadge some place of the Apostles or Prophetes against the Catholike faith but that by his mouth the deuil himself doth speak For as at that time the head spake vnto the head so now the mēbers do talke vnto the members that is the mēbers of the Deuill to the members of Christ the faithlesse to the faithfull the irreligious to the religious to conclude Heretickes to Catholickes But what I pray saieth the Deuill If thou be the sonne of God quoth he cast thy selfe downe That is to say Desirest thou to be the sonne of God and to enioy the inheritance of the Kingdome of Heauen Cast thy selfe downe that is Cast thy selfe downe from this doctrine tradition of this high and loftie Church which is reputed to be the Temple of God And if any one demaund of these hereticks perswading thē such things how do you proue and conuince me that I ought to forsake the olde and vniuersall faith of the Catholike Church Straight waies is ready at hand For it is written forthwith he will alledge you a thousand testimonies a thousand examples a thousand authorities out of the law out of the Psalmes out of the Apostles out of the Prophetes by which expounded after a new wicked fashion he would throw headlong the vnfortunate soules from the tower of the Catholike Church into the deep dungeon of wicked heresie Now with these sweete promises which followe Heretickes doe wonderfully deceaue simple men For they dare promise and teach that in their Church that is in the conuenticle of their communion is to be found a great and speciall yea a certaine personall grace of God So that whosoeuer be one of their crew they shall straight waies without any labour without any study without any industrie yea although they neuer seek nor craue nor knocke haue such speciall dispensation that they shall be caried vp with the handes of Angells that is preserued by Angelicall protection that they neuer hurt their foote against a stone that is that they neuer can be scandilized But some man wil say if the Deuill his disciples wherof some be false Apostles false Prophetes and false teachers and all perfecte Heretickes do vse the scriptures cite their sayings bring forth their promises what shall Catholicke men do How shall the children of the Church behaue

them selues How shall they in the holy scriptures discerne truth frō falsehoode To which I answere that they must haue great care as in the beginning of this Treatise I said holy and learned men taught me that they interpret the diuine and canonicall scripture according to tradition of the vniuersall Church according to the rules of the Catholike doctrine in which like wise they must of necessitie folow vniniuersalitie antiquitie and consent of the Catholicke Apostolike Church And therefore if at anye time a parte rebell against the wholle noueltie against antiquitie the dissention of one or a few caried away with error against the consent of all or the farre greater parte of Catholickes In that case let them preferre the integritie of vniuersalitie before the corruption of a parte And in vniuersalitie let them also preferr the religion of antiquitie before prophane noueltie and againe in antiquitie let them preferre before the temeritie of one or a few the decrees of a generall Councell if any be or if no such be founde let them take that which is next hand that is to followe the opinions of many and great learned Doctors agreeing togither which faithfully soberly diligentlye obserued and kept By Gods grace we shall without any great difficultie finde out the errors of new vpstarte Heretickes CHAP. XIIII HERE I perceaue by order it foloweth to shew by exāples how the prophane nouelties of heretickes are by bringing forth and conferring togither the olde Doctors opinions agreeing togither to be found out and condemned which auncient consent of holy fathers is not so carefullie and diligently to be sought for folowed in euery small question of the scripture but only and especially in the rule of faith neither yet alwaies nor all heresies are after this sorte to be impugned but only such as be new and vpstart to wit at their first springing vp before they haue lette with lacke of time falsified the rules of the auncient faith before the poison spreding far a broad goeth about to corrupte the Fathers workes But those heresies which haue alreadie gott ground and be of some contiunance are not this way to be delt with all because by long tracte of time they haue had oportunity to steal truth And therfore such kinde of prophane schismes and heresies which be of longer standing we must not otherwise conuince but either only if need be by the authoritie of the scriptures or else to auoide and detest them being already conuicted and condemned in olde time by generall Councels of Catholicke Preistes Therfore so soon as any infectious error begineth to break forth and for her defence to steale certain words of holy scripture craftely fradulently to expound thē straight waies for the right vnderstanding therof the Fathers opinions are to be gathered togither by which let any whatsoeuer new and therfore prophane doctrine growing vp with out all delay be deiected and speedely condemned But those Fathers opinions only are to be conferred togither which with holines wisdome and constancie liued taught and continued in the faith and communion of the Catholicke Church and finally deserued to die in Christ or happily for Christ to be martired whō notwithstāding we are to beleeue with this condition that whatsoeuer either all or the greater parte with one mind plainly commonlye constantly as it were a Councell of Doctors agreeing togither haue decreed and set downe receauing it from their auncestors holding it for their time and deliuering it to their posteritie let that be had and accounted for vndoubted for certaine and firme truth And whatsoeuer any although holy and learned although a Bishop although a Confessour and Martir hath holden otherwise then all or against all let that be put aside from the authoritie of the common publicke and generall faith reputed amongst his owne proper priuate and secrete opinions least with greate daunger of eternall saluation we do according to the custome of sacriligious Heretickes and Schismatickes forsake the trueth of the vniuersall faith and follow the nouell error of one man the holy and and Catholicke mind of which blessed Fathers least any man thinke that he may rashly cōtemne The Apostle saieth 1. Cor. 12. in his first epistle to the Corinthians And some verely hath God set in his Church first Apostles of which him self was one Secondly Prophetes as Agabas was of whom we read in the Actes Thirdly Doctors which now are called Cap. 11. Tractators whō also this Apostle some time nameth Prophetes because their office was to expound declare to the people the misteries of the Prophetes these therfore disposed and placed by God at diuers times and sundry places agreeing consenting all in one mind in Christ touching the vnderstanding of the Catholicke faith whosoeuer cōtemneth doth not contemne man but God and that we disagree not by any meanes from the perfect and true vnitie of those Fathers the same Apostle doth earnestly beseech all Christians saying I beseech you brethren that you say all one thing and that there bee no schismes among you but that you be perfecte 1. Cor. 1 in one sence and in one knowledge And if any man separate him selfe from the communion of theire opinion let him heare that saying of the same Apostle He is not the God of dissention but 1. Cor. 14 of peace that is not of him that leaueth consent and vnitie but of them that remaine in peace and agreement As I do quoth he teach in all the Churches of the Saintes that is of Catholickes which therfore be holy because they continue in the cōmunion of the faith and least happily any one should contemne others and proudly require only to be heard only to be beleeued strait after he saieth What hath the word of God quoth he proceeded from you or haue it only come to you And least this might be taken as spoken slightlye he addeth If any quoth he seemeh a Prophet or spirituall that is a master in spirituall matters let him be a zealous louer of vnitie and peace in such wise that he neither preferre his owne opinion before the iudgement of others neither leaue or forsake the sence and common consent of all men The commaundementes of which thinges he that is quoth he ignorant of that is he that learneth not those thinges which he yet knoweth not or contemneth those which he knoweth he shal not be knowē that is he shall be thought vnworthie whom amongest such as be vnited in faith equall in humilitie God should regard and looke vpon a greater euill then which I doubt whether any man can inuēt or deuise which yet notwithstanding accordinge to the Apostles commination wee see to haue fallen vpon Iultan the Pelagian who either contēned to be ioined in opinion with his felowes or else presumed to separate him selfe from theire societie and communion But now it is time to bring forth the example which we promised how and after what sort