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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A14435	A very Christian, learned, and briefe discourse, concerning the true, ancient, and Catholicke faith, against all wicked vp-start heresies seruing very profitably for a preseruatiue against the profane nouelties of papists, Anabaptists, Arrians, Brownists, and all other sectaries. First composed by Vincentius Lirinensis in Latine, about twelue hundreth yeares ago. And now faithfully translated into English, and illustrated with certaine marginall notes. By Thomas Tuke.; Pro catholicae fidei antiquitate libellus. English	Vincent, of Lérins, Saint, d. ca. 450.; Tuke, Thomas, d. 1657. aut	1611 (1611)	STC 24753; ESTC S102090	49,335	192

seeme to bee pointed at rather then vnfolded Let them write delicately and with accuratenesse that are led thereunto through confidence of their wit or by reason of their office but for me it shall be sufficient that I haue prepared a Remembrancer for my selfe to helpe my memory or rather to preuent my forgetfulnesse the which yet I will endeauour through the Lords assistance to mend and perfite dayly by reuoluing and calling to mind the things that I haue learned And this I haue said before hand that if happily ought of ours shall come into the hands of the Saints they would reprehend nothing therein rashly which they may see by promise yet to be amended CHAP. 1. INquiring therefore oftentimes with great care and very singular diligence of very many excellent men both for holinesse and learning how I might by some certaine and as it were generall and regular way discerne the truth of the Catholicke faith from the falsehood of wicked heresies I receiued this answere alwaies from them all almost That if either I or any other would finde out the wiles of vpstart Hereticks and escape their snares and continue sound and whole in a sound faith he must fortifie his faith through the Lords assistance with a two-fold fence namely first with the authority of Gods word and then also with the tradition of the Catholicke Church CHAP. 2. HEre it may be some man will aske Seeing the Canon of the Scriptures is perfect and that it is aboundantly sufficient of it selfe to all things what need is there that the authority of the Churches vnderstanding should be ioyned therunto Surely because al mē do not after one manner vnderstand the holy Scripture according to the height thereof but diuers men interpret the sentences thereof diuersly that there may seeme to be as many meanings thereof almost as men For Nouatian expounds it one way Photinus another way Sabellius thus Donatus otherwise Arrius Eunomius Macedonius other waies Appollinaris Priscillianus by themselues Iouinianus Pelagius Celestius another way and finally Nestorius hath a sence by himselfe And therefore by reason of so great deceipts and windings of so different errours it is very necessary that a man should interpret the Prophets and Apostles according as the Catholicke Church doth vnderstand them CHAP. 3. IN like manner euen in the Catholike Church wee must haue a speciall regard that we hold that which is Euery where beleeued alwaies of all for this is truly and properly Catholike as the very force reason of the name declareth which comprehendeth al things truly vniuersally Now this we shall doe if we follow Vniuersality Antiquity and Consent And wee shall follow Vniuersality thus namely if we do confesse this one faith to be true which the whole Church through out the world confesseth We shall follow Antiquity if by no meanes we reiect those interpretations which we know to haue bene vsed and esteemed of our holy Elders and Forefathers And Consent in like sort also if euer in Antiquity we follow the determinations and iudgements of all or surely of almost all Priests and Doctors CHAP. 4. VVHat then shal a Christian Catholicke do if some few members of the Church shall cut themselues from the fellowship of the Catholicke Faith Surely what else but preferre the soundnesse of the whole body before a noysom and corrupt member And what if some new contagion shall indeuour the corruption not of some small part of the Church onely but euen of the whole body thereof also In like manner then he shall bee carefull to cleaue fast vnto Antiquity which cannot now wholly be seduced by any nouell deceipt And what if euen in Antiquity it selfe the errour of two or three or of a Citty or of some Prouince be found out Then his whole care shall be to prefer the decrees of the Vniuersal Church vniuersally of old maintained to the rashnesse or ignorance if any such be of some few persons But what if some such thing breake out where nothing of that nature may be found Then shall hee compare the sentences and opinions of the Fathers together and take Counsell of them of those Fathers or Elders I meane onely which though they liued not in one age and place did yet continue in the fellowship and faith of one Catholicke Church were laudable Teachers and whatsoeuer he shall perceiue that not one or two alone but that all alike with one and the same consent did openly commonly and constantly hold write and teach let him know that the same of him also is without any scruple to bee beleeued But that those things which wee say may be made more plaine they are each of them to be cleered by examples and to be a little more enlarged least through affectation of too much breuity the weight of things bee not perceiued by reason of passing so swiftly ouer them in our speech CHAP. 5. IN the time of Donatus from whom sprang the Donatists when as a great part of Aphrica had throwne themselues headlong into his furious errours and when vnmindfull of their honour religion and profession they did preferre the sacrilegious headines of one man to the Church of Christ then those Africans could of them all alone be safe within the sanctuaries of the Catholicke faith which hauing that wicked Schisme in detestation adioyned themselues to all the Churches of the world leauing in truth a notable paterne to them that should come after namely how and that also well the soundnesse of all might be preferred before the fury of one or but a few CHAP. 6. IN like manner when as the poyson of the Arrians had now corrupted not some fewe but almost all the world so as that well neere all the Latine Bishops being deceiued partly by force and partly by fraude knew not well by reason of a certaine kinde of blindnesse which had inuaded their vnderstandings what course they were best to follow when things were so confused then whosoeuer was a true Louer worshipper of Christ the same by making more accoūt of the ancient-faith thē of nouel-falshood was preserued from all infections of that contagious doctrine The danger in truth of which time hath aboundantly shewed what great calamity the bringing in of that vpstart doctrine caused For then were shaken not small things onely but euen the greatest also For not onely alliances kindreds friendships and houses were dissolued but also Cities People Prouinces Nations yea and the whole Romane Empire was vtterly shaken and put out of order For when that profane noueltie of the Arrians as a certaine Bellona or Furia had first captiuated the Emperour and then brought all the chiefest about him vnder new lawes it ceased not afterwards to trouble disorder all things priuat and publicke facred and profane and to haue no regard of that which was good and true but whomsoeuer

it listed to smite them downe as from some place on high Then were wiues defiled widdowes robd Virgins deflowred Monasteries demolished Cleargy-men disturbed Leuites beaten Priests banished prisons gaoles and mynes filled with the Saints the greatest part of whom being driuen out of Citties forbidden to them and exiled were euen broken and consumed with nakednesse hunger and thirst amongst deserts dens wild beasts and rockes But all these things did they for no other cause befall but euen because the superstitions of mans inuentions were taught for heauenly doctrine because well-grounded antiquity was vedermined by wicked nouelty because the ordinances of the Elders were violated because the decrees of the Fathers were repealed because the determinations of the Ancient were disanulled and for that the lust of profane and vpstart curiosity contained not it selfe within the most chaste limits of sacred and vncorrupt Antiquity CHAP. 7. BVt it will bee thought perhaps wee faine these things through hatred of nouelty and loue of Antiquity Whosoeuer iudgeth this let him giue credit at the least to blessed Ambrose who in his second book to the Emperour Gratian himselfe bewailing the bitternes of the time saith But now almighty God quoth he we haue beene sufficiently punished by our owne destruction and bloud-shed for the slaughters of the Confessours the banishments of the Priests and for such wicked villany It is cleare enough that they which violated the faith cannot be safe In like manner in the third booke of the same worke Let vs therefore keepe saith he the commandements of the Elders that wee be not bold through vnciuill rashnesse to breake the seales that are hereditary Neither the Elders nor the Power nor the Angels nor Archangels durst open that sealed booke of prophecy the prerogatiue of explaning that was reserued for Christ alone Which of vs dares vnseale the Sacerdoticall Booke sealed of Confessours and consecrated now with the martyrdome of many which they that haue bene compelled to vnseale it yet afterwards haue sealed when the fraud was condemned they that durst not violate it were Confessours and Martyrs How can wee deny their faith whose victory we do extoll Wee praise them I say O venerable Ambrose wee praise them indeed and praysing wee wonder at them For who is he that is so mad who though he be not able to ouertake them yet would not wish to follow whom no violence hath driuen from defending of the faith of the Elders Not threatnings not flatterings not life not death not the palace not Sergeants not the Emperour not the Empire not men not diuels Whom I say the Lord for their constant imbracing of holy Antiquity deemed meete for so great an office as by them to repaire Churches ruinated to quicken spirituall people extinguished to put on the Crownes of Priests that were deiected to deface a fountaine of vnfeigned teares being infused from heauen into the Bishops those wicked I say not letters but litures blots or dashes of nouell impiety and finally to call back now almost all the world being strucken with the tempest of suddaine heresie I say to call it backe to the ancient faith from vp-start falshood vnto ancient soundnesse from furious and vnsound newnesse and to the ancient light from the blindnesse of nouelty CHAP. 8. BVt in this certaine Diuine vertue of Confessions that we are also euen most of all to mark that then in the very Antiquity of the Church they vndertooke the defence not of some part but of the whole body For it was not lawful for mē so great and of such quality to mantaine with so great contention indeauour the straggling selfe-thwarting coniectures of one or two or to striue for the rash consent of some little Prouince but following the decrees and determinations of Apostolique and Catholicke truth made by all the Priests of the holy Church they choosed rather to betray themselues then the faith which was held of old vniuersally Whereby they obtained also so great a degree of glory as that they were rightly and worthily counted not Confessours only but the Principall of Confessours also It behoueth therefore all true Catholikes vncessantly to meditate on this notable and indeede diuine ensample of those same blessed men who shining like the seuen headed Candlesticke with the seuenfold light of the holy Spirit haue shewed their posterity a most euident way how the boldnesse of prophane nouelty may in all the vaine bablings of errours bee hence forth cooled with the authority of sacred Antiquity CHAP. 9. NEither is this a new thing truly for this custome was alwaies vsed in the Church that the more any man flourished in religion the more ready he was to withstand nouell deuices The world is full of such examples But for breuity sake wee will make choyce of some one and this especially from the Apostolicke Sea In times past therefore Agrippinus of venerable memory Bishop of Carthage held rebaptization first of all men against the Canon of the Word against the Rule of the Uniuersall Church against the iudgement of all his Fellow-priests against the manner and customes of the Elders The which presumption caused so great a mischiefe as that it ministred a forme of sacrilege not onely to all heretickes but gaue occasion of error to some Catholickes also When as all men therefore euery where vpon the nouelty of the thing cryed out against it all the Priests on euery side did euery one indeuour to resist it then Pope Stephen of happy memory Bishop of the Apostolike See with the rest of his Fellowes but yet aboue the rest withstood it deeming it as I suppose a thing beseeming if hee did excell all the rest as much by deuout affection to the faith as hee did surpasse them by the authority of place Finally in an Epistle which was sent into Affrica the said Stephen ordeined in these words That nothing should bee renewed but that which is deliuered For that holy and wise man knew that piety doth nothing else allow of but that all things should with the same faithfulnesse bee reteined for the Children with the which they were receiued of the Fathers and that we ought to follow religion not which way wee would lead it but rather by that way it would lead vs and that that is the propertie of Christian modesty and grauity for men not to deliuer their owne deuices to them that so come after but to keepe the things receiued of their Elders What therefore was the issue then of all the matter Surely what else but that which was vsuall and accustomed Antiquity namely reteined and nouelty exploded CHAP. 10. BVt peraduenture then that new deuise was destitute of means to defēd beare it out Yea verily there was for it so great acutenes of wit so great aboundance of eloquence so great a number of maintainers so great likelihood of truth so many Oracles of Gods word but

great deale of matter in a few words and commonly expressing the thing by some conuenient new tearme for the clearenes of vnderstanding and not for any new meaning of the Faith CHAP. 33. BVt let vs returne vnto the Apostle O Timotheus saith he keepe that which is committed to thee auoiding the profane nouelties of words Auoid them saith he as a Viper as a Scorpion as a Cockatrice that they may not smite thee not onely by touching but by sight also and by breathing What is it to auoid Not to eate meate with such an one What meaneth this Auoide thou If there come any vnto you saith Saint Iohn and bring not this doctrine What doctrine meanes he but the Catholicke and vniuersall which both continueth by an vncorrupted tradition of the truth one the same throughout all succeeding ages and shall continue for euer and for euer without end But what followeth Do not quoth he receiue him to house neither bid ye him God speede For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his euill deeds Profane nouelties of words saith Paul What is profane Such as are altogether voyde of holinesse and religion vtterly strange from the bosome of the Church which is the temple of God Profane nouelties of words saith he nouelties of words that is of doctrines things opinions which nouelties are contrary to antientnesse to antiquity Which if they should be receiued it cannot bee but that the Faith of the blessed Fathers should be violated either all or for a great part thereof at least it must needs bee that all the faithfull of all ages all the Saints all the chaste the continent virgines that all the Cleargy Leuites and Priests that so many thousands of Confessors so great armies of Martyrs so great an assembly and multitude of cities and people that so many Islands Prouinces Kings Nations kingdoms countries and finally that now almost all the world being incorporated into Christ the Head by the Catholicke faith it must needs bee I say that all these aforesaid should be said to haue beene ignorant for so long continuance of time to haue erred to haue blasphemed and not to haue knowen what they should beleeue CHAP. 34. AUoid saith he profane nouelties of words which to receiue and follow was neuer the propertie of Catholickes but alwayes of Heretickes And in truth what heresie was there euer which did not spring vp vnder a certaine name in a certaine place and at a certaine time Who euer brought vp heresies but which first separated himselfe from the viuersall and antient consent of the Catholicke Church Which that it was so examples shew most cleerely For who euer before that prophane Pelagius presumed that the power of Free-will was so great that hee did not thinke that the grace of God was necessary to helpe it in good thngs in euery act Who euer before Celestus his prodigious discipline denyed that all mankind was guilty of Adams transgression Who before sacrilegious Arrius dared to diuide the vnity of the Trinity who durst confound the Trinity of vnity before wicked Sabellius Who before most cruel Nauatianus affirmed that God was cruell for that he had rather the death of him that dyeth then that he should returne and liue Who before Simon the Magitian whom the Apostle cursed from whom that whirle-poole of filthinesses flowed by a continual and hidden succession euen vnto Priscilianus the last and hindermost who I say before that Simon durst affirme that God the Creator is the author of euils that is of our abhominable acts impieties and wicked enormities For he did auouch that God himselfe did with his owne hands create the nature of men so as that by reason of a certaine proper motion or impulsion of a certaine necessary will it could doe nothing else it could will nothing else but commit sin because it being chafed and inflamed with the furies of all vices it is carried by an vnsaciable desire into all the gulfes or whirlepits of dishonest and filthy facts Innumerable examples there are of the like nature which for breuity sake we pretermit by al which yet we haue euidently and clearely inough shewed that this with almost all heresies is solemne as it were and according to Law to delight alwaies in prophane nouelties to contemne the ordinances of Antiquity and through oppositions of knowledge falsly so tearmed to make ship-wracke from the faith On the contrary also this is almost proper vnto Catholickes to keep those things which were left in the custody of the holy Fathers and were committed to them and to condemne prophane nouelties and as the Apostle sayd and sayd againe If any shall preach otherwise then that which was receiued to Anathematize or curse him CHAP. 35. HEere some man perhaps may aske whether Heretickes also do vse the testimonies of the holy Scripture Indeed they vse thē and in truth with vehemency for you may see thē flie through all euery booke of the word of God through the bookes of Moses and of the Kings through the Psalmes Apostles Gospels Prophets For whether it bee amongst their owne Followers or with others whether priuately or publickly whether in Sermons or in Bookes whether at Banquets or in the streetes they neuer almost vtter any thing of their owne which they labour not also to shadow with their words of the Scripture Reade the pamphlets of Paulus Samosatenus of Priscillian Eunomius Iouinian and the rest of those Plagues you may see an infinite masse of examples that no page welneere escapes which is not painted and colored with the sentences of the Old or New Testament But they bee so much the rather to bee taken heede of and feared by how much the more closely they lurke vnder the shadowes of Gods word For they know that their stinking errours would not quikly bee pleasing almost vnto any man if they should bee vented barely and as they are in their owne nature and therefore they bespice them as it were with the word of God that he which would easily despise the errour of man might not easily contemne the Oracles of God They doe therefore as those are wont which being to giue some bitter potions to children for to drinke doe first rub their mouthes about with honey that the silly little ones hauing before felt the sweetenesse might not be afraid of the bitternesse Which thing they also are carefull of which set the names of medicines vpon ill hearbes and hurtfull syrrops that almost no body would suspect poyson where he read a remedy written ouer CHAP. 36. FInally our Sauiour also cried out for the same thing Beware yee of false Prophets which in sheepes cloathing come vnto you but inwardly they are rauening Wolues What is sheepes cloathing but the sentences of the Prophets and Apostles which they with a certaine sheepe-like sincerity haue wouen as certaine fleeces for that immaculate Lambe which

taketh away the sinnes of the world Who are rauening Wolues but the sauage and rauening opinions or conceits of heretickes which alwaies annoy the Foldes of the Church and rend assunder the Flocke of Christ on what part soeuer they are able But that they may steale more slily vpon the vnwary sheepe retaining still their woluish cruelty they lay aside their shape of a Wolfe and wrap themselues within the sentences of the holy Scriptures as it were within certaine Sheepe-skinnes that when a body hath felt afore the softnesse of the wooll hee might not bee afraid of the bitings of the teeth But what saith our Sauiour Yee shall know them by their fruits That is when they shall begin not only now to vtter those sayings but also to expound them nor as yet to cracke of them only but also to interpret them then that bitternesse thē the sourenesse and madnesse is perceiued then this new deuised poison will bee breathed out then are prophane nouelties disclosed then may ye see the bounds of the Fathers to be remoued the Catholicke faith to be then but chered and the doctrine of the Church torne in peeces CHAP. 37. SVch were they whom the Apostle Paul reproueth in his second Epistle to the Corinthes saying For such false Apostles saith hee are crafty workmen transforming themselues into Apostles of Christ What meaneth this transforming themselues into the Apostles of Christ The Apostles alledged examples of the Law of God and so did they The Apostles cited the authorities of the Psalmes and so did they the Apostles produced the sayings of the Prophets euen so did they too not a iot the lesse But when they had begun to expound those sentences diuersly which they had alike alledged then were the simple Apostles discerned from the subtill Apostles the sincere from the counterfeite the right from the peruerse and finally the true from the false And no wonder quoth he For Sathan himselfe transformeth himselfe into an Angel of light it is no great thing therefore though his Ministers bee transformed as Ministers of righteousnesse Therefore by the Apostle Pauls doctrine so often as euer either false Apostles or false Prophets or false Teachers all edge the sentences of Gods word with the which being vnderstood amisse they seeke to maintaine their owne errors there is no doubt but that they follow the crafty deuises of their Author which he would neuer without doubt deuise but that hee knowes that there is no way at all more ready to deceiue then that where the deceit of a wicked errour is vnderhand introduced There the authority of Diuine sentences should bee pretended But some man will say how is it proued that the Diuell is wont to vse proofes of holy Scripture Let him read the Gospels in the which it is written Then the Diuell tooke him that is the Lord and Sauiour and set him vpon a pinacle of the Temple and said vnto him If thou be the Son of God cast thy selfe downe For it is written that hee hath giuen his Angels charge ouer thee to keepe thee in all thy waies and with their hands they shall lift thee vp least it may bee thou shouldest dash thy foote against a stone What will this Fiend do to silly men that set vpon the Lord of glory with testimonies of Scripture If quoth hee thou be the Son of God cast thy selfe downe Why so For saith he it is written The doctrine of this place is to bee diligently marked and reteined of vs that when we shall see some alledge the words of the Apostles or Prophets against the Catholicke Faith we should in no wise doubt considering such a remarkeable example of Euangelicall authority that the Diuell speaketh by them For as then the Head spake to the Head so now also the Members speake vnto the Members to wit the members of the Diuell to the members of Christ the vnfaithfull to the faithfull the sacrilegious to the religious finally Heretiques to Catholickes But what I pray you saith hee If quoth he thou bee the Sonne of God cast thy selfe downe That is to say thou wilt be the Son of God and wilt receiue the inheritance of the kingdome of heauen Cast thy selfe downe that is throw thy selfe off from the doctrine and tradition of this high Church which is also counted the Temple of God And if any man should aske some hereticke which perswades him to doe thus How dost thou prooue vpon what ground dost thou teach that I ought to forsake the vniuersall and ancient faith of the Catholicke Church Hee would presently answer For it is written And forthwith hee prepares a multitude of testimonies examples and authorities from the Law frō the Psalmes from the Apostles from the Prophets through the which being after a new and naughty manner interpreted the vnhappy soule might bee plunged headlong into the gulfe of heresie And now with those promises following the hereticks are wont to deceiue vnwary men For they presume to promise and to teach That in their Church that is in the conuenticle of their communion there is a great and special and in truth a certaine personall grace of God so as that they whosoeuer they bee that are of their company without any labour without any study without any trauell though they neither seeke nor aske nor knocke are yet for all that so ordered by God that being lifted vp in the hands of Angels that is being preserued by Angelicall protection they can neuer dash their foote against a stone that is they can neuer be scandalized or offended CHAP. 38. BVt some man doth say If the Diuel and his Disciples do vse Diuine speeches sentences and promises amongst whose Disciples some are Fals-apostles False-prophets and False-teachers and all of them generally heretiques what shal Catholicke men and the Children of the Church our Mother do How shall they discerne the truth in the holy Scriptures from falsehood Surely they shall haue speciall care to doe this which wee haue in writing set downe in the beginning of this aduertisement to haue beene deliuered vnto vs by holy and learned men namely that they doe interprete the holy Scriptures according to the traditions of the vniuersall Church and by the rules of Catholicke doctrine wherein also it is necessary that they follow the vniuersality antiquity and consent of the Catholique and Apostolique Church And if at any time a part shall rebell against the whole if nouelty shall thwart antiquity if the dissention of one or of some few erronious persons shall crosse the consent of all or surely of the greatest number of Catholickes let them preferre the soundnesse of the whole to the corruptnesse of a part in the which same vniuersall body let them make more account of religious antiquity then of profane nouelty in like manner in the same antiquity let them first and foremost afore all thinges preferre the generall decrees if there

be any of an vniuersall counsell vnto the rashnesse of one or of some very few Then secondly if that be not let them follow which is the next thing to it the iudgements of many great Teachers that are agreeable one vnto another the which being faithfully soberly and carefully obserued by the Lords assistance we shall easily perceiue all the hurtfull errours of the heretickes which rise vp CHAP. 39. HEre now I see it meete that I should shew by examples how the profane nouelties of Heretickes may bee both found out and condemned when the iudgements of ancient Teachers agreeing one with another are produced and compared Which ancient consent of the holy Fathers wee should with great labour search out and follow yet not in all the petty questions of Gods word but onely at the leastwise especially in the rule of faith But neither are heresies alwaies nor all of them thus to be impugned but those onely that are new and fresh namely when as they doe first arise before they falsifie the Rules of the ancient faith whiles they bee let with the straitnesse of the time it selfe and before that the poyson spreading it selfe farther about they do attempt to corrupt the writings of the Elders But heresies that haue gathered much ground and are waxen old must not this way be assailed because that by reason of long continuance of time they haue had opportunity offered them a great while to steale the truth And therefore it behooueth vs either to confute those more ancient wicked Schismes or Heresies by no meanes but by the sole authority of the Scriptures if neede be or else verily to auoid them being now of old confuted condemned by the generall Councels of Catholike Priests Therefore so soone as the rottennesse of euery wicked errour beginnes to breake out and to steale for the defence of it selfe certaine sentences of Gods word and to expound them falsely and deceitfully the sentences or iudgements of the Elders are presently to bee gathered together for to interpret the Canon by the which that nouell and therefore profane opinion whatsoeuer it be which shall start vp may without any coyle presently be descried without any retractation condemned But the iudgements of those Fathers onely are to be compared together which liuing teaching cōtinuing holily wisely cōstantly in the Catholike Faith and Fellowship obteined either to dye faithfully in Christ or to be slaine happily for Christ Whom to notwithstanding we must giue credit with this condition that that be accounted vndoubedly true certaine and sure whatsoeuer either all of them or the most haue manifestly commonly and constantly with one and the same meaning as in a certaine vnanimous Councell of Teachers confirmed and established by receiuing holding and deliuering it But whatsoeuer any man shall conceite or thinke otherwise then all men or else contrary to all men though he be o holy and learned though he be a Bishop though he bee a Confessour and Martyr let it be put apart from the authority of the commune publicke and generall iudgement amongst proper hidden and priuate opinions and let vs not with very great hazzard of our soules after the wicked fashion of Heretiques Schismatiques follow the nouell errour of one man forsaking the truth of Catholike doctrine CHAP. 40. THE holy and Catholicke consent of which blessed Fathers least any man should vnaduisedly it may be thinke for to contemne the Apostle saith in the first epistle to the Corinthians And God indeede hath ordeined some in the Church as first Apostles of which ranke he himselfe was one secondly Prophets as we reade in the Acts of the Apostles that Agabus was thirdly Teachers which are now called Treatizers Tractators which by this same Apostle are sometimes called Prophets because they open the mysteries of the Prophets to the people Whosoeuer therefore doth contemne these men being set by God in sundry ages and places in the Church of God whiles in the name of Christ they do determine or iudge some one thing according to the meaning of the Catholicke doctrine he doth not contemne Man but God And from whom that no man should dissent whiles with one consent they speake the truth the same Apostle doth very earnestly desire saying Now I beseech you Brethren that ye All speake one thing and that there be no Schismes or dissentions among you but be ye knit together in the same mind and in the same iudgement If so be that any man shall goe from their commune iudgement he shal heare what the same Apostle saith God is not the God of dissention but of peace that is to say he is not his God which departeth from them that doe ioyntly consent vnto the truth but theirs that continue peacably consenting with them as saith he I teach in all the Churches of the Saints that is of the Catholickes which Churches are therefore holy because they abide in the fellowship of the faith And least any perhaps the rest beeing vnregarded should arrogate to bee heard himselfe alone and that he alone should be beleeued he saith a little after Came the word of God out from you either came it vnto you onely And least this should as it were for fashion sake be receiued he hath added saying If any man thinke himselfe to be a Prophet or Spirituall that is a teacher of spirituall things let him be with all diligence a louer of equality and vnitie that in truth he do neither preferre his own opinions to the rest and that he go not from the iudgements of all The commaundements of which things he which knowes not saith he that is hee which either learnes them not beeing vnknowne or which contemnes them being knowne he shall not be knowne that is he shal be counted vnworthie to be by God respected among them that are knit together in the faith and made equall by humilitie then which euill I wot not whether any cā be thought to be more grieuous Which yet we see to haue befallen as the Apostle threatned that Pelagian Iulianus who either neglected to agree in iudgement with his Fellows or else presumed to diuide himselfe from them But it is now time that we should produce that example promised wherein and after what manner the iudgements of the Fathers are gathered together that by them the Rule of ecclesiasticall faith might be established by the decree and authority of a Councel Which that it may be done more handsomely let this be the end now of this Aduertisement that we may begin the rest of the things that follow with another beginning The second Aduertisement hath fallen betweene neither hath any thing more thereof remained then the last parcell that is onely a briefe rehearsall of that which hath bene more largely handled which is also added after CHAP. 41. THe which things seeing they thus stand it is nowe time that we should rehearse the summe of those things

indeede after a new and naughty manner vnderstood that me thought all that conspiracy could by no meanes be destroyed vnlesse that selfe same vndertaken defended commended profession of nouelty had forsaken the alone cause of so great an enterprise To conclude what force had that Affrican Councell or Decree Truly none through the gift of God but all things were abolished made void and troden vnder foot as dreames as fables as things superfluous CHAP. 11. AND ô the wonderfull change of things The Authors of the same opinion are accounted Catholickes but the Followers are iudged Heretickes The Maisters are absolued the Schollers are condemned The writers of the bookes shall bee the children of the Kingdome but Hell shall receiue the Defenders For who would doubt that most blessed Cyprian the Light of all the Saints both Bishops and Martyrs together with the rest of his fellowes shall reigne eternally with Christ Or who on the contrary is so sacrilegious as to deny that the Donatists those other pestilent wretches which doe bragge that they rebaptize by the authority of that Councell shall burne for euer with the Diuell Which iudgement truly to me seemeth to bee promulged of God for their craftinesse especially who when they go about to forge an heresie vnder another bodies name do commonly lay hold of the writings of some ancient man something too couertly set out which in respect of their darknesse doe as it were serue for their owne opinion that that which I know not what they doe bring forth they may seeme to thinke neither first nor all-alone Whose wickednesse I iudge worthy double hatred either therfore because they are not afraid to proffer the poyson of heresie vnto others or therefore also because they do with a wicked hand blow vp and winnow the memory of euery holy man like ashes now raked vp and diffame those things with a reuiued opinion which ought in silence to be buried altogether following the foote-steps of their father Cham who not onely neglected to couer the nakednesse of venerable Noah but told it also to the rest that it might be mocked Whereby hee did so grieuously sinne against child-like piety as that his very posterity became obnoxious to the curses of his sin those brethren being blessed and farre vnlike who would neither distaine the nakednesse of their reuerend father with their owne eies nor haue it lye open vnto other mens but couered him as it is written with their faces backward which is neither to approue nor disclose the error of the holy man and therefore are they blessed in their posterity But let vs returne vnto our purpose CHAP. 12. WE should therefore greatly feare the grieuous sinne of changing the Faith and of stairing Religion from the which wickednesse wee are deterred not onely by the discipline of Ecclesiasticall Constitution but also by the censure of Apostolicall authority For all men know how grauely how seuerely and how earnestly the blessed Apostle Paul inueigheth against some that were too soone through their owne lightnesse translated from him who had called them to the grace of Christ vnto another Gospel which is not another who had heaped to themselues Teachers after their owne desires turning their eares from the truth and turning themselues to fables hauing damnation because they haue broken the first faith Who were by them deceiued of whom the same Apostle writeth to the Romane brethren Now I beseech you brethren marke them that cause dissentions offences otherwise then the doctrine which yee haue learned and auoyd them For such serue not the Lord Christ but their owne belly and by faire speeches and flattering seduce the hearts of the simple which enter into houses and lead captiue silly women laden with sinnes and led with sundry lusts euer learning and neuer coming to the knowledge of the truth Uaine-talkers and Seducers which subuert whole houses teaching things which they should not for filthy Lucre sake Men of corrupt mindes Reprobate concerning the faith proud and knowing nothing but doting about questions and strife of words destitute of the truth imagining that gaine is godlinesse Likewise also being idle they learne to goe about from house to house yea they are also bablers and busi-bodies speaking things they ought not Who repelling a good conscience as concerning faith haue made ship-wracke Whose prophane bablings further much vnto impiety and their word fretteth like a canker And it fitteth well which is also written of them But they shall preuaile no further for their madnesse shal be manifest vnto all as theirs also was When therefore some such wandring vp and downe Countries and Cities carrying about their Pedlary errors had come also to the Galatians and when as the Galatians hauing heard thē being now affected with a certaine loathing of the truth and casting vp the Manna of Apostolicke and Catholicke doctrine delighted themselues in the filthinesse of hereticall nouelty the Apostle did so exercise his Apostolicall authority as that with all seuerity he did decree But though either we saith hee or an Angel from Heauen preach vnto you otherwise then we haue preached let him bee accursed What is that which he saith But though wee Why does hee not rather say But though I The meaning hereof is this Though Peter though Andrew though Iohn Lastly though the whole cōpany of Apostles shold preach to you otherwise then we haue preached Let him bee accursed A terrible Curse that to maintaine the constant embracing of the first faith he neither spared himselfe nor the rest of his Fellow-apostles Yet this is but little Although saith hee an Angell should from heauen preach vnto you otherwise then wee haue preached let him be accursed It sufficed not for the keeping of the faith once deliuered to haue mentioned the nature of Man vnlesse hee had comprehended also the excellency of Angels Though We saith he or an Angell from heauen Not because the holy and heauenly Angels can now offend but this is his meaning If also saith hee that should bee which cannot be Whosoeuer hee be that shall assay to change the faith that was once deliuered let him bee accursed CHAP. 13. BVt hee spake it may bee these things without due regard and vttered them in an humane passion rather thē decreed them with Diuine reason Farre bee it from him for hee goes on and presseth this same point with a very earnest repetition As wee haue said before quoth he so say I now againe If any preach vnto you otherwise then that yee haue receiued let him be accursed He said not If any preach vnto you besides that which ye haue receiued let him bee blessed praised and entertained but let him be quoth he accursed that is separated put from the flock and excluded least the cursed contagion of one Sheep should corrupt the harmelesse flocke of Christ by a venemous mixture