Chapter 6 of 6

4Languishing. Even these be the good disputes of our new Sect-masters, and the world hath too long proved these inconveniences here named, to be the fruits of such endless altercations in religion as these unhappy sects have brought forth.Languishing. Euen these be the good disputes of our nevv Sect-maisters, and the vvorld hath to long proued these inconueniences here named, to be the fruites of such endles altercations in religion as these vnhappie sectes haue brought forth.

20Depositum. The whole doctrine of our Christianity being taught by the Apostles, and delivered to their successors, and coming down from one Bishop to another, is called the Depositum, as it were a thing laid into their hands, and committed unto them to keep. Which because it passeth from hand to hand, from age to age, from Bishop to Bishop without corruption, change, or alteration, is all one with Tradition, and is the truth given unto the holy Bishops' defence, etc. See the notable discourse of Vincentius Lirinensis upon this text, li. cont. profan. hær. Novationes. And it is for this great, old, and known treasure committed to the Bishops' custody, that St. Irenaeus calleth the Catholic Church Depositorium dives, the rich treasury of truth, li. 3. c. 4. And as Clemens Alexandrinus writeth li. 2 Strom. this place maketh so much against all Heretics who do all change this Depositum, that for it only such men in his days denied this Epistle. The Heretics of our days challenge also the truth, and say it is the old truth: but they leap 14. or 15. hundred years for it over men's heads to the Apostles. But we call for the Depositum, and ask them in whose hands that truth which they pretend, was laid up, and how it came down to them, for it cannot be Apostolical, unless it were Depositum in some Timothy's hand, so to continue from one Bishop to another until our time and to the end.Depositum. The vvhole doctrine of our Christianitie being taught by the Apostles, and deliuered to their successors, and comming dovvne from one Bishop to an other, is called the Depositum, as it vvere a thing laid into their hands, and committed vnto them to keepe. Vvhich because it passeth from hand to hand, from age to age, from Bishop to Bishop vvithout corruption, change, or alteration, is al one vvith Tradition, and is the truth giuen vnto the holy Bishops defence, &c. See the notable discourse of Vincentius Lirinensis vpon this text. li. cont. profan. hær. Nouationes. And it is for this great, old, and knovven treasure committed to the Bishops custodie, that S. Irenæus calleth the Catholike Church Depositorium diues, the rich treasurie of truth. li. 3. c. 4. And as Clemens Alexandrinus vvriteth li. 2 Strom. this place maketh so much against al Heretikes vvho do al change this Depositum, that for it onely such men in his daies denied this Epistle. The Heretikes of our daies challenge also the truth, and say it is the old truth: but they leape 14. or 15. hundreth yeres for it ouer mens heads to the Apostles. But vve cal for the Depositum, and aske them in vvhose hands that truth vvhich they pretend, vvas laid vp, and hovv it came dovvne to them, for it can not be Apostolical, vnles it vvere Depositum in some Timothees hand, so to continevv from one Bishop to an other vntil our time and to the end.

20Profane novelty. Non dixit antiquitates (saith Vincentius Lirinensis) non dixit vetustates, sed prophanas novitates. Nam si vitanda est novitas, tenenda est antiquitas: si prophana est novitas, sacrata est vetustas. that is, He said not, ANTIQUITIES: he said not, ANCIENTNESS: but PROFANE NOVELTIES. For if novelty is to be avoided, antiquity is to be kept: if novelty be profane, ancientness is holy and sacred. See his whole book against the profane novelties of heresies. We may not measure the newness or oldness of words and terms of speaking in religion, by holy Scriptures only: as though all those or only those were new and to be rejected, that are not expressly found in holy writ: but we must esteem them by the agreeableness or disagreeableness they have to the true sense of Scriptures, to the form of Catholic faith and doctrine, to the phrase of the old Christians, to the Apostolic use of speech come unto us by tradition of all ages and Churches, and to the prescription of holy Councils and Schools of the Christian world: which have given out (according to the time and questions raised by heretics and contentious persons) very fit, artificial, and significant words, to discern and defend the truth by, against falsehood. These terms, Catholic, Trinity, Person, Sacrament, Incarnation, Mass, and many more, are not (in that sense wherein the Church useth them) in the Scriptures at all, and divers of them were spoken by the Apostles before any part of the new Testament was written, some of them taken up straight after the Apostles' days in the writings and preachings of holy Doctors, and in the speech of all faithful people, and therefore cannot be counted Novelty of words. Others beside these, as, Consubstantial, Deipara, Transubstantiation, and the like, which are neither in express terms found in Scriptures, nor yet in sense (if we should follow the judgment of the special sects against which the said words were first invented, the Arians crying out against Nicene Council, for the first: the Nestorians against the Ephesine Council, for the second: the Lutherans and Calvinists against the Lateral and the later Councils, for the third) these words also notwithstanding, by the judgment of holy Church and Councils approved to be consonant to God's word, and made authentical among the faithful, are found and true words, and not of those kind which the Apostle calleth Novelty. The words then here forbidden, are the new profane terms and speeches invented or specially used by heretics, such as St. Irenee recordeth the Valentinians had a number most monstrous: as the Manichees had also divers, as may be seen in St. Augustine: The Arians had their Similis substantia, and Christ to be ex non existentibus: the other heretics after those days had their Christiparam, and such like, agreeable to their sects. But the Protestants pass in this kind, as they exceed most heretics in the number of new opinions: as their Servum arbitrium, their sole faith, their fiduce, their apprehension of Christ's justice, their imputative righteousness: their horrible terms of terrors, anguishes, distresses, distrust, fears and feelings of hell pains in the soul of our Saviour, to express their blasphemous fiction of his temporal damnation, which they call his descending to hell: Their marks, tokens, and badges Sacramental, their Companation, Impanation, Circumpanation, to avoid the true conversion in the Eucharist: their presence in figure, in faith, sign, spirit, pledge, effect, to avoid the real presence of Christ's body. These and such like innumerable which they occupy in every part of their false doctrine, are in the sense that they use them, all false, captious and deceitful words, and are novitates vocum here forbidden. And though some of the said terms have been by some occasion obiter without ill meaning spoke by Catholics before these Heretics arose, yet now knowing these to be the proper speeches of Heretics, Christian men are bound to avoid them. Wherein the Church of God hath ever been as diligent to resist Novelty of words as her Adversaries are busy to invent them, for which cause she will not have us communicate with them, nor follow their fashion and phrase newly invented, though in the nature of the words sometime there be no harm. In St. Augustine's days when Christian men had any good befallen them, or entered into any man's house, or met any friend by the way, they used always to say, Deo gratias. The Donatists and Circumcellions of that time being newfangled, forsook the old phrase and would always say, Laus Deo: from which the Catholic men did so abhor (as the said Doctor writeth) that they had as lief met a thief as one that said to them, Laus Deo, instead of Deo gratias. As now we Catholics must not say, The Lord, but, Our Lord: as we say, Our Lady, The Lady. Let us keep our forefathers' words, and we shall easily keep our old and true faith that we had of the first Christians. Let them say, Amendment, abstinence, the Lord's Supper, the Communion table, Elders, Ministers, Superintendent, Congregation, praise, praise ye the Lord, Morning-Prayer, Evening-prayer, and the rest, as they will: Let us avoid those Novelty of words, according to the Apostles' prescript, and keep the old terms, Penance, Fasting, Priest, Church, Bishop, Mass, Mattins, Evensong, the B. Sacrament, Altar, Oblation, Host, Sacrifice, Alleluia, Amen, Lent, Palm-Sunday, Christmas, and the very words will bring us to the faith of our first Apostles, and condemn these new apostates' new faith and phrases.Profane noueltie. Non dixit antiquitates (saith Vincentius Lirinensis) non dixit vetustates, sed prophanas nouitates. Nam si vitanda est nouitas, tenenda est antiquitas: si prophana est nouitas, sacrata est vetustas. that is, He said not, ANTIQVITIES: he said not, AVNCIENTNES: but PROFANE NOVELTIES. For if noueltie is to be auoided, antiquitie is to be kept: if noueltie be profane, auncientnes is holy and sacred. See his vvhole booke against the profane nouelties of heresies. Vve may not measure the nevvnes or oldnes of vvordes and termes of speaking in religion, by holy Scriptures only: as though al those or only those vvere nevv and to be reiected, that are not expresly found in holy vvrite: but vve must esteeme them by the agreablenes or disagreablenes they haue to the true sense of Scriptures, to the forme of Catholike faith and doctrine, to the phrase of the old Christians, to the Apostolike vse of speache come vnto vs by tradition of al ages and Churches, and to the prescription of holy Councels and Schooles of the Christian vvorld: vvhich haue giuen out (according to the time and questions raised by heretikes and contentious persons) very fit, artificial, and significant vvordes, to discerne and defend the truth by, against falshood. These termes, Catholike, Trinitie, Person, Sacrament, Incarnation, Masse, and many moe, are not (in that sense vvherein the Church vseth them) in the Scriptures at all, and diuers of them vvere spoken by the Apostles before any part of the nevv Testament vvas vvritten, some of them taken vp straight after the Apostles daies in the vvrittings and preachings of holy Doctors, and in the speach of all faithfull people, and therfore can not be counted Noueltie of vvordes. Others beside these, as, Consubstantial, Deipara, Transubstantiation, and the like, vvhich are neither in expresse termes found in Scriptures, nor yet in sense (if vve should folovv the iudgement of the special sectes against vvhich the said vvordes vvere first inuented, the Arians crying out against Nicene Councel, for the first: the Nestorians against the Ephesine Coūcel, for the second: the Lutherans & Caluinists against the Lateral and the later Councels, for the third) these vvordes also notvvithstanding, by the iudgemēt of holy Church and Councels approued to be consonant to Gods vvord, and made authentical among the faithfull, are found and true vvordes, and not of those kinde vvhich the Apostle calleth Noueltie. The vvordes then here forbidden, are the nevv prophane termes and speaches inuented or specially vsed by heretikes, such as S. Irenee recordeth the Valentinians had a number most monstrous: as the Maniches had also diuers, as may be seene in S. Augustine: The Arians had their Similis substantia, and Christ to be ex non existentibus: the other heretikes after those daies had their Christiparam, and such like, agreable to their sectes. But the Protestants passe in this kinde, as they exceed most heretikes in the number of nevv opinions: as their Seruum arbitrium, their sole faith, their fiduce, their apprehension of Christes iustice, their imputatiue righteousnes: their horrible termes of terrors, anguishes, distresses, distrust, feares and feelings of hel paines in the soule of our Sauiour, to expresse their blasphemous fiction of his temporal damnation, vvhich they call his descending to hel: Their markes, tokens, and badges Sacramentall, their Companation, Impanation, Circumpanation, to auoid the true conuersion in the Eucharist: their presence in figure, in faith, signe, spirit, pledge, effect, to auoid the reall presence of Christes body. These and such like innumerable vvhich they occupie in euery part of their false doctrine, are in the sense that they vse them, all false, captious and deceitfull vvordes, and are nouitates vocum here forbidden. And though some of the said termes haue been by some occasion obiter vvithout il meaning spoke by Catholikes before these Heretikes arose, yet novv knovving these to be the proper speaches of Heretikes, Christiā men are boūd to auoid them. Wherein the Church of God hath euer been as diligent to resist Noueltie of vvordes as her Aduersaries are busie to inuent them, for vvhich cause she vvil not haue vs cōmunicate vvith them, nor folovv their fashion and phrase nevvly inuented, though in the nature of the vvordes sometime there be no harme. The S. Augustines daies vvhen Christiā men had any good befallē them, or entered into any mans house, or met any frind by the vvay, they vsed alvvaies to say, Deo gratias. The Donatistes and Circumcellions of that time being nevvfangled, forsooke the old phrase and vvould alvvaies say, Laus Deo: from vvhich the Catholike men did so abhorre (as the said Doctor vvriteth) that they had as leese mette a theese as one that said to them, Laus Deo, in steede of Deo gratias. As novv vve Catholikes must not say, The Lord, but, Our Lord: as vve say, Our Lady, The Lady. Let vs keepe our forefathers vvordes, and vve shal easily keepe our old and true faith that vve had of the first Christians, Let them say, Amendement, abstinence, the Lordes Supper, the Communion table, Elders, Ministers, Superintendent, Congregation, praise, praise ye the Lord, Morning-Praier, Euening-praier, and the rest, as they vvill: Let vs auoid those Noueltie of vvordes, according to the Apostles prescript, and keepe the old termes, Penance, Fasting, Priest, Church, Bishop, Masse, Mattins, Euensong, the B. Sacrament, Altar, Oblation, Host, Sacrifice, Alleluia, Amen, Lent, Palme-Sunday, Christmas, & the very vvordes vvil bring vs to the faith of our first Apostles, and condemne these nevv apostataes nevv faith and phrases.

20Falsely called knowledge. It is the property of all Heretics to arrogate to themselves great knowledge, and to condemn the simplicity of their fathers the holy Doctors and the Church: but the Apostle calleth their pretended skill, a knowledge falsely so called, being in truth high and deep blindness. Such (saith St. Irenaeus li. 5. c. 17.) as forsake the preaching of the Church, argue the holy Priests of unskilfulness, not considering how far more worth a religious idiot is, than a blasphemous and impudent sophister, such as all Heretics be. And again Vincentius Lirinensis speaking in the person of Heretics saith, Come O ye foolish and miserable men, that are commonly called Catholics, and learn the true faith which hath been hid many ages heretofore, but is revealed and showed of late. etc. See his whole book concerning these matters.Falsely called knovvledge. It is the propertie of al Heretikes to arrogate to them selues great knovvledge, and to condemne the simplicitie of their fathers the holy Doctors and the Church: but the Apostle calleth their pretended skill, a knovvledge falsely so called, being in truth high and deepe blindnes. Such (saith S. Irenæus li. 5. c. 17.) as forsake the preaching of the Church, argue the holy Priests of vnskilfulnes, not considering hovv far more vvorth a religious idiote is, then a blasphemous and impudent sophister, such as al Heretikes be. And againe Vincentius Lirinensis speaking in the person of Heretikes saith, Come ô ye folish and miserable men, that are commonly called Catholikes, and learne the true faith vvhich hath been hid many ages heretofore, but is reuealed and shevved of late. &c. See his vvhole booke concerning these matters.