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. Depoſitum, is the Catholike truth deſcending from the Apoſtles by ſucceſſion of Biſhops, euen vnto the end. The Proteſtáts can ſhew no ſuch depoſitum.

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. Prophane noueltie of vvordes hovv to be tried and examined. 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. Catholike termes not expreſly in the Scriptures, but in ſenſe are no ſuch nouelties of vvordes. 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 Coúcel, for the ſecond: the Lutherans & Caluiniſts againſt the Lateral and the later Councels, for the third) theſe vvordes alſo notvvithſtanding, by the iudgemét 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. ὁμοούσιον. Χριστοτόκον. 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. Heretical nouelties of vvordes. The Proteſtáts prophane nouelties of vvordes. 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, Chriſtiá men are boúd 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 cómunicate 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 Chriſtiá men had any good befallé 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. Catholikes muſt abhorre from heretical phraſes and vvordes.

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. Heretikes arrogate knovvledge falſely ſo called.