A Learned Sermon preached before the King at Whitehall, on Friday the 16 of March: by M. Doctor Field: Chaplain to his Majesty.  
At London, Printed by james Roberts, for jeffry Chorlton. 1604.   
jude. verse. 3. ¶ Beloved, when I gave all diligence, to write unto you of the common salvation, it was necessary for me to write unto you, to exhort you, that you should earnestly contend for the maintenance of the Faith, which was once delivered unto the Saints. 
THE blessed Apostle Saint Jude, finding that many in his time began well, and ended ill, who being seduced by wicked miscreants made shipwreck of the faith, forsook their first love, departed away from the living GOD, and embraced this present world: writeth this his Epistle general to the Christians of those times, to strengthen the weak, confirm the doubtful, and stay such as were ready to fall.  
The argument whereof is contained in these words, which I have now read in your hearing; wherein three things are to be observed. First, he maketh known unto them his love: in that he calleth them his beloved. Secondly, his careful and diligent study and endeavour, not only by word being present, but also by writing being absent, to procure their everlasting good, and to direct them to the attaining of eternal salvation, in that he professeth, he gave all diligence to write unto them of the common salvation: thirdly he showeth, what it was, that in those his careful deliberations( how he might most happily work their eternal good) he found most necessary to write unto them of. It was necessary for me to write unto you to exhort you to contend etc. Of these things in order, as they lie in the words of the Apostle, & first of the first, which is his love.  
Many and great are the things Almighty God requireth of them, whom he appointeth Rulers and Governors over his people. For as he communicateth unto them part of his own honour, giveth them his own titles, setteth them upon his own seat, committeth the care of his people unto them, and trusteth them with the execution of his own justice and judgement, so he requireth of them, and putteth in them a spirit of more, then ordinary wisdom, courage, and magnanimity, fit to sustain and bear the weight of so great a burden. But above all he requireth of them a tender and loving affection towards his people, of whom they take the charge, that they seek not their own private pleasure, profit, or content, but the good of them over whom they are set.  
And as this is required generally of all Rulers, so most principally of them, to whom the Word of reconciliation, the dispensation of the Divine mysteries, and the power of the keys of the kingdom of heaven is committed. This our Saviour showed by his manner of proceeding, and the course he took, when having accomplished the work of redemption, and being ready to return back to him, that sent him, he resolved to send out his Apostles with most ample Commission for the gathering of the Saints, the work of the ministery, and the conversion of such, as he had bought & purchased with his most precious blood. For though he had made choice of such men for that employment, as had been conversant with him in the days of his flesh, seen his miracles and works of wonder, and heard the words of his heavenly wisdom, and were most fit to be witnesses of all the things he did and suffered, and to publish the joyful tidings of salvation to the people of the world, yet would ●● give them no Commission, till he were assured of their love. And therefore, though he had promised to build his Church on Peter's faith and ministery, 
Math. 16.  and to give unto him the keys of the kingdom of Heaven, yet before he performed this promise, and said unto him, 
john, 21.  Feed my lambs, feed my sheep, he demanded thrice of him concerning his love. Neither doth he ask him of his love towards them, he was to take charge of, but of his love towards himself, thereby the more to enforce it, and raise it to a higher degree, as if he had thus said: If I have deserved any thing of thee, if my death and bitter sufferings deserve thy love, if thou owest any thing unto me for the benefits of the heavenly calling, the knowledge of that truth, which flesh and blood could not reveal unto thee, and the dignity of an Apostle, wherewith I have honoured thee, as( I say unto thee) thou owest more than thyself: turn the course of thy love upon the people of my purchase: for they are the inheritance my Father gave me, when I came into the world, the reward of my labours, the recompense of my travails, and the price of my blood: for their sakes I left my throne in Heaven, put off my rob of Majesty, and put upon me the habit of a servant, they are my Temple, in which I am worshipped, my Church, in the midst whereof my Name is called upon, my spouse, whom my soul loveth, and my body, with out which I am not complete and full.  
An example of this love, which God requireth of us, himself gave us, when he loved us, and gave his Son for us, whiles we were yet his enemies. An example hereof Christ showed us, when he poured forth his soul in bitter passions, to redeem his people from their sins. An imitation of these examples in the highest degree, that ever was found amongst mortal men, we have in Moses, that desired to have his name blotted out of the book of life, rather than GOD should be dishonoured, or his people destroyed: and in Pa●ule, who wished to be Anathema from the Lord jesus, for the jews his brethren and kinsmen according to the flesh. A portion, degree, and measure of this love, resteth upon all the true servants of God, whence it cometh that so often, when they speak unto the people of God, they call them beloved. So much of the Apostles love. His diligence followeth.  
Diligence or study, is an intentive fixing of the mind on some one thing much esteemed, and respected. The diligence of the Apostles, and Apostolic men in the work of the Ministry, the gathering of the Saints, and procuring the everlasting good, and eternal salvation of God's people appeareth in three things; the multiplicity of the things, they do for the working of this intended good: the sedulity in doing them: and the divers manner of doing of them.  
Touching the first: who can express the variety of the things, they do for the good of them, whom GOD hath committed to their charge? They teach the ignorant, convince them that err, seek them that are lost, bring back them that are ou● of the way, heal the sick, bind up the broken hearted, comfort the heavy, & such as are dejected with sorrow, they strengthen the weak, confirm the doubtful, stay them that are ready to fall, and raise up them that are fallen.  
This multiplicity of endeavours, to procure the good of God's people, we shall find in the blessed Apostle Saint Paul more, then in all the rest: who though he were the last, and esteemed himself the least, and not worthy to be named an Apostle; yet laboured he more, than all they, who sometimes disputeth, sometimes exhorteth, sometimes commandeth, sometimes entreateth, sometimes counseleth, sometimes threateneth, sometimes promiseth, sometimes terrifieth, & sometimes comforteth; sometimes cometh in the Spirit of meekness, & sometimes with a rod in his hand, calleth back some, as being out of the way, encourageth others, & maketh himself one of their company, as being in a good way: some he calleth his joy, his crown & glory, and to some he objects folly & madness; to some he giveth milk, to some strong meat: sometimes he proscribeth and banisheth from the Church, sometimes he confirmeth his love towards the same again. These are the divers & different things the Apostles and Apostolic men do for the good of God's people.  
Now as their diligence appeareth in this variety, and multiplicity of things they do, so likewise in their sedulity in doing them, in that they do them in season, and out of season; and in the different manner of doing them, in that they perform them by word being present, and by Letters being absent. The Apostle Saint Jude, desiring to benefit the whole Christian Church,( with all the parts whereof it was not possible for him to be present) showeth his diligence in writing: It was necessary for me to write unto you. Where we are occasioned to speak first of urryting in general: and secondly of sacred writing, & and the object of it.  
Great and inestimable is the benefit of writing, for by it all the treasures of wisdom, piety, virtue, and learning, that ever God poured forth upon the sons of men, are communicated to posterities. By it we may commune withal the patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, Confessors, Fathers of the Church( the lights and wonders of the world) that ever were; and whensoever any doubt ariseth and troubleth our minds, we may call a greater & more general Council, then either Constantine, Theodosi●s, or any of the Roman Emperors either did, or could do.  
The benefit of writing will appear to be the greater, if we compare them, who( being renow●ed for wisdom and learning) never wrote any thing,( as Pythagoras Socrates and others, of whom very few things remain) with Plato, Aristotle, and the like, that committed the treasures of their learning, and wisdom to writing, who, being dead long since, yet live, and are the great Masters of the world even unto this day. Hence it is that no treasure was anciently, nor is presently esteemed greater, than the holy library of the church; in which respect the Romanistes deserve exceeding ill, that did formerly, & do presently adulterate the monuments of antiquity, and leave nothing sincere, and uncorrupt, as their manifold forgeries in former times, their Index expurgatorius and other like practices of these times make it too plain  
This being noted in general touching the benefit of writing, let us come to the more especial consideration of sacred writing and the object of it. In the Apostles times men admired their writings, but despised their words, and personal presence, as not being accompanied with that greatness, they looked for. His letters say they( speaking of the blessed Apostle Saint Paul that trumpet of the Gospel, and ●●ood of Christian eloquence) are peremptory, and full of authority and power, but his words, and personal presence weak, vile, and contemptible.  
But now chose the Romanistes ●egarde not their writings, but magnify ●heir words, delivered by tradition, char●ing their writings with obscurity, insufficiency, and imperfection, comparing ●hem to a shipman's hose, a nose of wax. Lesbian rule; affirming that but few ●hings were written, non ut praeessent, sed v●●bessent fidei nostrae, not to command & overrule our faith, but to be overruled ●y it; that the Apostles received a commandment to preach, but none to writ; ●hat they meant not to compose a perfect work, containing the rule of our faith, but wrote only occasionally, as they ●ere entreated, or as the particular necessity's of the Churches did require.  
This their censure of the divine Scriptures is injurious, in that they think them ●● be so obscure, and the sense, and mea●ing of them so uncertain, and doubtful, that wicked men may wrest and abuse them, according to their own pleasures, & no man be able to reprove and convince them by the evidence and for●● of the Scriptures themselves: Impiously that they think they proceeded from the private motions of the Apostles and Evangelists, without the immediate and special instinct, motion, & command o● the spirit of truth: Inconsiderate in tha● they think the men of God entender not to compose a perfect work.  
The absurdity of which conceit wi●● appear, if they will but take a view ●● the books themselves, they have le● unto us. For the writings of the Evangelists contain a perfect history of the things Christ did, and suffered from the time of his birth, till the time he w●● assumed into Heaven. The acts ●● the Apostles, the coming of the holy Ghost, & the planting of the Churche● after Christ's ascension. The Epistles, t●● clearing of the questions, and doub●● which troubled the Churches of thos● times. And the Revelation, a prophes●● of the future state of things, to the e●● of the world.  
The object of these sacred writings is Salvation. Three things are delivered unto us in the books of God, the creation, the fall, & the restoration & salvation of man. Salvation is the preservation from those dangers & deliverance from those eternal evils we were subject unto by the fall. This is the greatest benefit that ever God bestowed on men, and the principal matter and object of the divine Scriptures. For we might with job curse the day of our birth, wish the knees had never received us, the arms never embraced us, nor the paps given us suck, that the womb had been ourgrave, and that we had been like the untimely fruit, ●hat never saw the Sun; that the Mountains would fall upon us, the Rocks cleave in sunder, and the devouring Gulfs swallow us up; that we might cease to be, and be as if we had ●euer been, if we had no part in the salvation mentioned in this place.  
Behold saith Gregory Nazianzen magnifying this benefit of salvation) in ●he creation God gave us the best things ●e had, when as yet we had nothing, but in the restoration he maketh an exchange with us, he taketh the worst we have, and giveth us the best he hath▪ he taketh our nature, and giveth us his grace, he taketh our sin and giveth us his righteousness, he taketh our curse and giveth us his blessing, he taketh our misery and giveth us his happiness, he taketh our death and giveth us his life, he humbleth himself and exalteth us.  
This Salvation is said to be common, not as if all men of how vile condition and wicked conversation soever should be partakers of it. For the Apostle Saint Paul protesteth against this frenzy, saying. Know you not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God? And again, be not deceived, neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor wantonness, nor covetous persons, nor extortioners shall inherit the Kingdom of God.  
Touching this matter there were four dangerous errors in the primitive, Church: the first of Origen who thought that all( even the devils themselves) after certain revolutions of times shall 〈◊〉 saved: the second of them, who not daring ●ing to proceed so far as Origen did, ●et thought, that all men shall in the end be saved, as by fire. The third, that not ●ll men, but all Christian men, notwithstanding whatsoever wickedness, Schism or Heresy shall in the end be saved. The fourth, that not all Christians, but ●ll Catholic, Orthodox, and right ●eleuing Christians shall in the end be ●ued, as by fire, holding the foundation of a right profession. This last error ●any of the fathers fell into, as appeareth ●y very pregnant places in Hierome, and ●hers tending to that purpose, and by ●ustines own confession, where he ●riteth against it, call it a merciful aror of some Catholic divine.  
Against this error Austin opposeth himself, 
August: de civitat: dei de fid. et oper: In enchir:: ad Laur:  but very fearfully; professing, 〈◊〉 he will not peremptorily deny, but at a mitigation or suspension of the punishments of the wicked may be ob●●ned after they are departed out of this ●●rld, so that their punishments be ●nfessed to be eternal. And if this will ●● satisfy them, from whom he is vn●ling to dissent, he saith that though men professing the faith, being wholly wicked and void of love, cannot be saved, as by fire, but must perish eternally, yet he dareth not deny but that men, that do believe aright, and have love( though mingled with much imperfection) may be saved by a kind ●● purging fire after this life, which whether it be so, or not he cannot tell.  
Thus we see in what sort Austin was driven upon the opinion of purgatory, and how doubtfully he speaketh ●● it, yet was he the first that ever spoke ●● this kind of purgatory in the Church of God. So doubtful a beginning ha●● this article of the Romanistes faith, wh●● yet rest not in the judgement of this f●ther, that only some lighter sins a● wasted, and consumed away in this pu●ging fire, but imagine that the iusticed God in it is satisfied, and the punishment of mortal sins suffered( the faul●, an● not the punishment being remitted 〈◊〉 this life) which things Austin ne● dream● of.  
But to return to the words of the Apostle; Salvation is said to be comm●● ● absolute unto all, but unto them that ●re called, and sanctified of GOD, and ●serued in Christ jesus.  
As in nature the best things, & things ●f necessity, are either absolutely and ●qually, or at least in some mediocrity ammon unto all, but things of ornament & delight, are proper to some few●● is it in the matter of faith, and salvation. Among the things of nature, what better, than air, fire, water, earth, ●owers of rain, the fruits of the field, muse's to dwell in, garments to put on, ●alth and strength of body, length of ●yes, comely proportion, and statu●e body, quickness of sense, sharpness of ●●, and faithfulness of memory, the use ●●d benefit of these is in some sort common unto all, and the poor man often joyeth them with more contentment, ●n the rich: neither is there any man ●nd to be so great a Tyrant, as to de● to enjoy these common benefits a●●: but gold, pearls, precious stones, ●t array, and things of that kind, are 〈◊〉 peculiar lot, & portion of some few. likewise in the matter of faith, and grace, the Law, the Prophets, the covenants of Grace, the sufferings of Ch●ist, regeneration, the Gospel, the giving of the Spirit, Faith, Hope, Love, and eternal Salvation are common unto all, that are called, and sanctified of GOD, no● as Manna in a certain measure, but every one taketh as much of them as he● will: the gifts of tongues, miracles, prophecy, the degrees of ministery, & 〈◊〉 like, are proper to some few.  
When the Law was given upon Mount Sina, Moses, & the Elders only went up, the people( though prepared and sanctified to meet the Lord had bounds set unto them, and mig●● not so much as touch the Mountain Moses only entered into the cloud, communed with GOD, and received fro● him the tables of the Law; but wh● Moses came down from God, the La● the covenants, the Sacrifices, ceremonies, and all that Moses learned of Go● was imparted and communicated to 〈◊〉 the people.  
Thus much of the Apostles diligen●● in writing. The matter whereof he w●●teth, followeth, It was necessary, for me to writ unto you to exhort you to contend. etc. In the matter, whereunto the Apostle exhorteth them, three things are to be observed. For first they must contend, secondly they must contend earnestly, thirdly they must contend for the maintenance of the faith. It may seem a thing very needles to exhort men to contend. For the world is and ever was to full of contentions. The contentions of Christians have scandalised many, they have been the cause of the overthrow of many famous Churches; and the removing of those golden Candlesticks, in the midst whereof the Son of God sometime walked. So that all good men dissuade from contentions, and seek to extinguish the flames of that fire, which hath already wasted, and burnt down so many, & so worthy parts of the house of God.  
Austin understanding of the bitter invectives, 
Epist. 15.  that Hierome and Ruffinus had published one against another, breaketh forth into these words, expressing the sorrow of his heart: Hei mihi, qui vos ●licubi simul invenire non possum: fortè ● nunc moveor, ut doleo, ut tim●●, pr●cid●rem ad pedes vestros, flerem quantum v●l●rem, rogarem quantum amarem, 〈◊〉 unumquenque vestrum pro seipso, nunc utrumque pro alterutro, et pro aliis, et m●ximè infirmis, pro quibus Christus mort●●s est, qui vos tanquam in theatro huius v●ta● cum magno suo periculo spectant, ne de vobis ea scribendo spargatis, quae quandoque concordes delere non poteritis. Woe is me( saith he) that I can nowhere meet with you two together for if I could, as now I stand affected, as I sorrow for these beginnings, and fear what will be the issues of things so ill begun, I would fall at ●our feet and weep till I had dried up the Fountain of tears, I would entreat you so long, as the affection of love, that reigneth in me, could suggest unto me one word of entreaty, no● entreating and beseeching each of you for himself, now either of you for other, and for others, most of all the weak, for whom Christ died, which not without great peri●● behold you in these your contentions, brought upon the stage of this world to be gazed on, I would entreat you, not to publish those ●hings in writing one of another, which hereafter wh●n happily you may be friends, it will ●ot be possible for you to blot out again.  
That we may therefore see, in what sense the Apostle exhorteth to contend, we must observe, that the things, for which men contend, are of three sorts; the first are things indifferent. Such was ●he contention in the Primitive Church about fasting on the Saturday, in which observation the Church of Rome, and some other Western Churches, differed from the Churches of the East, which fasted not on that day. Some condemned the Church of Rome in this behalf, ●ut Austin thinketh the matter to be indifferent, 
Epistle to Cassulanus.  and showeth, that when his Mother Monica came to Milan( where Ambrose was Bishop) where the Saturdays fast was not kept, and was doubtful what to do, Ambrose being consulted, answered, she should do as he did. She thinking she must not fast, because ●e did not, he replied, he meant not so: ●ut that she should comforme herself ●o the manner of that Church, where she ●hould happen to be, as he in such cases used to do. And Austin addeth, that if in the same. Church's there be different customs, men should follow the example of the principal Pastors.  
This judgement we take to be much better, then that of the Fathers of the sixth Council in Trullo, who condemned the Church of Rome( as violating the Apostolic, and ancient custom) in that it fasted on the Saturday. Of this nature was the difference between the East, and West Churches, about consecrating in leavened, or unleavened bread, dipping, or sprinkling the baptized● thrice, o● once; and such have been the contentions of some in our Church, about round and square, white & black, sitting, standing, and kneeling. In which things if any man list to be contentious, we say with the Apostle, We have no such c●stome, neither the Churches of God.  
The second kind of things, for which men contend, are things mistaken. An excellent example in this kind we hau● in the Oration of Gregory Nazianzen, in the praise of Athanasius, where he imports, that when the Bishop of Ro●● and the Bishops of the West Church affirmed, that there is one essence of God, and three persons, and the Eastern Bishops, one essence, and three hypostases, or subsistences, the contention grew so ho●e▪ that the whole Christian world was in danger, to be rend in pieces upon the difference of these syllables. Hierome living in the East parts, and being required to acknowledge three hypostases, or subsistences in God, writet● to Damasus, entreateth and beseecheth him, per crucifixam mundi salutem, per ●omousion trinitatem, ut sibi ●● Epistolis suis, sive tacendarum, sive dicendarum hypostaseon detur a●thoritas, and protesteth he greatly feareth, lest sathan hath transfigured himself into an Angel of light. The Grecians judged the Latins, to be Sabellians, and the Latines the greeks to be Arrians. Athanasius( that worthy of the world, in whose lap our wearied Mother the Church did often repose, and lay her head, seeking rest from her forsaken children) in gentle and loving manner interposed himself, and examining either party, found they meant one & the same thing. Thus was this division composed more easily by friendly mediation, than it would have been by writing or disputing, which often rather increase contentions, then end them.  
Of this nature doubtless are the differences between the Divines of Germany, Denmark, Sweden, and other parts embracing the confession of Auspurg●, and the Churches of Helvetia, France, and other, touching the ubiquitary presence of Christ, and his presence in the Sacrament, touching the losing, or not losing of grace once had, and touching predestination; in all which I am verily persuaded, if the meaning of each part were fully known to other, there would be no difference amongst them.  
For the divisions of our own Church, our hope is, that by the goodness of God, and the godly care of our gracious Sovereign, they are now at an end: so that whosoever hereafter shall blow the coals, and kindle the fire of that dissension any more, he shall for ever be branded with the note and mark of a turbulent, unquiet, and factious spirit. Let not our adversaries therefore insult upon us in respect of our divisions. For I dare undertake to prove, there are more real, & material differences amongst them in some one point of Christian religion, then amongst all the reformed Churches in all.  
The third sort of things for which men contend, are such as we ought to contend for; to wit, matters of faith, no part whereof we must betray, how dear so ever the defence of it cost us. For these things we must contend earnestly. Indifferency in matters of faith and religion displeaseth God. If God be God, let us follow him; if Baal be God let us follow him. There is no communion between light and darkness, righteousness, and unrighteousness, Christ and Beliall, the temple of God, & Idols, and what part hath the believer with the infidel? But it will ever be true, which Christ observed in his time; the children of this world are wiser in their generation, than the children of light. The Pharisees then, the jesuits and others of that sort now, omit no opportunity, take all occasions, & compass sea & land, to make one Proselyte, to make one of their profession, though they make him the child of hell sevenfold more, than themselves. But the Orthodox and right believing Christians are negligent, and are so far from gaining, that they lose the advantages they have.  
It is observed, that in the time of the Arrian heresy, at the first the Catholics had all advantages on their side, the determination of the Nicen Council called & confirmed by the royal authority of Constantine was for them, and Constantine resolute to suppress that heresy, and to send into banishment the maintainers of it. The Arrians seeing into what straits they were brought, rested not till they had insinuated themselves into Constantine's favour, and perverted Constantius the next succeeding Emperor, a man the Catholics might easily have possessed. There were two things( as Nazianzen reporteth) tha● much disquieted and afflicted his mind at the time of his death, the one, that h●● had followed new and strange opinions in matters of faith, the other, that he should leave julian a wicked miscreant to succeed him in the Empire.  
But what followed upon this careful diligence of the one sort, and security & negligence of the other? by the means of Constantius the Arrains so prevailed, that in the Counsels of Arimmum & Seleucia, the sincerity of the Christian profession( agreed on in the Nicen Council) was betrayed, all the Bishops of the world,( Athanasius, Eusebius, Hilarius, & some very few more, if yet there were any more, excepted) were drawn away and abused by the Arrians. Ingemuit totu●●rbis et miratus est, sefactum esse Arria●um.  
In our times, they of the Romish faction by fair promises, and sweet and sugared words, draw unto them the choicest wits they find amongst us, they observe wherein each man is most likely to excel, and employ him accordingly, some in writing, some in reading, some in preaching, some in disputing, they have some for School divinity, some for positive, ●ome for the study of the Fathers, and courses of antiquity. But with us all the● things are neglected, and therefore 〈◊〉 go before us, not in the goodness of 〈◊〉 cause, but in the good and wise managing of an evil cause. For I dare undertake that if a choice be made, and me● may have those helps & encouragement that are fit for men so employed, this national Church will yield men more th●● matchable with the greatest of the adverse faction, in all those courses of learning, wherein they seem most to excel.  
But to return to the words of the Apostle, we must contend, not for thinger indifferent, not mistaking one another▪ but for the maintenance of the faith. A●● the name of hope, sometimes signifieth the things we hope for,( as when the Apostle saith, If we had hope only in this life we were of all men the most miserable) sometime the desire and expectation of the same things: so the name of fayte sometimes signifieth the act or habit of believing, sometimes that sum of Christian doctrine, the conclusions wherea● are not demonstrable by reason, but 〈◊〉 he believed by faith. This doctrine of faith( lest we mistake it) is described by two circumstances. It was once delivered, and it was delivered to the Saints. It is said to have been once delivered, to express the difference between the manner of the divine revelation formely, and since Christ appeared. For before, the heavenly truth was revealed, not all at once, but in divers sorts, and degrees, according as the time wherein the revelation was made, was nearer, or more remote from the appearing of Christ, but in the last times God spoke by his own son, and b● him at once delivered all that, that shall be known concerning himself, till the ends of the world. So that we which are Christians must be●●eue nothing but that which was delivered at the first beginning of Christianity.  
So that the error of the Montanists is to be rejected, which imagined, that Christ revealed not all the mysteries of his kingdom to Peter, on whom he promised to build his Church, to john, the disciple he ●o dearly loved, which leaned on his breast at the mystical supper, and to the rest of that blessed company, but reserved many things till the spirit descended upon Montanus, and his prophetesses: as also the frenzy of those heretics in France, which affirmed, that as the Father was author of the old Testament, & the Son of the New, so the holy Ghost in the last times must be the author of a third, which is a law of love, which because it is the last, to continue for ever, & to have none after it, may( as they suppose) be rightly termed the eternal Gospel, so abusing the place of the revelations of Saint john.  
But passing by these errors of fanatical and vain men: in that the faith is said to have been once delivered, we observe two things; the f●rst, that that only is true which was delivered at the first. For howsoever many things be more fully, distinctly, and expressly known in latter times than they were formerly, yet they were delivered at the first enfolded in generalities, out of which they are afterwards more distinctly, and expressly deduced, even as a child, when it is first borne, hath all those parts of body, that ever after it hath, though not expressed and enlarged as afterwards they are, as Vincentius Lerinensis most aptly noteth.  
Secondly we may observe, that whatsoever may be proved to be most ancient, is undoubtedly true, as being immediately inspired from the spirit of truth. Quod primum, verissimum: the truth is before the counterfeit, the thing before the imitation of the thing, the habit before privation, and good before evil: the good seed was first sowed, and then the envious man came, et superseminavit zizania, and sowed tars, where the good seed was before.  
We deny not therefore, but most willingly grant unto our adversaries, that Antiquity is a note of the true Church; not as if that Church were always purest, and most uncorrupt, which first received the faith, and hath longest continued in the profession of it: for then the Aethiopian and Asian Churches, would prove themselves as pure or purer, then ●ny Churches in the world: but because ●hat is the truest and purest Church, which holdeth that doctrine, and discipline that was first delivered.  
The Romanists are wont to stand much upon this note of Antiquity, but how will they prove, they have the faith which was first delivered. They prove it, because they once had it, and it cannot be showed, when they departed from it. For answer whereunto we say, that in many things we can show, when the alteration began. 
Georg▪ Cassa. in praefa. ordie: Roma:  For who knoweth not, that Charles the Emperor with threats, and punishments, forced all the Clergy in the Provinces subject unto him, to forsake the ancient forms of divine service, & public administration, they had formerly used, and to receive the Roman order; and that the Spaniards( as being most stiff in all their courses) held their own rites, till in the time of Gregory the seventh, they were forced by Alphonsus the sixth, to leave them, which they did not without great sorrow expressed with tears.  
And though we could not precisely note the time, when their errors & abuses entered into the Church, yet the consequent were not good, that therefore they have not departed from the first and original purity. For there are and have been many errors in the Church, not only so judged by us, but confessed to be so by them, the precise time of the beginning whereof is not known. The opinion of the necessity of giving the Sacrament of the Lords body unto infants, 
August. d● peccat: rem:  and the practice of the same continued in the Latin Church,( as Maldonatus confesseth) six hundred years, and is retained in all the Oriental Churches to this day. This was an error, and yet neither the time when it began, nor the author of it known. The opinion, that none shall see GOD, nor enter into heaven till the resurrection, was the error of many of the ancient, yet the author of it, & the time, when it began is unknown. The opinion of two resurrections the one of the just, the other of the wicked,( there being between the one and the other above a thousand years) was an error amongst the ancient, the Author of ●t, and the time when it began, is not known.  
To leave these things that were ancient, and to come to the things now privayling in the Church of Rome; it was the old custom, that the Sacrament of the Lords body and blood, was given to all that were present, at the time of the mystical blessing, consecration, and operation: all the Catech●meni, penitents, & not communicants missis, et exclusis, being sent away and excluded: whence the whole mystical action is called Miss●. This custom continued till the time of Gregory the first, in whose time the Deacon after the reading of the Gospel pronounced those solemn words, si quis non communicate, exeat. This doth Cassander prove at large in his preface before the book called Ordo Romanus, showing that many doubted, whether the words of the Canon of the Mas●e, which imply a communion of the people, may be used in private Masses. By degrees they fe●● from the public, and solemn communion of the people, & the Clergy alone communicated with the priest. Afterwards, they also( though present) abstained, and communicated not. Whe● these private Masses began, it is no● known.  
The custom was to give the sacrament in both kinds to the people( as Lindan proveth) and it was thought necessary, as the book called Ordo Romanus showeth: And all the Churches of the east retain this custom unto this day. When the half communion began it is not known. In the time, that Luther began, almost all believed and taught, that Mary was conceived without sin, and thought it a matter of piety to be of that judgement. 
In 3 sent: dist: 3. quaest: 2.  Bonaventura in his time ●ime professeth, that he never saw the writings of any one, that was of that opinion nor never could meet with any one that so thought. Who was the first that broached this opinion & published it in writing unto the world, it is hard to ●inde.  
Besides all Romish religion standeth of contradictory assertions, as that the Pope may err, and that he cannot err, ●hat he may depose Princes, and that he may not, that one body may be in many places, and that it cannot be in many places, the one sort of them denying, that the other affirmeth: yet is not 〈◊〉 first author of any of th●se contradictory opinions known. Thus we see how weakly the Romanistes prove the antiquity of their faith and religion, whereof they so insolently glory and boast. But le● us leave them & return to the words of the Apostle.  
The second circumstance, whereby the doctrine of faith, for which we must contend is noted and described, unto us lest we should mistake it, is that as it was once delivered, so it was delivered to the Saints. So that if we desire to find the undoubted truth of Heavenly doctrine we must seek it, none in confusione paganorum, non in purgamentis haereticorum, non in languore schismaticorum, non in coecitate Iud●orum, not in the confusions of pagan Infidels, not among out cast and forsaken Heretics, not in the conventicles of Schismatics, not among the blind & hard hearted jews, but amongst those Disciples of Christ jesus, which cannot be justly challenged either for innovation, or division. According to that in the Canticles, where Christ is inquired after. Show thou me O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou ●eedest, and where thou liest a● noon. For why should I be, as she that turneth aside to the flocks of thy companions? and immediately he showeth how he may be found. If thou knowest not O thou the fairest among women, get thee forth by the steps of the flocks, and feed thy kids by the tents of the shepherds. In which words we are directed to seek our Saviour Christ in the troops, and companions of Christian people and pastors, which are named Saints in this place by the Apostle, because they are called to sanctification, & have the happy means of it. In these companies we shallbe sure to find our Saviour Christ and the doctrine of faith ●e left unto us, if we have an eye to them, upon whom no note of innovation or division may justly be fastened. So that ●f those societies in which we live have corrupted their ways, and left their first purity, we must( as Vincentius L●rine●sis ●irecteth us) look to other Churches, & ●●st our eyes up higher, to the times that ●ere before us. For example, in the days of our Fathers, they had private Ma●● half communions, and sundry others abuses, the most of the guides of God people taught men to put trust in papal indulgences, and such like lying vanities. Who soever doubted and made question of any of these things, if they did but cast their eyes upon the Eastern Churches that then presently were, or the Churches in former times, they might easily find, that in them there was no such thing.  
Thus then in the Church we have certain direction to find out the truth, neither are any other to hope to find it, but such as reverence her judgement, & se●● it in her communion. Whereupon Ter●ullian pronounceth, that none but such as are so affected, are to be admitted ●● any question or dispute of the Scriptures, and matters of faith: and bringeth in the Church speaking unto heretics, and praescribing against them i● this sort: quid agitis in meo, non mei? what do you meddling with my things, you that are none of mine? By what right do● thou Martion cut down my wood ●ho gave thee leave Valentinus, to turn ●he course of my Fountains? By what authority dost thou Apelles remove ●●y ancient bounds? It is my possession, ●hat do you here the rest of you, sowing ●nd feeding at your own pleasures? It is ●●y possession, I possessed it of old, I possessed it before you, I have the cervine original of it from them, whose the ●hing was, I am the heir of the Apostles, as they disposed by their last will & testament, as they committed it unto my ●●ust, as they adjured me, so I keep it; ●ou they know not, you they disclaimed ●nd rejected, as strangers, as enemies.  
This true and Orthodox church, which is the only mistress of Heavenly truth, maketh use of them, that err, to her own good, and their bettering and correction, if they refuse not her instructions. Vtitur Gentibus ad materiam ope●ationis suae, haereticis ad probationem doc●●inae suae, schismaticis ad documentum sta●●ilitatis suae, I●daeis ad comparationem pul●hritudimis suae; altos invitat, alios exclu●it, alios relinquit, alios antecedit: omnibus ●ratiae dei participandae dat potestatem, sive ●lli informandi, sive reformandi, sive reco●●●● di, sive admittendi sunt. Infidels are th● matter of her divine work of con●e●●ion. Heretics serve for the trial, proving, and approving of her doctrine, schismatic to show her constancy, th● Iewes imperfection to show her perfection and beauty; some she inviteth, some she excludeth, some she forsaketh, and some she goeth before in divine perfections; to all she offereth the participation of divine grace, whether they be to be informed, or reform or reconciled, or to be admitted to a hig●● degree of knowledge, and a more perfect estate. Thus have we heard the exhortation of the Apostle, moving us to contend earnestly for the maintenance of th● faith, and describing it to us, by the Antiquity of it, and that company of me● amongst whom it is to be sought: Let u● beseech almighty God to enlighten or understandings, that we may know it, 〈◊〉 frame our hearts to the love of it, and 〈◊〉 make us ever constant in the defence o● it. Amen.