counterfeite Epistles as though they had come from Paul and from the other Apostles were obtruded vnto the Churches Paul did note his owne naturall Epistles with a peculiar signe of his owne hande least false Epistles should be put in the place of those which were true For this cause read we in the ende of the second Epistle to the Thessalonians The salutation of me Paul with mine owne hand which is the token in euery Epistle So I write The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with you all Amen What say you to this moreouer that Tertullian reporteth that the authentike and originall Epistles of the Apostles that is to say their owne hand writings were kept euen in his time in those Churches to whome they were written And the Epistles of Paul are approued by the expressed testimonie of Peter And Iohn concludeth his Epistle thus These things haue I written vnto you that beleeue on the name of the Sonne of GOD that you may knowe that you haue eternall life and that you may beleeue 〈◊〉 the name of the Sonne of God. â—â—d hee finisheth the Reuelation with â—â—is most weightie calling to witnesse â—â—estifie vnto euerie man that heareth tâ—e woordes of the prophecie of this â—â—oke if anie man shall adde vnto â—â—ese sayings God shall adde vnto him â—â—e plagues that are written in this booke And if anie man shall take away from the wordes of the booke of this prophesie God shall take awaye â—is part out of the booke of life and â—ut of the holie Citie and from the â—hings which are writteÌ„ in this booke Therefore that is the Gospel of the Caâ—â—olike Church whiche being put in â—riting God hath sealed for his worde And this is the cause that the Churches â—f all ages haue taken the bookes of the â—ewe Testament for authentike which â—n these dayes we do with reuerence acâ—nowledge for authentike and which we doe most constantly affirme ought to he beleeued There is a most euident testimonie touching this matter in Irenaeus The Church sayth he learned the true and liuely faith of the Apostles and distributed it to her children For the Lorde of all gaue the power of the Gospel to his Apostles through whom we haue also knowne the trueth that is to say the doctrine of the soÌ„ne of God vnto whom also the Lord said He that heareth you heareth me he that despiseth you despiseth me he that despiseth me c. For we haue not knowne the setting in order of our saluation by any other then by them by whom the Gospel came to vs which then they did preach and afterwarde by the will of God deliuered vnto vs in the Scriptures to be the foundation and piller of our fayth Thou hearest by the testimonie of this most ancient and holy Bishop that the Apostles did afterward by the will of God deliuer vnto vs in writing the same Gospell which first they published with liuely voyce that this written Gospell might be the foundation and piller of our fayth And although hee doeth vrge this poynt That all Churches taught and instructed by the Apostles shoulde keepe the vnitie of 〈◊〉 founded in the Scriptures yet doth â—â—twithstanding maintaine this also â—â—at the Scripture is the schole of perâ— and absolute wisedome Moreouer although all thinges that â—â—ist did be not written nor all the serâ—â—s which he made bee not set downe writing worde for word least the numâ—â—â— of bookes should be infinite yet hath 〈◊〉 holy Ghost chosen forth those things â—e written which might suffise for the â—â—â—â—ruction and confirmation of the faith â—he elect as Augustine plainelie teaâ—â—th forth of the word of Iohn the Eâ—â—â—gelist For whereas the Lord Iesus â—eth he did manie things all are not â—â—itten as euen the selfe same holy Eâ—â—ngelist him selfe witnesseth That the â—â—rde Christ both did and spake maâ—e things which are not written But â—â—ose things were chosen foorth and â—ritten which did seeme to be sufficiâ—â—t for the faith of the faithful Thereâ—â—re euen by the witnesse and consent of â—ugustine those things are plentifullie â—ritten which the holy Ghost iudged to 〈◊〉 inough for the obteyning of the true knowledge of Christe and of the blessed life Cyrillus in his 12. booke vpon Iohn doeth agree to Augustine All thinges saith he which the Lorde did are notwritten but the writers thought those thinges which are written sufficient aswell for manners as for doctrine that we shining in right faith good workes may come to the kingdome of heauen through Iesus Christ Thus much hath he Neither doth it followe herevpon that those thinges which were not written were vaine and to no purpose They were then verie profitable for the confirming and erecting of the Church of Christe Yet notwithstanding the whole Gospel was moste faithfully drawen into that summe which might fully suffise them that should come after The iiii Chapter The place of Ieremie his 31. Chapter is discussed also it is shewed that the Apostles wrote the Gospel by the will of God. â—Ntichrist his garde setteth vpon vs 〈◊〉 in this place wresteth a dart forth 〈◊〉 Ieremie which wee must needes â—e howe weake it is to proue that â—â—â—ch they goe about Truely they abuse â—oo shamefully the holie oracles of â—â—d who by wresting these woordes of 〈◊〉 Prophete vnto a cleane contrarie â—ishe and absurde sense goe about to â—â—â—re the eyes of the simple and to diâ—ishe the maiestie of the Scripture â—â—d as they which in scholes geue them â—â—â—ues to shew their fine witts and which â—â—ercise themselues in eloquence do fight â—â—ainst elequence with the weapons of â—â—oquence euen so doe these by the counâ—â—naunce of Scripture endeuour to oâ—â—rthrowe the authoritie of Scripture â—ut they are cloudes easie to be scatteâ—â—d with a verie smal blast of an answere â—ieremie doeth prophesie that an other â—ouenaunt must bee made in the name â—f God but not so as it was made in time â—ast with the fathers And amongst other â—hinges he saith vnder the person of God â— will plante my lawe in the inwarde partes of them and write it in their heartes and will bee their God and they shal be my people And froÌ„ thence foorth shall no man teache his neighbour or his brother and saye Knowe the Lord but they shall all knowe me from the lowest to the highest saieth the Lorde for I will forgiue their misdeedes and wil neuer remember their sinnes anie more Vnto this prophesie do they ioyne the place of Paul in the second to the Corinthians and third chapter Ye are our Epistle written in our heartes vnderstoode and read of all men For as much as ye are manifestly declared that yee are the Epistle of Christe ministred by vs written not with ynke but with the Spirit of the liuing God not in stonie tables but in fleshlie tables of the heart They would proue forth of these places that the
of the auncient fathers haue done also as of the Greekes Melito Origines and Eusebius Bishop of Caesaria and of the Latines Cyprian Bishop and Martyr and Hierome Priest But long before their iudgement the bookes of holie Scripture had diuine authoritie among christians which they would haue had although Councels had neuer bene celebrated Notwithstanding the holy men of God thought good to giue foorth their senteÌ„ce also against theÌ„ which were wickedly beÌ„t against the canonical bokes If the Church were able to bring to passe that the Scripture might be receiued certainly she would haue perswaded long before this time Epicures Talmudikes and Mahometistes to haue receiued it For the authoritie of the Gospel doeth not hang on the Church but what authoritie soeuer the Church hath it hangeth wholy on the worde of god And if the authoritie of God his woorde decay the authoritie of the Church must needes decay with it For if thou demaunde of them howe they proue the authoritie of the Church or howe they bee certaine that it erreth not in the vnderstanding of holy Scriptures and in discerning them from others They will say because it is gouerned by the holie Ghost And if thou saye And howe knowe you this They will answere because Christ hath promised that he will bee with the Church vnto the ende of the worlde And because he hath sayde also Where twoo or three are gathered in my name there am I in the middest of them And I will sende the comforter vnto you and hee will leade you into all trueth These are the thinges say they which perswade the authoritie of the Church But whence take you these thinges good men but foorth of holie Scripture Wherefore we must rather conclude that the Churche hath her authoritie from the Scripture Therefore as no man deemeth but the testimonie of the Church is greatlye to bee weyed aboute the woorde of GOD so euerie man well seeth that the authoritie of the Church is of greate renowme therefore because it is sette foorth by the cleare light of God his worde The .xi. Chapter Howe vngodly and wicked it is to preache without the warrant of holie Scripture BY those things which we haue saide of the worthinesse of the scriptures it is manifest that that doctrine whiche the Prophetes and Apostles haue deliuered to vs in writing is the foundation of our faith Wherefore the Ministers of the Churche and Preachers ought to learne hereby what they shoulde preach euen the worde of God onely set forth in the Scripture and not mens traditions although they presume to say they bee God his worde which by no meanes they can proue because they be vncertaine contrarie one to an other sometime abolished and sometime newly deuised which by no meanes can agree to the worde of god Neither be there any Apostolike Churches wherin the traditions of the Apostles be sincerely kept But wee will speake of traditions more at large in place conuenient Moreouer Christ his sheepe are not quiet vntill they heare the certaine voice of their shepheard And the minde desiring to liue to God is not certaine vntill it vnderstande those things which it heareth to bee grounded vppon this firste principle of Diuinitie Thus sayeth the Lorde Christ his spouse can not be quiet in minde vntill she may say I heare the voice of my beloued Nowe his voice according to the common rule of God his disposition towards vs doeth not sounde any where more cerâ—ainely vnto vs then forth of holie Scripâ—ure Well saide Chrysostome If anie â—hing be spoken without Scripture the â—hought of the hearers halteth But wheÌ„n the Testimonie of God his voice â—s come forth of the scriptures it conâ—irmeth both the speache of the speaker and the minde of the hearer And Esaie hauing admonished the people to â—eeke after none but God onelie addeth â—he meanes also saying Get thee to the â—awe and testimonie Wherefore well â—ayde Augustine Let our bookes be â—aken away from among vs and let God his booke be brought foorth among vs Heare Christe telling â—eare the trueth speaking Hee sayâ—th also in an other place Read vs this â—oorth of the lawe foorth of the Prophetes foorth of the Psalmes foorth of the Gospell reade it foorth of the Apostles writings and we will beleeue â—t Againe Vrge them to shewe some manifest testimonies foorth of the Canonicall bookes Remember that this is the saying of the Lorde They haue Moses and the Prophetes let them heare them If an Angel from heauen preach any other Gospel Paul coÌ„mauÌ„deth that he be accounted accursed Now if the Angels ought also to be in subiection to God his worde to obey it then are they worthely brought into this order that if they doe otherwise They are iudged Deuils And although that cannot come to passe yet such is the maiestie of the Gospel that to sette foorth the dignitie thereof it is not vnlawfull after a sorte to abuse the name dignitie of Angels Wherfore their wicked and cursed rashenesse which presume to preach in the church of GOD beside the Scripture is as it were stoned to death with the most graue sentences of most holy fathers Let vs therefore recite some testimonies of the Fathers Tertullian against Hermogenes sayeth I reuerence the fulnesse of scripture Let Hermogenes his shoppe shewe that it is written If it be not written let him feare the curse pronounced against them which adde and take away from GOD his worde Saint Augustine likewise against Petilian his letters in his thirde booke and sixth Chapter hath these woordes If anie I will not say if wee but which Paule added If an Angel from heauen shall preache either of Christ or of his Churche or of anie other thing whiche pertayneth to faith or to the leading of our life otherwise then you haue receyued in the holie Scriptures of the lawe and of the Gospel Let him bee accursed Wherevnto agreeth that also whiche hee writeth in an other place saying Let him whiche preacheth any other Gospel bee accursed or let him reade it mee in the holie Scriptures and not be accursed He saith also in his treatise of Pastoures Christ hath appointed the mouÌ„taines of Israel the authours of the holie scriptures Feede there that you may feede safely Whatsoeuer you heare thence let that sauour well vnto you whatsoeuer you heare not thence refuse that you wander not in a cloude gather your selues to the meaning of the scripture There be the dainties of your heart There is nothing venemous nothing from the purpose There be onely the most fuitful pastures Also in his boke of the goodnesse of widowehood in the first Chapter he saieth What shoulde I teach thee more then that which we reade in the Apostle For the holy Scripture fashioneth the rule of our doctrine least we shoulde presume to be wiser than wee ought Therefore let it be to
And many other â—ignes truely did Iesus before the eyes â—f his disciples which are not written â—n this boke These are written that ye â—ight beleeue that Iesus is Christ the â—onne of God and that in beleuing ye â—ight haue life thorow his name By â—e which wordes if we beleeue the Faâ—hers Iohn coÌ„mended vnto the Church â—ot onely his owne Gospel but also the Gospels of the other three Euangelists Therfore by the euideÌ„t testimony of Iohn â—hose things are written by the foure Eâ—aÌ„gelists with holy choise which might sufâ—se the saluatioÌ„ of men not satisfie their â—uriositie Paule hath signed his Epistles 〈◊〉 a peculiar marke so haue we 2. Thes â— The salutatioÌ„ of me Paul with mine â—wne hand which is the tokeÌ„ in euery â—pistle So I write The grace of our â—ord Iesus Christ be with you all Amen Vpon these words Ambrose saith â—ecause of corrupters of the scriptures â—e witnesseth that he subscribeth the â—alutation himselfe alwayes with his â—wn hand in euery one of his Epistles that the Epistle might not be receiue vnder his name which was not subscribed with his hand And Theodoret sayth This did he adde moreouer because of them which presumed to carie about couÌ„terfeit Epistles teaching them to looke for the subscription For this sayth he is the signe of mine Epistles For I write the salutation my selfe in euery Epistle Therefore hereby we learne that this The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with you all Amen is vsually writteÌ„ by him in stead of fare well Thus farre Theodorete Herevpon is it that in the ende of the Epistle to the Romans when as he had set downe his vsuall subscription The grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ be with you all Amen And had added newe salutations in the behalfe of other brethren he repeateth the subscription the seconde time In the ende of the first Epistle to the Corinthians he subscribeth thus The salutation of me Paul with mine owne hande If any man loue not the Lord Iesus Christ the same be Anathema maranatha The grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ be with you Ambrose vpon the same woordes sheweth the cause The vsuall subscription of his owne hand Also Theodorete sayeth I haue indited the Epistle my selfe and put to the salutation with mine owne hande shewing to all men by those letters that those things which are written are mine He subscribeth the Epistle to the Galathians with these wordes Brethren the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ be with your spirit Amen VpoÌ„ the which wordes Theodoretus sayeth He put vnto his letters his vsual blessing as a certaine seale putting them in remembrance of the gift giueÌ„ them which they receiued not by the law but by faith Ambrose in the ende of the first to Timothe sayeth He subscribed with his owne hand saying Grace be with thee Amen And the Apostle subscribeth the second to Timothe after this maner The Lord Iesus Christ be with thy spirite Grace be with you Amen Vpon the which words Ambr. noteth This is the subscriptioÌ„ of the Apostle for he saith it is his mark in euery epist. And Tert. sayth that the verie hande writings of the Apostles were conserued euen in his time in the Apostolike Churches To be briefe Paule doth not onely confirme his Epistles with so great diligence by subscriptions but also hath set them forth with much more riche and polished inscriptions than other writers are accustomed The same hath Peter done also who hath commended Paul his Epistles to the Churches in expressed woordes Iohn concludeth his canonicall Epistle thus These things haue I written vnto you that beleeue on the name of the sonne of God that ye may know that ye haue eternall life and that ye maye beleeue on the name of the sonne of God. Why should not this Epistle bee canonical which was written to this end by the instinct of the spirite of God that the faythfull might be assured of their saluation in Christ through fayth The Epistle to the Hebrues whether it bee Lukes or Barnabasses or Clements the Church is vncertaine of the Authour but most certaine of the spirit and of the truth sauoureth such a grace of the Apostles diuinitie that it easily defendeth it selfe from being reiected The Epistle of Iames being filled full of most wholsome precepts well sheweth that the authour thereof was Iames the seruant of God and of our Lord Iesus Christ whether he were the sonne of Alphe or that Oblias the matter is not great For they were both worthie men The one an Apostle the other a Disciple the Lords cousin of great authoritie in the Church and among the Iewes also I would therfore that they should tell mee which bee those chiefe bookes of the newe Testament which haue authoritie from the church which they could neither haue of themselues nor of their authours And it may be gathered forth of those thinges which I haue alledged now forth of the newe Testament how the Canon of the Scripture of the newe Testament was made and from whence the Canonicall Scripture hath that excellent authoritie Therefore the Church receiued this Canon from the Apostles confirmed by no Councell and deliuered it as it were from hande to hande vnto the posteritie Wherefore Iohn in the ende of his Gospel addeth both his owne testimony and also the witnesse of the Church when as he saith The same disciple is he which testifieth of these things wrote these things and we know that his testimonie is true And this testimonie of the Church is not the deuise of man but necessarie such a confession as is expressed by the truth of the thing it selfe wherof we will intreate more at large in the place coÌ„uenient And since they do so peeuishly contend that the authoritie of the Scripture doeth depend of the Church why do they not bring forth some canon or decree of some councell whereby holie scripture was approued or confirmed The primitiue Church of the Christians found the bookes of the olde Testament authentical firme and by them approued confirmed the articles of our faith Afterwards succeeded the bookes of the Apostles written by the inspiratioÌ„ of the spirite of God which no decree of man confirmed For Gods word is not subiect to mans will and pleasure but contrarily whatsoeuer the Churches ordeyned they alwayes were careful to proue it by the word of God as it may be proued by the CouÌ„cels of best credite So that well wrote blessed Siluianus Bishop of Marsiles All other things that is to say the sayinges of men haue neede of profes and witnesses but the word of God is a witnesse to it selfe for it must needes bee an vncorrupt witnesse of truth which vncorrupt truth speaketh In deede the Councels haue made a rehearsall of the bookes of holy scripture written by inspiration from God which some
holy profitable and necessarie argument I began foorthwith to read the Booke with great affection and easily perceiued that the authour being indued with singular humanitie and modestie did of purpose conceale his name not regarding to make it knowen For hee woulde not seeke to gette any praise of the worlde which manie foolishly doe by setting foorth Bookes but was rather willing to further extolle and sette foorth the glorie of GOD onely and of his woorde I sawe also in the man a feruent desire to bringe the syncerenesse of pure Religion to knowledge and to further the manifest profite of the louers of godlinesse To bee briefe I acknowledged the giftes of God to appeare in this man I meane his dexteritie and happinesse in handeling this famous argument hauing beene long in controuersie among the learned and diuersly expounded For whatsoeuer may be spoken thereof necessarily and profitably hee hath wholy conteined it in this booke yea and that briefely euidently plainly and in verie good order For hee hath distinguished the whole matter being otherwise copious into Chapters then hath â—ee placed before euery Chapter the Argument so that euen by these briefe Chapters thou mayest easily perceiue the scope and ende of the whole Booke the summe and maner of the handeling of the â—ame Wherevpon I haue prefixed before this woorke the Title of the Booke fraâ—ed of the matter handeled therein that thou mayest euen with one viewe and foorthwith in the beginning beholde all thinges in a verie briefe summe whiche are conteined in this Booke He setteth foorth plainely and confirmeth all his matters especially as it is meete by the holie Scriptures then also by fitte testimonies of the blessed auncient Fathers Neither hath this his profitable trauaile â—iked mee onelie but also certaine other godlye and learned men vnto whome thou mayest worthilie ascribe more than vnto mee I haue therefore placed this mine Epistle before this Booke least the woorke beeing sette foorth without â—he Authours name shoulde eyther â—ee little regarded or suspected of thee Neither shall this Booke bee namelesse if it meete with anie stoute aduersarie which can assaile it and oppugne it Those thinges which I haue hitherto spoken in praise of this booke thou shalt by experieÌ„ce and with admiration witnesse to be true so that thou reade it diligently and with a sincere minde and also weigh it duely Farewell gentle Reader From Zurich the moneth of August 1571. ⧠A briefe summe of the chiefest pointes handeled in this Booke as it is deuided by Chapters THE reasons of those which doe extoll the authoritie of the Church abooue the Scriptures Cap. 1. Fol. 1 The deceitfulnesse of them is reprooued which doe diminish the authothoritie of the Scripture wherevpon the authoritie of the church doeth depend Cap. 2. Fol. 4. That the authoritie of the Scripture is greatest because it containeth the woorde of God which in the begining was deliuered to the church by liuely voice cap. 3. Fol. 8. The place of Hieremie his 31. chapter is discussed also it is shewed that the Apostles wrote the Gospel by the will of god cap. 4. Fol. 14. That all things which concerne faith godlinesse and saluation are fully and sufficiently contained in the Scripture cap. 5. Fol. 26. That the Scripture was giuen by inspiration to correct euill manners to confute heresies that forth of it onely controuersies must be iudged And that it is neither darke nor doubfull cap. 6. Fol. 30. Whervpon the Scripture is called Canonical Also testimonies of the Fathers touching the most excellent authoritie thereof cap. 7. Fol. 42. That the authoritie of the Canonicall Scripture is more excellent then the Councels the Fathers yea then the decrees and ordinaunces of all men Cap. 8. Fol. 44. That the Canonical Scripture hath the chiefe perfection of her authoritie from the holie Ghoste and of her selfe And coÌ„trarily that the Church receiueth her authoritie from the Scripture cap. 9. Fol. 51. Howe the Canon of the newe Testament was ordained and that it hath authoritie of it selfe and from the Authors thereof and that the authoritie of the Church is maintayned thereby cap. 10. Fol. 55. Howe vngodly and wicked it is to preach without the warrant of holy Scripture cap. 11. Fol. 11. That the true Church is to bee sought in the Scripture to bee included ded therein and to be esteemed by the Scriptures cap. 12. Fol. 65. Of the dueties of the Church about the Scriptures and first of this that she keepeth the holy Bookes of the scripture as a witnesse cap. 13. Fol. 69. That the Church publisheth the word of god cap. 14. Fol. 70. That the Church discerneth the Books of holy Scripture from Apocryphall and counterfaits cap. 15. Fol. 71. Of the saying of Augustine I would not beleeue the Gospel but that the authoritie of the Church mooueth mee also cap. 16. Fol. 74. Of the gift of interpretation Cap. 17. Fol. 77. Of the the saying of Christ If he will not heare the Church let him be vnto thee as an Heathen man and a Pubcan Mat. 18.19 cap. 18. fol. 82. Of the saying of Paule The Church is the piller and grounde of the trueth 1. Tim. 3.15 Chap. 19. Fol. 84. Of the saying of Paule Brethren stand fast and holde the ordinances which ye haue taught whether it be by our preaching or by our Epistle 2. Thes 2.15 Chap. 20. Fol. 86. That the doctrine which the Apostles taught by liuely voyce and which they deliuered in writing is all one and that this is the fourme of the traditions of the Apostles if they agree with the holie Scriptures Chap. 21. Fol. 88. A perfite proofe of those Traditions which are indeede the Apostles foorth of the moste auncient Writers Irenaeus and Tertullianus Chap. 22. Fol. 91. Of the subtiltie and deceitfulnesse of Sophisters which vse guilefully the woorde Tradition which is diuersly taken Chap. 23. Fol. 101. Of the vncertaintie repugnancie and varietie of Traditions Chap. 24. Fol. 104. That the Church hath beene deceiued euen from the Apostles time vnder the pretence of Traditions Chap. 25. Fol. 106. A Catalogue of the Doctors and writers whose testimonies the authour of this Treatise doth alledge in this Booke Ambrose Athanasius Augustine Basil Chrysostome Clemens Cusanus Cyprian Cyril Epiphanius Enagrius Eusebius Gerson Gratian Hillarie Hyperius Ierome Irenaeus Lactantius Nicephorus Origen Panormitanus Philaster Saluianus Sozomenus Tertullian Theodoretus Theophilactus Whether the holie Scripture haue authoritie from the Church Or whether the Church doe rather take authoritie from the holie Scripture The first Chapter The reasons of those which do extoll the authoritie of the Church aboue the Scripture THE chiefest reuerence after God God his woorde is due to the Churche Christe his spouse whiche God so dearelie loued that his will was that his onely begotten sonne should be a sacrifice for the same whome he endueth with his spirit that the sayde Church may be the temple and image of God wherein his
propertie of the doctrine of the newe Testament is so appointed by God him selfe that it can neither be written in tables nor in papers nor with penne nor with ynke nor by any other meanes What and if some Libertine with the Euthusiastes make further exception that the â—â—â—â—rine of God cannot be deliuered by 〈◊〉 voyce forsomuch as God his will â—â—to illuminate mennes mindes with â—â—â—â—ledge that they shall all know him 〈◊〉 the least to the greatest so that no 〈◊〉 shal haue neede to teache his neighâ— saying Knowe the Lorde What 〈◊〉 they I beseeche you aunswere for 〈◊〉 traditions yet dare they goe furthâ—â— insomuch that they say that it was 〈◊〉 without his commaundement in 〈◊〉 the Euangelistes and Apostles did â—â—mitte certeine things to writing beâ—â—â—se the Lorde commaunded them to â—â—eache and not to write and also beâ—â—â—se the worde of God conteyned in the â—â—spell is of such a nature that it can 〈◊〉 be expressed in writing And yet the â—â—hour of the Epistle to the Hebrues â—he middest of his writing whilest hee â—â—eth downe the doctrine of the niewe â—â—â—enant in writing alledgeth the selfe â—ne sentence of Hieremie And Paule â— nowe alreadie written both the Eâ—â—â—tle to the Thessalonians and the first â—pistle to the Corinthians when hee â—yed Not with ynke but with the spirite of God yea he did deliuer the selfe same then not with liuely voice but in writing did purpose to write more afterwarde It is therefore plaine that neither the Apostles did so vnderstande the sentence of Hieremie nor Paul his owne saying as these triflers faine that is to say that the doctrine of Christe and his Apostles cannot beare to be comprehended and deliuered in writing Certainely if their sentence may preuaile it will followe that the Apostles and Euangelists did wickedly beside yea rather against the minde of the Lorde blemishe the doctrine of grace in that they did committe that worde to writing and papers which is vnapt to bee written and vnto which suche a propertie is allotted by God that by no meanes it ought to bee committed to writing And hath hellish rage so blinded them that they cannot consider this These are they forsooth which bring the professoures of the sincere doctrine into hatred and accuse them of noueltie when as they them selues doe mocke the Churche with niewe foolishe and 〈◊〉 deuises Who at anie time beâ—â—â—hem did so vnderstande or interâ—â—â— Hieremie Augustine a man of a 〈◊〉 sharpe witte in that booke which â—ote of the spirit and letter handleth place of the Prophete at large and â—eaketh he not so much as one worde â—â—is interpretation neither doeth anie 〈◊〉 olde writers agree with them there 〈◊〉 Where is then this consent of the â—â—rche which they so greatly bragge â—â—nd require Are these Giauntes so â—â—de to thinke that they haue seene 〈◊〉 which hath escaped the most excelâ—â—â— lights of the Church Fie for shame â—â—e foolishe and friuolous is that diffeâ—â—â—ce of the olde and newe Testament â—â—ich they appoint Truely this reward â—â—e they for contemning the scripture â—â—t they may staine the maiestie thereof â—â—h their wicked toyes you may see â—â—m that I may vse the woordes of Baâ—â— weaue the lenowe webbe of the spiâ—â—t But let vs singularly reuerence the â—earle troden vnder foote by hogges â—â—d keepe it most religiously Let vs therefore see the most sweete sentence of this excellent prophesie full of Euangelicall and heauenly comfort Therefore shall it appeare that the Prophetment nothing lesse than that which these goe about to wreste forth of his wordes yea rather that this place is directly against them Moreouer no man will doubte which shall heare Paule the Apostle and the epistle to the Hebrues who are the most certaine interpreters of this prophesie but that this prophesie doeth wholie appertaine to the kingdom and time of Christ and that the diuine Prophete did prophesie in this place of the benefit of Christ And God doth promise by expresse wordes That hee will make a newe couenant with his people to heale the weakenesse of the first and to correct the corruptions whiche were crepte into it by no faute of God but thorowe the noughtinesse of the people who as league breakers were departed from it neither tooke him according to the conditions of the league for their God in beleeuing him worshipping him and obeying his lawes For they â—ere weaker by meanes of their natuâ—â—ll vanitie corruption and stubburnesse â—â—en that they coulde frame themselues â—â—roughly to the folowing of GOD his â—ill and to perfect obedience Whereâ—ore that league was broken oftentimes â—hrough their vnfaithfulnesse What â—houlde God therefore doe if he had bin willing to haue dealt according to extremitie of lawe and to haue punished them for breaking the league he might forthwith haue forsaken the people which brake the league and as they deserued haue cast them of and haue appointed them to suffer euerlasting torments But the vsing his greate mercie suche is his goodnesse and loue towardes mankinde was rather willing to spare those miserable men and their weakenesse then without mercie and with seueritie to reuenge the iniuries done vnto him Therefore he shewed the remedie when he promised that he woulde make a niewe couenaunt with his people which once he chose vnto himselfe Which couenante as touching the matter and substance is moste niew For his will was not by changing his purpose after the manner of men to backe and to make frustrate that which once he had decreed neither did he make a newe couenant cleane contrarie to the first For God his purpose is vnchangeable although as touching the properties or qualities it may be iudged after a sorte niewe Which thing Chrysostome hath expressed by a verie goodlie similitude Beholde saith he this also is niew when as some things thereof are taken away and some things remaine as if one alter an olde ruinous house thorowly and lay new fouÌ„dations we say foorthwith he hath made it niewe when as he hath but taken away some thinges and chaunged some thinges Therefore GOD pitying the state of mankinde hath dayly ioyned greater benefites and hath more and more polished that which as yet to his ancient benefites was rude and only begonne and hath made it perfecte Of this new or rather renewed league there be chiefly three principall pointes whereby GOD cureth all the inwarde diseases of mankinde and reâ—â—oreth him to perfect health And these â—ointes are the inwarde reforming of â—ens heartes the lightening of their mindes to the knowledge of God and â—he free forgiuenesse of their sinnes of the which inestimable benefites to bee bestowed in the time of the Gospel not onelie Hieremie but also the rest of the prophetes haue prophecies And of the reformation and correction of heartes that is to say of regeneration and newe birth Ezechiel hath prophesied moste clearely of all I will sprinckle saith he cleane water
therefore stande that I may vse Basill his woordes to the arbitrament of Scripture geuen by inspiration from God and let the sentence of trueth be adiudged vnto them amongest whom doctrines agreeing with God his worde are founde It liketh me to set downe in this place the most beautifull sentence of Cyprian which Augustine affirmeth to bee without doubte moste excellent It is a short way saith he with religious and simple mindes both to lay away errour and to finde foorth and trie out the truth For if we returne to the heade and fountaine of GOD his tradition man his errour ceaseth if the Conduit pipe of water which before did runne plentifully and aboundantly doe faile of a souddeine doe they not goe to the fountayne that the cause of the defecte may foorthwith bee knowen whether it bee drie in the head by meanes that the vaynes of the well are dried vp or whether it runne sounde and full from thence and stoppe in the middle of his passage The which thing also the Priestes of GOD must doe and if in anie thing the trueth shall totter and shake lette vs returne to the fountayne and welspring of the Lorde and of the Euanlistes and to the tradition of the Apostles and from thence let the reason of our doing rise from whence both the order and beginning sprang These thinges are written in his Epistle to Pompeius agaynst the Epistle of Stephanus Therefore by the consente of al the olde writers the writings of the Prophetes and Apostles are the rules of iudgementes in euerie proofe examination and triall of doctrines I knowe Tertullian writeth elsewhere that wee must not appeale to the Scriptures neither offer in them to contende wherein the victorie is eyther none at all or vncertaine or at the least none verie certayne But marke against whom hee reasoneth For so hath hee a little before these woordes This heresie doeth not receiue certayne Scriptures and if it receiue anie it altereth and chaungeth them craftely by putting to taking from for the framing of their purpose Although it doe receaue them yet doeth it not receaue the whole And though it doe receiue the whole after a sorte yet doeth it notwirhstanding peruerte them deuising straunge expositions As greately is an adulterous sense against the trueth as is a corrupt maner of writing Diuerse presumptions will not acknowledge those thinges whereby they are ouerthrowen c. Therefore forsomuch as proofe foorth of the Scriptures coulde nothing preuayle amongest suche he deemeth that controuersies touching faith are to be discussed foorth of the Scriptures because those which were of the right faith wearied themselues without fruite and because the malapertnesse of Heretikes coulde not bee brideled but that they woulde still contende although they were an hundred times ouercommen Hee woulde therefore haue an ende of vayne and vnprofitable strifes and contentions and especially seeing that the Apostle forbidâ—eth after the first or second admonition to reason anie more with him that is â—n Heretike Otherwise what doeth he himselfe in so manie bookes With what swoorde with what weapons hath â—e slaine Marcion Praxeas Hermogenes and others but with the simple woorde of God Therefore when the matter so requireth he proueth not onely the wordes but also by example that we must both dispute and define none otherwise but onely forth of the worde of God it selfe Neither haue all the professours of the right fayth vsed anie other meane when they defended the right â—nd pure faith against Heretikes as we â—aue alreadie shewed The bookes of God are open sayth Augustine let vs not turne away our eyes The Scripâ—ure crieth let vs hearken For they would not haue the authoritie of man â—ut of God to be able to ende controuerâ—ies and to heale men Yet doe the Papistes reclaime afâ—irming that controuersies cannot be deâ—ermined forth of Scripture onely or â—hat iudgement can be giuen forth of it touching the matter of fayth For they say that the Scripture is subiect to the wicked and ambitious expositions of Heretikes and that it may be wrested to diuerse meanings and that it is doubtfull and darke Therefore doe they call vs backe foorthwith to the definition of the Church which as it is without all falsehood so may it be taken for the true and certaine rule of fayth It is a solemne thing amongest these Sophistes to declaime of the doubtfulnesse hardnesse and darkenesse of the Scriptures to turne mens mindes from the Scripture to the traditions of their Church that is to saye from the authoritie of God to the authoritie of men neither is this shift of theirs newe The old Heretikes also vsed the same who when they were reproued by the Scriptures vsed these cauillations that the Scriptures are diuersely spoken that is to saye according to the speech of our aduersaries doubtfull apt to be applied euerie way vncertaine moreouer that the truth can not be founde forth by the Scriptures if a man know not the tradition that is to say as our aduersaries nowe vtter it that the scriptures are not sufficient and that the trueth was not deliuered by writings but by liuely voice For the which cause say they Paule sayde We speake wisedome among them that are perfect not the wisedome of this world Iulianus also the Pelagian with whom Augustine had so great conflictes and whose wordes and argumentes these our aduersaries vse in their disputations verie willingly was wont to stande muche vppon this that the knowledge of holie Scriptures is verie harde and meete for a fewe of the learned sort Neither are these fellowes ashamed to haue the saying of an Heretike in so great admiration But Paule when he affirmeth that faith commeth by hearing God his worde doeth not onely make it the true and certaine rule of fayth but the onely rule thereof But when wee must contend with Heretikes say the aduersaries of the truth then doe the scriptures little preuaile because they can so easily shift theÌ„ off Yet thought I that the word of God is that sword of that spirit wherwith SataÌ„ might be thorowly ouerthrowne But if it be the victorious triumphant sworde agaynst the head Lorde and maister of all Heretikes how commeth it to passe that it is a dull weapon and as it were made of a reede agaynst his members To what purpose is this worthie testimonie of Paule All Scripture is giueÌ„ by inspiration of God is profitable to doctrine to reproue to correction to instruction which is in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect And although the slienesse of all Heretikes and Sophistes be great in wresting and deprauing of the Scriptures yet doth not God his trueth lie so open to their mockes but that it may stoutely be set at libertie by the sayde Scriptures Clowdes may darken the Sunne for a season but they can neither put out nor choke vp the light thereof but that it wil
is necessarie for vs to folowe the holie scriptures and in nothing to depart from their determination Ambrose de officiis lib. 1. saith We may vse as we will those things which we finde not in holy scripture In the commentaries vpon the 86. Psalme which are set foorth in Hierom his name wee reade these wordes The Lorde shall rehearse it in the scripture of his people and of the Princes which were in her Howe shall the Lorde rehearse it Not by woorde but by writing By whose writing By the writing of his people that is to say by the holy scripture which is read to all people that is that all may vnderstande it Plato wrote not to the people but to a few for scantly three men vnderstand him But these that is to say the princes of Christ wrote not for a few but for all the people not that a few might vnderstande but that all might vnderstande And he sayth by the writing of his Princes that is to say of the Apostles and of the Euangelistes of them which were in her See what he sayth which were not which are that the Apostles onely excepted what thing else soeuer shall be sayde afterward might be cut off and not haue authoritie Therefore although any one be holy after the Apostles although he be eloquent let him not haue authoritie Because the Lorde rehearseth it in the Scripture of his people and of the Princes which were in her Cyrill or whether it be Origen in Leuiticum cap. 5. sayeth If thou canst not finishe all the flesh of the sacrifice the second day thou shalte eate none of it the thirde day c. I saith he doe suppose that by this space of two dayes may be vnderstanded the two Testamentes wherein euerie woorde which pertayneth to GOD may be sought for and discussed and all knowledge of thinges may be learned foorth of them And if there be any thing ouer the which holy Scripture cannot determine that none other thirde Scripture ought to be brought in for authoritie of the knowledge I coulde bring more suche like sayinges foorth of the Fathers but I trust I haue throughly satisfied the indifferent Reader with these Therefore all the sayinges and writinges of men whatsoeuer they be are to bee examined and tried by the lawe and by the Prophetes and by the Apostles writinges as in the moste certayne balaunce and so haue the moste holie Fathers iudged one and all For greater is the authoritie of Canonicall Scripture then of anie man of anie Byshoppes of anie Synode yea or of all the Churche Neither can the authoritie of the vniuersall church although it be gathered together whollye into one place foorth of all her members which euer were or be or in yeares to come shall bee deserue creâ—ite in anie thing without the testimonies of Scripture So that Panormitane sayde neither foolishely nor falsely More credit is to be yeelded to one Laie man alledging the scriptures then to a general Councell representing the vniuersall Church if it bring no scriptures vnto whom Iohn Gerson agreeth when as he saith That the consent and voice of one learned man alleadging the scripture fittly is to be preferred before a generall Councell And it is prooued by the example of the Nicen Synode which had receiued the superstitious law of the single life of priestes had not Paphnutius onelie withstoode it Therefore if the disputations of the Fathers or their sentences or their expositions of the Scriptures doe disagree with the Canonicall Scripture and rule of fayth there is no cause why any shoulde obiecte their authoritie vnto vs For if the conteÌ„tion be touching learning holinesse and auncientnes the Prophets and the Apostles of Christ be more learned more holie and more auncient Neither is there anie cause why anie shoulde obiect vnto vs the consent of many Churches in this or that opinion For the consent of Christ of the Prophetes of the Apostles yea and of the Patriarches in sincere religion and in the holy sense of religion reuealed manifestly to vs by the Scriptures is more to bee esteemed from whose godly and religious iudgement wee must neuer departe But if anie reckon vp manie and whole kingdomes whiche haue beene of this or that opinion wee oppose against him the laboures of Paule one holie Apostle who filled the greatest partes of the worlde with the simple sense of the Gospel euen from Hierusalem and the coastes rounde aboute vnto Illiricum And forsomuch as by Augustine his authoritie generall Councels must be sometime corrected by the later and those assemblies which are to bee corrected muste needes bee in errour it followeth that all the authoritie of the Churche and of Councels stayeth it selfe by the Canonicall Scripture vnto the which onelie GOD his will is that this happines is peculiar that in it there is none errour The ix Chapter That the Canonicall Scripture hath the chiefe perfection of her authoritie from the holie Ghoste and of herselfe And contrarily that the Churche receiueth her authoritie from the Scripture HEtherto we haue yeelded many reasons for the most excellent authoritie of the Canonicall Scripture Nowe the question is from whence the scripture hath or receiueth this most excellent and perfecte authoritie or by whom the Canon was made whervnto the Canonical bookes pertayne The Papistes saie that the Scripture hath her authoritie from the Churche and that therefore the authoritie of the Churche is greater then the authoritie of the Scriptures As though the worde of GOD which endureth for euer were subiecte to mens decrees or as though GOD his truth shoulde intreate men to authorize it It is not so The woorde of GOD is of it selfe moste sure and needeth not the propping vppe of men but holdeth vp all thinges Heauen and earth shall passe away but my wordes shall in no wise passe away The Scripture receiueth her strength or authoritie chiefely from GOD from whom it was reueiled that is to say that it came not by the will of men but that the men of GOD beyng mooued by the holie Ghoste both spake and wrote whom beeyng chosen and elected for this office GOD adorned with manye and sundrie myracles and diuine testimonies So that there is no doubte at all but that those thinges were geuen from GOD by inspiration whiche they wrote and sette downe And the selfe same spirite which hath caused these thinges to bee written assureth vs that they are not the inuentions of men And when the spirite of GOD doeth herein witnesse to our spirit seale vp the Scripture in our heartes the faythfull soule doeth marueilously reioyce and is greatly confirmed Therefore we being illuminated by the vertue of the spirit doe not nowe beleeue either through our own iudgement or through the iudgement of other that the Scripture is of God but doe most certainlie perswade our selues aboue mans iudgement none otherwise then if wee
did beholde therein the power of God that the Scriptures are come vnto vs euen from the verie mouth of God by the administration of men Therefore the Spouse in the Ballets sayeth with marueilous ioy My beloued sayd vnto me I saye nothing of that which euerie one which is lightned with the light of true fayth must needes finde by experience in himselfe By this experience wrote once Augustine the man of God howe God by a little and a little tempered and disposed his heart with his most meeke and most mercifull hande and at the last thorowly perswaded him so that at the last he knew and beleeued that those bookes were deliuered to mankinde by the spirite and the onely true and most true god Therefore the authoritie of the Scripture doth depend not of the iudgement of the Churche but of the inwarde testifying of the holy Ghost And Iohn witnesseth that Christ sayd thus concerning the spirite If God were your father why do ye not know my speach For it is most certaine that we are adopted to be the sonnes of GOD by the meanes of the holie Ghost Which when we haue obteined Christ witnesseth in this place that wee by the lightning of the same Spirite may so discerne his speache from a strangers that it may be manifest and certaine vnto vs In the which selfe same sense Christ sayth also in another place He that entereth in by the doore is the shepheard of the sheepe To him the porter openeth and the sheepe heare his voyce and he calleth his owne sheepe by name and leadeth them out when he shall put forth his owne shepe he goeth before theÌ„ the sheepe follow him for they know his voice A stranger will they in no wise follow but flie from him for they know not the voice of strangers Neither is it to bee doubted that we become Christs sheepe through the power of the holy Ghost that we follow not falshood errours corruptions and heresies which are the voices of strangers but heare the onely voice of Christ that is to say imbrace the true and naturall sence of the Scripture And Paule saith to the Corinthians The naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirite of God for they are foolishnes vnto him neither caÌ„ he know them because they are spiritually discerned But he that is spirituall discerneth all things And in the same place The spirit searcheth the deepe things of God. And Christ also saith The comforter which is the holy ghost shal bring all things to your remeÌ„brance whatsoeuer I haue said vnto you Also Iohn hath these wordes in his Epistle The anointing teacheth you of al things Againe He that knoweth God heareth vs. To be briefe August in the place lately cited saith Therfore when as we were weake to finde foorth the truth by cleare reason and when as we had need of the authoritie of the holy Scriptures for the same purpose I began to beleue forthwith that thou wouldest by no meanes giue â—o excellent authoritie vnto that scripture throughout al lands but that thy will was that thou wouldest be sought by it and wouldest be beleeued by it Behold it is God I say it is God which hath established his holy bookes with so great authoritie in all nations And August addeth the cause why God will be sought through them why he wil be beleued through them I conclude therfore â–ª that the scripture hath not her authoritie chiefly froÌ„ the Church For the firmnes strength thereof dependeth of God not of men And the word being both firme sure was before the church For the church was called by the word And seeing the doctrine of the prophets of the apostles is the foundation of the Church it must needes bee that the certaintie of the Church must consist in the said doctrine as in her foundation and ground worke before the said Church can take her beginning For if the Church of Christ were founded in the beginning by the writings of the Prophetes and with the preaching of the Apostles wheresoeuer the saide doctrine bee founde certainely the allowing of the doctrine went before the Church without the which doctrine the Church could neuer haue beene And because the spirit of God wrought in the heartes of them which heard the word of God read it that they might acknowledge that it was not the word of man but of God vndoubtedly the worde of God receiueth authoritie from the spirite and not from the Church The .x. Chapter How the canon of the new Testament was ordeined and that it hath authoritie of it self from the authours thereof that the authoritie of the Church is mainteined thereby THey which reason that we haue receiued manie things to be beleeued â—f necessitie by the authoritie of the Church which are expressed in no part â—f the Scriptures make this as a great â—rgument as they thinke that there are â—ut foure Gospels onely which may not â—e discredited without the perill of losse â—f saluation and that it appeareth by no Scripture that the other Scriptures which we haue are Canonicall worâ—hie credite Neither are the titles thereâ—f the titles of the Scripture but put to â—y others Therefore say they if we shall â—eceiue nothing but that which is in the Scriptures then shall wee not receiue â—he scriptures themselues Nowe that I may disclose the deceitfulnesse of this argumeÌ„t the indifferent reader must know â—hat the Canonicall Scripture hath her â—uthoritie chiefly from the holy Ghost â—y whose motion and inspiration it was â—et forth as lately wee did declare And â—fter that from the writers vnto whome God gaue certaine and peculiar testimonies of the truth Wherevnto is added the witnesse of the primitiue Church in whose time those bokes wer published receiued And they which haue the spirit of faith do not dispute peeuishly of the receiuing of the said bookes who receiued them or who reiected them but acknowledge in them the sweete sauouring force of the spirit by whose instinct they were set forth The canon of the new Testament was ordeined by the authoritie of God and receiued by the Church of the Apostles Neither can I sufficiently meruaile at their rashnesse which saye that the authoritie of the church hath giuen canonical authoritie vnto certaine of the scriptures yea and those the chiefest which otherwise neither of themselues neither of their authours they could haue had amongst vs Words Not the authoritie of euery one but of the Apostles is required to make any writing in the new Testament Canonical or giuen by inspiration from God. As well saith Tertul. when as he confuteth the counterfeit gospel of Marcion First we do holde that a true Gospel must haue the Apostles for the authors thereof Iohn sawe the writings of three Euangelists allowed â—hem And by writing his Gospel hee â—ade an ende of writing Gospels And â—herefore saieth hee
reproue to witnesse and to set forth the holy Scriptures plainely yet doth she not require to be beleued but because she speaketh the words of god And the church hath iiii goodly offices about the Scriptures First shee keepeth safe the bookes of holy Scripture as a witnesse Secondly she preacheth and publisheth them Thirdly she discerneth them from counterfeites Fourthly shee interpreteth them And these functions proue not that the Church hath authoritie ouer the Scripture as many foolishly suppose For whereas the Church keepeth the scripture safe as a witnesse it cannot bee inferred thereby that it is lawfull for the Church to peruert or change anie thing in the holye Scriptures For so should she weaken the force of her testimonie and shew her selfe to be an vntrustie witnesse And this would be a corrupting and not witnesse bearing For the pure and simple fourme of the commandement sayth Ambrose is denounced by earnest testimonies to be kept A witnesse for the most part when as he addeth any thing of his owne deuising to the orderly report of things done staineth the whole credite of his testimonie by the lying report of the part Nothing must therefore be added although it bee neuer so good It is a common vse to committe publike and priuate euidences to recorders whome commonly men call Notaries to keepe and conserue with all diligence and yet no wise man will say that they may lawfully chaunge any thing that is conteined in them And it is not to be beleeued that the authoritie of the sayd Notaries is of greater strength than was their willes which requested that those things might be so recorded Neither is it any matter that the Churche receiued the worde of God deliuered by liuely voyce before it was committed to writing In deede the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say vnwritten in time is before the woorde which afterwarde was written yet both were bestowed vpon the Church being of one authoritie and of like efficacie For the Scripture sayeth of the woorde written They haue Moses and the Prophets let them heare them And as it was then the duetie of the Churche to heare GOD speaking in the writinges of Moses and the Prophetes so is it nowe the duetie of the Church to heare Christ with all reuerence speaking in the writings of the Euangelists and Apostles to imbrace the instructioÌ„ of the spirite Although the honour of the Church be great that shee is chosen of God to be as it were the keeper and defender of this most excellent and worthie treasure yet maye the Churche by no meanes either wreith or change or corrupt those writings but ought as a faithfull keeper with chiefe care and prouision to keepe the bookes of holy scripture vncorrupted for them which shall come after The xiiij Chapter That the Church publisheth the worde of God. WE said that the second dutie of the Church about the Scripture is to publish and preach the wordes committed to her by god Wherein the Church is like to a crier who although he doe proclaime the Edictes and commandements of Princes Magistrates yet is he not aboue them or of equall authoritie with them but all his indeuour is to pronounce all things faithfully as he hath receiued them from the Princes and the Magistrates and if he doe otherwise he may worthily bee holden for a traitour Well sayeth Chrysostome For as the crier proclaimeth to all that are present in the stage so do we saith the Apostle proclaime publikely with this condition that we adde nothing but that we proclaime those thinges onely which we haue heard For this â—s the vertue of a crier to publish those â—hings truly which are committed to him not to adde any thing or to change or to take away Tertullian agreeth with Chrysostome saying We may not follow our owne appetite in deuising any thing of our selues neiâ—her may we choose any thing which â—ny other hath deuised wee haue the Apostles of the Lord for our authors who chose not any thing of their own â—udgement which they might bring 〈◊〉 but faythfully assigned to nations â—he doctrine receiued of Christ Therefore though an Angell from heauen preach otherwise we may call him accursed Let vs therefore auoyde them which intrude mens deuises and traditions as necessarie to bee obserued and beleeued let vs heare with all attentiuenesse the sincere preaching of the Gospel in the Church and reuerence it The .xv. Chapter That the Church discerneth the bookes of holy Scripture from Aprocryphal and counterfeit THirdly forsomuch as the Church is indued with the spirite of God we doe confesse that it is her function to discerne the sincere and true bookes of holy Scripture from the counterfeit and Apocryphal So hath the Church disallowed and reiected the Gospell of Thomas of Bartholomewe of Thaddee of the Nazarites of Nicodemus as also the actes of Peter the diuers reuelations of the Apostles the Booke of the Pastour and such like Contrarily shee hath allowed and receiued the foure Gospels which wee haue and the writings of the Apostles which in these dayes we reade in our Churches And although the conseruation of the assured bookes of the Prophetes and Apostles as of a certaine diuine Treasure be the singular worke and benefite of GOD notwithstanding both the diligence and authoritie of the church is to be acknowledged herein which hath partly giuen foorth her Testimoniall of the assured writinges and hath partly by her spirituall iudgement refused the writinges which are vnworthie and which agree not with the rest of the writinges of the Prophetes and Apostles Which was so much the more easie because as saith Augustine they wrote in suche a time wherein they were thought worthie to bee allowed not onely of the Churche of Christ but also euen of the Apostles who then remayned aliue But to discerne Bookes is not to bee of greater authoritie than are the sayde Bookes as some foolishly dreame For when as the King his letters be brought some gouernours of Cities and presidentes of Prouinces are able by vse and ciuill skill sufficientlie to iudge whether they be true letters or forged which are deliuered them in the Kinges name and yet may they not at their owne pleasure either change or wrest them when they shall perceiue that they are not couÌ„terfeited or feigned And wee may not otherwise esteeme of the Church Who although she haue giuen foorth her faythfull testimonie to the bookes of holy Scripture and not to the workes of other who peraduenture did not onely digresse from the truth of the historie but also reported many things which are cleane contrarie to the olde testament and to the other Euangelists yet may shee not otherwise vnderstande or ordaine any thing then God hath defined and taught in these bookes of holie Scripture But if they which being lighted by the holy Ghost acknowledged the holy Scriptures to be the words of God
and was Iesus Christ and that afterwarde he preached the newe lawe and the new promise of the kingdome of heauen wrought miracles was fastened to the crosse rose againe the thirde day that he beyng taken vp to heauen sitteth at the right hande of the Father that he hath sent the power of the holie Ghost in his steede to gouerne the beleeuers that he shall come in brightnes to take the Saintes into the fruition of euerlasting life and of the heauenly promises and to iudge the prophane with perpetuall fire the resurrection of both partes beyng wrought with the restoring of the fleshe This rule ordained by Christ as it shall be proued hath no questions among vs but what heresies bring in and which make heretikes Thus farre Tertullian who thorowly agreeth with Irenaeus in describing the tradition of the Apostles And the testimonies of these most auncient writers doe shewe from whence the briefe summe of our beleefe commeth which commonly they call the Apostles Creede whiche certainely is the most auncient tradition which being receiued from Apostolike men the Churche keepeth still And Tertullian addeth in the same booke of prescriptions The Church hath knowen one GOD the creatour of all thinges and Christ Iesus of the Virgin Marie the Sonne of God the Creatour and the resurrection of the fleshe She intermedleth the lawe and the Prophetes with the writings of the Euangelists and the Apostles frō thence doth shee drinke the same faith she signeth with water clotheth with the holy Ghost feedeth with the Euchariste exhorteth with martyrdome and so doeth she receiue none against this institution By the which woordes it is cleare that the primitiue Churche acknowledged no traditions which were not founded in the Scripture Although I haue handled these things at large yet because the Papistes oftentimes hold foorth as Aiax his shielde the place of Paule 2. Thes 2.15 against the Scripture for their traditions whereas he sayeth Stande fast and holde the ordinaunces which ye haue bene taught whether it were by our preaching or by our Epistle can I not omitte but must euidently shewe foorth of the same Irenaeus that Paule preached to the Gentiles with liuely voyce the same and none other doctrine which hee taught them also by his Epistles For Irenaeus doeth most plainely describe Paule his tradition in two places in the fifth Chapter of the thirde booke and also in the fourtie one Chapter of the fourth booke These are the chiefe pointes of his description that the Gods of the Gentiles are not onely Gods but the Idols of Deuils And that there is one true God which is ouer all and aboue euery name that is named and that hee onely is to be woorshipped That they woulde therefore departe from the superstition of idols leaue their vaine wood and stones which they supposed to bee Gods and woulde woorshippe one true God the maker of heauen and earth and the framer of euery thing that is made Which ordayned made all mankinde and by his framing of them nourished increased them stedfastly gaue them beyng And that his word is his Sonne by whom hee made all thinges And that he in the last times although hee were naturally the inuisible worde was made visible and palpable man among men humbled him selfe to death euē to the death of the crosse refourmed mankinde destroyed and ouercame man his enemie and gaue vnto man whom he made victorie against his aduersarie that they which beleeue in him shall bee incorruptible and impassible That they shoulde therefore sette before themselues this lawe as the rule of life Not to committe adulterie not to steale not to deceiue and that al thinges which are done to the hurt of our neighboures are euill and hated of god The trueth sheweth that these deedes are euill and hurtfull and vnprofitable and damnable to them that doe them That they shoulde therefore liue blamelesse and looke for the Sonne of God Iesus Christ which redeemed vs from Apostacie and going astray by his blood to this ende that we might be also a sanctified people to ascende to heauen in the vertue of the Father which shall iudge all men and shal giue vnto them which haue kept his commaundements those good thinges which are from god Beholde Paule his tradition deliuered to the posteritie by Irenaeus a most auncient writer of the Churche And doeth he not euerie where teach with al diligence the very self same things in his Epistles So that the doctrine is all one which hee taught with liuely voice which he cōmitted to writing Yea the tradition described by Irenaeus may seeme to be the brief summe of those things which he wrote So that hee wrote most truely that those thinges which the Apostles taught were all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 agreeable to the Scriptures Therefore all traditions which are giuen foorth as the Apostles haue beene are and ought to be such And for this cause they are alwaies to be examined whether they haue this Irenaeus his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 agreemēt with the Canonicall Scriptures The .xxiii Chapter Of the subtiltie and deceitfulnesse of Sophisters which vse guilefully the woorde Tradition which is diuersly taken WE haue hitherto shewed that it is all one doctrine which the Apostles published with liuely voyce and which the Canonicall Scripture setteth foorth Wee haue also declared howe vaynely the Papistes reason that many thinges which are necessarie for the instruction of faith and ordering of manners although they can be prooued by no testimonie of Scripture are neuerthelesse to be receiued and beleeued forth of the naked tradition Wherefore this is alwaies to be holden which we cited lately foorth of Augustine That faith is learned foorth of the Scriptures There is often times mention made of traditions by the auncient Writers but not to this end that our fayth shoulde runne out of the Scriptures wherein they alwaies inclosed it And where as this woord Tradition is diuersly vsed among the olde writers and all Traditions are not of one kinde it is a detestable sophistrie by the mixture of them all to deceiue Therefore it is to be considered what testimonies of olde writers doe pertaine vnto what kinde of Traditions and what is to be thought of euerie one of them least all without difference bee applied to the defense of corruptions abuses and superstitions Let vs therefore distinguish Traditions into certaine kindes First the fathers by this word Tradition oftentimes vnderstand the Canonicall Scripture of the newe Testament as when Cyprian to Pompeius saith From whence is this Tradition Whether descending from the authoritie of the Lorde and of the Euangelistes or comming from the commaundementes and Epistles of the Apostles For that those thinges ought to be doone which are written GOD witnesseth and proposeth to Iosuah saying Let not the booke of this Lawe departe out of thy mouth that thou maiste obserue and doe according to all that is written
therein Therefore if it be eyther commaunded in the Gospel or conteined in the Epistles and Actes of the Apostles let this holy tradition be also obserued Also Basill in his third booke against Eunomius hath Our Baptisme is according to the very tradition of the Lord in the name of the father and of the Sonne of the holy Ghoste And it is a pointe of diligence to marke where the olde Writers vse the woorde Tradition in this sense For wheresoeuer the Papistes finde this woorde they wrest it foorthwith to their traditions with they cannot prooue foorth of the Scripture Secondly the olde writers by this woord Tradition vnderstand the articles of our fayth which are conteined in the Apostles Creede as we haue lately declared more clerely than the light it selfe forth of Irenaeus and Tertullian Which writers propose the saide badge or Creed as a perfect rule of faith whervnto there may nothing be added and from the which there may nothing be takeÌ„ which remaining whole men may safely inquire of all thinges Thirdly by the woorde Tradition the fathers vnderstand a sentence or meaning not expressed woorde for woorde in the holy Scriptures but gathered by the true interpretation thereof which the Apostles preached with liuely voyce and their auditours and successours deliuered vnto vs and conserued as for example that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth a person that there are in the diuine nature three persons and yet one and the selfe same substance that the Sonne is coequall with the Father and of one substance with him that there be two natures in Christ the Lord and yet but one person that the holy Ghost is to be woorshipped and glorified together with the father and the Sonne that the flesh of Christ is of one substance with vs that infantes ought of right to be baptized others of this kinde which although we reade not expressed in the oracular scripture yet haue we learned by the authoritie of the auncient Fathers and most graue Councels that they are to be vnderstode by the meaning and vnderstanding of the Scriptures And this vnderstanding is not to be separated from the scripture it selfe forsomuch as it may be conteined therein either as the definition in the definitiue or as the conclusioÌ„ in the premisses And although the tradition of the Church haue shewed vnto vs the scripture and vnderstanding thereof yet hath it not bestowed authoritie vpon it which it hath greffed in it froÌ„ god For they froÌ„ whoÌ„ we haue receiued this tradition are onely witnesses of the heauenly doctrine and not authours therof VVhereof we haue reasoned plentifully in the place belonging therevnto Lastly where the olde writers make mention of traditions they doe not entreate of the doctrine of faith to be receiued without and beside the Scripture although it can be prooued by no testimonie of Scripture but they speake of certaine olde rites which for their antiquitie they ascribed to the Apostles Part of the rites seeme to take their beginning from the Apostles and parte of them are vnwoorthie such authours But we haue declared alreadie by what rule such manner of rites are to be prooued and examined Nowe since that this woorde Tradition is so diuersly vsed of the fathers truely it is wicked sophistrie to intermeddle all these thinges without difference that superstitions being deriued partly froÌ„ the Iewes partly froÌ„ the Ethniks may haue their defence maintenance without the scripture vnder the cloke title of traditions The xxiiii Chapter Of the vncertaintie repugnancie and varietie of traditions AND their madnesse is to be noted and auoyded which will haue the â—ertaintie of doctrine to depend rather of â—e authority of traditioÌ„s of those things â—hich they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnwritten thaÌ„ of â—e scriptures this especially coÌ„sidered that â—â—ey caÌ„not prooue vnto vs the traditioÌ„s of 〈◊〉 apostles gathered described any where â—se but in the scriptures neither can they â—ooue that the traditions which by this â—tle they commend come froÌ„ the Apostles â—â—eir authours There be traditions reciâ—â—d by the fathers in diuers places as reâ—â—iued froÌ„ the Apostles but those traditiâ—â—s w they gather are partly abolished partly do not wel agree one with an other â—hervpon it commeth to passe that al traâ—â—tions are not to be esteemed Apostolike â—ither can the faith of christians be holâ— vp with so weake feble a fouÌ„dation as â—e traditions which faith must stand vnâ—nquered against al the engines of hell â—here was a tradition in TertulliaÌ„s time â—t milke honie should be giuen foorth â—â—th them which were baptized where with as he saieth they might bee fedde like infantes It was a tradition in the time of Cyprian and Augustine that the Euchariste and that vnder both kinds shoulde be geuen to infantes and shoulde be so giuen as necessarie to saluation Hierom in his Commentaries vppon Matthewe Chapter 25. sayeth that the tradition of the Apostles remained That in the day of the vigiles of Easter it was not lawfull to let the people goe looking for the comming of Christe before midnight Although these and other like bee read in olde writers vnder the title of the traditions of the Apostles yet are they a bolished are obserued now in no nation so that Tertullian wrote well in his book Of couering virgins There is altogeather one rule of faith onely vnmoueable irreformable to beleeue in one God almightie maker of the worlde and in his Sonne Iesus Christ borne of the Virgin Marie crucified vnder Pontius Pilate raysed againe the thirde day from the dead receiued in heauen sitting now at the right hande of the Father to come to iudge the quicke and the dead euen by the resurrection of the flesh This Lawe of faith remaining al other points of discipline conuersatioÌ„ admit the newnesse of correction the grace of God working and profiting euen vnto the ende Thus much hath that flourishing Septimius Tertullian Therfore the onely rule of faith grounded in the Scripture hath runne on euen from the beginning of the Gospell vnchangeable vnmoueable and vnreformeable when as in the meane season rites and traditions be mutable variable and such as may somtimes be taken away and sometimes restored againe The west churches in progresse of time inioyned the Lawe of single life to the ministers of Churches coÌ„trarily the east Church euen vnto this day will haue mariage to be lawfull for them Wherevpon Stephanus Bishoppe of Rome saith The Tradition of the east Churches is after one sorte and of this holy Church of Rome after an other sorte For their Priestes Deacons and Subdeacons are maried but none of the Priestes of this Church or of the west churches froÌ„ the Subdeacon to the Blshop hath licence to marie It was an Apostolical traditioÌ„ at Ephesus and in Asia that Easter should be kept after the maner of the Iewes Again the Apostolicall traditioÌ„ in
doting and fabulous deuises into the Churche and did not erre himselfe onely from the sinceritie and purenes of the faith but gaue occasion of erring to many woorthie men also For Irenaeus Tertullian Apollinarius Victorinus Lactantius and many other famous and woorthie men as Hierome witnesseth imbraced this doting toy of the thousande yeares as a tradition of the Apostles Good God what men became companions of this errour pretending as Eusebius saieth the antiquitie of the errour of so woorthie a man euen of Papias their guide Beholde whether the authority of traditions not written once receiued may leade vs out of the way O laudable agreement of traditions with the Scripture spoken of by Policarpe an Apostolicall man also whiche kepte him in the kinges highe way Therefore this deceite and guile of vnwritteÌ„ traditions stuck in the church which gaue occasion of going out of the right way euen to them which seeme to defende the Churche which may be proued by many examples whereof I will recite one or two which are plaine The fame of Clement of AlexaÌ„dria is great in all antiquitie And hee was a man which both most diligeÌ„tly searched forth and greatly reuerenced vnwritten traditions Wherefore he sayeth that the labourer which is sent foorth into the Lordes haruest hath a double husbandrie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnwritten written And hee yeeldeth this reason why hee searched other traditions touching the doctrines of faith beside the Scripture because forsooth the Lorde did not reueale to manie those thinges which did not belong to manie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secretes saieth hee are committed to woorde not to writing Also Mysteries are deliuered mystically And in his fifth booke of Stromates hee disputeth at large that euen as the Philosophers did so hide certayne secretes touching their doctrines that they shoulde not bee knowen to all men so doeth the Apostle also reteining that auncient conceyling say Wee speake wisedome among them that â—re perfect Hee citeth also foorth of a â—ertaine Apocriphall Gospell this preâ—ept of the Lorde My mysterie is mine owne and the Sonnes of mine house But if it may please you to compare the one with the other you â—hall finde that these are the very selfe same thinges whiche in Irenaeus and Tertullian the Valentinians Carpocratians and other Heretikes alledge for the defence and confirmation of their doctrines Therefore although this iudgement in Heretikes were then grauely repressed by Irenaeus and Tertullian yet Clement his talke doeth shewe that the infection stucke in the Churche to the posteritie And Clement doeth extoll in many woordes a certayne kinde of Gnostikes whom in these woordes hee describeth That is the knowledge which maketh a true Gnostike which commeth deliuered without writing by succession to a few from the Apostles This description of Clement is to be noted For although the heresie of the Gnostikes were condemned in the Church yet certaine seedes of this plague remained in the Churche and that in greate men Therefore Clement doeth magnifie vnwritten traditions and doeth not onely make them equall with the Scriptures but see whither this rule of traditions doeth lead him out of the way yea casteth him downe headlong I wil report of manie thinges a fewe whereby it shall appeare howe perilous a thing it is to followe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thinges vnwritten He intermedleth the Gospel with the decrees of Philosophie and maketh it equal with the lawe of god For saith he as the law was an instruction for the Iewes to Christ so was philosophie for the Greekes also And he attributeth power to iustifie to both as well to the lawe as to Philosophie which is most manifestly against the doctrine of Paule He â—enieth that men committing sinne after â—aptism ought to be receiued into grace â—hich also is contrary to the doctrine of â—e Gospel and the consent of the Cathoâ—â—ke Churche Hee yeeldeth place to reâ—entance after this life in his sixth booke â—e contendeth in manie wordes that the â—reekes were saued through Philosoâ—hie which iudgement if we do imbrace 〈◊〉 not Christ dead in vaine according to â—e doctrine of Paule Is not Christ beâ—â—me vnto vs of none effect and doe wee â—t fal from grace to make short he reueâ—ceth many doting toyes as traditions 〈◊〉 the Apostles Loe whither they fall â—hich wil be wise beyond the scripture Origen his witte than the which â—here was skant any other among the faâ—hers of the Church either more fine or â—ore excelleÌ„t was depraued by this Clement who had vnwritten traditions in so â—reat admiratioÌ„ For he hath stuffed full his bookes euerie where with straunge â—octrines which hee had receiued from Clement vnder the title of the traditions of the Apostles wherevppon he is so often noted reprooued and nipped both of the olde writers and of the newe Hierom calleth Origen his doctrines impoysoned But from whence supped he his poyson but from the instruction of Clement And by whom was Clement deceiued but by the admiration studie and reuerence of suche traditions In deede the Apocriphall booke of Hormas the Pastour doeth teache that in the interpretation oâ— Scripture wee must departe from the letter and searche foorth the allegorie Clement receiued this as a tradition of the Apostles and deliuered it to Origen vnder the same title Herevppon was kindled an incredible desire in this man to transforme the Scriptures into allegories with the infection of the which disease it is woonderfull howe hee corrupted afterwarde the mindes of all doctours For after they had once tasted the sweetnesse of allegories as of a more loftie vnderstanding they vaunted themselues immoderately and brought euery thing to allegories so that euerie one thought that he might lawfully say what he woulde herein And this euill did not stay it selfe within the East but inuaded Afrike Italie France and Spayne also So by a little and a little the purenesse of Christian Theologie was transformed into a certaine Philosophie And wee may thanke suche traditions for this fruite And Epiphanius was a great boaster of such traditions who sometime alledgeth thinges vnder this title which are taken foorth of Apocriphall writers What neede many woordes Whosoeuer haue beene bewitched with the admiration of suche like traditions they haue all turned from the purenes of the Apostles doctrine vnto strange opinions vnsauorie follies So that these traditions seme vnto me to be like the meteorologicall fire which will burne nothing which naturall Philosophers call leaping goates For as that fire appeareth in the night ouer moist feÌ„nie places leadeth trauellers in the night out of their way if they meruayle at it and bee afrayde to beholde it vppon the which fraude it is called in Duitche Droechliecht deceitfull lighte euen so the Ghost or phantasticall appearance of Tradition leadeth them which haue it in admiration out of the way from trueth and throweth theÌ„ into errours And this