veritatem Euenit it aque neque scripturis neque traditioni consentire eos But whan we do stere or exhort them / which are agaynst the truth agayne to that tradition which is of the apostles and is kept in the churches by successyon of the preestes they wyll say that they beynge wyser not onely then the preestes but also theÌ„ the apostles yâ— haue fouÌ„de out the pure truth It hath therfore happended that they do consente neyther to the scryptures nor the tradityons Seest yâ— not reader here a playn difference betwene tradicions yâ— scryptures he coÌ„cludeth thus Traditionem itaque apostoloruÌ„ per totum mundum manifestataÌ„ in ecclesia adest oiÌ„bus perspicere qui vera audire velint That is to saye Wherfore all men whiche wyll see the truth maye perceyue the apostles tradicion declared in the churche throughe all the whole world But of saint Ireneê° this may be sufficieÌ„t for my purpose Nowe let vs see what saynt Clement Paules coÌ„panion in preachynge the gospell hath wrytteÌ„ in this poynt which is nowe intrauerse and questyon betwene me and the lutherans Eusebyê° the olde wryter of the churches Lib. 5. â—â— 6 storye thus wytnesseth of hym Clemens scripsit epistolam ad corithios exprimeÌ„s in ea apostolorum traditionem quam nuper ab eis ipse susceperat Clement wrote sayeth he to the corinthians an epystle expressyng in it the apostles tradicion whiche he of late had receyued of them Also another clemens bysshppe alerandrya which was as he sayth him selfe Eusebtê° wytnessynge shortlye after the apostles thus wrote of the apostles In libello quem scripsit Eusebiê° lib. 6. ca. 11. de pascha inquit eusebiê° confitetur extorqueri sibi a frarribê° vt ea quae a presbyteris et successoribus a postolorum voce sibi sola traditasunt describeret in libris et posteris traderet In his boke sayeth Eusebiê° of eastur clement coÌ„fesseth that his brethren gat of hym by force or with greate difficultie that he wolde wryte in bokes and de lyuer to his successours or them that shuld come after hym those thynges whiche were taught hi by voyce onely of the preestes successours of the apostles Loo this bysshop beynge very nygh to the apostles tyme coÌ„fesseth that he learned by voyce onely certeÌ„thynges of the preestes and successours of yâ— apostles and lefte them written to them that shuld come after hym and luther bullynger with a greate rablement of an yll heare Do saye the contrary whether wylt thou beleue Epistalâ— Ignatiê° also saynte Iohan the euagelystes discyple holdeth with me in this matter saynge Stude â—e coÌ„firmari in dogmatibus domini et apostoloruÌ„ That is Applye your myndes to be coÌ„fyrmed in the ordynaunces of our lorde the apostles That he ment here ordyuannces of the apostles vn wrytteÌ„ it appeareth fyrst by that that saynte Basyll sayeth dogmata silentur decrees or ordynaces called in greake dogmata aâ— not spoken of in wrytynge Secondly B asniê° de spuÌ„ Cancto cap. 27. it appeareth that ignatiê° saynte Iohan euangelystes scholer wolde men to endeuour them selues to obserue the apostles tradityons vnwrytten by that that he wrote hym selfe a boke of the apostles tradicions as eusebiê° witnesseth sayenge Ignatiê° â—â— 3. â—â— 36 edocebat populos vt diligentius ettenacius apostolorum traditionibê° inherereÌ„t quas traditiones cautelae gratia et nequid apud posteros remaneret incerti etiam scriptas a se asserit reliquisse Thus moch it is turned into englyshe Ignatius Mark this well reader saynte Iohans disciple taughte the people that they wolde more dilygently and fastlyc cleaue to the apostles tradityons the whiche traditions he affyrmeth that he lefte yea wrytten to make meÌ„ ware and leste any vncerteyntie shulde remayne to them that shuld come after Here we se that thys holye Martyr exhorted men to sticke vnto the apostles tradytions very dilygeÌ„tly and fastely / whych he left behynde him written that they whiche shulde succede or come after him shulde be cyrcumspecte leste they were deceiued of heretikes which might teache some thynge contrarye to the verities vnwrytten that chryste taught his apostles and they other wythout wrytynge Therefore is it not many fest by thys wytnesse that Luther and Bulliger do erre whyche not so ernestly as vnlearnedly vngodlye defende that the apostles wryte all thynges necessarye that they hadde preached to the people Saynte Ignatius saynte Iohans scholer whyche was muche conuersaunte wyth the apostles and was made bysshoppe of Antiochia nexte after saynt Peter wytnesseth that the apostles lefte sundrye thynges not wrytten necessary to be knowen and beleued and Bullynger sayth the contrary whether of them two is more worthye to be receyued and belyued Now shall saynt Deonise the apostle Paules disciple make an ende of thys chaptre whiche as he was taughte of Paule Hierotheus learned manye thynges of the other apostles whych thynge he him selfe affyrmeth in dyuers places of hys booke De ecclesiae hierarchia eueÌ„ so he wrote playnlye of the apostles traditions lefte by them to the churche wtout writing For thus hehath Substantia accrdotii nostri sacra scriptura est diuinitê° nobis tradita Diouâ—â— dâ— eccle hieraâ— cap. 1. Porro huiusmodi plena venerationis eloquia dicimus quae a beatissimis nostris patribus a quibê° sacris mysteriis iÌ„buti sumê° in sanctis ac theologicis coÌ„meÌ„data sunt libris Ac pretaerea quaeque ab iisdeÌ„ sanctissi mis viris sacratiore purgatiore et ê“piÌ„qua quodaÌ„ modo caelesti hierar chiae doctrina sancti duces ac praeceptores nostri didiceruÌ„t et ex animo in animuÌ„ medio intercurrente verbo corporali quideÌ„ sed quod car nis excedat seÌ„suÌ„ sine literis transsu sa sunt That is to say The holy scrypture gyueÌ„ or taught vs of God is the substaunce of oure preesthode Moreouer we call suche sayenges full of worshyp honour or reuerence which are wrytten in the holye and diuine bokes of oure mooste blessed fathers of whom we were instructed or taughte the holy secretes or pryuities And furthermore al those thynges which our holy leaders the apostles and oure maisters haue learned of the same moost holye men by doctryne or teachynge more holy more purged and nigh after a certen maner to the heauenly holy gouernaunce or principalitie which are powred froÌ„ minde to minde or harte to hart the worde runnynge a meane betwene sothlye corporall but such as exceadeth the flesshes perceyuynge or fealyng Saynt Dionyse here putteth manifeste difference betwne the holy scrypture other thynges conteyned in bokes of dyuynytie set forth by holy men affyrmeth that manye thynges came by harte from one to another wythout wrytynge whyche are worthy to be had in honoure and reuerence thoughe the Lutherans despise al such thynges both to theyr owne coÌ„fusion and other mennes also oure lorde amende thys in tyme. But euery good chrysten man wyll beleue thys saynte Paules scholer rather
abrogated by chrystes death That Paule spake there of that olde lawe of Moses it appeareth by that the proces of that epistle and chaptre where he speaketh of circumcision Now what argumeÌ„t is this good reader If ye be ledde with the spirite ye are not vnder Moses lawe ergo the traditions of the apostles vnwritten oughte not nor can not bynde meÌ„nes coÌ„science Saynte Chrysostom expowneth it thus He that hath the holy goost and in his liuing and dedes is ruled and ledde by the same doth quenche al yll desires and lustes and therfore he hath no nede of the lawes helpe that by feare of it he shulde lyue well Etiam qui ex sese suo fungitur officio quid opê° habet paedagogo For what nede hath he yâ— of hymselfe doth hys duetie of one appoynted to se hym well ordered as a childe As a horse that runneth fast of hym selfe nedeth not to be spurred eueÌ„ so the ryghteous and perfecte good maÌ„ ledde wyth the holy gooste is not vnder the lawe of god for as much as he doth lyue godly wold so contynew yf there were no lawe to enforce and constrayne hym so to do But what is thys to the holye apostles traditions Yea what maketh iâ— agaynste anye ordynaunce of the churche The beste men that lyue in the worlde haue nede of gods lawe to leade them streyghte in the waye and payth of vertuous lyuynge thoughe they ncade no lawe to compel them for feare of punyshmente to do well and to absteyne from synne After thys meaning and sense Paule saied Justo non est lex posita the lawe is â— Timâ— 1. not made for the ryghteous because sayeth Chrysostome the lawe is made that by feare and threteninge of it synners shulde leaue committyng of synne and be punished wheÌ„ they do amisse and therfore Paule sayed to the Galathians Lex propter transgressiones posita est the lawe is Gala. 3. made for transgressyons to be restrayned and punyshed thereby But of thys sufficient Some men alledge saynte Austen agaynst traditions whiche in a certen epistle to saynte Hierom wolde that we shoulde beleue that the wryters of the holye scrypture onelye neuer erred and gyue no credence vnto any other man be he neuer so holye and well learned excepte he dyd proue by the scrypture eyther by autours or by probable reasons that he sayed the truth and therfore men oughte not to beleue them that teache traditions To thys wyse reason J fyrste saye that seynge saint Austeyne hym selfe sayeth in sundrye places of hys bookes that we muste nedes obserue traditious as J haue declared before it is a great blyndnes or rather malice agaynste the truth to alledge hym agaynste traditions as though he were contrarye to hym selfe Secondarilye J saye that they whiche do set forth the apostles traditioÌ„s do proue theÌ„ by the scrypture other autours and probable reasons also as J haue done in thys booke therfore saynte Austeynes authoritie alledged before holdeth with vs agaynst the reprouers of traditions Thyrdlye J saye that saynte Ansteyne in the sayed epistle resembled and compared the bokes of holy scrypture vnto other bookes compiled made set forth by mans wyt without the reuelation of the holy goost as it appeareth by the tenour of that epystle euidently and therfore he mente nothynge there agaynste anye thynge taught or lefte to the churche of chryste by the holy goostes stirring and in spiration but he called there all suche doctryne holye scrypture that is good godlye though it be not wrytten expresselye in the bible but delyuered by tradition wythout wrytyng Therfore this argumente is soyled clerely Furthermore thys reason is made agaynst traditions of the churche The olde testamente The. 9. argument and the new are as sufficient for chrysten people beleuynge nowe in chryste as the olde testamente onely was for the iewes but the whole fayth vnto the which the Jewes were bound was expressed in the olde testament and the bokes of it / ergo the hole fayth to the whyche chrysten men are nowe bounde is expressely written in the newe testamente and the olde and therfore the faythfull are not bounde to beleue anye thynge not expressed in the Byble / and so there are no traditions vnwrytten necessarye to be beleued of vs christen people Thoughe thys reason do The answeare appeare good and pythye vnto them that are not learned in the scrypture or beynge meanelye learned therein are affectionate and so maryed to the coÌ„trarye opniyon / that all thynge whyche doth anye thynge soune to theyr purpose pleaseth them hyghelye yet in very dede it nothynge serueth for theyr malycious intent partely because the Hebrewes were of longe tyme faithful peple before theyr faith was wrytten by Moyses in hys fyue bokes and yet they were yâ— tyme bounde to beleue the thinges then not wrytten but afterwarde partelye for as moche as after Moyses had wrytten and the other bokes of the law were all wrytten the people beleued many thynges perteynyng both to the faith and also to maners whiche were taught by mouthe onely without wrytynge to the beleefe of the which and fulfyllynge also they were neuerthelesse bounde of necessytie And these traditioÌ„s not wrytteÌ„ some men of the hebrues called iÌ„ that Cabala toÌ„gue cabalaÌ„ because they were receyued by the yonger or later lyuynge people of the elders wtout wrytynge of the olde testament lyke as dyuers dilygente searchers of such thynges haue wytnessed by wrytynge Therfore this argument is answered vnto sufficyently as the next anone shall be god willynge whiche is thus framed of the lutherans vpon these saynt Hieroms wordes Quod ex scriptutis sacris In Math. 23. auctoritatem non habet eadem facilitate coÌ„temnitur qua approbatur That is to say That which hath not auctorytie of the holye scriptures is despised by the same easeynes by whiche it is approued or allowed but all traditions haue not theyr autorite of yâ— scrypture therfore they are as easely despised asalowed which they shulde not be yf men were bouÌ„de of necessyte to beleue theÌ„ or to kepe them wherof it foloweth that we are not bouÌ„d to beleue obserue any of them not wrytteÌ„ in the holy scrypture This reason hangeth altogether vpoÌ„ the yll vnderstanding of saynt Hieroms sentence which mente not by holy scripture that onely whiche is sette forth in the byble expresselye but all doctryne commynge of the holy goostes reuelatyon wrytten in the Byble or not written but taught the apostles and the church of them by mouth onely for els he had writen agaynste hym selfe which in dyuers places of his bookes exhorteth men to beleue and kepe many thynges not wrytten in the scrypture as it appereth before in this boke This is thoughte by a learned maÌ„ to be saint Hieroâ—s mynde where I examiniÌ„g and wayenge diligentlye saynte Hieroms commentaryes there haue founde that he mente another thing For he recyteth some mens opinion to haue bene
errours and retourne agayne to the embracynge of the truth to the great honour of god theyr owne soules health The whych to do yf I may perceyue but one onely man or woman it shall be vnto me a great comforte gladnes and ioye and no lytle cause to thynke this my laboure well spente thoughe it shal not contente and please euery body nother perswade them whych may be more easelye ouercome then perswaded as saynte Hierome maketh meÌ„tion that Lucifer coÌ„fessed of hys felowes and disciples saying Vnum tibi confiteor Lib. aduersus luciferianos quia mores meoruÌ„ apprime noui facilius eos vinci posse quaÌ„ persuaderi I confesse one thyng to the for as moche as I knowe chefely the conditions or maners of myne disciples or scolers that Suche are al heretikeâ— coÌ„monly as sayeth saint Châ—isostom vpoÌ„ Mathew they maye be more easelye vanquyshed or ouercome then persuaded or induced to beleue the truth But ones to beginne this treatise I wyll allege a few textes of the scripture to proue that the holye scripture contayneth not manefestly and namely all the thynges whiche we are bounde to beleue and to do also and this in this next Chaptre nowe folowyng ¶ The seconde Chapter coÌ„taynyng in it certeyne places of the Verities vnwrytten scripture prouyng that Christe and hys apostles taught lefte to the churche manye thynges wythout wrytynge whyche we must both beleue stedfastly and also fulfyll obedientlye vnder peyne of damnation euer to endure OVre sauioure Christ sayed vnto hys apostles I haue yet many thinges to say vnto you but ye caÌ„ not nowe beare them WheÌ„ that the Io. 16. spirite of truthe shall come he shal teach you al truth the .xvi. chapter of Iohans gospell Do not these wordes of Christ shew opeÌ„ly that he taught not his apostles before the commyng of the holy goost vpon Wytsonday al the truth because they were not able before that tyme to beare perceyue sundrye poyntes pertaynynge vnto the truth of hys religion which thynges the holy spirite of the truth taught theÌ„ afterwarde and they the church without any wryting so that the same came froÌ„ them to other the faythful from tyme to tyme vnwrytten of the whiche the actes of the apostles do make meÌ„tion the .xv. chapter sayinge Paule Act. 15. and Silas walked ouer Syria Cicilia coÌ„firmynge the church Act. 16. and coÌ„maundynge them to kepe the preceptes of the Apostles the elders Also the .xvi. chapter we reade that wheÌ„ saynt Paule Tymothye had gone ouer the cities they gaue to the people the determinations or ordinauÌ„ces to kepe whiche were decreed of the Apostles and the elders / that were at HierusaleÌ„ Suche ordinaunces are not wrytten in the scripture but delyuered and taught the churche by mouth by the lyuely voice of the teachers which is a stroÌ„ger instrumeÌ„t to teach both the fayth and good maners also then is the wryters hande For as Quintilian sayeth truely Viua vox alit plenius et vehemeÌ„tius ac acrius afficit That is to saye in englysh The quycke voice fedeth more fully and moueth affecion more Paulino de oiÌ„bê° sacre scripture libris myghtely and sharpely Wyth hym agreeth well saynt Hierom wrytyng thus Habet nescio quid latentis energiae viue vocis actus in aures discipuli de authoris ore transfusa fortius sonat That is to saye The dede of the lyuelye voyce hath I can not tell what of a preuye strength efficacye or operation it powred oute froÌ„ the mouth of the maker or autour into the learners eares souneth more strongely But nowe some wyll saye here to me that these decrees ordinaunces and determinations of the apostles and the elders are now written set forth in the bible as Bullinger sayeth with diuers other of that secte but he sayth it onely wythout all probation that agaynst not onely al the holy olde wryters mindes with whoÌ„ he can no better be resembled compared / eyther for learnynge or els for vertue then wyth the swiftnesses of an hare the slowenes of a snale but also against the canoÌ„s or boke of rules let forth by the holy apostles for the churches erudition and learnynge both in the fayth and honest lyuynge also thoughe Bullynger be not ashamed to denye them vtterly as vnworthy to be iudged wrytten by the apostles in that poynt preferryng his owne opynyon fantasye and iudgement before saynt Damascenes which was aboue M. yeres before Damas lib 4. ca. 19 The cenoÌ„s of the apostles do toÌ„teyne many verities not written in the bible fore Bullyngers dayes and alloweth them as a part of the holy worde and scripture of God sayinge that they were gathered together and wrytten by saynte Clemente whyche was conuersaunt wyth the apostles therfore no man oughte to doubte but he knew well that those canons were made by them In these canons are diuers thinges set forth whych the church now practyseth and vseth necessarylye for the honorynge of God and the edifienge of the people which are not wrytten in the bible as here after it shall appere at large by gods grace These In autentitis canons of the apostles were accepted / regarded and estemed as the holy apostles doinges of the emperour IustiniaÌ„ the which besyde the longe and constaunte opinion of Chrystes catholyke church the syxt councel also dyd acknowlege to be sette forth by the apostles wheÌ„they were douted Lap. 25. 40 43. muche of whether they were the apostles or not Therfore Bullyngers iudgemente herein ought to be iudged erroneous whyche is agaynst so many and so weyghtie wytnesses whyche I haue nowe recited and therfore those canons must be taken for the apostles doctrine teachyng by a lyuely voice and the mouth onely wythout puttynge them into the bodye of the holye scripture and we ought as well to beleue and kepe theÌ„ as that whyche is conteyned expresselye in the scripture for as muche as both of them two commeth from the holy goost the authour of al truth whych taught the apostles all truth accordynge to oure sauiours promes made vnto theÌ„ Iohan. 16. But I wyll go forwarde to the rehearsall of other textes which do proue that the holye apostles taught the churche or the beleuynge people then beyng many and diuers thynges to beleue to obserue also onely by mouth wythout leauyng them behynde them in wryttynge The whyche done men may be ashamed hereafter to saye that they wyll beleue nothynge / not expressed in the holye scripture when they dose the contrarye to that sufficiently proued by the scripture so amende theyr belefe in that poynt lest they at the length repent it when it shall not auayle them The holy apostle saynte â— Cor. 2. Paule wryting to the Corinthians after he had spoken muche of the blessed sacramente of the aulter conteynyng in it the very natural body and bloode of our sauiour
Lib. 9. cap. 38. in latine tripertita historia For he thus wryteth Aegiptii vero Alexandriae vicini thebaidos habitatores sabbato quidem collectas agunt sed non sicut moris est sacramenta percipiunt naÌ„ postquaÌ„ fueraÌ„t epulari et cibis oiÌ„bus adimpleti circa vesperam oblatione facta coÌ„municant The englysshe may be this The Egipcyans nygh or neyghbours to Alexandria and the inhabytans of thebays a couÌ„trey of Egipt gather collectyoÌ„s for the pore vpoÌ„ the saterday but they receyue not the sacrameÌ„tes as the maner or custome is for after they haue eaten at feastes or banketes and are fylled with all meates they do take they re hosle or ryghtes aboute the euentyde when the sacrifyce of the masse is done But to let this passe who can denye but that it cometh by the apostles tradicyon that chrysten people do receyue the sacrameÌ„t of the aulter onely of the preestê as Tertulyan testyfyed with in C.lxxiii after Chrystes passyon Tertulianê° de corona militis sayeng Eucharistiae sacrameÌ„tuÌ„ nec de alioruÌ„ quam praesidenti iÌ„ manu sumimê° We do receiue saÌ„ith he the sacrameÌ„t of the alter of none other mens hande theÌ„ of theyrs He meaneth the preestes that haue auctorytie or rule This he wrote entreatiÌ„g of tradicions and customes obserued then without scrypture Also it cometh by the apostles tradicyoÌ„ without wrytynge that water is myxed with wyne in the chalyce when a preyst sayeth masse For chryste him selfe toke as saynte Damascene wytnesseth the cup or chalyce mengled withe water and wyne / and gaue it to his apostles sayng vnto theÌ„ Drynke of this al. Where fynde we this truth and thynge that Chryste dyd in the scrypture Dyd not chryst teach his apostles to meÌ„gle water and wyne together at masse and they taught the churche the same by mouth withoute wrytynge The blessed martyr S. CypryaÌ„ aboue M. ccc yeres hath testifyed that thynge thus wrytyng But brother knowe Lib 2. eps 3 that we are admonyshed that in offeryng the chalyce our lordes tradicyon be kepte nother an other thynge be done of vs then that which our lorde dyd before vs. That the chalyce whyche is offred to his remeÌ„braunce be offred myxed with wyne When the water is myngled with the wyne in the chalyce the people is ioyned to chryste as one with him the multitude of the beleuyng is coupled knyt to hiÌ„ in whome they haue beleued The which couplynge conyoinyng together of water and wyne is so myxed in our lordes chalyce that the water and wine so mengled can not be seperate or disseuered Wherof the churche that is the people set in the churche faythfullye and stedfastlye contynuyng in that whiche it hathe beleued nothynge can seperate from chryste that it cleaue not abyde alwaye in gods loue In that same Epystle he wrytethe moch more largely of this tradityon wherby water wyne are myxed togyther at masse in the chalyce and what it betokeneth of the whiche I also haue spokeÌ„ more plenteously in my boke of the sacrifyce of the masse yet I wyl not let passe vntouched this blessed martyrs wordes wryten in his sermoÌ„ of washyng of fete where he declareth that Chryst dyd instytute the holy sacrameÌ„t of the aulter hiÌ„ self and that the apostles inspyred with the holy gooste dyd adde therunto other dyuers thynges For thus he sayeth Ipse suÌ„mus sacerdos sui est sacrameÌ„ti institutor et autor iÌ„ caereris hoîes spuÌ„m saÌ„ctuÌ„ habuere doctoré sicut par est spuÌ„i saÌ„cto et chricto diuinitas ita in suis institutis aequa est autoritas et potestas nec minus raruÌ„ est quod dictaÌ„te spuÌ„ sâ—cto Alias â—â—tum apostoli tradiderunt quam ê™ ipse tradidit et in sui coÌ„memorationem fieri praecepit That is to say The hyghest preest hym self was the ordeyner and the fyrste maker of hys sacrameÌ„t in other thynges men had the holy goost a teacher and lyke as the deite or godheade of Christe and the holy goost are equal eueÌ„ so they haue equall auctoritie and power in theyr ordinaunces and that is as excellente that the apostles haue taughte or lefte by traditioÌ„s as that which he taught and commaunded to be done in hys remembraunce These wordes of saynte Cyprian do shewe that after hys mynde whyche was a man both excellently well learned vertuous also christ dyd institute and fyrst make the holy sacrameÌ„t of the aulter and the apostles taughte of the holy gooste ordeyned the other thynges belongynge to the comelye and semely consecratynge of his bodye and bloude and receyuynge of it whyche they lefte to the church of Christ vnwrytten as it is already proued by saynt Austen Finally Cyprian sayeth that the apostles traditioÌ„s perteynynge to thys sacrament are of lyke auctorite power and excellency as Christes owne ordinaunces are and therfore they muste nedes be shamefullye deceyued whyche wyll beleue nothynge excepte it be expressed playnlye in the scripture Another traditioÌ„ of the apostles belongyng to this holy sacrament is that the blessed body of Christ is kept and reserued in the pyxe or boxe at churche because that custome is hath bene in Christes churche kepte throughe all the worlde where good christen men be and therfore beinge not as in dede it is not ordeyned and inacted by anye councell it muste nedes come by tradition from the churche after saynte Ianuatio epist 118. Austens mynd Of thys custome we reade in the historye of the churche compiled by the auncient wyrter Eusebiê° whyche recytynge Lib. 5. cap. 25. certen sentences out of Ireneê° the disciple of saint Polycarpe saynte Iohan the euangelistes scoler sayeth that the bishop of Rome dyd vse to sende the blessed sacrament solemly to straunge catholyke by shoppes which came thyther Now shuld any such costome be so sone after Christes departynge and the apostles death of the whych S. Iohan the euangelist wrote IX yeres and aboue after Christes ascension after the whiche tyme Ireneê° was within lesse then an hundred yeres excepte the apostles had tanght the church that lesson Of thys custome to reserue the bodye of christe in the pyxe saynte Nierom and saynte Ambrose wrote as I haue more largelye declared in my boke of Hiero Rustico etambrosiê° in ora funebri de obitu fratris suâ— satyri the sacrameÌ„t of the aulter Adde yet to these another tradition of the apostles belongynge vnto the masse sacrameÌ„te of the aulter which is that at masse the preest prayeth for the soules departed out of this worlde which thyng the holy apostles dyd ordeyne to be done as saynte Damascene Sermonâ— ê“ deâ—â—â—tis witnesseth saying The apostles our sauiours disciples haue coÌ„maunded or ordeyned that a remembraunce shulde be made of theÌ„ that were dead in the dreadful lyuely sacrameÌ„tes Saynt Chrisostome also affirmeth in diuers places of hys bokes that the apostles ordeyned that the Ad antoâ—h pop homilia 69
Hitherto Theophilactus The greake scolies or short expositions set forth vpon thys place of saynte paule do expowne it as saynte Damascene chrysostom and Theophilactus do whose wordes are these into latine traÌ„slated Eteni et scripta et noÌ„ scripta precepta tradiderunt apostoli et vtraque obseruatione digna Igitur et ecclesiae quoque et non scripta traditio obseruanda est Thus it is in our speach because the apostles dyd deliuer or teach coÌ„maundementes both wrytten and also vnwrytten / and both two worthy to be obserued therfore the churches also tradition yea not wrytten muste be kepte Are not all these wytnesses sufficient to stoppe theyr mouthes whych do bable without all reason good learnynge agaynste traditions Saynt Basil whych was nygh Basiliê° de spiritu sctoÌ„ ca 29. twelfe hundred yeres paste and an excelleÌ„t clerke thus writteth Arbitror autem apostolicuÌ„ esse etiaÌ„ 1. Cor. 11. non scrrptis traditionibê° inhaerere Laudo inquit paulus vos quod per oiÌ„a mei memores estis et quemadmoduÌ„ tradidi vos traditiones obtinetis 2. Teffa 2. quas acceptistis siue per epistolaÌ„ siue per sermonem That is to say in english But I iudge it apostolike or perteyninge vnto an apostles doctine to cleaue or sticke to traditioÌ„s also not written I prayse you sayeth paule that through al thinges ye remeÌ„bre me and do reteyne styll the traditions as I taughte you whiche ye receyued eyther by an epistle or by speach Seest thou not here chrysteÌ„ reader that S. Basyll affyrmeth not onely that we ought to stycke fast vnto traditions not written but he sayth it beloÌ„geth vnto the apostles teachinge and allegeth two textes of saynte Paule to proue the same Wherfore I beseche the shulde not we rather giue fayth and credence vnto this holy and greate clerke saynte basyll then to Luther or anye of hys scole Let this that is nowe alreadye sayed that whych shall be sayd hereafter be to the gentell reader whych hast any regarde vnto thy soules health sufficiente vtterly to abhorre deteste and forsake thys pestilente erroure set vp against traditions of the whyche manye are verye necessarye for the maynteynannce and encrease of Chrystes religion mans saluation as it shall hereafter appeare more at large by goddê helpe and grace But now I wyl go to the rehersall of a multitude of thiÌ„ges obserued and beleued of christen natyons through the hole world which are bothe necessarye to be beleued kepte also yet they be not expressly set forth iÌ„ the scrypture but are onely come iÌ„ to the church of chryst our blessed sauiour by traditioÌ„ of the holy apostles inspired styrred of the spirite of truth to ordeyne theÌ„ to deliuer them vnto the church by mouth with out wrytyng which as euer seÌ„ce theyr tyme haue bene amoÌ„ge all catholyke people beleued obserued euen so shall they be vntyll the worldes ende thoughe manye do barke neuer so moche agaynst theÌ„ as they do agaynst dyuers other truthes expressed in the scrypture ¶ The thyrde chaptre comprehendynge A numbre of traditions that came from the apostles in to the churche of christe without wrytynge by mouth onely the nombre of tradicions commynge from the apostles to vs wtout writing IN the last Chaptre good reader I touched bryefly and by the waye as we are wonte to saye foure tradicyoÌ„s pertaynyng vnto the sacrament of the aulter that is to say Water to be myxed with wyne in the chalyce at masse whiche our sauyoure hym selfe dyd as saynt Cypryan sayth of whoÌ„ his apostles taughte the same lefte it without wrytynge to the church The seconde to receyue the sacrameÌ„t fasting The third to kepe the sacrament in the pixe or boxe in the teÌ„ple The fourth is to pray for the deade at masse which thiÌ„ge the apostles taught the churche as I haue proued in my boke of the sacrifice of the masse Now let vs se what other tradicions there be whiche are vnwrytten in the scrypture and yet necessary to be beleued kept and obserued of all chrysten people and fyrst of all I wyll recite certayne tradycyons apperteynyng vnto baptisme of the whiche the chyefe is that infantes or babes that caÌ„ not yet speake are chrystened wheÌ„ they can not beleue and baptysme auaylethe theÌ„ through the churches fayth to the obtaynynge of remyssyon of originall synne and the gettyng of heuen What scrypture proueth this truth Is not the scripture rather agaynst it then with it Do not the heretyckes called in greke anabaptiste because they chrysten men agayne wheÌ„ they can beleue which were chrystened beynge infantes vtterly denye this veryte for that that they sawe no scrypture expressly make for it What wyll or can they here say that aske requyre for euery doctrine that they wyl beleue manifest scrypture To. 3 Li. 10 in genesi Saynte Austen thus wrytethe vpon the chrystenynge of chyldren Consuetudo matris ecclesiaeiÌ„ baptizandis paruulis nequa quam sperneÌ„da est neque vllo modo superflua depuranda nec omnino credenda esset nisi apostolica esset traditio That is to saye The custome of our mother the church in chrystenyng of chyldren is in no wise to be dispysed nother by any waye to be rekened supenfluous nor it oughte vtterlye to be beleued excepte it had bene Note reder the apostles tradicion Loo S. Austen sayth that the baptysme or christenyng of chyldren shuld not be beleued except it had ben the tradicion of the apostles therfore he founde no scrypture for it Also in another boke he wryteth thus of the same matter Lib. 4. capâ— 24. Aduersê° donaâ—istas de baptist paruâ—loruÌ„ Et si quisquam in hac re autoritateÌ„ quaerat diuinam quamquam quod vniuersa tenet ecclesia nec conciliiÌ„s iÌ„stitutum sed semper retentum est non nisi autoritate apostolica traditum rectissime creditur tameÌ„ veraciter coniicere possumus quid va leat in paruulis baptismi sacrameÌ„tuÌ„ ex circumcisione carnis quaÌ„ prior populus accepit Thus it is in englysshe Albeit any searche or asketh the auctoritye of God or the scrypture in this matter of chrystenynge chyldren thoughe that whiche the whole churche kepeth and it is not ordeined by councels but euer reteyned it is beleued of mooste good right or reason not delyuered or taught but by the apostles auctorite yet we maye truelye coniecture what strength the sacrament of baptysme is of in chyldren by the circumcisyon of the flesshe which the fyrst people receyued Lo ones agayne saynte Austen doth confesse that the chrysteniÌ„g of chyldren came by the tradicioÌ„ of the apostles without expresse worde or coÌ„maundement of the scrypture Therfore what madnes blyndnes are they in that requyre manyfeste scrypture for euery thynge that shulde be beleued and kepte of vs chrystened people They do open the dore gyue an occasion by that theyr fonde opinyon to the heresie of the PelagiaÌ„s
Armenes Albanenses the anabaptistes which denye that chyldren shuld be baptysed and chrystened before they can beleue in chryste Origen also whiche was with Origines Li. 5. coÌ„meÌ„t in episto ad romanos in lesse theÌ„ .cc. yeres after chrystê byrth testifieth that it is a tradicion of the apostles to chrysten chyldren sayeng Pro hoc et ecclesia ab apostolis traditionem accepit etiam peruulis baptismuÌ„ dare That is to saye For that originall synne the church also hathe receyued a tradicion of the apostles to giue baptisme vnto children What can be more playnly wryten theÌ„ this is to proue that it is a playne tradicion of the apostles to chrysten infantes or chyldren But to be shorte saint Dionise the apostle Paules discyple affyrmeth manyfestly that it came from the apostles to baptyse Dionisi de ecclesiastica hierar ca. 7 â—artez tyse chyldren whose wordes are these But that the chyldren / whican not yet vnderstande godlye thynges are made partakers of the holy baptisme of the hyghest signes of the halowed coÌ„munioÌ„ it appearethe to the paynems a thinge reasonable to be scorned as thou saidest yf the bysshops do teach godly thiÌ„ges to herers not mete they teache in vayne the holy tradicions to them that do not vnderstaÌ„de that which is more to be laught at as they thynke other do renouÌ„ce or forsake the deuyl for theÌ„ and do go in to or begyn yâ— the holye couenauÌ„tes Then anon after a fewe wordes thus he saieth Verum ea de re ista quoque dicimus que sancti praeceptores nostri ex pristina traditione edocti ad nos deriuaueruÌ„t Aiunt enim quod est verissimum infantes si sctaÌ„ lege formeÌ„tur ad sacrum prouehendos habitum omni errore liberos et vitae exortes iÌ„purae istud cuÌ„ piissimis ducibus nostris in mentem venisset visum est admittere infantes hoc modo etc. That is thus much in our tonge But of thys thynge we also say these thynges whyche our holy maysters saynt paule and Hierothe instructed of the olde tradition haue brought vnto vs. For they saye the whyche thynge is most trewe that the infantes or chyldren that can not yet speake yf they be formed or made in facioÌ„ wyth the law of lyfe must be aduanÌ„ced or promoted vnto an holy state beynge free from all errour and wythout parte or out of felowshyppe of vncleane life Whan thys thynge came to the mynde of oure remembraunce most godly ducers capiteines or leaders the apostles it semed to theÌ„ to admyt the infaÌ„tes chyldreÌ„ after thys maner to be christened Then streyght he declareth howe they are christened sheweth that the godfather doth answere for the chylde saying I renounce the deuyll / and beleue / promysynge that he wyll teache him to beleue forsake the deuil when he shall come to vnderstaÌ„dyng Which wordes do declare that it came also by the apostles tradition that godfathers do aunswere for the chylde when he is christend and not onely that infantes are christened Therfore we do no we se playnly that the baptisme or chrystenynge of chyldren was taught the church by the holy apostles wythout any scripture or wrytynge and it oughte to be beleuedand kepte as well as anye other thynge whyche is manifestly sette forth in the scripture and therfore as many men as wyll not fal headlynge in to the damnable heresy of the anabaptistes whyche denye that chyldren shulde be christened let them leaue demaundynge and requirynge in euery poynt of our belefe expresse scipture sence thys necessary thinge hangeth onely vpoÌ„ the apostles tradition wythout anye scripture that can proue it sufficiently whyche thynge Luther Melancthon and other the lutherans are compelled to graunte though they neuer so much crye out scripture scripture and saye that nothynge oughte to be beleued and kepte necessarylye wythout manifest scripture settynge it forth For when thys matter of christenynge chyldren is layed to theyr charges they haue nothynge to aunswere but are streyght enforced to graunte it to be a tradition of the holy apostles But of thys I haue nowe sayed I suppose sufficiently and therfore I wil reherse yet moo traditions of the apostles to the full coÌ„fusion of them that wyll beleue nothynge wyth out an auctoritye of the scripture Saynte Hierom sayeth To. 2. â—0 50 Pa. 4. whych thyngethe church doth practyse that in tyme of necessitie laye men and women maye baptyse chyldren whych thynge cometh by tradition because it is generally vsed through christendome and was not fyrste made by anye councell Also it August Jann cometh of the apostles tradition that the water in the fonte stone is halowed before the child be christened in it for saynt Dionyse Paules disciple beynge wyth the apostles and instructed De eccle Hierar ca â— part 2 of them as he sayeth ofte hym selfe thus speaketh of that matter The byshoppe goynge to the temple in the whyche is the fonte eius aquas sancta prece et inuocatione sanctificans itaque in eas ad crucis effigiem sanctissimum infuÌ„dens vngueÌ„tum illas hocmo do perficit That is to saye He halowed the fontes water wyth an holye prayer and wyth an inuocation powrynge into them thryse the mooste holye oyntemente after the fourme of the crosse by thys waye or fassion doth make them perfecte These saynte Dionyse saynte Paules scolers wordes do shewe playnlye that then the byshoppe dyd vse to halowe the water in the The font is halowed vpon Easter eueÌ„ because that baptisme hath his vertue of christes death ro 6 quicuÌ„que etc and vpon witsonday euen because the vertu of baptime cometh of the holy gooste which came downe at witsonday Math. zille vos baptizabit in spi etc Basiliê° de spi s ca. 27 Ciprianê° lib. 1. epist 12. Quomo do auteÌ„ muÌ„ dare et saÌ„crificare aquaÌ„ potest qui ipse imdê° est et apud queÌ„ soi sâ—noÌ„ est Lege Augst lib. 6. dâ— bap coÌ„tre donatistas trast in Io. 80 et ad JanuariuÌ„ eÌ„pi 118 ClemeÌ„s lib. 3 recogni fonte and put in to it oyle thryse makynge a crosse therein whyche no doubte was caughte by the holye Apostles wythout wrytynge as saynte Basyll and other auncient doctours do witnesse whose wordes shall be anone alleged and therfore men that wolde not that the font shulde be halowed before chyldreÌ„ shuld be therin christened and wyl beleue nothynge not conteyned in the scripture are farre deceiued and oughte to forsake that yll and peryllous opinion lest they perish at length therby for euer whyche oure Lorde forbydde Saynte Basyll also rehersynge certeyn traditions in hys booke of the holye gooste thus wryteth of the halowynge of water in the fonte stone Consecramus autem aquam baptismatis et oleum vnctionis Praeterea ipsuÌ„ qui baptismum accipit ex quibus scriptis Nonne a tacita secretaque traditione The englysh maye be thys But we do consecrate or
the place of the wounde anone it was ful of bloud water Ther vpoÌ„ they sayed that they wolde proue whether anye myracles shuld be wrought therby for as much as christes freÌ„des sayed yâ— manye myracles were done by him They broughte the water bloud to their synagoge caused sicke folke to be washed with it amonge the whyche there was a verye aged man whiche had the palsey or the losyng of his membres eueÌ„ froÌ„ the tyme of his birth He as sone as he was washed with yâ— water bloud was streight hole rose out of his bed weÌ„t home TheÌ„ yâ— people brought thither al diseased sicke persons the blind the halt the lame the deafe the dome the lepers with all other as sone as they were washed with the water bloud they were forth with deliuered froÌ„ their diseases The which wheÌ„ yâ— people sawe they beleued in our sauiour iesu and praysed him highly After this A thanasi which wrote aboue M. cc. yeres passed telleth yâ— a christeÌ„ maÌ„ had this ymage of christ leftit thorow negligeÌ„ce behind him in syria wheÌ„ he departed thence wheÌ„ he was examined of the of the Metropolitaine of yâ— citie he coÌ„fessed the Nicodemê° which came to iesu by night made it with his owne haÌ„des gaue it to gamaliel pauls schole scholemaister wheÌ„ he died gamaliel when he sawe yâ— his death approched drew nighe gaue it to Iames Iames to symeon symeon to zacheê° so froÌ„ tyme to time it continued in Hierusalem nigh vntil yâ— citie was destroied whyche was the .xliii. yere after christes asceÌ„sion in to heueÌ„ For about ii yeres before the destructioÌ„ came by Titê° Vaspasianus the faythful and disciples of christe were aduertised by yâ— holy gooste to depart froÌ„ HierusaleÌ„ in to the kyngdome of kynge Agrippa so they did carying with them al the thinges that did belong vnto christes religion amonge the whiche was that christes ymage which remayned in syria til this day when my father mother dyed I receyued it by the ryght of an heire and do now possessee the same Hytherto I haue recyted saynte Athanasius wordes entreatyng of thys marueylous storye whyche I haue rehearsed here the meÌ„ may se both that ymages haue bene longe in Christes churche the God hath wrought by them great and straunge myracles to the greate comforte of christen people and finally that men shulde be wyse that they do not mysuse the ymage of christe and hys sayntes leste they feele gods vengeaunce therby Now to go forwarde I wyl recyte yet a fewe thynges moo that are receyued and vsed by tradition in christes church without writing of the which thys is one that we The lentes fastynge do faste the lente For albeit it hath authoritie as saint Austen Aug. Ianu. epist 118 affirmeth of Moses and Helias fasting in the olde law also of christes in the new which fasted fortye dayes yet it cometh to the churche by the apostles tradition yâ— it is coÌ„maunded to be kept and obserued fastyng For saynt In epist ad Marcellam Hierom this wryteth Nos vnam quadragesimaÌ„ secuÌ„duÌ„ traditioneÌ„ apostoloruÌ„ toto aÌ„no teÌ„pore nobis coÌ„gruo ieiunamê° That is We do fast one leÌ„t accordiÌ„g to the apostlê tradition in a time mooste mete for vs of al the hole yere Lo hieroÌ„ saieth the the holy apostles dyd or dayne and institute the faste of the lent and we folowynge Luthers blyndnes saye that the apostles taught nothynge which they wrote not afterwarde and do dyspyse this faste vtterlye preferrynge herin our owne carnall iudgementes and flesshely yea bestly lustes before the auctoryte iudgemeÌ„t of s Hierom whiche as he sayde hym selfe fasted wonderfullye moch euen so he sayth the apostles taught the feaste of lent by tradicyon Of the which one theophilê° wrote thus before S. Hierome whose boke Lib. â— he translated out of greake in to latyn NequaquaÌ„ diebus quadrage simae sicut luxuriosi diuites solent vini poculuÌ„ suspiremus neque in procinctu et prelio vbi labor et sudor est necessarius carniuÌ„ edulio delectemur Qui auteÌ„ leguÌ„ precepta custodiunt vini vsum repudiant et esum carniuÌ„ That is in oure language Let vs not syght for or greatly desyre wyne in the lente dayes as ryot ous rych men are wont neyther let vs delyte iÌ„ eating of fleshe iÌ„ the state of an army when they be ready to gyue battayle and in battayle where laboure and sweate is necessarye They that do kepe the commauÌ„dementes of lawes do refuse or forsake the vse of wyne and the eatynge of flesshe This we se that lente was aboue twelfe huÌ„dred yeres synce fasted and that deuote meÌ„ dyd absteyne both froÌ„drynkyng of wyne also froÌ„ eatyng of flessh in it How wel this is nowe kept of chrysten people it neadeth not me to tell but rather to lamente and bewaile the greate and exceadyng ryote and gluttonye whiche is nowe vsed bothe in eatynge of flesshe and dryukynge of wyne of the whiche I haue spoken more largely in my boke of fastyng But that lente fastynge came from the holy apostles saynt Iohan the euaÌ„gelistes Epist 4. dyscyple Ignatiê° maye wytnesse sayenge QuadragesimaÌ„nolite pro nihilo habere imitationem eniÌ„ continet dei coÌ„uersationis That is to say Esteme not lente for naught for it conteyneth the folowyng of gods conuersatioÌ„ Where or of whom learned Ignatiê° saynte Iohans scoler this coÌ„maundement of the lentê fast yf he learned it not of his mayster saynt Iohan or of the other apostles This blyssed martyr saynt Iohans discyple byddeth or coÌ„mauÌ„deth vs to faste the lent Luther and his scholers lyke be lye gods or whose bely is theyr god and ryotous epycures do teache vs to breake it whether partye ought chrysten people to beleue and folowe Saynt Ignatiê° coÌ„mauÌ„deth vs also to tast the wensday and fryday sayng Quarta vero sexta feria ieiunate reliquias pauperibus porrigentes Faste ye the wensday the frydaye gyuyng the remenaunt or scrappes to the poore Seest thou not good chrysten reader that the frydaye oughte to be fasted and the wensdaye after the apostles doctryne which this saynt Iohans discyple wrote Why therfore sayest thou that the apostles taught nothynge but that only which they wrote afterwarde in the holy scrypture Ceasse for shame that foÌ„de babliÌ„g Leaue of that vngodly doctrine which poysoneth the soule bryngeth it to vtter confusyon yf it be not forsaken in tyme. Theophylê° sayeth Habemus quadragesimam ab apostolis institutam et ordinataÌ„ We haue the lent institute ordeyned of the apostles Wherfore oughtest not thou rather to beleue hym then lewde lyenge Luther was not he both godly and excellently learned as saint Hierome was whiche testifyeth the same that tyme when this matter was nothynge deubted of were not these doctours nerer the apostles tyme by more theÌ„ M. c.
our dayes whose sayeng maketh much for traditioÌ„s for thynges vsed in the church of christ without manifeste scripture for them Nowe where some lerned meÌ„ haue supposed As Iohan ceciê° BuÌ„de riê° and other certen and set also forth in theyr bokes that the goinge downe of our sauiours blessed soule with his godhead in to the place where the olde fathers soules remayned before christes death called libê° patruÌ„ to coÌ„fort theÌ„ to shewe the he was come in to the world by his birth had dyed for theÌ„ to deliuer theym thense is not expressed in the scripture I thynke that therein they were greatly deceyued as no man is cleare from all erroure especiallye they that write vpon goddes holy worde which onely is without al lyes and errours as the wryters of August ad hieroni it onelye were in that theyr dede not deceyued in any one poynte I say the they whyche affyrmed that descensus Christi ad inferna the descendynge downe of christ to hell is a truth not wrytten in the scrypture were playnlye deceyued therein because manye textes of the scrypture do proue that thing euydently of the whiche these are the chyefe Dauyd sayeth in the parson of our sauyour Psal 19. chryste Non derelinques animam meam in inferno O father thou wylt not leaue my soule in hell Howe could this haue bene truely sayed of chryst to god his father excepte his soule coupled with his godhead had desceÌ„ded in to hell or the place where the fathers were before chrystes coÌ„mynge and death Also we rede these wordes in the sawtre Abstraxisti Psal 29. de inferno animam meaÌ„ Thou hast O father taken my soule oute of hell I let passe other Act. 2. Ephe. 4. auctorites puing the same because these two are sufficyent for to proue this purpose which is that the scrypture maketh meÌ„ tion that christ defeeÌ„ded or went downe in to the place where the fathers soules remayned abidyng and lokyng for his comyng thither to them after his death wheÌ„ his body laye in the sepulchre Nowe to make ones an ende of this treatyse I wyll breyfely declare that the certayne knowledge of the holy scrypture coÌ„meth by tradicyon without any other auctorytye then of the catholyke churches the fathers of christê relygyon that lerned of the apostles which were the very trewe scryptures wrytten by the inspiracion and styrynge of the holy goost which were not though they were putforth in the euangelystes or apostê names Saynt Austen in dyuers places of his The euangels and other the holy scripturs are not assuredly knowen to be gods worde but by the churche of chryst bearynge wytnesse there vnto workes and namely iÌ„ these that nowe do here folowe affyrmeth the the auctoryte of the holye scryptures dependeth and hangeth vpon the iudgement of the vniuersal or catholike church Fyrst this hath he lib .vii. coÌ„fess Scripturas saÌ„ctas ecclesiae catholicae coÌ„mendat autoritas That is to saye The auctoryte of the catholyke churche setteth forth the To. 6. epist coÌ„tra fuÌ„da Mani holy scryptures Agayne more playnly this he wryteth Quid faceres dicenti non credo euangelio Ego vero non credereÌ„ euangelio ni Hiero contra vigilantium Quid necesse est in manus sumere ê™ ecclesia non recipit si me catholicae ecclesiae authoritas coÌ„moueret That is to say What woldest thou do to hym that saith I beleue not the gospel I trewly wold not beleue the gospel except the auctorytie of the catholyke churche shulde moue me It folowethe anone there I muste neades beleue the boke of the apostles actes yf I do beleue the gospell because the catholyke churches autorytie coÌ„mendethe to me of like sort both those scriptures TertuliaÌ„ also affyrmeth Tertilianê° prescript the same thus wrytynge Quid apostoli predicauerint id est quid illis christus reuelauit et hiÌ„c praescribam non aliter probari debere quaÌ„ per easdeÌ„ ecclesias quas ipsi apostoli condiderunt eis predicaÌ„do tam viua quod aiunt voce quam per epistolas postea That is What the apostles haue preched that is what chryste hath reueiled or opened to theÌ„ I wyl note or determyne also hence or therof that it ought not otherwise to be proued then by the same churches or sayth full companyes whiche the apostles them selues buylded preachinge to them as well with a lyuely voyce as they say coÌ„menly as afterwarde by epystles Besyde this in another boke he wryteth after this maner Tertilianê° lib 4. aduer sus martia nem Habemus et Iohannis aluÌ„nas ecclesias NaÌ„ et si apocalipsin Marcion respuit or do tamen episcoporum ad origineÌ„ recensitus in Iohan nem stabit autoreÌ„ Sic et caeterarum generositas recognoscitur Dico apud illas nec solas a postolicas sed apud vniuersas quae illis sacrameÌ„ti societate confaederantur id euaÌ„gelium lucae ab initio aeditionis stare quod cum maxime tuemur Eadem autoritas apostolicaruÌ„ ecclesiarum caeteris quoque patrocinatur euangeliis quae proinde per illas et secunduÌ„ illas habemê° IohaÌ„nis dico Mathaei et Marci Thus may be the englyshe of these wordes We haue also churches of s IohaÌ„s scholynge or bryngynge vp in learnynge of the gospell For though marcion doth refuse the reuelation or apocalipse yet the ordre of bysshoppes nombred or rekenyd to the begynnynge shal hold with Iohan that he is the autour or maker of it So also the nobilite or strength of the other scryptures is knowen perfectly I say yâ— that gospell hath stande for Lukes from the makynge or puttynge forth of it at these churches nother onelye with them that were the apostles but at or with all them holly which are confedered or ioyned to theÌ„ with feloshyppe of a sacrament othe or sygne of a holye thynge the whiche thinge we do chyefly defende The same autorytie of the apostles churches defendeth also the other gospels froÌ„ iniurye the whiche therfore and after or by them we haue I say Iohas Mathewes and Markes Hitherte the auncyent wryter Tertulian whose wordes declare yâ— the apostles tradicyon teacheth vs / whiche are the gospelles of chryste and the trew scryptures where there is no scryptures to proue them by and therfore he that wyll beleue nothynge withoute scrypture let hym tel me why he Mark this reader beleueth any one boke of yâ— scripture to be true scrypture syth no texte of the scrypture can testifye that it is scrypture in dede Wrote not I praye the reader Bartylmewe a gospell and Nychodemê° another as storyes do tell whiche are not receyued for anye parte of the scrypture By what auctorytye is this done wherfore doest thou rather giue credence vnto Lukes gospell whiche neuer sawe chryste then to saynte Bartylmewes whiche was one of the twelfe apostles Eusebiê° testifyeth that an euaÌ„gel Lib. 3. ca. 3. or gospel was iuged to haue bene
wrytteÌ„ by saynt Peter and a boke of actes with a reuelatioÌ„ which are not alowed to be scripture Enoch wrote a boke of the which Iudas iÌ„ his epystle spake and also Tertulian Manye dyuers De habitu muliâ—bri other bokes were ascrybed vnto the apostles and euangelystes beynge put forth in theyr names and bearynge theyr tytles whiche in dede eyther they neuer wrote or els the holy gooste moued not them to make them or thought it not good nor necessary to haue them receyued and vsed amonge chrysten people which thing he opened taught the holy apostles and other the beleuynge people of and frome whom the certeyne knowledge whych is the holy scripture and whych is not doth come as S. Cypryan sayeth thus wrytyng In enarrâ— symbo apâ— Quae sunt noui ac veteris instrumeÌ„ti volumina quae secundum maiorum traditionem per ipsum spirituÌ„ sanctum inspirata creduntur etecclesiis tradita competens videtur in hoc loco euidenti numero sicut expatrum monumentis accepimê° designare That is to wyt Whiche are the bookes of the newe and olde testament that accordynge to the elders tradition are beleued to be inspired by the holye gooste and delyuered vnto the churches it semeth mete to assigne or note in thys place by an euidente noÌ„bre lyke as we haue learned of the fathers recordes or bookes Then streyght he recyteth the numbre of the bokes whyche are reckened to be holy scrypture Wherby it appeareth yet ones agayne that we knowe not what bookes be to be iudged estemed gods worde but by tradition of the apostles and oure auncetours or elders whom the holye gooste sayeth saint Cyprian that blessed martyr taught that thinge by inspiratioÌ„ It foloweth therfore that yf thou wylte beleue nothynge wythout wytnesse of the scrypture that thou causte beleue nothynge of the gospell to be scripture nor no other parte called scrypture and so all the fayth wholly muste neades at ones by that one deuellish opinioÌ„ cleane peryshe Wherfore cease asking where it is wrytten in the scrypture in thinges at the lest receyued generally of Christen nations and gyue credence vnto the catholyque churche whose authoritie as it is moost certeyne and sure so it is verye longe and greate as this chaptre shall proue to the by goddes grace sufficientlye ¶ The auctoritie of christes catholike churcch of and vpon the Apostles traditions and veryties not written in the scripture AS touching the authorite of christes catholyke or vniuersal church I entende at thys tyme to be very briefe and shorte The olde and auncyent wryter saynt Ireneus Iâ—eneus lib. 5. cap. 4 whyche was scholer to one Polycarpe saynt Iohan the euangelystes disciple thus wryteth of the churches auctoritye We ought not to seke yet the truth at other the which it is easy to take of the churche seyng that the apostles haue brought al thinges beloÌ„gyng to the truth in it most pleÌ„teously as it were into a rich treasure house or store house so that euery man that wyll maye receyue of it water of lyfe Here thys holye martyr sendeth vs to the catholyke churche to learne the truthe sayeth we maye not seake it but there onelye Thys churche neyther doth approue any thynge agaynste the fayth good lyuynge nor suffereth any thing agayust eyther of theÌ„ to be Tomo â— Epist 119. kept as s Austen testifyeth If thys churche through the whole worlde do teache anye thynge Epist 118. quiÌ„ ita facieÌ„duÌ„ sit disputare inquit August insoleÌ„tissime iÌ„saniae est yâ— is but that it must so be done to reasoÌ„ or dispute it is most proud Tâ—en was Luther madde as many other are that folowe him nowe madnes Thys sayeng of saynte Austen declareth many meÌ„ both to be proud and very madde also whyche do reason stubbornely and spytefullye agaynste dyuers thynges obserued kepte through the whole church these many hundred yeres Oure Lorde make theym meke humble and wyse that they maye acknowledge the hygh and certeyne authoritye of Chrystes catholyke churche agaynst the whyche no Aug. de trinita lib. 4. cap. 6. quiete man hath or wyl as S. Austeyne testifyeth iudge saint Austen intreating of the christenyng agayne of them that were baptysed or christened of an heretyke thus wryteth Thoughe there were no exaÌ„ple of this matter taken out of the holye scrypture yet the veritie of the same â—ib 1 cap. 33. contra â—resconium graÌ„maticuÌ„ scriptures is holdeÌ„ of vs in this thynge when we do that whyche hath pleased the whole churche wheÌ„ the same scriptures authoritie commeÌ„deth setteth forth so that foras much as the holy scripture can not deceyue vs who so euer feareth to be deceyued by the darkenes of thys questyon whether one baptysed of an heretyke shâ—â—lâ—e be chrystened agayne or not let hym aske councel of the same catholike church whom wythout al doubt the holy scrypture coÌ„mendeth Hytherto this great clerke saynt AusteÌ„ whyche wylleth vs to aske couÌ„saile of christes catholike church in thys doubtefull question of baptyme of the which the scripture speaketh not and therfore al thynges can not be proued by the scrypture whyche we muste both beleue / do also thoughe many men vngodly / and falsely saye they may The same AusteÌ„ / which sayed he wolde not beleue the gospel / except the authoritie of the catholyke churche shulde moue hym / in another place defineth / declareth / what is the catholike churche sayeng I beleue Tomo 10. sermoneÌ„ de teÌ„pore 131. the holy churche catholike that is to saye whyche is spred and dyspersed throughe all the worlde because the churches of dyuers heresyes for that cause are not called catholyke that they what churche is called the catholike church are conteyned in theyr places and countreyes Hec vero a solis ortu usque ad occasum usque vnius fidei spleÌ„dore diffunditur That is Thys the catholyke churche is scattered abrode wyth the shynynge of our faythe from the sunnes rysyng vntyll the goyng done The donatystes whyche were a certeÌ„ kynde of heretykes in Numidia aboute the yere of oure Lorde thre hundred fyftye thre affyrmed that the church or congregation of christen people was no where but with them as Luther and hys scholers are not asshamed to booste of theyr flockes which is agaynst the nature and name of the catholyke churche of the whiche VinceÌ„tiê° lirynensis which was aboue aleuen hundred yeres before this VinceÌ„tius lirinensis gallus tyme wryteth after this sorte I haue often with great studye asked of very many men both wel learned and godly also by what rule or sygne I myght discerne the truth of the catholyke fayth from the falsite And I had almoste euer this aunsweare that whether I or els anye other wolde espye out the gyles or deceytes of heretykes and auoyde theyr snares and abyde sownde and hole in a sownde faythe he oughte two wayes by goddes
heresye that none of the auÌ„cient doctours had eyther set it forth or allowed it set forth by other that it shuld be contrary to the doctrine of chyrstes church and we such is our pryde and want of grace do despise the iudgemente both of the godlye fathers and of the hole catholyke churche which is as saynte Chrysostom wytnesseth the mother of the beleuyng people Here nowe what Tertulian â—ermoneÌ„ 76 de 〈◊〉 hath sayed of the church in these fewe wordes Non alia agnosceÌ„da eÌ„ apostoloruÌ„ traditio quaÌ„ quae hodie apud ipsorum ecclesias aeditur Exhibe ergo aliquem ex tuis apostolici Lib. â— aduersê° MattioneÌ„ habet euaÌ„gelium marcionis ecclesias sed suas taÌ„ posteras quam adulteras quaruÌ„ si câ—sum requitas factitus apostaticum inuenias quam apostolicaÌ„ lib. 4. aduersus mart â— ceÌ„sus et obduxeris None other tradition is to be recognysed or knwledged the apostles then that whiche is published or set forth at theyr churches Therfor shew forth some man of thyne of the apostles estimation numbre or iudgemeÌ„t and thou shalt ouercome or obteyne the victorye Agayne thus he hath In summa si constat id verius ê™ prius id prius ê™ ab initio id ab initio quod ab apostolis pariter vtique constabit id esse ab apostolis traditum quod apud ceclesias apostolorum fuerit sacrosanctum That is to say brieflye If it be playne that to be trewer that is fyrste that to be fyrste or before that was froÌ„ the begynnynge whyche was of the apostles it shall in lykewyse be verily euident that to be taught of the apostles whyche hathe bene much estemed as a thynge halowed or that ought not to be touched but reuerentlye at or wyth the apostles churches Furthermore the councell kepte In registro lib. 1. ca. 23 at Nicea whych was one of the four general couÌ„cels that s Gregorye sayed he no lesse theÌ„ yâ— four gospels beleued declareth how muche the churches autoritie determinations shulde be regarded sayeng Si cathari venerint ad Cap. â— â— ecclesiaÌ„ catholicam prae omnibus eos scriptis conuenit profiteri ê™ ca tholice et apostolice ecclesie dogmata suscipiant et sequaÌ„tur That is If the heretykes whyche called them selues cathoros for yâ— cleanes of lyuing which they proudlye challynge to them shal come to the catholyke churche it is mete that they fyrste or before all thynges do by wrytyng promise openlye or confesse that they do receiue and folow the doctrines or determinations of the catholyke apostles churche Againe Cap. 9. the councell sayeth Quod irreprehensibile est catholica tenet ecclesia The catholyke churche holdeth that thynge whiche can not be reproued If we wolde marke well thys sayenge which as I sayed saynt Gregorye estemed it as the gospel folowe it we shuld not so shamefully ere go out of the waye as we nowe Lib. de verâ— sapien daylye do For as Lactantius witnesseth Sola catholica ecclesia est quae verum cultum retinet Hic est fons veritatis hoc est domicilium fidei hoc templum dei quo si quis noÌ„ intrauerit vel a quo si quis exiuerit a spe vitae et salutis aeternae alienus That is to saye The catholyke churche onelye is that holdeth styll the trewe worshyppynge of God Thys is the well of truth thys the house or mansyoÌ„ of fayth thys the teÌ„ple of god whither yf any man shal not entre or out of whyche yf any man goo he is wythout hope of lyfe and euerlastynge saluation These are both trewe wordes also dreadful and therfore lette men beware that forsake the catholyke churche and folow any particular churches opynyons as they do whyche leane to Luthers And that we maye knowe the catholyke churche from the heretycall he addeth sayenge But yet because euery coÌ„panye of heretikes do iudge theÌ„ selues chyefly chrysteÌ„ people and theyr church to be the catholike church we muste knowe that that is the trewe churche of Chryste in the whyche is religion confession and penaunce By confession he vnderstode aurycular coÌ„fession of synnes / whyche is made to a preeste / for confession to god is refused of no church / be it neuer so hereticall / therfore he ment that where aurycular confession was not regarded / vsed / there was not the trew churche of christ Lib. 4. Epistola â— But Cypryan shall speake hys mynde in this matter with these wordes Quisquis ille est et qualis cuÌ„que est christianê° non est si in christi ecclesia noÌ„ est quae vna est per totum mundum in multa membra diuisa Who so euer he be / and what so euer he be / he is not a chrysten maÌ„ / yf he be not in christes churche the whyche is one dyuyded through all the worlde in to many members Nestorius an arrogant heretike as al such be / sayed that all the hole number of doctours wryters that were before hym were deceyued and the whole churche erred froÌ„ the truth and he onelye founde out the truth and folowed it Dyd not euen so saye and boost Marten Luther folowinge him therein the Donatians Nouatians Ruthenes Armenos and all other heretykes affyrmynge that the churche of Chryste was wyth them onelye Beware of them good chrysten reader and stedfastlye folowe the catholyke vniuersal churche whyche the apostles buylded set vp wyth preachynge the gospell to them This is not in one place cytie corner nor couÌ„trey but euerye where where true beleuyng folk be It can not erre the holy gost rulynge guydynge and gouernynge it from tyme to tyme vntyll Io. 14. 16. the worldes ende accordingly as christ promysed to it This is the pyller of the truth as S. Paule affyrmethe and therfore leane vnto it fast and thou shalt neuer fall from thy fayth but abyde therin to thy greate coÌ„fort and soules health But nowe to the nexte chaptre which reciteth the anncient doctours sentences pronounced and publysshed in theyr bokes vpon this matter of verytes vnwrytten and the churches tradicions Saynt Ireneê° policarpes saynte Iohan the euangelystes dyscyples scholer sheweth what doctours we shuld folowe in learnyng the truth of our fayth sayenge We must beleue those preestes which are in the church hauynge successyoÌ„ of Lib. 4ca 43 et 45. the apostles and all other that come frome that the pryncypall successyon in what place soeuer they are gathered togyther or els to be suspected eythera s hetykes and of an euyl iudgemeÌ„t Cap. 44. or deuidyng the church againe Adhaerere oportet his qui a postolorum doctrinam custodiunt et ab eis discere verit atem apud quos est illa quae est ab aposto lis ecclesie successio ☞ The auncyent doctours sentences wrytten and set forth vpon traditions of the apostles chrystes holye church NOwe for as moch as Saynt
Basyll proueth a truth concernyng the holy goost to be godby saynte Llemente Ireueê° Dionisius AleraÌ„drinus Eusebiê° palestinê° origin Affricanus historicus Gregori NaziaÌ„zane saynte Paule good chrysten reader / wytnesseth that Chryste sente some doctours for the edifyeng of the churche not onelye by preachyuge of the scrypture to the people but also by the true and godly openynge and expowning the same I wyl alledge certayne of the eldeste best learned of theym that men maye perceyue the more clerely and perfectlye that all thynges whiche we muste beleue and do are not expressed and publyshed in and by the byble scrypture but that dyuers thynges which ought to be beleued and kept of vs do come and defende also of and vpon the blessed apostles of chryst the churches tradicyon without any texte of the scripture speakynge of them I haue alre dye rehearsed some sentences of saynte Basyll Chrysostom Damascene Theophilactê° which therfore I neade not now again to recyte except it be iÌ„ other wordes then they be alredy rehearsed as nowe I wyll allege here saynt Basyll godly and notable saiges which he hath in a boke of the holy goost thus wrytyng Basilius de spe s ca. 27. Dogmata quae in etclesia predican tut quaedam habemus e doctrina scripto predita quedam rursê° ex apostolorum traditione in mysterio id est in occulta tradita recepim us QuoruÌ„ vtraque pareÌ„ vim habentlad pietateÌ„ nec his quisquaÌ„ contradicit quisquis sane vel tenuiter expartus est quae sint iura ecclesiastica Nam si coÌ„suetudines quae scripto proditae noÌ„ sunt tanquaÌ„ haud multum ha bentes momenti conemur reiicere imprudentes et ea daminabimus que in euangelio necessaria ad salutem habeÌ„tut imo potiê° ipsam fidei predicationem ad nudum nomeÌ„ coÌ„ trahemus These wordes may be turned in to englysshe after this maner The lawes ordinauÌ„ces decrees statutes or coÌ„maundementes for all these the greake word dogmata signifieth whiche are preached or publysshed in the churche we haue certayne of doctrine set furth in wrytyng eftsones or agayne we haue receyued certayne by the apostles tradicyon in a mysterie that is in secrete deliuered Of the which two bothe haue lyke streÌ„gth power or vertue to the knowledge the honour deuote worshyppiÌ„g or loue of god nother anye man coÌ„trary to them truely who soeuer hathe proued or learned by experience yea barely or poorely which are the lawes power auctorite or ryght of the church For yf we shuld endeuour or labour to caste away the customes whiche are not put forth in wrytyng lyke as not hauyng moch pyth or not beynge of moche value we shall also vnwards condemne those thynges whiche are in the gospell had necessary to saluaty on yea we shall also abridge or Vnum est crimen ê™ nunc vehementer daÌ„natur ac punitur di ligens obseruatiotra diâ—yonâ—â— pa trum basilius Episto 70. drawe togyther the same preachynge or publishyng of yâ— fayth vnto a bare or a naked name This saynte Basyll rehearsyng streight many thynges set forth withoute scrypture by the apostles tradition of the whiche I haue spokeÌ„ before Thou maest note here good reader dyuers lessons agaynste the lutherans bearynge vs in hande that all thynges are wryteÌ„ in scrypture which we must neades beleue kepe but pryncypally that this blessed doctoure affyrmeth that those thynges whiche the apostles lefte without scripture or vnwryten haue lyke efficacye vertue to the honorynge and lo uynge of god as haue those thiges whiche are wryten in scrypture and that because bothe of them cometh by the inspiracyon of the holy goost which styrred both the apostles and the euangelistes also to write that which is wrytten and the apostles in lyke maner to leaue certen thinges vnwrytten by tradition vnto the church the which was done as S. Basyll wytnesseth that such thiÌ„ges shulde remayne hyd or secrete lest they shulde be knowen of the rude and vngodlye folke and therby myght be despysed vtterly But this shall be ynough of saynt Basyl though he wrote in this mattier moche more Saynt Hierome thus writeth AdiluciniaÌ„ of traditions to luciniê° demaundyng of hym whether men ought to faste the saterday and dayly receyue the sacramente of the aulrer Sed ergo breuiter te admonendum puto traditiones ecclesiasticas praesertim quae fidei non officiant ita obseruandas vt a maioribus traditae suntâ— Nec aliorum coÌ„suetudineÌ„ alioruÌ„ more contrario subuerti Vnaquaeque prouincia suo sensu abunder et praecepta maioruÌ„ Roma 19. leges apostolicas arbitretur That is to wytte But I thynke thou Roma 14. must be warned bryefly that the traditions of the churche prynrypally those whych caÌ„ not hurt the fayth So are to be obserued as they are taught or delyuered of the elders or auÌ„cient fathers Nother other mennes custome ought to be subuerted or turned vp so downe by the contrary custome of other Let euerye countrey haue hys owne iudgement and iudge the auncetours or elders coÌ„maundementes the apostles lawes I passeouer manye Lege enim in eccleseasteÌ„ ca. 10 et in Mat. cap. 21. like sentences of saynt Hieroms whyche he wrote in thys matter left my boke shuld be ouer loÌ„ge Austen hath very much of thys matter in suÌ„dry of hys bokes of the which some is alleged before out of his epistle wrytten to Ianuarye where he sayeth those thynges whyche are oblerued through the hole world without wrytynge came eyther from the apostles or els froÌ„ the generall couÌ„cels whose autoritie is most holsome in christes church Alâ—o to one Casulane he thus hath intreating of the saterdayes fast In his rebê° de quibê° nihil certi statuit scriptura diâ—ina mos populi dei vel instituta maâ—oruÌ„ ê“lege teneÌ„ da suÌ„t That is to saye In these thynges of the whyche the holy scipture hath ordeined or stablished nothyng certeÌ„ / the custome of gods people or the elders ordinaunces are to be kepte for a lawe Luther and hys disciples teache nâ—eÌ„ to breake the fathers ordinauÌ„ces preceptes lawes saye that wtout manifest wytnes of the scrppture we shuld be bounde to beleue do nothyng Austen here affyrmeth the clene Lib 2. Tâ—â— coÌ„trary whether ptye wylt yâ— beleue good christeÌ„ man Epiphaniê° also which was aboute M. cc. yeres seÌ„ce coÌ„firmeth my purpose sayeng Oportet auÌ„t et traditione vti NoÌ„ eniÌ„ oiÌ„a a diuina scriptura accipi possuÌ„t qua ppter aliqua sacris seripturis aliqu a traditione faÌ„cti apostoli nobis coÌ„meÌ„dauerunt queÌ„admoduÌ„ dicit saÌ„ctê° apostolê° Sicut tradidi vobis Et alibi Sic doceo et sic tradidi in ecclesiis etc. That is But we must of necessitie vse tradition For al thinges caÌ„ not be taken of the holye scripture / wherfore the holye apostles coÌ„mitted to vs some thinges by the holye scripture some by traditioÌ„ lyke as paule sayth As I
thaÌ„ a thousande lutherans Thys holy Dionise yet wryteth more playnlye of verities not wrytten of traditions of the apostles sayeng Primi illi nostri sacerdotalis muneris duces aposto los intelligit suÌ„ma illa et supersubstantialia parti scriptis partim non scriptis iÌ„stitutionibus nobis tradiderunt That is to wytte They the fyrste leaders or capitaynes the apostles he meaneth of oure preestes office delyuered to vs or taught vs by tradition those highest thynges whose substaÌ„ce exceadeth other thingê substaÌ„ce by instructioÌ„s of doctryne partly wrytten partly not wrytten What coulde haue bene spoken of anye man more playnlye then this is for the furtherauÌ„ce of my purpose Who that hath anye sparcle of wysdome careth for hys soules health wyl not gyue credeÌ„ce to thys blessed doctoure Paules disciple rather then to Histo eccl lib. 9. ca. 19. Luther or any of hys scholers Sequendi sunt doctores qui ante diuisioneÌ„ fuerunt Those doctours DsligeÌ„ter obseru â—duÌ„ est vt lex dei cuÌ„ legitur noÌ„ secuÌ„ dum yprii ingenii intelligenciam legatur vel doceatur Suni eâ—im multa verba in scripturis diuinis que possunt â—rahi ad euÌ„ sensum quem sibi vnusquisque sponte presumpsit Sed id fieri non opor tet non eni sensum quem attuleris extrin secus alienum et extraneum de bes querere Et ideo oportet ex eo intelligentiam discere scripturarum qui eam a maioribê° secuÌ„dum veritatem sibi traditam seruauit Clemens ep istola 4. ad ecclesiaÌ„ hieroso are to be folowed sayth Eusebius whych were before the diuysion such I haue alleged here for to make meÌ„ beleue the truth of thys controuersye and therfore men oughte to folowe them rather theÌ„ Luther or any other be he neuer so wel lerned whych hath bene sence the diuisyon begon Saynte Hierom commended greatlye Nepotian because he wyllynge to auoyde the glory of learning was wont to say Thys is the sayeng of Tertulian this of Cypryan that of LactaÌ„tiê° thys of Hylaries so spake Munutius felix thus victorinus after thys fascion Arnobius wherby we maye learne to folowe the auncyent doctoures iudgemente in al controuersies ryseÌ„ vpon matters of our fayth therfore syth I here haue alleged the greatest part of all the eldest and best learned wryters to proue traditions and to declare that the holy apostles lefte manye thynges to vs not wrytten men oughte to gyue credeÌ„ce to it and to ceasse askyng where it is wrytten in the scrypture Salomon counsaylleth vs that we shulde not truste ouer much vnto our owne wyttes and iudgement / and thynke oure selues wyse sayenge thus Ne sis sapiens apud teipsum be thou not wyse in thyne owne eye vpon whyche texte saynte Hierome thus wryteeth Est autem sapiens in semetipso qui in illis que ex patrum magisterio recte potuit cognoscere sese prae caeteris quasi doctor extollit That is to saye in oure tonge But he is wyse in hym selfe or in hys owne conceyte whyche extolleth hym selfe before other as more cunnynge in those thinges whyche he moughte haue knowen well ynough of a ryght fashion or trewly of the fathers or elders maysters office God gyue vs grace to do otherwyse then do al heretykes whiche So do all the lutherans to theyr owne confusion and manye others Vt qui cor nicum oculos coÌ„figâ—â— et conaÌ„tur reseindere que aÌ„tiquitas magno approbauit coÌ„seÌ„su Esaie 5. despyse al the holy doctours iudgementes and folowe theyr owne fonde fantasye which causeth them to be so blynde as they are to erre in so many weyghtye poyntes of our fayth as they do beynge cursed by the holy ê“phet Esaie saynge Vae vobis qui sapientes estis in oculis vestris Wo be to you that are wyse in youre owne eyes or sight CC. fathers assembled in the generall couÌ„cel holdeÌ„ at Ephesê° agaynst Nestoriê° aboue eleuen hundred yeres past folowed the doctours myndes and iudgement as vinceÌ„tiê° lirineÌ„sis which was then alyue telleth and shall we set theim at nought as Bullynger dothe in his booke agaynste tradicions and cleaue to our owne dreames and lewde gloses made vpoÌ„ the scrypture to support therby our deuyllyshe opynions But let this passe and coÌ„peÌ„diously here an aunswere to the auctorities alledged agaynste tradicions reasons made in defence of this naughtye opinyoÌ„ by the lutherans the which done I wyl make an ende of this boke ⧠An aunswere to the auctoryties alledged and the reasoÌ„s made vpon the contrary part agaynst traditioÌ„s AFter I haue good chrysten reader sette fourthe the truth of this matter touchiÌ„ge traditions not wrytten in the scrypture I trust sufficiently / nowe I wyll aunswere very coÌ„pendiously and bryeflye to all the obiectyons made and put for the for the defence of the coÌ„trary part the by theÌ„ no man be deceyued excepte he be desirous to be blynd waÌ„dre froÌ„ the truth which he may so playnlye see before his eyes Fyrst they alledge this texte of the scrypture Non Deute 4. addetis ad verbum quod loquor vo bis That is to say ye shal not adde to the worde / that I do speake to you If sayeth Luther hys scholers no man maye put anye thynge to gods worde as he coÌ„maundeth here it muste neades therof folow that traditioÌ„s not wrytten in the scrypture oughte not to be obserued of vs. Is not this a wonderfull blyndnes of these men whiche do take vpon them to reache all chrysten nations a newe doctryne who that wyse is wyll folowe such blynd leaders that so do wrest the holy worde of god from his ryght sence to maynteyne an heresye Our lorde open mens eyes whiche are shyt and closed by affectyon that they may se ones how lytle learnynge they haue whoÌ„ they take for great clerkes But to the scrypture recyted whiche is Thou shalt put nothynge to the worde sayeth god which I do speake to the. Must not this sentence or sayenge haue a mete exposition lest it appeare verye false whiche is very true For these wordes were spoken of the coÌ„mauÌ„dementes and is it in no wyse lefull to adde anye thynge vnto the preceptes of the old law Dyd the prophetes yll wheÌ„ they added theyr ê“phecies to the word of gods coÌ„mauÌ„dementes Who can denye but that chryste hymselfe his euangelystes and the apostles added many thinges to that worde of god of the which he spake here and yet no good chrysten man wyll saye that the prophetes chryste and his apostles dyd offeÌ„de breke goddes coÌ„maundemente therby therfore that gods precept byddyng nothynge to be added vnto hys worde muste be vnderstande of thynges contrarye to it or corruptyng the ryght sense therof / suche as were the pharisees and scrybes traditions by the which they induced meÌ„ to breake gods coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts / as I wyll more at large declare in the soylynge of the nexte argumente Nowe there is not
that zachary whom chryst sayed that Mat. 23. the iewes murdered betwene the temple and the aultare was S. Iohan baptistes father prouiÌ„g by certen bokes dreames which were apocriphi because theyr makers were hyd and not knowen that he was therfore sleane because he publy sshed our sauyours coÌ„mynge Hoc quia de scripturis inquit hieronimus non habet autoritateÌ„ eadem facilitate coÌ„temnitur qua probatur That for as moche as it hath not auctoritie of the scryptures is with the same easynes despysed by which it is praysed or aproued Loo we se that the holy father saynt hiecome mente of that one thynge which was proued onely by bokes of none auctorytie what is this agaynste the apostles tradicions or to proue that we are bouÌ„d to beleue and kepe nothyng but onely that whiche is expresselye written in the scrypture Do the churches traditions hange and depende of bookes the autours wherof be vnknowen Haue not I declared that scrypture approueth the apostles vnwrytten traditions and that they taught or ordeyned diuers thinges by the motion and inspiratioÌ„ of the holy goost which they lefte to the churche vnwrytten and so they remayne hytherto and shal styll whyles the world dureth Now to make an ende of this boke I exhorte euery man and woman to be ware of erroneê° doctours and yll bookes which do teache and auauÌ„ce any learnynge contrary to the fayth of the churche of chryste / that is yâ— deare spouse of our sauyour bought with the shedynge of his moost precious bloude and therfore hath euer bene so tenderly beloued of hym that he hath not suffred hyr wholly to erre in any weightye point of our religion nor hereafter wyll permit to erre accordyng to his ê“mes sayeng hel gates yâ— is syn and heresye shal not preuayle agaynste hyr Who that leaneth to this sure pyller the church shall be euer in the ryght waye ouercome all heresye to the great coÌ„forte of his soule / at the length throughe the helpe of god lyuiÌ„g deuoutly he shal come to endles Ioyes of heauen which our saniour Iesu Chryste purchased for all his seruauntes to whom with the father the holy goost be honoure glorye for euer AmeÌ„ ☞ Another tradition of the apostles ⧠The catholyke and vniuersall churche of chryste our sauyoure hathe beleued almoste this xv huÌ„dred yeres euen sence our ladyes deceace that her body is in heauen and yet there is no scrypture to proue that poynte wherupoÌ„ it must neades folowe that this beleefe came vp fryste by the holye apostles tradition especially sence no man can tell whaÌ„ by whoÌ„ it was fryste of al begone brought iÌ„ to the church ¶ Saynt Hierome sayeth vnto Theophilus Scito nobis nihil esse antiquiê° quaÌ„ nec christi iura nec patrum transire terminos That is in englyssh Knowe thou that we do set by nothynge more then nother to passe ouer Chrystes lawes nor the fathers lymytes or determinations †Hieronimê° vigilaÌ„tio OiÌ„a coÌ„tra ecclesiaÌ„ dogmata reprehendo et publica voce damno I do reproue al doctrine that is agaynste the churche and condempne it with an open voyce Theophilê° hieronimo Optamus sifieri potest in diebus nostris catholicam fideÌ„ et ecclesiae regulas cum subiect is nobis populis custodire et omnes nouas sopire doctrinas We wysshe or desyre yf it maye be to kepe with the people vnder vs the catholyke fayth and the churches rules and to brige a sleape al newe doctrine ☞ Imprinted at LoÌ„don in paules churche yearde at the sygne of the maydeÌ„s hed by Thomas petit M. D. XL vii