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
will is to bee celebrated both heree in the euerlasting life Therfore it is godlinesse diligently to collect with thankful minde to coÌ„sider all the giftes all the riches wherewith the Church is adorned enriched Shee hath the soÌ„ne of God for her head spouse and sauiour vnto whom she is maried in faith shee hath the ioyfull newes of the Gospel she hath the holy Ghost for her gouernour shee hath the ministerie prolonged by the Fathers the Prophetes Christ the Apostles which haue most plentifully bestowed vpon her as vpon a riche treasure house as saith Irenaeus all things apperteyning to trueth that euerie one which will may drawe forth of her the drinke of life shee hath Pastours authoritie to call Ministers for the setting forth and conseruing of the gospel of whom it is writteÌ„ How beautiful are the feete of theÌ„ which bring good tidings of peace bring good tidings of good things Shee hath excellent gifts vnderstanding the inerpretation of doctrine giuen by diuine inspiration shee hath also the administration of Sacramentes a certaine iurisdiction of her own lawes of her owne The holy Scripture adorning her with marueilous prayses calleth her thoroughly â—re The paradise of the great workeâ—n The citie of the holy king cleare as â—e dawning of the daye bright as the â—orning beautifull as the Moone elect the SuÌ„ne who smelleth of ointments â—tandeth at the right hande of the king â—cked with imbrodered gardes of diuers â—â—lours who hath no obscure thing and 〈◊〉 through Christ altogither most white Therefore because the sweete name of the Church is ful of worthinesse reâ—erence herevpon it coÌ„meth to passe that â—anie eloquent learned men doe with â—ately plentiful gorgious speache exâ—ll amplifie exaggerate the maiestie â—reheminence authoritie dignitie therâ—f so that they doe affirme that she hath â—orce and power aboue the written word â—f God thinke that Christians ought â—o giue place to her in all thinges For â—herevpon the aduersaries of the trueth gather that the Church is more ancient than the Scripture that the Scripture hath her authoritie from the Church that the Church of the Fathers continued 2449. yeares before anie thing was written touching religion Also that the Church of the new Testament was gathered togither many yeres with the liuely voyce of the Gospell before any thing was written by the Apostles And because the Church receiued the Scripture allowed it by her owne iudgement that the authoritie of the Church which receiued and allowed is greater than the authoritie of the Scriptures which were receiued and allowed And therefore that the authoritie of the Church is not only not inferiour not only equall but rather superiour and better knowen than the authoritie of the scripture For the Church hath approued the chiefest scriptures to be Canonical whiche approbation they neither had of theÌ„selues nor of their authours Otherwise what cause is there why wee should receiue the Gospell of S. Marke whiche sawe not Christ and yet not receiue the Gospell of Nicodemus which nowe also is extant who notwithstanding both saw Christ and was his schollar Moreouer why is the Gospell of Luke the disciple admitted the gospel of Bartholomewe the Apostle reiected Truelie they haue â—r authoritie not from the authours â—n whome they come but from the â—â—urch No holy Scripture doth shewe 〈◊〉 the rest of the Scriptures which we â—e are canonical and worthie credite 〈◊〉 coÌ„sent of the Church hath made them â—benticall So that Augustine saieth â—ll I would not beleeue the Gospell â—re it not that the authoritie of the â—tholicall Church doeth moue mee â—o And especially because there were â—e in times past which both reiected â—o written gospels the Euangelistes â—o which wrote them sticking forsooth â—ought false religion to Christ only who â—ither wrote him self neither commanâ—â—d to be written but to be preached and â—â—lled his doctrine not scripture that is 〈◊〉 say writing but the Gospell that is to â—y ioyfull newes But if wee giue place â—rein to the Church as by right wee â—â—ght al to giue place vnto her why then â—ould we not also giue place vnto her in â—e matter of the holy Sacramentes in â—â—her pointes That the Apostles did â—rite certaine things not that their wriâ—â—ngs shold rule our faith religion but â—at their writings should rather serue our faith and religion And that it is not to be thought that the Apostles were able to comprehend in their Epistles al the preceptes and mysteries of our faith and of christian doctrine that Christ and his Apostles in so many yeres preached much more than could be coÌ„prehended within the narow roome of the bokes of the new testament And that therefore so short an abridgemeÌ„t of the gospell was put in writing that the greatest part thereof as a rich treasure might be left to the traditions fastened in the inward bowels of the church That therefore many things are to be beleeued which are not written that the constant sentence of the church ought to be accepted as the gospel that therefore in matter of doubt in anie raised coÌ„trouersie the authoritie of the traditioÌ„ of the church is more effectuall to cause credit to be giuen to proue certainly then the scriptures because the tradition is more euident and plaine altogether vnflexible when as contrarilie the Scriptures be oftentimes very obscure and do suffer them selues to be wrested applied to a diuers meaning yea to that meaning which any shall presume with him selfe â—efore hand easily to be shifted of with 〈◊〉 craftie exposition And that therefore the common sentence of the tradition of the church is the certaine and inflexible â—â—le of the Scriptures And to be briefe â—hat the exactest squier paterne rule of â—â—ith is not the scripture but the iudgement of the Church That the saying of Christe is If hee will not heare the church let him be to thee as an heatheÌ„ man a Publicane That the church is the piller ground of trueth and that â—he can not erre because Christ promised to her the holy Ghost which shoulde leade her into al truth S. Paul exhorteth vs saying Brethren stand fast holde the ordinances which yee haue bene taught c. To be brief they go about to proue by the testimonie of the Prophete Hieremie that this is the propertie of the doctrine of the newe testameÌ„t which first was published by Christ and afterward by the instruction of the holy ghost was preached by the Apostles spread abroad throughout the whole world wherby God would haue it to be knowen froÌ„ the doctrine of the olde testament that it should neither bee ingraued in tables of stone nor written with inke and paper That the Apostles were commaÌ„ded by Christ to preach not to write Finally they dispute much of the briefnesse insufficiencie flexiblenesse ambiguitie and
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
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
had beene asked whether they would haue preferred their owne authoritie before the scriptures They would neuer haue done it Nay contrarily hauing acknowledged and receiued the said Scriptures they submitted themselues wholy vnto them and esteemed them as the most certaine rule guide and direction of their faith life Wherfore this is a weake and feble argument The Church accepted and discerned the books of holy Scripture from other Therefore the authoritie of the church is more excellēt For we also acknowledge one true God and allow Iesus Christ and put difference betweene him and Idols and betweene him the Diuel and yet cannot inferre herevpon that we are more excellent than Christ or god In like manner our minde alloweth and receiueth the prouocations and motions of the holy Ghost to reade to pray to liue chastly and discerneth them from the wicked entisementes of the worlde of the Diuell and of the fleshe and yet our minde may not therefore be called either better or more excellent than the holy Ghost Againe when a man endued with the perfect knowledge of Philosophie shall receiue Plato or Aristotle or Galen as noble Philosophers and shall preferre them before Epicure Aristippus and Democritus shall hee in consideration of this his iudgement presume to preferre his owne authoritie before Galene or Aristotle or Plato And there be many men of so perfecte iudgement that they can discerne the counterfeite verses of Virgil or Ouid from their true verses yet are they in knowledge farre inferiour to Virgil and Ouid Euen so the Churche ought not for this cause to preferre her credite or authoritie before the holy Scriptures This argument as we saide is weake and the Maxime with they gather hereof is false Those thinges which the Churche hath deliuered and proposed euen without any testimonie of Scripture ought to haue the same authoritie as hath the Canonicall Scripture vnto whō the church haue geuen authoritie In deede the holy Scripture is allowed by the common cōsent of the Church but this consent is not mans deuise but a necessary confession and an expressed testification proceding of the trueth of the matter And yet the Churche by meanes of this testification hath not reputed her selfe greater or more excellent then the Scripture but hath reuerently committed her selfe to the gouernement of the Scripture It is therefore plaine by the premisses howe the Church standeth towarde the worde of God written Shee is the faithfull keeper defendour of the worde she extolleth it by witnessing with it by setting it foorth by preaching it by defending it by mainteining it And yet doeth shee depend wholely of it as of the rule of her fayth shee changeth nothing shee altereth nothing shee addeth nothing shee taketh away nothing Shee is as it were a Notarie which keepeth safely testamentes when as notwithstanding hee hath no authoritie aboue the last will of the testatour for if hee shoulde chaunge or alter it hee shoulde not bee taken for a faithfull Notarie but for a falsifier and a forger of testamentes The .xvi. Chapter Of this saying of Augustine I would not beleeue the Gospel but that the authoritie of the Church mooueth mee also BEcause the Pope his side doe see that the Scripture maketh against them to diminish the authoritie thereof they contende that the authoritie of the Church the title whereof they doe pretende by their deuises and decrees is rather to be esteemed than of the Scriptures because the Scriptures cannot retaine their credit without the Church But how vaynely they dispute heereof we haue alreadie shewed by manie most strong argumentes But they obiect vnto vs the authoritie of the holy man of God Augustine which wrote thus against the Epistle of a Manichee which they call Fundamenti I woulde not beleeue the Gospel but that the authoritie of the Church mooueth me also Notwithstanding Augustine thinketh not that the authoritie of the Church is greater than the authoritie of the woorde of GOD neither doeth hee graunte vnto the Church authoritie to ordeine anie thing against the woord of God or to make newe articles of the faith or to abolish the articles deliuered in the woord of God he onely deemeth the Church to be a teacher and a witnesse We could not beleeue the Gospel were it not that the Church taught vs and witnessed that this doctrine was deliuered by the Apostles The same Augustine in the xxviii booke the second chapter against Faustus writeth that the Manichees ought so to beleeue the first Chapter of Matthewe which those heretikes receiued not to be written by Matthew as he did beleue the epistle which they called Fundamentum to be Manichees because it was so kept by their ancetours and deliuered from hand to hande Hee writeth that he was also mooued by agreeable testimonies of the first Church not to doubt that these bookes were deliuered by the Apostles and by them which are worthie credit Therfore herevpon it is that the Church mooueth vs also to beleeue the Gospel because shee keepeth the holy Scriptures faithfully preacheth them and discerneth them from others And he speaketh of the primitiue and Apostolike Churche as Gerson Chauncellour of Paris a man in his age most excellent doeth in the same place most wisely say Hee taketh the Church for the primitiue congregation of those faithfull whiche hearde Christ and sawe him and were his witnesses For whilest the Apostles and Disciples of Christ were yet liuing when as diuerse Gospels were sette foorth in the Churche they which had seene Christ and hearde his Apostles coulde witnesse what was naturall and what was Bastardlike In like manner Tertullian and Irenaeus commende vnto vs the authoritie of the first Churche receiue the writinges approoued by the Catholike consent of the first Churche and did therefore sende heretikes to the Apostolike Churches because they did not receiue the whole scriptures Wherefore they woulde that they shoulde receiue the estimation of the Scriptures from those churches wherin it was manifestly knowen that the Apostles taught For it was euident that those Churches had bene continually the witnesses and keepers of the bookes of holy Scripture and yet they did not for that cause ordeyne that the authoritie of the Churche ought to be preferred before the Scriptures But if the Apostolike Churche bee not preferred before the Scripture muche lesse ought this congregation of mitred men whiche are not so aptly termed the Churche as the corruption and eating canker of the church to bee preferred before the sayde Scriptures But they obiecte against vs this rule which is commonly spoken of by Logicians Whatsoeuer it is that is the cause that any thing else is indued with a qualitie the same thing shall rather be iudged to bee indued with the same qualitie Herevpon they reason in this maner If the scripture haue her authoritie because of the Churche then doeth it followe that the saide authoritie is rather in the Church then
in the scriptures But these felowes ought to knowe that this sentence giuen foorth by the Logicians hath place in finall causes For if a man for healthes sake vse a medicine he rather desireth health than the medicine But that manner of reasoning is not effectuall in efficient causes excepte the whole and totall cause be conteined in the argument For although men which drinke wine vnmeasurably become drunke we cannot therevpon conclude that the wine is rather drunke than the men because all the cause of drunkennesse is not in the wine for it is required also that it be concocted in the belly and that the vapours be sent vp which may trouble the brayne Molo the Rhetoritian instructed Cicero in Oratours arte and yet is it not concluded thereby that Molo was more skilfull in that science than was Cicero because the maister is not the whole cause of learning for witte studie and diligence is also required for the atteining thereof Euen so the Church is not the totall and whole efficient cause of that credite and authoritie which the holy Scriptures haue among the faithfull God himselfe hath laide the foundation of them with so greate authoritie that their certeintie is confirmed by the inwarde persuasion of the holy Ghost as lately wee shewed The Testimonies of men which are set foorth for the confirmation of Scriptures shall not be in vaine if they followe that chiefe and soueraigne Testimonie of the holy Ghost as second helpes of our weakenes wherfore Augustine wrote wisely Except the authoritie of the Churche mooued me also For hee saide not simplie Mooued me And euen as Augustine among other things mooued by the authoritie of the Church witnesseth that he chooseth rather to beleeue the Gospel â—han the Manichees so ought wee al by good reason to be mooued by the authoriâ—ie of the same Church to beleeue the diuine preaching of the doctrine of the Gospell which shineth nowe againe among vs and of Christ whom the church â—ommaundeth vs alway to beleeue rather then the deuises and decrees of all Popes and all their partakers And thus you see plainely that this saying of Augustine with they wroÌ„gfully wrest for themselues maketh also against them as before we haue prooued The .xvij. Chapter Of the gift of interpretation FOurthly the true vnderstanding or interpretation of the Scripture belongeth to the Church For she holdeth the foundation and hath the gift of interpretation but sometime purely and some time vnpurely According to this gift the Church in times past determined defined most chiefe most graue moste harde controuersies of doctrines foorth of the Scriptures For the church as sayth Irenaeus doth alway preache the trueth is the seauenfold lampe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bearing Christ his light So much the lesse are those wanton wits to be born with which doe despise the catholike vnderstanding and consent of the Church and al councels without difference and deuise newe opinions wickedly wresting the Scriptures Therfore for so much as the gift of interpretation is in the Church it is necessarie to heare the Churche teaching when shee doeth either interpret those thinges which are set foorth in the Scriptures and holdeth foorth the torch to put away the darknes brought into holy Scriptures by heretikes or else proposeth those thinges which although they be not set foorth in expressed woordes are yet prooued by comparing of place with place So doe the godly receiue most willingly all the determinations of the Councels of Nice of Constantinople of Ephesus and of Chalcedon But this gift is not bounde to certaine persons and places being at somtimes in more at sometimes in fewer somtimes better knowen and more pure sometimes lesse knowen and not so pure Euen as saith Paule that some builde on the foundation hay and stubble And two thinges namely the Testimonies of scripture truly agreeing the Catholike consent wil shew who they are which haue this gift And the Catholike consent is the agreement of the Fathers of the Prophetes of the Apostles and of all whosoeuer agree with their Testimonies in iudgement and signification But because this gift is not alway manifest enough and pure in the church many cautions are needefull The same also teacheth that Prophecies that is to say interpretations ought to be according to the proportion and measure of faith Rom. xii Therefore interpretations must be examined whether they be of the proportioÌ„ of faith whether they agreee with the rule of charitie whether they consent with the Scripture giuen from god For if any thing be affirmed without god his word the vaine names of the Church of the fathers of Councels are pretended to no purpose wherein the Angels may not be hearde Neither is it the duetie of the Church to speake but to heare her husbande speake accordinge to this saying of the Psalme Hearken O daughter and consider Incline thine eare And the Fathers of the right faith would not haue their writings to be reade with anie other condition but that they might be corrected in the ballance of God his written woorde as in the apt place we haue taught It is not the parte of Councels to set foorth a new woorde or doctrine but to mainteine the woorde or doctrine receiued from their auncetours against Heretikes which withstand it The Synodes which haue doone otherwise be the councels of the vngodly and the seates of the scornefull which we are commaunded to auoyde that we may be blessed To be briefe so farre foorth doeth the Church holde the true vnderstanding as it doeth carie with her the light of Christ without this light it hath stubble and superstitious constitutions And this may not be affirmed that the true vnderstanding of Scripture is in subiection to them which are willing to rule like tyrants and not to submit them selues to the woorde of God but to haue Gods woorde subiect to their decrees For these fellowes carie not the light of Christ but darken the cleare light by their deuises yea rather choke vp Gods trueth with their most grosse darkenesse These stately men are the wicked deprauers of the truth which doe not apply their minde to the Scriptures but draw and peruert the minde of the Scriptures to their will. And what manner of interpretours they are a man may easely perceiue by these thinges which I will alledge Christ reaching foorth the cuppe in the Supper sayeth Drinke ye all of it Marke addeth And they all dranke of it But they in their interpretatioÌ„ say not al but the Priestes onely The Epistle to the Hebrues pronounceth that Wedlock is honorable among al men They say Not in all men but in Leie men onely Paule sayeth If they cannot absteine let them marry But these felowes by their ordinances and expositions exclude a good part of the world froÌ„ mariage Christ sayeth to his Apostles The Kinges of nations be Lordes ouer them But ye
diuerse not an other but one and the selfe same For although they wrote not all thinges yet had they an especial care that what they deliuered by tradition might bee manifestly inferred foorth of those thinges which were written by them selues or in other holy Bookes of Scripture Otherwise diuers superstitions might be bragged off euery where as receiued from ancient time as deliuered by the Apostles which can be knowen by none other meanes but because they are not agreeable to the Scriptures whereby as by a rule and squire all traditions constitutions and rites ought to be examined and tried because the Churche doeth not binde the consciences of the faithful vnto her constitutions but onely so farre foorth as they doe agree with the commaundements of our Lord Iesus Christ For she knoweth that it is written Thou haste charged that we shall diligently keepe thy commaundements The xxi Chapter That the doctrine which the Apostles taught by liuely voice which they deliuered in writing is all one that this is the fourme of the traditions of the Apostles if they agree with the holy Scriptures WWhereas I haue boldely affirmed that it is one and the selfe same doctrine which the Apostles taught whether it were by liuely voice or by Epistles it may bee proued both foorth of the holy Scriptures and by the testimonies of the Fathers and is also manifest by the consent of the Church It is a tradition of Paule that a woman haue her head couered in the Church and that Christians which are poore laboure with their handes and liue not idlely But whereas he professeth these traditions to be his owne doeth he propose them nakedly and simply to the Churches both without proofe and iudgment onelie vnder this title he wil haue them receiued bycause they be the traditions of the Apostles Not so but he goeth about to approue and confirme them by effectuall reasons yea and by proofes drawen forth of the Scripture and giueth the Church leaue to iudge of them The same Apostle writeth also in an other place that all things be doone honestly and in order We haue therefore the forme of the traditions of the Apostles foorth of these Namely if they agree with the holye Scriptures if they be confirmed by substanciall reason by aptnesse of edifying by the example of Churches by comlines and order And we also ought to examine the traditions of the Church by the very same proofes But now a dayes when as testimonie forth of the holy Scriptures is required touching any thing or when a reason should be yeelded concerning abuses and superstitions Antichristes haue alwayes in their mouth It is a tradition you may not inquire of it But the traditions which are proposed vnto vs are to be examined by the rule of God his word neither would Paule that they should otherwise be beleeued And let our aduersaries doe this also if they woulde haue their traditions to take place And it is the consent of the Catholike church that the Apostles did not deliuer to the Church such things as are straunge and disagreable to those thinges which are contained in the Canonicall Scripture Cōcerning the which thing I wil allege some moste euident testimonyes of certaine olde writers Irenaeus declareth that the very same Gospel which the Apostles preached with liuely voice they did afterwarde deliuer vnto the Church in the Scriptures by the will of God that this written Gospell might be the ground and piller of our faith euen of that true liuely faith which the Church learned of the Apostles and distributed to the children Therefore the Apostles taught nothing by liuely voice contrarie to those things which they haue comprehended in the Scripture of the new Testament The saying of the same Irenaeus in Eusebius is worthy memory where he sheweth that Polycarpe preached those thinges which he had learned of them who had seene the woorde of life themselues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to saye all agreable to the Scriptures This surely is a golden saying of Irenaeus which also declareth certaine sentences of olde writers touching traditions and doeth fully agree with that fourme of traditions whiche wee haue taught foorth of Paule The Apostles taught many things with liuely voice Apostolike men receaued them beeing so taught which afterwarde they deliuered ouer againe to their disciples but Irenaeus saith that those thinges were all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 agreable to the Scriptures Therefore by the testimony of Irenaeus the Apostles deliuered nothing to the church by liuely voice which might dissent frō the Scriptures Wherfore if the Papists wold haue vs to receaue and reuerence as Apostolike the traditions which they haue vndertaken to defend let thē shewe their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 agreablenesse with the Canonicall Scripture And if they can not shew this let thē with shame acknowledge their vanitie For no traditions are to be esteemed necessarie for saluation which are not proued firmly and strongly forth of the scripture For Tertullian saith We haue no neede of curiositie after Christ nor of inquisition after the Gospel When we beleeue we desire nothing beyond our beliefe For this wee beleeue first that there is nothing which we ought to beleue more Wel saith Ierom the sword of God which is the liuely worde of God striketh those things which men of their owne accorde finde forth and faine as it were by the tradition of the Apostles without the authoritie testimonies of the scriptures And Augustine pronounceth a curse against all Angels and men which shall preach vnto vs any thinge either of Christe or of his Church or of any other thing which pertaineth vnto faith or to our life besides that which we haue receiued in the scriptures of the lawe and of the Gospel We alleged lately more testimonyes of the Fathers which the diligent Reader may consider in their place VVe haue therefore by the tradition of the Apostles preached none other Gospell then that whiche is contained in the canonicall Scripture and that by the saide Scripture wee may iudge which be the traditions of the Apostles If our aduersaries did reuerence the consent of the Church with al their heart as in woordes they take vppon them would they dispise it at their pleasure with such impudencie They brag of their tradition vnto the Churche as though they came from the Apostles which euen by their own witnesse can be proued by no Scriptures Are they so senselesse and blockishe that they vnderstand not what the Catholike consent doth pronounce touching them Wee lastely heard that such like traditions are to be stroken with the sword of God his worde and that the preachers thereof are subiect to the curse and to be sente into the tentes of Heretikes O foolishe and miserable louers of darkenesse O blasphemous corrupters of the Scriptures when will you waxe wise when will you acknowledge your errour when
will you examine your doctrines and traditions by the Touchstone of the Scripture Are you so mad and blinde that you wil neuer confesse and reuerence with the Catholike Church of God the fulnesse the perfection and sufficiencie of the Scripture will you still be turned from the moste pure wheate of God his worde to the chaffe and coddes of traditions The xxij Chapter A perfect proofe of those traditions which are in deede the Apostles foorth of the moste auncient writers Irenaeus and Tertullian IRenaeus and Tertullian moste auncient writers and neerest to the Apostles time doe moste plainely proue vnto vs what traditions are moste auncient and the Apostles in deede For they when as they did contende with Heretikes about Doctrines doe alledge the tradition of the Apostles and of the Church that they might by the authoritie thereof confirme their cause and doe with great honour make mention of the same But it is worth the while to consider by what occasion for what cause in what sorte and with what moderatenesse they doe it For so shall it plainely appeare that the Churche at that time had no doctrines by traditions no mysteries of Faith but what were grounded in the Scripture Irenaeus had to deale with moste wicked Heretikes whiche were neither mooued with the authoritie of the Scripture nor with the consent of the vniuersall Churche Therefore they did either slylye shifte off or impudently refuse what so euer was obiected If they were ouerthrowen and conuicted by the Scriptures they did debase their authoritie yea they did accuse them as not Authentical or as hauing an obscure and an vncertaine meaning or as insufficient But they bragged that they had by tradition wisedome more high then the Apostles and more perfect If they were called backe to the consent of the Church they said that it was no meruaile if the Church doe not keepe the pure doctrine which receiued it corrupted and sowered with leauen not onely of the Disciples but also of the Lorde himselfe And therefore they boasted that they were the correctours of the Apostles And what sayeth Irenaeus herevnto We haue saieth hee the dispensation of our saluation by none other then the Apostles which what they published by preaching afterward they deliuered vnto vs in writing to bee the grounde and piller of our faith Afterwarde he vrgeth this parte also that all Churches taught and instructed by the Apostles did imbrace the vnitie of Faith grounded in the Scriptures And yet so that hee confuteth the doting opinions of Heretikes by the Scriptures as by the rule of perfect and absolute wisedome Tertullian also stroue with the like monsters Their vsuall maner was to escape by subtile shiftes If they were pressed with the authoritie of the scriptures they did either refuse them or if they did receiue them they did peruert them by putting to and taking awaye for the framing of their owne purpose or else corrupted them by their peruerse interpretations Therefore because Tertullian coulde not well goe forwarde against such mangling of the Scriptures hee doeth his diligence to confirme the doctrine certainly set foorth in the Scriptures among the simple and weake by this note also that the Apostles deliuered it by liuely voyce from hande to hande Wherefore because in these disputations the Heretikes refused the Scriptures as not in all poyntes to bee receiued and as though they were of an obscure and doubtfull meaning by whome onely the trueth coulde not bee knowne except one knewe the Tradition both the sides appealed to the tradition And because both the parties bragge of traditions this question was disputed of Which was the true tradition of the Apostles Irenaeus and Tertullian proue that that is the true traditiō only which Christ receiued of God and deliuered to the Apostles and which the Apostles againe deliuered to the Churches and which was kept in the Churches by the succession of Bishops And doeth this tradition conteine a doctrine contrarie to that which is sette foorth in the Canonicall Scripture No. For for this cause they did condemne those traditions which the Heretikes bragged of as erronious and forged Therefore what doeth the Tradition alledged in disputation againste the Heretikes conteine No doctrine contrarie and disagreeable to that which is taught in the Scripture but the selfe same articles of fayth which doe as it were comprehend the summe of all the Scripture For both of them doe shewe what that Tradition is whiche the Church receiued of the Apostles and also kept sincere and they bee the same poyntes of doctrine whiche the Apostles Creede doeth conteine And no man doubteth but they are sette foorth in the Scripture by manie manifest testimonies They doe not then proue any other doctrine of fayth besides those which are conteined in the Scripture but they shewe and proue by tradition the verie same doctrines which are comprehended in the Scripture And what needeth that Forsooth that they might proue the consent of the true Apostolicall Tradition with the Scripture so that the doctrine whiche the Scripture doeth teach and that which the Primitiue Churche receiued by the preaching of the Apostles is all one And this is diligently to bee considered that our position of the authoritie perfection and sufficiencie of the scriptures is most strongly mainteined by this disputation of Irenaeus and Tertullian and also that the disputations of the Papistes touching Traditions which can bee prooued by no Testimonie of Scripture are refuted For the Traditions of the Apostles and the Scriptures prooue the consente so that the Tradition be not opposite against the Scripture as though the Scripture were either false or doubtfull or vnperfect as the Heretikes quareled but the trueth the authoritie the certaintie and absolute perfectnesse of the Scripture is proued and confirmed by the tradition Wherefore when as there bee traditions proposed whiche doe not agree with the Scripture and which cannot bee shewed and prooued foorth of the Scripture it is moste certaine that those traditions are not the Apostles These are sure and sounde reasons which can not bee ouerthrowen with anie subtile shiftes of Sophisters Now if you aske which that true ancient and Apostolike tradition is it is not needful to search it without the scripture For Irenaeus and Tertullian in that disputation whereof wee spake speake not onely generally but declare specially euidently in expressed wordes what that tradition of the Apostles is Let vs then heare Irenaeus expounding the tradition of the trueth which the Church hauing receiued it from the Apostles keepeth The Church sayth he being sowed throughout the whole worlde vnto the endes of the earth receiued both of the Apostles and of their disciples that faith which is in one God the father almightie which made Heauen and earth the sea and all thinges which are in them And in one Iesus Christ the sonne of GOD incarnate for our saluation in the holy Ghost which preached by the Prophetes the
the church of Rome was saide to be otherwise The place of S. Augustine is worthie memorie in his 76. epist. to Casulanus where he intreateth of fasting sayth If it be answered that Iames taught this at Ierusalē Iohn at Ephesus the rest in other places which Peter taught at Rome to wit that men should fast on the sabboth day but that other countries were departed frō this doctrine that Rome continued in it still it is replied to the contrarie that rather certaine places of the west wherin Rome is kept not that which the Apostles deliuered but that the coūtries of the East from whence the Gospel began to be preached haue remained without anie varietie in that which was deliuered by all the Apostles with Peter himselfe that men should not fast vpon the Sabboth day this is an endles contention ingendering strifes not ending questions Therefore since there is so great varietie and diuersity of Traditions al cannot be iudged to be Apostolike Certainly Paule witnesseth that he taught euerie where and in euerie Church the self same Therefore Cyprian wrote wisely to Pompeius that he would not allow traditions but what were conteined in the gospels the Epistles of the Apostles or in the Actes of the Apostles VVherevnto thou maiste adde those which are necessarilily inferred foorth of the holy Scriptures VVhatsoeuer else are brought in are vncertaine and not euerie where receiued yea if the matter be well wayed we shal confesse that traditions haue ministred occasion of verie manie superstitions in the Church of errours and controuersies Therefore neither the rule of faith nor the certaintie of doctrine doth depend of the custome of the Church but if a iust consent ought to be kept in the Church it is necessarie that we sticke firmely and constantly in the oracular Scripture onely The xxv Chapter That the Church hath beene deceiued euen from the Apostles time vnder the pretence of Traditions NOw forsomuch as the name of Traditions hath alwayes beene a Patrone of superstitions in the Church and because now adayes all kinde of abuses corruptions and superstitions is defended vnder their title wee had neede to vse heerein verie greate attentiuenesse and warinesse And in very deede whilest the Apostles yet liued false prophets fayned many corruptions which they obtruded to the Churches and extolled for this consideration as though they had beene deliuered by liuely voyce from the Apostles the which thing the Epistles of Paul do manifestly shew VVhich was the cause that the Apostles beganne to comprehend their doctrine in writing And Paule when he began first to write gaue a verie wholesome admonition saying That ye be not sodenly mooued from your minde nor be troubled neither by spirit nor by woorde nor yet by letter as from vs. A caution in deede most woorthie consideration foreshewing three manner of craftie deceites whereby counterfeiters were woonte for the most parte to deceiue The first is a spirit that is to say a reuelation or a prophecie the second is a woorde that is to say a reason or mans coniecture the third is an Epistle that is to say a forged writing and counterfeite Traditions Of with kinde of leigerdemain except the churches take very diligēt heed they cannot choose but be deceiued verie perilously and dangerously Yea and he warneth the Church of the Colosians foorth of bandes that they take heede least they be spoyled through vaine deceit after the tradition of men And Peter whē as now the end of his life approched whē he wrote his last epistle forewarneth that there should come false teachers which with feigned woords should make marchandise in the Church And experience sheweth that those forewarninges of the Apostles were not vaine For when as the doctrine of the Apostles was yet in so fresh memorie that the purenesse therof might be prooued euen by the succession of Bishops yet did heretikes that notwithstanding beginne to obtrude pestiferous doctrines vnto the Churches vnder the pretence of traditions If there were obiected vnto them the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles deliuered to the Churches by the succession of bishops they did cauil or that I may speake more truely they falsely accused the Apostles saying that they vsed the room of teachers in hypocrisie and dissimulation not as the truth it selfe was but after the capacity of the hearers and that they so framed their doctrine and answeres as euerie one was affected teaching blinde things to the blind according to their blindnesse to the feeble according to their feeblenesse to those which were in errours according to their errours that they opened the misteries to them only which were worthie could vnderstand them than the which what can be deuised more vnwoorthie and more impudent against the most holy and moste faythfull Ambassadours of Christ But if they were vrged with the scriptures they accused the scriptures as not being well as spoken diuersly and as such forth of the which the truth cannot be found by them which are ignorant of the tradition euen of the tradition not deliuered by writing but by liuely voice whereof Paule saith We speake wisdome among them that are perfect Yea and the Carpocratians did defend their errours by this colour affirming that Iesus spake such thinges priuately to his Apostles in a mysterie and that the Apostles deliuered the same secretly not to all but to them onely which were worthie and agreed therevnto The like pretenses of heretikes doth Tertullian also make mention of And so did the heretikes folowing take the impostumes of their corruptions with this galand colour of tradition Artemon referred his doctrine to the foregoers yea euen to the Apostles themselues Basilides bragged that his maister was one Glaucias with had beene the interpreter of Peter Valentinus bosteth that he was one Theodatus scholar who was of Paules familiar acquaintance The Marcionites gloried that they had to their maisters the disciples of Matthias and that they held the doctrine deliuered by them How say you by this that not onely heretikes seduced men by this pretence but this cloke of traditions deceiued Apostolicall men also and ministred occasion of errour Let Papias Bishoppe of Hieropolis Iohn his scholer be an example whose woordes in Eusebius are these I thought that I should not receiue so much profite by bookes as by liuely voyce You see that Papias preferred traditions before the Scripture wherefore he made inquirie chiefely of the traditions of Andrew Philip Thomas and of other Apostles of whome there are no writinges extant But marke whither so greate admiration of traditions drewe him Papias addeth saith Eusebius manie Paradoxes and certaine other thinges as brought to him by Tradition not written and certeine straunge Parables and doctrines of our Sauiour with some other fabulous matters among the which also is the opinion of the Chiliastes Therefore Papias beyng blinded with ouer muche search and estimation of vnwritten traditions brought
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
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
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
foorth of Augustine and Chrysostome wee haue declared What saye you to this that the same Christ the Lorde will hereby chiefly haue his disciples and so consequently and vndoubtedly his church also knowen and esteemed if they keepe his sayings faythfully and obserue them And doeth plainly witnesse that they are cast off which will not keepe his doctrine and followe it As for this power aboue the Scriptures which these felowes claime vnto themselues by their subtile Sophistrie the auncient Fathers neuer knewe nor sought as lately we haue shewed Constantine the Emperour commaunded the Fathers when as they were assembled in the Nicene Councell that they should define the controuersie of the one and selfe same substaunce of the father and the sonne foorth of the Propheticall and Apostolicall Scriptures And yet none withstoode him there saying that the Churche ought to discusse the controuersie by her owne absolute authoritie because shee was not subiect to the Scriptures but had them rather in subiection vnto her Neither did they complaine that the Emperour did anie whitte at all debase the Churche when as hee made her subiect to the rule of the Scriptures And how will these men bring the Scriptures in subiection to the authoritie iudgement and censure of the Church seeing Christ our Lorde doeth not saye that the Churche is iudge of his Doctrine but pronounceth rather that his doctrine shall be iudged of all mankinde in generall And thus maye wee vnderstand that Christe is not to bee iudged by men with what title soeuer or prerogatiue they bee adorned but all mankinde to bee iudged by him according to the Doctrine of his worde The .xix. Chapter Of the saying of Paule The Church is the piller and ground of the trueth THey say that the Church is the piller and ground of truth and that it can not erre The Apostle speaketh not of the Church of anie one time or place but of the Catholike Church of al times and places which also conteineth the Prophets and all the Apostles with all their doctrine and Christ the Lorde himselfe as the chiefe and euerlasting heade and therefore her onely head This Church is the piller and grounde woorke of the trueth of the Prophetes and Apostles doctrine VVherefore we also following Augustine doe confesse that we are mooued by the testimonie of this Churche which also before wee sayde rather to beleeue the Gospel then the Popes and their Decrees and all their Councels But the Church of anie one time or place especially after the Apostles is not the piller and grounde of the trueth but so farre foorth as shee hath the word of God with her preacheth it reteineth it conserueth it and not because she strengthneth it being weak or maketh it to be of authoritie being vnconstant much lesse because she vsurpeth vnto her self a censours rod ouer it or setteth downe any thing concerning it after her owne iudgement Therefore as she speaketh foorth of God his worde she erreth not neither can she erre but either speaking or doing without it she not only can erre but doth erre But these men whilst they cloke their tyranny with the beautifull title of the Church faine vnto vs a Churche which although it ordeine any thing beside or against God his worde yet erreth not And therefore would they that shee should rather be beleeued then the worde of god But whilst they stay them selues vpon this opinion they differ as much as may be from the olde fathers and from the consent of the Catholike Church For the fathers in their councels did alwayes confirme their decrees by the testimonyes of Scripture And although they yeelded no small honour to councels yet â—n the greatest controuersies they did not â—o much appeale vnto councels as to God â—is oracles which are the Scriptures Heereof Augustine is witnesse which would not that the authoritie of the councell And this which Hilarie wrote long agoe may much more truely be applyed to our times For the greeuous and perilous errour in many and the fall of many although it doe vnderstande it selfe yet through shame to rise presumeth authoritie to it selfe hauing this impudencie of the number that wheras it erreth it would haue it esteemed wisedome and where as it erreth with many it affirmeth it to bee the vnderderstanding of the trueth whilest lesse errour is supposed to be in the trueth The xx Chapter Of the saying of Paule Brethren stand fast and holde the ordinaunces which ye haue beene taught whether it bee by our preaching or by our Epistle I Had almoste passed ouer the place of Paule whiche the defendours of superstitions obiect vnto vs as a moste strong and an vnanswearable argument And it is thus 2. Thes 2. vers 15. Therfore brethren stand fast and holde the ordinaunces which yee haue beene taught whether it be by our preaching or by our Epistle By this place it is manifest say they that all things which are necessarily to be holden are not comprehended in the writinges of the Apostles but that those thinges also which beeing deliuered by the Apostles with liuely voice are come vnto vs by traditions are to bee receiued with like reuerence and affection of godlines But when as they can not prooue that those traditions which they defende bee Paules they are woorthy to be laughed at and very foolish whilst they will holde vp their stinking piller of their superstitions by the testimonie of the Apostles And when Paule wrote this Epistle the Canon of the Scripture of the newe Testament was not yet made Which when it was once made by the authoritie of the holy Goost as we haue lately taught after the making thereof we make men the authours of thinges to bee beleeued not without the great reproche of the same spirit Wherfore in this matter we must consider with great heede that which Paule wrote aboute the ende of his life concerning the sufficiencie of the Scriptures when as hee sayth All Scripture is giuen 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 instructed to all good woorkes For if the Scripture make the man of God instructed perfecte and throughlye furnished to euerye good work than doth it not leaue him to be instructed to be made perfect and to bee thorowly furnished by traditions in any good worke Wherefore so ofte as they bring in a worke which they contend to be good or any thing necessary to be beleeued which can not be proued foorth of the holy Scriptures I had rather say that that which they bring in is not good or profitable then to pronounce otherwise of the moste excellent authoritie of the Scripture than the Apostle hath appointed concerning the same What saye you to this moreouer that the doctrine which the Apostles taught whether it were by preaching or by Epistle was not contrary not