to S. Paule afore And wheras they say that thiÌ„gs geuen by woorde of mouthe are as well to bee beleued as those that bee wrytten they meane that they are worthy of lyke credite wyth tradycyons written For neyther of both ar of necessite to saluacion but may be chauÌ„ged and taken awaye by common consent as it is afore sayd BAsile of the holy goste Cap. 27. Of those doctrines that ar preached in the churche we haue soÌ„e deliuered vs by writing and agayne some we haue receiued by the tradicions of the Apostles in mysteri that is in secret both haue lyke strengthe to godlynes nother doth any maÌ„ speake against these whatsoeuer he be that hath but meane experience what the authorite of the churche is For if we lyke fooles goe about to reiecte the customes of the church which ar not written as thynges of small weyght we shall condemne those thyngs that be nedeful for our saluation in the gospell Yea we shall rather cut short the true preachyng of fayth to bare name and he rehearseth like tradicions as Tertullian did IErome againste the Luciferians Although there were no authorite of the scriptures at all yet the consent of the whole worlde in thys matter shold haue the force of a law For many other thynges whiche are obserued in the Churche by tradicioÌ„ haue obteyned the authorite of a law written as to dyppe the head thrise in baptisme and when they are chrystened to geue them first pappe made of milke with hony for a signification of their infancie on the Sondaye and all Whytsone weake not to knele at their prayers AVgustine vpon the wordes of Basile Some of the ecclesiasticall institucions we haue receued by writinges some through tradicions from the Apostles approued by successiosn and some vse hath alowed being strengthned by custoÌ„e Vnto all which lyke vsage and lyke affectyoÌ„s of godlines is due of which who wil doubt though he haue but small experiences in the scriptures For if we set out mynd to regard light lycustomes of the churche delyuered vs from our elders without the scriptures it shall easelye appeare to them that loke earnestly theron how great losse Christen religion shall suffer And he reciteth the same that Ierome doeth wyth diuerse other THese .iii. authors and all that make for the same purpose bee answered before in Tertullian For not one of those thyngs that they make mencion of are necessary for our saluacion and many of them are now taken away and the reste whiche yet remayne as to dippe the childe thrise wholly in the water to hallowe the water oyle and creame or to crosse it in the forthead are not of necessite to saluatioÌ„ For Iohn Baptised in IordaÌ„ and the ChaÌ„berlaine of the Quene of Ethiopia was Christened in the commoÌ„ streame chrildreÌ„ in dauÌ„ger of life are Christened of the midwife or soÌ„e other womaÌ„ without any of these ceremonies yet thei wil not deni that al these baptismes be good alowed of god In Spaine also thei dippe the child but once as it was decreed in the couÌ„cell of Tollet And I am suer they wil not say that al the Spaniardes so many yeres haue wanted a thing necessary to saluatioÌ„ in their baptisme God also regardeth not our outward bodely gesture in oure praiers but he beholdeth the fayth earnest desier of the hart of him that prayeth wher soeuer he prayeth what soeuer hys outwarde bodely gesture be THe saÌ„e agaiÌ„st Cresconi a gramarieÌ„ li. 1. c. 33. to 7. Although we haue no certaine exaÌ„ple of thys matter in the Canonical scripture yet neuertheles the truth of the saÌ„e scriptures in this matter is retained of vs wheÌ„ we do that that the hole church aloweth Which churche the authorite of the scriptures commend And for as muche as the holy scripture caÌ„ deceiue no man whoso feareth to be deceiued with any dark speaking of it let him aske counsel at the church ther in which withoute any doubt the holye scripture doeth shewe THe answere is easye Austen was more circumspecte theÌ„ to thiÌ„ke that any doctryne might be proued by vse and custome without the scripture For baptysme of infaÌ„tes he bringeth in this text except a man be borne agayne of water and the holy gost he cannot be my disciple And because the Donatists like as the Anabaptistes do nowe wrest this to them that be of â—eres of discretion against thys exposicioÌ„ he allegeth the maner of the churche in christenynge of Infantes By the which he proueth that the churche hath all waye taken this sentence except a man be borne againe to be spoken also of infantes What maner of argumente shoulde thys be of Austenâ— The exposition of the scrypture and the vse of the Sacraments may be iudged by the custome vsed in the holye churche alwaye ergo the church may make a newe sacrament and ordeine any newe Article of oure fayth without the scripture By the seÌ„tences before cited of AusteÌ„ himself it may be easely iudged I also graunt that euery exposicioÌ„ of the scripture wherein soeuer the olde hole true churche dyd agree is necessarye to be beleued But oure controuersye here is whether any thynge ought to be be leued of necessite without the scripture THe same against the Epistle of Fundament Cap. 5. tomo 6. I would not beleue the gospel but that the authorite of the churche moueth me Ergo say they what soeuer the church saith we must nedes beleue them as wel as the gospell This argumente is naughte For the testimonye of the churche is but as a publicke office of a record as the exchequer the court of the rolles the office of a recorder or a regester of all Christendome in whiche office menne maye searche and haue of the keepers of such offices the true copies of such lands or other moueables as be due to them by the lawe And yet may nether the Regesters Recorders Stcwardes of courtes or towne clarkes put to or take awaye any thing from the firste originall writinges no nor the iudge himselfe But all thynges oughte to be iudged by those writings So likewise we beleue the holy Canon of the byble because that the Primitiue churche of the Apostles and eldest wryters nexte to their time approued them in their regester that is in their wrytinges whyche partlye sawe them partlye hearde them of the Apostles And more receue we not because these olde fathers of the firste churche testifie in their bokes that there was no more then these required to be beleued as the scripture of god And yet were these wrytynges no lesse true afore they were alowed by them theÌ„ sence Christe witnessing and saying I seke no witnesse of man AVstine to Cassulane In these thynges wherein the scripture of god hath determined nothiÌ„g the custome of the people and our elders ordinaunces oughte to be holden as a law and the traÌ„sgressors of the customes of the churche at
answere wittelye to the question propouÌ„ded affirmeth all the dayes to be lyke and not that Christ is crucified only on good fridai and riseth only on the soÌ„day but that euery daye is the daye of the Lordes resurrectioÌ„ we eate his flesh alwaies But fastinges and comminges together wer ordeined of wise men for theÌ„ that geue theÌ„selfes rather to the world then to God that cannot yea for theÌ„ that wil not come there at all there to make their sacrifice of praiers to god in the face of all the people Herby you may easely perceaue that the church hath not chaunged the speciall part of the sabboth whiche is to cease from vice and sinne but the cerimoniall part of the Sabboth only whiche was abrogate and taken away with other cerimonies of Moses law by Chryst at the full preachiÌ„g of the gospell In place whereof the churche hath ordayned the sonday for causes afore sayd ¶ The Papystes obiectyons with answers vnto them ¶ The .11 Chapter MOreouer they boast theÌ„selfes of the certeÌ„tie of their doctriÌ„e and proue it to be true by the long continuance therof and luckye prosperite of their kyngdome and their aduersaries doctrine to be false by the persecucions plages myseries and afflictyons which they dayly suffer for their doctrines sake IF the trial of true religion shoulde rest vpon antiquite of tyme or vpoÌ„ worldly prosperite theÌ„ should the gentyls and pagans haue a great aduauntage of vs Chrystians and their religion should be better then ours by the restimonies of our owne scriptures For idolatrye and worâ—â—ipping of false gods and their imageâ—â— was vsed long before the law of god writteÌ„ and geuen to Moses in which errors and idolatry the heathen continewe vnto thys day in great prosperite wealth vnder most victorious Emperours and Princes whereas the true churche of Chryst hath been most miserablie affllicted from tyme to time first vnder the EgiptiaÌ„s after by the Philistines Cananites Pheresites c. then by the Babilonians Assirians Medes Persians Sirians and Romanes both subdued conquest and led awaye captyues And last of all by the turke and the pope the .ii. hornes of Antichrist the true church of christ hath been mostcruelly persecuted vnto death with prison famine water fier fagot and sworde these .vii. or viii yeares last past Which Turke Pope although they be mortall enemies the one to the other yet as Herode Pilate the Bishops Scribes Pharisees although they were vtter foes ech to other conspired agaiÌ„st iunocent Christ causeles condemning him to death on the crosse In lyke maner I say the Pope and the Turke do fully agree in this one poynt to persecute and murther Christ in hys faythfull members For as the sonne can not be withoute hys brightnesse nor the fier without his heat so cannot the true churche of God be long without the crosse of persecucyon as witnesseth S. Paule al they that wil liue godly in Iesus Chryste shal suffer persecucion And our sauiour Christ sayeth plainly that his kingdome is not of this world For if they persecute me sayeth he they shal also persecute you Chryste geueth not to his Apostles earthlye peace in this world but peace and quietnesse of conscience ioyned with persecucion For if the wicked persecuted Christ himselfe shal they not also persecute hys seruauntes And if they so handeled Christ being the liuely treâ— what thinke you shall they doe to vs his withred brauÌ„ches And as the true churche of Chryste can neuer be long wythout persecution in lyke maner can the false churche of Sathan and Antichriste neuer ceasse from persecutynge as it appeareth throughe oute the Historyes of the whole byble Of the tyrannye and crueltye of Antichrist in persecutyng of Chrystes true church prophesied Daniel loÌ„g before speaking of the Empire and regiment of Rome The .4 beast saith he shalbe the .iiii. kyngdome whyche shal be greater then all other kyngdomes it shall deuoure treade downe and destroye all other landes he shal speake wordes agaynst the higheste of all â–ª he shal destroye the sainctes of the moste highest and thinke that he can chauÌ„ge tymes and lawes agayne he saieth of Antiochus which was a figure of Antichrist there shall aryse a king vn shamfast of face he shalbe wise in dark speakyng he shalbe mightie and stroÌ„g but not in his own streÌ„gth he shal destroye aboue measure and all that he goeth aboute shall prosper in hys hande his hearte shall be proude he shal slaye the stronge and holy people and through his craftines falseheade shall prosper in his hande and manye one shall he put to death in his weal thynes he shall stande vp agaynst the Prince of Princes but he shalbe slain without hande Of the tyrannye and prosperous successe of antichrist in slaying of the sayuctes of god and the rewarde of them that bee slaine for the witnes of gods trueth speaketh also sainct Iohn in the .vi. Chapter of his Apocalips vnder the openyng of the iiii and .v. seales and in the .xvii. chapter he lyuely setteth foorth the Pope in his own colours vnder the person of the whore of Babilon being dronken with the bloud of saynctes pointyng as it were with his finger who thys whore of Babilon is and the place wher she shal reigne saying the woman whiche thou sawest is that greate citie which reigneth ouer the kyngs of the earth Now what other citie reigned at that tyme or at any tyme since vnder the Christian kings of the earth but only Rome Wherof it foloweth Rome to bee the seate of Antichrist and the Pope to be verye Antichrist himselfe I could proue the same by many other scriptures olde wryters strong reasons But for as muche as Rodulphe Gualter hath writteÌ„ herof a notable worke in LateÌ„ now of Laten translated into Englishe by I. O. I remit the reader to his boke wherin he may be fully satisfied herof Of the prosperite and securite that the false churche hath in worldlye pleasures vsynge the same with al gredines voluptuousnes of carnal lustes with the wicked deuices of tiranny against Christ and his true members wherwith the vngodly daily persecute and murther gods electe for his trueth wyth the rewarde also of them that suffer for the same truth sake it is most playnly wrytten in the ii and .iii. Chapters of the booke of wisdome By these scriptures now rehersed it appeareth most plainly that worldly prosperite of the Pope and his clargy proue not the trueth of their doctryne nor yet persecutyon of Goddes true preachers and other faythfull people argueth their doctrine to bee false But if thou wilt nedes knowe where the true churche of Chryst is where the false and not be deceyued herin take this for a plaine and ful answer that wheresoeuer the worde of god is truly preached without addicioÌ„ of mans doctrines and tradicioÌ„s and the sacramentes duly ministred according to Christs institucion ther
and that in no smal trifles Exodus xxxii a. 2. Tim. 2. 3. Reg. 22. Hiere 20 This and such like is the rewarde of al true preachers and faithful seruauntes of god 1. 〈◊〉 vii et ii Machabeorum iiii Math. iii. b. xii c. xxiii d. Act. iiii d Actes vii g. Euse. ecc his lib. ii cap. xxii Acte ix Actes xxiii Ruffini lib. i. cap xvii Socratis Lib. 6. cap. 18. Marke well the fruites of this outwarde churche and by them ye shal knowe what they be the Pope maketh him selfe equall to God yea rather aboue him in this his promise This is one of the practises of prelates The spiritual man neuer persecuteth the carnal man but forgeueth him Hier. ad Gala. iiii Exo. xii i. Pet. ii d Eph. 1. d. Collos. 1. Iohn 10. Iohn 5. 2. Tim. 3. Psa. 116. c Goddes word only certifyeth a man whether his fayth be good or no. Trie euery spirite but alow none further then thei agree with the written scriptures Goddes word trieth all thynges whether they be good or badde Their coÌ„sciences shal therfore cnodeÌ„ne theÌ„ for so doing if they repent not in tyme. Math. 16 the witte and vertue of delicate gospellers is in their tongues Math. 23. ii Mach. vi b. Ebru xii â— Para. 13 The wil of a womaÌ„ must be folowed or els al the 〈◊〉 is in the fierâ— 3 Re. 19. c 3. Re. 18. 4 Re. 18. 4. Re. 21. 4. Re. 23. 4. Re. 24. As princes wold so all thinges were done Math. 26 Math. 27 Theodoriti lib. 2 cap. 18. The priestes for the most part wer double faced turne tippettes and flatteres â–ª These be the Popes thunder bolts wherewith he feareth the people and maketh them to incline to his waies It was a smal matter at that tyme to be displesed with such meÌ„ and so much the more for that thei withstod priuate commodite Priuate commodite and Popishe sutte Itie ouercaÌ„e good publike policie and brought in tirannye Thei are al periured so many as gaue their consent to the bringing in of the Byshop of rome The Byshoppes I warraÌ„te you were none of those for they can not erre these are wauerÌ„ig redes ct perfecte wether cockes that turne with euery winde By their dedes ye shall knowe theÌ„ what they be In his .3 boke of ChristiaÌ„ doctryne cap 28. In hys â— boke of ChristiaÌ„ doâ—trine cap 9. In his â— â–ª boke of mâ—â—â—es and forgeuenes of sinnes tom 7. cap. vâ—â—i Vpon Genesis cap 14. hom 35. In his vnperfecte worke cap. 23. Iacob 1. â— Math. 22. Mark 12. Ioan. 10. â— Apo. 3. b Iohn 15. Ephe. 2. d 2. Iohn epistle c. Deu. 4. Deu. 12. Ibidâ— in fine Deu. 18. Pro. 30. lere 23. Math. 5. Math. 7. Math. 15. Math. 28 Mark 16. Iohn 5. Iohn 5. Iohn 20. Actes 20. Acte 26. Rom. 10. Rom. 14. 2. Cor. 1. Gala. 1. 2. Tim. 3. 1. Pete 4. 2. Iohn epistle Apo. 22. Doctrine in religion must be grouÌ„ded vpoÌ„ the scriptures only we maye not build our faith vpoÌ„ meÌ„s tradicioÌ„s The Apostles taught nothing but that whyche they learned of Christe The first point of belefe is that after the gospell none other thiÌ„g is to be beleued There is no certeÌ„ty in that the scripture defineth not The law the Prophetes and the gospell are the first doctrines ct therfore true Our wordes with out gods wordes are not to be beleued That which caÌ„ not be proued by the scripture leaue to god If Paul thought his aucthorite Al bokes which be not in the Canon of the Bible are called Apocrypha and are not sufficient to proue any Articles of our sayth No man can dispence with goddes law Things that be not commauÌ„ded be indifferent to be vsed or not vsed but yet as charite requireth Searche no further then the gospell In time of hereâ—ie there is no meanes to trye the truth and the true church of Christe from Antichrists churche but only by the scripturs An heauy sayiÌ„g but alaâ— to true Prechers most neyther adde nor take 〈◊〉 froÌ„ gods lawe They that host theÌ„selues of the holy goste with out scripture be voide of the holy goste Heretiks oughte first to be coÌ„uinced by the scripturs and after by reasoÌ„ To prech ani thing besydes goddes worde is to sow sedicioÌ„ and heresie Al things may be determined by the scripture The holi scripture coÌ„teineth all thinges nedefull for our saluacioÌ„ A preacher must speake nothyng but out of gods mouthe Beleue him not that speaketh without the scripture He that beleueth the gospel written nedeth beleue nomore Not maÌ„s wisdome but the holi gost is the true expositor of the scripture nothing is of lyke aucthoritie wyth the holy scripture Goddes word cutteth of al tradicioÌ„s apostolik as they cal them which be beside the same worde we ought not to alowe ani mans doctryne wythout gods worde the Apostles grouÌ„ded all their doctrine vpoÌ„ the law and Prophetes To build vpon any doctours saying without scripture or reason agreing to scripture were to folow Pithagoras rather then Christe Be a maÌ„ neuer so holy and neuer so learned after the apostles yet his wordes without gods word are of none aucthorite To teach that as nedefull to saluacion which Câ—â—yst â—ath not taught is daÌ„nâ—â—le the soule liueth only by the worde of god nothing is to be added to the word of god althoughe it be for a good purpose As well who precheth beside the gospel as against it is accursed Euen the Apostles preching besides the gospel ar not to be beleued Christe made all to be written that he wold we should reade we are as wel bouÌ„d to beleue that which the Apostles wrote as thoughe Chryst had written it with hys own haÌ„d The church is knowen by the scripture Al that concerneth true relygion is contained in the scripture The worde written is inoughe for oure saluacion No man is bound to beleue farther then the holi scriptures teache The balance to trye the trueth is the holy scripture Thei that sit on moses seate and teach their own doctrine are not to be beleued Al euil is condemned by the scripture and all good thynges are there founde We may lawefulli disseÌ„t froÌ„ all doctrine except the scryptures onlye al things that concerne fayth hope loue and good maners are coÌ„tained in the scripture not what we say but what the lord that must be heard The church is knowen by the scriptures We may doubt of all mens doctrine but not of holye scripturs If gods scripturs can not discusse a matter in doubt let man neuer go about to discusse it Who fedeth with the scriptures fedeth safely Other therfore with vnwritten verites fede vntrulye In the scripture are all thinges necessary for faith and good lyfe which two suffice for saluacion If any mans saying or writinge cannot be proued by plaine scripture or good reason gathered of the saÌ„e a maÌ„ mai alowe or refuse it as him liketh The olde writers are not of suche aucthoritie but
that Images are necessarie because they be laie mens bokes teaching them instructing them and leading them to the trewe worshippe of god Oh great blasphemie Oh sacrilege Oh spitfull robbery What is blasphemie what is sacrilege what is robberi if this be none god geueth his worde written to bee euery mans booke and his pure euerlastinge and vnderfiled commaundementes as sufficient instructions for all men to the trewe worshippe of him But these earthly wroters the Pope I meane and his prelates as though they wer wiser then God will teache men to worship him with Images althoughe the same be vtterli forbidden by god through out the whole course of his holy scriptures These and suche other false and fained doctrines coÌ„trarie to the scriptures of God contayned in his holye Bible are now blowen out biustered and yelled forth in euery pulpit Euery streate soundeth of these yea eueri prynters house is filled with such vngodly baggage yea and the same are commaunded by publique aucthority which is much to be lamented to bee sette forth and the sincere doctrine of Christes holy worde cleane put to silence and vtterlye condemned Neyther maye any man reason or once doubte of their doctrine vnder paine of excommunicacion naye rather vnder paine of burning And when theâ— be able as they are not able at any time in dede to proue any of these doctrines by the worde of god written then they flye to their vnwritten verites that is to certain things deliuered as they saie from the Apostles by worde of mouth without writing Whiche thynges ar to all men vncertaine for no maÌ„ knoweth certainly what they are But whatsoeuer pleaseth them and maketh for theire purpose profite and Lordly ambicion that is an vnwrytten verite not to be gaine saide or denied This is their shote anker bulwarke and extreme refuge wherunto to they flie whensoeuer they are forced and constrained by gods worde These they make their foundacion wherevpon they builde and mayntaine all their supersticioÌ„s Idolatries and heresies Whiche foundacions I truste by gods grace and helpe so to shake both by the open scriptures by the full consent of all the moste auncient writers and by probable reasons that the building therevpon shal haue a fall For this is most true that no vnwritten verite is or can be necessarie for our saluacion For then sholde the sacred and holy scriptures written by the Apostles in the spirite of god and sealed with their bloodes seme to bee insufficient and not able to bring vâ— vnto saluacion But what a greate blasphemye that shoulde bee to God and his most holy spirite all men I trust that list to reade the same scryptures easely shall perceaue But wheÌ„ these vnshame fast robbers are put to their shiftes vrged and forced herein by the open and manyfeste word written then haue they another startiÌ„ge hole to crepe out at cryinge and yelling templum domini templum domini templuÌ„ domini c. the church the churche the churche affirmynge in plaine wordes that the church can in no wise erre or be disceaued And heare they disceaue theÌ„selues because they make no distinctyon or differeÌ„ce of the churche For there are two maner of churches one true perfect and holy in the sighte of god and another false imperfect and vngodly Trueth it is that the true churche of God beeing grounded and sette vpon hys holy worde I meane the gospell of grace can not erre vnto damnacion But the other how shining and glorious so euer it appeare if it wander abroade and be not contained within the compasse and lymets of the worde written is no true but a fained and forged churche That Church as it is without the compasse of Gods promises made in trueth not onelye maye but also doth commonli yea continuallyerâ—e and goe astraâ—e for they are not câ—uppeled to the head Chryste which is the life the way the truth Paul the Apostle of god and elect vessell of saluacion writing to the Galathians hath these wordes if we saith he or an Aungell from heauen preach any other gospell vnto you then that we haue preached hold him a curseâ— and yet the papistes not fearing the curse of God â—are bee bolde to teache thinges which Paul neuer knewe yea thinges cleane contrarye to hys euident and manifest teaching Such grosse Ignoraunce I would to God it were but Ignoraunce in dede â—s entered into their heades and such arrogaunt boldnes possesseth their harts that they are bolde to affirme no churche to be the true churche of god but that which standeth by ordinary succession of Bishoppes in such pompeous and glorious sort as nowe is seen For if there be say they no such outwarde and visible churche howe shal any man know whether he be of the churche of Chryst and in the right belefe or noâ— To this I aunswer that if our faith should be stayed vpon the outwarde glisteringe and pompeous churche not ruled nor gouerned by the determinate counsell of God in his worde written we shoulde neuer be certaine therof but euer wauering and doubting which is the gate and readye path way to desperacion from whiche god defende his chosen flocke Cursed is he sayth the scripture that putteth his trust in man And why for all men as the kinglye Prophete Dauid saith ar lyers in their words and sinners in their workes By whiche wordes it appeareth plaine that there was neuer man so vertuous so holy nor so wel learned onely the writers of the holi scripturs excepted but either of Ignoraunce or of neglygence there escaped some faultes in his writinges and doinges Yea the generall counsels themselues also that they make so much of haue notably erred as hereafter shalbe declared Yea suche hath been the trueth of those seen churches that one generall counsell hath coÌ„demned another of heresie Moreouer the outwarde seen churche wherof they bragge not a litel hath neuer since the beginninge any space continued in the true doctrine of god Let vs beginne at Moses who was the first law geuer and we shal see the state of this outwarde churche which consisteth in the ordinarie succession of Bishoppes whether it be so as I haue said or no. WheÌ„ Moses was gone vp to the mounte Sinai to talke with God and to receaue the lawe at his handes did not Aaron the hiegh Priest and Bishop with al the people in the mene space worship the golden Calfe reade the boke of Iudges and you shal see how the whole outwarde visible church fell to Idolatrie and worshippinge of straunge goddes as Baal Astaroth goddes of the Edomites Moabites Philistines and the Sirians After the reigne of king Dauid howe many kynges were there I praye you in whose tyme false gods were not openly worshipped All the kynges of Israel serued straunge gods wyth the consent of the Byshoppes priestes the hole people And in Iuda there passed not .iii or foure kinges after
he maye punyshe them in the fulnesse of their sinnes If we synne he correcteth vs but he neuer wythdraweth hys mercye from vs and thoughe he punishe vs wyth aduersitye yet doeth he neuer forsake his people For whoÌ„ as Paul sayth the Lorde loueth him he chasteneth yea and he scourgeth euery soÌ„ne whom he receaueth But to leue this digressyon and come to oure purpose agayne I wyll brefelye shewe you what the outward face of the church and religion hath bene in al ages euen such as hath pleased the mightie kiÌ„gs Emperours and rulers of the world When Ieroboam set vp golden Calues at Bethel and Daâ— the Pryestes and Leuites consented thereto and all Israel worshipped them contrary to gods commaundemente When Iesabel had perswaded with her husband about murther he fulfilled her minde and slewe all the Prophetes of God that he could come by only Elyas remained that was knowen to bee the true Churche whereas the Pryestes of Baal were .iiii. M â–ª and fiâ—tie in â—oÌ„ber Ezechias destroyed the â—rasen serpente and restored the true religion worshippe of 〈◊〉 Manasses hys sonne sette vp Idolatrie maintayned wicked religion and slewe them that were good Iosias restored ryghte religion but Iehoas and Iehoathim hys sonnes forsoke it and al their Priestes and subiectes with them commytted Idolatry And generally what relygyon so euer the kinge woulde haue that was stablyshed for his time so that as Salomon saith of the Iudges so maiÌ„ we saye of the Cleargyâ— whatsoeuer saith the prince that sayeth the priest But lette vs once agayne come to the new testament Did not the head rulers of the churche with the aucthoritie of Herode and Pilate condemne Chryst and his doctrine as erronious and sedicious al the people folowed and cried Crucifige Did not all the Emperours before Constantine beeing seduced by their Byshoppes and priestes condemne Chrystian religion as hereticall sedicious trayterous for the same murthered many thou sandes of martirs When Constantyne was christened the was the true religion first set forth and openly preached by publique aucthoritie and yet in the space betwene Chryste and this Godlye Emperoure God was not wythoute hys churche though it wer not knoweÌ„ sene and so accepted of the worlde In thys Prynces tyme and by his aucthorite was kept the firste and best general couÌ„sel of Nice where was set forth our common Crede containing shortly the chefe and most necessary articles of our belief Thys coÌ„stantinus sonne Constantius fauoryng the errour of the ArriaÌ„s in the counsell of Arimine decreed that Chryste was not GOD but man onely And then to call Chryste the sonne of God was by the vtwarde knoweÌ„ churche and by a general counsel condemned for an haynous heresie From that tyme forth wheÌ„ Panim prynces reygned Idolatrye and worshippynge of false gods was the publike doctriÌ„ When heretiques reigned and bare the rule heresye was openly preached for gods trueth When the Emperoures were Catholike then was the true doctrin of the gospel opeÌ„li preached And generally suche as was the faith of the Emperoures kynges or other rulers such did the priests preach And if anibi the autorite of gods word preched theÌ„ contrary or withstode their corrupt teachynges straight way he was either deposed from his offyce condeÌ„ned for an heretique baniâ—â—ed brent or put to some other cruel death After all these spronge vp the Pope that triple crowned monster greate Antichrist whiche toke vpon hym authoritie not onely ouer the Cleargy but also clymed aboue kinges and Emperours deposing theÌ„ at his pleasure and setled him selfe in the teÌ„ple of god that is in the conseyences of men exrolling himselfe aboue God dispensiÌ„g wyth godes lawes and geuynge men leaue to breake them and to regarde more his decrees theÌ„ the euerlastynge commaundementes of god And so it came to passe in tyme that to eat flesh on the frydaye or fasting dai was couÌ„ted greater sinne theÌ„ broÌ„kenes adultery or periurie And whi because his lawes were diligentlyer and more strayghtly loked to and the offenders thereof sorer punished then Goddes lawes Sence this Antichrist of Rome I saye was stablished in his full power what soeuer pleased hym that was takeÌ„ for gods law and that was decreed vpon by generall counsel confirmed and ratified by whole heapes of clearkes To speake agaynste that was and also now is detestable heresy and so heinous a cryme against the holy gost if it wer true that they say that it can not be forgeuen eyther in thys worlde or in the world to come He that speaketh agaynste any of hys decrees must vtterly be coÌ„demned for an heritike accursed of god and damned into hell for euer without redeÌ„ption except he recant abiure and de ny the trueth and set forth error and false doctrine and promise wyth a solemne Oth that he shal neuer preach teache nor defende the trueth hereafter Nowe let vs come to oure dayes When king Henry the .viii. was as he oughte to bee by gods lawe made supreme head as wel of the Cleargye as of the Laite he by the consent of the parliament and coÌ„uocacion set forth in printe a godly boke of religion not much varieng from that which was enacted in his sonnes tyme Edwarde the sixt But when he toke displeasure with certayne Bishoppes as they terme them of the newe learnynge beecause they would not geue their consente in the parliament that the king shoulde haue al Abbye landes to his own vse but onely suche landes as were geuen by his Aunceters kinges of England and that the residue of those landes shoulde haue beene bestowed to Augmente the nomber of learned men in the vniuersites to the foundinge also of Grammer scholes in euerye shire of Englande where children moste apt to learninge shoulde haue beene broughte vp frely and without great rooste to their frendes and kyns folkeâ— to the foundyng of hospitales where pore and impotent people shold haue beene sufficientlye prouided for with phisicions and surgeons which shold haue ministred both phisik and surgeÌ„rye frely not onely to them but also to all other poore folke wythin this Realme and also in euery shyre town other market townes where should be thought most mete and fitte to set vp diuers occupacions most profitable for the common wealth wher al valiant and sturdy beggers shoulde haue been set to worke and if they refused to labor then to force them ther to by whipping stocking and huÌ„ger and the residue of the Abbye landes aboue these should haue bene reserued in the Common treasuries to ayde the kynge in his warres or other affaires of his Realme and thereby to haue fauored and eased the more hys subiectes intares subsidies fiftenes lones such other lyke thiÌ„gs king HeÌ„ry as I sayd before vpon the displeasure takeÌ„ by the incitacioÌ„ of the old popish bishops shortli after by conseÌ„t of the same or the most part of theÌ„ that were
because ye know not the scriptures not because ye beleue not the churche He also promyseth his elect that they shal heare his voice and not a straungers voice If ye be doubtful therfore in any poynte resorte to the Scryptures geuen from GOD and oute of them searche for the thing wherof thou arte ignoraunte and aboue all thinges be not to rashe in iudgement neyther truste to muche in thine own witte Aske also counsell of suche menne whom thou knoweste to bee wel learned and exercised in the same Scryptures and whose conuersacion thou seeste to bee agreable to their wordes and yet beleue them no farther then they canne proue theyr doctrines and exhortacyons to aunswere and agree wyth GODDES mosre holye woorde Seke aske crye cal knock faste and praye wyth a constaunte fayth ioynynge therto a Chrystyan sober and a charitable â—iuing and thâ— he that hath the keye of Dauid who openeth and no man shutteth shal accordyng to his promyse geue vnto you al that you aske of his father in hys name and shall sende his holy spirite into your hartes who shall leade you into al trueth and put you in remembraunce of all those thynges whyche Christ hath commaunded nedeful necessarie for your saluacion What so euer therefore the churche teacheth you out of the canonical bokes of the Bible beleue that but if they teache any thing beside that I meane which is not agreinge with the same beleue neyther that nor them For then they ar not the Church of Chryst but the Synagog of Satan and Antichriste For the Churche of God as Saincte Paul witnesseth â—s builded vpon the foundacion of the Apostles and Prephetes not vpon the Apostles but vpoÌ„ the same foundacion which they laid that is Christe Iesus and his holyâ— worde And all such vnwritten veryties as the Papistes haue in theyr mouthes though they seme neuer so glorious a churche to the face of the world if they be not agreinge as they are not in dede to the verye worde of god suspect them yea rather I bidde you vtterly to abhorre and reiecte theÌ„ For their vtwarde and sene churche may and doth as is before proued coÌ„monly erre in great and waighty matters Stande fast therfore to sounde good doctrine and wauer not And if any man come vnto you and brynge not this doctrine with him receyue hym not into your house bid him not god spede nor haue aught to do with him but counte hym as an abiecte from god and Christ. But cleaue ye fast to the souÌ„de certaine doctrine of gods infallible word writteÌ„ in the canonical bokes of the new olde testament which is able sufficiently to instructe you to eternal saluacioÌ„ throgh Iesus Christ our lord To whom with the father and the holy goste be al honor and praise for euer euer Amen The boke to the Reader IVdge not before Thou knowe mine intent But reade me throughout And then say thy fyll As thou in opinion Art minded and bent Vhether it be either good orill I care not for prayse Nor slaunder vntrue Of man nor of childe What euer he be Trueth nede not to feare Who doth it pursue With prayse or disprayse In any degree For trueth is not bettered By prayses at al Nor harmed by disprayse Of any wyght But goodnes or hurt Most surely come shal To him that doth iudge Either wrong or right Reade me then iudge me Therfore I thee praye Nothyng for my cause But only thyne own For I shall indure Who soeuer say naye When vnwritten truethes Shalbe ouer throwne ⧠A ConfutacioÌ„ of vnwritteÌ„ verities by diuerse auctorities diligently and truly gathered together out of the holy scryptures and auncient fathers ¶ That the worde of god wrytten contained within the Canon of the Bible is a true sounde perfecte and whole doctrine contayning in it selfe fully all thynges nedeful for oure saluacion ¶ The .i. Chapter YE shal put nothyng to the word which I commaunde you neyther take aughte therefroÌ„ that ye maye kepe the commaundementes of the Lorde your god whiche I commaunde you You shall not doe any thynge that we do here this daye euery maÌ„ what semeth him good in his own eyes What soeuer I commaunde you that take â—eade you doe onelye to the Lorde and put nothynge thereto nor take aughte therefrom The Prophet which shall presume to speake a worde in my name which I haue not coÌ„mauÌ„ded him to speake or that speakth in the name of strauÌ„ge gods that prophete shall dye Al the wordes of god are pure and cleane for he is a 〈◊〉 vnto all them that putte these truste in him Putte thou nothyng vnto hys wordes leaste he reproue the and thou bee found a lyar Heare not the wordes of the Prophâ—tes that preache vnto you and beleaue you for they speake the meâ—nyng of their own hartes and not oute of the mouth of the lorde Whosoeuer teacheth and kepeth the same speaking of his commaun dementes shall be called greate in the kyngdom of heauen Whosoeuer heareth these my wordes and doth the same shalbee likened vnto a wise man that buildeth hys house vpon a rocke and aboundauÌ„ce of raine fel the fluddes came the wiÌ„de blew and bet vpon the same house and it fel not because it was grouÌ„ded an the suer rocke This people draweth nye vnto me with their mouth and honoureth me with lyppes howbeit their harts be farre from me but in vayne do thei serue me teachyng the doctrynes and preceptes of men Goe ye and teacheÌ„ all 〈◊〉 baptysing them in the name of 〈…〉 c teachyng them to 〈…〉 what so euer I haue 〈…〉 Goe ye into all the 〈◊〉 and preache my gospell to all creatures He that heareth mi word beleueth in him that sent me hath euerlasting lyfe and shal not come into damnacion but is escaped from death to life Searche the scriptures for in them ye thinke ye haue eternal life and thei art they which testifie of me These are written that you might beleue that Iesus is Christ the sonne of god and that in beleuing ye might haue life thorow hys name I haue spared no labor but I haue shewed al the counsell of god I haue obtained helpe of God and continew vnto this day witnessynge both to the small and to the great sayinge none other thynges then those which the prophetes and Moses did say should come Fayth commeth by hearynge hearynge commeth by the worde of god What soeuer is not of fayth the same is sinne We be not lordes ouer your fayth but helpers of your ioye Though we our selues or an aungell from heauen preache any other gospell vnto you then that whyche we haue preached let him be accursed Continewe thou in the thynges whyche thou hast learned whiche also were committed vnto the knowiÌ„g of whoÌ„ thou hast learned them and for as muche
also as thou haste knowen the holy scriptures of a chylde which are able to make the learned vnto saluacion throughe the fayth which is in Chryste Iesu. For al scripture geuen by inspiracion of God is profitable to teache to improue to amende to instructe in righteousnesse that the man of god may be perfecte prepared to all good workes If any man speake let hym speake as the wordes of god If any man come vnto you and bryng not thys learning receaue hym not into your house neither bid him God spede For he that byddeth hym God spede is partaker of hys euyll dedes If any man shall adde vnto these thynges god shall adde vnto hym the plages that are wrytten in this booke And if any man shall minishe of the wordes of thys prophesye God shall take awaye his part out of the boke of lyfe and out of the holy citie and froÌ„ those thynges whiche are written in thys boke ¶ That the writinges of the olde fathers without the written woorde of god are not able to proue anye doctryne in religion ¶ The .ii. Chapter IReneus libro .ii. Cap. 46. To leâ—Ì„e to the scriptures of god whych is the certayne and vndouted trueth is to buylde a mans house vpoÌ„ a suer and stronge rock But to leaue that and leaue to ani other doctrins what so euer they be is to builde a curious house vpon the â—hatteringe grauell whereof the ouerthrowe is easye IDem in Epistola .72 Happy is he that soweth vpon the watâ—râ— where the Oxe and the Asse treadeth that is vpon that people whych onely foloweth the doctrine of both the testamentes and not vpon the vayne tradycions of men TErtulliane in the prescryptioÌ„s of heretykes pa. 95. It is not lawfull for vs to fauoure any doctryne at oure pleasure nor yet to chose what any manne hath brought in of his owne mynde We haue the Apostles of the Lorde for oure authors whyche dyd not electe anye thynge that they woulde brynge in of their owne heades but taught faythfullye to all nacyons that doctryne that they had receaued of Chryste Therefore althoughe an Aungell from heauen shoulde preache any other thynge lette vs holde hym accursed ANd a litle after he sayeth We nede to vse no curiositie after Iesus Chryste nor make further searche after the gospell for wheÌ„ we beleue we desier to beleue no more For first we beleue this that there is nothyng els that we ought to beleue IDem of the fleshe of Chryst pa. 20. agaynst Apelles whyche saied that the Angels had a bodely substancâ— which thei toke of the â—â—â—tres Tertallian answereth that there is no certenty in thys matter because the scripture declareth it not THe sae to Praxeas Let thys be a generall rule indifferently determyned before hande agaynst all heresyes that that is true what so euer is first that to bee forged what soeuer coÌ„meth after pa. 418. ORigen in his first homily vpon Ieremy Vle must nedes cal the holye scriptures to wytnes for our iudgements and exposicious with out these witnesses are worthye no credite IDem vpon Leuiticus in his fyfte homilye If the holy scripture doe not determine any thing we ought not to admitte any other wrytyng for the stablyshinge of our doctryne but as for the rest let vs leaue it to god THe same vpon the thirde chapter to the Romanes After these as his custome is meanynge by sainct Paul he doth confirme that he had sayd by the scriptures geuing also an example to the preachers of the churche that those thynges whyche they speake to the people should be armed and mayntained by the holi scriptures and not spoken oute of theyr own iudgements For if he being such and so great an Apostle thoughte not the aucthorite of hys owne wordes to be sufficiente excepte be teache those thynges which he saieth to be wrytten in the law and the prophets hoâ— much more ought we litle ones to take heade that when we teache we vtter not our own mindes but the sentences of the holy gost THe same vpon Mathew in his 26. homily no man ought for the stablyshing of doctryne to vse any bokes that be withoute the canonicall scriptures CIprian in the exposicion of the Crede after that he hath rehearsed the canonical bokes of the Bible he sayeth These be they whiche oure fathers haue included within the Canon out of the whyche our fathers woulde the doctryne of our fayth to be certaine neuertheles there be other bokes which of our elders were not called canonycall but Ecclesiastical as the boke of wisdoÌ„e the bokes of Sirach Tobie Iudyth Machabees and other All whyche bokes they would haue to be redde in thâ— churche but not alleged as of aucthoritie to confirme any article of our fayth Al other writinges thei called Apâ—crypha whiche they would in no wyse to be redde in the churche AThanasius against the gentyles The holy Scriptures being in spired from god are sufficiente to all instruction of the trueth BAsilius in his boke of Ethikes of his short definitions the. 26. Euery worde and dede that maketh for the certentye and suertye of good men and the confusion of them that be euill must be confirmed by the testimony of Goddes scriptures And those thinges which either in our nature or in the custome and maner of our life are manifestly knowen must we vse to confirme those thynges which we doe and say THe same in his short definitioÌ„s the first questioÌ„ Whether it bee lawful or expedient for a man to permit himselfe to do what he thinketh good without the testimonie of the holy scriptures â–ª 〈◊〉 aunswere Seyng that our sauiour sayth of the holy gost he shall not speake of hymselfe but what soeuer he hath heard that shall he speake And of himself he sayeth the sonne can dooe nothynge of himselfe And agayne I haue not spoken of my selfe but he whiche sent me gaue me commaundemente what I shoulde say and what I shold speake and I knowe that hys commaundemente is eternall lyfe therefore those thynges that I speake I speake as the father sayd vnto me who is he then that wil runne into suche madnesse that he dare once thynke onelye anye thyng of himselfe seeing that he hath nede of the holy ghoste for his ayde so that both in mynde word and worke he may be gided in the way of trueth and that he must nedes walke in darknes excepte he bee lightened with the sonne of righteousnes oure lorde Iesus Chryste whiche shineth vpon vs with hys coÌ„maundementes as with bright beames For the commaundement of the lorde is cleare and geueth lyght to the eyes For of those thinges that are done and commonly vsed among vs some are by gods commauÌ„dement determined and playnlye set forth in the holyscriptures and some not expressed Of those that be expressed by the scriptures there is vtterlye no power geuen to any man what so euer
that innumerable other bishops of our coÌ„gregacioÌ„ doe a lowe this doctrine that we kepe or be cause in churches of our coÌ„panioÌ„s it is preached or els because that throughe the whole world in those holy places wher our coÌ„gregacioÌ„s resorte so many woÌ„ders ether of hearings or of healynges be done so that bodyes of martirs being hid so many years whyche if they wil aske thei may learne of many were shewed to Ambroser or that at those bodyes a certaine maÌ„ beeing many yeres blynd wel knowen to the whole citie of Miliane receiued hys eyes his sight or because he beyng in a dreame dyd â—ee or he beeyng rapt in spirite did heare eyther that he â—old not goe to the part of the Donatistes or that he should depart from theyr opinion What so euer suche thynges be done in the catholike churche the church is not therfore proued catholik because these be doÌ„e in it The lord Iesê° himself wheÌ„ he was riseÌ„ froÌ„ death offred his own body to be see with the eies haÌ„dled with the haÌ„ds of his Apostles lest thei shold theÌ„ thiÌ„ke theÌ„selfes to be deceiued he rather iudged that thei ought to be stablyshed by the witnesses of the law prophets psalmes shewiÌ„ng those thinges to be fulfilled in him that wer spokeÌ„ so loÌ„g before so he set forth his churche biddinge repentaunce and forgeuenes of synnes to be preached in his name through al nacions beginniÌ„g at IerusaleÌ„ That these thynges bee wrytten in the lawe and Prophetes himselfe witnesseth thys is set out by worde of mouth These are the doctrines these are the stayes of our cause we reade wrytten in the Actes of the Apostles of soÌ„e faithfull men that they searched the scripturs whether they were so What Scryptures I pray you but the Canonicall of the lawe the Prophetes to these are ioined the gospels the Apostles Epistles the Actes of the Apostles and the Apocalypsis of Sayncte Iohn Searche all these bryng foorth some plaine thing wherbi you may declare that the churche hath remayned only in Affricke or that thys whyche the Lorde sayeth shall come to passe This gospell shalbe preached to al the world for a testimonye to all nacyons shalbe verified of Affricke But brynge out some what that nedeth none interpreter you may not be conuinced that the thynges which is spoken of another matter you goe about to wreste to your purpose CHrysostome of the contricion of the hart Christ promised not that he woulde rewarde at the latter day them that worke sygnes wonders but them that kepe his coÌ„maundementes saieng come you blessed childreÌ„ of my father receaue that kingdome whyche was prepared for you from the beginning of the world He said not because you did miracles but because I was hongrye c. he shal also cal them blessed not that wroght miracles but the humble and meke in hart LIril in Iohn lib. 7. Cap. 13. To worke miracles maketh not a man one whit more holy sâ—iÌ„ge that it is also common to euyll men abiectes as the Lorde hymselfe also witnesseth mani shal sai to me in that day c. And contrary wyse workyng of no miracles hindereth not a mans holynes For Iohn wrought neyther signe nor miracle and yet was thys no derogacion to his holines For among the children of wemen ther was none greater then he SAbellic vpon the lyfe of Celestine Almost fiue hundreth yeares after Chryst the deuil taking vpon him the person of Moyses shewed himself visibly in the sight of the Iewes that dwelt at Candie promisinge that he woulde brynge them agayne into the land of promyse where Ierusalem staÌ„deth dry foted the waters standyng on eyther syde in maner of a wall as when the children of Israell were brought out of the land of Egipt Many of the Iewes rashli geuing credite to these IugliÌ„gs and enterynge into the sea were ouerwhelmed with the waues thereof excepte a fewe the whyche at laste beeynge warned of their vanite became Christians ¶ Custome also is of no streÌ„gth in thys case of prouing a religion ¶ The .vii. Chapter EXodi .23 Folowe not the multitude to doe euill LEuiticus .18 The Lorde coÌ„mmauÌ„deth the Israelytes not to folowe the custome of the Egipcyans nor the Cananites Reade the chapter EZechyell .20 Walke not in the statutes of youre forefathers and keepe not their ordinaunces and defyle not youre selues wyth their Idols REguÌ„ .4 ca. 17. Vnto thys day they kepe their olde customes they feare not God nor do after hys customes ordynaunces and lawes THe same They dyd not hearken vnto the Lorde but dyd after their olde custome I Eremye .9 They folowed theÌ„ wickednes of their owne heartes and serued straunge godes as their fathers taught them TErtullian of virginite or prayses Custome for the most part taking his beginning eyther of ignoraunce or simplicite in processe of tyme waxeth strong by vse and so it is alledged agaynst the truth Whatsoeuer smelleth agaynste the trueth that is heresye yea though it be olde custome CIprian vnto Cicilie lib. 2. Epistola .3 There is no cause why deare brother that any manne should thynke the custome of some men oughte to be folowed If any maÌ„ haue thought that only water ought to be offered in the chalyce we muste fyrste aske whom they folowed and that Chryste only ought to bee hearde the father witnesseth from heauen saieng this is my wel beloued sonne heare hym Wherfore if only Chryste ought to be heard we ought not to regarde what any maÌ„ afore vs thought to be done but what Christ which is before did first neyther oughte we to folowe the custome of man but the trueth of god THe same to Iulian. of the baptising of heretykes in vaine do some men when they be ouercome with the truth alledge custome agaynste vs as though custome wer greater then the trueth Sainct Augustine hath the same THe same to Pompus agaynste Steuens epistle CustoÌ„e with out truth is an olde errour for the whiche cause lette vs leue custome and folowe the trueth CHrisostome vpon Genesis .29 Homilie .59 For if the couÌ„sell be good and profitable yea though it be not custome kepe it but if it bee hurtful and noysome caste it awaye For if we wil be wise and care for our saluacion we may leaue of an euyll custome and bryng in a good custome and so shall we geue no small occasyoÌ„ to theÌ„ that come after vs to chaunge the same haue the rewarde of those thyngs that be done of them IErome in his preface to Iob. Olde custome is of such force that vices whiche many men them selues coÌ„fesse please them through it THe same the .9 Cap. Neither ar the errours of our fathers nor out elders to be folowed but the authorite of the Scriptures and the coÌ„maundementes of god that teacheth vs. AVgustine of one only Baptime lib. 2. Distinc .8 Cap. Vhen the trueth is once knowen let custome geue place to the trueth For
this it is not written in this place or to those persons ergo it is not written in the scripture at al. For the shortnes of one Epistle or of one sermon caÌ„not sufficieÌ„tly coÌ„teine al thinges necessary for our saluacioÌ„ therfore be ther so many bokes of the scripture that what so is omitted and not spokâ— of in one place or els darkly spokeÌ„ of mighte bee writteÌ„ plainly in another place And for this cause S. Paul writeth to the ColossiaÌ„s â–ª sayiÌ„g wheÌ„ thys leter is redde wyth you cause it also to bee redde to the Laodicians And reade you also the Epistle written froÌ„ Laodicia And Sainct Paul wryteth of himselfe suche as we are in our absence by leters such are we in dede being preseÌ„t Moreouer Paul speaketh not here of doctrynes of fayth and charite whiche euer continew wythout chaunging adding or minishyng but of certayne tradicions obseruacyous ceremonyes and outwarde rites and bodelye exercyces whiche as he sayeth is litell worth to god warde but to be vsed for comlines decent order and vniformite in the churche to auoyde schisme whych ceremonies euery good man is bounde to kepe lest he trouble the common order and so breake the order of charite in offendiÌ„g his weake brethren so long as they be approued receyued and vsed by the heades and coÌ„mon consente But they and euery one of such ceremonyes as be neyther sacramentes nor commauÌ„dementes of fayth and charite may be altered and chaunged and other set in their places or els vtterly takeÌ„ away by the authorite of Prynces and other their rulers and subiectes in the church Yea also the tradycyoÌ„s made by the Apostles in ful counsel at Ierusalem may be and already are takeÌ„ awaye as to abstayne from thynges offered vnto Images from blood and strangled ar no where kept And this of Paule that a man should neyther praye nor preache capped or with his head couered is also cleane abolyshed ¶ Doctors to the same purpose wyth theyr aunswers ¶ The .x. Chapter TErtullian of the croune of a soldier He reciting many tradicyons as to reneuÌ„ce the deuil his poÌ„pe and his Angels afore Baptisme to dip the childreÌ„ thrise in the fouÌ„t to geue it pappe of hony and milke first thing after baptime and not to waâ—â—e it in a whole weeke after to offer both at the day of the buriall and birth on the soÌ„day neyther to fast neyther to praye knelyng nor also froÌ„ Easter to whitsontide crossinge of our foreheades with diuerse suche lyke saith If thou require a law of these and other suche disciplines there can be no pretence of a law for them out of the scriptures But thou shalt either perceaue by thy selfe or learne of some other that perceaueth it that custome being author confirmer conseruer and obseruer of fayth shal maintaine and defende the cause of this tradicion and custome of fayth BY the scriptures before alledged it is euidentlye proued that all thyngs requisite for out saluacion be set forth in the holye bokes of the bible and that it is not lawful to put any thyng therto vnder payne of euerlastying damnacyoÌ„ The same TertulliaÌ„ also as it is afore rehersed saith that there is nothyng els that oughte to be beleued after Chrysts gospel oÌ„ce published Yea all the olde authors a thousande yere after Christ and lykewyse almost all the new affyrme the same and would not haue vs credyte their sayiÌ„gs without the profe of gods worde Why shoulde we then beleue Tertullian agaynst so playne Scripturs agaynst the old fathers of the church and also contrarye to his owne sayinges Yet here wyll I gentlye interprete hym so as he maye bothe agree wyth the Scriptures wyth the olde authors and also wyth himselfe TertullyaÌ„ speaketh here not of doctrines of fayth hope and charyte but of tradycions outward gestures rites ceremonies which he not necessary for our saluacyon but be ordayned for a decente order and conformite in the churche as is playnly shewed in the answere to Saint Paul in the Epystle to the ThessaloniaÌ„s And that he speaketh of such rites and ceremonies it is euident For all those that he rehearseth be mere ceremonies and few of them kept at this day which nomaÌ„ myghte haue altered or abolyshed if they had bene necessarilye to be kept vnder payne of damnacion CIprian to Pompeius agaynste SteueÌ„s Epistle It is of no lesse authorite that the Apostles delyuered by the instructyon of the holy gost then that which Christeâ— himselfe delyuered CIprian speaketh not here of tradicions vnwritten but of such thynges as the Apostles delyuered in their writings as the gospels and Epistles like as Paule sayeth I deliuered you that I receiued of the Lordeâ— whiche thing he wrote to theÌ„ But if thei wil nedes vnderstand him of thynges delyuered by the Apostles wythout wrytyng then answere him as Tertullian ORigen In obseruauÌ„ces of the church there be diuerse thiÌ„gs which al men must nedes do and yet the reason of them is vnknowen to all men And he reciteth in maner the obseruauÌ„ces that Tertullyan doeth and after he concludeth Who can certenly tell the cause of all these thinges THe answer made to Tertullian wyll serue Origen here A Thanasius vpon the .2 Epistle to the Thessa. Cap. 2. vpon this place State et tenete Hereby it is playne that Paule delyuered many thynges wythoute the scripture not written in his Epistles but by worde of mouth only And these are worthy no lesse faith then the other Therfore I doe iudge the tradycion of the churche to be a thyng worthy to be credited so that if any thyng be deliuered by it make no farther searcheâ— CHrisostomê° in the .2 Epistle to the Thessa. Cap. 2. Stande fast brethren and kepe the tradicioÌ„s c. Hereof sayeth Chrysostome it is playne that Paule deliuered not all things in his Epistles but also many thynges without writing and as wel those as these ar worthi of like faith Wherefore we iudge the tradicion of the churche worthye of credite it is a tradicion searche no farther EPiphaniê° against heresyes li. 2 to mo .1 Agaynst those that call theÌ„selfes Apostles .1 cor 11. 14. 15 We must saith he vse tradicions for all thynges can not bee perceyued by the holy scripture Wherfore the holi Apostles haue set furth vnto vs some thynges by the worde of god and soÌ„e thynges by tradicions as the Apostle sayth as I haue deliuered vnto you thus I teache and thus I haue deliuered in all churches and thus you remeÌ„ber by what meanes I haue preached vnto you except you haue beleued in vayne ANswere these .iii. authors lyke as Tertullyan is answered sauing that they alledge S. Paul for their purpose but clearly wrested from his true meaning as it shal easely appeare to euery indiffereÌ„t reader that is not blinded of malice to resyst the truth as they may plaiÌ„ly perceue by the answere made
that we may deni them if they dissent froÌ„ the holy scripturs We may not think al that the old fathers did write to be true Al mens writings ought to be weyghed by the canonical scriptures He confesseth many errours in his owne bokes 〈◊〉 others also Beleue not his writings except thou be suer of them by the scriptures we ought not to esteme mans writinges further then thei agree with the scripturs but may refuse theÌ„ at our pleasures Vnderstande the word written for they that learn of it learne of god al things perteining to doctrine and good maners are in the worde written which is sufficieÌ„te Note this holy fathers wordes and print them in your hartes for euer If preachers ought so then so ought all others for they al are prepared to come to one ende by one ordinary rule The scriptures only are sufficieÌ„t for matter of saluacioÌ„ If any maÌ„ speak let him speake accordinge to the worde of god excepte he wil be called by these names here expressed We may not beleue the generall faith excepte the same agre with goddes worde the truth of our fayth is conteyned in the worde written Thei wer gathered in the spirite of pride and enuy and not in the spirit of mekenes and loue Note these words diligentlye and forget them not Counsails are not of such authorite that what so euer thei decree must be holdeÌ„ for truth The scripture must trie all Marke thys Reade ye Papistes and be no longer ignoraÌ„te CouÌ„sails may and doe erre oftimes Read the Psalme O what a court is this that in suspicion of heresye acquiteth no man and in cause of adultery condeÌ„neth no priest be his crime neuer so openlye knowen Cano. 7. Cano. 9. CanÌ„o 10. The counsel of nice Cano. 6. The couÌ„cel of nice cano 20. The couÌ„cell of Nice 6. The couÌ„cell of GaÌ„greÌ„se IbideÌ„ 7. The couÌ„sel of Neocesario The couÌ„cel of Laodicia Ibidem Ibidem Mat. 23. The deuill deceueth man because he waÌ„dereth from the word written and is not coÌ„teÌ„t therewith Spirites worke no good but euill The deuils miracles arâ— to worke mischief Thei hurt most of all when thei cease from hurtyng The deuils vexe both bodye ct soule to cause meÌ„ to seke to them for help and so to be worshipped as god Sathan worketh miracles by Images and hereof springeth the worshipping of Images The deuils speke in Imags as thogh thei wer gods thoughe deuils prophesi truly of thynges to come yet all is but dysceite to make meÌ„ to worship theÌ„ Sathan vnder pretence of dead meÌ„s soules de ceaueth theÌ„ that lyue and leadeth them into Idolatrye Subtil Sathan sayneth himself to be Christ ct worshipped as god How shal we then knowe any certayne trueth by apparicions Thei that beleue visions often worship Sathan for Christ. Read the place Read the Chapter He laugheth theyr foolishnes to scorne the scripture ought to be beleued rather theÌ„ the testimonye of the dead for it is gods owne word and the other oft times the deuils The dead neuer returne after the death to tel their state that be dead The scripture is to â—e beleued aboue all thinges It is not the soule of the dead that saith I am such a mans soule but the devyl counterfeteth the dead to deceue the liuing for soules departed the bodie can not walke her on earth Mar. 13. By this example ye maye iudge of the popishe miracles True ChristiaÌ„s work miracls profitable to the seers but the wicked without profit at all God sufferth wicked men to worke miracles for the tryall of the faythfull The faithfull nede no miracles for signes are gyven to the vnbelevers .1 Corin .14 Al doctrine ought to be tryed by the canonicall in plaine sense and not by wordes that be darke doubtful or figuratyue Miracles shewed at the tombes of saintes proue no doctrine Visions seen eyther in dreameâ— or being awake caÌ„not make any doctryne Men be heard at the tombes of heretikes and yet is not their doctrine true The deuill worketh miracles in the temples and Idols of the geÌ„tils although their religion be false an detestable Menne ought to prouâ— theÌ„selfes to be the true churche by none other meâ—nes but by the scripturs only Neyther miracles nor agrement of Bishops in doctryne proue any thing in religion Not miracle workers but the commaundemente kepers ar called blessed of Chryste To work miracles maketh no man holy nor to worke no miracles hindereth his holynes Thys would be put amoÌ„g the apparicioÌ„s of the dead Sathan counterfetteth Moses Math. 18. Argumente Answere Math. 7. Acres 19. Math. 7. A replicacion Answere Math. 23. The. 2. argumeÌ„t The first answere The second answere the forth argumeÌ„t Math. 28 Answere The. 5. argumeÌ„t Iohn 16. Answere Iohn 14. Iohn 15. Luke 18. Math. 20 Math. 16 The. 6. argumeÌ„t Iohn 20. Answere 2. Thess. 2 argumeÌ„t Answer 2. Cor. 10 Actes 1â— Argumente Ansâ—ere Vnderstande here as necessary to saluacion Argumente Answere Argumente Answere Argumente argumeÌ„t â—rgumeÌ„t Answere Answere argumeÌ„t Answere argumeÌ„t argumeÌ„t Answere Answere argumeÌ„t Answere Gene. 17 Math. 19. Luke 19. 1. Cor. 7. argumeÌ„t Esai 56. Esai 58. To lanuarye epist. 119. The bodely rest on the sabboth day is figuratiuely to be kepte To the perfite GhristiaÌ„ al dayes be lyke and eueri day is good friday eueri day is Easter day and we eatâ— hys fleshe alwayes argumeÌ„t Answere Christes bage Dani. 7. The mark to knowe antichrist by is to preuaill by persecucion againste gods elect saints Daniel 8. And the marke of the true churche is to be persecuted of Antichriste Read the places Read the Chapters argumeÌ„t Answere Iohn sleidane Elzabeth Barton O diuilishe illusion Reade more of herin her boke set forth in print and in Halles cronicle A letter forged as thoughe it had come froÌ„ heauen Bishops euer haue been bolsterers of idolatry A notable miracle Christe prouedre alli in the hoste by 2. horses the deuil spâ—aking in one of them Which is Rome
no miracles for signes are geuen to vnbeleuers and not to the faythfull AVgustyne agaynst faustus the Manachee lib. 15. Cap. 5. The Scriptures that be stablyshed and sette forth by so greate authorite ye despice miracles you work none which though you did yet we woulde beware of you by the Lorde instructing and teachinge vs saying there shal aryse false Chrystes c. THe same of the citie of god li. 20. Cap. 19. The presence of Antichrist shalbe after the workynge of Sathan with all lyinge powers as a fore For then shall SathaÌ„ be let lose and by him Antichrist with all his power shal worke meruelously but lyingly of the which miracles it was wonte to be doubted whether they be called lyinge signes and wonders for thys cause that he shall deceaue mans senses with visions so that he semeth to do the thyng that he doeth not in dede or els beecause thesame although they be true miracles and not counterfet yet they draw meÌ„ to beleue that thei can not be done but by the power of god whereas meâ—ne knowe not the power of the deuyll chefely seing that how greate soeuer power he hath he hath receued it For when fier fel down from heauen and with one dashe destroyed sâ— greate a-familie wyth so many heardes of cattayll of holy Iob a sodayne whirle winde ouerthrowing his house slew his children these were no disceauable visions but for euery one of these it is sayed they shall be beegiled with signes and wonders that shall deserue to be begiled for so much as thei haue not receyued the loue of the trueth that thei might be saued Neither did the Apostle feare to saye and adde god shal sende them strong delusyons that they should beleue lies For god doth sende these thynges because he suffereth the deuyll to dooe them he in dede bi his iust iudgemeÌ„t although the deuill doeth it of a wycked and malicious purpose THe same of the vnite of the churche Cap. 16. Let theÌ„ shewe their church if they can not in the sayinges and in the fame of the Affricanes not in the determinacioÌ„s of their bishoppes not in any mans reasonynges not in false sygnes and wonders for agaynst all thys we bee warned and armed by gods word but in the thynges appoynted in the law spoken afore by the Prophetes in the songes of the Psalmes in the voyce of the shepeharde himselfe and the prea thynges and paynefulnes of the EuaÌ„gelysâ—s that is in the authorite of the bokes Canenical but not so that thei may gather and rehearse those thiÌ„gs that be spoken daâ—kely and doubtfully and figuratiuely whych euery man may vnderstande as he lyst after hys own mynd For suche thynges cannot be vnderstanded and expounded rightly except those thynges that be verye playnlye spoken bee perceaued before wyth a constante fayth Let him not saye thys is true beecause I saye it or because my companyon saith thus or these my companions or these our Byshoppes Clarkes or laye menne or els it is true because such miracles did Donatus Pontius or what soeuer other or els because men praye at the tombes of our dead menne and be heard or because these and these thiÌ„gs chaunced there or that thys brother of ours or thys syster of ours sawe suche a vision ether wakyng or slepynge in hys dreame sawe suche a vysyon or syght away with these Either they be faynyngs of lying men or the wonders of deceytfull deuyls For eyther they are not true that are spoken or if any miracles bee done amonge Heretykes we ought the more to take hede of them beecause that when the Lorde had sayed there shold come some that by workyng diuerse myracles shoulde deceyue if it were possyble the verye electe he added and earnestlye settynge foorth the thyng sayed behold I haue tolde you before Whereof the Apostle admonishing them speaketh playnlye that in the latter tymes menne shoulde departe from the faythe geuynge hede to spirites of errour and doctrynes of deuyls Further more if any man bee heard praying at the toÌ„bes of heretiâ—â— he receueth whether it be good or euil not for the merite of the place but for the merite of his desyer For the sprite of the lord as it is wrytten filleth the whole world and the earnest eare heareth all thynges and many be heard of god when he is angry of whoÌ„ the Apostle sayth he had geuen them vp to their hartes desier And god to many whom he fauoureth geueth not what they woulde that he maye geue them that whiche is profytable wherfore saith the same Apostle of the stiÌ„ge of his flesh the messenger of Sathan which he said was geuen hym to buffet him lest he should be exalted aboue measure by the greatnes of reuelacions for the whiche I prayed the lorde thrise that he would take it away froÌ„ me and he sayed vnto me my grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect through weaknes Doe we not reade that many meÌ„ wer hard of god himselfe in the hyghe places of Iurye which highe places neuertheles so displeased god that kings which destroyed them not were blamed and kynges that destroyed them wer praysed But thys ought to be vnderstaÌ„de that the desyer of him that praieth is more worthy or of more strength theÌ„ the place of prayer but of false vysioÌ„s let them reade what is written both that Sathan doth chaunge himselfe into an Angell of light and that their dreames haue deceyued many meÌ„ let them also heare what the heathen tel of their temples and godes wonderfully eyther done or sene and yet neuertheles the gods of the heathen be deuils but the Lorde made the heaueÌ„s Therfore many meÌ„ be heard and after many diuerse sorts not only catholyke Christians but also panimes and Iewes and heretikes geuen to diuerse errours supersticions doubtles they ar heard eyther of deceitfull spirits which neuertheles do nothing except they be permitted of god hyghly and vnspeakeably iudging what is mete to be geuen to euery man or els of god hiÌ„self either for the punishmeÌ„t of malice or the coÌ„fort of miseri or for the admonishmeÌ„t of eternal saluacioÌ„ But to that eternall saluacioÌ„ coÌ„meth no maÌ„ but he that hath the head christ Yea no maÌ„ caÌ„ haue the head Christ which is not in his body the churche which church lyke as the head it self we must know in the canonical scripturs not to seke it in diuers rumors â—pâ—nioÌ„s of meÌ„ not in factes sayiÌ„ges sights c. Let al this sort of them be chaffe not geue seÌ„teÌ„ce afore hande agaiÌ„st the wheate if thei be the church â–ª but whether thei be the church let theÌ„ shew none other wais but bi the caÌ„onical bokes of the holi scripturs For neither doe we saye that men oughte to beleue vs because we are in the catholyke church of Christ or because Optaiê° bishop of Miliuet or Ambrose bishop of Miliane or