not But in the workes of all them that come after which be contayned in iÌ„numerable bokes yet in no wyse to be compared to the most holy excellencye of the Canonicall scryptures although in some of them bee founde the same trueth yet the aucthorite is farre vnlike Therfore if it fortune any thynge in them to be thoughte to dissente from the trueth because they are not so vnderstaÌ„d as they be spoken yet the reader or hearer hath his free iudgemeÌ„t so that eyther he maye alowe that that pleaseth hym or reiecte that whiche offendeth him And thereforâ— al such like except they may be defended either by good reason or by theÌ„ canonicall aucthorite that it maye bee proued that they are so in dede or may be so because either it is ther disputed or declared if it displease anye man or if he wil not beleue it he is not to be blamed therfore THe same in the same place Epistola 48. Gather not my brother against so many so cleare so vndoubted witnesses of the scriptures sentences misunderstanded oute of the writinges of Bishoppes either of ours or of Hilarie or Ciprian Bishop and martyr of the church for we must put a diuersitie betwixte this kinde of writing and the Canonical scriptures For these are not so to be red as though a wytnes might be alledged oute of them so that no manne myghte thynke otherwise if they fortune to iudge otherwise then the trueth requireth THe same to Ierome I haue learned to geue thys reuereÌ„ce and honoure to those onelye writers which be now called Canonicall that I dare be bold to beleue that none of them dyd erre any thyng at al in wrytynge But if I fynde any thiÌ„g in those Scryptures that semeth contrarye to the trueth I doubt not but that eyther the boke is false or the interpreter dyd not attayne the thynge that was spoken or els I vnderstande it not But all other authours be they neuer so excellente both in vertue and learnynge I dooe so reade them nor that I thynke it true that they wrot beecause they thoughte so but beecause they coulde perswade me eyther by other Canonycall Scryptures or by some probable reasons a thyng not altogether abhorring froÌ„ the trueth THe same againste Cresconium agramarien lib. 2. Capit. 32. I am not bounde to his aucthorite For I doe not accoumpte Ciprians writinges as Canonicall but weyghâ— them by the Canonicall scriptures that in them which agreeth with the Canonicall scriptures I alow to hys prayse but that that agreeth not by hys fauor I refuse THe same to Vincent Victor I cannot nor ought not to denye that lyke as in myne elders so also in my so many bokes bee manye thynges that by iuste iudgemente wythoute rashnes maye bee reproued THe same in the prologe of hys booke of the Trinite Be not bounde to my writynges as to the Canonical scriptures but if thou fynde any thyng in them which thou diddest not beleue strayghte way beleue it in these that thou art not suer of excepte thou certaynly vnderstand it beleue it not certaynly THe same to Fortunate Epistola 198. Neyther ought we to alow the reasoninges of anye menne what soeuer they bee although ther be Catholyke and laudable men as the canonical scriptures so that it shal not be lawfull for vs sauinge the reuerence that is due to those men to reproue and refuse any thynge in their writinges if it chaunce that thei haue iudged otherwise then truethe is the same trueth by goddes helpe beeynge vnderstande eyther of other men or of vs. For I am euen suche an one in other mens wrytynges as I woulde men should be in myne THe same in the same place Let vs seke no further theÌ„ is written of god our sauiour leste a man would know more then the scriptures witnesse CIrille lib. 6. Vpon Leuitieâ—s There be two offices of a Byshoppe to learne the scriptures of god and by ofte readyng to digeste the same or els to teache the people but let him teach those things which he hath learned of god and not of his own hart or by mans vnderstanding but those thynges which the holy gost teacheth THe same in Iohn Cap. 6. He sayeth by this we learne that onely Chryste oughte to be folowed as a master and we must clene vnto him onely THe same in Iohn cap. 20. Not al thyngs that the lord did ar written but those thyngs that the writers thought sufficient as wel to good maners as to doctryne that we shining with a constaunte faythe good workes and vertues may come to the kyngdome of heauen FVlgence in his sermon of the confessors In the worde of god is plentye for the stronge man to eate there is inoughe for the child to sucke there is also milke to driÌ„ke wherewith the tender infancye of the faythfull may be nourished and stroÌ„g meate wherewith the lusâ—ye youth of them that be perfect may receaue the spirituall encresment of holy vertue There prouision is made for the saluacion of al men whom the lord doth vouchesafe to saue there is that that is agreable to all ages there is also that which is mete for al states Ther we learne the commaundementes which we ought to do there we know the rewardes which we hope for GRegory in Iob. lib. 16. Cap. 28. He that prepareth himself to the office of a true precher must neds fetchè the foundacion of his maters out of the holy scriptures So that al that he sayeth he muste reduce it to the firste beginning of goddes aucthorite and in that staye the effecte of his sayinges For as I haue sayd many times afore heretikes when they studye to maintayne theyr frowarde doctriÌ„e suerly they bryng forth those thinges that are not coÌ„tayned in the holy scriptures THeophilactus vpon this place of Paule the laste to the Romaynes I beseche you brethreÌ„ marke them whiche cause diuision geue occasion of euil contrary to the doctrine whych you haue learned and auoyde them for they that are suche serue not the Lorde Iesus christ but their own bellies and with swete prechinges and flattering wordes deceue the harts of the innocents Here saith Theophilactus that they bryng in di-uisions and occasions of euill whiche bryng forth any thyng besyde the doctryne and learnynge of the Apostles DAmascenus lib. 1. cap. 1. Al that euer was deliuered bi the law the Prophets the Apostles and the Euangelistes we receiue acknowledge and geue reuerence vnto them searchyng nothyng besides them BRuno the in secoÌ„d to Timothe doutlesse the holy Scryptures are able to instruct thee to saluation For euery scripture beeyng inspired from god that is to saye spiritually vnderstande after the wil of God is profytable to teache them that be ignoraunte to reproue that is to conuince them that speake agaynste the fayth to correct synners suche as denye not them selues to bee synners to instructe those
makers of the first boke of religion set forth by opeÌ„ parliameÌ„t coÌ„uocacion the .vi. articles â–ª as well agreinge with the former parlyamentâ— and the worde of god as blacke wyth white light with darkenes Chryste wyth Belial or with Antichrist But after when he was pacified wyth these foresayd Byshoppes coÌ„sydering that they spake agaynste the kynges profit not of malice but of good conscience and zeale to gods glory and the common welth he mitigated the .vi. articles and from that tyme foorth more and more restored true religion and I doubt not but if he had liued he would haue brought all thinges to a better state then he lefte it But Edwarde the â—irte his sonne succedynge in his saâ—d fathers place by the aduice of his vncle the duke of Somersette the lordes of his counsell Byshoppes and the Cleargy â—et furth such a boke of religion as withoute boast or dysprayse of other be it spokeÌ„ was neuer a better sette forth since the Apostles tyme. Now after that god had plaged this realme wyth the most greuous plage that euer came to it in takyng awaye from it so godly a king as he was yea such an one as hath not beeÌ„ read of of his age in any realme both for witte learning sobernes and godlynesse in his steade he hath set vp Quene Marye who in worte tyme hath pulled down that was not builded in manye yeares and brought in the bishoppe of Rome before iustly and by law of parliament abolyshed with opeÌ„ periurie of so many as gaue their voyces and consent to the same For they had all made a solemne oth beefore neuer to receaue his vniust vsurped power into the realme agayne Hath he not beyng seduced by the periured prelates reuoked and made of none effecte so many godly lawes enacted by parlyament that is by the consent of the lordes both spirituall temporal the Cleargy and common house yea and by them that wer the thefe of king Henry her fathers priuye counsel and setters one of him in the abolishing of the Bishoppe of Rome â—uen opâ—n preachers and wryters against the Popes tiranny with so pithy reasons and strong argumentes as neither they themselues nor any other after them shall bee able at any tyme rightly to assoyle and answere Yet these men were chefe of counsell and procurers of the Quene and first workers in the parliamente to aluer the lordes and commons to receaue the Bishoppe of Rome againe for the supreme head of thys realme contrari to Goddes lawe the lawes of thys realme and their own solemne othes And not only thys but they haue taken away the acts of mortmaine and premunire and diuerse other statutes that did bridle the vnsatiable coueteousnes and licencious libertye of the Popishe Priestes and restored the Alle ex officio Which thing if it shold long coÌ„tinew in this state that it is in the great tresure of this realme shold come into the Cleargies hands and a great part therof should fly to Rome for Bishopeâ—ickes Benefites Appellacyons pardons dispensacions and such other baggage But say the Papystes when scriptures be harde and doutful and seme to be contrarye one to another by mistaking and wroÌ„g vnderstanding wherof diuerse heresies doe arise how shal a man knowe the trueth in such diuersitie of opinions both partyes grounding theÌ„selues vpon the scriptures but onelye by the churche which as they saye cannot erâ—e Sainct Augustine shal make answere herein for me sayinge on thys wise darke places are to be expounded by more playne places for that is the surest way of declaring the scriptures to expound one scripture by another And agayne he sayth that in things openly contained in the scriptures are founde all thinges that concerne faith good stuing charite And if any thig cannot be tried by the certaine cieÌ„care places of the Scriptures let maÌ„s presuÌ„ptioÌ„ saith he stay it self not leaning to either part for this I am suere of that if it were requisite to be knowen vpon paine of damnacion their shold not lacke most playne and cleare aucthorites of the same in the scriptures But in seking of the scriptures let vs seke no farther then is left in writiÌ„g by god our sauiour lest in desyerynge to much we â—ese al. Sainct ChrisostoÌ„e also sayeth it is not possible that he which with earnest studye and ferueÌ„t desier applyeth him to the scriptures of god shold euer be neglected of god but althoughe we lacke a master to teache vs yet the Lorde hymselfe enteryng oure hartes from aboue shall geue lyght into our minds and poure his bright beames into our reasoÌ„ and vnderstandyng and open the thynges that be hidde and teache vs those thinges wherof we be ignoraunt Therefore sayth the same Chrysostome if thou wilt enter into the trueth of the scriptures now aske by prayers now knocke by good workes and searche the olde auncient wryters and aske diuerse priestes to knowe whiche bee the true keye kepers and whiche are the false For al thinges sayeth he are plaine and manifeste in the diuyne scriptures what soeuer thynges are nedeful therto be opened But if these aucthors will not satisfye them then let them vse sainct Iames couÌ„sell saying he that lacketh wysedome let him aske it of god which geueth to al men indifferentlye and casteth no man in the teth and it shalbe geuen hym For God is not parciall nor regardeth anye more a Pope then a Potter a Cardinal then a Carter a Byshoppe theÌ„ a Boucher a Priest then a Pedler except his faith and life be agreable to gods wil. Whether shoulde a man desieryng to know the trueth and righte vnder standing and worshippinge of God haue resorted in Elias his tyme wheÌ„ there was no more of the true outewarde churche but he alone To whoÌ„ should a man haue resorted for counsel of the trueth in the tyme of Ieremy Of whom shoulde a man haue learned the trueth in Christes tyme wheÌ„ there was no ordinarye succession of Bishoppes in the trueth Shoulde they haue learned thinke you the trueth of God of the head Pryestes Scribes and Pharisees Then you knowe what a learning they shoulde haue had and howe muche Chryste should haue profyted theÌ„ How should a man haue been satisfied of his saluacion at Annas Cayphas and the test of the Pharises handes Euen so no doute would they haue taught and enstructed him that if he had beleued folowed their sayinges Christ and he shoulde neuer haue mette And yet those men bare the Image and name of the knowen churche at that time yea and the same men condemned him of whom our fayth and saluacyon depeÌ„deth as a sedicious felow as a traitor to Cesar as an heretike and a blasphemer of god Christ therfore to teache vs what we should doe in matters pertaining to his glory and oure own commodite sendeth his hearers to the scriptures not to the church he saiÌ„edal so to the Saduces ye erre
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 be yet rude and siÌ„ple to instruct I say in righteousnes that they maye be made righteous by puttyng awaye their former instructions of infidelite I say that he may be so taught that as muche as in the teacher lyeth he that is taught maye be the perfect man of god so perfecte that he maye be instruct to doe euerye good worke BEda in the. 1. Epistle of Peter Cap. 5. If any man speake lette him speake as the words of god fearyng least he say or commaunde any thing besides the wil of god or besides that whiche is manifestly commaunded in the holye scriptures and be founde as a false witnes of god or acommitter of sacriledge or a bringer in of any straunge thynge from the Lordes doctrine or els leaue oute or passe ouer anye thynge that pleaseth god seeing that Chryste most playnly commaundeth the preachers of the trueth concernyng them whom they had taughte sayinge teache them to kepe all thyngs that I haue commauÌ„ded you Yea euen the same whych he had commaunded and none other and he commaunded hys preachers to coÌ„maunde their hearers to kepe not soÌ„e of these but all ANselmus Bishop in his booke of virginitie 24. Cap. Goddes lawe forbyddeth to folowe the steppes of the Catholyke or vniuersal faith any more then the iudgemente of the canonicall trueth coÌ„maundeth to beleue And all other Apocryphall lies the good policies of the best learned fathers haue stablished in their decrees vtterly to reiecte and to banishe them cleane as horrible thoundriÌ„ges of wordes LYraâ—e vpon the laste Ca. of the Prouerbes Like as in a marchauntes shyppe are caryed dyuerse thynges necessarye for mannes lyfe so in the scripture are conteined all thynges nedefull to saluacyon THomas of Aquine The holye Scripture is the rule of oure fayth wherevnto it is neyther lawfull to adde nor take any thyng away But the trueth of oure fayth is contayned in the holy scryptures diffusely and diuerse wayes in some places darklye and to trye oute the trueth of oure fayth by the scryptures is required long study and exercise to the which al they cannot come that nede to knowe the trueth of the fayth the more part wherof beeynge occupyed wyth other busines cannot attende to study And therfore it was nedefull out of the sentences of holy scripture to gather some thyng into a shorte some which should be set forth for all men to beleue whiche is not added to the scriptures but rather takeÌ„ out of the scriptures SCotus in the prologe of sentences que 2. Question Whether knowledge about nature sufficient for a man in this lyfe be sufficientlye sette forth in the holy scripture The Question is not whether any thynges bee true that are not written or whether god sence the creacion and redemption of the worlde hath done or sayd any thyng that is not wrytten and receyued of the Churche for the holye scripture but thys is the questyon whether the worde of god wrytten be sufficient for our saluacioÌ„ or whether a Christen man be bounde to beleue any thyng that cannot he proued bi the holy scripture And thys grauÌ„ted that all thynges that may be gathered out of the scripture and euery thyng that vpon any trueth graunted maye bâ— proued by a good argumeÌ„t of the scripture doth pertayne to the holy scripture this graunted I say he concludeth that all thynges necessarye for our saluacion are fully conteyned in the holy scripture ¶ The schole authors call the staye of our faith the trueth shewed of God and conteyned in the Canon of the Bible ¶ That the general counsels withoute the worde of god are not sufficiente to make articles of oure fayth ¶ The .iii. Chapter EVsebius in his ecclesiastical historie lib. 1. Cap. 8. The head rulers of the churche forgettynge gods commaundementes were inflamed one againste another wyth contencyon zeale enuy pride malice and hatred so that they thoughte rather that they occupied the rome of tiraÌ„nes then of priestes And also forgettinge Christian humilite and sincerite they did celebrate the holy misteries wyth vnholy handes GRegorye Nazianzen to Procopius Vndoubtedli I thiÌ„k thus if I must nedes wryt the truth that al assembles of Byshoppes are to be eschued For I neuer sawe good end of any synode that did not rather bryng in euils then put them awaye for the lustes of stryfe and desyer and of lordshyp reigne there AVgustine in his lib. 2. Capit. 3. agaynst the Donatists The couÌ„sels which are kept through euery region or prouince wythout all clokinges ought to geue place to the generall counselles whiche are made of all Christendome yea and the former generall counsels oughte ofttimes to be reformed by the latter counsels if any thynge in them dooe chaunce to erre from the trueth AVgustine against Maximinum the bishop of the Arrians lib. 3 Ca. 4. But now neither ought I to alledge the counsel of Nice nor thou the couÌ„sel of Arimine to tak aduauÌ„tage therby for neyther am I bounde nor helde by the authorite of this nor thou of that Lette matter with matter cause wyth cause or reason with reasoÌ„ trye the matter by the aucthorite of scriptures not proper witnesses to any of vs but indifferent witnesses for vs both GErson We ought rather beleue the sayiÌ„g of any teacher armed with the Canonycall scripture then the Popes determynacyon THe same More tredite is to be geuen to a maÌ„ that is singularlye learned in the Scripture bryngying forth catholyke aucthorite then to the generall counsel PAnormitan in cap. Significasti A simple laye man bryngynge forth the scriptures is to be beleued rather then an hole counsel For a counsell may erre as it hath afore tymes erred as did the counsell of Melchildense and Aquisgranum of contracting of Matrimonie The councel of CoÌ„stance among other articles of Iohn Husband Hierome of Prage vniustly condemned condemned also this article for heresye that the two natures that is the diuinite and humanitie be one Chryst whych is a necessarye article of our fayth expressed in the Crede of Athanasius called qui cunque vult where it is red the right fayth is that we beleue and confesse that our Lorde Iesus Chryst the soÌ„ne of god is god and maÌ„ and a litle after lyke as the reasonable soule and the flesh is one man so god and maÌ„ is one Christ the same is also decreed by the counsell of Nice and dyuerse other catholike counsels and it is the doctrine of the churche at thys tyme. Finally it may be proued by the expresse word of god and yet these malycyous cleargy were not ashamed to condemne the same for an heresy Note here ieÌ„tle reader vnto what shameles and detestable heresyes theyr Popishe yea Antichristian general counsels haue falleÌ„ of the which they boast so much that they cannot erre and wherevpon cheÌ„fely they builde al their errours and heresyes Moreouer the most part of the good lawes and Canons be in
be taken as olde wyues fables the wordes of liars and fraye bugges of children neyther canne the soule beyng departed from the body walke in this earth For the soules of the righteous are in the hand of god and the soules of synners ar streight after their death caried awai Which is manifest by Lazarus and the ryche man The lord saieth also in another place this day shal they fetche away thy soule The soule therfore after it be departed from the body cannot waÌ„der here amongest vs. It may be proued by maniscripturs that the souls of the ryghteous cannot wander here after their death For Steuen sayd Lorde receiue my spirite And Paule desyered to be losed from the bodye and to be wyth CHRISTE Of the Patriarkes also the Scripture sayth he was laid vp wyth his fathers he dyed in a good age And that the soules of sinners canne not tarye here with vs harken to the ryche manne what he sayeth consyder what he asketh and obtayneth not But yf mens soules myghte bee conuersaunte here he woulde haue come as he desyered and haue certified his brethren of the tormentes in hell Of the whiche place of Scripture it is manyfeste that after the departynge from the bodye the soules are caryed into a certayne place from whence they cannot returne at their pleasure but loke for that terrible day of Iudgement HIerome in the .8 Ca. of Ieremy If you doubt of any thiÌ„g sayeth the prophete knowe that it is written that those nations whiche the lord shal scatter before thy face shal harken to dreames and sothsayers but the Lord thy god hath coÌ„maunded thee not so to doe but if you wil know thynges that be doubtful geue yourselues rather to the testimonies of the law the scriptures But if your congregacion wil not searche the worde of the lorde they shall not haue the lyghte of the trueth but shal wander in darkenesse of errors You ought to knowe thys that euery nacyon asketh counsell at theyr owne gods and enquireth of the deade for the health of the quicke but god hath geuen you the law for youre helpe so that you may say the soothsaying of the heathen which deceiue their worshippers is not lyke ours whyche is spoken oute of the lawe without any coste SAiÌ„ct Augustine also saith that the spirite of Samuel which the woman sorcerer raysed to Saul was not the soule of Samuel but the deuil which appeared in Samuels likenes for to deceiue Saul this doeth he proue both by euydente scriptures and stronge reasons ¶ Neyther are miracles able to proue our fayth ¶ The .vi. Chapter EXodus .7 8. The wise men and inchaunters of Pharao turned their roddes into serpentes and the waters of Egipt into bloode and made all the whole lande to swarme with frogges through their sorceries DEuteronum .13 If there aryse among you a Prophete or a dreamer of dreames and geue thee a signe or a woÌ„der and that signe or wonder which he hath sayed come to passe and then saye let vs got after straunge goddes which thou hast not knowen and let vs serue them Harken not vnto the wordes of that Prophet or dreamer of dreames For the lord thy god tempteth thee to wete whether ye loue the lorde your God wyth all youre hartes and all youre soules IEremye .23 Beholde here am I â–ª sayeth the LORDE agaynste those Prophetes that dare prophesye lyes and deceyue my people wyth their vanities and miracles â–ª whom I neuer sent nor coÌ„maunded MAth .7 Many shal saye to me in those dayes LORDE haue we not prophesyed in thy name haue we not caste oute deuils in thy name and then it shall bee answered them I neuer knewe you departe from me you children of iniquite MAth .12 An euyll and froward generacyon saketh a sygne and there shall no sygne bee geuen to them but the signe of Ionas the Prophete MAthewe .24 There shall a rise false CHRISTES and false Prophetes and shal shewe greate miracles and wonders in so muche that if it were possyble euen the verye electe shoulde bee disceaued but take you hede beeholde I haue shewed you al thynges before THessa .2 The commyng of that wicked one meaniÌ„g Antichrist shalbe after the working of Sâ—than with all lyenge power signes and wonders and wyth al disceit of vnrighteousnesse of them that shall peryshe beecause they receaued not the loue of the trueth that they myght be saued And therefore God shal sende them stronge delusyoÌ„s that they myght beleue lyes that all they myght be damned which beleued not the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnes ACtes .8 Simon Magus an in chaunter by his wonders bewitched the Samaritans ACtes .13 Elimas the sorcerer had of long tyme deceyued the Antiochians Read the stories IRene lib .1 Telleth of a certen Iugler called Marke whiche in the sacrament of thankes geuing wonderfully deceaued the simple people For he so chaunged the coloure of wyne that it appeared vtterly to be bludde and a litel wine so increased through his Iugling that the chalyce was fylled and ranne ouer By this Iugling it is playne inough that those myracles that be alledged of many men for the real presence in the sacrament of the alter doe not confyrme their error but be very delusions of the deuyl or of his iuglyng ministers CHrysostome in his .4 9. Homilie vpoÌ„ the .24 of Math. Afore time it was knoweÌ„ which wer true Christen men and which false by miracles but how were the false knowen Because they could not worke such or lyke miracles as true ChristeÌ„ men did but they wroughte vaine thinges making men to wonder but bringing no profit at al. But the Christians did miracles which not onelye brought wonders but also profyte by these they were knowen whyche were true Christians and whyche false But now workyng of miracles is vtterly taken awaye Yea couÌ„terfet miracles are rather founde amonge them that be false Chrystians as Peter declareth in Clement Antichriste shal haue full power geuen him to worke great miracles THe same in his first oracyon agaynste the Iewes vpoÌ„ thys place of Deutero .13 If there a rise among you a Prophete or a dreamer of dreames c. That that he saith sayeth Chrysostome is thys if any Prophete saye I can rayse a dead maÌ„ and geue syghte to a blinde man obey me let vs worship deuils let vs do sacrifice to Idols moreouer if a man speake thus that he can geue the bliÌ„d his syghte rayse the deadâ— yea though he doe these thynges beleue him not for the Lord trieng thee suffereth him to doe them not that he knewe not thy mynd but to geue thee occasyon of tryall whether thou loue God in dede THe same in Iohn Cap. 2. In the ende of the .22 Homilie Ther be some doubtles now a daies that aske why men worke no miracles now If thou be faithful as thou oughtest to be if thou loue Christ as he shoulde be loued thou nedest
who doubteth but custōe ought to geue place to the manifeste trueth THe same in the sameplace Let no man preferre custome aboue trueth reasō For truth and reason doe euer exclude custome GRegorius to Guelmunde the Byshoppe .2 Distinct. Siconsuetudo If thou chaunce to lay custome agaynst me thou must take heede what the lorde sayeth I am the way the truth and the lyfe He did not say I am custome but the trueth NIcolas the Pope to Ignatyus the reuereute Byshoppe .8 Distinc An euil custome is no les to be auoyded then an hurtefull corrupcyon whiche excepte it be plucked vp the soner by the rootes it wyl bee taken of the vngodly for a lawe ¶ Reasons agaynste vnwritten verites ¶ The .viii. Chapter THe olde testamente was sufficient for the Iewes and why shall not bothe the newe and olde suffice vs CHriste and the Apostles proued al their doctrynes by the law and Prophetes What an arrogancye is it then in vs to teache anyethynge whiche we can neyther proue by the law the Prophetes the Apostles nor the Euangelistes THe deuill when he tempted Chryst was not so farre past al shame to perswade any thynge wythout the testimonye of the scriptures althought he dyd as hys deare children the papistes do falsely alledge them wrest them from theyr true meanyng to a contrarye sense and also cut of that whiche shoulde make against him or declare the true meaning of the scriptures THis word vnwritten verites is a new terme lateli inuēted now here heard or red amōg the olde wryters of which thei could not haue bene ignoraunt if ther had bene any such thing nedefull to saluacyon AL contēcion which the olde fathers had with heretikes was for the scriptures whiche heretikes partly denied as Marciō Mālcheus Faustus partly they wrongly expunded but for thyngs whych are not conteined in the scriptures they neuer accused any man of heresye IF there were any worde of god besyde the scripture we coulde neuer be certeine of gods word and if we be incertayne of gods word the deuill myghte brynge in amonge vs a newe worde a newe doctryne a newe fayth a new churche a newe god yea himselfe to be god as he hath already done in the popysh kyngdōe For thys is the foundacyon of Antichristes kyngdome to settle hymselfe in gods temple whyche is the hearte and conscience of man of hym to be feared and worshypped as thoughe he were god himselfe If the churche and the Christyan fayth did not staie it selfe vpon thē worde of god certayne as vpon a suer and strong foundacion no man coulde know whether he had a ryght faith and whether he wer in the true churche of Chryste or in the synagog of Sathan IF we be bounde to beleue certaīe thinges delyuered from the Apostles by word of mouth only wythout writyng as thei wold make vs beleue but what those thynges bee no man can tel It shold hereof folow that we are bound to beleue we wote not what WYthout fayth it is not possible to please god and fayth cōmeth by hearyng of gods word Ergo where gods worde lacketh ther can be no fayth ALmightie god a fore he gaue to Moses the law writtē of the .x commaundements wherin he fully taught the true worshippinge of him as it wer a preservatyue agaīst a plage or a poisō to cōe gaue thē this no table lessō worthy alway to be had in memory you shall adde nothīg to the words c. and agaīe he oftē times repeteth the same sētēce both in the law and the Prophetes in the gospels the Epistles of the Apostles And because his people shold neuer forget it Saynct Iohn cōmaundeth the same in the last wordes of all the new testament threatning terrible plages that is the losse of his euerlastyng Ioies of heauen and the payne of eternal fier of hell to al them that eyther put to or take aughte from the worde of God ¶ Scriptures alledged by the Papystes for vnwrytten verites wyth answers to the same ¶ The .ix. Chapter WHere .ii. or .iii. be gathered in my name there am I in the myddest of them But Christe can not erre for he is the trueth it selfe ergo thei cannot erre in their Sinodes conuocations and generall counsels beeyng gathered together in hys name CHrist said when .ii. or .iii. be gathered in my name c. and to be gathered in hys name is in our assembles to seke his onely glorye and not ours to doe all thynges by his prescript word For not eueri one that sayeth vnto me Lorde Lord shall enter c. As witches charmers necromansers and coniurars vse theyr wycked artes all in the name of God and Christ and yet is not Christ with them For the .vii. sōnes of Sceua the chief Priest of the Iewes wēt about to cast out euyll spirited in the name of Iesus whom Paule preached but yet Chryste was not with them but the wycked spirite whyche wounded them and draue them awaye naked Moreouer all forgers of wyles counterfetters of false instrumentes and iudges geuyng false sentences in the ecclesiasticall lawe they beginne wyth this glorious titel in the name of god Amen Therfore sprang this old prouerbe in the name of God begynneth al mischief and yet Christ is with nōe of these though they pretende to dooe al these thinges in hys name Christe saith also many shal prophesie in my name and cast out deuils worke miracles in my name and then wil I cōfesse to thē that I neuer knewe you◠Reade Euscbius and Athanasius and you shall there see what pride contencion hatred malice enuy and desrer to beare rule reigned in the counsels of the cleargi at those daies not much past .iiii. C. yeres after Chryst. What thynke you they woulde saye if they saw our counsels where the Romish Antichrist triumpheth no doubt that though an Angell from heauen preach any other c. Here you wyll replye agayne Christ saith where .ii. or .iii. ar gathered c. Now in euery counsell are not onelye .ii. or .iii. learned and godly men but many Ergo they cannot erre I graunt that in euery general counsel be many good men which doe not erre nor are deceiued and yet it foloweth not that the whole councell cannot erre For in councels the more parte is taken for the whole shynges be there determined and ordered not by reason learnyng and authoritie of the word of god but by sioutnes wisfulnes and consent of the more part In those counsels where be mo euill and wicked men then good godli it commeth often tymes to passe that iniquite hauing the vpper hāde the greater part ouercōmeth the better yet the good mē nothererre nor cōset to these errours concluded by the wicked and the more part but resist and speake agaīst thē to the vtmost of their power not without great daūger of their liues yea sōetimes it costeth thē their liues
like wyse to be punished as the breakers of gods law Of which thinges if thou wylte dispute and reproue one custome by another there shal aryse an endlesse strife He repeteth also this sentence manye tymes that what so euer is vniuersally obserued not writtē in the scripture nor ordained by general coūcels is a tradiciō come from the Apostles ANswere him as Tertullyan yet of all other authors he is most playne that nothing is of necessite to saluacion besydes the Scriptures of God But let vs graunt for their pleasures that those customes whiche they speake of bee tradiciōs Apostolyke yet they bee no longer nor other waies to be obserued then the tradiciōs Apostolike writtē Which as is before fully proued mai and are already be both chaunged clearly taken awaye And as concernyng custome it is playnlye proued that it is not to be receaued agaynste the Scrypture trueth or reason THey sai moreouer that the perpetuall virginite of our Lady is to be beleued of necessite as Ciprian Chrisostome Ierome Ambrose Austen and all other speakyng therof say But this is not founde in the scripture ergo there is some thīg to be beleued that is not written in the Scripture THe minor that is to say that thys is not written in the scripture is false For firste none of the old authours that rehearce tradiciōs of the Apostles vnwrytten make mencion of the perpetual virginite of our ladye to be one of them but they rehearce only diuerse cerimonies or bodelye gestures and suche rites vsed in Baptisme prayers holy dayes and fastynges which as I haue manyfestly declared are not necessary to saluacyon But the most part of them are cleane taken away and the contrarye commaunded and vsed by the vniuersall churche Moreouer all the sayed authours proue her perpetuall virginite by thys texte of Scripture EZechiell 44. Thys doore shalbe styll shutte and not opened for any man to goe thorowe it but only for the Lord god of Israel yea he shall goe thorowe it els shal it be shut still For if these and suche other fathers had not iudged her perpetuall virginite to haue been wrytten in the scriptures they woulde neuer haue iudged it to haue bene a thing to be beleued vnder payne of damnacyon Sainct Ierome also calleth Heluidiū a rashe and an vngodly man because that he taught that our Ladye hadde other children by Ioseph after Christs birth which doctrine he coulde not proue by the scriptures of god In like maner we cal al them that preache a ny doctrine in the church without the Authorite of gods worde both vngodly rashe and wicked members of Antichrist ARgument Yet they bring forth to maintaine their errour the Baptisme of infantee which they say is not contained in the scriptures and yet this is to be obserued vpō paine of dānaciō of the said childrē Ergo there is sōe thyng to be done of necessite to our saluacion that is not contained in the scriptures ON what a gappe these men open both to the Donatistes to the Anabaptists that deny the baptising of infantes For if it were not writtē in the worde of god no manne ought to beleue it or vse it And so the Donatistes Anabaptistes doctryne were true outs false But in dede the baptisme of infaūtes is proued by the playne scriptures Firste by the figure of the old law which was circūcisiō Infātes in the olde law were circūcised Ergo in the newe lawe they ought to be baptised Againe Infātes pertaine to god as it is said to Abrahā I wil be thy god the god of thy sede after thee Christ saith also suffer children to come to me for of such is the kingdome of heauen And agayne see that ye despice not one of these lytle ones for their Aūgels in heauen alwayes behold the face of my father which is in heauē for the sōne of māiscōe to saue that that is lost And agaīe Paule sayth that youre children art holy nowe By these and many other playne wordes of Scripture it is euidente that the Baptysme of infantes is grounded vpon the holye scriptures FVrthermore the churche saye they hath chaunged the Sabboth daye into the Sondaye whych Sabboth was commaunded by God and neuer man found fault there at Seeyng thē that the church hath authorite to chaunge Goddes lawes muche more it hath authorite to make newe lawes necessarie to saluacion THere bee 2. partes of the Sabboth day One is the outward bodely reste from all maner of labour and worke and this is were ceremoniall and was taken awaye with other sacrifices and ceremonies by Christ at the preaching of the gospell The other part of the Sabboth day is the inwarde rest or ceassing frō sinne from our own wils and lusts and to do only gods wil and commaūdementes Of this part speaketh the Prophet Esai He that taketh hede that he vnhalow not the sabboth day is he that kepeth himselfe that he doe no euyl and they that hold greatly of the thing that pleaseth me and kepe my couenaūte vnto them wil I geue an euerlastyng name that shall not peryuse And moreouer the same Prophete sayeth If thou turne thy feete from the sabboth so that thou doe not the thing which pleaseth thy selfe in my holy daye Then shalte thou be called vnto the pleasaunt holy and gloryous sabboth of the Lorde where thou shalte be in honor so that thou do not after thine own imaginacions nether seke thine own wil nor speake thyne owne wordes Then shalt thou haue thy pleasure in the Lord whiche shall carry the hyghe aboue the earth and fede thee with the heritage of Iacob thy father for the Lords own mouth hath spoken it This spirituall Sabboth that is to abstayne from synne and to doe good are all men bounde to kepe all the dayes of their life and not only on the sabboth day And this spirituall sabboth may no man alter nor chaung no not the whole church That the vtter obseruinge of the sabboth is mere cerimonial sainct Paul writeth plainly as that the holy daies of the newe mone and of the sabboth daies are nothinge but shadowes of thinges to come And that the outwarde bodely rest is a mere cerimoniall precept S. Austine also affirmeth saying that amōg all the ten commaundements this only that is spoken of the sabboth is cōmaūded figuratiuely but al the other commaundements we must obserue playnly as they be cōmaunded with out any figuratyue speche IErome also to the Galathians 4. accordyng to the same sayeth leste the congregaciō of the people with out good order shoulde dimmishe the faith in Christ therfore certaine daies wer appointed wherin we should cōe together not that that daye is holyer then the other in whiche we come together but that what soeuer day we assemble in there might aryse greater ioye by the sight of one of vs to another But he that wil
is the true church the very spouse of god Christ beÌ„ig the head therof But how many and who of that nomber that heare the word of god and receiue the sacramentes be gods elect and church and true meÌ„bers of Chryst is knoweÌ„ to god onelye For the Lorde knoweth who he his and no man can tell of an other man whether he be worthy loue or hatred although their works seme neuer so holy and gloryous afore men so great a wytch is Ipocrisie LAst of al to make all coke suer and to maintaine their Idolatrye besyde yea and also contrarye to the worde of GOD as itruocacion and prayinge to Saynctes worshyppyng of Images reliques with pilgrimages and offerynges the sacrifice of the masse for the quick and the dead and pardons to delyuer dead mens soules from purgatory holy breade holy water ashes palms and suche other baggage they alledge reuelacions of Aungels of our Ladye and other sainctes and dead mennes soules appearyng to diuers men and wemen bidding them to cause certen masses trentalles pilgrimages and offering to Images and reliques of this and that saincte to bee done for them and they shoulde be delyuered from the fier of purgatorye where the paynes be greater say they than mans wit can comprehende And whaÌ„ suche masses pilgrimages with offringes to suche sainctes reliques and images be done for them they appear to the same persons agayne sayinge that by suche meanes they be deliuered out of purgatory into the eternal ioyes of heauen they tel also of many wonders and straunge miracles to proue their doctrine in all these afore sayed thynges to be true And because they haue great profyte and aduauÌ„tage therby they counting gains godlynes haue fylled all theyr bookes with suche vanites and lyes of which some be so fonde so directly againste gods glory that the most earneste papistes hauing either learnyng or wit be ashamed of theÌ„ Yea and the pope himselfe hath cleane put them out of gods seruice vsed in the churche of Rome and yet must we reade them beleue them as necessarye articles of our fayth or els burne therfore lyke heretikes BY theÌ„ manifest and plaine words of the Scriptures and the consent of the most auncyente authours before written it is euydente that neither the visions of Aungels apparitions of the dead nor miracles nor all these together ioyned in one are able or sufficient to make anye one newe article of our fayth or stablyshe any thyng in religion wythout the expresse wordes of god because that all such thyngs as is before proued may be yea and haue been throughe gods permission for oure sinnes and vubelefes sake done by the power of the deuill hymselfe or fayned and counterfeited of hys lyuelye members Monkes and Friers with other such hipocrites But what shal sathan nede to tell oracles vse visions shew apparitioÌ„s or worke miracles now a daies what should he nede to toyle herin himself or why should he not like a gentle maÌ„ take his ease in his inne seing his subtil seruauÌ„tes Monkes Friers NoÌ„nes and other Pope holye hipocrites can and doe counterfeit such thynges day lye and from their beginning hath doÌ„ diligently parâ—e whereof I shall rehearse About fourtene yeares paste at OrleaÌ„ce in Fraunce the Profestes wife died willing to beburied at the friers in the same citie without poÌ„pe or other solemnite coÌ„monly vsed at burialles Wherfore the friers fearinge to lease a great pray if this shoulde be suffered to enter into the heades of the people caused a younge frier to speake in a vawte in a womaÌ„s voice many people hearinge it sayd that she was the soule of the Profests wife condemned in hell for contemnyng of the suffrages of the holy churche commaunding also her body to be cast out of Christian buriall But the profeste so boolted out the mater that the yoÌ„g frier confessed the place and the maner of his speaking and all the friers were openly punished for that fault in the common market at Orleance But let vs come home to oure owne realme of Englande About .xxx. yers paste in the borders of wales wythin a Priory called Lymster there was a younge woman called the holy maide of Lymster whiche as the faÌ„e was lyued onely by Aungels foode and was enclosed wythin a grate of Irone Vnto whom certain daies when the Prior of the place sayede masse the thirde parte of the hoste went hanging in the ayer by miracle as it semed from the aulter wher the Prior massed into the maids mouth whiche thing broughte the people into a great opinion of holynes in her and caused great pilgrimage to be ther vsed But when the Lord of Burgauenny with his brother sir Edward â—euel and diuerse other ientle men ientle wemeÌ„ came to trye the trueth her of thei caused the doore to be opened and strayghte wayes the dogges fought for bones that wer vnder her bedde Whervpon they searching farther founde a priuye doore whereby the Prior myght resort to her and she to hym at their pleasures And then the confessed that she made as it wer .ii. fine thredes of her own heres siÌ„gly tyed together wyth fyne knottes and then made a bigge hole with a bed kin thorowe the corner of a quarter of the hoste and fastened one ende of the sayed heere to the corporas where the sayed Prior sayd masse and the other ende to her own bedde wherein the laye tyed the other heer faste to the quarter of the hoste and wrapped the other ende aboute her own finger And wheÌ„ the Prior had receiued his porcion of the hoste she woÌ„de vy the threde wherto the hoste was tyed vpon her fingers and so coÌ„ueyed the ost into her mouth Thys both the Prior and she confessed and dyd open penaunce for the same To Sainct Albans about .xxviii. yeares past came a mayde crepyng vpon her knees and lening vpon .ii. short staues enquiring after Sainct AlbaÌ„s boÌ„es affirminge that she shoulde bee made whole and goe vpright so sone as she should come to the place where saiÌ„ct Albans bones were In token wherof an Aungell had deliuered her a keye wherby she should certenlye knowe where his verye bones were And when she passed thus throughe the streates of Sainct Albans creping on her knees till she came to Sainte Albans shrine after she had made her prayers deuoutly there she toke out the key of her purse whiche she sayed an Angel had deliuered to her and theÌ„ she stode vpright opened the shrine with the sayd key and then kneled agayne to pray and to geue thankes to god and sainct AlbaÌ„e for her healing geuing her streÌ„gth to walke whiche was borne laÌ„e And by the moÌ„kes would haue had it roÌ„ge for a miracle but some wiser men thought it mete to trye the matter better to examine her further before they teÌ„pted to riÌ„ge a miracle opÌ„enly And vpon her examinacion the sayd that she had bene lame from her