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
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
bedell cryeth openly to al theÌ„ that be in the court so due we preache openly but on that condicion that we adde nothynge but preache only that thing that we haue hearde For the office of a cryar is to speake out those thynges that be committed to him and not to adde chauÌ„ge or take away any thyng THe same vpon the latter Epistle to Timothe the. 3. cap. Therefore neither ought ther to be beleued at all excepte they speake those thyngs which be agreable to the scriptures THe same vpon the. 20. cap. of Iohn Homilia 89. But why did not the Apostles wryte all thyngs Chefely because of the multytude of them More ouer they dyd coÌ„syder that he which would not beleue these woulde not beeleue more but he that beseueth these nede no more to attayne fayth THe same vpon Genesis the. 12. Homilie The holye scripture expoundeth it selfe and suffereth not the hearer to erre THe same in the same boke the 21. Homilie Neither hath the scripture of God any nede of mans wisdome that it may be vnderstande but the reuelacion of the holy gost that the true meaning beyng sucked thereout great aduantage maye growe to vs therby HIeronymus in the prologe of the bible to Paulme After he had recited the bookes of the new testament and the olde he saith I pray thee dere brother among these lyue muse vpon these know nothing els seke for none other thyng AGayne vpon the bokes of the olde and new testament These writiÌ„ges be holye these bokes be souÌ„de both in nomber and aucthoritie ther is none other to be compared to these whatsoeuer is besides these may in no wise be receued amoÌ„g these holy thiÌ„gs AGayne vpon the firste Cap. of Agge All other thynges which they seke oute and inuente at their own pleasure without the aucthorite testimonie of the scriptures as thoughe they were the tradicions of the Apostles the sweord of god cutteth of AGayne in his litell commentaryes to the Galathians vpon this place condescend to no maÌ„ this perswasion is not of god which hath called you thus he iÌ„terpreteth it ye ought neither to consente to them nor to me without the worde of god AGaine vpoÌ„ Math. the. 13. cap. vpoÌ„ thys place euery learned scribe What so euer the Apostles preached they coÌ„firmed it by the Oracles of the lawe and prophetes THe same to Minerius Alexander Not accordinge to Pithagoras disciples the opinion geuen sentence vpoÌ„ afore hand by the doctours but the reason of the doctrine is to be wayed but if any man that is of a coÌ„trary secte doe murmure why I read their exposicioÌ„s vnto whose doctriÌ„es I doe not coÌ„sente let hym know that I willingly heare this of the Apostle proue all thinges but cleane to that which is good and the wordes of our sauyour saieng be ye tryed bankers and if any mony be counterfayted haue not the Emporours staÌ„pe nor be currante mony refuse it but that that sheweth the face of Chryst in the cleare lyghte bestowe it in the purse of your hart THe same vpon Math. 23 cap. That whiche hath none aucthoritie of the scriptures may as easely be reiected as proued THe same in the Psalme 98. All â—hat euer we speake we ought to proue it by the scriptures THe same in the Psalme 86. The lord shal speak in the scriptures of the people c. howe shal he speake not wyth words but wyth scriptures of those princes that wer in it that is of the Apostles and Euangelistes And marke what he saieth of those princes that were in it not whiche are So that the Apostles except what soeuer shalbe spoken afterward let it be cut of and haue none aucthorite Be a maÌ„ threfore neuer so holy be he neuer so wel learned after the Apostles he hath none aucthorite for the Lord speaketh in the scriptures of those princes that were in it AMbrosius of virgins lib. 3. ca. 1 We iustly do condemne al new thynges whiche Chryste hath not taught for Chryste is the waye to the faythfull If therefore we oure selues preache any thyng that Chryst hath not taught iudge that abominable THe same in the psalme 118. The worde of god is the liuely meat of our soules with the which it is norished fedde and gouerned neyther is there any thynge els that maketh a reasonable soule to liue but the worde of god THe same in his boke of Paradise Cap. 12. By that whych Eua added to the word of god thou shalt not touche c we do learn how much this present lesson putteth vs in rememberaunce that we ought to adde nothyng to the worde of god yea though it bee for a good purpose For if thou put to or take awaye any thing it appeareth to bee a traÌ„sgressioÌ„ of the coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t for there ought nothiÌ„g to be added although it seÌ„e good THe same in the Epistle to the Galathians Capit. i. Neyther sayth the Apostle if thei preach contrary but if thei preach any thing besides that that we haue preached that is if they adde any thing to it at al â—olde them accursed Neyther doe I except my selfe if I put to any thiÌ„g besyde that which was preched afore THe same in the same place He doth affirme the gospel whiche he had preached vnto them to be so firme and true that althoughe it should chaunce themselues that is to say the Apostles beeinge chaunged to preache any other thinge he teacheth that they oughte not to be heard AVgustine of the coÌ„seÌ„t of the EuaÌ„gelistes He that seÌ„t the Prophets before his incarnacioÌ„ the same seÌ„t also his Apostles after his asceÌ„sioÌ„ yea by that maÌ„hod whych he toke vpoÌ„ him he is the head of all his discipls which ar meÌ„bers of his bodi therfore forasmuch as thei wrot those thiÌ„gs which he shewed taught theÌ„ it ought not to be sayed that he wrote them not seynge that hys members wrote that which they knew by their head teaching them For what so euer he would haue vs to read both of his dedes and wordes that commaunded he them to write as his handes of his body Whoso euer doth perceaue this felowship of vnite and agremente of members ministering vnder one head in diuerse offices he shall none other waies take that that he readeth in the gospel the disciples declaryng it then if he had sene the very haÌ„d of the lord which he bare in his own body wryting it THe same to VinceÌ„t against the Donatistes the .6 tom pag. 116. Epistola 48. We therefore for this cause are certayne and suer that no man ought to wythdraw himselfe froÌ„ the communion of al meÌ„ And let none of vs seke the churche in our own righteousnes but in the holy scripture THe same to the Mandarens Epistle 42. Al that euer oure elders made mencion of to be doÌ„e towardes mankinde in times past
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
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
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
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 be in the hole worlde either to doe any thyng of those that be forbidden or els to leaue vndone any thyng of them that be commaunded seeynge that the lord hath once commaunded sayd whatsoeuer I coÌ„maunde you that take heade ye doe c. But of those thinges that are not expressed the Apostle Paul hath geuen vs a rule sayinge I maye dooe all thinges but all thynges are not expedient I may doe all thinges but all thynges edyfye not ISychius vpon Leuiticus lib. 5. cap. 16. Let vs which woulde haue any thyng obserued of god searche no more but that whiche the gospell doth geue vnto vs. CHrysostome vpon the. 24. cap. of Math. Homilia 49. When you shall set the abominable desolacion stande in the holye place that is when you shall see vngodlye heresye which is the armye of Antichrist stande in the holy places of the churche in that tyme let thâ— whiche are in Iury â—â—ye vnto the hilles that is let them that be in Christendome resort vnto the scriptures For like as the true Iewe iâ— a Christian as the Apostle sayth he is not a Iewe which is outward c. in lyke maner the very Iurie is Christianitie the hilles ar the scriptures of the Apostles and prophetes And why doth he commaunde all Chrystians at that tyme to resortâ— to the scriptures for in thys time siÌ„ce heresy hath preuayled in the churche there can be none other profe of true Christianite neyther can there be any other refuge for Christen men wyllyng to know the truth of the ryghte fayth but onely vnto the holye scriptures Beefore tyme it was shewed by many other meanes whiche was the true church of Chryste whiche Gentilite but now there is no waye to knowe it And why for all those thynges which pertayne to Chryst in dede haue the heretiks in their Schisme likewise churches likewise the scriptures of god likewise Bishops and other orders of clarkes and lykewyse Baptisme and the Sacrament of thankes geuinge and to conclude Chryst hym selfe Wherfore he that will knowe whiche is the true church of Chryste in thys so great a confusioÌ„ of thinges beyng so lyke how shal he know it but only by the scriptures It was also knowen which was the true churche of Chryste by their maners when the conuersacion of Chrysten men either of all or many was holy whyche was not amonge the heathen But nowe CHRISTEN menne are beecome lyke or worse then the gentiles or heretâ—kes yea and there is more continencye founde amongest them then amongest Chrystyans Therefore he that wil knowe whiche is the true church of Chryst wherby shal he knowe it but onelye by the scriptures The lord therfore knowyng that so great a confusion of thyngs shold come in the later tyme commaundeth that Chrysten men that be willinge to knowe the ryghte fayth shold flie to none other thiÌ„ges but onely to the scriptures For if theâ— loke vpon any other thyng but onely the scriptures they shalbe offended perishe not perceauing whych is the true churche and so fall into the abominable desolacyon whiche standeth in the holy places of the churche THe same in the vnperfect worke â–ª Hath cap. 7. Euerye preacher is a seruaunte of the lawe which may neyther adde any thynge abouâ— the law of hys own mynd nor wythdrawe any thyng after his owâ—e vnderstanding but preache that thing only that is had in the law as Salomon sateth thou shalt adde nothyâ—ge to the worde of god nor take aughte therefrom THe same of the holy gost tom 3 If you see any man saying that I haue the holy gost and not spekyng the gospel but his own that maÌ„ speaketh of himselfe and the holi gost is not in hym And after If any of theÌ„ therfore which sayeth he hath the holy gost and speaketh any thyng of him selfe and not forth of the gospel say folowe my counsell beleue hym not THe same in the. 7. of Math. Homily 19. Vpon this texte by their fruites ye shal knowe them The fruites of man is the confession of his fayth and the workes of his conuersacion If thou therefore â–ª shalt see a Christen man forth wyth consider if his confession agree wyth the scriptures he is a true Christian but if not he is as Chryste sayd false For so Iohn whan he wrote his Epistell of the heretikes sayd not if anye come vnto you not hauing the name of Chryst bydde him not God spede but if any bryng not thys doctryne THe same in the same place the. 22. Cap. and â–ª 42. Homilie Let vs first alledge the aucthorite of the scriptures to the false forgers afterwarde let vs shewe them reasons and to them that aske for any maner of purpose fyrste let vs declare vnto them the reason and afterwarde the aucthorite that we maye pacifie them with reason and stablish them with aucthorite For we oughte to confute false interpreters and instruct them that searche THe same vpon the last of the Romanes vpon thys texte I beseche you brethren He saith that dissensions and slaunders that is to saye heresyes are broughte in of those whiche brynge any thyng beâ—sydes the doctrine and learnyng of the Apostles THe same vpon the latter Epistle to Timothe the. 3. Cap. There is nothyng that can not be determined by the scriptures to reproue if it be to bee reproued that is to saye lyes to correcte and to teache in righteousnes If it be nedeful saith he that any thyng should be corrected or instructed that is to be made contynent and sober vnto righteousnesse to execute those thinges that be iuste al that shall be geuen by the scripture that the man of god maye be perfecte the amendment sayeth he is prepared by the scriptures that nothyng maye be lacking to that man that walketh after god THe same vpoÌ„ math 22. Cap. Homilie 4. Whatso euer is required for our saluacioÌ„ is already coÌ„tamed in the holi scriptures He that is ignoraÌ„t shal find ther what he may learne He that is stubburne a siÌ„ner may finde there scourges of the iudgementes to come the whiche he maye feare he that is troubled maye fynde there the ioyes and promyses of euerlastynge lyfe through the beholdynge of the whyche he maye bee styrred to good workes THe same vpoÌ„ the. 2. of the Thessalo 2. cap. Al things be plaine and cleare in the scriptures what things so euer be nedeful be manyfest there THe same vpon the. 2. to Timoâ—the 3. ch If there be any thiÌ„g nedefull to be knowen or not to be knowen we shal learne it by the holy scriptures if we shal nede to reproue a falsed we shal fetche it from theÌ„ce if to be corrected to be chastned to be exhorted or coÌ„forted to be short if aught lacke that ought to be taught or learned we shall also learne it out of the same scriptures The same Homily 1. Titum Like as the
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
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