and vpoÌ„ this matter agaynste Heluidiê° alledged not one texte of the scrypture to proue this truth but onely dyd make answere to the auctorities that Heluidiê° mysse toke for his purpose the which he did as Erasmus In argumeÌ„ to epistoâ—e illius sayeth truely because the scrypture spake nothyng of that thynge but it was set forth and lefte to the church by the holy apostles tradicion Certaynlye yf the prophet Ezechiels texte alleged before of Bullynger coulde haue proued that our blessed ladye was a virgyn to the ende of her lyfe saynte Hierome wolde haue alledged it to that purpose synce he expowned that whole pphet and therfore for as moche as he dyd not recyte it to yâ— ende it may appere that he sawe that it made nothynge at al to proue that thyng But this of this veryte vnwrytten delyuered from the apostles to vs by mouth wtout any expresse worde of scrypture speakynge therof Further we beleue as iÌ„ dede we are bouÌ„d The crede of the apostles to do that the holy .xii. apostles made a certayne crede called in latyn symboluÌ„ apostoloruÌ„ as S. CypriaÌ„ affirmeth expowning it because euery one of them made an artycle therof and yet it can not be proued by the scrypture that they made any suche Rufinus aquiliensis saynte Austen In exposâ—illiê° August sermo 10. de penteco c. in ramis palmarum Lyprianus in symbo apost ait Tenet fidel traditio saÌ„ctaÌ„ ecclesiaÌ„ diuers other do wytnesse that the apostles wrote that crede thys article I beleue the holye church catholyke whyche is coÌ„teined in it can not be proued by any texte of the scrypture If we shulde beleue nothynge that is not expressely namely set forth in the holye scrypture then we shulde not beleue that christ the sonne of god is equall wyth hys father of the same nature substance power for Ariê° denyed it because he saw nothyng in the scrypture namely to proue it as saynte Athanasius wrytynge agaynst hym affyrmeth playnly Lib 2 dispâ— in arianos Where fynde ye sayed Arius thys worde homousios that betokeneth one that is of lyke or the same substaÌ„ce in al the scripture Dasillê° cp 78. Si vero quis dixerit exaiteta essentia et substaÌ„tia esse filiuÌ„ euÌ„ reprobat as detestatur catholica et apostolica ecclesia O. did est satis ad illius hereseos explosionem was he not as foolyshe as many nowe are many now as then he was / which do euer aske where fyndeste thou that in the scrypture Saynt Athanasius and the great councel holden at Nicea wyth as manye as haue written against yâ— heresie which holdeth yâ— the sonne is not equal wyth hys father haue made answeare vnto the arryans that albeit this worde or name homousios signifiynge that christe the sonne is of one nature and substaunce wyth hys father is not put forth expressely in gods holy worde yet the scrypture alloweth and proueth the thynge it selfe in dyuers places the which they iudged to be sufficyent as in dede it is not in thys matter oneâ—â—â— but in sundrye other as that there be three persons in the trinitie though it be not expressed in the scripture and therfore Sabelliê° denyed it yet yâ— scrypture doth fully and plenteouslye set the thynge it selfe forth Also that the holye gooste procedeth from the father and the sonne is not namely expressed in the scripture and for that cause the grecians and the Armenes denyed it and yet the scrypture proueth that thynge sufficiently as it is expowned of the holy doctours Wherfore it is peryllous to demaunde for the beliefe of euerye thynge receyued of vs where it is wrytten in the scrypture or howe can it be proued by the holy scrypture syth it is ynoughe that the scripture is not against it beynge receyued of the catholique churche or that the scrypturs dothe sette it forth as it is vnderstande and expowned of Tertulianê° de corona militis the holye churche and her doctours catholike In this matter concernyng the askyng of scrypture for the proufe of euery thing I wolde that euerye man wolde marke wel what the eldest latine doctour of christes church Tertulyan sayth therin whose wordes are these Cum quaeritur cur quid obseruetur obseruari interim constat ergo nec nullum nec incertum videri potest delictuÌ„ quod coÌ„mittitur in obseruationem suo nomine vindicandam et satis autoratam consensus patrocinio That is to say When it is asked whyany thynge shulde be obserued it is euydente in the meane season the it is obserued Therfore it may seme some faulte a certen synne that is coÌ„mitted agaynste an obseruation whyche is to be defended by hyr name is sufficyentlye authorysed by the defence of consente These wordes do rubbe some men of thys oure tyme vpon the gall as also do Tertuliande corona militis those whyche now folow in thys olde authoure Quale est autem vt quis tuÌ„c in questioneÌ„ prouocet obseruationem cum ab ea excidit et tunc requirat vnde habuerit obseruationeÌ„ cuÌ„ ab ea desiit But what thynge is it sayeth he that anye man shulde then cal in to question or doubte an obseruation when he is fallen from it And then requyre froÌ„ wheÌ„se or wherof he had the obseruation when he hath lefte it Do not dyuers men euen after thys sort now among vs chrysteÌ„ people For we do forsake fastynge and dyuers other thynges longe kepte of al chrysten nations before we were borne / and then we call them in doubte / and aske what autoritie they be of and how they may be proued by scripture It is an easy thing to aske where is it written that we shulde faste the lent obserue any feastes kepe many other thynges not playnly namely set out in scrypture but we maye aske of them where is it wrytten that these thynges oughte not to be obserued ExpostulaÌ„tesenim scripturae patrocinium So reasoneth Tertulian in parte diuersa praeiudicaÌ„t suae quoque parti scripturae patrocinium adesse debere That is For they / askyng a defeÌ„ce or an eayd of scrypture in the coÌ„trary part do iudge before that the scryptures defence oughte to helpe theyr parte Habemus obseruationem inueteratam quae praeueniendo statum fecit Hanc si nulla scriptura determinauit certe coÌ„suetudo corroborauit quae sine dubio manauit detraditione Quomodo enim vsurpari quid potest si traditum non sit priê° Tthus maye be the englyshe We haue an olde obseruation whych coÌ„myng before hath made a state or a certayntie in it Thoughe no scrypture hath determyned thys obseruation yet at lest the custome hath streÌ„ghthened it or made it stronge whyche doubtles came of tradition For how maye any thynge be obserued or kepte yf it be not fyrste taught or delyuered by tradition Hitherto Tertulyan whyche was aboue M. ccc yeres xl before
¶ A brief treatyse settynge forth diuers truthes necessary both to be beleued of chrysten people kepte also whiche are not expressed in the scripture but left to the church by the apostles traditioÌ„ Made by Rychard Smyth doctour of diuinite reader of it iÌ„ Oxford I wyl kepâ—â—…aâ— fayth beyng an olde man in the whiche I was borne a chylde S. Hierome to PaÌ„machiê° and Oceanê° Entre ye in to couÌ„sayll and it shal be dasshed speake ye a worde and it shall not be done because god is with vs. Esaye .viii. M. D. xlvii CuÌ„ priuilegio ad imprimenduÌ„ soluÌ„ ⧠What is the argument or matter of thys booke IN thys booke good christen reader I do handle that matter which is now in this our tyme vndoutedly one of the most special poyntes that are in controuersye question and debate betwene vs the catholiques them that be our aduersaryes For vppon thys poynte hangeth nyghe all theyr whole holde to abolish extincte and take cleane awaye sundry dyuers godly necessary thynges whiche not onely nowe are / but haue bene also euen froÌ„ the apostles tyme beleued and kept in christes catholique churche For many men nowe commonly aske where we fynd in scripture that maÌ„ is bound to fast to kepe anye holye daye to honoure the mooste blessed sacramente of the aultare and so almoost of euery good thynge in lyke wyse Therfore when I sawe what howe great dycay of the fayth and of christen religion coÌ„meth of that vngodly opinion / whiche affirmeth that euery necessary truth is wrytten in the Bible or holye scripture I thoughte it good nedeful to confute and reproue that perillous belefe and to declare the cleane contrary which is that many thynges necessary both to be beleued and also obserued of vs christen people are not expressely wrytteÌ„ in the new and the olde testamente but are lefte to vs by the holy apostles and other the auncient fathers and godly mennes tradition Wherfore take wel in worth geÌ„tle reader thys myne indeuour and laboure whiche I haue taken to auaunce and set forth the truth of Christes religion that therby thou myghtest be confirmed in the truth / which hast not yet fallen from it and they that are gone from any one poynt of truth herein expressed maye see theyr errour retourne agayne vnto the truth through goddes styryng and grace / to whom be all honour glory worlde with out ende Amen Vnum est crimen quod nunc vehementer damnatur ac punitur diligens obseruatio traditionum patruÌ„ D. Basilius epistola .lxx. One offence or faulte there is whiche is now sharply coÌ„dempned punished the diligent obseruyng or kepyng of the fathers traditions Saynt Basyll ¶ The preface to the gentle reader OVr sauyoure Iesus Chryst good chrysteÌ„ reader came in to this wretched myserable worlde takynge our nature on hym in the wombe of the moost blessed and gloryous virgyn Mary his mother / to beare wytnesse vnto the truth as he affyrmed saynge to Pylate Ego in hoc natus suÌ„ et ad Iohan. 19. hoc veni in mundû vt testimoniuÌ„ perhibeâ— veritati That is to saye I am borne therfore I came therfore in to the worlde that I maye beare wytnesse vnto the truthe Seynge therfore that chryste the truth it selfe came to testyfye and defende the truthe suffering for it deth most sharpe shamefull to the ende that we myght knowe the truth and the truth at the length myght delyuer vs from all errour and miserye Iohan. 9. as he him self doth say Is it not mete that we folowe his example therin and defende the truth to the vttermost of our power not fearyng to dye therfore Yf nede shal require as our sauyoure hath already done For the dyscyple is not aboue his Mat. â—0 mayster nor the seruante greater then his lorde If we be the folowers of Chryst we shall be partakers of glorye and honor with hym whiche he obtayned Rom. 9. throughe death and passyon sufferynge as saynte Paule wytnesseth Heb. 2. and vpon the other syde yf we deny him beyng the truth whiche we shall do not defendynge the truth he wyll denyvs before his father As he seyth Mat. 10. hym selfe Lactancius a very olde wryter sayde to Tullye the great Oratour Quid profuit Lib. 2. de Orig. errotis ca. 3. vidisse te veritateÌ„ quâ nec defensurus esses nec secuturê° What hath it profyted the sayth heâ— to haue sene or perceyued the truth / whiche neyther thou shuldest defeÌ„de nother folowe Socratis carce teÌ„ times ideoque patrociniuÌ„ veritatis nô audes suscipere At morteÌ„ vt sapiens conteÌ„nere debuisti That is to say Thou doest feare Socra tes presoÌ„ and therfore thou darest not take on the the defence of the truth But thou oughtest to haue dispysed deth as a wyse man Are not good christen reader many men nowe among vs chrysten people in lyke dreade Do not we greatlye feare to defende the truth lest we shuld suffre for it ympresonynge yea yâ— lesse is lest we shulde eyther lose therby our goodê promotions or els not come vnto theym We do forgette the greate and dreadefull thretnynges of God set furth in scrypture agaynste them that wyl not teach preach maynteyne and defende the truth Sayed not the holye prophete Esaye Ve mihi quia taecui Woo Cap. 6. to me bycause I kept sylence dyd not boldly reproue the wicked kynge Ozias Howe manye men now feare this gods curse Wo to you that say yll is good and good is yll puttyng darkenesse Cap. 6. lyght and light darkenes puttynge bytter in to swete and swete in to bytter Do we not so I pray the good chrysten reader as ofte as we do hyde dyssemble the truthe for feare or any other carnal affeccyon / and set it not forth to the edifyenge of the people God also curseth theÌ„ Hiere 23. by the mouthe of his Prophete Hieremy sayenge Vae pastoribê° qui dispergunt et la cerant gregem pascuae meae That is to say Wo be to the shepeherdes which do scatter abrode rente the flocke of my pasture This curse toucheth not onely yll pÌ„achers whi do fede theyr flocke with erroneus doctrine but also al other that do suffre heresyes to be taughte the people do not agayne saye the teachers of theÌ„ neither defend the truth according to that grace whyche God hath gyuen them Whom the prophete Ezechiell in the personne of god thus curseth terribly sayng Ve pastoribê° Cap. 34. Israel qui pasâ—ebant semeâ—ipsos Wo be to the shepeherdes of Israel Beware yt that are â—â— sent from your â—ures or beyng ther preach not the worde of god to the flocke which did fede them selues It foloweth Dothe the shepe fede the shepeherdes Ye haue eaten the milke and are clothed wyth the wolle ye haue kylled that whyche was fatte but ye haue not fedde my
thynges theriÌ„ not set furth expressly and namelye whiche euery christen man is bounde to receyue as trewe necessary beleuynge and obseruinge vnder the peyne of euerlastinge daÌ„pnation as it shal be hereafter proued not one lye by Gods worde but also by certeyne generall couÌ„cels The auctoryte of the catholyke church of chryst and the auncyent doctours expouÌ„dyng the scripture Wherby it shal appeare manyfestlye howe they are deceyued that wyll byleue nothynge that is not put forth manyfestlye in the scrypture euer demauÌ„dynge where that is fouÌ„de in the scrypture or how can ye proue it by the scrypture / which vngodlye doctrine was brought vp by the waldeÌ„ses Iohan wicleph IohnÌ„ hulse and Martyn Luther to no small decay of the fayth and Chrystes holy religion whiche euery good catholyke man both seeth and also lamenteth verye greatelye But once to begynne this treatyse / I wyll alledge some textes of the scrypture to proue that the holye apostles of Chryste lefte dyuers thynges in chrystes churche to be beleued kepte / of the which the scripture maketh no mency on at all but they be aucthoryzed by traditioÌ„ and custome onely withoute the scrypture Of the which places this shall be the fyrste of saynte Mathews the .xxiii. Chapiter Then spake Iesê° vnto the multitude or assembly of people / to his discyples The scrybes pharysees haue sytten vppon Moyses chayre seate or benche Therfore all that euer they byd you obserue do but do not after theyr work es for they say do not Saynte Hylarye which was aboue .xii. C yeres past expouÌ„dynge the seconde psalme of the sawter vnderstaÌ„deth by these Quare fremuerunt gentes wordes that our sauyoure gaue coÌ„mauÌ„dement to the people and his disciples to obserue the tradicyons whiche the scrybes and pharyses shuld teach theÌ„ besyde the lawe of God wrytten Hylaries wordes be these in latyne QuaÌ„uis Moises veteris testamenti verba in literis condidisset tamen se ê‘atim quedaÌ„ ex occult is legis secretoria mysteria septuaginta senioribus qui doctores deinceps manerent intimauerat Cuius doctrinae etiam duÌ„s in euangeliis meminit diceÌ„s Super cathedraÌ„ Moisi c Doctrina ergo horuÌ„ mansit in posterû que ab ipso scriptore legis accepta in hoc seniorû numero et seruitio coÌ„seruata est Which wordes are this moch in englysshe Though Moyses had writtteÌ„ the wordes of the olde testameÌ„t yet he opened seuerally or apart vnto the lxx elders which shuld remaine afterward doctours or techers certayne more secrete mysteries of the hydde thiÌ„ges of the lawe of the which doctrine our lorde also made mention sayeng The Scrybes and Pharyses haue sytten c. Wherfore theyr doctrine hath remained afterward or to the world to come the whiche beyng receyued of hym whiche wrote the lawe is kept both in this nombre seruyce also of the preestes or elders Hytherto saynt Hylarye whose wordes do declare sufficyentlye that those thynges / which were then practysed and had in vse among the faythfull / were not then nor are yet all wrytten but euen gyuen froÌ„ one to another as by hande and so are comen to our tyine Moreouer saynt ClemeÌ„t saynte Paules coÌ„panyon in preaching Episc i. A. the gospell affyrineth that saint Peter the Apostle did teach that men ought to obey the bysshops coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes in all lefull thiges though they dyd other wyse lyue bearynge in remeÌ„braunce our Lordes precepte sayng Do ye the thynges / which they saye or bydde you do but do ye not as they do / for they saye and do not Also he sayeth Our hartes and bodyes muste be prepared vnto the holye obedience of godê coÌ„mauÌ„dementes his byshoppes and preachers / that we may escape the peyne of hel and come to euerlastynge glorye These wordes saynte Clemente testifyeth that he learned of S. Peters mouthe and shewed theÌ„ to saynte James the apostle Aboute the ende of that epystle wrytten to saynt James saynte Clement thus sayeth Hec ergo praecepta nequis credat absque sui periculonegligenda aut dissimulaÌ„da quia iudicio del ignis aeterni cormeÌ„ ta sustinebit qui ecclesiastica decreta neglexerit That is to saye in our speach Therfore let no man beleue that these coÌ„mauÌ„deineÌ„tes are to be dyspysed or dissembled without his peryll because that he shall suffre by gods iudgmeÌ„t the paynes or tourmeÌ„tes of fyre euerlastyng which shall dispyse the churches decrees or determiniations Here we se that saint ClemeÌ„t affyrmed that he lerned of Saynte Peters owne mouth that the dispysers of the churches ordinauÌ„ces shulde be dampned for euer therfore and Marten luther folowyng other heretykê beyng before his tyine / as JohaÌ„ wycleph and Johan Husse was not ashamed to teache that no inennes ordynauÌ„ce shuld bynde vs to the obseruynge therof vpon arye suche payne and that nothynge was necessarye to be done of vs excepte it were commauÌ„ded in the holy scrypture Whether ought we to beleue of these two / Luther or saynt Clement the apostles Paules coÌ„panyon in preachynge which learned this lesson of saynt Peter But nowe as touchyng the tert of saynt Mathewe / which is afore alledged Luther and his scolers do vnderstande it onely of those thynges that are wryteÌ„ in the scrypture that in these thynges onely obedience ought to be gyuen vnto the minysters of the church and not when they coÌ„mauÌ„de any thyng to be done / whiche is not conteyned in the holye scrypture To that I answere that saynt Hylary and S clemeÌ„t yea saynt Peter of whoÌ„ S. Clement lerned that that texte made for the obseruynge of the churches ordynauÌ„ce dyd better perceyue what Christe our sauiour mente by those hys wordes then Luther and hys disciples Agayne I saye that the wordes immediatlye folowynge in that chapter wyll not suffre that letter to be vnderstande onelye of obedience to be giuen to the ministers of the churche preaching goddes lawe For anone after it foloweth thus They bynde heuy and intollerable burthens and lay them vpoÌ„ meÌ„nes shoulders Which wordes do declare that our sauiour commaunded the people his disciples to obserue do those thiÌ„ges whych the scribes and pharisees dyd bynde lay vpon meÌ„nes shoulders them selues and not onely those thynges whyche god hym selfe dyd bynde and laye vpon Lib. 4. Aduersê° martionem mennes shoulders Also Tertulyan vnderstandeth by those heuye intollerable burdeÌ„s mens preceptes doctrynes whiche they taught for theyr owne profyte Saynte Bernarde testyfyeth Homiliâ— 66. in câ—â—â— the same sayenge vpon this texte of S Mathew The scrybes and pharyses c. Qui non audierint eis tanquaÌ„ episcopis inobedientie reifuerunt etia in ipsum dominuÌ„ praecipieÌ„teÌ„ dicenteÌ„ Que dicunt facite That is to wyt They whiche haue not obeyed theÌ„ as bysshops haue bene gyltye of dysobedyeÌ„ce yea againste our lorde hym selfe coÌ„mauÌ„dyng and saynge Do ye that thynge which they byd you do Wherof it is manifeste that
the scrybes and pharyses of whoÌ„ Chryste spake there though they were very yll men had auctorite not onely to teach instruct the people with gods holy word but to coÌ„mauÌ„d also theÌ„ to obserue kepe and do such thiÌ„ges that they shulde iudge necessary to edifye the coÌ„gregatioÌ„ of christyans albeit they dyd abuse that theyr auctorite of Chryst declared when he sayed They bynde heuye intollerable burdeÌ„s / and Math. 23. lay theÌ„ vpoÌ„ mens shulders The holy doctour Chrysostome after this maner doth vnderstand Cap. 13. this texte of Mathew sayenge vpon these wordes of s Paul to the Hebrews obey your rulers or theÌ„ that are cheyfe in offyce be ye subiecte to theÌ„ If he that is in auctorite or a ruler be yll / shal we obey him He answereth thou yf he be yl in any cause of the fayth flye froÌ„ hym / and auoyde him not onelye yf he be a Gala. 1. maÌ„ but also yf he were an angel coÌ„miÌ„g froÌ„ heueÌ„ because s Paul sayeth If we or an angell from heuen shuld preach vnto you otherwise theÌ„ that whiche ye haue receyued let him be seperate froÌ„ your coÌ„pany Also s IohaÌ„ sayth If any maÌ„ do come to you and bryng not this doctrine receyue him not But yf thou do call hiÌ„ wicked iÌ„ his desire maners or if he be called yll or wycked in his desyre maners search not I saye not this of my selfe but of the scrypture saynge The scrybes pharyses haue sytteÌ„ vpoÌ„ moises seate or stole do ye those thiÌ„ges that they byd but do not after theyr workê For they haue a dignyte or great auctoryte though they be of an vnthryfty lyuyng But neuertheles loke not vpon theyr maners / but to theyr sermons or saynges Hytherto s chrysostome declarynge that yll bysshops ought to be obeyed in theyr leful coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes with out regarde had vnto they re yll lyfe Is it not as conuenyent more that the people obey theyr bysshops coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tê decrees deâ—minatioÌ„s ordinaÌ„ces beyng good and lefull accordynge the auctorytie and power giuen theÌ„ to edifye and not to stroye as s Paule affyrmethe then that seruauntes â— Corin. 13. shuld obey and fulfyll theyr maysters byddynges in al thynges pertaynynge to they re offyce and that chyldren shulde obeye theyr fathers mothers synce the bisshops are maysters pareÌ„tes of the soule and these other of the bodye and is therfore as moch dyffereÌ„ce betwene those kyndes of maysters and pareÌ„tes as is betwene the soule and the bodye And doth not Saynte Paule commaunde the seruauntes to obeye theyr maysters per oiÌ„a hollye or in euerye theyr honest lawfull bydyngê Eccle. 5. Ephe. 6. Ti. â—â— Pâ— and lykewise the sonnes to obey theyr fathers in all theyr coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes in domino in our lord This may not be vnderstand of those thynges onely which god expresly coÌ„maundeth to be done in the scrypture Fyrste because Paule sayeth per oiÌ„a through al thynges not onely yf they commaunde those thynges that the scrypture wylleth to be done Secondly because that as touchynge thynges set forth by the scrypture the mayster is as well bounde to obeye his seruaunte as the seruauÌ„te the maister and the father the soÌ„ne as coÌ„trarily not for as moche as they bydde August aâ— casulanâ—â— that to be obeyed and done but because god doth coÌ„maunde it Thyrdly who doubtethe that yf the mayster coÌ„maunde his seruauÌ„t to do any thyng apperteynynge to his duyte and in lyke maner the father the sonne but he synneth disobeyng it though it be a thynge indifferente of it selfe and not coÌ„maunded in the scrypture namely Moreouer coÌ„maundethe not saynte Paule that we shulde obey our kynges coÌ„maundementes lawes and ordynauÌ„ces noÌ„ soluÌ„ ê“pter irâ— sed etiaÌ„ ê“pter coÌ„sciaÌ„m That is not onely to auoyd his worldly and temporall ponyshement but also to escape gods vengeaÌ„ce and Roma 13. eurrlastyng peynes as Saynte Ambrose expouÌ„deth that letter August bonifacio Saynte Austen â—sayeth that he whiche disobeyeth Emperours and rulers coÌ„mauÌ„demetes getteth hym selfe therby greate ponyshement Therfore subiectes are bounde to obey and fulfyll the prynces lawes whiche are not conteyned in godes lawe / beyng not agaynst it as chrysteÌ„ people be bounde to obey do that which theyr bysshoppe byd deth theym to do beynge an honest thyng making for the settynge forth eyther of the faythe or els of good vertuous lyuiÌ„g though gods lawe make no meÌ„cyon therof saynt IohaÌ„s dyscyple Ignatiê° sayeth DignuÌ„ est et Epistola 2. vos obedire episcopo vestro et in nullo ei coÌ„tradicere It is mete that you also obey your byshop and say against him in nothyng For it is sayeth he there a terryble thyng to say coÌ„trarye vnto anye such For a man doth not despise this visyble maÌ„ the bysshop but he coÌ„temneth in him god inuisible which can not be dispysed of any because he hathe his ê“motyon not of any man but of god For god saith vnto Samuel of his dyspysers They haue not despysed the but me And Moyses sayed vnto the people grutchynge agaynste hym For you haue not murmured against me but agaynst the lord God Hytherto saint Ignatiê° S. Iohan the euangelystes scoler hath set forthe the obedience due vnto a bysshop whose godly catholyke doctrine ought rather to be beleued obeyed and folowed then Luthers vngodly and erroneus teaching which is cleane coÌ„trary to it Hytherto I haue entreated of the auctoryte of byshops in making of lawes ordynauÌ„ces which the people ought to obey I did not entend wheÌ„ I begaÌ„ne to make thys treatise to speake any thyng of byshoppes lawes but onlye to declare that manye and diuers thinges are to be beleued and kepte of vs christen people which the holy scripture putteth not forth expresselye by the which it might appeare manifestly howe vngodly a thinge it is to beleue vtterly nothynge not set forth playnly and namelye in the scripture and to aske where that is founde in goddes worde or in the bible Thys I saye was and is my chiefe and principall purpose and therfore I wyll nowe set vpon it lettyng passe other thynges not apperteynynge to the same most hartely besechyuge the gentle reader of charitie to accepte and to take iÌ„ good worth this myne endeuour labour peynes taking onelye as god well knoweth the searcher of my thoughtes to auaunce defend and set forth the truth of our religion to goddes glorie the honour of our moost dreade soueraygne lorde Kynge Edwarde the syxte to the edifiyng of this our couÌ„trey That therby the ignoraunte maye be taught the truth the faythful catholike coÌ„firmed made more stedfast in the truth they that haue wandered froÌ„ the truth of thynges here publyshed declared may yf they wyl lerne the truth and lyst not styll to abyde in the falsitie to theyr vndoynge both in bodye and soule se here the truth openly proued and thereby recule backe from theyr
errours and retourne agayne to the embracynge of the truth to the great honour of god theyr owne soules health The whych to do yf I may perceyue but one onely man or woman it shall be vnto me a great comforte gladnes and ioye and no lytle cause to thynke this my laboure well spente thoughe it shal not contente and please euery body nother perswade them whych may be more easelye ouercome then perswaded as saynte Hierome maketh meÌ„tion that Lucifer coÌ„fessed of hys felowes and disciples saying Vnum tibi confiteor Lib. aduersus luciferianos quia mores meoruÌ„ apprime noui facilius eos vinci posse quaÌ„ persuaderi I confesse one thyng to the for as moche as I knowe chefely the conditions or maners of myne disciples or scolers that Suche are al heretikeâ— coÌ„monly as sayeth saint Châ—isostom vpoÌ„ Mathew they maye be more easelye vanquyshed or ouercome then persuaded or induced to beleue the truth But ones to beginne this treatise I wyll allege a few textes of the scripture to proue that the holye scripture contayneth not manefestly and namely all the thynges whiche we are bounde to beleue and to do also and this in this next Chaptre nowe folowyng ¶ The seconde Chapter coÌ„taynyng in it certeyne places of the Verities vnwrytten scripture prouyng that Christe and hys apostles taught lefte to the churche manye thynges wythout wrytynge whyche we must both beleue stedfastly and also fulfyll obedientlye vnder peyne of damnation euer to endure OVre sauioure Christ sayed vnto hys apostles I haue yet many thinges to say vnto you but ye caÌ„ not nowe beare them WheÌ„ that the Io. 16. spirite of truthe shall come he shal teach you al truth the .xvi. chapter of Iohans gospell Do not these wordes of Christ shew opeÌ„ly that he taught not his apostles before the commyng of the holy goost vpon Wytsonday al the truth because they were not able before that tyme to beare perceyue sundrye poyntes pertaynynge vnto the truth of hys religion which thynges the holy spirite of the truth taught theÌ„ afterwarde and they the church without any wryting so that the same came froÌ„ them to other the faythful from tyme to tyme vnwrytten of the whiche the actes of the apostles do make meÌ„tion the .xv. chapter sayinge Paule Act. 15. and Silas walked ouer Syria Cicilia coÌ„firmynge the church Act. 16. and coÌ„maundynge them to kepe the preceptes of the Apostles the elders Also the .xvi. chapter we reade that wheÌ„ saynt Paule Tymothye had gone ouer the cities they gaue to the people the determinations or ordinauÌ„ces to kepe whiche were decreed of the Apostles and the elders / that were at HierusaleÌ„ Suche ordinaunces are not wrytten in the scripture but delyuered and taught the churche by mouth by the lyuely voice of the teachers which is a stroÌ„ger instrumeÌ„t to teach both the fayth and good maners also then is the wryters hande For as Quintilian sayeth truely Viua vox alit plenius et vehemeÌ„tius ac acrius afficit That is to saye in englysh The quycke voice fedeth more fully and moueth affecion more Paulino de oiÌ„bê° sacre scripture libris myghtely and sharpely Wyth hym agreeth well saynt Hierom wrytyng thus Habet nescio quid latentis energiae viue vocis actus in aures discipuli de authoris ore transfusa fortius sonat That is to saye The dede of the lyuelye voyce hath I can not tell what of a preuye strength efficacye or operation it powred oute froÌ„ the mouth of the maker or autour into the learners eares souneth more strongely But nowe some wyll saye here to me that these decrees ordinaunces and determinations of the apostles and the elders are now written set forth in the bible as Bullinger sayeth with diuers other of that secte but he sayth it onely wythout all probation that agaynst not onely al the holy olde wryters mindes with whoÌ„ he can no better be resembled compared / eyther for learnynge or els for vertue then wyth the swiftnesses of an hare the slowenes of a snale but also against the canoÌ„s or boke of rules let forth by the holy apostles for the churches erudition and learnynge both in the fayth and honest lyuynge also thoughe Bullynger be not ashamed to denye them vtterly as vnworthy to be iudged wrytten by the apostles in that poynt preferryng his owne opynyon fantasye and iudgement before saynt Damascenes which was aboue M. yeres before Damas lib 4. ca. 19 The cenoÌ„s of the apostles do toÌ„teyne many verities not written in the bible fore Bullyngers dayes and alloweth them as a part of the holy worde and scripture of God sayinge that they were gathered together and wrytten by saynte Clemente whyche was conuersaunt wyth the apostles therfore no man oughte to doubte but he knew well that those canons were made by them In these canons are diuers thinges set forth whych the church now practyseth and vseth necessarylye for the honorynge of God and the edifienge of the people which are not wrytten in the bible as here after it shall appere at large by gods grace These In autentitis canons of the apostles were accepted / regarded and estemed as the holy apostles doinges of the emperour IustiniaÌ„ the which besyde the longe and constaunte opinion of Chrystes catholyke church the syxt councel also dyd acknowlege to be sette forth by the apostles wheÌ„they were douted Lap. 25. 40 43. muche of whether they were the apostles or not Therfore Bullyngers iudgemente herein ought to be iudged erroneous whyche is agaynst so many and so weyghtie wytnesses whyche I haue nowe recited and therfore those canons must be taken for the apostles doctrine teachyng by a lyuely voice and the mouth onely wythout puttynge them into the bodye of the holye scripture and we ought as well to beleue and kepe theÌ„ as that whyche is conteyned expresselye in the scripture for as muche as both of them two commeth from the holy goost the authour of al truth whych taught the apostles all truth accordynge to oure sauiours promes made vnto theÌ„ Iohan. 16. But I wyll go forwarde to the rehearsall of other textes which do proue that the holye apostles taught the churche or the beleuynge people then beyng many and diuers thynges to beleue to obserue also onely by mouth wythout leauyng them behynde them in wryttynge The whyche done men may be ashamed hereafter to saye that they wyll beleue nothynge / not expressed in the holye scripture when they dose the contrarye to that sufficiently proued by the scripture so amende theyr belefe in that poynt lest they at the length repent it when it shall not auayle them The holy apostle saynte â— Cor. 2. Paule wryting to the Corinthians after he had spoken muche of the blessed sacramente of the aulter conteynyng in it the very natural body and bloode of our sauiour
Iesu Christe and not a signe of them onelye as I haue declared of late in a boke sette forth of that same matter thus streighte writethe concludynge that treatise and finyshinge that eleueÌ„th chaptre Caetera auÌ„t cuÌ„ venero disponâ that is but I wyll set other thynges in an order wheÌ„ I shal come The greke 1. Cor. 2. letter hathe Ta de lipa os an eltho diataxomae Whych may be thus turned into latine Reliqua vero cuÌ„ venero de cernaÌ„ But the thinges remayning wheÌ„ I shall come to you I wyll ordeyne These wordes of saynte Paule do shewe manifestlye that he wrote not to the CoriÌ„thians the hole maner fourme of receyuynge the blessed sacrament of the aulter but lefte some thynges vnwrytten whiche he taught them by mouth onelye wythout wrytynge when he cam to them and was present wyth theÌ„ and therfore thys texte doth proue that all thynges whyche a christen man ought to beleue and kepe are not set forth in the holy scrip ture but diuers thinges are comen to vs by the holye apostle Paules tradition That saynte Paule thus here mente the holy doctour saynt Austen sayinge to Ianuary Epistola .cxix. By these Traditiâ—â— of the apostles perteynyng to the masse and the blessed sacrament oâ— the aulter wordes of saynte Paule / I wyll wheÌ„ I shal come set other thynges in an ordre we may vnderstande that it was much that he shulde shewe in an epistle that hole ordre of doynge in receyuyng the sacramente of the aulter whyche the whole churche through the world kepeth / to be disposed of hym that is varyed wyth no diuersitie of maners Do not these wordes of saynte Austayne shewe that after hys iudgement whyche was almost in euery poynt of diuinitie most excellente of al doctours whych wrote vpon the scripture saynte Paule dyd not describe and set forth the whole maner and ordre of receyuynge the sacramente of the aulter in that hys epystle nor any other wrytyng but onelye by mouth taughte it the Corinthians Tertulian wrytyng to his wife speakyng of a womaÌ„ maried to a heithen maÌ„ sayeth of receyuyng the sacrameÌ„t of the aulter before other meates fastyng Non sciet maritê° quid aÌ„te oeÌ„m cibum gustes Etsâ— scierit non paneÌ„ illuÌ„ credit esse qui dicitur whiche nowe remayneth in Christes church as come from hym by tradition Wyth the whyche agreeth ryghte well that the whyche saynt Austayne writteth in that same epistle saying Though oure lorde Iesus Christe gaue hys blessed bodye bloude vnto hys apostles after supper yet the whole church may not be blamed that the holy sacrameÌ„t is euer takeÌ„ of men yet being fasting Ex hoc eniÌ„ placuit spuÌ„i sctoÌ„ vt iÌ„ honoreÌ„ taÌ„tisacra meÌ„ti iÌ„ os xpÌ„iani priê° corpê° dominicuÌ„ iÌ„traret quaÌ„ exteri vel ceteri cibi NaÌ„ ideo per vniuersuÌ„ orbeÌ„ mos iste seruatur Thus it is in englyshe For after this tyme of Christes maundy it pleased the holy goost that to the honour of so great a sacramente oure Lordes bodye shulde entre into a christeÌ„ mans mouth before outwarde or other meates For therfore thys custome is kepte through the whole worlde In these wordes good christen reader / there are two thynges speciallye to be noted the one is that saynte Austayne a manne of suche deape knowledge in goddes worde as none hathe bene synce the Apostles time affirmed that it pleased the holye goost the spirite of truthe that we chrysten people shulde receyue the bodye of Chryste in the sacramente of the aulter before we eate any other meate so fastinge The which thyng is not expressed in the holye scripture but rather the contrary for as moch as in it we find that Christ gaue his bodye to his discyples after supper was done wheÌ„ they Math. 26. had eaten the paschal lambe so this custome came in to christes church by the tradition of the apostles whome the holye gooste taught not this poynt onely for the edifyeng of chrystes church but all other truthes necessarye therunto accordyngly as chryst had promysed theym before his deathe Iohan the euangeliste wytnessynge it in his Gospell playnly Is not euen this one thynge touchyng the receyuyng of our hosle fastynge taught by the holy goost without puttyng it in the scrypture ynoughe and sufficyeÌ„t to make vs to beleue that al truth necessarye to be knoweÌ„ beleued and obserued is not expressed iÌ„ the scripture to leaue vngodlye to aske where that or this thynge is set forth in goddê worde snpposynge that excepte Iohan. 16. it can be proued by plaine scripture we shuld neuer beleue it as truth nor kepe it as profytable The seconde poynte worthye to be marked in S. Austens wordes aboue recited is that he saieth it pleased the holy goost that to the honour of so greate a sacrament the bodye of our lorde Iesu Chryste shulde entre in to a chrysten mans mouth before other As doth Luther meates whiche is agaynste them which denye that the blessed sacrameÌ„t of the aulter shuld be honored of vs chrysten men Agayne to saynt Austen whiche thus wryteth in the same epystle Chryst gaue his bodye last after souper to his apostles that therby he myght coÌ„myt vnto theym more strongly the hyghnes of so greate a mysterye / and for that cause he wolde laste fyxe or fasteÌ„ that thynge in the hartes memorye of his dyscyples froÌ„ whoÌ„ he shulde departe to hys passyoÌ„ Er ideo non precepit quo deinceps ordine sumeretur vt apostolis per qnos dispositurus erat ecclesias seruaret huÌ„c locum That is to saye in englysshe And therfore christ coÌ„mauÌ„ded not after what order the sacrament shulde afterward be receyued that he might kepe or reserue this place or rometh to hys apostles by whome he shulde dyspose the churches or companies of the faythfull people Seest thou not here chrysteÌ„ reader that christe dyd not commaunde how and after what maner the sacrament of the aultare shulde be receiued of vs that he myghte leaue that to his disciples whiche afterwarde taughte the churche the fourme ordre maner howe Chrystes blessed body shuld be receiued of chrysteÌ„ people Is then all truth set forthe in the scrypture and nothynge by the apostles tradicioÌ„ Where reade we in all the scrypture the maner order in receyuyng this sacrameÌ„t which ordre christ left to his discyples to make publysshe To be shorte saynt AusteÌ„ recytethe strehghte waye there saynt paules wordes Caetera cuÌ„venero ordinabo I wyll order other thinges when I shal come to proue that the apostles of the which s Paule was one though not of the .xii. dyd set forthe the fassyon / ordre and maner of receyuynge chrystes blessed bodye in the sacrament This custome and maner to receyue the bodye of Chryste fastynge was before saynte Austens dayes spoken of Socrates whiche was one of the thre that made the historye called
Armenes Albanenses the anabaptistes which denye that chyldren shuld be baptysed and chrystened before they can beleue in chryste Origen also whiche was with Origines Li. 5. coÌ„meÌ„t in episto ad romanos in lesse theÌ„ .cc. yeres after chrystê byrth testifieth that it is a tradicion of the apostles to chrysten chyldren sayeng Pro hoc et ecclesia ab apostolis traditionem accepit etiam peruulis baptismuÌ„ dare That is to saye For that originall synne the church also hathe receyued a tradicion of the apostles to giue baptisme vnto children What can be more playnly wryten theÌ„ this is to proue that it is a playne tradicion of the apostles to chrysten infantes or chyldren But to be shorte saint Dionise the apostle Paules discyple affyrmeth manyfestly that it came from the apostles to baptyse Dionisi de ecclesiastica hierar ca. 7 â—artez tyse chyldren whose wordes are these But that the chyldren / whican not yet vnderstande godlye thynges are made partakers of the holy baptisme of the hyghest signes of the halowed coÌ„munioÌ„ it appearethe to the paynems a thinge reasonable to be scorned as thou saidest yf the bysshops do teach godly thiÌ„ges to herers not mete they teache in vayne the holy tradicions to them that do not vnderstaÌ„de that which is more to be laught at as they thynke other do renouÌ„ce or forsake the deuyl for theÌ„ and do go in to or begyn yâ— the holye couenauÌ„tes Then anon after a fewe wordes thus he saieth Verum ea de re ista quoque dicimus que sancti praeceptores nostri ex pristina traditione edocti ad nos deriuaueruÌ„t Aiunt enim quod est verissimum infantes si sctaÌ„ lege formeÌ„tur ad sacrum prouehendos habitum omni errore liberos et vitae exortes iÌ„purae istud cuÌ„ piissimis ducibus nostris in mentem venisset visum est admittere infantes hoc modo etc. That is thus much in our tonge But of thys thynge we also say these thynges whyche our holy maysters saynt paule and Hierothe instructed of the olde tradition haue brought vnto vs. For they saye the whyche thynge is most trewe that the infantes or chyldren that can not yet speake yf they be formed or made in facioÌ„ wyth the law of lyfe must be aduanÌ„ced or promoted vnto an holy state beynge free from all errour and wythout parte or out of felowshyppe of vncleane life Whan thys thynge came to the mynde of oure remembraunce most godly ducers capiteines or leaders the apostles it semed to theÌ„ to admyt the infaÌ„tes chyldreÌ„ after thys maner to be christened Then streyght he declareth howe they are christened sheweth that the godfather doth answere for the chylde saying I renounce the deuyll / and beleue / promysynge that he wyll teache him to beleue forsake the deuil when he shall come to vnderstaÌ„dyng Which wordes do declare that it came also by the apostles tradition that godfathers do aunswere for the chylde when he is christend and not onely that infantes are christened Therfore we do no we se playnly that the baptisme or chrystenynge of chyldren was taught the church by the holy apostles wythout any scripture or wrytynge and it oughte to be beleuedand kepte as well as anye other thynge whyche is manifestly sette forth in the scripture and therfore as many men as wyll not fal headlynge in to the damnable heresy of the anabaptistes whyche denye that chyldren shulde be christened let them leaue demaundynge and requirynge in euery poynt of our belefe expresse scipture sence thys necessary thinge hangeth onely vpoÌ„ the apostles tradition wythout anye scripture that can proue it sufficiently whyche thynge Luther Melancthon and other the lutherans are compelled to graunte though they neuer so much crye out scripture scripture and saye that nothynge oughte to be beleued and kepte necessarylye wythout manifest scripture settynge it forth For when thys matter of christenynge chyldren is layed to theyr charges they haue nothynge to aunswere but are streyght enforced to graunte it to be a tradition of the holy apostles But of thys I haue nowe sayed I suppose sufficiently and therfore I wil reherse yet moo traditions of the apostles to the full coÌ„fusion of them that wyll beleue nothynge wyth out an auctoritye of the scripture Saynte Hierom sayeth To. 2. â—0 50 Pa. 4. whych thyngethe church doth practyse that in tyme of necessitie laye men and women maye baptyse chyldren whych thynge cometh by tradition because it is generally vsed through christendome and was not fyrste made by anye councell Also it August Jann cometh of the apostles tradition that the water in the fonte stone is halowed before the child be christened in it for saynt Dionyse Paules disciple beynge wyth the apostles and instructed De eccle Hierar ca â— part 2 of them as he sayeth ofte hym selfe thus speaketh of that matter The byshoppe goynge to the temple in the whyche is the fonte eius aquas sancta prece et inuocatione sanctificans itaque in eas ad crucis effigiem sanctissimum infuÌ„dens vngueÌ„tum illas hocmo do perficit That is to saye He halowed the fontes water wyth an holye prayer and wyth an inuocation powrynge into them thryse the mooste holye oyntemente after the fourme of the crosse by thys waye or fassion doth make them perfecte These saynte Dionyse saynte Paules scolers wordes do shewe playnlye that then the byshoppe dyd vse to halowe the water in the The font is halowed vpon Easter eueÌ„ because that baptisme hath his vertue of christes death ro 6 quicuÌ„que etc and vpon witsonday euen because the vertu of baptime cometh of the holy gooste which came downe at witsonday Math. zille vos baptizabit in spi etc Basiliê° de spi s ca. 27 Ciprianê° lib. 1. epist 12. Quomo do auteÌ„ muÌ„ dare et saÌ„crificare aquaÌ„ potest qui ipse imdê° est et apud queÌ„ soi sâ—noÌ„ est Lege Augst lib. 6. dâ— bap coÌ„tre donatistas trast in Io. 80 et ad JanuariuÌ„ eÌ„pi 118 ClemeÌ„s lib. 3 recogni fonte and put in to it oyle thryse makynge a crosse therein whyche no doubte was caughte by the holye Apostles wythout wrytynge as saynte Basyll and other auncient doctours do witnesse whose wordes shall be anone alleged and therfore men that wolde not that the font shulde be halowed before chyldreÌ„ shuld be therin christened and wyl beleue nothynge not conteyned in the scripture are farre deceiued and oughte to forsake that yll and peryllous opinion lest they perish at length therby for euer whyche oure Lorde forbydde Saynte Basyll also rehersynge certeyn traditions in hys booke of the holye gooste thus wryteth of the halowynge of water in the fonte stone Consecramus autem aquam baptismatis et oleum vnctionis Praeterea ipsuÌ„ qui baptismum accipit ex quibus scriptis Nonne a tacita secretaque traditione The englysh maye be thys But we do consecrate or
must be appoynted â—aâ—ha 6. or dedicate to hym for prayer or worshyppyng of hym Anone after damascene sheweth another reason and cause why the we pray toward the east / sayng Because God made Paradyse towarde the easte in to the whiche he brought AdaÌ„ the whiche offending he banished out therof and made hym dwell in the west contrary to the easte Antiquam igitur patriam requirentes et ad ipsam suspirantes deum adoramus scz ad orientem Therfore we requyryng the olde countrey Paradyse of heauen signifyed by the earthlye paradise a place of much pleasure and feruently desyrynge to come vnto it do worshyppe god or pray to hi towarde the easte After certeyne tokens of the excellencye of the easte taken out of the scripture rehersed in the ende of that chap tre Damascene thus hath NoÌ„ eÌ„ auÌ„t scripta haec apostoloruÌ„ traditio nam multa sine scripto nobis tradita sunt That is to saye But this the apostles traditioÌ„ is not wrytten for manye thynges are delyuered to vs or taught vs wythout writing Are not these playn wordes of thys auncient doctour to the coÌ„fusion of all them that are not ashamed to speake agaynst traditions and affirme that nothynge ought to be beleued and kept that is not expressed in the holy scrypture Heare nowe what saynte Basyl sayeth De spi s cap. 27. of thys matter Vt ad orienteÌ„ versi precemur quae nos docuit scriptura That is what scripture hath taughte vs to praye turned toward the easte Athanasiê° like wise which was aboue M. CC. yere synce affyrmeth that the holy apostles dyd teache christen men to praye towarde the east These are hys wordes Why do we christen people pray towarde the easte and the Iewes toward the south He answereth thus We muste defende this thinge other wyse to the Iewes and other wise expowne it to the Gentiles To the Iewes we saye that we pray toward the easte because the holy goost so taughte vs by the prophete Dauid sayinge Adoremus ad locum vbi steterunt pedes tui domine That is Let vs O Lorde worshyppe the or pray to the towarde that place where psai thy fete stode And the prophete zachary sayeth And oure lordes fete shall stande in the mounte or hyll of olyuete agaynste Hierusalen whyche is in the easte Thys maye be a shorte answere sayeth he to the Iewes But to the gentiles we saye that we do praye towarde the easte not that god is closed in there or is onelye there but forasmuche as he is named lyghte for that cause we hauing a respecte to the ligiâ— of the sunne created do nowe worshyppe not that same lyghte created but the maker of it by the lokynge towarde it Thys is the annswere to the gentiles but lette the faythfull people of Chryst learne yt. Hac de causa beatissimi apostoli fecerunt Christianorum ecelesias intendere versus orientem vt ad Paradisum respicientes vnde cecidimê° scilicet ad veterem patriam et regionem nostraÌ„ petamus deum et dominum nostraÌ„ reducere nos illuc vnde eiecti exulamê° The englysh may be thys The mooste blessed apostles for this cause haue made the churches of chrysteÌ„ people to bêde or loke to warde the Caste that we lokynge towarde Paradyse from whense we fell verily shulde desyre God and oure Lorde to brynge vs thyther againe to the olde countrey and oure region from whenâ—e we caste are banyshed Lo thys holye and blessed auncyent wryter Athanasius a man of excellent vertue and lernynge affyrmeth that the apostles taughte christen people to praye towarde the Caste and sheweth the reason why we so do as saynte Damascene hath done Saynte Basyll moreouer De spi t. cap. 29. sayeth Ipsam fidei professionem qua credimus in patrem et filium et spiritum sanctum c quibus habemus scriptis That is Of what scripture haue we the profession of the fayth by whyche we beleue in the father and the sonne and the holy gooste He concludeth that it cometh by tradition onely I passe ouer manye traditions of the Apostles nowe vsed iÌ„ the masse as that the preest senseth wyth frankenceuse the aulter washeth hys handes at masse sayeth confite or sheweth the bodye and bloude of Christe ouer hys heade to the people of the whyche Dyonyse speaketh that was saynt Paules scholer De ecciesie hierar ta par .. 2 Also that the people seynge the bodye and bloude of Christ shewed them do worshyp the same Saynt Dyonyse also wryteth Lap. 3 qte 3. de spi s cap. 27 Another tradition yet is rehersed of saynte Basyll sayinge Vt signo crucis eos qui spem collocarunt in Christum signemus quis scripto docuit That we do marke wyth the signe of the crosse them that haue put theyr truste in Christe who hath taughte by wrytynge Tertulyan wryteth also of thys affyrmynge that it is a tradition and not wrytyng in the scripture Whose wordes De corona militis are these Ad omnem progressum at q promotum ad omnem adituÌ„ et exitum ad vestitum et calceatuÌ„ ad lauacra ad mensas et lumina ad cubilia etsedilia quacun q nos conuersatio exercet frontem crucis signa culo terimus That is to say in englyshe At euerye goynge forth and aduancynge profytynge or mouynge forth at euerye accesse comynge to or entry and goynge out at apparelyng and showyng or puttynge on of showes at bathes or baynes at the tables and lyghtes at the entrynge in to the chambers and seates or places to syt on what so euer coÌ„uersation setteth vs on warke we make a signe of the crosse in oure forheade Saynt Athanasius sayeth that Lib. 2. de incat ver Saynt Athanasius sayeth that by the signe of that crosse al witchcrafte or sorcerye and the acte or crafte of poysonynge is put awaye yf it be vsed in fayth and Lib quest quest 38. deuoutely Also he sayeth Legem Mosis videntes daemones non timent neque tremunt quod ea non sit operata salutem Crucem autem videntes saepe tremunt fugiunt euanescunt That is to saye in englyshe The deuylles seynge Moses lawe feare not nor tremble not because it hath not wrought mannes health but seyng the crosse they ofte quake flee vanysh away Of the which it fyrste came that meat / drynke and other dyuers thynges are blessed wyth a signe or a figure of the crosse Damascene also Lib. 4 ca. 22 sayth The crosse is gyuen to vs upon our forhead and that it is a shelde a buckler and a cote of armure agaynste the deuyll Adorandum igitur est hoc signum Of the signe of the crosse therfore thys sygne sayeth he muste be worshypped of vs gyuynge to god the reuerence and the deuoute honoryng Qui haÌ„c adoraÌ„t participes siÌ„t christi crucifixi They that do worshyp this fygure of the crosse let them be
expownyng the epistle of saynt Paule to the Galathians thus wryteth Cap. 4. after he hath declared that Paule coÌ„maunded the Galathians not to kepe the Iewysses feastes or holy dayes Dicat aliquis Si dies obseruare et menses et tempora et annos non licet nos quoque simile crimeÌ„ incurrimus quartum sabbati obseruantes et parascheuen et dicÌ„ dominicam et ieiunium quadragesimae et paschae festiuitatem et pentecostes laeticiam er pro varietate regionum diuersa in honore martyrum tempora constituta The englysh may be thys Some man may say If it be not leful to obserue dayes and monythes and tymes and yeres we christeÌ„ men do runne in to lyke faulte obseruyng the wensday of the weke and the frydaye and the sonday and the fast of the lent the feast of Easter the myrth of whytsondaye and after the diuersytye of regions dyuers tymes coÌ„stitute or ordeined in the honour of martyrs To that he answereth sayinge To the whyche he that wyl playnly make answere shall say that the Iewes feastes are not the same that oures are For we do not kepe holy the Easter or pasouer of swete breade but the Easter of the resurrection and the crosse Nec septem iuxta morem Israel numeramê° ebdomadas in pentecoste sed spiritus sancti veneramur aduentum Nother we do numbre seuen wekes in whytsontyde after the maner of the chrldren of Israel but we honoure the holye goostes comming Hitherto the holy and ancient doctoure saynt Hierom declarynge playnly that albeit all dayes in the weke be lyke and equal by theyr natures yet some of theÌ„ are appoynted before the other to serue god vpon ceasse from worldly busines and therfore they that do beleue the contrary are deceyued shamefully / but of this sufficient now I wil go forwarde on mine enterprise and rehearse yet mo traditions It is a tradition of the apostles not wrytteÌ„ in the holy scripture that he whyche was baptised or christened of an heretyke or a schismatike deuided froÌ„ the church of christe shulde not be baptised agayne afterwarde because the baptime of an heretike or a schismatike is effectuall of streÌ„gth as yâ— is whiche the catholiques beyng not separate froÌ„ the church do mynistre gyue of the which thynge saynte Austeyne a clerke most excellent of christes church Lib. 2. ca. 7. conâ—ta â—â—â—â—tistas thus speaketh SaluberrimaÌ„ tenet ecclesia consuerudinem in his schismaticis et haereticis corrigere quod prauuÌ„ erat noÌ„ iterare quod da tum fuit sanare quod vulneratuÌ„ est non curare quod sanum Quam coÌ„suetudinem credo ex apostolica traditione venientem sicut multa non inuâ—niuntur in literis â—orum neque in conciliis posteriorum et tamen quia per vnsuersaÌ„ custodiuntur ecclesiam non nisi ab ipsis tradita et commendata creduntur That is The churche kepeth a custome moost holsome in these schismatickes and heretickes that is to saye in theyr christenynge or baptising to ameÌ„d that which was yll not to gyue againe that which was gyuen to heale that which was wounded not to cure the thing hole or sound The which custome I beleue came of yâ— apostlê traditioÌ„ lyke as many other thynges are not founde in theyr wrytynges nor in the couÌ„cels of theÌ„ that came after yet for as much as they are kepte through the hole churche they are not thought or beleued to be coÌ„mitted and deliuered or taught but of them Are not these wordes ynough to stop al bablers mouthes that say they caÌ„ not tel well what against traditioÌ„s vtterly refusing to giue any fayth credence to thyngê not expressed in yâ— scripture Wil they be so folish to beleue Luther before Austen The holy apostles dyd coÌ„demne theÌ„ that wold be baptised or christened of heretikê yet they coÌ„mauÌ„ded the he which was baptised or christened with the baptisme of the church shulde not be baptised or christened agayne as it apereth in their canoÌ„s Wherfore AusteÌ„ Cap. 46. â— 47. iudged right wel that it is a traditioÌ„ of the holy apostles not wrytteÌ„ in that scripture that who soeuer was ones baptised of an heretique or schismatike shulde not be baptised againe but onely that ameÌ„ded / which Eusebius lib. 7. ca. 8 was yl done of theÌ„ Thys knew well the olde byshop of Alexandria called Dionyse which in his fyfth boke of baptisme tellethe that a chrysten man came vnto him and sayed that he had receyued baptysme of heretykes otherwyse theÌ„ he saw it gyuen to other by yâ— catholyke minysters and that he durste not lyfte vp his eyes to god for that faulte therfore he desyred to be made cleane with baptisme of the churche wherby he might receiue the grace of the holy goost But the holy maÌ„ Lege aug lib. 1. ca. 33. Aduersus cresconium graÌ„maticuÌ„ sayed he durst not baptyse hym agayne in any wyse knowynge that the apostles tradityon and constitucyon was agaynste that thynge to be done Another tradicyon of the holy apostles is to haue pyctures and ymages in our teÌ„ples as saynte damascene hath witnessed aboue M. yeres before oure dayes whiche thus Lib. 4. ca. 7 wryteth of them Because sayth he some meÌ„ do ymbrayde or lay to vs in reproche that we do honoure worshyp oure sauyours ymage and our queene his mothers and moreouer the images of other sayntes and Chrystes seruauntes let them heare that god made man at the begynniÌ„g after his ymage Therfore for what cause do we honoure one another but in as moche as we be made vnto gods ymage For as the godlye and greate Basyl sayeth Imaginis honor ad exemplaris transfertur honorem That is The honoure of the ymage is referred or caryed ouer from the ymage vnto the honoure of the sample A lytle afterwarde when he had saide that in the time of the olde testament there were but few ymages because chryst was not then incarnate but after his incarnatyon death resurrectyon for as moche as all men know not lerning nor gyue them selues to readyng he sayth That our fathers dyd agre and consent to represent the incarnatyon death and resurrectyon by ymages as certayne tokens of vyctorye for the readye remeÌ„braÌ„ce of chrystes benefytes For ofte we thynke not on chrystes passion through neklygeÌ„ce seyng the ymage of chryste strykeÌ„ through we come agayne vnto the remeÌ„braunce of chrystes deathe we fallynge downe do worshyp not the matter of the crosse but chryst represented by the ymage Lyke wise our lady chrystê blessed mother sayeth he is honored by her pycture and that her honour is referred vnto Chryste her sonne borne of her For as we haue sayde lyke as the honoure gyueÌ„ to chrystes good and kynde seruauÌ„tes sheweth a token of good wyll towarde all mens lorde sic et imaginis honor ad prototypuÌ„ ex emplar imaginisque veritatem traÌ„sfertur That is to say euen so
the honour of the ymage is caryed from the ymage vnto the fyrste example or paterne sample and truth of the ymage Est auteÌ„ haec traditio non scripta But this is a tradicyoÌ„ not wrytteÌ„ Anone he addeth that the apostles taught and delyuered many thynges with out wrytynge and to proue that he allegeth .ii. textes of s Paule the one ii Thess .ii. state c staÌ„de ye faste and kepe ye the tradicions which ye haue lerned either by our speache or by our epistle the other Corin .xi. Brethren I prayse you that ye do remembre me in all thynges and do kepe yâ— tradicyons as I haue taughte them to you All this hath that olde wryter Damascene to declare that the settynge of ymages iÌ„ yâ— churches came by yâ— apostles and howe they ought to be vsed and what profyte cometh of theÌ„ yf they be well vsed In the whiche same place he dothe recyte a very straunge historye which is this It is sayde in a storye that Abagarê° kyng of the Edesenes sent a paiÌ„ter to paynt an ymage This kyng wrote vnto out sauyour oure sauyoure vnto hym agayne as Eusebiê° hath lib. 1. ca. 15. lyke to our lorde the which wheÌ„ he could not do for the bryghtnes of his face shynynge oure lorde hym selfe puttinge a cloth to his godlye and lyuelye face whype of in the cloth his owne ymage and so sent it the kyng Abagarê° desyrynge it This historye sheweth manifestlye that ymages do please chryste not displease hym though many meÌ„ do cal theÌ„ ydols The seuenth general couÌ„cell kepte at Nicaea bithiniae recytynge many anncyent doctouis sentenses touchinge images allegeth these wordes of S. Basyll I do honoure the holy apostles Nicenum consilium martyâ—s and confessours which do humblye praye for me vnto god that by theyr medyacyon oure moste beouÌ„teous god may be mercyfull frelye gyue to me remission of my synnes QuaÌ„ ob causam et historias imaginuÌ„ illoruÌ„ honoro et palam adoro hoc eniÌ„ nobis a sanctis apostolis traditum non est prohibendum sed in oiÌ„bus ecclesiis nostris eorum historias erigimus That is in english thus moche to say For the whiche cause I do honoure and openly worshippe also the stories of theyr ymages for that delyuered to vs of the holye apostles is not to be forbydde or prohybited but we do set vp the storyes of theÌ„ in all our churches Here we se that after s Basils mynde the holy apostles taught lefte by tradicyon the settynge vp of ymages in the temples of chrysteÌ„ people therfore this is also a veryte not wrytten in the holy scrypture And to the intent meÌ„ may se theyr blynd errour whiche rayle agaynste the image of chryste his blessed mother a virgyn most honorable of the holy apostles other sayntes I wyll recyte here certayne storyes coÌ„cernynge ymages both auncyeÌ„t Lib. 7. capi 14. and profytable also to the godly disposed people The auncyente wryter of the churches storyes Eusebiê° tellethy t the womaÌ„ whoÌ„ our sauyour healed of a bluddy flyxe as Mathew doth wytnesse Capi. 9. dwelled in a Citie called caesareâ— philippi and that in hys tyme whiche was about .ccc. yeres after christes byrth her house was sene there before the dores of her house a pyller was shewed set in a very hye place iÌ„ the which the same womans ymage grauen in brasse appeared as it were knelyng vpon her knees and huÌ„bly holdynge vp her palmes of her handes There stode also another ymage graued iÌ„ brasse lyke a man apparayled clenly with a robe or alonge garmente reachynge forth the ryght hande to the womaÌ„ At the fote of this ymage out of the pyller dyd grow a certayne herbe of a newe kynde The which when it was sproÌ„ge forth was wonte to growe oute styll to the hemme or skyrtes of that robe the brasen clothynge The whiche hemme or skyrte of that brasen garmente when the herbe growyng vp had touched wyth the hyhgest toppe it gotte strength therof to put awaye all diseases fayntnes or faylynge of streÌ„gth in so much that what so euer the sickenes of the bodye it were by a lytle draught of the ioyce of that holsome herbe it was put awaye hauinge no strength at all yf it were broken of before it had touched by growynge the highest part of that brasen hem They sayed that thys picture was made lyke to Iesus countenaunce whyche remayned vntyll oure tyme as we sawe wyth our owne eyes And no marueile yf they which had beleued of the gentiles dyd seme to offre suche thynges as a gyfte for the benefytes whiche they had obteyned of oure sauiour synce we se also now the apostles Peter Pauls and our sauiours ymages to be drawen and paynted in tables But we also haue sene their olde ymages kepte of certeyne men Hytherto Eusebiê in hys storye by the whyche men maye se yf they be not all blynde that it is no new nor late inuented thynge to haue ymages in the temples and what god hath wrought by them But of thys sufficient for â—ny purpose whych is to declare onely that many thynges come by tradition of the apostles and other the eldest fahers wythout anye expresse worde of the holye scripture Thys not wythstandynge it shall be a thynge both worth my labour also the readers or hearers to recyte here a wonderfull myracle done by the ymage of Christe of the whyche Athanasiê° maketh meÌ„tion saying Lib. â—e passione imaginis do vel exhortatio ad mona vt quidaÌ„ co dices habeÌ„â— ca. 1. 23. It chauÌ„ced that the ymage of christe was founde of the Iewes in a citye called syria in the tyme of constantyne the elder The whyche they caste downe to the grounde and sayed one to another We haue harde that our fathers dyd mocke scorne Iesus of Nazareth manye wayes let vs do so to thys ymage ThaÌ„ they began to spyt in the face of oure lordes ymage they stroke it wyth buffettes sayinge How great thynges our fathers haue done to the Iesu of Galile so bygge let vs do to thys picture of hym Then they crucified our lordes ymage naylyng the handes and fete of it wyth sharppe nayles puttynge vnto the ymages mouth vinagre and gal as they had done to Iesu thrist him selfe haÌ„gyng vpoÌ„ yâ— crosse After yâ— they put a crowne of thornes on the ymages heade strekynge theron with a staffe mockynge it spite fullye And at the leÌ„gth as they had learned the theyr elders had done to christe vpoÌ„ the crosse they do streke the syde of the ymage with a speare WheÌ„ this abhomynable malycyus acte was done there ensued streyght a woÌ„derful myracle For the syde of yâ— our sauiour Iesu christê ymage sodeÌ„ly began to runne with water bloud and the other myracles then were done which chaunced wheÌ„ chrîste was crucified vpoÌ„ yâ— crosse Then the Iewes caused a greate vessell to be set vnder
our dayes whose sayeng maketh much for traditioÌ„s for thynges vsed in the church of christ without manifeste scripture for them Nowe where some lerned meÌ„ haue supposed As Iohan ceciê° BuÌ„de riê° and other certen and set also forth in theyr bokes that the goinge downe of our sauiours blessed soule with his godhead in to the place where the olde fathers soules remayned before christes death called libê° patruÌ„ to coÌ„fort theÌ„ to shewe the he was come in to the world by his birth had dyed for theÌ„ to deliuer theym thense is not expressed in the scripture I thynke that therein they were greatly deceyued as no man is cleare from all erroure especiallye they that write vpon goddes holy worde which onely is without al lyes and errours as the wryters of August ad hieroni it onelye were in that theyr dede not deceyued in any one poynte I say the they whyche affyrmed that descensus Christi ad inferna the descendynge downe of christ to hell is a truth not wrytten in the scrypture were playnlye deceyued therein because manye textes of the scrypture do proue that thing euydently of the whiche these are the chyefe Dauyd sayeth in the parson of our sauyour Psal 19. chryste Non derelinques animam meam in inferno O father thou wylt not leaue my soule in hell Howe could this haue bene truely sayed of chryst to god his father excepte his soule coupled with his godhead had desceÌ„ded in to hell or the place where the fathers were before chrystes coÌ„mynge and death Also we rede these wordes in the sawtre Abstraxisti Psal 29. de inferno animam meaÌ„ Thou hast O father taken my soule oute of hell I let passe other Act. 2. Ephe. 4. auctorites puing the same because these two are sufficyent for to proue this purpose which is that the scrypture maketh meÌ„ tion that christ defeeÌ„ded or went downe in to the place where the fathers soules remayned abidyng and lokyng for his comyng thither to them after his death wheÌ„ his body laye in the sepulchre Nowe to make ones an ende of this treatyse I wyll breyfely declare that the certayne knowledge of the holy scrypture coÌ„meth by tradicyon without any other auctorytye then of the catholyke churches the fathers of christê relygyon that lerned of the apostles which were the very trewe scryptures wrytten by the inspiracion and styrynge of the holy goost which were not though they were putforth in the euangelystes or apostê names Saynt Austen in dyuers places of his The euangels and other the holy scripturs are not assuredly knowen to be gods worde but by the churche of chryst bearynge wytnesse there vnto workes and namely iÌ„ these that nowe do here folowe affyrmeth the the auctoryte of the holye scryptures dependeth and hangeth vpon the iudgement of the vniuersal or catholike church Fyrst this hath he lib .vii. coÌ„fess Scripturas saÌ„ctas ecclesiae catholicae coÌ„mendat autoritas That is to saye The auctoryte of the catholyke churche setteth forth the To. 6. epist coÌ„tra fuÌ„da Mani holy scryptures Agayne more playnly this he wryteth Quid faceres dicenti non credo euangelio Ego vero non credereÌ„ euangelio ni Hiero contra vigilantium Quid necesse est in manus sumere ê™ ecclesia non recipit si me catholicae ecclesiae authoritas coÌ„moueret That is to say What woldest thou do to hym that saith I beleue not the gospel I trewly wold not beleue the gospel except the auctorytie of the catholyke churche shulde moue me It folowethe anone there I muste neades beleue the boke of the apostles actes yf I do beleue the gospell because the catholyke churches autorytie coÌ„mendethe to me of like sort both those scriptures TertuliaÌ„ also affyrmeth Tertilianê° prescript the same thus wrytynge Quid apostoli predicauerint id est quid illis christus reuelauit et hiÌ„c praescribam non aliter probari debere quaÌ„ per easdeÌ„ ecclesias quas ipsi apostoli condiderunt eis predicaÌ„do tam viua quod aiunt voce quam per epistolas postea That is What the apostles haue preched that is what chryste hath reueiled or opened to theÌ„ I wyl note or determyne also hence or therof that it ought not otherwise to be proued then by the same churches or sayth full companyes whiche the apostles them selues buylded preachinge to them as well with a lyuely voyce as they say coÌ„menly as afterwarde by epystles Besyde this in another boke he wryteth after this maner Tertilianê° lib 4. aduer sus martia nem Habemus et Iohannis aluÌ„nas ecclesias NaÌ„ et si apocalipsin Marcion respuit or do tamen episcoporum ad origineÌ„ recensitus in Iohan nem stabit autoreÌ„ Sic et caeterarum generositas recognoscitur Dico apud illas nec solas a postolicas sed apud vniuersas quae illis sacrameÌ„ti societate confaederantur id euaÌ„gelium lucae ab initio aeditionis stare quod cum maxime tuemur Eadem autoritas apostolicaruÌ„ ecclesiarum caeteris quoque patrocinatur euangeliis quae proinde per illas et secunduÌ„ illas habemê° IohaÌ„nis dico Mathaei et Marci Thus may be the englyshe of these wordes We haue also churches of s IohaÌ„s scholynge or bryngynge vp in learnynge of the gospell For though marcion doth refuse the reuelation or apocalipse yet the ordre of bysshoppes nombred or rekenyd to the begynnynge shal hold with Iohan that he is the autour or maker of it So also the nobilite or strength of the other scryptures is knowen perfectly I say yâ— that gospell hath stande for Lukes from the makynge or puttynge forth of it at these churches nother onelye with them that were the apostles but at or with all them holly which are confedered or ioyned to theÌ„ with feloshyppe of a sacrament othe or sygne of a holye thynge the whiche thinge we do chyefly defende The same autorytie of the apostles churches defendeth also the other gospels froÌ„ iniurye the whiche therfore and after or by them we haue I say Iohas Mathewes and Markes Hitherte the auncyent wryter Tertulian whose wordes declare yâ— the apostles tradicyon teacheth vs / whiche are the gospelles of chryste and the trew scryptures where there is no scryptures to proue them by and therfore he that wyll beleue nothynge withoute scrypture let hym tel me why he Mark this reader beleueth any one boke of yâ— scripture to be true scrypture syth no texte of the scrypture can testifye that it is scrypture in dede Wrote not I praye the reader Bartylmewe a gospell and Nychodemê° another as storyes do tell whiche are not receyued for anye parte of the scrypture By what auctorytye is this done wherfore doest thou rather giue credence vnto Lukes gospell whiche neuer sawe chryste then to saynte Bartylmewes whiche was one of the twelfe apostles Eusebiê° testifyeth that an euaÌ„gel Lib. 3. ca. 3. or gospel was iuged to haue bene
wrytteÌ„ by saynt Peter and a boke of actes with a reuelatioÌ„ which are not alowed to be scripture Enoch wrote a boke of the which Iudas iÌ„ his epystle spake and also Tertulian Manye dyuers De habitu muliâ—bri other bokes were ascrybed vnto the apostles and euangelystes beynge put forth in theyr names and bearynge theyr tytles whiche in dede eyther they neuer wrote or els the holy gooste moued not them to make them or thought it not good nor necessary to haue them receyued and vsed amonge chrysten people which thing he opened taught the holy apostles and other the beleuynge people of and frome whom the certeyne knowledge whych is the holy scripture and whych is not doth come as S. Cypryan sayeth thus wrytyng In enarrâ— symbo apâ— Quae sunt noui ac veteris instrumeÌ„ti volumina quae secundum maiorum traditionem per ipsum spirituÌ„ sanctum inspirata creduntur etecclesiis tradita competens videtur in hoc loco euidenti numero sicut expatrum monumentis accepimê° designare That is to wyt Whiche are the bookes of the newe and olde testament that accordynge to the elders tradition are beleued to be inspired by the holye gooste and delyuered vnto the churches it semeth mete to assigne or note in thys place by an euidente noÌ„bre lyke as we haue learned of the fathers recordes or bookes Then streyght he recyteth the numbre of the bokes whyche are reckened to be holy scrypture Wherby it appeareth yet ones agayne that we knowe not what bookes be to be iudged estemed gods worde but by tradition of the apostles and oure auncetours or elders whom the holye gooste sayeth saint Cyprian that blessed martyr taught that thinge by inspiratioÌ„ It foloweth therfore that yf thou wylte beleue nothynge wythout wytnesse of the scrypture that thou causte beleue nothynge of the gospell to be scripture nor no other parte called scrypture and so all the fayth wholly muste neades at ones by that one deuellish opinioÌ„ cleane peryshe Wherfore cease asking where it is wrytten in the scrypture in thinges at the lest receyued generally of Christen nations and gyue credence vnto the catholyque churche whose authoritie as it is moost certeyne and sure so it is verye longe and greate as this chaptre shall proue to the by goddes grace sufficientlye ¶ The auctoritie of christes catholike churcch of and vpon the Apostles traditions and veryties not written in the scripture AS touching the authorite of christes catholyke or vniuersal church I entende at thys tyme to be very briefe and shorte The olde and auncyent wryter saynt Ireneus Iâ—eneus lib. 5. cap. 4 whyche was scholer to one Polycarpe saynt Iohan the euangelystes disciple thus wryteth of the churches auctoritye We ought not to seke yet the truth at other the which it is easy to take of the churche seyng that the apostles haue brought al thinges beloÌ„gyng to the truth in it most pleÌ„teously as it were into a rich treasure house or store house so that euery man that wyll maye receyue of it water of lyfe Here thys holye martyr sendeth vs to the catholyke churche to learne the truthe sayeth we maye not seake it but there onelye Thys churche neyther doth approue any thynge agaynste the fayth good lyuynge nor suffereth any thing agayust eyther of theÌ„ to be Tomo â— Epist 119. kept as s Austen testifyeth If thys churche through the whole worlde do teache anye thynge Epist 118. quiÌ„ ita facieÌ„duÌ„ sit disputare inquit August insoleÌ„tissime iÌ„saniae est yâ— is but that it must so be done to reasoÌ„ or dispute it is most proud Tâ—en was Luther madde as many other are that folowe him nowe madnes Thys sayeng of saynte Austen declareth many meÌ„ both to be proud and very madde also whyche do reason stubbornely and spytefullye agaynste dyuers thynges obserued kepte through the whole church these many hundred yeres Oure Lorde make theym meke humble and wyse that they maye acknowledge the hygh and certeyne authoritye of Chrystes catholyke churche agaynst the whyche no Aug. de trinita lib. 4. cap. 6. quiete man hath or wyl as S. Austeyne testifyeth iudge saint Austen intreating of the christenyng agayne of them that were baptysed or christened of an heretyke thus wryteth Thoughe there were no exaÌ„ple of this matter taken out of the holye scrypture yet the veritie of the same â—ib 1 cap. 33. contra â—resconium graÌ„maticuÌ„ scriptures is holdeÌ„ of vs in this thynge when we do that whyche hath pleased the whole churche wheÌ„ the same scriptures authoritie commeÌ„deth setteth forth so that foras much as the holy scripture can not deceyue vs who so euer feareth to be deceyued by the darkenes of thys questyon whether one baptysed of an heretyke shâ—â—lâ—e be chrystened agayne or not let hym aske councel of the same catholike church whom wythout al doubt the holy scrypture coÌ„mendeth Hytherto this great clerke saynt AusteÌ„ whyche wylleth vs to aske couÌ„saile of christes catholike church in thys doubtefull question of baptyme of the which the scripture speaketh not and therfore al thynges can not be proued by the scrypture whyche we muste both beleue / do also thoughe many men vngodly / and falsely saye they may The same AusteÌ„ / which sayed he wolde not beleue the gospel / except the authoritie of the catholyke churche shulde moue hym / in another place defineth / declareth / what is the catholike churche sayeng I beleue Tomo 10. sermoneÌ„ de teÌ„pore 131. the holy churche catholike that is to saye whyche is spred and dyspersed throughe all the worlde because the churches of dyuers heresyes for that cause are not called catholyke that they what churche is called the catholike church are conteyned in theyr places and countreyes Hec vero a solis ortu usque ad occasum usque vnius fidei spleÌ„dore diffunditur That is Thys the catholyke churche is scattered abrode wyth the shynynge of our faythe from the sunnes rysyng vntyll the goyng done The donatystes whyche were a certeÌ„ kynde of heretykes in Numidia aboute the yere of oure Lorde thre hundred fyftye thre affyrmed that the church or congregation of christen people was no where but with them as Luther and hys scholers are not asshamed to booste of theyr flockes which is agaynst the nature and name of the catholyke churche of the whiche VinceÌ„tiê° lirynensis which was aboue aleuen hundred yeres before this VinceÌ„tius lirinensis gallus tyme wryteth after this sorte I haue often with great studye asked of very many men both wel learned and godly also by what rule or sygne I myght discerne the truth of the catholyke fayth from the falsite And I had almoste euer this aunsweare that whether I or els anye other wolde espye out the gyles or deceytes of heretykes and auoyde theyr snares and abyde sownde and hole in a sownde faythe he oughte two wayes by goddes
ayde to arme and defende hys fayth Primo scilicet diuinae scripturae autoritate tuÌ„ deinde ecclesiae catholicae traditione That is to saye Fyrste or chyeslye with the auctoryte of the holy scrypture then further more with the tradicyon of the catholyke church Anone after he addeth these wordes But in the same catholyke church after whose rule yâ— scriptures muste be expownded we Here it appeareth what is called catho muste see that we kepe yâ— thyng the whiche hath bene beleued euery where of all nations and alway for that is verely catholyke as the streÌ„gth of the worde declareth But that at the leÌ„gth Ille est get manus christianus qui quicquid ecclesiam catholicaÌ„ vniuersaliter antiquitus tenuisse cognorit id solum sibi tenendum CredeÌ„duÌ„â— decernit VinceÌ„tins liâ—â—mensis gallus is done onely Si sequamur vniuersitatem antiquitatem et coÌ„sentionem that is If we folowe the generalitie all or the hole yâ— auÌ„cyentie or oldnes and the coÌ„sent or agreyng of the faithfull people The fyrste of these three shall be done yf we do confesse yâ— to be a true faith which the whole churche through the worlde coÌ„fesseth The seconde shall be yf we go not from the fathers sences vnderstaÌ„ders of the scrypture or iudgement The thyrde also then shal be done If in the auncyente we folowe al or nigh all the preestes and maisters or teachers determinations sentences this liryndsis Then anone afterwarde he rehersynge howe moch and howe great yll and myschyef came into the world by the arrians heresie the subuersyon ouerthrowyng and destruction of all good thynges godlymen thus he wryteth Atque haec oâ—a nuÌ„quid aliam ob causam nisi vtique dum procaele sti dogmate A notable sayenge of this olde wryter humanae superstitiones introducuntur duÌ„ bene fundata antiquitas scelesta nouitate subruitur dum superiorum instituta violantur duÌ„ rescinduÌ„tur scita patruÌ„ dum conuelluntur definita maioruÌ„ dum sese intrasacratae atque incorruptae vetustatis castissiÌ„os limitis profanae ac nouellae curiositatis libido noÌ„ coÌ„ tinet This is a very notable saynge of this auncyent doctour and the englysshe of it maye be this Do al these euyls chaunce for any other cause but truelye whyles that mans superstitioÌ„s Supstition is superfluous or vain religion are brought in for heuenly doctrine whyles the auncyent well grouÌ„ded or hauing a good fouÌ„dation is ouerthrowen or caste downe with an vngracious or myscheuous noueltye or newnes whyles the superyours ordinaunces are broken whyles the fathers decrees or statutes are takeÌ„ away or repelled whyles the determynatioÌ„s of the elders or auncetours are shaken out of theyr places whyles the luste or sensualytie of the prophane vngodly or vnlearned new curiosite holdeth not it selfe within the most pure or honeste bouÌ„des of the halowed and vncorrupted auncyentye or age These wordes of this olde wryter / and excellent clerke declare verye well that of heresye newe Newe doctrine is cause of al myschete doctryne contempte and breach of the elders tradicioÌ„s decres / and ordynauÌ„ces cometh al myschefe vngratiousnes whiche thing how true it is diuers couÌ„treys of chrystendome haue and yet do / and contynually shal vntyll ameÌ„dement be feale lameÌ„t and bewayle remedyles Oure lorde wyll remedy it wheÌ„ he shal se tyme whom we must instaÌ„tly deuoutly contynnallye desyre with oure prayers so to do euer remembrynge and cleauyng vnto chrystes churches determynation and fayth and then in and amonge al these sharpe rough stormes of blusterynge heresies we shall sauely sayle through the seas of this whretched worlde and ariue and come at the leÌ„gth vnto the hauen of quyetnesse full of all ioyfulnes in heauen God sayth saynte Austen hathe In psa 47 De symbolo ad cateche cap. 5. buylded this churche euer to endure why therfore doest yâ— feare lest the foundacyon of it shulde fall The catholyke church fighteth agaynst all heresies she yet can not be ouercome or vanquyshed hell gates agaynst her can not preuaile Eusebiê° sayth that Lib. 4. ca. 7 et 8. the deuyll the continuall enemy of all goodnes of the truth and of mans helth by his minysters the heretykes assayeth all waies to deceyue gods church but the truth vanquyssheth and suffereth not the church to be corrupted with the falsitie beynge dyuers men well learned whiche shuld dysclose heretykes vngodly gloses reproue them and opeÌ„ moreouer the fayth in the catholyke church of chryste saynge with the bisshoppe alexander of whoÌ„ Theodoritê° speakethe The churche can not be ouercome Histo triâ— lib. 1. ca. 14. though all the worlde be agaiÌ„st it She vanquyssheth al vngod lynes our sauyour assuryng vs therof when he sayth Be ye of good trust I haue ouercome the worlde Haec docemus haec predicamus haec sunt apostololicae ecclesiae dogmata pro quibus etiam morimur et destruere ea volentes nullatenê° formidamus We do teache sayth Alexander these thynges we also preache these / these are determinations of the apostles church for the which yea we dye A godly bisshoppes saynge and we iÌ„ no wyse do feare thiem whiche wyll destroye them Also saynt Chrysostom sayth thus of To. 2. homilia 12. the churche NoÌ„ cessat impugnari ecclesia noÌ„ cessat insidiaspati sed iÌ„ nomine christi semper superat sem per vincit Et quantum alii insidiaÌ„tur tantum illa dilatatur Sermo enim dei est iÌ„mobilis quia portae inferi non praeualebunt aduersus eam qui impugnat seipsum dissoluit et fatigat ecclesiam auÌ„t fortiorem ostendit That is in our tongue thus moche to say The churche ceasseth not to be stryuen agaiÌ„st or assaulted it ceasseth not to suffre wiles to intrap her or she beware but in the name of chryste she euer vaÌ„quyssheth euer ouer cometh And as muche as other beseige hyr or worke crafte agaynste hyr so muche she is enlarged For goddes worde is vnmoueable whych is that the gates of hel shal not preuayle agaynst hyr he that fighteth against hir doth louse or destroye hym selfe and make him selfe wery but he sheweth the churche to be stronger How trewe thys sayeng is the storyes cronacles of thynges passed do so manifestely declare that I nede to speke no more thereof Thys churche was so much estemed the auctorite of it so greatlye regarded of sayn e Lib. 2. Gregory Iieroms maister that he saied teaching that god hath no body Ex his qui diuino munere afflati fuere nemo hactenê° seÌ„teÌ„tiaÌ„ vel ê“nuÌ„ciaÌ„t vel ê“nuÌ„tiatuÌ„ apê“bauit abhorret hinc nostrae ecclesiae doctrinae That is Of these which were inspired wyth the holy goost â—mora doctrine chritiane none hytherto eyther hath pronouÌ„ced this seÌ„tence or approued it pronounced the doctrine of our church discordeth froÌ„ theÌ„se Thys great learned maÌ„ holye father thoughte it ynough for yâ— improuffe of an
Basyll proueth a truth concernyng the holy goost to be godby saynte Llemente Ireueê° Dionisius AleraÌ„drinus Eusebiê° palestinê° origin Affricanus historicus Gregori NaziaÌ„zane saynte Paule good chrysten reader / wytnesseth that Chryste sente some doctours for the edifyeng of the churche not onelye by preachyuge of the scrypture to the people but also by the true and godly openynge and expowning the same I wyl alledge certayne of the eldeste best learned of theym that men maye perceyue the more clerely and perfectlye that all thynges whiche we muste beleue and do are not expressed and publyshed in and by the byble scrypture but that dyuers thynges which ought to be beleued and kept of vs do come and defende also of and vpon the blessed apostles of chryst the churches tradicyon without any texte of the scripture speakynge of them I haue alre dye rehearsed some sentences of saynte Basyll Chrysostom Damascene Theophilactê° which therfore I neade not now again to recyte except it be iÌ„ other wordes then they be alredy rehearsed as nowe I wyll allege here saynt Basyll godly and notable saiges which he hath in a boke of the holy goost thus wrytyng Basilius de spe s ca. 27. Dogmata quae in etclesia predican tut quaedam habemus e doctrina scripto predita quedam rursê° ex apostolorum traditione in mysterio id est in occulta tradita recepim us QuoruÌ„ vtraque pareÌ„ vim habentlad pietateÌ„ nec his quisquaÌ„ contradicit quisquis sane vel tenuiter expartus est quae sint iura ecclesiastica Nam si coÌ„suetudines quae scripto proditae noÌ„ sunt tanquaÌ„ haud multum ha bentes momenti conemur reiicere imprudentes et ea daminabimus que in euangelio necessaria ad salutem habeÌ„tut imo potiê° ipsam fidei predicationem ad nudum nomeÌ„ coÌ„ trahemus These wordes may be turned in to englysshe after this maner The lawes ordinauÌ„ces decrees statutes or coÌ„maundementes for all these the greake word dogmata signifieth whiche are preached or publysshed in the churche we haue certayne of doctrine set furth in wrytyng eftsones or agayne we haue receyued certayne by the apostles tradicyon in a mysterie that is in secrete deliuered Of the which two bothe haue lyke streÌ„gth power or vertue to the knowledge the honour deuote worshyppiÌ„g or loue of god nother anye man coÌ„trary to them truely who soeuer hathe proued or learned by experience yea barely or poorely which are the lawes power auctorite or ryght of the church For yf we shuld endeuour or labour to caste away the customes whiche are not put forth in wrytyng lyke as not hauyng moch pyth or not beynge of moche value we shall also vnwards condemne those thynges whiche are in the gospell had necessary to saluaty on yea we shall also abridge or Vnum est crimen ê™ nunc vehementer daÌ„natur ac punitur di ligens obseruatiotra diâ—yonâ—â— pa trum basilius Episto 70. drawe togyther the same preachynge or publishyng of yâ— fayth vnto a bare or a naked name This saynte Basyll rehearsyng streight many thynges set forth withoute scrypture by the apostles tradition of the whiche I haue spokeÌ„ before Thou maest note here good reader dyuers lessons agaynste the lutherans bearynge vs in hande that all thynges are wryteÌ„ in scrypture which we must neades beleue kepe but pryncypally that this blessed doctoure affyrmeth that those thynges whiche the apostles lefte without scripture or vnwryten haue lyke efficacye vertue to the honorynge and lo uynge of god as haue those thiges whiche are wryten in scrypture and that because bothe of them cometh by the inspiracyon of the holy goost which styrred both the apostles and the euangelistes also to write that which is wrytten and the apostles in lyke maner to leaue certen thinges vnwrytten by tradition vnto the church the which was done as S. Basyll wytnesseth that such thiÌ„ges shulde remayne hyd or secrete lest they shulde be knowen of the rude and vngodlye folke and therby myght be despysed vtterly But this shall be ynough of saynt Basyl though he wrote in this mattier moche more Saynt Hierome thus writeth AdiluciniaÌ„ of traditions to luciniê° demaundyng of hym whether men ought to faste the saterday and dayly receyue the sacramente of the aulrer Sed ergo breuiter te admonendum puto traditiones ecclesiasticas praesertim quae fidei non officiant ita obseruandas vt a maioribus traditae suntâ— Nec aliorum coÌ„suetudineÌ„ alioruÌ„ more contrario subuerti Vnaquaeque prouincia suo sensu abunder et praecepta maioruÌ„ Roma 19. leges apostolicas arbitretur That is to wytte But I thynke thou Roma 14. must be warned bryefly that the traditions of the churche prynrypally those whych caÌ„ not hurt the fayth So are to be obserued as they are taught or delyuered of the elders or auÌ„cient fathers Nother other mennes custome ought to be subuerted or turned vp so downe by the contrary custome of other Let euerye countrey haue hys owne iudgement and iudge the auncetours or elders coÌ„maundementes the apostles lawes I passeouer manye Lege enim in eccleseasteÌ„ ca. 10 et in Mat. cap. 21. like sentences of saynt Hieroms whyche he wrote in thys matter left my boke shuld be ouer loÌ„ge Austen hath very much of thys matter in suÌ„dry of hys bokes of the which some is alleged before out of his epistle wrytten to Ianuarye where he sayeth those thynges whyche are oblerued through the hole world without wrytynge came eyther from the apostles or els froÌ„ the generall couÌ„cels whose autoritie is most holsome in christes church Alâ—o to one Casulane he thus hath intreating of the saterdayes fast In his rebê° de quibê° nihil certi statuit scriptura diâ—ina mos populi dei vel instituta maâ—oruÌ„ ê“lege teneÌ„ da suÌ„t That is to saye In these thynges of the whyche the holy scipture hath ordeined or stablished nothyng certeÌ„ / the custome of gods people or the elders ordinaunces are to be kepte for a lawe Luther and hys disciples teache nâ—eÌ„ to breake the fathers ordinauÌ„ces preceptes lawes saye that wtout manifest wytnes of the scrppture we shuld be bounde to beleue do nothyng Austen here affyrmeth the clene Lib 2. Tâ—â— coÌ„trary whether ptye wylt yâ— beleue good christeÌ„ man Epiphaniê° also which was aboute M. cc. yeres seÌ„ce coÌ„firmeth my purpose sayeng Oportet auÌ„t et traditione vti NoÌ„ eniÌ„ oiÌ„a a diuina scriptura accipi possuÌ„t qua ppter aliqua sacris seripturis aliqu a traditione faÌ„cti apostoli nobis coÌ„meÌ„dauerunt queÌ„admoduÌ„ dicit saÌ„ctê° apostolê° Sicut tradidi vobis Et alibi Sic doceo et sic tradidi in ecclesiis etc. That is But we must of necessitie vse tradition For al thinges caÌ„ not be taken of the holye scripture / wherfore the holye apostles coÌ„mitted to vs some thinges by the holye scripture some by traditioÌ„ lyke as paule sayth As I
haue lefte vnto you by tradition And in 1. Lor. 11. another place I teach so and so haue deliuered by tradition in yâ— churches Lo thys olde doctour doth not onely affirme that al thinges are not wrytteÌ„ in the scripture but the apostles left suÌ„dry thiÌ„ges vnto the churche by tradition he also doth allege paule in two places for his purpose Origen Homâ— 5. in Numeros agreeth with thys whiche was aboue M. ccc yeres passed sayeng In ecclesiasticis obseruationibê° suÌ„t noÌ„nulla eiusmodi quae oiÌ„bus quideÌ„ facere necesseeÌ„ nectameÌ„ ratio coruÌ„ oiÌ„bê° patet That is There be some thiÌ„ges in the churches ob seruatioÌ„s of that same sort that which al meÌ„ must nedes surely do yet that reasoÌ„ or cause of theÌ„ is not opeÌ„ to al meÌ„ For exaÌ„ples he putteth that we do knele when we do pray whiche Basyll also affirmeth to Despi â—a ca. 27. haue come of the apostles tradition sayeth yâ— as ofteÌ„ as we do knele downe rise vp againe in our prayers by that dede we do shew that we fel downe for syn vpoÌ„ the earth that by hys humanitie which made vs we are called agayne in to heueÌ„ Also OrigeÌ„ recyteth the custome to pray our faces being turned towarde the east part affirming that the cause therof is not easely knowen of euery maÌ„ though I haue already declared by Basyll Damascene why it is done OrigeÌ„ furthermore reciteth yâ— maner or fascion to coÌ„secrate to receiue the blessed sacrameÌ„t of the aulter the wordes / gestures orders or demauÌ„des aÌ„sweares that are made in baptisme which he sayeth cannot lyghtly be expowned Et tamen haec oiÌ„a operta et velata portamê° super humeros nostros cum ita implemê° ea et exequimur vt a mag no poÌ„tifice atque eiê° filiis tradita et coÌ„meÌ„data suscepimê° Which thus in englyshe sowneth And yet we do beare all these thynges vpon our shulders couered hydde when we do so fulfyll them do them as we haue receyued them delyuered by tradition coÌ„mitted of the great byshop christ hys chyldren the apostles Se we not here that after Origens mynde christe the great byshop hys sonnes the holye apostles taught the church those thinges aboue tecited of hym yet there is no scripture makyng any meÌ„tion of them at al doth not thys proue that some thynges necessary to be done are left to vs by the apostles traditioÌ„ without scripture But I wyll go forth towarde an ende Ciril writeth verye playnlye in thys behalfe agaynst the lutherans sayeng Fidei De tecâ—a â—i de ad theodosium saÌ„ctissimuÌ„ traditioneÌ„ quae ab ip sis saÌ„ctis apostolis ad nos ê‘uenit in dignuÌ„ eÌ„ iÌ„modica ratiocinatione inquirere quae humanaÌ„ meÌ„teÌ„ exceduÌ„t sed neque in mediuÌ„ ê“ferre sicut quidaÌ„ periculose definiunt et dicuÌ„t quod haec quideÌ„ recte se habeant haec auÌ„t aliter That is to saye It is vnmete to search out with to much reasoning the moost holy tradition of the fayth that came from the holy apostles to vs the which thynges do excede mans wytte but it is nother coÌ„uenient to coÌ„mune of them opeÌ„ly or to cal theÌ„ in to question lyke as certen meÌ„ determyne perillouslye saye that these thynges are well but these other wise Our lorde wold that thys seÌ„teÌ„ce touched not the quicke of many meÌ„ thys tyme rubbed them not on the gal to make theÌ„ to kycke / wynse Well let thys passe Tertulian which was very nygh the apostles tyme wryteth De carona militiâ— thus plainly of traditions sayenge after he had recyted dyuers thinges kepte by tradition onely HaruÌ„ et aliaruÌ„ eiusmodi disciplinaruÌ„ si legeÌ„ expostules scripturaruÌ„ nullaÌ„ inuenies traditio tibi prae tendetur autrix coÌ„suetudo coÌ„firma trix et fides obseruatrix Rationem traditioni coÌ„suetudini fidei patro ciÌ„naturaÌ„ aut ipse perspicies aut ab aliquo qui perspexerit disces Interim nonnullam esse credes cui debeatur obsequium That is to say If thou doest requyre a lawe of the scryptures of these and such other learnynges thou shalte fynde none the tradition shall be alleged to the fyrste inuentoure or maker the custome a customer / and fayth the keper Eyther thou thy selfe shalte perceyue or els shalt learne of him that hath perceyued that reasoÌ„ shall defende the traditioÌ„ custom and fayth In meane season beleue thou some reason to be to the whiche obedieÌ„ce is due Againe a lytle after hewriteth after this maner His igitur exeÌ„plis renuncia tum erit posse etiaÌ„ non scriptaÌ„ traditionem in obseruatione defendi coÌ„firmatam consuetudine idonea teste probatae tuÌ„c traditionis ex per seuerantia obseruationis That is Therfore by these examples it shall be openly shewed or reported that a tradicion not wrytten may be defended in the obseruiÌ„g of it coÌ„firmed by custome a mete wytnesse of the tradicyon then tryed or approued by the coÌ„tinuance of the obseruynge I spake not of many other suche godlye and notable seÌ„teÌ„ces whiche this auncyente doctoure hath in his bookes lest I shulde be tedious to the reader Saynt Ireneus Ireneê° lib. 3. the scholer of polycarpe saynte Iohan the euaÌ„gelystes disciple thus speaketh of traditions Quid si de modica aliqua quaestione disceptatio esset noÌ„ne oporâ—ebat in antiquissimas incurrere ecclesias in quibus apostoli coÌ„uersati sunt et ab eis de praesenti questione sumere quod certum et reliquidissimuÌ„ est Quid autem si neque apostoli quidâ— scripturas reliquissent nobis nonne oportebat ordinem sequi traditionis quam tradiderunt his quibus coÌ„mittebant ecclesias Cui ordinationi assentiunt multi gentis barba rorum eoruÌ„ qui in christum creduÌ„t sine charactere vel atrameÌ„to scriptum habentes per spirit um in cordibê° eorum salutem et veteruÌ„ traditionem diligenter custodientes That is What yf there shulde be reasoniÌ„g of a litle or a meane questioÌ„ ought not men to runne in to the eldeste churches / in the whiche the apostles were coÌ„uersaunte and to take of them as touchyng the questyon present that whyche is certen and most manifest But what yf the apostles had not lefte to vs anye scryptures muste not we neades folowe the ordre of traditioÌ„ which the apostoles taughte them to whome they coÌ„mytted the churches Vnto the whiche ordynaÌ„ce many do consente of the barbarous people of them whiche do beleue in chryste hauyng the saluatyon wrytten in theyr hartes by the holye gooste without letters or ynke and diligently kepynge the elders tradition Agayne he sayeth this Cum auteÌ„ ad eam iterum traditione quae est ab apostol is atque per successiones presbiterorum in ecciesiis custoditur prouocamus eos qui aduersantur traditioni Dicent se noÌ„ soluÌ„ presbiteris sed etiam apostolis exiâ—teÌ„tes sapientiores synceram inuenisse
et instigaÌ„te spiritu saÌ„cto instituta nec dissimulatio negligentiae nec aliqua praesuÌ„ptio valeat perturbare Sed sicut hoc ê™ exigebat rationis vtilitas oportuit definire ita quod definitum est noÌ„ debet violari That is to saye The dilygence or studye of your care must be put to or you must be diligent and careful that dyssymulation of neglygence may not moche trouble nor any arrogance those thynges which are ordeyned of the apostles their successours and instructed by the holy goost styrrynge or prickynge forward Also he spake of the iewes ceremonies which theÌ„ it was vnleful for yâ— GalathiaÌ„s to obserue kepe therfore the obseruing of theÌ„ was mans tradition That thys is the true / righte meaninge of the apostles wordes it apeareth both by that that anone afterwarde wheÌ„ he had spokeÌ„ of yâ— iewes choyse of meatê their feastes he calleth theÌ„ elemeÌ„ta muÌ„di elemeÌ„tes of yâ— worlde sayenge If ye be dead with christe froÌ„ the elemeÌ„tes of thys worlde why do ye yet put difference betwene meat and meat daye and day etc Also the iiii chapter of his epistle to the Galathians paule calleth the olde lawes ceremonies egena elemeÌ„ta elemeÌ„tes lackyng somewhat Therfore this pauls letter staÌ„deth nothynge agaynst the traditioÌ„s of the apostles their successours / lefte in the churche froÌ„ one to another But let thys Pet manê° tradua be sayed for the repeallynge of that argumeÌ„t They dispute yet further The .v. argument of this sort against traditions Paule sayeth .ii. To .iii. Al scripture geuen by the inspiratioÌ„ of god is profitable to teach improue informe to instructe in righteousnes that the maÌ„ of god may be perfect prepared vnto all good workes Then why do we thruste sayeth Vrbanus regius wisely in the churches haÌ„des the lawes of men as necessary to christes religion Thys argumeÌ„t is sone answeared vnto For what argumeÌ„t I besech the good christeÌ„ reader is this al scripture inspired by the holy goost is profitable to teach man yâ— he maye be perfect made ready to al good workes ergo the scripture coÌ„teyneth in it expressely al truth and euery thing necessary to be beleued of vs kept May not euery part boke of the scripture be as in dede it is profitable to instructe maÌ„ yâ— thereby he maye be perfecte prepared to all good workê yet not coÌ„teyne al truth the hole yâ— is necessary for our saluatioÌ„ The .v. bokes of Moses coÌ„teine a doctrine profitable to yâ— purpose so of the rest seuerally yet that notwtstandyng there are sundrye thynges both true necessary not conteyned therin Yea but perchauÌ„ce some maÌ„ wyl say to me The gospel is perfecte sufficient for to procure oure saluation for Chryste gaue vnto hys churche not botched clowted nor vnperfect lernyng seing there nedeth no addition to be made vnto the whiche is perfecte wherfore shulde men beleue the the scripture coÌ„teyneth not in it all truth thynges necessarye for our saluation but the diuers thynges come by tradition whiche are both necessary to be beleued of vs also kepte It is very true that the scripture the gospel is perfecte not that it conteineth in it expresselye all truth necessarye to be knowen obserued as I haue proued before in thys my boke but the it is perfecte touchynge the thynges coÌ„prised thereiÌ„ coÌ„teyneth general rules pÌ„ceptê out of the which al thynges necessary for a chrysten mannes religion saluation may be collected gathered thoughe they be not particularly expressely publyshed sette forth therin As for an example The scripture byddeth vs honoure god but vpon what daye Exo. 20. Deute 6. Math. 4. we shulde do it chiefly scripture plainly telleth not leauing that to be taughte the apostles of the holy goost whiche dyd institute the sonday styred of that spirite of al truth as I haue shewed before Also the scripture sayeth the wythout baptyme none caÌ„ entre in to the kyngdome of heueÌ„ IohaÌ„ iii. the holy apostles inspired with the holy goost of that and other sayenges touchyng the necessitye of baptysme ordeyned and taughte wythout wrytynge that chyldren ought to be chrystened may be saued therby Finallye the scrypture coÌ„mauÌ„deth euerye maÌ„ to take vp beare his crosse mortify the sensualities affections of the fleshe the apostles taught bow that shulde be done by fastynge the lente wensdaye fryday such other This we se therfore that wyth the perfectenes of the scripture agreeth standeth right wel that it coÌ„teyneth not expressely all truth but that dyuers truthes were opened to the holy apostles by the holy goost / which they lefte vnto the The .vi. argument churche vnwrytten Hytherto of thys Another reason maketh Vrbanê° regiê° vpoÌ„ Pauls wordes â— Cor. 3. sayenge All thynges be yours / whether it be Paule / eyther Apollo / eyther Cephas Wherby sayeth he we do vnderstande the neyther Paule / nor Cephas or Peter hath auctoritie to bynde mens coÌ„science / where god byndeth not / therefore we are not bouÌ„d to beleue or kepe of necessitie any traditioÌ„ of paul / peter or any other whiche God byndeth not vs to beleue / obserue by his holy word Did euer any maÌ„ The aunsweare reade / or heare so fonde folysh a reason as this is who wyl not bewayle lameÌ„t this great bliÌ„d nes of the lutherans which do reason so vnlernedlye to defende an heresy It is trew the peter paul were the corinthiaÌ„s for asmuch as they were ministers sent of God for theyr saluation What thaÌ„ coulde not they yet teache many thinges by mouth onely leaue theÌ„ weout writing vnto the church the it shulde beleue theÌ„ to be trew kepe theÌ„ also But thou sayest that they could not bynde mens coÌ„scieÌ„ce where god biÌ„deth not I graunt the / but of the must it nedes folow that they left nothyng vn writteÌ„ byndynge mens coÌ„science to beleue and obserue it Doth god bynde vs to nothynge vnwrytten in the holy scrypture Haue not I proued the coÌ„trarye in this boke Byndeth not theÌ„ there god mans coÌ„science / when where the holy gooste styrreth the apostles to institue ordeyn any thing not coÌ„preheÌ„ded in the scripture leaue it to yâ— churche vnwrytteÌ„ Therfore this slender argumeÌ„t is cleane wypte away as this other shal be grounded lyke wyse vpon the wronge vnderstandyng of these S. Pauls Colo. 2. The. 7. argument wordes to the Collossians Ye beyng dead wyth christ why are ye holden styll with decrees What is this yf it be not plaine wrestynge of scrypture from his true sense Saint Hierom sayed wel that heresye standeth in the Ca. 1. ad Gala. wronge takyng of the scrypture doth 〈…〉 Dyd not saint Paule in that seconde chaptre to the Colossians playnly speke of yâ— olde lawes decres or ordinaÌ„ces which dyd coÌ„syste in
abrogated by chrystes death That Paule spake there of that olde lawe of Moses it appeareth by that the proces of that epistle and chaptre where he speaketh of circumcision Now what argumeÌ„t is this good reader If ye be ledde with the spirite ye are not vnder Moses lawe ergo the traditions of the apostles vnwritten oughte not nor can not bynde meÌ„nes coÌ„science Saynte Chrysostom expowneth it thus He that hath the holy goost and in his liuing and dedes is ruled and ledde by the same doth quenche al yll desires and lustes and therfore he hath no nede of the lawes helpe that by feare of it he shulde lyue well Etiam qui ex sese suo fungitur officio quid opê° habet paedagogo For what nede hath he yâ— of hymselfe doth hys duetie of one appoynted to se hym well ordered as a childe As a horse that runneth fast of hym selfe nedeth not to be spurred eueÌ„ so the ryghteous and perfecte good maÌ„ ledde wyth the holy gooste is not vnder the lawe of god for as much as he doth lyue godly wold so contynew yf there were no lawe to enforce and constrayne hym so to do But what is thys to the holye apostles traditions Yea what maketh iâ— agaynste anye ordynaunce of the churche The beste men that lyue in the worlde haue nede of gods lawe to leade them streyghte in the waye and payth of vertuous lyuynge thoughe they ncade no lawe to compel them for feare of punyshmente to do well and to absteyne from synne After thys meaning and sense Paule saied Justo non est lex posita the lawe is â— Timâ— 1. not made for the ryghteous because sayeth Chrysostome the lawe is made that by feare and threteninge of it synners shulde leaue committyng of synne and be punished wheÌ„ they do amisse and therfore Paule sayed to the Galathians Lex propter transgressiones posita est the lawe is Gala. 3. made for transgressyons to be restrayned and punyshed thereby But of thys sufficient Some men alledge saynte Austen agaynst traditions whiche in a certen epistle to saynte Hierom wolde that we shoulde beleue that the wryters of the holye scrypture onelye neuer erred and gyue no credence vnto any other man be he neuer so holye and well learned excepte he dyd proue by the scrypture eyther by autours or by probable reasons that he sayed the truth and therfore men oughte not to beleue them that teache traditions To thys wyse reason J fyrste saye that seynge saint Austeyne hym selfe sayeth in sundrye places of hys bookes that we muste nedes obserue traditious as J haue declared before it is a great blyndnes or rather malice agaynste the truth to alledge hym agaynste traditions as though he were contrarye to hym selfe Secondarilye J saye that they whiche do set forth the apostles traditioÌ„s do proue theÌ„ by the scrypture other autours and probable reasons also as J haue done in thys booke therfore saynte Austeynes authoritie alledged before holdeth with vs agaynst the reprouers of traditions Thyrdlye J saye that saynte Ansteyne in the sayed epistle resembled and compared the bokes of holy scrypture vnto other bookes compiled made set forth by mans wyt without the reuelation of the holy goost as it appeareth by the tenour of that epystle euidently and therfore he mente nothynge there agaynste anye thynge taught or lefte to the churche of chryste by the holy goostes stirring and in spiration but he called there all suche doctryne holye scrypture that is good godlye though it be not wrytten expresselye in the bible but delyuered by tradition wythout wrytyng Therfore this argumente is soyled clerely Furthermore thys reason is made agaynst traditions of the churche The olde testamente The. 9. argument and the new are as sufficient for chrysten people beleuynge nowe in chryste as the olde testamente onely was for the iewes but the whole fayth vnto the which the Jewes were bound was expressed in the olde testament and the bokes of it / ergo the hole fayth to the whyche chrysten men are nowe bounde is expressely written in the newe testamente and the olde and therfore the faythfull are not bounde to beleue anye thynge not expressed in the Byble / and so there are no traditions vnwrytten necessarye to be beleued of vs christen people Thoughe thys reason do The answeare appeare good and pythye vnto them that are not learned in the scrypture or beynge meanelye learned therein are affectionate and so maryed to the coÌ„trarye opniyon / that all thynge whyche doth anye thynge soune to theyr purpose pleaseth them hyghelye yet in very dede it nothynge serueth for theyr malycious intent partely because the Hebrewes were of longe tyme faithful peple before theyr faith was wrytten by Moyses in hys fyue bokes and yet they were yâ— tyme bounde to beleue the thinges then not wrytten but afterwarde partelye for as moche as after Moyses had wrytten and the other bokes of the law were all wrytten the people beleued many thynges perteynyng both to the faith and also to maners whiche were taught by mouthe onely without wrytynge to the beleefe of the which and fulfyllynge also they were neuerthelesse bounde of necessytie And these traditioÌ„s not wrytteÌ„ some men of the hebrues called iÌ„ that Cabala toÌ„gue cabalaÌ„ because they were receyued by the yonger or later lyuynge people of the elders wtout wrytynge of the olde testament lyke as dyuers dilygente searchers of such thynges haue wytnessed by wrytynge Therfore this argument is answered vnto sufficyently as the next anone shall be god willynge whiche is thus framed of the lutherans vpon these saynt Hieroms wordes Quod ex scriptutis sacris In Math. 23. auctoritatem non habet eadem facilitate coÌ„temnitur qua approbatur That is to say That which hath not auctorytie of the holye scriptures is despised by the same easeynes by whiche it is approued or allowed but all traditions haue not theyr autorite of yâ— scrypture therfore they are as easely despised asalowed which they shulde not be yf men were bouÌ„de of necessyte to beleue theÌ„ or to kepe them wherof it foloweth that we are not bouÌ„d to beleue obserue any of them not wrytteÌ„ in the holy scrypture This reason hangeth altogether vpoÌ„ the yll vnderstanding of saynt Hieroms sentence which mente not by holy scripture that onely whiche is sette forth in the byble expresselye but all doctryne commynge of the holy goostes reuelatyon wrytten in the Byble or not written but taught the apostles and the church of them by mouth onely for els he had writen agaynste hym selfe which in dyuers places of his bookes exhorteth men to beleue and kepe many thynges not wrytten in the scrypture as it appereth before in this boke This is thoughte by a learned maÌ„ to be saint Hieroâ—s mynde where I examiniÌ„g and wayenge diligentlye saynte Hieroms commentaryes there haue founde that he mente another thing For he recyteth some mens opinion to haue bene