flocke Ye haue not made strong that which was weake ye haue not healed the sicke Ye haue not bounde together the brokeÌ„ niether brought again that which waÌ„dered away Ye sought not that which was lost or peryshed IteÌ„ my shepe are scattered abrode or dyspersed bycause they had no shepeherde they are deuoured of all beastes of the felde Hitherto god by his prophete hath cursed all yll pasturs or shepeherdes whyche do not fede theyr flocke with the fode of gods holy worde accordynge to theyr bounden duetye but do fede them selues spendynge the goodes of theyr promotions with out preachynge to the people which are due only as a stypend to theÌ„ that do preach gods word or ministre hys sacramentes as it appereth not only here in this place of the prophete but also in this Pauls saynge Who warreth 1. Cor. 9. with his owne stipend or vpoÌ„ his owne wages Who doth plant a vyne and eateth not of the frute Who fedeth a flocke eateth not of yâ— flockes mylke Ment not S. Paule here that lyke as the man of warre ought to lyue by hys wages yf he do go to warre or els not and as he that planteth a vyne shulde eate of the frutes of it or els he ought not to eate of them Finally many now lyuâ— of the teÌ„â—hes and churches goodes agaynst this doctrine of saynt Paule and as the herdman or shepeherde whyche fedeth the flocke ought to eate of the flockes milke or els not euen so he that preacheth and teacheth the worde of god warring manly agaynst the enemyes of the truth plantyng the vyneyarde of Chryste the church and fedynge the lambes and shepe of god the christeÌ„ people oughte to lyue wyth and by hys the tenthes and other the reuenues and frutes of his promotion benefice or byshoprich whyche thynge yf he do not let hym beware lest he take the frutes vniustly to his dampnation as which are due onely to him that laboureth iÌ„ preachiÌ„g teaching sacrameÌ„tes ministryng and praying for the people prouydynge for them all thynges necessarye for theyr soules helth defeÌ„dinge them froÌ„ the wolfes deuouring and geuyng them a good example of vertuous liuing as it appeareth in Iohns gospell the fyrst of saynt Peters epistles Io. 21. 1. Pe. 5. Saynt Paule preached the gospel frely and toke not so moche as meate and drinke of certeyne people to whoÌ„ he preached and yet he sayde Wo to me yf I 1. Cor. 9. preach not the gospel but many of vs preestes and byshoppes cleane contrarylye to that hys godly example do lyue meryly vpon the tenthes and other the goodes due to preachers teachers for theyr wages stypende sustentation nother preaching nor teaching and yet we thynke no thyng vpon that woo whych god so often tymes threteneth to them that do not theyr duety Cometh not by thys meanes I beseche the good reader a wonderfull decay vnto Christes religion fayth and vertuous lyuyng Are not the wolfes bolde then to entre in to the flocke of shepe to disperse theym / to take some of them and to deuour theÌ„ when the shepeherd is eyther absent from theÌ„ as many nowe are other to get mo ê“motyoÌ„s or els to spare theyr purses or els beynge present barketh nothynge at all agaynst theÌ„ Why do we not open our eies closed with couetousnesse other carnall affections / se how moch hurt riseth Ezec. 19. 34 vpoÌ„ this defaulte remembre that the blood of all the shepe / which do peryshe through oure neglygence shall be required of vs. For we shal make a rekeniÌ„g to god for euerye soule coÌ„mitted to vs as Paule saieth to the hebrewes Heb. 13. where he wryteth thus Obedite praepositis vestris et lubia cete eis Ipsi enim pervigilant quasi rationeÌ„ ê“ aiÌ„abus vestris reddituri That is in englishe Obey your ouerseers be ye obedyeÌ„t to theÌ„ for they watch for you as though they shulde gyue an accoÌ„pte for your soules VpoÌ„ the which text the greate clerke saynt Chrysostome thus wryteth dreâ—dfullye to withdrawe mens ambitions mindes through feare of that dauÌ„ger / iÌ„ the which curates are froÌ„ the desyre of ê“motions and takynge charge of mennes soules Quid dicamus infaelicibus illis et miseris qui semetipsos ad alios regendos precipitant et se in tantoruÌ„ supplieiorum abyssum iactant OiÌ„m quos regis mulieruÌ„ pueroruÌ„ atque viroruÌ„ tu rationeÌ„ redditurê° es tâto igni tuuÌ„ subiicis caput Miror si potest saluari aliqu is rectorum That is to saye What may we say vnto those vnhappy wretched men that do throw theÌ„ selues hedlyng to rule other do caste theÌ„ selues in to the botoÌ„les depnes of so great ponyshementes Thou shalt make an accoÌ„ptefor all womeÌ„ chyldren men / whiche thou dost gouerne thou put teste thy head vnder so greate a fyer I merueyle yf anye of the rulers can be saued Hyt herto s Chrysostome whose wordê may ought also to feare euery man froÌ„ the desyre of any promotioÌ„s wherby he shulde be charged with the cure of soules Are not they worse theÌ„ pyuyshe blynded with ambition whiche do not onelye couet bysshopriches / benefyces other lyke ê“motions / byndiÌ„g theÌ„ selues to make aunswere for all theyr soules that be in theyr cure but also do make frendes for the obtaynyng of theÌ„ go to seruyce giue money very largly for theÌ„ For benefices are now coÌ„mon marchaÌ„dise sold to theÌ„ that wyl giue most for theÌ„ with oute all regarde respecte had vnto the learnyng honesty of the preest to whom they are sold Wherby aryseth greate decaye in christê fayth moch leudnes amoÌ„ge the people throughe the ignorance of such persoÌ„s vycars For wheÌ„ the blynd leadeth the blynde both do fall in to the den as chryst sayeth Let the patrons gyuers of suche benefyces Mat. 15. beware in tyme remeÌ„brynge that they shall make an accoÌ„pte to god for the soules whiche do perish by theyr ê“motiÌ„ge the vnworthy vnmete persons vnto theyr benefices accordiÌ„g to this saynge of saynt Panl Not onelye Ro. 1. they that do suche thynges are worthy of deth but they also whyche do consent to the doers In the beginnyng of Christes church men were promoted that were apte to rule the people not the vnworthye for money as they now coÌ„menly be Tertulyan whyche was wythin CC. yeres after Christes byrth thus In apolog aduersus gentes Religioni ac doctrine opprobriuÌ„ nascitur ê™ sacerdocia vel ministeria ambitione potâ—ê° et grÌ„a quam meritoruÌ„ iudicio deferuntur Greg NazaÌ„ in apoligitico sermone de spie sancto wryteth President probati quique seniores vel presbyteri honorem istum non precio sed testimonio adepti That is to say euery proued or tryed elder or preest doth rule or is in auctoritie whyche haue gotten that honour or dignitie not wyth money but by witnesse borne of theyr
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
dialo goruÌ„ the Eorinthyans especyally the vii xi the xii xiiii Chapiters of it comprehende nothynge els but that which was wryten before of Moises and the ê“phetê Where do we rede in Moyses lawe the fourme of chosynge a bysshoppe or a preest and a deacon dyuers other thiÌ„ges wryten by Paule to the bysshoppes Timothy and Tite Paule said verely truelye that he taughte nothynge before the Iewes but Moyses law and the prophetê which they had receiued as true doctrine and by whiche he trauayled to induce them to beleue in Chryste and to repente theyr yl life that they might be saued But wylt thou gather good reder therof that s Paule taught to the faythfull people whiche beleued in Christ and were christened nothynge vtterly besyde thynges conteyned in Moyses law and the Prophetes Nay I suppose excepte thou dote Why then woldest thou gather therupon that Paules tradicioÌ„s lerned by worde or preachynge of the Thessalonians were taken out of Moyses law and the holy prophetes Agayne Bullynger alledgeth s Paules wordes Gala. 1. for that is vngodlye purpose which are these I make knoweÌ„ to you brethren that the gospell whiche I haue preached is not after man For I haue not receyued it of man nor learned it of maÌ„ but by the reuelation of Iesu Chryste But the reuelation of Iesu Chryst sayeth Bullynger wysely dissenteth not from itselfe but Mathewe Marke Luke and Iohan wrote of that same reuelatioÌ„ wherfore it is necessary that saint Paule delyuered withe a lyuely voyce in his sermons the same thynges whiche the euangelistes afterwarde dyd wryte and in wrytynge left to the churche of Chryste and therfore it is not necessary to vnderstande by the tradycyoÌ„s whiche Paule sayed the Thessalonians had learned by his sermoÌ„ or word tradicions not wryten hytherto bablynge Bullynger vtterynge his shamefull blyndnes ignoraunce I wyl not say his malyce conceyued agaynste the truth For must not he be very blynde and ignoraunt in the scrypture whiche wolde reason thus Saynt Paule learned the gospell of Iesu chryst by reuelation the euaÌ„gelistes wrote of by the same reuelation whiche dysseÌ„teth not from it selfe ergo it must neades folow that Paul taughte the Thessalonians nothing by mouth nor vnderstode any thynge els by his tradicioÌ„s delyuered vnto theÌ„ by his word or preachynge but onelye those thynges which the euaÌ„gelistes dyd wryte Dyd not the foure euaÌ„gelistes all wryte by one inspiration and reuelation of Iesu christ and yet one of theÌ„ wrotâ— that whiche another wrote not Peter Iames Iohan and Iudas wrote al by one reuelatioÌ„ of Iesu christ and the holy gooste whych neuer doth ne can dissent from it selfe ergo they wrote all one thyng none of them wrote any thyng whych the other wrote not Is thys a wyse argumente beyng lyke Bullyngers Therfore though saynte Paule receyued and learned the gospell by christes reuelation by whyche the .iiii. euaÌ„gelistes wrote theyr gospelles yet that proueth not sufficiently that paule wrote nothynge but that whych they wrote nor that he preached nothing by mouth onely wythout puttynge it in wrytynge afterwarde but that alonely whyche was wrytten in the euangelistes But lettynge thys passe let vs se what saynt Chrysostom and other say vpon the text of saynt Paule aboue recyted that therby it may euidently appeare that Bullinger other of that secte do mysse construe and vnderstande that sayed letter for the mayntenauÌ„ce of theyr deuelish heresie against traditions Saynt Damascene thus wrytteth Quod autem plurima Lib 4. ca. 17 sancti apostoli tradiderint sine scripto scribit Paulê° gentium apostolê° Ergo fratres state et tenete traditiones nostras quas edocti estis siue per sermonem siue per epistolaÌ„ nostraÌ„ That is thus muche to saye in oure tonge But that the holy apostles taughte verye many thinges without writing Paule the apostle of the gentles wryteth sayinge Therfore brethren stande ye fast and kepe ye our etraditions whyche ye are taught eyther by oure worde or sermoÌ„ or els by our epistle ThaÌ„ he allegeth for that purpose this text of saynt paule I prayse you brethren because in all thynges ye remembre me and ye do kepe the traditioÌ„s as I haue taught you them Chrisostome also holdeth 1. cor 11. wyth the same thynge wrytynge vpon that texte of saynte paule to the thessalonians with these few wordes HiÌ„c patet quod non omnia per epistolam tradideriÌ„t sed multa etiam sine literis Eadem vero fide digna sunt tam illa quam ista Itaque traditionem ecclesie fide dignam putamus Traditio est nihil quaeras amplius The englysh may be thys From thence it is open that the apostles dyd not teach all thynges by an epistle but also many thinges with our wrytynge But as wel those as these are worthy the same fayth or credence Therfore we thynke the churches tradition worthye to be beleued It is a tradition serch or demauÌ„de nothyng more ouer What could ye haue written Marke this wel redrr more playnly against the lutherans and all the hole rablement of them that denye traditions and defende that nothing oughte to be beleued but the onely whych is put forth manifestly in scrpture Truely he is not wel aduised nor godly disposed that wil not rather gyue credeÌ„ce to this auncient godly wel learned doctoure then to the lutherans wryters of late vngodlye and vnlearned Theophilactus also vpon thys same paules text Basyll coÌ„fyrmeth this sayengArbitror apostolicum esse etiaÌ„ noÌ„scriptis traditionibê° inherere paulê° enim inquit laudo vos ê™ mea omnia meministis queÌ„ admo dum tradidi vobis traditiones obtinetis quas accepistis siue per sermonem siue per epistolaÌ„ de spiritu s capi 29. That is I do iudge it perteyning to the apostles doctrin to cleaue vn to traditions yea not wrytteÌ„ For paule sayeth â— prayse you that ye haue remeÌ„bred al my lessons kepte styll the traditions that ye haue receyued eyther by speache or an epistle as I haue delyuered them vnto you sheweth hym selfe to holde wyth the doctrine of traditions saying thus Hic sane perspicuum est pleraque paulum sine scriptis ser mone duntaxat hoc est viua voce non epistolis solum his tradidisse Non enim secus illa atque haec fide digna sunt Itaque et ecclesie traditionem dignam existimemus cui prestanda sit fides vt si quid ab ea sit traditum nihil vltra perquiras The which wordes may be thus turned in to englyshe Therof it is verily playne that paule taught them manye thynges by speache onely that is with a liuely voice wythout wrytynge not onely by epistles For those are no other wyse worthye of credence then these Wherfore let vs iudge the churches tradition mete or worthy to whom credence muste be gyuen so that yf any thynge be taught or deliuered of the church thou searche nothynge further
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
¶ 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
learning and vertue Oure lord wolde it were so now for then honesty learnyng shulde moch more florysh then now they do therby heresies and errours shuld very lytle preuayle where nowe they preuayle greatlye thorowe the ignoraunce of curates Let therfore sellers of benefices marke what the holy martyr S Cypryan sayeth of suche marchaunte men by these wordes Spiritus sanctus Giezi mercenarium lepra condemnat et Iero boam vendentem sacerdocia cum apostatis locat Whyche is thus muche to saye in englyshe The holye ghost condempneth Giezi wyth a lepry whych was an hyred seruaunte made marchandyse taking money for his maisters curynge of NaamaÌ„s dysease and placeth Ieroboam sellynge benenefices Sellers of benefices are compared vnto apostatayes wyth them that do forsake Christes religion Lo here saynt Cypryan sayeth that the holy gooste setteth sellers of benefices wyth them that do for sake Christes religion whyche thynge declareth manifestlye howe great synne it is to sell benefices though men nowe these dayes do esteme and iudge it no faute at all such is theyr blyndnes therein rysyng of couetousnes What vengiauÌ„ce god hath taken vpon them that came to theyr promotions by any vnleful meanes It apeareth by many hystoryes Of the whyche I wyll allege a fewe to withdrawe men from the bying and sellyng of spirituall dignities Fyrst we reade in the seconde of the Machabeis Cap. 7. that one Alchimê° by Demetrius thrust into the office of the high preest lyued woÌ„derfully yll as all do for the greatest numbre whych are promoted by money and he was stryken with the palsey and made dome departed wtout any testament Iason also boughte a benefice of Antiochus but he escaped not 2. Math. â— 2. Mach. 4. vnpunyshed therfore for he waÌ„deryng and fleyng from citie to citie departed this lyfe wythout lamentation of the people and was cast away wyth out burial Menelaus supplaÌ„ted Iason biyng 2. Mach. 5. hys benefice of Antiochus but he payed dearelye for it wheÌ„ he was cast do â—â—ne headling froÌ„ the toppe of a tower and turned into asshes Antiochus whyche 2. Mach. 13 solde the preests benefice to Iason and Menelaus escaped not clere as the whych rotted beyng alyue and hys fleshe was ful of vermyne or wormes Wherfore let both the biers and the sellers also of benefices beware of goddes veÌ„geaunce which thus greuously hath punyshed these men for oure ensample and that we shulde be assured nothyng doutyng but yf we lyke offende we shal suffre lyke punyshmente in thys lyfe and moche more in another excepte we repente and amend in due seasoÌ„ To be short the sellers of benefices vnto the vnlearned or yl lyuyng preestes for money do sinne deadly by respecte of person whyche is forbiddeÌ„ Jacob. 2. in suÌ„dry places of the scripture but specially in saynte Iames the seconde chapter I speake here nothyng at all of them that do gyue theyr benefices and dignityes vnto theyr seruauntes chaplyns kynsfolke or any other being vnapte to preach and teach goddes worde vnto theyr flocke leauyug them vnpromoted whyche both for theyr vertue and learnyng also are very worthy to be preferred therunto shulde do therein moche good where the other do verye lytle yea some tymes muche hurte Is not thys acceptio vel respectê° personatum the regarde of persons agaynst gods lawe Thys vice dothe almooste as moche harme in Christes churche and is nygh as yll as is the sellyng of spirituall promotions I let passe at this tyme theyr abhominable couetousnes that do giue their benefices vnto blocke heades not mete for theyr lytle discretion and lesse learnyng to any suche thynge and do take them selues a parte and portion of the frutes belongyng to such promotions These men are bounde to make restitution of that goodes whyche they haue inioyed agaynste goddes lawe whyche declarethe that the tenthes of benefices are dew onely to them that do preach teache 1. Cor. 9. the scripture rulynge gouernyng wel the people to them coÌ„mitted For oure Lorde hath ordeined sayth Paule That they lyue by the aulter that do serue it and lyue of the gospell which do preache the gospell Therfore â— Cor 9. he that neyther serueth the aulter nor prcacheth the gospel can not iustlye lyue by the tenthes other the reuenues and frutes perteynynge to the ministers of the aulter and the gospell Let me not haue a iust occasioÌ„ to say vnto you that hath or do offend in this poynte as Christe sayed vnto the Iewes Si veritatem dico Iohan. 9. quare non creditis mihi If I saye the truth why do ye not beleue me He that ys of god heareth the wordes of god therfore you do not heare bycause ye are not of God I am well assured that to no good maÌ„ I shal be rekened an enemy telliÌ„g the truth Gala. â— as Paule was estemed of the Galathyans bycause he taught them the truth Nowe to finysh thys preface I most humbly be sech euery patron and gyuer of any benefice and other spiritual promotions to chose frely wyth out money apte mete preestes therunto layed asyde all carnal affection both for the discharge of theyr owne consciences and also that by the studye labour of learned and godly beneficed meÌ„ the truth of Christes religion vertue of lyfe may the better go forwarde and florish preuaylyng agaynst falsitie vice Also I do exhorte all preestes to cast away theyr inordinate ambition and desyre of promotions neyther procuryng them to them selues by money or anye other vnlefull meanes nor yet receyuyng them beynge offered excepte they be apte and able to discharge the same cures And yf they so be do therupon take anye suche dignitie of Christes churche lette euerye one of them beare in hys mynde the strayte accompte whiche he shall make vnto God for the soules coÌ„mitted to him to be ruled taught euer folowing saynt Peters lesson saying to all bishoppes and preestes hauynge cure of soule Fede ye the flocke of god which is amonge you prouidynge for theÌ„ not as constrayned but willyngly accordynge to god Neyther for fylthy lucres sake but voluntaryly nother rulyng like Lordes ouer the clargye or els 1. Petri. 5. christen people but hartely beynge come an ensample of the flocke And wheÌ„ Christ the chefe of the shepeherdes shal appere ye shall receyue the crowne of glorie that caÌ„ not be corrupted The which our lorde god grauÌ„t vnto vs for Christe hys sonnes sake heade of all shepeherdes that boughte the same for vs with the shedyng of hys most precious blood to whoÌ„ with the father the holye goost be impery glorie and honour world wythout ende Amen ☞ The fyrst chaptre touchynge bryefly as it were by the way the aucthorytie of bysshopes to to make lawes c. ALbeyt that the holye scrypture is perfecte Deut 32. as all other the workes of god are good chrysten reader Yet there be sundrye dyuers
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
Lib. 9. cap. 38. in latine tripertita historia For he thus wryteth Aegiptii vero Alexandriae vicini thebaidos habitatores sabbato quidem collectas agunt sed non sicut moris est sacramenta percipiunt naÌ„ postquaÌ„ fueraÌ„t epulari et cibis oiÌ„bus adimpleti circa vesperam oblatione facta coÌ„municant The englysshe may be this The Egipcyans nygh or neyghbours to Alexandria and the inhabytans of thebays a couÌ„trey of Egipt gather collectyoÌ„s for the pore vpoÌ„ the saterday but they receyue not the sacrameÌ„tes as the maner or custome is for after they haue eaten at feastes or banketes and are fylled with all meates they do take they re hosle or ryghtes aboute the euentyde when the sacrifyce of the masse is done But to let this passe who can denye but that it cometh by the apostles tradicyon that chrysten people do receyue the sacrameÌ„t of the aulter onely of the preestê as Tertulyan testyfyed with in C.lxxiii after Chrystes passyon Tertulianê° de corona militis sayeng Eucharistiae sacrameÌ„tuÌ„ nec de alioruÌ„ quam praesidenti iÌ„ manu sumimê° We do receiue saÌ„ith he the sacrameÌ„t of the alter of none other mens hande theÌ„ of theyrs He meaneth the preestes that haue auctorytie or rule This he wrote entreatiÌ„g of tradicions and customes obserued then without scrypture Also it cometh by the apostles tradicyoÌ„ without wrytynge that water is myxed with wyne in the chalyce when a preyst sayeth masse For chryste him selfe toke as saynte Damascene wytnesseth the cup or chalyce mengled withe water and wyne / and gaue it to his apostles sayng vnto theÌ„ Drynke of this al. Where fynde we this truth and thynge that Chryste dyd in the scrypture Dyd not chryst teach his apostles to meÌ„gle water and wyne together at masse and they taught the churche the same by mouth withoute wrytynge The blessed martyr S. CypryaÌ„ aboue M. ccc yeres hath testifyed that thynge thus wrytyng But brother knowe Lib 2. eps 3 that we are admonyshed that in offeryng the chalyce our lordes tradicyon be kepte nother an other thynge be done of vs then that which our lorde dyd before vs. That the chalyce whyche is offred to his remeÌ„braunce be offred myxed with wyne When the water is myngled with the wyne in the chalyce the people is ioyned to chryste as one with him the multitude of the beleuyng is coupled knyt to hiÌ„ in whome they haue beleued The which couplynge conyoinyng together of water and wyne is so myxed in our lordes chalyce that the water and wine so mengled can not be seperate or disseuered Wherof the churche that is the people set in the churche faythfullye and stedfastlye contynuyng in that whiche it hathe beleued nothynge can seperate from chryste that it cleaue not abyde alwaye in gods loue In that same Epystle he wrytethe moch more largely of this tradityon wherby water wyne are myxed togyther at masse in the chalyce and what it betokeneth of the whiche I also haue spokeÌ„ more plenteously in my boke of the sacrifyce of the masse yet I wyl not let passe vntouched this blessed martyrs wordes wryten in his sermoÌ„ of washyng of fete where he declareth that Chryst dyd instytute the holy sacrameÌ„t of the aulter hiÌ„ self and that the apostles inspyred with the holy gooste dyd adde therunto other dyuers thynges For thus he sayeth Ipse suÌ„mus sacerdos sui est sacrameÌ„ti institutor et autor iÌ„ caereris hoîes spuÌ„m saÌ„ctuÌ„ habuere doctoré sicut par est spuÌ„i saÌ„cto et chricto diuinitas ita in suis institutis aequa est autoritas et potestas nec minus raruÌ„ est quod dictaÌ„te spuÌ„ sâ—cto Alias â—â—tum apostoli tradiderunt quam ê™ ipse tradidit et in sui coÌ„memorationem fieri praecepit That is to say The hyghest preest hym self was the ordeyner and the fyrste maker of hys sacrameÌ„t in other thynges men had the holy goost a teacher and lyke as the deite or godheade of Christe and the holy goost are equal eueÌ„ so they haue equall auctoritie and power in theyr ordinaunces and that is as excellente that the apostles haue taughte or lefte by traditioÌ„s as that which he taught and commaunded to be done in hys remembraunce These wordes of saynte Cyprian do shewe that after hys mynde whyche was a man both excellently well learned vertuous also christ dyd institute and fyrst make the holy sacrameÌ„t of the aulter and the apostles taughte of the holy gooste ordeyned the other thynges belongynge to the comelye and semely consecratynge of his bodye and bloude and receyuynge of it whyche they lefte to the church of Christ vnwrytten as it is already proued by saynt Austen Finally Cyprian sayeth that the apostles traditioÌ„s perteynynge to thys sacrament are of lyke auctorite power and excellency as Christes owne ordinaunces are and therfore they muste nedes be shamefullye deceyued whyche wyll beleue nothynge excepte it be expressed playnlye in the scripture Another traditioÌ„ of the apostles belongyng to this holy sacrament is that the blessed body of Christ is kept and reserued in the pyxe or boxe at churche because that custome is hath bene in Christes churche kepte throughe all the worlde where good christen men be and therfore beinge not as in dede it is not ordeyned and inacted by anye councell it muste nedes come by tradition from the churche after saynte Ianuatio epist 118. Austens mynd Of thys custome we reade in the historye of the churche compiled by the auncient wyrter Eusebiê° whyche recytynge Lib. 5. cap. 25. certen sentences out of Ireneê° the disciple of saint Polycarpe saynte Iohan the euangelistes scoler sayeth that the bishop of Rome dyd vse to sende the blessed sacrament solemly to straunge catholyke by shoppes which came thyther Now shuld any such costome be so sone after Christes departynge and the apostles death of the whych S. Iohan the euangelist wrote IX yeres and aboue after Christes ascension after the whiche tyme Ireneê° was within lesse then an hundred yeres excepte the apostles had tanght the church that lesson Of thys custome to reserue the bodye of christe in the pyxe saynte Nierom and saynte Ambrose wrote as I haue more largelye declared in my boke of Hiero Rustico etambrosiê° in ora funebri de obitu fratris suâ— satyri the sacrameÌ„t of the aulter Adde yet to these another tradition of the apostles belongynge vnto the masse sacrameÌ„te of the aulter which is that at masse the preest prayeth for the soules departed out of this worlde which thyng the holy apostles dyd ordeyne to be done as saynte Damascene Sermonâ— ê“ deâ—â—â—tis witnesseth saying The apostles our sauiours disciples haue coÌ„maunded or ordeyned that a remembraunce shulde be made of theÌ„ that were dead in the dreadful lyuely sacrameÌ„tes Saynt Chrisostome also affirmeth in diuers places of hys bokes that the apostles ordeyned that the Ad antoâ—h pop homilia 69
et in prioreÌ„ ad corinth ho. 41. epipha 3 3. Doinis de eccle hierat cap. 7. preestes at masse shulde pray for the deade Epiphanius in lyke wise affirmeth that it is a tradition receyued of the fathers to pray for the dead saynte Dionise saint Paules scholer testifieth that that custome came from the apostles of christ by theyr tradition whyche I haue declared sufficiently in the later ende of my boke of the sacrifice of the masse the .xxx. leafe therfore I nede not agayne to reherse the auctorities whych are there set forth at large It is therfore great fooly of men to deny the holye godly charitable tradition of the apostles Dionise Paules disciple publisheth putteth forth many diuers other ceremonies vsages of the masse / whyche no doubt he levned of his maisters Paul Hierotheê° the holy apostles De eccle Hierar ca 3 parie 3. etc. with the which he was often coÌ„uersauÌ„t but I wyl not recyte theÌ„ at this tyme intending to be shorte in this treatise Nowe let vs se what yet S. Paule sayeth further for the defence of traditions He wrytinge to the Corinthians 1 Corin 11. Arbitror apostolicum esse etsaÌ„ noÌ„ scriptis tradetionibus inherere Paulê° eniÌ„ inquit laudo vos etc 1. cor 11 basiliê° de spiritu sctoÌ„ ca. 29 her in literas râ—tulit thus maketh for the furtherauÌ„ce of my purpose in this boke I pray you brethreÌ„ that in al thynges ye remeÌ„bre me kepe my coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes as I haue deliuered theÌ„ vnto you Besyde that yâ— paule speketh here of his coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes not of christê saieth he had deliuered or taughte theÌ„ by traditioÌ„ vnto the corinthians which thiges do shew the he spake of certeÌ„ thiges which he taught theÌ„ him selfe by mouth wythout writing besides this I say the holye man Chrisostome thus wryteth Chrisost vpoÌ„ this text for traditioÌ„s Ergo sine litter is multa tradider at quod alibi sepe meminit Therfore he delyuered or taught many thinges without writing the which thing he ofte remembreth els where Thophilactus also vpon the same text thus sayeth Liquet ex eis cuÌ„ PauluÌ„ tuÌ„ apostolos reliquos haudquaquaÌ„ oiÌ„ a maÌ„dasse litteris precepta que populis tradidisset It is euidente by these Paules wordes the partly Paul chefely the other apostlê wrote not al the coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes which they deliuered or taught the people Lo these two greate lerned meÌ„ auÌ„cient good fathers iudged the Paule the other apostles wrote not al the coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes which they gaue to the people Bullinger w e diuers other of luthers scholers affirme the coÌ„trary weout any good grouÌ„d whether ê‘tie oughte we to beleue the yonger or the elder the better in liuing or the worse the better lerned or the worse But now to paule agayn which saieth to the philippiaÌ„s You oughte to beare in remembrauÌ„ce the thinges which ye haue perceiued had sene not those thiÌ„ges onely which were writteÌ„ to you to timothy he also saith 2. Timo. 2 Thou my son timothy be stroÌ„g in the grace that is in christe Iesu coÌ„mit the thiÌ„ges which thou hast harde of me by manye wytnesses to faithful men that shal be apt to teach also other Who seeth not the here Paule spake of traditioÌ„s not writteÌ„ of him but taught the bishop timothy without wrytynge by mouth onely whyche he so delyuered to other that shulde teach the churche of christe These places aboue recyted out of sâ— Paule are playne agaynste them that denye tradycyons and say that euery truth 2. thesso 2. is expresly put forth in the scripture but yet this now folowing 2. pe 1. oiÌ„s prophetia i. scripture sacre enara ratio propria interpretatione non fit NoÌ„ enim voluÌ„tate etc. is most manifestlye agaynst theÌ„ whiche is euen thus wrytten of Paule Fratres state et tenete traditiones quas didicistis siue per sermoneÌ„ siue per epistolam nostram That is to say Brethren stande ye fast and kepe the tradicyons that ye haue learned eyther by Luke 24. apparuit illis sensoÌ„ etc. our preachyng or by our epystle Thoughe that this texte be so plain vpoÌ„ our side which do defende tradicioÌ„s of the apostles and Chrystes holy churche that it caÌ„ not be wrested to any other sence then that saynte Paule coÌ„maunded the Thessaloniens all other chrystened people in by theym to obserue not onelye his tradicions wrytten in his epystle but also other not wrtteÌ„ but preached and taught theim without wrytyng by mouth one lye yet Bullynger Luthers discyple labourethe to wrythe it agaynst his nature vnto another meanynge affyrmynge but weout any proufe reason or auctorytie If that Bullingers vnderstandynge were good what dyfference shulde there be betwene a sermon and epystle Had S. Paules epystles nothynge out of Moyses lawe the prophetes How moch of theÌ„ hath the epystle to the romaÌ„s How to the Hebrews and how the other It is therfore a very folysh eâ—asyon to expownde tradicioÌ„s receyued by Paules sermon or spech doctrine of the gospel takeÌ„ out of Moyses wrytynges and the ê“phetes and not tradicions vnwryten De Bullingeâ—o recte dici potest illud flacci Et nescire pudeÌ„s praâ—â— â—discere maâ—â—lt well taken that Paule meÌ„t by tradicions which the Thessaloniens learned of hym by his worde or preachyng thiÌ„ges wryten in Moyses lawe and the prophetes whiche afterwarde that he had preached them to the people the holye euangelystes and apostles did wryte But yet here I besech the good reader Bullyngers probacion the Paule meÌ„t nothyng els there to the Thessaloniens but onely hys sermons of the gospell takeÌ„ out of Moises lawe the prophetes after wryten by the euangelystes other the apostles For he sayeth Bullynger speakyng of his sermoÌ„s and preachiÌ„ges before Agrippa doth wytnesse that he taught nothynge but that which Moyses and the Prophetes had taughte before Is not this a learned ê“batyon good reader Paule before Agryppa sayed he taughte nothynge ouer and aboue that whiche Moyses and the Prophetes had taughte before ergo by hys tradycyons whiche the Thessaloniens learned of hym by his worde or preachynge he ment nothynge els but hys sermons made out of Moyses and the Prophetes whiche the euaÌ„gelystes / and other the apostles afterward dyd put in wrytyng Doth not he shewe by this reason his lytle reason and lesse lernynge What madde man wyll make thys argument which is moch lyke vnto his Paul sayd before Agryppa that he taught nothynge but that which Moises lawe and the prophetes had ergo he taught vtterly nothyng besyde the contentes of Moises lawe and the Prophetes Are there no thiÌ„ges wryteÌ„ in Pauls epystles which be not wryten in Moises law and the prophetes Dothe the fyrste hys epystle to Hareâ—â—â—â— sunt arrogantes ac putant ê™ possint sapere et loqui abstrusiê° quiddaÌ„quam alii adornaâ—â—â— verboâ— pugnas Câ—ril Lib. 2.
Hitherto Theophilactus The greake scolies or short expositions set forth vpon thys place of saynte paule do expowne it as saynte Damascene chrysostom and Theophilactus do whose wordes are these into latine traÌ„slated Eteni et scripta et noÌ„ scripta precepta tradiderunt apostoli et vtraque obseruatione digna Igitur et ecclesiae quoque et non scripta traditio obseruanda est Thus it is in our speach because the apostles dyd deliuer or teach coÌ„maundementes both wrytten and also vnwrytten / and both two worthy to be obserued therfore the churches also tradition yea not wrytten muste be kepte Are not all these wytnesses sufficient to stoppe theyr mouthes whych do bable without all reason good learnynge agaynste traditions Saynt Basil whych was nygh Basiliê° de spiritu sctoÌ„ ca 29. twelfe hundred yeres paste and an excelleÌ„t clerke thus writteth Arbitror autem apostolicuÌ„ esse etiaÌ„ 1. Cor. 11. non scrrptis traditionibê° inhaerere Laudo inquit paulus vos quod per oiÌ„a mei memores estis et quemadmoduÌ„ tradidi vos traditiones obtinetis 2. Teffa 2. quas acceptistis siue per epistolaÌ„ siue per sermonem That is to say in english But I iudge it apostolike or perteyninge vnto an apostles doctine to cleaue or sticke to traditioÌ„s also not written I prayse you sayeth paule that through al thinges ye remeÌ„bre me and do reteyne styll the traditions as I taughte you whiche ye receyued eyther by an epistle or by speach Seest thou not here chrysteÌ„ reader that S. Basyll affyrmeth not onely that we ought to stycke fast vnto traditions not written but he sayth it beloÌ„geth vnto the apostles teachinge and allegeth two textes of saynte Paule to proue the same Wherfore I beseche the shulde not we rather giue fayth and credence vnto this holy and greate clerke saynte basyll then to Luther or anye of hys scole Let this that is nowe alreadye sayed that whych shall be sayd hereafter be to the gentell reader whych hast any regarde vnto thy soules health sufficiente vtterly to abhorre deteste and forsake thys pestilente erroure set vp against traditions of the whyche manye are verye necessarye for the maynteynannce and encrease of Chrystes religion mans saluation as it shall hereafter appeare more at large by goddê helpe and grace But now I wyl go to the rehersall of a multitude of thiÌ„ges obserued and beleued of christen natyons through the hole world which are bothe necessarye to be beleued kepte also yet they be not expressly set forth iÌ„ the scrypture but are onely come iÌ„ to the church of chryst our blessed sauiour by traditioÌ„ of the holy apostles inspired styrred of the spirite of truth to ordeyne theÌ„ to deliuer them vnto the church by mouth with out wrytyng which as euer seÌ„ce theyr tyme haue bene amoÌ„ge all catholyke people beleued obserued euen so shall they be vntyll the worldes ende thoughe manye do barke neuer so moche agaynst theÌ„ as they do agaynst dyuers other truthes expressed in the scrypture ¶ The thyrde chaptre comprehendynge A numbre of traditions that came from the apostles in to the churche of christe without wrytynge by mouth onely the nombre of tradicions commynge from the apostles to vs wtout writing IN the last Chaptre good reader I touched bryefly and by the waye as we are wonte to saye foure tradicyoÌ„s pertaynyng vnto the sacrament of the aulter that is to say Water to be myxed with wyne in the chalyce at masse whiche our sauyoure hym selfe dyd as saynt Cypryan sayth of whoÌ„ his apostles taughte the same lefte it without wrytynge to the church The seconde to receyue the sacrameÌ„t fasting The third to kepe the sacrament in the pixe or boxe in the teÌ„ple The fourth is to pray for the deade at masse which thiÌ„ge the apostles taught the churche as I haue proued in my boke of the sacrifice of the masse Now let vs se what other tradicions there be whiche are vnwrytten in the scrypture and yet necessary to be beleued kept and obserued of all chrysten people and fyrst of all I wyll recite certayne tradycyons apperteynyng vnto baptisme of the whiche the chyefe is that infantes or babes that caÌ„ not yet speake are chrystened wheÌ„ they can not beleue and baptysme auaylethe theÌ„ through the churches fayth to the obtaynynge of remyssyon of originall synne and the gettyng of heuen What scrypture proueth this truth Is not the scripture rather agaynst it then with it Do not the heretyckes called in greke anabaptiste because they chrysten men agayne wheÌ„ they can beleue which were chrystened beynge infantes vtterly denye this veryte for that that they sawe no scrypture expressly make for it What wyll or can they here say that aske requyre for euery doctrine that they wyl beleue manifest scrypture To. 3 Li. 10 in genesi Saynte Austen thus wrytethe vpon the chrystenynge of chyldren Consuetudo matris ecclesiaeiÌ„ baptizandis paruulis nequa quam sperneÌ„da est neque vllo modo superflua depuranda nec omnino credenda esset nisi apostolica esset traditio That is to saye The custome of our mother the church in chrystenyng of chyldren is in no wise to be dispysed nother by any waye to be rekened supenfluous nor it oughte vtterlye to be beleued excepte it had bene Note reder the apostles tradicion Loo S. Austen sayth that the baptysme or christenyng of chyldren shuld not be beleued except it had ben the tradicion of the apostles therfore he founde no scrypture for it Also in another boke he wryteth thus of the same matter Lib. 4. capâ— 24. Aduersê° donaâ—istas de baptist paruâ—loruÌ„ Et si quisquam in hac re autoritateÌ„ quaerat diuinam quamquam quod vniuersa tenet ecclesia nec conciliiÌ„s iÌ„stitutum sed semper retentum est non nisi autoritate apostolica traditum rectissime creditur tameÌ„ veraciter coniicere possumus quid va leat in paruulis baptismi sacrameÌ„tuÌ„ ex circumcisione carnis quaÌ„ prior populus accepit Thus it is in englysshe Albeit any searche or asketh the auctoritye of God or the scrypture in this matter of chrystenynge chyldren thoughe that whiche the whole churche kepeth and it is not ordeined by councels but euer reteyned it is beleued of mooste good right or reason not delyuered or taught but by the apostles auctorite yet we maye truelye coniecture what strength the sacrament of baptysme is of in chyldren by the circumcisyon of the flesshe which the fyrst people receyued Lo ones agayne saynte Austen doth confesse that the chrysteniÌ„g of chyldren came by the tradicioÌ„ of the apostles without expresse worde or coÌ„maundement of the scrypture Therfore what madnes blyndnes are they in that requyre manyfeste scrypture for euery thynge that shulde be beleued and kepte of vs chrystened people They do open the dore gyue an occasion by that theyr fonde opinyon to the heresie of the PelagiaÌ„s
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
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
heresye that none of the auÌ„cient doctours had eyther set it forth or allowed it set forth by other that it shuld be contrary to the doctrine of chyrstes church and we such is our pryde and want of grace do despise the iudgemente both of the godlye fathers and of the hole catholyke churche which is as saynte Chrysostom wytnesseth the mother of the beleuyng people Here nowe what Tertulian â—ermoneÌ„ 76 de 〈◊〉 hath sayed of the church in these fewe wordes Non alia agnosceÌ„da eÌ„ apostoloruÌ„ traditio quaÌ„ quae hodie apud ipsorum ecclesias aeditur Exhibe ergo aliquem ex tuis apostolici Lib. â— aduersê° MattioneÌ„ habet euaÌ„gelium marcionis ecclesias sed suas taÌ„ posteras quam adulteras quaruÌ„ si câ—sum requitas factitus apostaticum inuenias quam apostolicaÌ„ lib. 4. aduersus mart â— ceÌ„sus et obduxeris None other tradition is to be recognysed or knwledged the apostles then that whiche is published or set forth at theyr churches Therfor shew forth some man of thyne of the apostles estimation numbre or iudgemeÌ„t and thou shalt ouercome or obteyne the victorye Agayne thus he hath In summa si constat id verius ê™ prius id prius ê™ ab initio id ab initio quod ab apostolis pariter vtique constabit id esse ab apostolis traditum quod apud ceclesias apostolorum fuerit sacrosanctum That is to say brieflye If it be playne that to be trewer that is fyrste that to be fyrste or before that was froÌ„ the begynnynge whyche was of the apostles it shall in lykewyse be verily euident that to be taught of the apostles whyche hathe bene much estemed as a thynge halowed or that ought not to be touched but reuerentlye at or wyth the apostles churches Furthermore the councell kepte In registro lib. 1. ca. 23 at Nicea whych was one of the four general couÌ„cels that s Gregorye sayed he no lesse theÌ„ yâ— four gospels beleued declareth how muche the churches autoritie determinations shulde be regarded sayeng Si cathari venerint ad Cap. â— â— ecclesiaÌ„ catholicam prae omnibus eos scriptis conuenit profiteri ê™ ca tholice et apostolice ecclesie dogmata suscipiant et sequaÌ„tur That is If the heretykes whyche called them selues cathoros for yâ— cleanes of lyuing which they proudlye challynge to them shal come to the catholyke churche it is mete that they fyrste or before all thynges do by wrytyng promise openlye or confesse that they do receiue and folow the doctrines or determinations of the catholyke apostles churche Againe Cap. 9. the councell sayeth Quod irreprehensibile est catholica tenet ecclesia The catholyke churche holdeth that thynge whiche can not be reproued If we wolde marke well thys sayenge which as I sayed saynt Gregorye estemed it as the gospel folowe it we shuld not so shamefully ere go out of the waye as we nowe Lib. de verâ— sapien daylye do For as Lactantius witnesseth Sola catholica ecclesia est quae verum cultum retinet Hic est fons veritatis hoc est domicilium fidei hoc templum dei quo si quis noÌ„ intrauerit vel a quo si quis exiuerit a spe vitae et salutis aeternae alienus That is to saye The catholyke churche onelye is that holdeth styll the trewe worshyppynge of God Thys is the well of truth thys the house or mansyoÌ„ of fayth thys the teÌ„ple of god whither yf any man shal not entre or out of whyche yf any man goo he is wythout hope of lyfe and euerlastynge saluation These are both trewe wordes also dreadful and therfore lette men beware that forsake the catholyke churche and folow any particular churches opynyons as they do whyche leane to Luthers And that we maye knowe the catholyke churche from the heretycall he addeth sayenge But yet because euery coÌ„panye of heretikes do iudge theÌ„ selues chyefly chrysteÌ„ people and theyr church to be the catholike church we muste knowe that that is the trewe churche of Chryste in the whyche is religion confession and penaunce By confession he vnderstode aurycular coÌ„fession of synnes / whyche is made to a preeste / for confession to god is refused of no church / be it neuer so hereticall / therfore he ment that where aurycular confession was not regarded / vsed / there was not the trew churche of christ Lib. 4. Epistola â— But Cypryan shall speake hys mynde in this matter with these wordes Quisquis ille est et qualis cuÌ„que est christianê° non est si in christi ecclesia noÌ„ est quae vna est per totum mundum in multa membra diuisa Who so euer he be / and what so euer he be / he is not a chrysten maÌ„ / yf he be not in christes churche the whyche is one dyuyded through all the worlde in to many members Nestorius an arrogant heretike as al such be / sayed that all the hole number of doctours wryters that were before hym were deceyued and the whole churche erred froÌ„ the truth and he onelye founde out the truth and folowed it Dyd not euen so saye and boost Marten Luther folowinge him therein the Donatians Nouatians Ruthenes Armenos and all other heretykes affyrmynge that the churche of Chryste was wyth them onelye Beware of them good chrysten reader and stedfastlye folowe the catholyke vniuersal churche whyche the apostles buylded set vp wyth preachynge the gospell to them This is not in one place cytie corner nor couÌ„trey but euerye where where true beleuyng folk be It can not erre the holy gost rulynge guydynge and gouernynge it from tyme to tyme vntyll Io. 14. 16. the worldes ende accordingly as christ promysed to it This is the pyller of the truth as S. Paule affyrmethe and therfore leane vnto it fast and thou shalt neuer fall from thy fayth but abyde therin to thy greate coÌ„fort and soules health But nowe to the nexte chaptre which reciteth the anncient doctours sentences pronounced and publysshed in theyr bokes vpon this matter of verytes vnwrytten and the churches tradicions Saynt Ireneê° policarpes saynte Iohan the euangelystes dyscyples scholer sheweth what doctours we shuld folowe in learnyng the truth of our fayth sayenge We must beleue those preestes which are in the church hauynge successyoÌ„ of Lib. 4ca 43 et 45. the apostles and all other that come frome that the pryncypall successyon in what place soeuer they are gathered togyther or els to be suspected eythera s hetykes and of an euyl iudgemeÌ„t Cap. 44. or deuidyng the church againe Adhaerere oportet his qui a postolorum doctrinam custodiunt et ab eis discere verit atem apud quos est illa quae est ab aposto lis ecclesie successio ☞ The auncyent doctours sentences wrytten and set forth vpon traditions of the apostles chrystes holye church NOwe for as moch as Saynt
veritatem Euenit it aque neque scripturis neque traditioni consentire eos But whan we do stere or exhort them / which are agaynst the truth agayne to that tradition which is of the apostles and is kept in the churches by successyon of the preestes they wyll say that they beynge wyser not onely then the preestes but also theÌ„ the apostles yâ— haue fouÌ„de out the pure truth It hath therfore happended that they do consente neyther to the scryptures nor the tradityons Seest yâ— not reader here a playn difference betwene tradicions yâ— scryptures he coÌ„cludeth thus Traditionem itaque apostoloruÌ„ per totum mundum manifestataÌ„ in ecclesia adest oiÌ„bus perspicere qui vera audire velint That is to saye Wherfore all men whiche wyll see the truth maye perceyue the apostles tradicion declared in the churche throughe all the whole world But of saint Ireneê° this may be sufficieÌ„t for my purpose Nowe let vs see what saynt Clement Paules coÌ„panion in preachynge the gospell hath wrytteÌ„ in this poynt which is nowe intrauerse and questyon betwene me and the lutherans Eusebyê° the olde wryter of the churches Lib. 5. â—â— 6 storye thus wytnesseth of hym Clemens scripsit epistolam ad corithios exprimeÌ„s in ea apostolorum traditionem quam nuper ab eis ipse susceperat Clement wrote sayeth he to the corinthians an epystle expressyng in it the apostles tradicion whiche he of late had receyued of them Also another clemens bysshppe alerandrya which was as he sayth him selfe Eusebtê° wytnessynge shortlye after the apostles thus wrote of the apostles In libello quem scripsit Eusebiê° lib. 6. ca. 11. de pascha inquit eusebiê° confitetur extorqueri sibi a frarribê° vt ea quae a presbyteris et successoribus a postolorum voce sibi sola traditasunt describeret in libris et posteris traderet In his boke sayeth Eusebiê° of eastur clement coÌ„fesseth that his brethren gat of hym by force or with greate difficultie that he wolde wryte in bokes and de lyuer to his successours or them that shuld come after hym those thynges whiche were taught hi by voyce onely of the preestes successours of the apostles Loo this bysshop beynge very nygh to the apostles tyme coÌ„fesseth that he learned by voyce onely certeÌ„thynges of the preestes and successours of yâ— apostles and lefte them written to them that shuld come after hym and luther bullynger with a greate rablement of an yll heare Do saye the contrary whether wylt thou beleue Epistalâ— Ignatiê° also saynte Iohan the euagelystes discyple holdeth with me in this matter saynge Stude â—e coÌ„firmari in dogmatibus domini et apostoloruÌ„ That is Applye your myndes to be coÌ„fyrmed in the ordynaunces of our lorde the apostles That he ment here ordyuannces of the apostles vn wrytteÌ„ it appeareth fyrst by that that saynte Basyll sayeth dogmata silentur decrees or ordynaces called in greake dogmata aâ— not spoken of in wrytynge Secondly B asniê° de spuÌ„ Cancto cap. 27. it appeareth that ignatiê° saynte Iohan euangelystes scholer wolde men to endeuour them selues to obserue the apostles tradityons vnwrytten by that that he wrote hym selfe a boke of the apostles tradicions as eusebiê° witnesseth sayenge Ignatiê° â—â— 3. â—â— 36 edocebat populos vt diligentius ettenacius apostolorum traditionibê° inherereÌ„t quas traditiones cautelae gratia et nequid apud posteros remaneret incerti etiam scriptas a se asserit reliquisse Thus moch it is turned into englyshe Ignatius Mark this well reader saynte Iohans disciple taughte the people that they wolde more dilygently and fastlyc cleaue to the apostles tradityons the whiche traditions he affyrmeth that he lefte yea wrytten to make meÌ„ ware and leste any vncerteyntie shulde remayne to them that shuld come after Here we se that thys holye Martyr exhorted men to sticke vnto the apostles tradytions very dilygeÌ„tly and fastely / whych he left behynde him written that they whiche shulde succede or come after him shulde be cyrcumspecte leste they were deceiued of heretikes which might teache some thynge contrarye to the verities vnwrytten that chryste taught his apostles and they other wythout wrytynge Therefore is it not many fest by thys wytnesse that Luther and Bulliger do erre whyche not so ernestly as vnlearnedly vngodlye defende that the apostles wryte all thynges necessarye that they hadde preached to the people Saynte Ignatius saynte Iohans scholer whyche was muche conuersaunte wyth the apostles and was made bysshoppe of Antiochia nexte after saynt Peter wytnesseth that the apostles lefte sundrye thynges not wrytten necessary to be knowen and beleued and Bullynger sayth the contrary whether of them two is more worthye to be receyued and belyued Now shall saynt Deonise the apostle Paules disciple make an ende of thys chaptre whiche as he was taughte of Paule Hierotheus learned manye thynges of the other apostles whych thynge he him selfe affyrmeth in dyuers places of hys booke De ecclesiae hierarchia eueÌ„ so he wrote playnlye of the apostles traditions lefte by them to the churche wtout writing For thus hehath Substantia accrdotii nostri sacra scriptura est diuinitê° nobis tradita Diouâ—â— dâ— eccle hieraâ— cap. 1. Porro huiusmodi plena venerationis eloquia dicimus quae a beatissimis nostris patribus a quibê° sacris mysteriis iÌ„buti sumê° in sanctis ac theologicis coÌ„meÌ„data sunt libris Ac pretaerea quaeque ab iisdeÌ„ sanctissi mis viris sacratiore purgatiore et ê“piÌ„qua quodaÌ„ modo caelesti hierar chiae doctrina sancti duces ac praeceptores nostri didiceruÌ„t et ex animo in animuÌ„ medio intercurrente verbo corporali quideÌ„ sed quod car nis excedat seÌ„suÌ„ sine literis transsu sa sunt That is to say The holy scrypture gyueÌ„ or taught vs of God is the substaunce of oure preesthode Moreouer we call suche sayenges full of worshyp honour or reuerence which are wrytten in the holye and diuine bokes of oure mooste blessed fathers of whom we were instructed or taughte the holy secretes or pryuities And furthermore al those thynges which our holy leaders the apostles and oure maisters haue learned of the same moost holye men by doctryne or teachynge more holy more purged and nigh after a certen maner to the heauenly holy gouernaunce or principalitie which are powred froÌ„ minde to minde or harte to hart the worde runnynge a meane betwene sothlye corporall but such as exceadeth the flesshes perceyuynge or fealyng Saynt Dionyse here putteth manifeste difference betwne the holy scrypture other thynges conteyned in bokes of dyuynytie set forth by holy men affyrmeth that manye thynges came by harte from one to another wythout wrytynge whyche are worthy to be had in honoure and reuerence thoughe the Lutherans despise al such thynges both to theyr owne coÌ„fusion and other mennes also oure lorde amende thys in tyme. But euery good chrysten man wyll beleue thys saynte Paules scholer rather
choyse of meates suche other ceremonies / that were theÌ„ anulled made voyd by chryst For he thus hath If ye be dead with chryste from the elementes of this worlde why do ye yet decree or teach or els as the greke nowe hath Dodmatizesthe are ye taught suche decrees and ceremonyes as yet lyuynge in the world Touche not nother taste nor handle Who seeth not that these wordes do playnlye show that saynte Paule mente of the iewes decrees and ordinaunces perteynynge to theyr olde ceremonies theÌ„ abrogate cleane by chryst and nothyng of the churches decrees or the apostles tradicions It is therfore a greate blyndnes to applye suche textes agaynste the traditions of the churche and they do verye lytle regard theyr soules health that do folowe suche teachers which do so manifestly abuse and mistake the scrypture to kyll theyr owne soules and other mennes by an heresye Some man perchaunce wyll say to me chrysten people are indued with libertye Vrbanns regiê° of conscyence .ii. Cor .iii. whiche nother ought nor can be bound to the obseruynge of any tradicion set vp by man whiche scrypture speaketh not of for theÌ„ we shulde be the seruauntes of meÌ„ agaynst saynte Paules coÌ„mauÌ„demente To that I saye that chrysten men are free and idued 1. Cor. 7. with a certayne libertie froÌ„ the yocke of the olde lawe / and the bondage of synne in which two standeth the lybertye of chrystes gospell not in the lybertie froÌ„ the obseruynge of good and hol some tradytions institute set forth by the holy apostles without wrytynge by mouth onely The obedience due vnto the hyer powers and to the kepyng of theyr lawes standeth not onelye with the libertie of the gospel but yâ— gospeÌ„ll doth also coÌ„mauÌ„d that to be done of vs. They that suppose them selues free frome obseruynge of the apostles traditions by reason of the lyberte of the gospell do agaynst pauls coÌ„maundement vse theyr lybertie to satisfye the flesshes lustes and haue as saynt Peter sayth Gala. 5. 1. Pâ— 2. it as a cloke or a couer of theyr malyce Chrysten people shuld not be the seruauntes of men it is true but what thaÌ„ Wylt not thou therfore be bounde in conscyence to obedientlye kepe thy prynce and kynges ordynauÌ„ces and lawes when Paule biddeth vs to be obediente vnto his coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes for coÌ„scyence sake It is not therfore holly vnleful Ro. 13. nor forbydden of saynte Paule to be mennes seruauntes but to obey them and to serue them coÌ„mauÌ„dyng any thiÌ„g ageÌ„st the lybertye of chrystes gospell or els any vnlefull thinge the kepyng of the which shulde cause theÌ„ to fall from the benifite of christes deathe and therfore he dyd put them in remembrauÌ„ce that they were bought with a great pryce Thus saynt Chrysostome doth vnderstande this paules texte byddynge that we shulde not be mens seruauntes Saynt paule also he ment that the corynthyaÌ„s shulde not be meÌ„s seruauntes to reyse schismes or diuisioÌ„s so yâ— one of theÌ„ shulde be counted cephas scholer because he was christened and instructed by hym another Apollos Take nowe this text whether way thou wylt it maketh nothyng at al against the traditions of the holye apostles and the church Moreouer wheÌ„ we do beleue certen truthes and obserue theym also whiche the apostles lefte vnwryten by the inspiratioÌ„ of the holy goost / as they dyd manye thynges whiche are aboue rehearsed in this boke what madde manne wyl saye yâ— therby we be mennes seruauntes / and not rather the holy goostê the autour of those tradicyons Some men do suppose that these god the fathers wordes IpsuÌ„ audite heare hym do bynde vs onelye to learne of Mat. 17. drâ—auê° â—eâ—â—ê° chryste the doctoure and teacher of the church and to beleue and obserue nothynge but his doctrine therfore we oughte not nor can be bounde to any thyng not wrytten in the scrypture as though we are not bounde to be leue the apostles teachiÌ„ge in thiÌ„ges not taught afore by chryste or yâ— we ought not to beleue as I haue touched before that chyldren ought to be chrystened albeit we fynde not in yâ— scrypture that euer christ taught that doctrine or els hys apostles but it cometh onely without wytnesse of the scrypture by theyr tradition If thou yet wylt reasoÌ„ further and saye that Chryste sendynge his apostles to preach abrode yâ— gospel in the hole world commaunded them to teache the people what soeuer he had commaunded and therfore men are not bounde vnto any thyng not commaunded of Chryste of the whiche it muste neades folowe that there are no traditions vnwrytten necessarye for vs eyther to beleue or to fulfyll This reason of one vrbanê° regiê° a lutherans makynge declareth the autours ignoraunce or blinde malyce conceyued agaynste yâ— churche of chryst For chryst byddiÌ„ge the apostles teach the people all that he had coÌ„maunded theym dyd not bydde theÌ„ teach nothing more then he coÌ„maunded them For who doubteth but the apostles taught afterwarde manye thynges by inspiratioÌ„ of the holy goost which chryst neuer coÌ„maunded as that the gentyles shulde abstayne from bloudde and meates suffocate or strangled with manye other thynges as it appeareth in theyr epystles and the actes wrytten by Luke the euangelyste But se what kynde of argumeÌ„t is this of regiê° Chryste commauÌ„ded his apostles to preach al what soeuer he had dyd theÌ„ do ergo the apostles lefte nothynge vnwrytten to the church yâ— ought to be beleued or obserued or men are not buunde to kepe the churches traditions This is a wonderfull blyndnes What madnes were it to beleue suche teachers Maye it not be sayde truely of them yâ— blynde leaders they that are Mat. 15. ledde by theim do fall bothe togyther into the den as our sauy our chryste sayed There are other obiectyoÌ„s as fonde and folyshe as these be which because they are made agaynste mannes lawes and constitutions not agaynste the apostles and hole churches traditioÌ„s vnwrytteÌ„ in the holy scrypture I wyll recyte them very compendiouslye as coÌ„pendiouslye confute the same Thys is one of them Paule sayeth Si spiritu ducimini noÌ„ estis sub lege It ye be ledde wyth the The. 8. argument spirite ye are not vnder the law These wordes do proue sayeth the lutherans that no mannes traditions can bynde vs to the obseruinge of theÌ„ yf we do leade our lyues after ryghte reasons and the holy goostes guydynge and styrrynge for els we shulde be vnder the lawe whyche saynt The answere Paule denyeth here Thys auctorytie of saynte Paule proueth nothing more agaynst the churches constitutions ordinaunces and traditions of the apostles that they oughte not to bynde mennes consciences then it doth agaynste the law of god that iuste and good men ledde by reason and the holye gooste shulde not be bounde to kepe it because yâ— paule vnderstode not here the law of man but the law of god whiche rested in ceremonyes was
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
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