errours and retourne agayne to the embracynge of the truth to the great honour of god theyr owne soules health The whych to do yf I may perceyue but one onely man or woman it shall be vnto me a great comforte gladnes and ioye and no lytle cause to thynke this my laboure well spente thoughe it shal not contente and please euery body nother perswade them whych may be more easelye ouercome then perswaded as saynte Hierome maketh meÌ„tion that Lucifer coÌ„fessed of hys felowes and disciples saying Vnum tibi confiteor Lib. aduersus luciferianos quia mores meoruÌ„ apprime noui facilius eos vinci posse quaÌ„ persuaderi I confesse one thyng to the for as moche as I knowe chefely the conditions or maners of myne disciples or scolers that Suche are al heretikeâ— coÌ„monly as sayeth saint Châ—isostom vpoÌ„ Mathew they maye be more easelye vanquyshed or ouercome then persuaded or induced to beleue the truth But ones to beginne this treatise I wyll allege a few textes of the scripture to proue that the holye scripture contayneth not manefestly and namely all the thynges whiche we are bounde to beleue and to do also and this in this next Chaptre nowe folowyng ¶ The seconde Chapter coÌ„taynyng in it certeyne places of the Verities vnwrytten scripture prouyng that Christe and hys apostles taught lefte to the churche manye thynges wythout wrytynge whyche we must both beleue stedfastly and also fulfyll obedientlye vnder peyne of damnation euer to endure OVre sauioure Christ sayed vnto hys apostles I haue yet many thinges to say vnto you but ye caÌ„ not nowe beare them WheÌ„ that the Io. 16. spirite of truthe shall come he shal teach you al truth the .xvi. chapter of Iohans gospell Do not these wordes of Christ shew opeÌ„ly that he taught not his apostles before the commyng of the holy goost vpon Wytsonday al the truth because they were not able before that tyme to beare perceyue sundrye poyntes pertaynynge vnto the truth of hys religion which thynges the holy spirite of the truth taught theÌ„ afterwarde and they the church without any wryting so that the same came froÌ„ them to other the faythful from tyme to tyme vnwrytten of the whiche the actes of the apostles do make meÌ„tion the .xv. chapter sayinge Paule Act. 15. and Silas walked ouer Syria Cicilia coÌ„firmynge the church Act. 16. and coÌ„maundynge them to kepe the preceptes of the Apostles the elders Also the .xvi. chapter we reade that wheÌ„ saynt Paule Tymothye had gone ouer the cities they gaue to the people the determinations or ordinauÌ„ces to kepe whiche were decreed of the Apostles and the elders / that were at HierusaleÌ„ Suche ordinaunces are not wrytten in the scripture but delyuered and taught the churche by mouth by the lyuely voice of the teachers which is a stroÌ„ger instrumeÌ„t to teach both the fayth and good maners also then is the wryters hande For as Quintilian sayeth truely Viua vox alit plenius et vehemeÌ„tius ac acrius afficit That is to saye in englysh The quycke voice fedeth more fully and moueth affecion more Paulino de oiÌ„bê° sacre scripture libris myghtely and sharpely Wyth hym agreeth well saynt Hierom wrytyng thus Habet nescio quid latentis energiae viue vocis actus in aures discipuli de authoris ore transfusa fortius sonat That is to saye The dede of the lyuelye voyce hath I can not tell what of a preuye strength efficacye or operation it powred oute froÌ„ the mouth of the maker or autour into the learners eares souneth more strongely But nowe some wyll saye here to me that these decrees ordinaunces and determinations of the apostles and the elders are now written set forth in the bible as Bullinger sayeth with diuers other of that secte but he sayth it onely wythout all probation that agaynst not onely al the holy olde wryters mindes with whoÌ„ he can no better be resembled compared / eyther for learnynge or els for vertue then wyth the swiftnesses of an hare the slowenes of a snale but also against the canoÌ„s or boke of rules let forth by the holy apostles for the churches erudition and learnynge both in the fayth and honest lyuynge also thoughe Bullynger be not ashamed to denye them vtterly as vnworthy to be iudged wrytten by the apostles in that poynt preferryng his owne opynyon fantasye and iudgement before saynt Damascenes which was aboue M. yeres before Damas lib 4. ca. 19 The cenoÌ„s of the apostles do toÌ„teyne many verities not written in the bible fore Bullyngers dayes and alloweth them as a part of the holy worde and scripture of God sayinge that they were gathered together and wrytten by saynte Clemente whyche was conuersaunt wyth the apostles therfore no man oughte to doubte but he knew well that those canons were made by them In these canons are diuers thinges set forth whych the church now practyseth and vseth necessarylye for the honorynge of God and the edifienge of the people which are not wrytten in the bible as here after it shall appere at large by gods grace These In autentitis canons of the apostles were accepted / regarded and estemed as the holy apostles doinges of the emperour IustiniaÌ„ the which besyde the longe and constaunte opinion of Chrystes catholyke church the syxt councel also dyd acknowlege to be sette forth by the apostles wheÌ„they were douted Lap. 25. 40 43. muche of whether they were the apostles or not Therfore Bullyngers iudgemente herein ought to be iudged erroneous whyche is agaynst so many and so weyghtie wytnesses whyche I haue nowe recited and therfore those canons must be taken for the apostles doctrine teachyng by a lyuely voice and the mouth onely wythout puttynge them into the bodye of the holye scripture and we ought as well to beleue and kepe theÌ„ as that whyche is conteyned expresselye in the scripture for as muche as both of them two commeth from the holy goost the authour of al truth whych taught the apostles all truth accordynge to oure sauiours promes made vnto theÌ„ Iohan. 16. But I wyll go forwarde to the rehearsall of other textes which do proue that the holye apostles taught the churche or the beleuynge people then beyng many and diuers thynges to beleue to obserue also onely by mouth wythout leauyng them behynde them in wryttynge The whyche done men may be ashamed hereafter to saye that they wyll beleue nothynge / not expressed in the holye scripture when they dose the contrarye to that sufficiently proued by the scripture so amende theyr belefe in that poynt lest they at the length repent it when it shall not auayle them The holy apostle saynte â— Cor. 2. Paule wryting to the Corinthians after he had spoken muche of the blessed sacramente of the aulter conteynyng in it the very natural body and bloode of our sauiour
Iesu Christe and not a signe of them onelye as I haue declared of late in a boke sette forth of that same matter thus streighte writethe concludynge that treatise and finyshinge that eleueÌ„th chaptre Caetera auÌ„t cuÌ„ venero disponâ that is but I wyll set other thynges in an order wheÌ„ I shal come The greke 1. Cor. 2. letter hathe Ta de lipa os an eltho diataxomae Whych may be thus turned into latine Reliqua vero cuÌ„ venero de cernaÌ„ But the thinges remayning wheÌ„ I shall come to you I wyll ordeyne These wordes of saynte Paule do shewe manifestlye that he wrote not to the CoriÌ„thians the hole maner fourme of receyuynge the blessed sacrament of the aulter but lefte some thynges vnwrytten whiche he taught them by mouth onelye wythout wrytynge when he cam to them and was present wyth theÌ„ and therfore thys texte doth proue that all thynges whyche a christen man ought to beleue and kepe are not set forth in the holy scrip ture but diuers thinges are comen to vs by the holye apostle Paules tradition That saynte Paule thus here mente the holy doctour saynt Austen sayinge to Ianuary Epistola .cxix. By these Traditiâ—â— of the apostles perteynyng to the masse and the blessed sacrament oâ— the aulter wordes of saynte Paule / I wyll wheÌ„ I shal come set other thynges in an ordre we may vnderstande that it was much that he shulde shewe in an epistle that hole ordre of doynge in receyuyng the sacramente of the aulter whyche the whole churche through the world kepeth / to be disposed of hym that is varyed wyth no diuersitie of maners Do not these wordes of saynte Austayne shewe that after hys iudgement whyche was almost in euery poynt of diuinitie most excellente of al doctours whych wrote vpon the scripture saynte Paule dyd not describe and set forth the whole maner and ordre of receyuynge the sacramente of the aulter in that hys epystle nor any other wrytyng but onelye by mouth taughte it the Corinthians Tertulian wrytyng to his wife speakyng of a womaÌ„ maried to a heithen maÌ„ sayeth of receyuyng the sacrameÌ„t of the aulter before other meates fastyng Non sciet maritê° quid aÌ„te oeÌ„m cibum gustes Etsâ— scierit non paneÌ„ illuÌ„ credit esse qui dicitur whiche nowe remayneth in Christes church as come from hym by tradition Wyth the whyche agreeth ryghte well that the whyche saynt Austayne writteth in that same epistle saying Though oure lorde Iesus Christe gaue hys blessed bodye bloude vnto hys apostles after supper yet the whole church may not be blamed that the holy sacrameÌ„t is euer takeÌ„ of men yet being fasting Ex hoc eniÌ„ placuit spuÌ„i sctoÌ„ vt iÌ„ honoreÌ„ taÌ„tisacra meÌ„ti iÌ„ os xpÌ„iani priê° corpê° dominicuÌ„ iÌ„traret quaÌ„ exteri vel ceteri cibi NaÌ„ ideo per vniuersuÌ„ orbeÌ„ mos iste seruatur Thus it is in englyshe For after this tyme of Christes maundy it pleased the holy goost that to the honour of so great a sacramente oure Lordes bodye shulde entre into a christeÌ„ mans mouth before outwarde or other meates For therfore thys custome is kepte through the whole worlde In these wordes good christen reader / there are two thynges speciallye to be noted the one is that saynte Austayne a manne of suche deape knowledge in goddes worde as none hathe bene synce the Apostles time affirmed that it pleased the holye goost the spirite of truthe that we chrysten people shulde receyue the bodye of Chryste in the sacramente of the aulter before we eate any other meate so fastinge The which thyng is not expressed in the holye scripture but rather the contrary for as moch as in it we find that Christ gaue his bodye to his discyples after supper was done wheÌ„ they Math. 26. had eaten the paschal lambe so this custome came in to christes church by the tradition of the apostles whome the holye gooste taught not this poynt onely for the edifyeng of chrystes church but all other truthes necessarye therunto accordyngly as chryst had promysed theym before his deathe Iohan the euangeliste wytnessynge it in his Gospell playnly Is not euen this one thynge touchyng the receyuyng of our hosle fastynge taught by the holy goost without puttyng it in the scrypture ynoughe and sufficyeÌ„t to make vs to beleue that al truth necessarye to be knoweÌ„ beleued and obserued is not expressed iÌ„ the scripture to leaue vngodlye to aske where that or this thynge is set forth in goddê worde snpposynge that excepte Iohan. 16. it can be proued by plaine scripture we shuld neuer beleue it as truth nor kepe it as profytable The seconde poynte worthye to be marked in S. Austens wordes aboue recited is that he saieth it pleased the holy goost that to the honour of so greate a sacrament the bodye of our lorde Iesu Chryste shulde entre in to a chrysten mans mouth before other As doth Luther meates whiche is agaynste them which denye that the blessed sacrameÌ„t of the aulter shuld be honored of vs chrysten men Agayne to saynt Austen whiche thus wryteth in the same epystle Chryst gaue his bodye last after souper to his apostles that therby he myght coÌ„myt vnto theym more strongly the hyghnes of so greate a mysterye / and for that cause he wolde laste fyxe or fasteÌ„ that thynge in the hartes memorye of his dyscyples froÌ„ whoÌ„ he shulde departe to hys passyoÌ„ Er ideo non precepit quo deinceps ordine sumeretur vt apostolis per qnos dispositurus erat ecclesias seruaret huÌ„c locum That is to saye in englysshe And therfore christ coÌ„mauÌ„ded not after what order the sacrament shulde afterward be receyued that he might kepe or reserue this place or rometh to hys apostles by whome he shulde dyspose the churches or companies of the faythfull people Seest thou not here chrysteÌ„ reader that christe dyd not commaunde how and after what maner the sacrament of the aultare shulde be receiued of vs that he myghte leaue that to his disciples whiche afterwarde taughte the churche the fourme ordre maner howe Chrystes blessed body shuld be receiued of chrysteÌ„ people Is then all truth set forthe in the scrypture and nothynge by the apostles tradicioÌ„ Where reade we in all the scrypture the maner order in receyuyng this sacrameÌ„t which ordre christ left to his discyples to make publysshe To be shorte saynt AusteÌ„ recytethe strehghte waye there saynt paules wordes Caetera cuÌ„venero ordinabo I wyll order other thinges when I shal come to proue that the apostles of the which s Paule was one though not of the .xii. dyd set forthe the fassyon / ordre and maner of receyuynge chrystes blessed bodye in the sacrament This custome and maner to receyue the bodye of Chryste fastynge was before saynte Austens dayes spoken of Socrates whiche was one of the thre that made the historye called
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 Basyll proueth a truth concernyng
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
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
¶ 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
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
to the clergie do take wiues if they wyl but onely the readers singers Which were two degrees in yâ— church among yâ— clergie at yâ— season whoÌ„ onely yâ— apostles coÌ„mauÌ„ded to mary yf they wolde excluding cleane froÌ„ marrying preestes deacons and subdeacons Also they ordeyned Cap. 20. coÌ„maunded that none of the clergy shulde be warraÌ„ters or suerties saying Clericê° fide iussionibê° iÌ„seruiens abiiciatur That is Let the cap. 17. et ca 18. clerke which is a suerty be caste away Likewise they taught the church that he whiche had maryed 1. Tomo 3. two wiues a widow an outcast or a coÌ„meÌ„ womaÌ„ shulde not be ê“moted amonge yâ— clergy to holye orders though the apostle paule saying a bishop or preeste muste Tertul. ad vroreÌ„ Apostolê° non sinit digamos pÌ„sidere haue one wife meÌ„t as tertuliaÌ„ sayth yâ— bigamê° shuld not be chosen a preest Of theyr traditioÌ„ it came also that one bishop shuld not giue holy orders to clerkes of anothers diocesis Likewise yâ— orders offices of the church shuld Cap. 36. not be obteined by money that a clerke or a lay maÌ„ coÌ„tynuyng in Cap. 30. playinge at dice or hasarde and a lay man puttyng hys wife froÌ„ hym shulde not be suffered to receyue the blessed sacramente of the aultare But to be briefe I wyll speake no more of them at this tyme but wyll recyte yet a fewe traditions of the whiche thys is one that we beleue that our blessed lady christ our sauiours The coÌ„tynuall virginite of our lady deare mother was coÌ„tinually a virgin til her deth which Eluidius denyed the because he could fynd no scripture to proue it but rather as he supposed falsely the scrypture was agaynst it and therfore saynte Hierom in hys boke made agaynste hym called hym an heretyke though it can not be sufficyently proued by the scrypture that she was a vyrgen vntyll hyr departynge out of thys worlde The which thyng ought to stop theyr mouthes that affyrme all thiges to be expressed in the scrypture whiche we are bouÌ„de to beleue vnder payne of damnatyoÌ„ I am verye sure that no man is able to proue this veryte by any texte of the holye scrypture and yet he that beleueth it not is yf he stande stoburnly in defence therof an heretyke therfore saynte Hierome as I haue sayde already called Eluidius an heretyke which maynteined that our lady had other chyldreÌ„ besyde chryst whom she conceyned withoute man by the holye goost What wyll or can they now here say that requyre scrypture for euery thynge and euer aske where is that or this wrytten The which they neuer can do lernedly in the scrypture Let theym answere to this one poynt or to the chrystenynge of chyldren as to diuers other put forth in this treatyse before Bullynger one of Luthers scholers laboureth to proue by scrypture that oure ladye chrystes most honourable mother was a contynual virgeÌ„ lest he shuld be enforsed coÌ„pelled to confesse that all truth whiche we must beleue is not expressed in the holy scrypture but he laboureth al in vayne as anone hereafter it shall playnly apere For he abuseth these wordes of the prophete Ezechiell to that purpose Porta haec clausa erit et non aperietur et vir non pertransibit per eam c. That is in englysshe this moch to saye This Ezech. 44. gate shall be shytte shall not be opened and a man shall not passe throughe by it Loo sayth Bulliger hath not the prophete discrybed here aptelye ynoughe the holye wombe of the virgyn Mary Chrystes mother of whoÌ„ the sonne of ryghteousnes is born to vs This Bullinger wresteth this prophettes sentence froÌ„ the litteral sence vnto an allygory whiche al lerned men do coÌ„fesse not mete to proue any doctryne beynge in controuersye for the defence of his deuyllyshe heresy Proclus the bisshop of Cizicene sayeth he doth none otherwyse expowne this the prophetes texte What then he doth vnderstaÌ„de yt mystycally by an allegorye Is that sufficyent to proue any kynd of doctrine or to perswade any thynge in questyon and coÌ„trouersye Agayne S. Hierome doth otherwyse expowne it that is to wyt of the gate of the lawe the prophettes For he thus wryteth What gate is this that is alwayes shytte onely the lord god of israel entreth by it Trulye that of the which oure sauyour speaketh in the gospel Wo to you scrybes pharysees hypocrytes wo to you doctours of the lawe which do take away the key of eunnyug ye entre not in youre selues and theÌ„ that are about to go in ye prohibite Of this gate sayeth Hyerome the prophet writeth vnder the name of a booke Erunt verba libri istiê° sicut verba libri signati c. The wordes of this booke shal be as the wordes of a booke sygned or sealed so forth No maÌ„ coulde Apoca. 5. â— open and louse the seales of this booke but he of whome Iohan speaketh in the apocalypse sayng Beholde a lyon of Iudas trybe hath optayned the victorie which openeth the boke and louseth the seales of it For before Chryste came the gate of the lawe and the prophettes and all knowledge of the scrypture was shytte paradise was also shytte which by chrystes death were opened the vele of the teÌ„ple brake the vele In 2â— 2. Cor. 3. taken away al thynges were open and manifeste Hitherto S. Hierome / whose wordes declare that this texte ought otherwyse to be expowned then Bullynger vnderstandeth it to defende his naughty and damnable heresie NotwithstaÌ„dyng saynt HieroÌ„s exposition is mystycal or allegorical and not litteral in dede For to the letter by that gate or dore is mente a certayne gate or dore of the temple that was shytte and no man but the prynce whiche was gods vycar myght enter into the temple at it to offre sacrifices vnto god therfore the prophete sayed Vir non pertransibit per eam A comen man or any other then the chyef or prynce shall not passe through it This is the true meanynge of the letter as it shall easelye apeare to hym that wyll wey and examyn dily gently the texte wythout all affection and corrupted iudgemente and therfore this place of the prophet caÌ„ not proue Bullyngers purpose that our ladye chryst our sauyours blessed mother was a continuall virgyn thoughe it be very trew that she so was and Heluidiê° was iustly estemed of saynt Hierom an heretyke for the denyenge that she coÌ„tinued a vyrgyntyl her deth Moreouer saynt Ciprian expownyng the apostles crede sayth that the prophet Ezechyell dyd set forth the wonderfull maner of our ladyes bryngynge forthe chryste and that he called our ladye blessed saynt marye chrystes mother a gate by a fygure In the whiche place the sayde Cipryan affyrmeth that our ladye was a perpetuall virgyn To be shorte in this matter Saynt Hierome in his hole boke compyled and publyshed of
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
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
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
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.
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
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
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
thaÌ„ a thousande lutherans Thys holy Dionise yet wryteth more playnlye of verities not wrytten of traditions of the apostles sayeng Primi illi nostri sacerdotalis muneris duces aposto los intelligit suÌ„ma illa et supersubstantialia parti scriptis partim non scriptis iÌ„stitutionibus nobis tradiderunt That is to wytte They the fyrste leaders or capitaynes the apostles he meaneth of oure preestes office delyuered to vs or taught vs by tradition those highest thynges whose substaÌ„ce exceadeth other thingê substaÌ„ce by instructioÌ„s of doctryne partly wrytten partly not wrytten What coulde haue bene spoken of anye man more playnlye then this is for the furtherauÌ„ce of my purpose Who that hath anye sparcle of wysdome careth for hys soules health wyl not gyue credeÌ„ce to thys blessed doctoure Paules disciple rather then to Histo eccl lib. 9. ca. 19. Luther or any of hys scholers Sequendi sunt doctores qui ante diuisioneÌ„ fuerunt Those doctours DsligeÌ„ter obseru â—duÌ„ est vt lex dei cuÌ„ legitur noÌ„ secuÌ„ dum yprii ingenii intelligenciam legatur vel doceatur Suni eâ—im multa verba in scripturis diuinis que possunt â—rahi ad euÌ„ sensum quem sibi vnusquisque sponte presumpsit Sed id fieri non opor tet non eni sensum quem attuleris extrin secus alienum et extraneum de bes querere Et ideo oportet ex eo intelligentiam discere scripturarum qui eam a maioribê° secuÌ„dum veritatem sibi traditam seruauit Clemens ep istola 4. ad ecclesiaÌ„ hieroso are to be folowed sayth Eusebius whych were before the diuysion such I haue alleged here for to make meÌ„ beleue the truth of thys controuersye and therfore men oughte to folowe them rather theÌ„ Luther or any other be he neuer so wel lerned whych hath bene sence the diuisyon begon Saynte Hierom commended greatlye Nepotian because he wyllynge to auoyde the glory of learning was wont to say Thys is the sayeng of Tertulian this of Cypryan that of LactaÌ„tiê° thys of Hylaries so spake Munutius felix thus victorinus after thys fascion Arnobius wherby we maye learne to folowe the auncyent doctoures iudgemente in al controuersies ryseÌ„ vpon matters of our fayth therfore syth I here haue alleged the greatest part of all the eldest and best learned wryters to proue traditions and to declare that the holy apostles lefte manye thynges to vs not wrytten men oughte to gyue credeÌ„ce to it and to ceasse askyng where it is wrytten in the scrypture Salomon counsaylleth vs that we shulde not truste ouer much vnto our owne wyttes and iudgement / and thynke oure selues wyse sayenge thus Ne sis sapiens apud teipsum be thou not wyse in thyne owne eye vpon whyche texte saynte Hierome thus wryteeth Est autem sapiens in semetipso qui in illis que ex patrum magisterio recte potuit cognoscere sese prae caeteris quasi doctor extollit That is to saye in oure tonge But he is wyse in hym selfe or in hys owne conceyte whyche extolleth hym selfe before other as more cunnynge in those thinges whyche he moughte haue knowen well ynough of a ryght fashion or trewly of the fathers or elders maysters office God gyue vs grace to do otherwyse then do al heretykes whiche So do all the lutherans to theyr owne confusion and manye others Vt qui cor nicum oculos coÌ„figâ—â— et conaÌ„tur reseindere que aÌ„tiquitas magno approbauit coÌ„seÌ„su Esaie 5. despyse al the holy doctours iudgementes and folowe theyr owne fonde fantasye which causeth them to be so blynde as they are to erre in so many weyghtye poyntes of our fayth as they do beynge cursed by the holy ê“phet Esaie saynge Vae vobis qui sapientes estis in oculis vestris Wo be to you that are wyse in youre owne eyes or sight CC. fathers assembled in the generall couÌ„cel holdeÌ„ at Ephesê° agaynst Nestoriê° aboue eleuen hundred yeres past folowed the doctours myndes and iudgement as vinceÌ„tiê° lirineÌ„sis which was then alyue telleth and shall we set theim at nought as Bullynger dothe in his booke agaynste tradicions and cleaue to our owne dreames and lewde gloses made vpoÌ„ the scrypture to support therby our deuyllyshe opynions But let this passe and coÌ„peÌ„diously here an aunswere to the auctorities alledged agaynste tradicions reasons made in defence of this naughtye opinyoÌ„ by the lutherans the which done I wyl make an ende of this boke ⧠An aunswere to the auctoryties alledged and the reasoÌ„s made vpon the contrary part agaynst traditioÌ„s AFter I haue good chrysten reader sette fourthe the truth of this matter touchiÌ„ge traditions not wrytten in the scrypture I trust sufficiently / nowe I wyll aunswere very coÌ„pendiously and bryeflye to all the obiectyons made and put for the for the defence of the coÌ„trary part the by theÌ„ no man be deceyued excepte he be desirous to be blynd waÌ„dre froÌ„ the truth which he may so playnlye see before his eyes Fyrst they alledge this texte of the scrypture Non Deute 4. addetis ad verbum quod loquor vo bis That is to say ye shal not adde to the worde / that I do speake to you If sayeth Luther hys scholers no man maye put anye thynge to gods worde as he coÌ„maundeth here it muste neades therof folow that traditioÌ„s not wrytten in the scrypture oughte not to be obserued of vs. Is not this a wonderfull blyndnes of these men whiche do take vpon them to reache all chrysten nations a newe doctryne who that wyse is wyll folowe such blynd leaders that so do wrest the holy worde of god from his ryght sence to maynteyne an heresye Our lorde open mens eyes whiche are shyt and closed by affectyon that they may se ones how lytle learnynge they haue whoÌ„ they take for great clerkes But to the scrypture recyted whiche is Thou shalt put nothynge to the worde sayeth god which I do speake to the. Must not this sentence or sayenge haue a mete exposition lest it appeare verye false whiche is very true For these wordes were spoken of the coÌ„mauÌ„dementes and is it in no wyse lefull to adde anye thynge vnto the preceptes of the old law Dyd the prophetes yll wheÌ„ they added theyr ê“phecies to the word of gods coÌ„mauÌ„dementes Who can denye but that chryste hymselfe his euangelystes and the apostles added many thinges to that worde of god of the which he spake here and yet no good chrysten man wyll saye that the prophetes chryste and his apostles dyd offeÌ„de breke goddes coÌ„maundemente therby therfore that gods precept byddyng nothynge to be added vnto hys worde muste be vnderstande of thynges contrarye to it or corruptyng the ryght sense therof / suche as were the pharisees and scrybes traditions by the which they induced meÌ„ to breake gods coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts / as I wyll more at large declare in the soylynge of the nexte argumente Nowe there is not
one tradition sette forth in this my boke though I haue intreated of very many vnwrytten no nor one other kepte and obserued throughe the hole worlde where christeÌ„ people are that is agaynste or contrarye to any one coÌ„maundement of god or any portion of his holy word but gathered oute therof rather moche helpynge to the kepynge of it This meanynge and sentence may be well gathered of the holy goostes wordes publyshed by salomon in the prouerbes saynge Ne addes quicquaÌ„ verbis illi us et arguaris iÌ„ueniarisque mendax Cap. 30. That is Adde nothynge to his wordes that thou maiste therby be reproued and founde a lyar Therfore gods mynde and commaundement is that nothynge shulde be added to his worde of vs wherby we might be accused and founde lyars The hebrewe texte sowneth thus moch Adde not vpon his wordes leste perchaunce he may make correctyoÌ„ agaynste the and thou be espied a lyer Secondly it may be expowned that by yâ— which is saied in this coÌ„mauÌ„dement is ment that nothiÌ„g shulde be added to gods worde or taken frome it as the scrybes and wyse men of the iewes dyd which wrote a boke called Ticcim zophrim that is additions or corrections of the wyse men or scribes in the which they toke from the scrypture manye thynges as it apereth in a boke of hebrewe called the Talmud and added also dyuers thinges lest the gentyles shulde se gods secretes and mocke theim or the rude iewes not perceyuyng theÌ„ Lib. 1. ca. 8. might take harme therby Thus the great clerke Galatinê° expowneth both Moyses texte and salomons also Thyrdly it maye be well taken that god wolde no thynge shulde be added to hys word as to a thing imperfecte or lackynge anye poynte to make it perfyte / as saynte austen vnderstode these wordes of Moses Li. 17. ca. 2. et 6 aduerâ—ê° faustum wrytten deutero .xii. Quod praecipio tibi hoc tantum facito domino nec addas quicquaÌ„ nec minuas Do thou onely that vnto the lord whiche I commaunde the neyther adde thou anye thynge nor dymynyshe Fourthly it may be expowned of addyng any thyng to goddes worde whiche shulde be iudged estemed and kept as a portion of it after the whyche meanynge saynte Iohan in the Apocalypse sayeth that yf anye Cap. biâ— man shall adde to the wordes of hys prophecy anye thynge God wyll laye vpon hym the plages wrytten in it etc. To be short It maye appeare by Moses wordes Deuter. 1â— laste rehersed that god dyd forbydde the iewes to adde anye ceremonyes or obseruations of the geÌ„tiles or heatheÌ„ people leadynge them to Idolatry or anye sacrifyces of the gentyles when they shulde come in to the lande promysed theÌ„ but that they shulde onelye obserue fulfyll kepe do that whiche he comâ—aunded them Thys I saye after myne opynyon is the very trewe and ryghte meanynge of gods commaundyng that nothyng shulde be added to hys worde But whych so euer of these senses is truest and featest for the purpose the texte maketh nothynge vtterlye agaynst traditioÌ„s of the church because they are not contrary to it nor suche additions as were made by the lerned of the iewes in theyr booke called Ticcim zophriÌ„ nor they are added to goddes worde as thynges to make it perfecte beinge imperfecte before nor yet as thoughe they shulde be regarged as goddes word or as part of it nor finally they leade not chrysten people to ydolatrye as dyd the paynoms and heathen ceremonyes ordynauÌ„ces and sacrifices of whych he bade the iewes to beware and adde none of theÌ„ to hys coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes wheÌ„ they shulde entre into yâ— lande of promes the heathen beyng thense expelled But The secoÌ„de argument of thys ynough now to the next reason buylded as al the rest is vpon the wronge vnderstaÌ„dyng of these chrystê° wordes takeÌ„ out of the prophet Esaye Frustra me Esay 29. Math. 15. coluÌ„t doceÌ„tes doctrinas et praecepta hominum They honour me vaynlye teachyng mens doctrines and coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes Of these wordes yll taken men gather that we shulde beleue and kepe nothynge of necessitie that is not writteÌ„ in the scrpture but taught ordeyned and set forth The answeare Acto 15. vâ—â— sum est etc. â—â— precepti chr noÌ„ dâ—m nauit neâ— apostoloruÌ„ et seniorum decreta et precepta quorum Lucas meminit acto â—5 â—â— 16. by man without any expresse coÌ„maundement of god It is very easye to soyle thys wyse reason by the ryghte vnderstandynge of the sayed wordes whiche is thys that they do worshyp God in vayne whiche do teach mens doctrynes commaundemeÌ„tes that are agaynste goddes commaundementes and doctryne suche as the pharasyes taughte the people The whiche Luther and hys scholers myghte haue sene yf they had not bene starkâ— blynd by these wordes of christ Why do ye breake goddes commaundemente for your tradition God bade you shulde honor Exo. â—â— your father and mother and ye dishonour them for to kepe your owne tradition Ye hypocrytes the prophet Esaye dyd prophecy well of you sayenge Thys people Math. 15. honoureth me wyth the lyppes but theyr harte is farre frome They worshyp me in vayne teachynge mannes doctrynes and commaundementes Do not these wordes I beseche the good reader so playnlye open chrystes meanyng wheÌ„ he spake agaynst mennes traditions that it is a greate blyndenes or elles a greate malyce that the Lutherans do wraste it agaynst all the holy churches constitutions ordynaunces and traditions the whiche are not agaynst goddes commaundementes nor the kepynge of them is the breache of goddes lawe but a greate furtherauÌ„ce to the kepyng of them as it may appeare to euery good chrysten man lokyng vpoÌ„ them indifferentlye all affection and corrupte iudgemeÌ„t layed aside These the pharysees and scrybes traditions sette vp agaynst gods lawe are not heare onelye reproued of Chryste but also of saynt paule sayeng to Tite the byshop â—â— â— For whyche cause blame them sharply that they may be souÌ„de or hole in the fayth not takinge heed of the Iewes fables and commaundementes of men turnynge them selues froÌ„ the truth coÌ„tempnyng the truth wyth disdayne or abhorrynge the truth Thus saynt Cypryan and saint Ciprianus lib. 1. epist 3 Hiero in esaâ—aÌ„ Hierom do expowne Esayes chrystes wordes therfore they make nothynge agaynst the churches traditions Yet they allege The. 3. argament mo auctorities of the scrypture against traditions of the which thys is one / Omnis plantatio quaÌ„ non plantauit pater meus caelestis Math. 15. eradicabitur Euerye plantynge which my father of heauen hath not planted shall be plucked vp by the roote but the churches traditions are not sayth Luther of gods plantynge / wherfore they shall be plucked vp by the rootes The auswere To thys obiectioÌ„ an auÌ„swere is sone made for as much as christ spake of plaÌ„ting doctrine preceptes agaynst gods law as he did of teaching theÌ„ of plaÌ„ting any
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