because ye know not the scriptures not because ye beleue not the churche He also promyseth his elect that they shal heare his voice and not a straungers voice If ye be doubtful therfore in any poynte resorte to the Scryptures geuen from GOD and oute of them searche for the thing wherof thou arte ignoraunte and aboue all thinges be not to rashe in iudgement neyther truste to muche in thine own witte Aske also counsell of suche menne whom thou knoweste to bee wel learned and exercised in the same Scryptures and whose conuersacion thou seeste to bee agreable to their wordes and yet beleue them no farther then they canne proue theyr doctrines and exhortacyons to aunswere and agree wyth GODDES mosre holye woorde Seke aske crye cal knock faste and praye wyth a constaunte fayth ioynynge therto a Chrystyan sober and a charitable âiuing and thâ he that hath the keye of Dauid who openeth and no man shutteth shal accordyng to his promyse geue vnto you al that you aske of his father in hys name and shall sende his holy spirite into your hartes who shall leade you into al trueth and put you in remembraunce of all those thynges whyche Christ hath commaunded nedeful necessarie for your saluacion What so euer therefore the churche teacheth you out of the canonical bokes of the Bible beleue that but if they teache any thing beside that I meane which is not agreinge with the same beleue neyther that nor them For then they ar not the Church of Chryst but the Synagog of Satan and Antichriste For the Churche of God as Saincte Paul witnesseth âs builded vpon the foundacion of the Apostles and Prephetes not vpon the Apostles but vpoÌ the same foundacion which they laid that is Christe Iesus and his holyâ worde And all such vnwritten veryties as the Papistes haue in theyr mouthes though they seme neuer so glorious a churche to the face of the world if they be not agreinge as they are not in dede to the verye worde of god suspect them yea rather I bidde you vtterly to abhorre and reiecte theÌ For their vtwarde and sene churche may and doth as is before proued coÌmonly erre in great and waighty matters Stande fast therfore to sounde good doctrine and wauer not And if any man come vnto you and brynge not this doctrine with him receyue hym not into your house bid him not god spede nor haue aught to do with him but counte hym as an abiecte from god and Christ. But cleaue ye fast to the souÌde certaine doctrine of gods infallible word writteÌ in the canonical bokes of the new olde testament which is able sufficiently to instructe you to eternal saluacioÌ throgh Iesus Christ our lord To whom with the father and the holy goste be al honor and praise for euer euer Amen The boke to the Reader IVdge not before Thou knowe mine intent But reade me throughout And then say thy fyll As thou in opinion Art minded and bent Vhether it be either good orill I care not for prayse Nor slaunder vntrue Of man nor of childe What euer he be Trueth nede not to feare Who doth it pursue With prayse or disprayse In any degree For trueth is not bettered By prayses at al Nor harmed by disprayse Of any wyght But goodnes or hurt Most surely come shal To him that doth iudge Either wrong or right Reade me then iudge me Therfore I thee praye Nothyng for my cause But only thyne own For I shall indure Who soeuer say naye When vnwritten truethes Shalbe ouer throwne ⧠A ConfutacioÌ of vnwritteÌ verities by diuerse auctorities diligently and truly gathered together out of the holy scryptures and auncient fathers ¶ That the worde of god wrytten contained within the Canon of the Bible is a true sounde perfecte and whole doctrine contayning in it selfe fully all thynges nedeful for oure saluacion ¶ The .i. Chapter YE shal put nothyng to the word which I commaunde you neyther take aughte therefroÌ that ye maye kepe the commaundementes of the Lorde your god whiche I commaunde you You shall not doe any thynge that we do here this daye euery maÌ what semeth him good in his own eyes What soeuer I commaunde you that take âeade you doe onelye to the Lorde and put nothynge thereto nor take aughte therefrom The Prophet which shall presume to speake a worde in my name which I haue not coÌmauÌded him to speake or that speakth in the name of strauÌge gods that prophete shall dye Al the wordes of god are pure and cleane for he is a ãâã vnto all them that putte these truste in him Putte thou nothyng vnto hys wordes leaste he reproue the and thou bee found a lyar Heare not the wordes of the Prophâtes that preache vnto you and beleaue you for they speake the meânyng of their own hartes and not oute of the mouth of the lorde Whosoeuer teacheth and kepeth the same speaking of his commaun dementes shall be called greate in the kyngdom of heauen Whosoeuer heareth these my wordes and doth the same shalbee likened vnto a wise man that buildeth hys house vpon a rocke and aboundauÌce of raine fel the fluddes came the wiÌde blew and bet vpon the same house and it fel not because it was grouÌded an the suer rocke This people draweth nye vnto me with their mouth and honoureth me with lyppes howbeit their harts be farre from me but in vayne do thei serue me teachyng the doctrynes and preceptes of men Goe ye and teacheÌ all ãâã baptysing them in the name of ãâ¦ã c teachyng them to ãâ¦ã what so euer I haue ãâ¦ã Goe ye into all the ãâã and preache my gospell to all creatures He that heareth mi word beleueth in him that sent me hath euerlasting lyfe and shal not come into damnacion but is escaped from death to life Searche the scriptures for in them ye thinke ye haue eternal life and thei art they which testifie of me These are written that you might beleue that Iesus is Christ the sonne of god and that in beleuing ye might haue life thorow hys name I haue spared no labor but I haue shewed al the counsell of god I haue obtained helpe of God and continew vnto this day witnessynge both to the small and to the great sayinge none other thynges then those which the prophetes and Moses did say should come Fayth commeth by hearynge hearynge commeth by the worde of god What soeuer is not of fayth the same is sinne We be not lordes ouer your fayth but helpers of your ioye Though we our selues or an aungell from heauen preache any other gospell vnto you then that whyche we haue preached let him be accursed Continewe thou in the thynges whyche thou hast learned whiche also were committed vnto the knowiÌg of whoÌ thou hast learned them and for as muche
Prophetes are gone out into the world Herby is the spirite of god knowen sayeth he euerye spirite whiche confesseth that Iesus Chryst is come in the fleshe is of god c. Whoso euer therfore sayeth that there is anye thyng that pacifieth the wrath of god or obtaineth his fauour and forgeuenes of synnes but onelye Christes death and passioÌ he denieth Christ to be coÌe a sauiour in the flesh Wherfore these Angels saincts souls of the dead and miracles thaâ alowe worshipping of sainctes by inuocacioÌ and prayinge to them the sacrifice of the masse for the quicke and the dead worshipping of images pilgrimages offeryngs to holy reliques to forgeue synnes or to delyuer the deade oute of purgatory denye Christe to be come an only sauiour by hys fleshe For theiÌ make all these to be sauiours froÌ purgatory or at the least coadiutores to helpe him in that office of saluacyon and deliuering those soules froÌ sinne and the paynes due for the same and so they cannot be of God but of Antichrist Thus I haue plainly fully and truly without fraud of cloking or coloure of rhetorike and darke speache to blind the eies of the siÌple people answered to al that I remember which the Papistes doe or can alledge either by writing preaching or reasoning for the defence of their vnwritteÌ verites wherevpon they builde so many detestable idolatries and heresies and the same answers if they be aptly applied and placed by a discret and witty reader wil suffâce for the answere to all that euer they haue or can bryng furth for the maintaining of their vnwrytten and vncertayne verites And yet I wyll not be so much wedded to myne owne witte or will but that if they be able to answer so plainly and trulye to the Scriptures authors and reasons rehersed by me as I haue done to theirs and to proue their doctrine of vnwrytten veryâes by as playne coÌseÌt both of scriptures aunciente doctours and as pithy argumentes as I haue done myne and sette it forth in prynte to the iudgemente of the whole worlde as myne iâ I shal not onely acknowledge mine ignoraunce and erroure but I shall gladlye returne into Englande recaÌt myne heresyes openlye submyttynge myselfe to such discipline correctioÌ as they shall thynke mete fo myne offences But if thei refuse to answer my boke by writing vâing their olde trade burne both my boke and the readers therof let them knowe thei shal doe nothyng but cut of the head of hibra For for euery heretike as you cal them which you shal burn wil arise many faythful and coÌstaÌt ChristiaÌs For except the grayn or corne of wheat dye it remaineth alone but if it dye it bringeth forth much fruite Wherefore I most hartely beseche the father of heaueÌ of his infinite mercye if you be not indurat in your heartes wyth that synne which is irremissible and shal neuer be forgeuen in this worlde nor in the worlde to come and resyste the holy gost impugning the trueth of god of you knowen and defendynge maintaining wicked doctrines which your consciences beare recorde to be idolatries and heresies that he wyll mollifie your stony heartes and geue you fleshy heartes yea rather spirituall and godly hartes to worshyp him truly in spirite accordyng to his godly wil expressed in his holy word written And I exhort al you which feare god be desierous to saue your owne soules to flee from this whore of Babilon and from al her detestable idolatries and heresies not builded vpon the sure rocke of gods infallible word written but vpon the qualinâre of vnwritteÌ verites whervpon whatsoeuer is builded furthwith eyther sinketh or quite ouerthroweth And staÌde thou fast and stay thy fayth whervpoÌ thou shalt builde al thy workes vpon the strong rocke of gods word writteÌ and conteined within the old testameÌt and the newe which is able sufficieÌtly to instruct thee in al thinges nedeful to thy saluacion and to the attaiÌmeÌt of the kyngdome of heauen To the whiche I beseche the almightie father of heauen of his infinite mercy and goodnesse and by the merytes of his only sonne oure sauiour redemer Iesê° Christ throgh his holy sprite in vs bring vs all Amen ¶ Faultes escaped in the pryntynge A. 2. pag. 1. line 19. That apparicions of the dead A. 2. pa. 2. li. 6. ca. 11. the papistes C. 1. pa. 1. li. 15. were cccc C. 1. pa. 2. li. 18. martyrs and al the people sayd amen C. 7. pag. 1. li. 4. are there opened D. 4. pa. 2. li. 6. I haue shewed you D. 5. pa. 2. li. 14. ruinus house F 1. pa. i. li. 18. scriptures only F. 1. pa. 2. li. 15. Donatystes G. 4. pa. 2. li. laste The couÌsel woulde be a capitall T. G. 5. pa. 1. li. 22. before note put a ¶ which noteth my saying and not the doctors G. 8. pa. 2. li. 1. but now wold folowe the. 6. canon of âice H. 1. pa. 2. li. 15. be those bokes H. 2. pa. 1. li. 11. midges li. 18. terme I. 1. pa. 1. li. 16. soule I. 5. pa. 1. li. 7. put a ¶ before By this â 1. pa. 1. li. 24. blot out of K. 3. pa. 1. li. 1. wherby you may K. 3. pa. 2. li. 11. Christâ saith The deuil K. 5. pa. 2. li. 2. PoÌpey N. 2. p. 2. li. 2. spiritual N. 3. pag. 2. li. 8. Dcc. or Dccc. yeares N. 5 pa. 1. li. 17. ouer li. lâst of late N. 6. pa ãâ¦ã 10. be gods elect churche Esaie v. â KiÌges rulers oughte to be aiders and not inuaders helpers and not hurters defences and not offeÌces to gods people Psal lxxx Gods vvord is a svvete pleasaunt grape and comforteth the harte of man to euerlasting saluacion psa ciiii b ãâã ââtes of the most parte vvere naked bare emptie as the profe novv alas to vvell declareth Sinne is the cause vvhâ god taketh his vvorde from ani people Esai xxix Math. vii a. Psalm xxii The Pope geueth lies for trueth poison for norishinge sustenauÌce and ministreth death for life Iohn vi c Iohn iiii b. psal cxv Hierm. x. Exo. xx a. Gods vvord is sufficieÌte to instructe al men in the true vvorship of god vvithout images priestes thââ them selueâ vviser the god The Pepe maintaineth his doctrine by fyer and fagot and not by the holie scriptures A vveake refuge if thei vvere not obstinate and shamelesse If vnvvritten verites vver necessarie to saluacion then gods vvord vvere not sufficiente therevnto âherâ vii a. yea this is their strong tovvre and bulvvarke of defence and ieat vveake inough not being vvalled about vvith gods vvord gods true churche because it is grounded vpon the vvorde of grace can not erre in maters of saluacion The church that vvandereth from gods vvord vvritten mai doth erre in matters of faith and saluacion galathi i. b. The papists feare not gods curse Ierem. xvii ⪠Psal. cxvi ⪠â The general couÌsels haue erred
that we may deni them if they dissent froÌ the holy scripturs We may not think al that the old fathers did write to be true Al mens writings ought to be weyghed by the canonical scriptures He confesseth many errours in his owne bokes ãâã others also Beleue not his writings except thou be suer of them by the scriptures we ought not to esteme mans writinges further then thei agree with the scripturs but may refuse theÌ at our pleasures Vnderstande the word written for they that learn of it learne of god al things perteining to doctrine and good maners are in the worde written which is sufficieÌte Note this holy fathers wordes and print them in your hartes for euer If preachers ought so then so ought all others for they al are prepared to come to one ende by one ordinary rule The scriptures only are sufficieÌt for matter of saluacioÌ If any maÌ speak let him speake accordinge to the worde of god excepte he wil be called by these names here expressed We may not beleue the generall faith excepte the same agre with goddes worde the truth of our fayth is conteyned in the worde written Thei wer gathered in the spirite of pride and enuy and not in the spirit of mekenes and loue Note these words diligentlye and forget them not Counsails are not of such authorite that what so euer thei decree must be holdeÌ for truth The scripture must trie all Marke thys Reade ye Papistes and be no longer ignoraÌte CouÌsails may and doe erre oftimes Read the Psalme O what a court is this that in suspicion of heresye acquiteth no man and in cause of adultery condeÌneth no priest be his crime neuer so openlye knowen Cano. 7. Cano. 9. CanÌo 10. The counsel of nice Cano. 6. The couÌcel of nice cano 20. The couÌcell of Nice 6. The couÌcell of GaÌgreÌse IbideÌ 7. The couÌsel of Neocesario The couÌcel of Laodicia Ibidem Ibidem Mat. 23. The deuill deceueth man because he waÌdereth from the word written and is not coÌteÌt therewith Spirites worke no good but euill The deuils miracles arâ to worke mischief Thei hurt most of all when thei cease from hurtyng The deuils vexe both bodye ct soule to cause meÌ to seke to them for help and so to be worshipped as god Sathan worketh miracles by Images and hereof springeth the worshipping of Images The deuils speke in Imags as thogh thei wer gods thoughe deuils prophesi truly of thynges to come yet all is but dysceite to make meÌ to worship theÌ Sathan vnder pretence of dead meÌs soules de ceaueth theÌ that lyue and leadeth them into Idolatrye Subtil Sathan sayneth himself to be Christ ct worshipped as god How shal we then knowe any certayne trueth by apparicions Thei that beleue visions often worship Sathan for Christ. Read the place Read the Chapter He laugheth theyr foolishnes to scorne the scripture ought to be beleued rather theÌ the testimonye of the dead for it is gods owne word and the other oft times the deuils The dead neuer returne after the death to tel their state that be dead The scripture is to âe beleued aboue all thinges It is not the soule of the dead that saith I am such a mans soule but the devyl counterfeteth the dead to deceue the liuing for soules departed the bodie can not walke her on earth Mar. 13. By this example ye maye iudge of the popishe miracles True ChristiaÌs work miracls profitable to the seers but the wicked without profit at all God sufferth wicked men to worke miracles for the tryall of the faythfull The faithfull nede no miracles for signes are gyven to the vnbelevers .1 Corin .14 Al doctrine ought to be tryed by the canonicall in plaine sense and not by wordes that be darke doubtful or figuratyue Miracles shewed at the tombes of saintes proue no doctrine Visions seen eyther in dreameâ or being awake caÌnot make any doctryne Men be heard at the tombes of heretikes and yet is not their doctrine true The deuill worketh miracles in the temples and Idols of the geÌtils although their religion be false an detestable Menne ought to prouâ theÌselfes to be the true churche by none other meânes but by the scripturs only Neyther miracles nor agrement of Bishops in doctryne proue any thing in religion Not miracle workers but the commaundemente kepers ar called blessed of Chryste To work miracles maketh no man holy nor to worke no miracles hindereth his holynes Thys would be put amoÌg the apparicioÌs of the dead Sathan counterfetteth Moses Math. 18. Argumente Answere Math. 7. Acres 19. Math. 7. A replicacion Answere Math. 23. The. 2. argumeÌt The first answere The second answere the forth argumeÌt Math. 28 Answere The. 5. argumeÌt Iohn 16. Answere Iohn 14. Iohn 15. Luke 18. Math. 20 Math. 16 The. 6. argumeÌt Iohn 20. Answere 2. Thess. 2 argumeÌt Answer 2. Cor. 10 Actes 1â Argumente Ansâere Vnderstande here as necessary to saluacion Argumente Answere Argumente Answere Argumente argumeÌt ârgumeÌt Answere Answere argumeÌt Answere argumeÌt argumeÌt Answere Answere argumeÌt Answere Gene. 17 Math. 19. Luke 19. 1. Cor. 7. argumeÌt Esai 56. Esai 58. To lanuarye epist. 119. The bodely rest on the sabboth day is figuratiuely to be kepte To the perfite GhristiaÌ al dayes be lyke and eueri day is good friday eueri day is Easter day and we eatâ hys fleshe alwayes argumeÌt Answere Christes bage Dani. 7. The mark to knowe antichrist by is to preuaill by persecucion againste gods elect saints Daniel 8. And the marke of the true churche is to be persecuted of Antichriste Read the places Read the Chapters argumeÌt Answere Iohn sleidane Elzabeth Barton O diuilishe illusion Reade more of herin her boke set forth in print and in Halles cronicle A letter forged as thoughe it had come froÌ heauen Bishops euer haue been bolsterers of idolatry A notable miracle Christe prouedre alli in the hoste by 2. horses the deuil spâaking in one of them Which is Rome
also as thou haste knowen the holy scriptures of a chylde which are able to make the learned vnto saluacion throughe the fayth which is in Chryste Iesu. For al scripture geuen by inspiracion of God is profitable to teache to improue to amende to instructe in righteousnesse that the man of god may be perfecte prepared to all good workes If any man speake let hym speake as the wordes of god If any man come vnto you and bryng not thys learning receaue hym not into your house neither bid him God spede For he that byddeth hym God spede is partaker of hys euyll dedes If any man shall adde vnto these thynges god shall adde vnto hym the plages that are wrytten in this booke And if any man shall minishe of the wordes of thys prophesye God shall take awaye his part out of the boke of lyfe and out of the holy citie and froÌ those thynges whiche are written in thys boke ¶ That the writinges of the olde fathers without the written woorde of god are not able to proue anye doctryne in religion ¶ The .ii. Chapter IReneus libro .ii. Cap. 46. To leâÌe to the scriptures of god whych is the certayne and vndouted trueth is to buylde a mans house vpoÌ a suer and stronge rock But to leaue that and leaue to ani other doctrins what so euer they be is to builde a curious house vpon the âhatteringe grauell whereof the ouerthrowe is easye IDem in Epistola .72 Happy is he that soweth vpon the watârâ where the Oxe and the Asse treadeth that is vpon that people whych onely foloweth the doctrine of both the testamentes and not vpon the vayne tradycions of men TErtulliane in the prescryptioÌs of heretykes pa. 95. It is not lawfull for vs to fauoure any doctryne at oure pleasure nor yet to chose what any manne hath brought in of his owne mynde We haue the Apostles of the Lorde for oure authors whyche dyd not electe anye thynge that they woulde brynge in of their owne heades but taught faythfullye to all nacyons that doctryne that they had receaued of Chryste Therefore althoughe an Aungell from heauen shoulde preache any other thynge lette vs holde hym accursed ANd a litle after he sayeth We nede to vse no curiositie after Iesus Chryste nor make further searche after the gospell for wheÌ we beleue we desier to beleue no more For first we beleue this that there is nothyng els that we ought to beleue IDem of the fleshe of Chryst pa. 20. agaynst Apelles whyche saied that the Angels had a bodely substancâ which thei toke of the âââtres Tertallian answereth that there is no certenty in thys matter because the scripture declareth it not THe sae to Praxeas Let thys be a generall rule indifferently determyned before hande agaynst all heresyes that that is true what so euer is first that to bee forged what soeuer coÌmeth after pa. 418. ORigen in his first homily vpon Ieremy Vle must nedes cal the holye scriptures to wytnes for our iudgements and exposicious with out these witnesses are worthye no credite IDem vpon Leuiticus in his fyfte homilye If the holy scripture doe not determine any thing we ought not to admitte any other wrytyng for the stablyshinge of our doctryne but as for the rest let vs leaue it to god THe same vpon the thirde chapter to the Romanes After these as his custome is meanynge by sainct Paul he doth confirme that he had sayd by the scriptures geuing also an example to the preachers of the churche that those thynges whyche they speake to the people should be armed and mayntained by the holi scriptures and not spoken oute of theyr own iudgements For if he being such and so great an Apostle thoughte not the aucthorite of hys owne wordes to be sufficiente excepte be teache those thynges which he saieth to be wrytten in the law and the prophets hoâ much more ought we litle ones to take heade that when we teache we vtter not our own mindes but the sentences of the holy gost THe same vpon Mathew in his 26. homily no man ought for the stablyshing of doctryne to vse any bokes that be withoute the canonicall scriptures CIprian in the exposicion of the Crede after that he hath rehearsed the canonical bokes of the Bible he sayeth These be they whiche oure fathers haue included within the Canon out of the whyche our fathers woulde the doctryne of our fayth to be certaine neuertheles there be other bokes which of our elders were not called canonycall but Ecclesiastical as the boke of wisdoÌe the bokes of Sirach Tobie Iudyth Machabees and other All whyche bokes they would haue to be redde in thâ churche but not alleged as of aucthoritie to confirme any article of our fayth Al other writinges thei called Apâcrypha whiche they would in no wyse to be redde in the churche AThanasius against the gentyles The holy Scriptures being in spired from god are sufficiente to all instruction of the trueth BAsilius in his boke of Ethikes of his short definitions the. 26. Euery worde and dede that maketh for the certentye and suertye of good men and the confusion of them that be euill must be confirmed by the testimony of Goddes scriptures And those thinges which either in our nature or in the custome and maner of our life are manifestly knowen must we vse to confirme those thynges which we doe and say THe same in his short definitioÌs the first questioÌ Whether it bee lawful or expedient for a man to permit himselfe to do what he thinketh good without the testimonie of the holy scriptures ⪠ãâã aunswere Seyng that our sauiour sayth of the holy gost he shall not speake of hymselfe but what soeuer he hath heard that shall he speake And of himself he sayeth the sonne can dooe nothynge of himselfe And agayne I haue not spoken of my selfe but he whiche sent me gaue me commaundemente what I shoulde say and what I shold speake and I knowe that hys commaundemente is eternall lyfe therefore those thynges that I speake I speake as the father sayd vnto me who is he then that wil runne into suche madnesse that he dare once thynke onelye anye thyng of himselfe seeing that he hath nede of the holy ghoste for his ayde so that both in mynde word and worke he may be gided in the way of trueth and that he must nedes walke in darknes excepte he bee lightened with the sonne of righteousnes oure lorde Iesus Chryste whiche shineth vpon vs with hys coÌmaundementes as with bright beames For the commaundement of the lorde is cleare and geueth lyght to the eyes For of those thinges that are done and commonly vsed among vs some are by gods commauÌdement determined and playnlye set forth in the holyscriptures and some not expressed Of those that be expressed by the scriptures there is vtterlye no power geuen to any man what so euer
that be yet rude and siÌple to instruct I say in righteousnes that they maye be made righteous by puttyng awaye their former instructions of infidelite I say that he may be so taught that as muche as in the teacher lyeth he that is taught maye be the perfect man of god so perfecte that he maye be instruct to doe euerye good worke BEda in the. 1. Epistle of Peter Cap. 5. If any man speake lette him speake as the words of god fearyng least he say or commaunde any thing besides the wil of god or besides that whiche is manifestly commaunded in the holye scriptures and be founde as a false witnes of god or acommitter of sacriledge or a bringer in of any straunge thynge from the Lordes doctrine or els leaue oute or passe ouer anye thynge that pleaseth god seeing that Chryste most playnly commaundeth the preachers of the trueth concernyng them whom they had taughte sayinge teache them to kepe all thyngs that I haue commauÌded you Yea euen the same whych he had commaunded and none other and he commaunded hys preachers to coÌmaunde their hearers to kepe not soÌe of these but all ANselmus Bishop in his booke of virginitie 24. Cap. Goddes lawe forbyddeth to folowe the steppes of the Catholyke or vniuersal faith any more then the iudgemente of the canonicall trueth coÌmaundeth to beleue And all other Apocryphall lies the good policies of the best learned fathers haue stablished in their decrees vtterly to reiecte and to banishe them cleane as horrible thoundriÌges of wordes LYraâe vpon the laste Ca. of the Prouerbes Like as in a marchauntes shyppe are caryed dyuerse thynges necessarye for mannes lyfe so in the scripture are conteined all thynges nedefull to saluacyon THomas of Aquine The holye Scripture is the rule of oure fayth wherevnto it is neyther lawfull to adde nor take any thyng away But the trueth of oure fayth is contayned in the holy scryptures diffusely and diuerse wayes in some places darklye and to trye oute the trueth of oure fayth by the scryptures is required long study and exercise to the which al they cannot come that nede to knowe the trueth of the fayth the more part wherof beeynge occupyed wyth other busines cannot attende to study And therfore it was nedefull out of the sentences of holy scripture to gather some thyng into a shorte some which should be set forth for all men to beleue whiche is not added to the scriptures but rather takeÌ out of the scriptures SCotus in the prologe of sentences que 2. Question Whether knowledge about nature sufficient for a man in this lyfe be sufficientlye sette forth in the holy scripture The Question is not whether any thynges bee true that are not written or whether god sence the creacion and redemption of the worlde hath done or sayd any thyng that is not wrytten and receyued of the Churche for the holye scripture but thys is the questyon whether the worde of god wrytten be sufficient for our saluacioÌ or whether a Christen man be bounde to beleue any thyng that cannot he proued bi the holy scripture And thys grauÌted that all thynges that may be gathered out of the scripture and euery thyng that vpon any trueth graunted maye bâ proued by a good argumeÌt of the scripture doth pertayne to the holy scripture this graunted I say he concludeth that all thynges necessarye for our saluacion are fully conteyned in the holy scripture ¶ The schole authors call the staye of our faith the trueth shewed of God and conteyned in the Canon of the Bible ¶ That the general counsels withoute the worde of god are not sufficiente to make articles of oure fayth ¶ The .iii. Chapter EVsebius in his ecclesiastical historie lib. 1. Cap. 8. The head rulers of the churche forgettynge gods commaundementes were inflamed one againste another wyth contencyon zeale enuy pride malice and hatred so that they thoughte rather that they occupied the rome of tiraÌnes then of priestes And also forgettinge Christian humilite and sincerite they did celebrate the holy misteries wyth vnholy handes GRegorye Nazianzen to Procopius Vndoubtedli I thiÌk thus if I must nedes wryt the truth that al assembles of Byshoppes are to be eschued For I neuer sawe good end of any synode that did not rather bryng in euils then put them awaye for the lustes of stryfe and desyer and of lordshyp reigne there AVgustine in his lib. 2. Capit. 3. agaynst the Donatists The couÌsels which are kept through euery region or prouince wythout all clokinges ought to geue place to the generall counselles whiche are made of all Christendome yea and the former generall counsels oughte ofttimes to be reformed by the latter counsels if any thynge in them dooe chaunce to erre from the trueth AVgustine against Maximinum the bishop of the Arrians lib. 3 Ca. 4. But now neither ought I to alledge the counsel of Nice nor thou the couÌsel of Arimine to tak aduauÌtage therby for neyther am I bounde nor helde by the authorite of this nor thou of that Lette matter with matter cause wyth cause or reason with reasoÌ trye the matter by the aucthorite of scriptures not proper witnesses to any of vs but indifferent witnesses for vs both GErson We ought rather beleue the sayiÌg of any teacher armed with the Canonycall scripture then the Popes determynacyon THe same More tredite is to be geuen to a maÌ that is singularlye learned in the Scripture bryngying forth catholyke aucthorite then to the generall counsel PAnormitan in cap. Significasti A simple laye man bryngynge forth the scriptures is to be beleued rather then an hole counsel For a counsell may erre as it hath afore tymes erred as did the counsell of Melchildense and Aquisgranum of contracting of Matrimonie The councel of CoÌstance among other articles of Iohn Husband Hierome of Prage vniustly condemned condemned also this article for heresye that the two natures that is the diuinite and humanitie be one Chryst whych is a necessarye article of our fayth expressed in the Crede of Athanasius called qui cunque vult where it is red the right fayth is that we beleue and confesse that our Lorde Iesus Chryst the soÌne of god is god and maÌ and a litle after lyke as the reasonable soule and the flesh is one man so god and maÌ is one Christ the same is also decreed by the counsell of Nice and dyuerse other catholike counsels and it is the doctrine of the churche at thys tyme. Finally it may be proued by the expresse word of god and yet these malycyous cleargy were not ashamed to condemne the same for an heresy Note here ieÌtle reader vnto what shameles and detestable heresyes theyr Popishe yea Antichristian general counsels haue falleÌ of the which they boast so much that they cannot erre and wherevpon cheÌfely they builde al their errours and heresyes Moreouer the most part of the good lawes and Canons be in
to sing any made coÌmoÌly vsed soÌgs in the church nor read ani boke beside the canoÌ but only the canonical bokes of the new old testameÌt those bokes which oughte to be red and receued for authoritie those bokes whiche be deuided froÌ the bokes called apocrypha in the gret bible Vnto the which S. CipriaÌ HieroÌ AusteÌ with all the old writers agre ¶ But the .3 couÌcell of carthage added to these the bokes of wisdom Ecclesiasticus Tobie Iudith Hester the bokes of the Machabees vnto which latter couÌsel the papistes cleaue with toth nayle and ther vpoÌ stay their purgatory prayiÌge to sainctes with diuerse other errors and heresies coÌtrary to the elder better couÌsels Herby you may most easely perceiue how shamefully their general couÌsels haue erred as wel in the iudgemeÌt of the scriptures as also in necessary articles of our fayth good maners Yea the chefest and oldeste couÌsels be as Anacharsis said of the lawes made by Solon for the Atheniens like to cobwebbes wherin smal flies gnattes and Miges be takeÌ and deuoured of the spiders but greate hornettes and hoÌbellbees flie through and breake them without any daunger or hurt And generally there is no lawes regarded kepte or maintained amonge them but suche as make as they turne theÌ pro pane lucraÌdo that is for their dignities immunites or libertes and prophetes Wherefore the words of our sauiour Christ maye be rightly veryfied of theÌ they laye heuy importable burtheÌs on other mens shoulders but wil not once moue theÌ with their fiÌger For all their lawes be but nettes to take kyll the poore fishes and to fyl their own pauÌches ¶ That nothyng can be proued by oracles of Angels touchynge relygyon ¶ The. iiii Chapter GEnesis .3 Sathan beyng chauÌged into a serpeÌt disceaued our first parentes in them cast al mankynde hedlynge into damnacion REgum .3 Vlti I wil go furth and bee a lyinge spirite in the mouth of all his Prophetes ¶ Reade the whole Chapter GAlat .1 Thoughe an angel from heauen preache any other gospell c. THe .2 to the. Cor. ca. 11. SathaÌ himselfe is chaunged into an Angell of lyghte COlossi .2 Let no man make you hote at a wronge marke by the humblenes and holynes of Angels THe same .4 Cap. The spirite speaketh euidently that in the latter tymes some shal depart from the fayth and shall geue hede vnto spirites of error and deuyllyshe doctrine IOhn .4 Beleue not euery spirite but proue the spirites whether they are of god or not ACtes .16 A certayne damsel possessed with a sprite that prophesied met vs which brought her master and mistres much vauÌtage wyth prophesieng The same folowed Paule and vs and cried saying these are the seruauntes of the moste high god whiche shewe vnto vs the waye of saluacyon And thys dyd she many dayes but Paul not content turned about and sayd to the spirite I commaunde thee in the name of Iesu Chryste that thou come out of her And he came out the same houre CIprian of the simplenes of prelates The enemye after the woordes of the Apostle chaungeth hymselfe into an Angell of lyght and setteth forth his seruauntes as ministers of righteousnes affirminge nyghte for daye death for health desperacion vnder the cooler of hope false fayth vnder the preteÌce of faith Antichrist vnder the name of Chryst so that whyles they counterfete the like things thei make voide the truth with subtiltie Thys dearly beloued brethren commeth to passe by thys meanes that we resorte not to the original of the trueth nor seke the head Chryst nor kepe the doctrine of oure heauenly master CIprianus in his .4 treatesse of the vanite of Idols Filthie spirites wanderyng abroade beeiÌg drowned in worldly vicesâ after they haue shronken from heauenly vertue through worldly corrupcyon beeynge them selfs destroyed cease not to destroye other and beyng infecte wyth euill infecte other wyth the same These inspire the hartes of the Prophetes euer lappyng vp lyes with the truth they trouble mens lyues dysquiet their slepes drawyng their meÌbers awry hurt their health prouoke diseases to force meÌ to worshipping of theÌ this is the remedy of them whaÌ they cease to hurt neither haue they any other study but to cal meÌ backe froÌ god and turne theÌ froÌ the perceauiÌg of true religioÌ to their superstitioÌ seyng they be in paine theÌ selfe to seke those to be companioÌs of their paine whom they haue made through their error partakers of their synne LActaÌtiê° institucionuÌ li. 2. ca. 15. corrupt daÌned spirits strey ouer al the world seke for ease of their destruction thorough the destructyon of men They therefore fill al the worlde wyth snares fraudes and errours the whiche because they be fine spirits and can not be perceaued conueye themselues into mens bodyes and beyng secretlye hyd wythin the bodyâ trouble health bryng sickenes fraie men with dreames vexe mens myndes with sweate that thorow these harmes they may force meÌ to runne to them for helpe The cause of all whych disceaâes is darke to theÌ that be ignoraunte in the trueth for they thynke they profyte whan they cease from hurtynge which can doe nothyng but hurt But they whych haue shrunken backe from godes seruice because they be enemyes and traÌsgressours of the trueth goe about to chalenge to themselues the name and honour of god not because they desier any honorâ for what honour can the damned haue nor that they shold hurt god who cannot be hurt but to hurte men whom they goe aboute to draw away from the worshyppe and knowledge of gods true maiesty least they shoulde attayne immortalytye whyche they haue lost thorowe theyr own malice So they couer all wyth darknes and compasse the truth with claudes so that they can not knowe their lord nor their father And that they maye easely allure menne they hide themselues in the churches and are at hande in al sacrifices Yea many tims they work miracles through whiche men beyng astonyed do geue to Images the fayth of the godheade Here of it commeth that a stone was cut in sander with a rasure by a sorcerer and that Iuno of Veâa answered that she woulde goe to Rome that a shyppe folowed the hande of Claudia and that Iuno beyng robbed and Proserpina of LocreÌse and Ceres of Milet toke vengeaunce of those that had commytted sacriledge and Hercules of Appius and Iupiter of Atimus and Minerua of Cesar. Hereof also it commeth that a serpente delyuered the Citie of Rome from the pestileÌce beyng brought from Epidaure But chefely they deceaue men in their oracles and answers whose Iuglynges vngodly men cannot discerne froÌ the trueth Therefore they thynke that Empiers and victories ryches and lucky chaunces of thinges are geuen of them and to bee shorte oft tymes common welthes to be deliuered froÌ present daungers at their beck which
that innumerable other bishops of our coÌgregacioÌ doe a lowe this doctrine that we kepe or be cause in churches of our coÌpanioÌs it is preached or els because that throughe the whole world in those holy places wher our coÌgregacioÌs resorte so many woÌders ether of hearings or of healynges be done so that bodyes of martirs being hid so many years whyche if they wil aske thei may learne of many were shewed to Ambroser or that at those bodyes a certaine maÌ beeing many yeres blynd wel knowen to the whole citie of Miliane receiued hys eyes his sight or because he beyng in a dreame dyd âee or he beeyng rapt in spirite did heare eyther that he âold not goe to the part of the Donatistes or that he should depart from theyr opinion What so euer suche thynges be done in the catholike churche the church is not therfore proued catholik because these be doÌe in it The lord Iesê° himself wheÌ he was riseÌ froÌ death offred his own body to be see with the eies haÌdled with the haÌds of his Apostles lest thei shold theÌ thiÌke theÌselfes to be deceiued he rather iudged that thei ought to be stablyshed by the witnesses of the law prophets psalmes shewiÌng those thinges to be fulfilled in him that wer spokeÌ so loÌg before so he set forth his churche biddinge repentaunce and forgeuenes of synnes to be preached in his name through al nacions beginniÌg at IerusaleÌ That these thynges bee wrytten in the lawe and Prophetes himselfe witnesseth thys is set out by worde of mouth These are the doctrines these are the stayes of our cause we reade wrytten in the Actes of the Apostles of soÌe faithfull men that they searched the scripturs whether they were so What Scryptures I pray you but the Canonicall of the lawe the Prophetes to these are ioined the gospels the Apostles Epistles the Actes of the Apostles and the Apocalypsis of Sayncte Iohn Searche all these bryng foorth some plaine thing wherbi you may declare that the churche hath remayned only in Affricke or that thys whyche the Lorde sayeth shall come to passe This gospell shalbe preached to al the world for a testimonye to all nacyons shalbe verified of Affricke But brynge out some what that nedeth none interpreter you may not be conuinced that the thynges which is spoken of another matter you goe about to wreste to your purpose CHrysostome of the contricion of the hart Christ promised not that he woulde rewarde at the latter day them that worke sygnes wonders but them that kepe his coÌmaundementes saieng come you blessed childreÌ of my father receaue that kingdome whyche was prepared for you from the beginning of the world He said not because you did miracles but because I was hongrye c. he shal also cal them blessed not that wroght miracles but the humble and meke in hart LIril in Iohn lib. 7. Cap. 13. To worke miracles maketh not a man one whit more holy sâiÌge that it is also common to euyll men abiectes as the Lorde hymselfe also witnesseth mani shal sai to me in that day c. And contrary wyse workyng of no miracles hindereth not a mans holynes For Iohn wrought neyther signe nor miracle and yet was thys no derogacion to his holines For among the children of wemen ther was none greater then he SAbellic vpon the lyfe of Celestine Almost fiue hundreth yeares after Chryst the deuil taking vpon him the person of Moyses shewed himself visibly in the sight of the Iewes that dwelt at Candie promisinge that he woulde brynge them agayne into the land of promyse where Ierusalem staÌdeth dry foted the waters standyng on eyther syde in maner of a wall as when the children of Israell were brought out of the land of Egipt Many of the Iewes rashli geuing credite to these IugliÌgs and enterynge into the sea were ouerwhelmed with the waues thereof excepte a fewe the whyche at laste beeynge warned of their vanite became Christians ¶ Custome also is of no streÌgth in thys case of prouing a religion ¶ The .vii. Chapter EXodi .23 Folowe not the multitude to doe euill LEuiticus .18 The Lorde coÌmmauÌdeth the Israelytes not to folowe the custome of the Egipcyans nor the Cananites Reade the chapter EZechyell .20 Walke not in the statutes of youre forefathers and keepe not their ordinaunces and defyle not youre selues wyth their Idols REguÌ .4 ca. 17. Vnto thys day they kepe their olde customes they feare not God nor do after hys customes ordynaunces and lawes THe same They dyd not hearken vnto the Lorde but dyd after their olde custome I Eremye .9 They folowed theÌ wickednes of their owne heartes and serued straunge godes as their fathers taught them TErtullian of virginite or prayses Custome for the most part taking his beginning eyther of ignoraunce or simplicite in processe of tyme waxeth strong by vse and so it is alledged agaynst the truth Whatsoeuer smelleth agaynste the trueth that is heresye yea though it be olde custome CIprian vnto Cicilie lib. 2. Epistola .3 There is no cause why deare brother that any manne should thynke the custome of some men oughte to be folowed If any maÌ haue thought that only water ought to be offered in the chalyce we muste fyrste aske whom they folowed and that Chryste only ought to bee hearde the father witnesseth from heauen saieng this is my wel beloued sonne heare hym Wherfore if only Chryste ought to be heard we ought not to regarde what any maÌ afore vs thought to be done but what Christ which is before did first neyther oughte we to folowe the custome of man but the trueth of god THe same to Iulian. of the baptising of heretykes in vaine do some men when they be ouercome with the truth alledge custome agaynste vs as though custome wer greater then the trueth Sainct Augustine hath the same THe same to Pompus agaynste Steuens epistle CustoÌe with out truth is an olde errour for the whiche cause lette vs leue custome and folowe the trueth CHrisostome vpon Genesis .29 Homilie .59 For if the couÌsell be good and profitable yea though it be not custome kepe it but if it bee hurtful and noysome caste it awaye For if we wil be wise and care for our saluacion we may leaue of an euyll custome and bryng in a good custome and so shall we geue no small occasyoÌ to theÌ that come after vs to chaunge the same haue the rewarde of those thyngs that be done of them IErome in his preface to Iob. Olde custome is of such force that vices whiche many men them selues coÌfesse please them through it THe same the .9 Cap. Neither ar the errours of our fathers nor out elders to be folowed but the authorite of the Scriptures and the coÌmaundementes of god that teacheth vs. AVgustine of one only Baptime lib. 2. Distinc .8 Cap. Vhen the trueth is once knowen let custome geue place to the trueth For