that innumerable other bishops of our coÌ„gregacioÌ„ doe a lowe this doctrine that we kepe or be cause in churches of our coÌ„panioÌ„s it is preached or els because that throughe the whole world in those holy places wher our coÌ„gregacioÌ„s resorte so many woÌ„ders ether of hearings or of healynges be done so that bodyes of martirs being hid so many years whyche if they wil aske thei may learne of many were shewed to Ambroser or that at those bodyes a certaine maÌ„ beeing many yeres blynd wel knowen to the whole citie of Miliane receiued hys eyes his sight or because he beyng in a dreame dyd â—ee or he beeyng rapt in spirite did heare eyther that he â—old not goe to the part of the Donatistes or that he should depart from theyr opinion What so euer suche thynges be done in the catholike churche the church is not therfore proued catholik because these be doÌ„e in it The lord Iesê° himself wheÌ„ he was riseÌ„ froÌ„ death offred his own body to be see with the eies haÌ„dled with the haÌ„ds of his Apostles lest thei shold theÌ„ thiÌ„ke theÌ„selfes to be deceiued he rather iudged that thei ought to be stablyshed by the witnesses of the law prophets psalmes shewiÌ„ng those thinges to be fulfilled in him that wer spokeÌ„ so loÌ„g before so he set forth his churche biddinge repentaunce and forgeuenes of synnes to be preached in his name through al nacions beginniÌ„g at IerusaleÌ„ That these thynges bee wrytten in the lawe and Prophetes himselfe witnesseth thys is set out by worde of mouth These are the doctrines these are the stayes of our cause we reade wrytten in the Actes of the Apostles of soÌ„e faithfull men that they searched the scripturs whether they were so What Scryptures I pray you but the Canonicall of the lawe the Prophetes to these are ioined the gospels the Apostles Epistles the Actes of the Apostles and the Apocalypsis of Sayncte Iohn Searche all these bryng foorth some plaine thing wherbi you may declare that the churche hath remayned only in Affricke or that thys whyche the Lorde sayeth shall come to passe This gospell shalbe preached to al the world for a testimonye to all nacyons shalbe verified of Affricke But brynge out some what that nedeth none interpreter you may not be conuinced that the thynges which is spoken of another matter you goe about to wreste to your purpose CHrysostome of the contricion of the hart Christ promised not that he woulde rewarde at the latter day them that worke sygnes wonders but them that kepe his coÌ„maundementes saieng come you blessed childreÌ„ of my father receaue that kingdome whyche was prepared for you from the beginning of the world He said not because you did miracles but because I was hongrye c. he shal also cal them blessed not that wroght miracles but the humble and meke in hart LIril in Iohn lib. 7. Cap. 13. To worke miracles maketh not a man one whit more holy sâ—iÌ„ge that it is also common to euyll men abiectes as the Lorde hymselfe also witnesseth mani shal sai to me in that day c. And contrary wyse workyng of no miracles hindereth not a mans holynes For Iohn wrought neyther signe nor miracle and yet was thys no derogacion to his holines For among the children of wemen ther was none greater then he SAbellic vpon the lyfe of Celestine Almost fiue hundreth yeares after Chryst the deuil taking vpon him the person of Moyses shewed himself visibly in the sight of the Iewes that dwelt at Candie promisinge that he woulde brynge them agayne into the land of promyse where Ierusalem staÌ„deth dry foted the waters standyng on eyther syde in maner of a wall as when the children of Israell were brought out of the land of Egipt Many of the Iewes rashli geuing credite to these IugliÌ„gs and enterynge into the sea were ouerwhelmed with the waues thereof excepte a fewe the whyche at laste beeynge warned of their vanite became Christians ¶ Custome also is of no streÌ„gth in thys case of prouing a religion ¶ The .vii. Chapter EXodi .23 Folowe not the multitude to doe euill LEuiticus .18 The Lorde coÌ„mmauÌ„deth the Israelytes not to folowe the custome of the Egipcyans nor the Cananites Reade the chapter EZechyell .20 Walke not in the statutes of youre forefathers and keepe not their ordinaunces and defyle not youre selues wyth their Idols REguÌ„ .4 ca. 17. Vnto thys day they kepe their olde customes they feare not God nor do after hys customes ordynaunces and lawes THe same They dyd not hearken vnto the Lorde but dyd after their olde custome I Eremye .9 They folowed theÌ„ wickednes of their owne heartes and serued straunge godes as their fathers taught them TErtullian of virginite or prayses Custome for the most part taking his beginning eyther of ignoraunce or simplicite in processe of tyme waxeth strong by vse and so it is alledged agaynst the truth Whatsoeuer smelleth agaynste the trueth that is heresye yea though it be olde custome CIprian vnto Cicilie lib. 2. Epistola .3 There is no cause why deare brother that any manne should thynke the custome of some men oughte to be folowed If any maÌ„ haue thought that only water ought to be offered in the chalyce we muste fyrste aske whom they folowed and that Chryste only ought to bee hearde the father witnesseth from heauen saieng this is my wel beloued sonne heare hym Wherfore if only Chryste ought to be heard we ought not to regarde what any maÌ„ afore vs thought to be done but what Christ which is before did first neyther oughte we to folowe the custome of man but the trueth of god THe same to Iulian. of the baptising of heretykes in vaine do some men when they be ouercome with the truth alledge custome agaynste vs as though custome wer greater then the trueth Sainct Augustine hath the same THe same to Pompus agaynste Steuens epistle CustoÌ„e with out truth is an olde errour for the whiche cause lette vs leue custome and folowe the trueth CHrisostome vpon Genesis .29 Homilie .59 For if the couÌ„sell be good and profitable yea though it be not custome kepe it but if it bee hurtful and noysome caste it awaye For if we wil be wise and care for our saluacion we may leaue of an euyll custome and bryng in a good custome and so shall we geue no small occasyoÌ„ to theÌ„ that come after vs to chaunge the same haue the rewarde of those thyngs that be done of them IErome in his preface to Iob. Olde custome is of such force that vices whiche many men them selues coÌ„fesse please them through it THe same the .9 Cap. Neither ar the errours of our fathers nor out elders to be folowed but the authorite of the Scriptures and the coÌ„maundementes of god that teacheth vs. AVgustine of one only Baptime lib. 2. Distinc .8 Cap. Vhen the trueth is once knowen let custome geue place to the trueth For
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 â—iuing 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 â—s 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 coÌ„monly 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 souÌ„de 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 â—eade 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 coÌ„mauÌ„ded him to speake or that speakth in the name of strauÌ„ge gods that prophete shall dye Al the wordes of god are pure and cleane for he is a 〈◊〉 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 Prophâ—tes that preache vnto you and beleaue you for they speake the meâ—nyng 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 aboundauÌ„ce of raine fel the fluddes came the wiÌ„de blew and bet vpon the same house and it fel not because it was grouÌ„ded 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 〈◊〉 baptysing them in the name of 〈…〉 c teachyng them to 〈…〉 what so euer I haue 〈…〉 Goe ye into all the 〈◊〉 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 knowiÌ„g of whoÌ„ thou hast learned them and for as muche
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 leâ—Ì„e 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 â—hatteringe grauell whereof the ouerthrowe is easye IDem in Epistola .72 Happy is he that soweth vpon the watâ—râ— 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 prescryptioÌ„s 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 â—â—â—tres 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 coÌ„meth 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 wisdoÌ„e 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 Apâ—crypha 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 definitioÌ„s 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 â–ª 〈◊〉 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 coÌ„maundementes 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 commauÌ„dement 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
to sing any made coÌ„moÌ„ly vsed soÌ„gs in the church nor read ani boke beside the canoÌ„ but only the canonical bokes of the new old testameÌ„t 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 couÌ„cell of carthage added to these the bokes of wisdom Ecclesiasticus Tobie Iudith Hester the bokes of the Machabees vnto which latter couÌ„sel the papistes cleaue with toth nayle and ther vpoÌ„ stay their purgatory prayiÌ„ge to sainctes with diuerse other errors and heresies coÌ„trary to the elder better couÌ„sels Herby you may most easely perceiue how shamefully their general couÌ„sels haue erred as wel in the iudgemeÌ„t of the scriptures as also in necessary articles of our fayth good maners Yea the chefest and oldeste couÌ„sels 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 hoÌ„bellbees 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 lucraÌ„do 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 burtheÌ„s on other mens shoulders but wil not once moue theÌ„ with their fiÌ„ger For all their lawes be but nettes to take kyll the poore fishes and to fyl their own pauÌ„ches ¶ That nothyng can be proued by oracles of Angels touchynge relygyon ¶ The. iiii Chapter GEnesis .3 Sathan beyng chauÌ„ged into a serpeÌ„t 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 vauÌ„tage 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 preteÌ„ce 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 beeiÌ„g 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 meÌ„bers 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 perceauiÌ„g of true religioÌ„ to their superstitioÌ„ seyng they be in paine theÌ„ selfe to seke those to be companioÌ„s of their paine whom they haue made through their error partakers of their synne LActaÌ„tiê° institucionuÌ„ li. 2. ca. 15. corrupt daÌ„ned 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 disceaâ—es 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 traÌ„sgressours 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 Veâ—a answered that she woulde goe to Rome that a shyppe folowed the hande of Claudia and that Iuno beyng robbed and Proserpina of LocreÌ„se 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 pestileÌ„ce 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
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 coÌ„e 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 siÌ„ple 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 suffâ—ce 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 veryâ—es by as playne coÌ„seÌ„t 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 recaÌ„t 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 vâ—ing 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 coÌ„staÌ„t ChristiaÌ„s 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 qualinâ—re of vnwritteÌ„ verites whervpon whatsoeuer is builded furthwith eyther sinketh or quite ouerthroweth And staÌ„de 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 testameÌ„t and the newe which is able sufficieÌ„tly to instruct thee in al thinges nedeful to thy saluacion and to the attaiÌ„meÌ„t 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 couÌ„sel 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 â—ice 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. PoÌ„pey 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. lâ—st of late N. 6. pa 〈…〉 10. be gods elect churche Esaie v. â— KiÌ„ges rulers oughte to be aiders and not inuaders helpers and not hurters defences and not offeÌ„ces to gods people Psal lxxx Gods vvord is a svvete pleasaunt grape and comforteth the harte of man to euerlasting saluacion psa ciiii b 〈◊〉 â—â—tes 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 sustenauÌ„ce and ministreth death for life Iohn vi c Iohn iiii b. psal cxv Hierm. x. Exo. xx a. Gods vvord is sufficieÌ„te to instructe al men in the true vvorship of god vvithout images priestes thâ—â— 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 â—herâ— 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 â–ª Psal. cxvi â–ª â— The general couÌ„sels haue erred
who doubteth but custōe ought to geue place to the manifeste trueth THe same in the sameplace Let no man preferre custome aboue trueth reasō For truth and reason doe euer exclude custome GRegorius to Guelmunde the Byshoppe .2 Distinct. Siconsuetudo If thou chaunce to lay custome agaynst me thou must take heede what the lorde sayeth I am the way the truth and the lyfe He did not say I am custome but the trueth NIcolas the Pope to Ignatyus the reuereute Byshoppe .8 Distinc An euil custome is no les to be auoyded then an hurtefull corrupcyon whiche excepte it be plucked vp the soner by the rootes it wyl bee taken of the vngodly for a lawe ¶ Reasons agaynste vnwritten verites ¶ The .viii. Chapter THe olde testamente was sufficient for the Iewes and why shall not bothe the newe and olde suffice vs CHriste and the Apostles proued al their doctrynes by the law and Prophetes What an arrogancye is it then in vs to teache anyethynge whiche we can neyther proue by the law the Prophetes the Apostles nor the Euangelistes THe deuill when he tempted Chryst was not so farre past al shame to perswade any thynge wythout the testimonye of the scriptures althought he dyd as hys deare children the papistes do falsely alledge them wrest them from theyr true meanyng to a contrarye sense and also cut of that whiche shoulde make against him or declare the true meaning of the scriptures THis word vnwritten verites is a new terme lateli inuēted now here heard or red amōg the olde wryters of which thei could not haue bene ignoraunt if ther had bene any such thing nedefull to saluacyon AL contēcion which the olde fathers had with heretikes was for the scriptures whiche heretikes partly denied as Marciō Mālcheus Faustus partly they wrongly expunded but for thyngs whych are not conteined in the scriptures they neuer accused any man of heresye IF there were any worde of god besyde the scripture we coulde neuer be certeine of gods word and if we be incertayne of gods word the deuill myghte brynge in amonge vs a newe worde a newe doctryne a newe fayth a new churche a newe god yea himselfe to be god as he hath already done in the popysh kyngdōe For thys is the foundacyon of Antichristes kyngdome to settle hymselfe in gods temple whyche is the hearte and conscience of man of hym to be feared and worshypped as thoughe he were god himselfe If the churche and the Christyan fayth did not staie it selfe vpon thē worde of god certayne as vpon a suer and strong foundacion no man coulde know whether he had a ryght faith and whether he wer in the true churche of Chryste or in the synagog of Sathan IF we be bounde to beleue certaīe thinges delyuered from the Apostles by word of mouth only wythout writyng as thei wold make vs beleue but what those thynges bee no man can tel It shold hereof folow that we are bound to beleue we wote not what WYthout fayth it is not possible to please god and fayth cōmeth by hearyng of gods word Ergo where gods worde lacketh ther can be no fayth ALmightie god a fore he gaue to Moses the law writtē of the .x commaundements wherin he fully taught the true worshippinge of him as it wer a preservatyue agaīst a plage or a poisō to cōe gaue thē this no table lessō worthy alway to be had in memory you shall adde nothīg to the words c. and agaīe he oftē times repeteth the same sētēce both in the law and the Prophetes in the gospels the Epistles of the Apostles And because his people shold neuer forget it Saynct Iohn cōmaundeth the same in the last wordes of all the new testament threatning terrible plages that is the losse of his euerlastyng Ioies of heauen and the payne of eternal fier of hell to al them that eyther put to or take aughte from the worde of God ¶ Scriptures alledged by the Papystes for vnwrytten verites wyth answers to the same ¶ The .ix. Chapter WHere .ii. or .iii. be gathered in my name there am I in the myddest of them But Christe can not erre for he is the trueth it selfe ergo thei cannot erre in their Sinodes conuocations and generall counsels beeyng gathered together in hys name CHrist said when .ii. or .iii. be gathered in my name c. and to be gathered in hys name is in our assembles to seke his onely glorye and not ours to doe all thynges by his prescript word For not eueri one that sayeth vnto me Lorde Lord shall enter c. As witches charmers necromansers and coniurars vse theyr wycked artes all in the name of God and Christ and yet is not Christ with them For the .vii. sōnes of Sceua the chief Priest of the Iewes wēt about to cast out euyll spirited in the name of Iesus whom Paule preached but yet Chryste was not with them but the wycked spirite whyche wounded them and draue them awaye naked Moreouer all forgers of wyles counterfetters of false instrumentes and iudges geuyng false sentences in the ecclesiasticall lawe they beginne wyth this glorious titel in the name of god Amen Therfore sprang this old prouerbe in the name of God begynneth al mischief and yet Christ is with nōe of these though they pretende to dooe al these thinges in hys name Christe saith also many shal prophesie in my name and cast out deuils worke miracles in my name and then wil I cōfesse to thē that I neuer knewe you◠Reade Euscbius and Athanasius and you shall there see what pride contencion hatred malice enuy and desrer to beare rule reigned in the counsels of the cleargi at those daies not much past .iiii. C. yeres after Chryst. What thynke you they woulde saye if they saw our counsels where the Romish Antichrist triumpheth no doubt that though an Angell from heauen preach any other c. Here you wyll replye agayne Christ saith where .ii. or .iii. ar gathered c. Now in euery counsell are not onelye .ii. or .iii. learned and godly men but many Ergo they cannot erre I graunt that in euery general counsel be many good men which doe not erre nor are deceiued and yet it foloweth not that the whole councell cannot erre For in councels the more parte is taken for the whole shynges be there determined and ordered not by reason learnyng and authoritie of the word of god but by sioutnes wisfulnes and consent of the more part In those counsels where be mo euill and wicked men then good godli it commeth often tymes to passe that iniquite hauing the vpper hāde the greater part ouercōmeth the better yet the good mē nothererre nor cōset to these errours concluded by the wicked and the more part but resist and speake agaīst thē to the vtmost of their power not without great daūger of their liues yea sōetimes it costeth thē their liues