and that in no smal trifles Exodus xxxii a. 2. Tim. 2. 3. Reg. 22. Hiere 20 This and such like is the rewarde of al true preachers and faithful seruauntes of god 1. 〈◊〉 vii et ii Machabeorum iiii Math. iii. b. xii c. xxiii d. Act. iiii d Actes vii g. Euse. ecc his lib. ii cap. xxii Acte ix Actes xxiii Ruffini lib. i. cap xvii Socratis Lib. 6. cap. 18. Marke well the fruites of this outwarde churche and by them ye shal knowe what they be the Pope maketh him selfe equall to God yea rather aboue him in this his promise This is one of the practises of prelates The spiritual man neuer persecuteth the carnal man but forgeueth him Hier. ad Gala. iiii Exo. xii i. Pet. ii d Eph. 1. d. Collos. 1. Iohn 10. Iohn 5. 2. Tim. 3. Psa. 116. c Goddes word only certifyeth a man whether his fayth be good or no. Trie euery spirite but alow none further then thei agree with the written scriptures Goddes word trieth all thynges whether they be good or badde Their coÌ„sciences shal therfore cnodeÌ„ne theÌ„ for so doing if they repent not in tyme. Math. 16 the witte and vertue of delicate gospellers is in their tongues Math. 23. ii Mach. vi b. Ebru xii â— Para. 13 The wil of a womaÌ„ must be folowed or els al the 〈◊〉 is in the fierâ— 3 Re. 19. c 3. Re. 18. 4 Re. 18. 4. Re. 21. 4. Re. 23. 4. Re. 24. As princes wold so all thinges were done Math. 26 Math. 27 Theodoriti lib. 2 cap. 18. The priestes for the most part wer double faced turne tippettes and flatteres â–ª These be the Popes thunder bolts wherewith he feareth the people and maketh them to incline to his waies It was a smal matter at that tyme to be displesed with such meÌ„ and so much the more for that thei withstod priuate commodite Priuate commodite and Popishe sutte Itie ouercaÌ„e good publike policie and brought in tirannye Thei are al periured so many as gaue their consent to the bringing in of the Byshop of rome The Byshoppes I warraÌ„te you were none of those for they can not erre these are wauerÌ„ig redes ct perfecte wether cockes that turne with euery winde By their dedes ye shall knowe theÌ„ what they be In his .3 boke of ChristiaÌ„ doctryne cap 28. In hys â— boke of ChristiaÌ„ doâ—trine cap 9. In his â— â–ª boke of mâ—â—â—es and forgeuenes of sinnes tom 7. cap. vâ—â—i Vpon Genesis cap 14. hom 35. In his vnperfecte worke cap. 23. Iacob 1. â— Math. 22. Mark 12. Ioan. 10. â— Apo. 3. b Iohn 15. Ephe. 2. d 2. Iohn epistle c. Deu. 4. Deu. 12. Ibidâ— in fine Deu. 18. Pro. 30. lere 23. Math. 5. Math. 7. Math. 15. Math. 28 Mark 16. Iohn 5. Iohn 5. Iohn 20. Actes 20. Acte 26. Rom. 10. Rom. 14. 2. Cor. 1. Gala. 1. 2. Tim. 3. 1. Pete 4. 2. Iohn epistle Apo. 22. Doctrine in religion must be grouÌ„ded vpoÌ„ the scriptures only we maye not build our faith vpoÌ„ meÌ„s tradicioÌ„s The Apostles taught nothing but that whyche they learned of Christe The first point of belefe is that after the gospell none other thiÌ„g is to be beleued There is no certeÌ„ty in that the scripture defineth not The law the Prophetes and the gospell are the first doctrines ct therfore true Our wordes with out gods wordes are not to be beleued That which caÌ„ not be proued by the scripture leaue to god If Paul thought his aucthorite Al bokes which be not in the Canon of the Bible are called Apocrypha and are not sufficient to proue any Articles of our sayth No man can dispence with goddes law Things that be not commauÌ„ded be indifferent to be vsed or not vsed but yet as charite requireth Searche no further then the gospell In time of hereâ—ie there is no meanes to trye the truth and the true church of Christe from Antichrists churche but only by the scripturs An heauy sayiÌ„g but alaâ— to true Prechers most neyther adde nor take 〈◊〉 froÌ„ gods lawe They that host theÌ„selues of the holy goste with out scripture be voide of the holy goste Heretiks oughte first to be coÌ„uinced by the scripturs and after by reasoÌ„ To prech ani thing besydes goddes worde is to sow sedicioÌ„ and heresie Al things may be determined by the scripture The holi scripture coÌ„teineth all thinges nedefull for our saluacioÌ„ A preacher must speake nothyng but out of gods mouthe Beleue him not that speaketh without the scripture He that beleueth the gospel written nedeth beleue nomore Not maÌ„s wisdome but the holi gost is the true expositor of the scripture nothing is of lyke aucthoritie wyth the holy scripture Goddes word cutteth of al tradicioÌ„s apostolik as they cal them which be beside the same worde we ought not to alowe ani mans doctryne wythout gods worde the Apostles grouÌ„ded all their doctrine vpoÌ„ the law and Prophetes To build vpon any doctours saying without scripture or reason agreing to scripture were to folow Pithagoras rather then Christe Be a maÌ„ neuer so holy and neuer so learned after the apostles yet his wordes without gods word are of none aucthorite To teach that as nedefull to saluacion which Câ—â—yst â—ath not taught is daÌ„nâ—â—le the soule liueth only by the worde of god nothing is to be added to the word of god althoughe it be for a good purpose As well who precheth beside the gospel as against it is accursed Euen the Apostles preching besides the gospel ar not to be beleued Christe made all to be written that he wold we should reade we are as wel bouÌ„d to beleue that which the Apostles wrote as thoughe Chryst had written it with hys own haÌ„d The church is knowen by the scripture Al that concerneth true relygion is contained in the scripture The worde written is inoughe for oure saluacion No man is bound to beleue farther then the holi scriptures teache The balance to trye the trueth is the holy scripture Thei that sit on moses seate and teach their own doctrine are not to be beleued Al euil is condemned by the scripture and all good thynges are there founde We may lawefulli disseÌ„t froÌ„ all doctrine except the scryptures onlye al things that concerne fayth hope loue and good maners are coÌ„tained in the scripture not what we say but what the lord that must be heard The church is knowen by the scriptures We may doubt of all mens doctrine but not of holye scripturs If gods scripturs can not discusse a matter in doubt let man neuer go about to discusse it Who fedeth with the scriptures fedeth safely Other therfore with vnwritten verites fede vntrulye In the scripture are all thinges necessary for faith and good lyfe which two suffice for saluacion If any mans saying or writinge cannot be proued by plaine scripture or good reason gathered of the saÌ„e a maÌ„ mai alowe or refuse it as him liketh The olde writers are not of suche aucthoritie but
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
that be yet rude and siÌ„ple 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 commauÌ„ded you Yea euen the same whych he had commaunded and none other and he commaunded hys preachers to coÌ„maunde their hearers to kepe not soÌ„e 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 coÌ„maundeth 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 thoundriÌ„ges of wordes LYraâ—e 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 grauÌ„ted 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 argumeÌ„t 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 tiraÌ„nes 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 thiÌ„k 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 couÌ„sels 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 couÌ„sel of Arimine to tak aduauÌ„tage 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 sayiÌ„g 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 CoÌ„stance 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 soÌ„ne 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 ieÌ„tle 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 cheÌ„fely they builde al their errours and heresyes Moreouer the most part of the good lawes and Canons be in
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
like wyse to be punished as the breakers of gods law Of which thinges if thou wylte dispute and reproue one custome by another there shal aryse an endlesse strife He repeteth also this sentence manye tymes that what so euer is vniuersally obserued not writtē in the scripture nor ordained by general coūcels is a tradiciō come from the Apostles ANswere him as Tertullyan yet of all other authors he is most playne that nothing is of necessite to saluacion besydes the Scriptures of God But let vs graunt for their pleasures that those customes whiche they speake of bee tradiciōs Apostolyke yet they bee no longer nor other waies to be obserued then the tradiciōs Apostolike writtē Which as is before fully proued mai and are already be both chaunged clearly taken awaye And as concernyng custome it is playnlye proued that it is not to be receaued agaynste the Scrypture trueth or reason THey sai moreouer that the perpetuall virginite of our Lady is to be beleued of necessite as Ciprian Chrisostome Ierome Ambrose Austen and all other speakyng therof say But this is not founde in the scripture ergo there is some thīg to be beleued that is not written in the Scripture THe minor that is to say that thys is not written in the scripture is false For firste none of the old authours that rehearce tradiciōs of the Apostles vnwrytten make mencion of the perpetual virginite of our ladye to be one of them but they rehearce only diuerse cerimonies or bodelye gestures and suche rites vsed in Baptisme prayers holy dayes and fastynges which as I haue manyfestly declared are not necessary to saluacyon But the most part of them are cleane taken away and the contrarye commaunded and vsed by the vniuersall churche Moreouer all the sayed authours proue her perpetuall virginite by thys texte of Scripture EZechiell 44. Thys doore shalbe styll shutte and not opened for any man to goe thorowe it but only for the Lord god of Israel yea he shall goe thorowe it els shal it be shut still For if these and suche other fathers had not iudged her perpetuall virginite to haue been wrytten in the scriptures they woulde neuer haue iudged it to haue bene a thing to be beleued vnder payne of damnacyon Sainct Ierome also calleth Heluidiū a rashe and an vngodly man because that he taught that our Ladye hadde other children by Ioseph after Christs birth which doctrine he coulde not proue by the scriptures of god In like maner we cal al them that preache a ny doctrine in the church without the Authorite of gods worde both vngodly rashe and wicked members of Antichrist ARgument Yet they bring forth to maintaine their errour the Baptisme of infantee which they say is not contained in the scriptures and yet this is to be obserued vpō paine of dānaciō of the said childrē Ergo there is sōe thyng to be done of necessite to our saluacion that is not contained in the scriptures ON what a gappe these men open both to the Donatistes to the Anabaptists that deny the baptising of infantes For if it were not writtē in the worde of god no manne ought to beleue it or vse it And so the Donatistes Anabaptistes doctryne were true outs false But in dede the baptisme of infaūtes is proued by the playne scriptures Firste by the figure of the old law which was circūcisiō Infātes in the olde law were circūcised Ergo in the newe lawe they ought to be baptised Againe Infātes pertaine to god as it is said to Abrahā I wil be thy god the god of thy sede after thee Christ saith also suffer children to come to me for of such is the kingdome of heauen And agayne see that ye despice not one of these lytle ones for their Aūgels in heauen alwayes behold the face of my father which is in heauē for the sōne of māiscōe to saue that that is lost And agaīe Paule sayth that youre children art holy nowe By these and many other playne wordes of Scripture it is euidente that the Baptysme of infantes is grounded vpon the holye scriptures FVrthermore the churche saye they hath chaunged the Sabboth daye into the Sondaye whych Sabboth was commaunded by God and neuer man found fault there at Seeyng thē that the church hath authorite to chaunge Goddes lawes muche more it hath authorite to make newe lawes necessarie to saluacion THere bee 2. partes of the Sabboth day One is the outward bodely reste from all maner of labour and worke and this is were ceremoniall and was taken awaye with other sacrifices and ceremonies by Christ at the preaching of the gospell The other part of the Sabboth day is the inwarde rest or ceassing frō sinne from our own wils and lusts and to do only gods wil and commaūdementes Of this part speaketh the Prophet Esai He that taketh hede that he vnhalow not the sabboth day is he that kepeth himselfe that he doe no euyl and they that hold greatly of the thing that pleaseth me and kepe my couenaūte vnto them wil I geue an euerlastyng name that shall not peryuse And moreouer the same Prophete sayeth If thou turne thy feete from the sabboth so that thou doe not the thing which pleaseth thy selfe in my holy daye Then shalte thou be called vnto the pleasaunt holy and gloryous sabboth of the Lorde where thou shalte be in honor so that thou do not after thine own imaginacions nether seke thine own wil nor speake thyne owne wordes Then shalt thou haue thy pleasure in the Lord whiche shall carry the hyghe aboue the earth and fede thee with the heritage of Iacob thy father for the Lords own mouth hath spoken it This spirituall Sabboth that is to abstayne from synne and to doe good are all men bounde to kepe all the dayes of their life and not only on the sabboth day And this spirituall sabboth may no man alter nor chaung no not the whole church That the vtter obseruinge of the sabboth is mere cerimonial sainct Paul writeth plainly as that the holy daies of the newe mone and of the sabboth daies are nothinge but shadowes of thinges to come And that the outwarde bodely rest is a mere cerimoniall precept S. Austine also affirmeth saying that amōg all the ten commaundements this only that is spoken of the sabboth is cōmaūded figuratiuely but al the other commaundements we must obserue playnly as they be cōmaunded with out any figuratyue speche IErome also to the Galathians 4. accordyng to the same sayeth leste the congregaciō of the people with out good order shoulde dimmishe the faith in Christ therfore certaine daies wer appointed wherin we should cōe together not that that daye is holyer then the other in whiche we come together but that what soeuer day we assemble in there might aryse greater ioye by the sight of one of vs to another But he that wil
⧠A ConfutatioÌ„ of vnwritteÌ„ verities both bi the holye scriptures and moste auncient autors and also probable arguments and pithy reasons with plaine aunswers to al or at the least to the moste part and strongest argumentes which the aduersaries of gods truth either haue or can bryng forth for the profe and defence of the same vnwritten vanities verities as they woulde haue them called made by Thomas Cranmer late Archebishop of Cantorburie Martyr of god and burned at Oxford for the defeÌ„ce of the trewe doctrine of our sauiour Christ translated and set forth by E. P. ¶ The contentes whereof thou shalte finde in the next side folowinge The contentes FIrste the preface of the translator to hys contrye men and brethren of Englande Ca. i. That the word of god written and contained within the Cannon of the Bible is a trew sounde perfect and whole doctrine containinge in it selfe fullye all thynges nedefull for our saluacyon ii That the writinges of the olde fathers without the written woorde of God are not able to proue any doctryne in religion iii. That generall counsels haue no auctorytye to make newe Articles of our fayth iiii That nothyng can be proued by oracles of Angles touchyng religion v. That apparicions be vnsufficiente to that purpose vi Neyther at miracles able to proue the same vii Custome also is of no strength in this case viii Reasons against vnwritten verities ix Scriptures alleged by the papistes for vnwritteÌ„ verities with answeres to the same x. Doctors to the same purpose with their aunswers The papistes obiections with aunswers vnto them ¶ The Preface WHat Chrystyan harte dearelye beloued contremen and brethreÌ„ in oure sauyour Chryst can abstayne from depe sobbes and sorowefull syghinges What naturall and kinde harted man can forbeare weping so ofteÌ„ as he calleth to rememberaunce the Lordes vyneyarde within the realme of Englande whiche he himselfe had of late so stronglye hedged walled and fenced rounde aboute by the princes of most famous memory King Henry the eighte and Edwarde the sixte and planted therin the pure vine of his owne blessed woorde by Godly preachers his gardeners to be so sodenly broken down destroied wasted and wrooted vp by the rootes by the wilde bore of the wood and the beastes of the field that is by the Romishe Bishoppe and hys bloodye ministers and now in the same vineiard to see planted take roote and prosper brambles bryars and heÌ„lockes that is grosse ignorauÌ„ce naughtie doctriÌ„eâ— false worshyppe of God and suche other kindes of moste stinkynge vile and filthye weedes Oh what a swete and pleasaunt grape of godly doctrine was theÌ„ gathered in England to the great comfort and reioysing of al theÌ„ that louinglye tasted thereof Then was gods word for that is the swete and pleasauÌ„t grape that maketh glad the hart of man with great freedome preached earnestly embraced and with gredy hartes in all places receaued Then was Godes great glory maruelously auaunced Then the onely merytes of Chryste then trewe repentaunce for oure former synnes then trust in gods mercy through the death of our sauyoure Christe with a newe Christian life was truly published preached euery wher Then was ther the common praier rightlye vsed and the SacrameÌ„ts Baptisme I meane and the holi Communion in suche a tounge and language set forthe that all people myghte vnderstande them Then were they playnlye ministred without any iuglinge or sorcerie accordyng to Christes institucyon and the rule of hys holye worde Whiche worde at that time had the pryce bare the bell awaie throughe oute the whole lande With that were all pulpettes filled Churches garnished priÌ„ters shoppes furnyshed and euery mans house decked With gods word was euery maÌ„s mouth occupied of that wer al soÌ„ges enterludes and plaies made But alas so long till all was playde vnder the boorde But what was the cause of all this Truly none other thing but oure owne sinnes and wickednes For we were talkers onelye and not walkers lippe gospellers from the mouth outewarde and no farther We were euen suche as the prophet speaketh of saying thys people honoreth me with their lyppes but are farre from me with their hartes We coulde speake of gods word and talke gloryously therof but in oure hartes we were full of pryde malice enuye couetousnesse backebitynge riosing harlot hauntinge no whitte bettered at all then we were before vnder the Popes kingdom Nothing was in vs amended but only our tonges no nor they neither if I shall speake ryghtly and as the trueth was in dede For besydes oure communycacion of scrypture we vsed detraction of our neighboure filthy talke with many proud bragges of our selues We red not the scryptures neither harde them for any amendmente of oure owne wicked lyues but onely to make a bragge and a shewe thereof to checke and to taunte others yea and to spye small motes in other mens eies but nothing desyerous to see the greate beames in oure owne This I saye to talke and not to walke to say not to do was not onely amongest the vnlerned sort but also amongeste the greate clarkes and chefe preachers of gods worde Whiche thynge as I iudge was the only cause why god by his iust iudgemente suffered his electe and chosen vynclarde to be thus troden downe wroeted vp and myserably afflicted by thys bloodye Bore of Rome and the faâ—te Bulles of Basan hys cruel officers Thys is the cause why God hath suffered thys greate Antichryste to disgrace the merites of Christes passion and in place thereof to sette vp mens merytes and in steade of hys sufficyent satisfaction vpon the crosse once for all to sette vp hys masses satisfactorye for the synnes both of the quicke and deade This is the cause that this moÌ„sterous beast hath taught the inuocation of saincts and the same to be our medyators to God and satysfyers for oure sinnes Where as before in the forenamed vyneyarde was planted Chryste Iesus the trewe breade that came downe from heauen and that moste pure well of the water of life now after the wrooâ—ing of this moÌ„sterous and rauenous Bore are vp spronge coniured bread coniured water to driue awaye euill spirites and to pourge oure sinnes Thys bloody Bore besides al mischeues that he hath done to the vineyarde yet ceaseth he not with faggotfier and all other cruell tormentes to constraine and compel men to worship Images the worke of mens handes to knele to them to reuereÌ„ce theÌ„ to bow them and with all maner of obeâ—saunce to honour them cleane contrary to gods commaundemente who saieth thou walte not make to thy selfe much lesse then to honoure reuerence and worshippe them any grauen Image nor the likenes of any thing that is in heauen aboue or in the earth beneth or in the water vnder the earth thou shalt not bowe down to them nor worshippe them But yet these shameles wretches be not abashed to saye
that Images are necessarie because they be laie mens bokes teaching them instructing them and leading them to the trewe worshippe of god Oh great blasphemie Oh sacrilege Oh spitfull robbery What is blasphemie what is sacrilege what is robberi if this be none god geueth his worde written to bee euery mans booke and his pure euerlastinge and vnderfiled commaundementes as sufficient instructions for all men to the trewe worshippe of him But these earthly wroters the Pope I meane and his prelates as though they wer wiser then God will teache men to worship him with Images althoughe the same be vtterli forbidden by god through out the whole course of his holy scriptures These and suche other false and fained doctrines coÌ„trarie to the scriptures of God contayned in his holye Bible are now blowen out biustered and yelled forth in euery pulpit Euery streate soundeth of these yea eueri prynters house is filled with such vngodly baggage yea and the same are commaunded by publique aucthority which is much to be lamented to bee sette forth and the sincere doctrine of Christes holy worde cleane put to silence and vtterlye condemned Neyther maye any man reason or once doubte of their doctrine vnder paine of excommunicacion naye rather vnder paine of burning And when theâ— be able as they are not able at any time in dede to proue any of these doctrines by the worde of god written then they flye to their vnwritten verites that is to certain things deliuered as they saie from the Apostles by worde of mouth without writing Whiche thynges ar to all men vncertaine for no maÌ„ knoweth certainly what they are But whatsoeuer pleaseth them and maketh for theire purpose profite and Lordly ambicion that is an vnwrytten verite not to be gaine saide or denied This is their shote anker bulwarke and extreme refuge wherunto to they flie whensoeuer they are forced and constrained by gods worde These they make their foundacion wherevpon they builde and mayntaine all their supersticioÌ„s Idolatries and heresies Whiche foundacions I truste by gods grace and helpe so to shake both by the open scriptures by the full consent of all the moste auncient writers and by probable reasons that the building therevpon shal haue a fall For this is most true that no vnwritten verite is or can be necessarie for our saluacion For then sholde the sacred and holy scriptures written by the Apostles in the spirite of god and sealed with their bloodes seme to bee insufficient and not able to bring vâ— vnto saluacion But what a greate blasphemye that shoulde bee to God and his most holy spirite all men I trust that list to reade the same scryptures easely shall perceaue But wheÌ„ these vnshame fast robbers are put to their shiftes vrged and forced herein by the open and manyfeste word written then haue they another startiÌ„ge hole to crepe out at cryinge and yelling templum domini templum domini templuÌ„ domini c. the church the churche the churche affirmynge in plaine wordes that the church can in no wise erre or be disceaued And heare they disceaue theÌ„selues because they make no distinctyon or differeÌ„ce of the churche For there are two maner of churches one true perfect and holy in the sighte of god and another false imperfect and vngodly Trueth it is that the true churche of God beeing grounded and sette vpon hys holy worde I meane the gospell of grace can not erre vnto damnacion But the other how shining and glorious so euer it appeare if it wander abroade and be not contained within the compasse and lymets of the worde written is no true but a fained and forged churche That Church as it is without the compasse of Gods promises made in trueth not onelye maye but also doth commonli yea continuallyerâ—e and goe astraâ—e for they are not câ—uppeled to the head Chryste which is the life the way the truth Paul the Apostle of god and elect vessell of saluacion writing to the Galathians hath these wordes if we saith he or an Aungell from heauen preach any other gospell vnto you then that we haue preached hold him a curseâ— and yet the papistes not fearing the curse of God â—are bee bolde to teache thinges which Paul neuer knewe yea thinges cleane contrarye to hys euident and manifest teaching Such grosse Ignoraunce I would to God it were but Ignoraunce in dede â—s entered into their heades and such arrogaunt boldnes possesseth their harts that they are bolde to affirme no churche to be the true churche of god but that which standeth by ordinary succession of Bishoppes in such pompeous and glorious sort as nowe is seen For if there be say they no such outwarde and visible churche howe shal any man know whether he be of the churche of Chryst and in the right belefe or noâ— To this I aunswer that if our faith should be stayed vpon the outwarde glisteringe and pompeous churche not ruled nor gouerned by the determinate counsell of God in his worde written we shoulde neuer be certaine therof but euer wauering and doubting which is the gate and readye path way to desperacion from whiche god defende his chosen flocke Cursed is he sayth the scripture that putteth his trust in man And why for all men as the kinglye Prophete Dauid saith ar lyers in their words and sinners in their workes By whiche wordes it appeareth plaine that there was neuer man so vertuous so holy nor so wel learned onely the writers of the holi scripturs excepted but either of Ignoraunce or of neglygence there escaped some faultes in his writinges and doinges Yea the generall counsels themselues also that they make so much of haue notably erred as hereafter shalbe declared Yea suche hath been the trueth of those seen churches that one generall counsell hath coÌ„demned another of heresie Moreouer the outwarde seen churche wherof they bragge not a litel hath neuer since the beginninge any space continued in the true doctrine of god Let vs beginne at Moses who was the first law geuer and we shal see the state of this outwarde churche which consisteth in the ordinarie succession of Bishoppes whether it be so as I haue said or no. WheÌ„ Moses was gone vp to the mounte Sinai to talke with God and to receaue the lawe at his handes did not Aaron the hiegh Priest and Bishop with al the people in the mene space worship the golden Calfe reade the boke of Iudges and you shal see how the whole outwarde visible church fell to Idolatrie and worshippinge of straunge goddes as Baal Astaroth goddes of the Edomites Moabites Philistines and the Sirians After the reigne of king Dauid howe many kynges were there I praye you in whose tyme false gods were not openly worshipped All the kynges of Israel serued straunge gods wyth the consent of the Byshoppes priestes the hole people And in Iuda there passed not .iii or foure kinges after
in dede as it is now daily sene THe Scribes the Pharisees sit vpoÌ„ Moses seate what soeuer thei bid you do that do but after their workes doe not for thei say and doe not Here they saye it appeareth playnly that Chryste commaundeth vs to obeye the heades of the church how euill soeuer theyr lyues be FIrst let them loke well what maner menne they make them selues that is Scribes and Pharises the greatest enmys of god persecutors and murtherers of hys Prophetes of the Apostles and of Christ himselfe and so Antichristes Secondly Moses seate is not hys offyce or authorite but his doctryne therfore saith S. Augustine that seat which is his doctrine suffereth them not to erre and in another place they sitting in Moses scate teache the law of god therfore god teacheth by theÌ„ But if they wyl teache their own doctryne beleue them not for suche seeke their own and not Iesus Chrystes Chryst hiddeth vs beware of the leueÌ„ of the Pharises and then the disciples knew that the spake not of the leuen of bread but of their doctrynes althoughe they sat in Moses seate if they wyll nedes contende the dignite or office of Moses to be Moses seate and yet erred shamfully in their doctryne BEholde I am wyth you al the dayes vnto the worldes ende thys promyse was not made to the Apostles only for they dyed shortly after Chryste but to the churche Ergo the churche cannot erre I Beseche theÌ„ to beginne a litell afore and they shall playnely heare Chryst hymself vnlose this knotte The words before ar these in Marke goe and preache my gospell to euerye creature and in Mathewe goe and teache all people baptysinge them in the name of the father of the soÌ„ne c. teachynge them to obserue all thyngs what soeuer I haue coÌ„maunded you and lo I wyll be wyth you vnto the worldes ende Here you may see this promyse of Chryst I wilbe wyth you c. is not absolute or vniuersall but geuen vnder a condicioÌ„ that is if you preache my gospel truly if you baptise rightly if you teach the baptised to do all thynges that I haue commaunded you lo then I wyll be wyth you vnto the worldes ende But if you teache any other gospel or baptise otherwise or bydde them doe any other thynge aboue that whiche I haue coÌ„maunded you you haue no promyse of god but the curse that Paule threatneth thoughe we or an Angell from heauen preache c. I Haue yet many mooe thynges to say vnto you but you caÌ„not beare them away nowe howbeit wheÌ„ he is come which is the sprite of trueth he wil leade you into all trueth Here you may see saye the enmies of gods trueth that Chryste taughte not all thyngs himself but left many things to be taught to the disciples by the holy gost after his death CHriste saied not I haue many thyngs to say which I wil not tel you now but which you can not beare now That is you can not perceiue or vnderstande them nowe and thus Christ himselfe expoundeth these words the coÌ„forter which is the holi gost whoÌ„ my father wil seÌ„d in my name he shal teache you al thinges put you in rememberaunce of all things that I haue sayd vnto you no newe or other thynges For chryst sayeth playnly that he hymselfe had taughte them all before sayinge all thyngs that I haue hearde of my father haue I opened vnto you Moreouer our Sauiour in plaine wordes sheweth what thynges those were that his disciples coulde not vnderstande although he manye tymes tolde them the same before Beholde sayeth he we gooe vp to Ierusalem and all shalbe fulfilled that are wryt teâ— by the Prophetes of the sonne of maÌ„ For he shalbe delyuered to the geÌ„tyls and shalbe mocked and despitefully entreated and spitted on wheÌ„ they haue scorged him they wyl put hym to death and the thirde daye he wil rise againe and they vnderstode none of these thynges For these sayinges wee hid from them so that thei perceaued none of the thynges that were spoken although he spake to theÌ„ in most playne teruis And the cause why they perceaued not his so playne speache was thys They were yet carnal and vnderstode the prophesies of Chrysts kyngdome carnally thinkiÌ„g that Chryst shoulde reigne at Ierusalem like a mightie conqueroure and subdewe all the Gentyles vnder the yoke of bondage to the Iewes so that the Iewes shoulde be Lordes and rulers ouer all the world for euer And therfore Iames and Iohn asked a peticioÌ„ of Iesê° by theyr mother that they her two sonnes myght sit the one on his right hande and the other on hys left hand in his kingdome and when he spake of his death Peter toke him aside and rebuked him saying Master fauour thy selfe thys shall not happeÌ„ vnto the to whom Chryst sayd go after me SathaÌ„ These be the thynges that the disciples could not then beare or vnderstande but thought that he had spokeÌ„ some allegorie ridle or dark speache vnto theÌ„ but after his resurrection he opened their wittes that they mighte vnderstande the Scryptures and sayd vnto them thus it is wrytteÌ„ and thus it behoued Chryst to suffer And to the two discipls goyng to Emaus he expounded Moses the Prophetes and all the scripturs that were wrytten of hym And after the ascensioÌ„ the holy gost appeared to theÌ„ in fierie tonges and fylled them with all knowledge they began to speake with sondrye tonges as the holy goste gaue them vtteraunce and then they vnderstode the Scryptures perfectlye MAnye other tokens did Iesus which are not written in thys boke Agayne there are many other thyngs that Iesus did whych if thei were written I suppose the worlde should not be able to conteyne the bokes that should be wrytten SAinct Iohn speaketh not here of faith and charite but of miracles the knowledge wherof is not necessary for our saluacion as his wordes folowing doe declare these ar writteÌ„ that you mighte beleue that Iesus is Chryst the sonne of God and in beleuing may haue lyfe in his name And what is more required or desiered of a Christian then to enioye euerlasting lyfe that ought to be our whole study and endeuour to that ende ought we to applye all our myndes wordes and workes and prayers STande fast brethren and kepe the ordinaunces that ye haue learned either by our preachiÌ„g or by our Epistle Of these words thei gather that Paule taughte diuerse things to the Thessalonians by word of mouth without writing which neuerthelesse he commaunded them to obserue and doe I Graunte that Paule taughte many thiÌ„gs by word of mouth which he wrought not in his Epistles to the ThessaloniaÌ„s But how that they proue that the same thinges be neyther writteÌ„ by him in ani other of his Epistles nor in any other place of the hole Bible For what argumeÌ„t is
this it is not written in this place or to those persons ergo it is not written in the scripture at al. For the shortnes of one Epistle or of one sermon caÌ„not sufficieÌ„tly coÌ„teine al thinges necessary for our saluacioÌ„ therfore be ther so many bokes of the scripture that what so is omitted and not spokâ— of in one place or els darkly spokeÌ„ of mighte bee writteÌ„ plainly in another place And for this cause S. Paul writeth to the ColossiaÌ„s â–ª sayiÌ„g wheÌ„ thys leter is redde wyth you cause it also to bee redde to the Laodicians And reade you also the Epistle written froÌ„ Laodicia And Sainct Paul wryteth of himselfe suche as we are in our absence by leters such are we in dede being preseÌ„t Moreouer Paul speaketh not here of doctrynes of fayth and charite whiche euer continew wythout chaunging adding or minishyng but of certayne tradicions obseruacyous ceremonyes and outwarde rites and bodelye exercyces whiche as he sayeth is litell worth to god warde but to be vsed for comlines decent order and vniformite in the churche to auoyde schisme whych ceremonies euery good man is bounde to kepe lest he trouble the common order and so breake the order of charite in offendiÌ„g his weake brethren so long as they be approued receyued and vsed by the heades and coÌ„mon consente But they and euery one of such ceremonyes as be neyther sacramentes nor commauÌ„dementes of fayth and charite may be altered and chaunged and other set in their places or els vtterly takeÌ„ away by the authorite of Prynces and other their rulers and subiectes in the church Yea also the tradycyoÌ„s made by the Apostles in ful counsel at Ierusalem may be and already are takeÌ„ awaye as to abstayne from thynges offered vnto Images from blood and strangled ar no where kept And this of Paule that a man should neyther praye nor preache capped or with his head couered is also cleane abolyshed ¶ Doctors to the same purpose wyth theyr aunswers ¶ The .x. Chapter TErtullian of the croune of a soldier He reciting many tradicyons as to reneuÌ„ce the deuil his poÌ„pe and his Angels afore Baptisme to dip the childreÌ„ thrise in the fouÌ„t to geue it pappe of hony and milke first thing after baptime and not to waâ—â—e it in a whole weeke after to offer both at the day of the buriall and birth on the soÌ„day neyther to fast neyther to praye knelyng nor also froÌ„ Easter to whitsontide crossinge of our foreheades with diuerse suche lyke saith If thou require a law of these and other suche disciplines there can be no pretence of a law for them out of the scriptures But thou shalt either perceaue by thy selfe or learne of some other that perceaueth it that custome being author confirmer conseruer and obseruer of fayth shal maintaine and defende the cause of this tradicion and custome of fayth BY the scriptures before alledged it is euidentlye proued that all thyngs requisite for out saluacion be set forth in the holye bokes of the bible and that it is not lawful to put any thyng therto vnder payne of euerlastying damnacyoÌ„ The same TertulliaÌ„ also as it is afore rehersed saith that there is nothyng els that oughte to be beleued after Chrysts gospel oÌ„ce published Yea all the olde authors a thousande yere after Christ and lykewyse almost all the new affyrme the same and would not haue vs credyte their sayiÌ„gs without the profe of gods worde Why shoulde we then beleue Tertullian agaynst so playne Scripturs agaynst the old fathers of the church and also contrarye to his owne sayinges Yet here wyll I gentlye interprete hym so as he maye bothe agree wyth the Scriptures wyth the olde authors and also wyth himselfe TertullyaÌ„ speaketh here not of doctrines of fayth hope and charyte but of tradycions outward gestures rites ceremonies which he not necessary for our saluacyon but be ordayned for a decente order and conformite in the churche as is playnly shewed in the answere to Saint Paul in the Epystle to the ThessaloniaÌ„s And that he speaketh of such rites and ceremonies it is euident For all those that he rehearseth be mere ceremonies and few of them kept at this day which nomaÌ„ myghte haue altered or abolyshed if they had bene necessarilye to be kept vnder payne of damnacion CIprian to Pompeius agaynste SteueÌ„s Epistle It is of no lesse authorite that the Apostles delyuered by the instructyon of the holy gost then that which Christeâ— himselfe delyuered CIprian speaketh not here of tradicions vnwritten but of such thynges as the Apostles delyuered in their writings as the gospels and Epistles like as Paule sayeth I deliuered you that I receiued of the Lordeâ— whiche thing he wrote to theÌ„ But if thei wil nedes vnderstand him of thynges delyuered by the Apostles wythout wrytyng then answere him as Tertullian ORigen In obseruauÌ„ces of the church there be diuerse thiÌ„gs which al men must nedes do and yet the reason of them is vnknowen to all men And he reciteth in maner the obseruauÌ„ces that Tertullyan doeth and after he concludeth Who can certenly tell the cause of all these thinges THe answer made to Tertullian wyll serue Origen here A Thanasius vpon the .2 Epistle to the Thessa. Cap. 2. vpon this place State et tenete Hereby it is playne that Paule delyuered many thynges wythoute the scripture not written in his Epistles but by worde of mouth only And these are worthy no lesse faith then the other Therfore I doe iudge the tradycion of the churche to be a thyng worthy to be credited so that if any thyng be deliuered by it make no farther searcheâ— CHrisostomê° in the .2 Epistle to the Thessa. Cap. 2. Stande fast brethren and kepe the tradicioÌ„s c. Hereof sayeth Chrysostome it is playne that Paule deliuered not all things in his Epistles but also many thynges without writing and as wel those as these ar worthi of like faith Wherefore we iudge the tradicion of the churche worthye of credite it is a tradicion searche no farther EPiphaniê° against heresyes li. 2 to mo .1 Agaynst those that call theÌ„selfes Apostles .1 cor 11. 14. 15 We must saith he vse tradicions for all thynges can not bee perceyued by the holy scripture Wherfore the holi Apostles haue set furth vnto vs some thynges by the worde of god and soÌ„e thynges by tradicions as the Apostle sayth as I haue deliuered vnto you thus I teache and thus I haue deliuered in all churches and thus you remeÌ„ber by what meanes I haue preached vnto you except you haue beleued in vayne ANswere these .iii. authors lyke as Tertullyan is answered sauing that they alledge S. Paul for their purpose but clearly wrested from his true meaning as it shal easely appeare to euery indiffereÌ„t reader that is not blinded of malice to resyst the truth as they may plaiÌ„ly perceue by the answere made
to S. Paule afore And wheras they say that thiÌ„gs geuen by woorde of mouthe are as well to bee beleued as those that bee wrytten they meane that they are worthy of lyke credite wyth tradycyons written For neyther of both ar of necessite to saluacion but may be chauÌ„ged and taken awaye by common consent as it is afore sayd BAsile of the holy goste Cap. 27. Of those doctrines that ar preached in the churche we haue soÌ„e deliuered vs by writing and agayne some we haue receiued by the tradicions of the Apostles in mysteri that is in secret both haue lyke strengthe to godlynes nother doth any maÌ„ speake against these whatsoeuer he be that hath but meane experience what the authorite of the churche is For if we lyke fooles goe about to reiecte the customes of the church which ar not written as thynges of small weyght we shall condemne those thyngs that be nedeful for our saluation in the gospell Yea we shall rather cut short the true preachyng of fayth to bare name and he rehearseth like tradicions as Tertullian did IErome againste the Luciferians Although there were no authorite of the scriptures at all yet the consent of the whole worlde in thys matter shold haue the force of a law For many other thynges whiche are obserued in the Churche by tradicioÌ„ haue obteyned the authorite of a law written as to dyppe the head thrise in baptisme and when they are chrystened to geue them first pappe made of milke with hony for a signification of their infancie on the Sondaye and all Whytsone weake not to knele at their prayers AVgustine vpon the wordes of Basile Some of the ecclesiasticall institucions we haue receued by writinges some through tradicions from the Apostles approued by successiosn and some vse hath alowed being strengthned by custoÌ„e Vnto all which lyke vsage and lyke affectyoÌ„s of godlines is due of which who wil doubt though he haue but small experiences in the scriptures For if we set out mynd to regard light lycustomes of the churche delyuered vs from our elders without the scriptures it shall easelye appeare to them that loke earnestly theron how great losse Christen religion shall suffer And he reciteth the same that Ierome doeth wyth diuerse other THese .iii. authors and all that make for the same purpose bee answered before in Tertullian For not one of those thyngs that they make mencion of are necessary for our saluacion and many of them are now taken away and the reste whiche yet remayne as to dippe the childe thrise wholly in the water to hallowe the water oyle and creame or to crosse it in the forthead are not of necessite to saluatioÌ„ For Iohn Baptised in IordaÌ„ and the ChaÌ„berlaine of the Quene of Ethiopia was Christened in the commoÌ„ streame chrildreÌ„ in dauÌ„ger of life are Christened of the midwife or soÌ„e other womaÌ„ without any of these ceremonies yet thei wil not deni that al these baptismes be good alowed of god In Spaine also thei dippe the child but once as it was decreed in the couÌ„cell of Tollet And I am suer they wil not say that al the Spaniardes so many yeres haue wanted a thing necessary to saluatioÌ„ in their baptisme God also regardeth not our outward bodely gesture in oure praiers but he beholdeth the fayth earnest desier of the hart of him that prayeth wher soeuer he prayeth what soeuer hys outwarde bodely gesture be THe saÌ„e agaiÌ„st Cresconi a gramarieÌ„ li. 1. c. 33. to 7. Although we haue no certaine exaÌ„ple of thys matter in the Canonical scripture yet neuertheles the truth of the saÌ„e scriptures in this matter is retained of vs wheÌ„ we do that that the hole church aloweth Which churche the authorite of the scriptures commend And for as muche as the holy scripture caÌ„ deceiue no man whoso feareth to be deceiued with any dark speaking of it let him aske counsel at the church ther in which withoute any doubt the holye scripture doeth shewe THe answere is easye Austen was more circumspecte theÌ„ to thiÌ„ke that any doctryne might be proued by vse and custome without the scripture For baptysme of infaÌ„tes he bringeth in this text except a man be borne agayne of water and the holy gost he cannot be my disciple And because the Donatists like as the Anabaptistes do nowe wrest this to them that be of â—eres of discretion against thys exposicioÌ„ he allegeth the maner of the churche in christenynge of Infantes By the which he proueth that the churche hath all waye taken this sentence except a man be borne againe to be spoken also of infantes What maner of argumente shoulde thys be of Austenâ— The exposition of the scrypture and the vse of the Sacraments may be iudged by the custome vsed in the holye churche alwaye ergo the church may make a newe sacrament and ordeine any newe Article of oure fayth without the scripture By the seÌ„tences before cited of AusteÌ„ himself it may be easely iudged I also graunt that euery exposicioÌ„ of the scripture wherein soeuer the olde hole true churche dyd agree is necessarye to be beleued But oure controuersye here is whether any thynge ought to be be leued of necessite without the scripture THe same against the Epistle of Fundament Cap. 5. tomo 6. I would not beleue the gospel but that the authorite of the churche moueth me Ergo say they what soeuer the church saith we must nedes beleue them as wel as the gospell This argumente is naughte For the testimonye of the churche is but as a publicke office of a record as the exchequer the court of the rolles the office of a recorder or a regester of all Christendome in whiche office menne maye searche and haue of the keepers of such offices the true copies of such lands or other moueables as be due to them by the lawe And yet may nether the Regesters Recorders Stcwardes of courtes or towne clarkes put to or take awaye any thing from the firste originall writinges no nor the iudge himselfe But all thynges oughte to be iudged by those writings So likewise we beleue the holy Canon of the byble because that the Primitiue churche of the Apostles and eldest wryters nexte to their time approued them in their regester that is in their wrytinges whyche partlye sawe them partlye hearde them of the Apostles And more receue we not because these olde fathers of the firste churche testifie in their bokes that there was no more then these required to be beleued as the scripture of god And yet were these wrytynges no lesse true afore they were alowed by them theÌ„ sence Christe witnessing and saying I seke no witnesse of man AVstine to Cassulane In these thynges wherein the scripture of god hath determined nothiÌ„g the custome of the people and our elders ordinaunces oughte to be holden as a law and the traÌ„sgressors of the customes of the churche at
answere wittelye to the question propouÌ„ded affirmeth all the dayes to be lyke and not that Christ is crucified only on good fridai and riseth only on the soÌ„day but that euery daye is the daye of the Lordes resurrectioÌ„ we eate his flesh alwaies But fastinges and comminges together wer ordeined of wise men for theÌ„ that geue theÌ„selfes rather to the world then to God that cannot yea for theÌ„ that wil not come there at all there to make their sacrifice of praiers to god in the face of all the people Herby you may easely perceaue that the church hath not chaunged the speciall part of the sabboth whiche is to cease from vice and sinne but the cerimoniall part of the Sabboth only whiche was abrogate and taken away with other cerimonies of Moses law by Chryst at the full preachiÌ„g of the gospell In place whereof the churche hath ordayned the sonday for causes afore sayd ¶ The Papystes obiectyons with answers vnto them ¶ The .11 Chapter MOreouer they boast theÌ„selfes of the certeÌ„tie of their doctriÌ„e and proue it to be true by the long continuance therof and luckye prosperite of their kyngdome and their aduersaries doctrine to be false by the persecucions plages myseries and afflictyons which they dayly suffer for their doctrines sake IF the trial of true religion shoulde rest vpon antiquite of tyme or vpoÌ„ worldly prosperite theÌ„ should the gentyls and pagans haue a great aduauntage of vs Chrystians and their religion should be better then ours by the restimonies of our owne scriptures For idolatrye and worâ—â—ipping of false gods and their imageâ—â— was vsed long before the law of god writteÌ„ and geuen to Moses in which errors and idolatry the heathen continewe vnto thys day in great prosperite wealth vnder most victorious Emperours and Princes whereas the true churche of Chryst hath been most miserablie affllicted from tyme to time first vnder the EgiptiaÌ„s after by the Philistines Cananites Pheresites c. then by the Babilonians Assirians Medes Persians Sirians and Romanes both subdued conquest and led awaye captyues And last of all by the turke and the pope the .ii. hornes of Antichrist the true church of christ hath been mostcruelly persecuted vnto death with prison famine water fier fagot and sworde these .vii. or viii yeares last past Which Turke Pope although they be mortall enemies the one to the other yet as Herode Pilate the Bishops Scribes Pharisees although they were vtter foes ech to other conspired agaiÌ„st iunocent Christ causeles condemning him to death on the crosse In lyke maner I say the Pope and the Turke do fully agree in this one poynt to persecute and murther Christ in hys faythfull members For as the sonne can not be withoute hys brightnesse nor the fier without his heat so cannot the true churche of God be long without the crosse of persecucyon as witnesseth S. Paule al they that wil liue godly in Iesus Chryste shal suffer persecucion And our sauiour Christ sayeth plainly that his kingdome is not of this world For if they persecute me sayeth he they shal also persecute you Chryste geueth not to his Apostles earthlye peace in this world but peace and quietnesse of conscience ioyned with persecucion For if the wicked persecuted Christ himselfe shal they not also persecute hys seruauntes And if they so handeled Christ being the liuely treâ— what thinke you shall they doe to vs his withred brauÌ„ches And as the true churche of Chryste can neuer be long wythout persecution in lyke maner can the false churche of Sathan and Antichriste neuer ceasse from persecutynge as it appeareth throughe oute the Historyes of the whole byble Of the tyrannye and crueltye of Antichrist in persecutyng of Chrystes true church prophesied Daniel loÌ„g before speaking of the Empire and regiment of Rome The .4 beast saith he shalbe the .iiii. kyngdome whyche shal be greater then all other kyngdomes it shall deuoure treade downe and destroye all other landes he shal speake wordes agaynst the higheste of all â–ª he shal destroye the sainctes of the moste highest and thinke that he can chauÌ„ge tymes and lawes agayne he saieth of Antiochus which was a figure of Antichrist there shall aryse a king vn shamfast of face he shalbe wise in dark speakyng he shalbe mightie and stroÌ„g but not in his own streÌ„gth he shal destroye aboue measure and all that he goeth aboute shall prosper in hys hande his hearte shall be proude he shal slaye the stronge and holy people and through his craftines falseheade shall prosper in his hande and manye one shall he put to death in his weal thynes he shall stande vp agaynst the Prince of Princes but he shalbe slain without hande Of the tyrannye and prosperous successe of antichrist in slaying of the sayuctes of god and the rewarde of them that bee slaine for the witnes of gods trueth speaketh also sainct Iohn in the .vi. Chapter of his Apocalips vnder the openyng of the iiii and .v. seales and in the .xvii. chapter he lyuely setteth foorth the Pope in his own colours vnder the person of the whore of Babilon being dronken with the bloud of saynctes pointyng as it were with his finger who thys whore of Babilon is and the place wher she shal reigne saying the woman whiche thou sawest is that greate citie which reigneth ouer the kyngs of the earth Now what other citie reigned at that tyme or at any tyme since vnder the Christian kings of the earth but only Rome Wherof it foloweth Rome to bee the seate of Antichrist and the Pope to be verye Antichrist himselfe I could proue the same by many other scriptures olde wryters strong reasons But for as muche as Rodulphe Gualter hath writteÌ„ herof a notable worke in LateÌ„ now of Laten translated into Englishe by I. O. I remit the reader to his boke wherin he may be fully satisfied herof Of the prosperite and securite that the false churche hath in worldlye pleasures vsynge the same with al gredines voluptuousnes of carnal lustes with the wicked deuices of tiranny against Christ and his true members wherwith the vngodly daily persecute and murther gods electe for his trueth wyth the rewarde also of them that suffer for the same truth sake it is most playnly wrytten in the ii and .iii. Chapters of the booke of wisdome By these scriptures now rehersed it appeareth most plainly that worldly prosperite of the Pope and his clargy proue not the trueth of their doctryne nor yet persecutyon of Goddes true preachers and other faythfull people argueth their doctrine to bee false But if thou wilt nedes knowe where the true churche of Chryst is where the false and not be deceyued herin take this for a plaine and ful answer that wheresoeuer the worde of god is truly preached without addicioÌ„ of mans doctrines and tradicioÌ„s and the sacramentes duly ministred according to Christs institucion ther
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 〈◊〉 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 sufficieÌ„te 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 sufficieÌ„t 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 ignoraÌ„te CouÌ„sails 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 condeÌ„neth no priest be his crime neuer so openlye knowen Cano. 7. Cano. 9. CanÌ„o 10. The counsel of nice Cano. 6. The couÌ„cel of nice cano 20. The couÌ„cell of Nice 6. The couÌ„cell of GaÌ„greÌ„se IbideÌ„ 7. The couÌ„sel of Neocesario The couÌ„cel of Laodicia Ibidem Ibidem Mat. 23. The deuill deceueth man because he waÌ„dereth from the word written and is not coÌ„teÌ„t 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 meÌ„s 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 â—e 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 ChristiaÌ„s 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 caÌ„not 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 geÌ„tils although their religion be false an detestable Menne ought to prouâ— theÌ„selfes to be the true churche by none other meâ—nes 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 amoÌ„g the apparicioÌ„s of the dead Sathan counterfetteth Moses Math. 18. Argumente Answere Math. 7. Acres 19. Math. 7. A replicacion Answere Math. 23. The. 2. argumeÌ„t The first answere The second answere the forth argumeÌ„t Math. 28 Answere The. 5. argumeÌ„t Iohn 16. Answere Iohn 14. Iohn 15. Luke 18. Math. 20 Math. 16 The. 6. argumeÌ„t Iohn 20. Answere 2. Thess. 2 argumeÌ„t Answer 2. Cor. 10 Actes 1â— Argumente Ansâ—ere Vnderstande here as necessary to saluacion Argumente Answere Argumente Answere Argumente argumeÌ„t â—rgumeÌ„t Answere Answere argumeÌ„t Answere argumeÌ„t argumeÌ„t Answere Answere argumeÌ„t Answere Gene. 17 Math. 19. Luke 19. 1. Cor. 7. argumeÌ„t 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 argumeÌ„t 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 argumeÌ„t 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 spâ—aking in one of them Which is Rome