expownyng the epistle of saynt Paule to the Galathians thus wryteth Cap. 4. after he hath declared that Paule coÌ„maunded the Galathians not to kepe the Iewysses feastes or holy dayes Dicat aliquis Si dies obseruare et menses et tempora et annos non licet nos quoque simile crimeÌ„ incurrimus quartum sabbati obseruantes et parascheuen et dicÌ„ dominicam et ieiunium quadragesimae et paschae festiuitatem et pentecostes laeticiam er pro varietate regionum diuersa in honore martyrum tempora constituta The englysh may be thys Some man may say If it be not leful to obserue dayes and monythes and tymes and yeres we christeÌ„ men do runne in to lyke faulte obseruyng the wensday of the weke and the frydaye and the sonday and the fast of the lent the feast of Easter the myrth of whytsondaye and after the diuersytye of regions dyuers tymes coÌ„stitute or ordeined in the honour of martyrs To that he answereth sayinge To the whyche he that wyl playnly make answere shall say that the Iewes feastes are not the same that oures are For we do not kepe holy the Easter or pasouer of swete breade but the Easter of the resurrection and the crosse Nec septem iuxta morem Israel numeramê° ebdomadas in pentecoste sed spiritus sancti veneramur aduentum Nother we do numbre seuen wekes in whytsontyde after the maner of the chrldren of Israel but we honoure the holye goostes comming Hitherto the holy and ancient doctoure saynt Hierom declarynge playnly that albeit all dayes in the weke be lyke and equal by theyr natures yet some of theÌ„ are appoynted before the other to serue god vpon ceasse from worldly busines and therfore they that do beleue the contrary are deceyued shamefully / but of this sufficient now I wil go forwarde on mine enterprise and rehearse yet mo traditions It is a tradition of the apostles not wrytteÌ„ in the holy scripture that he whyche was baptised or christened of an heretyke or a schismatike deuided froÌ„ the church of christe shulde not be baptised agayne afterwarde because the baptime of an heretike or a schismatike is effectuall of streÌ„gth as yâ— is whiche the catholiques beyng not separate froÌ„ the church do mynistre gyue of the which thynge saynte Austeyne a clerke most excellent of christes church Lib. 2. ca. 7. conâ—ta â—â—â—â—tistas thus speaketh SaluberrimaÌ„ tenet ecclesia consuerudinem in his schismaticis et haereticis corrigere quod prauuÌ„ erat noÌ„ iterare quod da tum fuit sanare quod vulneratuÌ„ est non curare quod sanum Quam coÌ„suetudinem credo ex apostolica traditione venientem sicut multa non inuâ—niuntur in literis â—orum neque in conciliis posteriorum et tamen quia per vnsuersaÌ„ custodiuntur ecclesiam non nisi ab ipsis tradita et commendata creduntur That is The churche kepeth a custome moost holsome in these schismatickes and heretickes that is to saye in theyr christenynge or baptising to ameÌ„d that which was yll not to gyue againe that which was gyuen to heale that which was wounded not to cure the thing hole or sound The which custome I beleue came of yâ— apostlê traditioÌ„ lyke as many other thynges are not founde in theyr wrytynges nor in the couÌ„cels of theÌ„ that came after yet for as much as they are kepte through the hole churche they are not thought or beleued to be coÌ„mitted and deliuered or taught but of them Are not these wordes ynough to stop al bablers mouthes that say they caÌ„ not tel well what against traditioÌ„s vtterly refusing to giue any fayth credence to thyngê not expressed in yâ— scripture Wil they be so folish to beleue Luther before Austen The holy apostles dyd coÌ„demne theÌ„ that wold be baptised or christened of heretikê yet they coÌ„mauÌ„ded the he which was baptised or christened with the baptisme of the church shulde not be baptised or christened agayne as it apereth in their canoÌ„s Wherfore AusteÌ„ Cap. 46. â— 47. iudged right wel that it is a traditioÌ„ of the holy apostles not wrytteÌ„ in that scripture that who soeuer was ones baptised of an heretique or schismatike shulde not be baptised againe but onely that ameÌ„ded / which Eusebius lib. 7. ca. 8 was yl done of theÌ„ Thys knew well the olde byshop of Alexandria called Dionyse which in his fyfth boke of baptisme tellethe that a chrysten man came vnto him and sayed that he had receyued baptysme of heretykes otherwyse theÌ„ he saw it gyuen to other by yâ— catholyke minysters and that he durste not lyfte vp his eyes to god for that faulte therfore he desyred to be made cleane with baptisme of the churche wherby he might receiue the grace of the holy goost But the holy maÌ„ Lege aug lib. 1. ca. 33. Aduersus cresconium graÌ„maticuÌ„ sayed he durst not baptyse hym agayne in any wyse knowynge that the apostles tradityon and constitucyon was agaynste that thynge to be done Another tradicyon of the holy apostles is to haue pyctures and ymages in our teÌ„ples as saynte damascene hath witnessed aboue M. yeres before oure dayes whiche thus Lib. 4. ca. 7 wryteth of them Because sayth he some meÌ„ do ymbrayde or lay to vs in reproche that we do honoure worshyp oure sauyours ymage and our queene his mothers and moreouer the images of other sayntes and Chrystes seruauntes let them heare that god made man at the begynniÌ„g after his ymage Therfore for what cause do we honoure one another but in as moche as we be made vnto gods ymage For as the godlye and greate Basyl sayeth Imaginis honor ad exemplaris transfertur honorem That is The honoure of the ymage is referred or caryed ouer from the ymage vnto the honoure of the sample A lytle afterwarde when he had saide that in the time of the olde testament there were but few ymages because chryst was not then incarnate but after his incarnatyon death resurrectyon for as moche as all men know not lerning nor gyue them selues to readyng he sayth That our fathers dyd agre and consent to represent the incarnatyon death and resurrectyon by ymages as certayne tokens of vyctorye for the readye remeÌ„braÌ„ce of chrystes benefytes For ofte we thynke not on chrystes passion through neklygeÌ„ce seyng the ymage of chryste strykeÌ„ through we come agayne vnto the remeÌ„braunce of chrystes deathe we fallynge downe do worshyp not the matter of the crosse but chryst represented by the ymage Lyke wise our lady chrystê blessed mother sayeth he is honored by her pycture and that her honour is referred vnto Chryste her sonne borne of her For as we haue sayde lyke as the honoure gyueÌ„ to chrystes good and kynde seruauÌ„tes sheweth a token of good wyll towarde all mens lorde sic et imaginis honor ad prototypuÌ„ ex emplar imaginisque veritatem traÌ„sfertur That is to say euen so
one tradition sette forth in this my boke though I haue intreated of very many vnwrytten no nor one other kepte and obserued throughe the hole worlde where christeÌ„ people are that is agaynste or contrarye to any one coÌ„maundement of god or any portion of his holy word but gathered oute therof rather moche helpynge to the kepynge of it This meanynge and sentence may be well gathered of the holy goostes wordes publyshed by salomon in the prouerbes saynge Ne addes quicquaÌ„ verbis illi us et arguaris iÌ„ueniarisque mendax Cap. 30. That is Adde nothynge to his wordes that thou maiste therby be reproued and founde a lyar Therfore gods mynde and commaundement is that nothynge shulde be added to his worde of vs wherby we might be accused and founde lyars The hebrewe texte sowneth thus moch Adde not vpon his wordes leste perchaunce he may make correctyoÌ„ agaynste the and thou be espied a lyer Secondly it may be expowned that by yâ— which is saied in this coÌ„mauÌ„dement is ment that nothiÌ„g shulde be added to gods worde or taken frome it as the scrybes and wyse men of the iewes dyd which wrote a boke called Ticcim zophrim that is additions or corrections of the wyse men or scribes in the which they toke from the scrypture manye thynges as it apereth in a boke of hebrewe called the Talmud and added also dyuers thinges lest the gentyles shulde se gods secretes and mocke theim or the rude iewes not perceyuyng theÌ„ Lib. 1. ca. 8. might take harme therby Thus the great clerke Galatinê° expowneth both Moyses texte and salomons also Thyrdly it maye be well taken that god wolde no thynge shulde be added to hys word as to a thing imperfecte or lackynge anye poynte to make it perfyte / as saynte austen vnderstode these wordes of Moses Li. 17. ca. 2. et 6 aduerâ—ê° faustum wrytten deutero .xii. Quod praecipio tibi hoc tantum facito domino nec addas quicquaÌ„ nec minuas Do thou onely that vnto the lord whiche I commaunde the neyther adde thou anye thynge nor dymynyshe Fourthly it may be expowned of addyng any thyng to goddes worde whiche shulde be iudged estemed and kept as a portion of it after the whyche meanynge saynte Iohan in the Apocalypse sayeth that yf anye Cap. biâ— man shall adde to the wordes of hys prophecy anye thynge God wyll laye vpon hym the plages wrytten in it etc. To be short It maye appeare by Moses wordes Deuter. 1â— laste rehersed that god dyd forbydde the iewes to adde anye ceremonyes or obseruations of the geÌ„tiles or heatheÌ„ people leadynge them to Idolatry or anye sacrifyces of the gentyles when they shulde come in to the lande promysed theÌ„ but that they shulde onelye obserue fulfyll kepe do that whiche he comâ—aunded them Thys I saye after myne opynyon is the very trewe and ryghte meanynge of gods commaundyng that nothyng shulde be added to hys worde But whych so euer of these senses is truest and featest for the purpose the texte maketh nothynge vtterlye agaynst traditioÌ„s of the church because they are not contrary to it nor suche additions as were made by the lerned of the iewes in theyr booke called Ticcim zophriÌ„ nor they are added to goddes worde as thynges to make it perfecte beinge imperfecte before nor yet as thoughe they shulde be regarged as goddes word or as part of it nor finally they leade not chrysten people to ydolatrye as dyd the paynoms and heathen ceremonyes ordynauÌ„ces and sacrifices of whych he bade the iewes to beware and adde none of theÌ„ to hys coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes wheÌ„ they shulde entre into yâ— lande of promes the heathen beyng thense expelled But The secoÌ„de argument of thys ynough now to the next reason buylded as al the rest is vpon the wronge vnderstaÌ„dyng of these chrystê° wordes takeÌ„ out of the prophet Esaye Frustra me Esay 29. Math. 15. coluÌ„t doceÌ„tes doctrinas et praecepta hominum They honour me vaynlye teachyng mens doctrines and coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes Of these wordes yll taken men gather that we shulde beleue and kepe nothynge of necessitie that is not writteÌ„ in the scrpture but taught ordeyned and set forth The answeare Acto 15. vâ—â— sum est etc. â—â— precepti chr noÌ„ dâ—m nauit neâ— apostoloruÌ„ et seniorum decreta et precepta quorum Lucas meminit acto â—5 â—â— 16. by man without any expresse coÌ„maundement of god It is very easye to soyle thys wyse reason by the ryghte vnderstandynge of the sayed wordes whiche is thys that they do worshyp God in vayne whiche do teach mens doctrynes commaundemeÌ„tes that are agaynste goddes commaundementes and doctryne suche as the pharasyes taughte the people The whiche Luther and hys scholers myghte haue sene yf they had not bene starkâ— blynd by these wordes of christ Why do ye breake goddes commaundemente for your tradition God bade you shulde honor Exo. â—â— your father and mother and ye dishonour them for to kepe your owne tradition Ye hypocrytes the prophet Esaye dyd prophecy well of you sayenge Thys people Math. 15. honoureth me wyth the lyppes but theyr harte is farre frome They worshyp me in vayne teachynge mannes doctrynes and commaundementes Do not these wordes I beseche the good reader so playnlye open chrystes meanyng wheÌ„ he spake agaynst mennes traditions that it is a greate blyndenes or elles a greate malyce that the Lutherans do wraste it agaynst all the holy churches constitutions ordynaunces and traditions the whiche are not agaynst goddes commaundementes nor the kepynge of them is the breache of goddes lawe but a greate furtherauÌ„ce to the kepyng of them as it may appeare to euery good chrysten man lokyng vpoÌ„ them indifferentlye all affection and corrupte iudgemeÌ„t layed aside These the pharysees and scrybes traditions sette vp agaynst gods lawe are not heare onelye reproued of Chryste but also of saynt paule sayeng to Tite the byshop â—â— â— For whyche cause blame them sharply that they may be souÌ„de or hole in the fayth not takinge heed of the Iewes fables and commaundementes of men turnynge them selues froÌ„ the truth coÌ„tempnyng the truth wyth disdayne or abhorrynge the truth Thus saynt Cypryan and saint Ciprianus lib. 1. epist 3 Hiero in esaâ—aÌ„ Hierom do expowne Esayes chrystes wordes therfore they make nothynge agaynst the churches traditions Yet they allege The. 3. argament mo auctorities of the scrypture against traditions of the which thys is one / Omnis plantatio quaÌ„ non plantauit pater meus caelestis Math. 15. eradicabitur Euerye plantynge which my father of heauen hath not planted shall be plucked vp by the roote but the churches traditions are not sayth Luther of gods plantynge / wherfore they shall be plucked vp by the rootes The auswere To thys obiectioÌ„ an auÌ„swere is sone made for as much as christ spake of plaÌ„ting doctrine preceptes agaynst gods law as he did of teaching theÌ„ of plaÌ„ting any
Hitherto Theophilactus The greake scolies or short expositions set forth vpon thys place of saynte paule do expowne it as saynte Damascene chrysostom and Theophilactus do whose wordes are these into latine traÌ„slated Eteni et scripta et noÌ„ scripta precepta tradiderunt apostoli et vtraque obseruatione digna Igitur et ecclesiae quoque et non scripta traditio obseruanda est Thus it is in our speach because the apostles dyd deliuer or teach coÌ„maundementes both wrytten and also vnwrytten / and both two worthy to be obserued therfore the churches also tradition yea not wrytten muste be kepte Are not all these wytnesses sufficient to stoppe theyr mouthes whych do bable without all reason good learnynge agaynste traditions Saynt Basil whych was nygh Basiliê° de spiritu sctoÌ„ ca 29. twelfe hundred yeres paste and an excelleÌ„t clerke thus writteth Arbitror autem apostolicuÌ„ esse etiaÌ„ 1. Cor. 11. non scrrptis traditionibê° inhaerere Laudo inquit paulus vos quod per oiÌ„a mei memores estis et quemadmoduÌ„ tradidi vos traditiones obtinetis 2. Teffa 2. quas acceptistis siue per epistolaÌ„ siue per sermonem That is to say in english But I iudge it apostolike or perteyninge vnto an apostles doctine to cleaue or sticke to traditioÌ„s also not written I prayse you sayeth paule that through al thinges ye remeÌ„bre me and do reteyne styll the traditions as I taughte you whiche ye receyued eyther by an epistle or by speach Seest thou not here chrysteÌ„ reader that S. Basyll affyrmeth not onely that we ought to stycke fast vnto traditions not written but he sayth it beloÌ„geth vnto the apostles teachinge and allegeth two textes of saynte Paule to proue the same Wherfore I beseche the shulde not we rather giue fayth and credence vnto this holy and greate clerke saynte basyll then to Luther or anye of hys scole Let this that is nowe alreadye sayed that whych shall be sayd hereafter be to the gentell reader whych hast any regarde vnto thy soules health sufficiente vtterly to abhorre deteste and forsake thys pestilente erroure set vp against traditions of the whyche manye are verye necessarye for the maynteynannce and encrease of Chrystes religion mans saluation as it shall hereafter appeare more at large by goddê helpe and grace But now I wyl go to the rehersall of a multitude of thiÌ„ges obserued and beleued of christen natyons through the hole world which are bothe necessarye to be beleued kepte also yet they be not expressly set forth iÌ„ the scrypture but are onely come iÌ„ to the church of chryst our blessed sauiour by traditioÌ„ of the holy apostles inspired styrred of the spirite of truth to ordeyne theÌ„ to deliuer them vnto the church by mouth with out wrytyng which as euer seÌ„ce theyr tyme haue bene amoÌ„ge all catholyke people beleued obserued euen so shall they be vntyll the worldes ende thoughe manye do barke neuer so moche agaynst theÌ„ as they do agaynst dyuers other truthes expressed in the scrypture ¶ The thyrde chaptre comprehendynge A numbre of traditions that came from the apostles in to the churche of christe without wrytynge by mouth onely the nombre of tradicions commynge from the apostles to vs wtout writing IN the last Chaptre good reader I touched bryefly and by the waye as we are wonte to saye foure tradicyoÌ„s pertaynyng vnto the sacrament of the aulter that is to say Water to be myxed with wyne in the chalyce at masse whiche our sauyoure hym selfe dyd as saynt Cypryan sayth of whoÌ„ his apostles taughte the same lefte it without wrytynge to the church The seconde to receyue the sacrameÌ„t fasting The third to kepe the sacrament in the pixe or boxe in the teÌ„ple The fourth is to pray for the deade at masse which thiÌ„ge the apostles taught the churche as I haue proued in my boke of the sacrifice of the masse Now let vs se what other tradicions there be whiche are vnwrytten in the scrypture and yet necessary to be beleued kept and obserued of all chrysten people and fyrst of all I wyll recite certayne tradycyons apperteynyng vnto baptisme of the whiche the chyefe is that infantes or babes that caÌ„ not yet speake are chrystened wheÌ„ they can not beleue and baptysme auaylethe theÌ„ through the churches fayth to the obtaynynge of remyssyon of originall synne and the gettyng of heuen What scrypture proueth this truth Is not the scripture rather agaynst it then with it Do not the heretyckes called in greke anabaptiste because they chrysten men agayne wheÌ„ they can beleue which were chrystened beynge infantes vtterly denye this veryte for that that they sawe no scrypture expressly make for it What wyll or can they here say that aske requyre for euery doctrine that they wyl beleue manifest scrypture To. 3 Li. 10 in genesi Saynte Austen thus wrytethe vpon the chrystenynge of chyldren Consuetudo matris ecclesiaeiÌ„ baptizandis paruulis nequa quam sperneÌ„da est neque vllo modo superflua depuranda nec omnino credenda esset nisi apostolica esset traditio That is to saye The custome of our mother the church in chrystenyng of chyldren is in no wise to be dispysed nother by any waye to be rekened supenfluous nor it oughte vtterlye to be beleued excepte it had bene Note reder the apostles tradicion Loo S. Austen sayth that the baptysme or christenyng of chyldren shuld not be beleued except it had ben the tradicion of the apostles therfore he founde no scrypture for it Also in another boke he wryteth thus of the same matter Lib. 4. capâ— 24. Aduersê° donaâ—istas de baptist paruâ—loruÌ„ Et si quisquam in hac re autoritateÌ„ quaerat diuinam quamquam quod vniuersa tenet ecclesia nec conciliiÌ„s iÌ„stitutum sed semper retentum est non nisi autoritate apostolica traditum rectissime creditur tameÌ„ veraciter coniicere possumus quid va leat in paruulis baptismi sacrameÌ„tuÌ„ ex circumcisione carnis quaÌ„ prior populus accepit Thus it is in englysshe Albeit any searche or asketh the auctoritye of God or the scrypture in this matter of chrystenynge chyldren thoughe that whiche the whole churche kepeth and it is not ordeined by councels but euer reteyned it is beleued of mooste good right or reason not delyuered or taught but by the apostles auctorite yet we maye truelye coniecture what strength the sacrament of baptysme is of in chyldren by the circumcisyon of the flesshe which the fyrst people receyued Lo ones agayne saynte Austen doth confesse that the chrysteniÌ„g of chyldren came by the tradicioÌ„ of the apostles without expresse worde or coÌ„maundement of the scrypture Therfore what madnes blyndnes are they in that requyre manyfeste scrypture for euery thynge that shulde be beleued and kepte of vs chrystened people They do open the dore gyue an occasion by that theyr fonde opinyon to the heresie of the PelagiaÌ„s
to the clergie do take wiues if they wyl but onely the readers singers Which were two degrees in yâ— church among yâ— clergie at yâ— season whoÌ„ onely yâ— apostles coÌ„mauÌ„ded to mary yf they wolde excluding cleane froÌ„ marrying preestes deacons and subdeacons Also they ordeyned Cap. 20. coÌ„maunded that none of the clergy shulde be warraÌ„ters or suerties saying Clericê° fide iussionibê° iÌ„seruiens abiiciatur That is Let the cap. 17. et ca 18. clerke which is a suerty be caste away Likewise they taught the church that he whiche had maryed 1. Tomo 3. two wiues a widow an outcast or a coÌ„meÌ„ womaÌ„ shulde not be ê“moted amonge yâ— clergy to holye orders though the apostle paule saying a bishop or preeste muste Tertul. ad vroreÌ„ Apostolê° non sinit digamos pÌ„sidere haue one wife meÌ„t as tertuliaÌ„ sayth yâ— bigamê° shuld not be chosen a preest Of theyr traditioÌ„ it came also that one bishop shuld not giue holy orders to clerkes of anothers diocesis Likewise yâ— orders offices of the church shuld Cap. 36. not be obteined by money that a clerke or a lay maÌ„ coÌ„tynuyng in Cap. 30. playinge at dice or hasarde and a lay man puttyng hys wife froÌ„ hym shulde not be suffered to receyue the blessed sacramente of the aultare But to be briefe I wyll speake no more of them at this tyme but wyll recyte yet a fewe traditions of the whiche thys is one that we beleue that our blessed lady christ our sauiours The coÌ„tynuall virginite of our lady deare mother was coÌ„tinually a virgin til her deth which Eluidius denyed the because he could fynd no scripture to proue it but rather as he supposed falsely the scrypture was agaynst it and therfore saynte Hierom in hys boke made agaynste hym called hym an heretyke though it can not be sufficyently proued by the scrypture that she was a vyrgen vntyll hyr departynge out of thys worlde The which thyng ought to stop theyr mouthes that affyrme all thiges to be expressed in the scrypture whiche we are bouÌ„de to beleue vnder payne of damnatyoÌ„ I am verye sure that no man is able to proue this veryte by any texte of the holye scrypture and yet he that beleueth it not is yf he stande stoburnly in defence therof an heretyke therfore saynte Hierome as I haue sayde already called Eluidius an heretyke which maynteined that our lady had other chyldreÌ„ besyde chryst whom she conceyned withoute man by the holye goost What wyll or can they now here say that requyre scrypture for euery thynge and euer aske where is that or this wrytten The which they neuer can do lernedly in the scrypture Let theym answere to this one poynt or to the chrystenynge of chyldren as to diuers other put forth in this treatyse before Bullynger one of Luthers scholers laboureth to proue by scrypture that oure ladye chrystes most honourable mother was a contynual virgeÌ„ lest he shuld be enforsed coÌ„pelled to confesse that all truth whiche we must beleue is not expressed in the holy scrypture but he laboureth al in vayne as anone hereafter it shall playnly apere For he abuseth these wordes of the prophete Ezechiell to that purpose Porta haec clausa erit et non aperietur et vir non pertransibit per eam c. That is in englysshe this moch to saye This Ezech. 44. gate shall be shytte shall not be opened and a man shall not passe throughe by it Loo sayth Bulliger hath not the prophete discrybed here aptelye ynoughe the holye wombe of the virgyn Mary Chrystes mother of whoÌ„ the sonne of ryghteousnes is born to vs This Bullinger wresteth this prophettes sentence froÌ„ the litteral sence vnto an allygory whiche al lerned men do coÌ„fesse not mete to proue any doctryne beynge in controuersye for the defence of his deuyllyshe heresy Proclus the bisshop of Cizicene sayeth he doth none otherwyse expowne this the prophetes texte What then he doth vnderstaÌ„de yt mystycally by an allegorye Is that sufficyent to proue any kynd of doctrine or to perswade any thynge in questyon and coÌ„trouersye Agayne S. Hierome doth otherwyse expowne it that is to wyt of the gate of the lawe the prophettes For he thus wryteth What gate is this that is alwayes shytte onely the lord god of israel entreth by it Trulye that of the which oure sauyour speaketh in the gospel Wo to you scrybes pharysees hypocrytes wo to you doctours of the lawe which do take away the key of eunnyug ye entre not in youre selues and theÌ„ that are about to go in ye prohibite Of this gate sayeth Hyerome the prophet writeth vnder the name of a booke Erunt verba libri istiê° sicut verba libri signati c. The wordes of this booke shal be as the wordes of a booke sygned or sealed so forth No maÌ„ coulde Apoca. 5. â— open and louse the seales of this booke but he of whome Iohan speaketh in the apocalypse sayng Beholde a lyon of Iudas trybe hath optayned the victorie which openeth the boke and louseth the seales of it For before Chryste came the gate of the lawe and the prophettes and all knowledge of the scrypture was shytte paradise was also shytte which by chrystes death were opened the vele of the teÌ„ple brake the vele In 2â— 2. Cor. 3. taken away al thynges were open and manifeste Hitherto S. Hierome / whose wordes declare that this texte ought otherwyse to be expowned then Bullynger vnderstandeth it to defende his naughty and damnable heresie NotwithstaÌ„dyng saynt HieroÌ„s exposition is mystycal or allegorical and not litteral in dede For to the letter by that gate or dore is mente a certayne gate or dore of the temple that was shytte and no man but the prynce whiche was gods vycar myght enter into the temple at it to offre sacrifices vnto god therfore the prophete sayed Vir non pertransibit per eam A comen man or any other then the chyef or prynce shall not passe through it This is the true meanynge of the letter as it shall easelye apeare to hym that wyll wey and examyn dily gently the texte wythout all affection and corrupted iudgemente and therfore this place of the prophet caÌ„ not proue Bullyngers purpose that our ladye chryst our sauyours blessed mother was a continuall virgyn thoughe it be very trew that she so was and Heluidiê° was iustly estemed of saynt Hierom an heretyke for the denyenge that she coÌ„tinued a vyrgyntyl her deth Moreouer saynt Ciprian expownyng the apostles crede sayth that the prophet Ezechyell dyd set forth the wonderfull maner of our ladyes bryngynge forthe chryste and that he called our ladye blessed saynt marye chrystes mother a gate by a fygure In the whiche place the sayde Cipryan affyrmeth that our ladye was a perpetuall virgyn To be shorte in this matter Saynt Hierome in his hole boke compyled and publyshed of
veritatem Euenit it aque neque scripturis neque traditioni consentire eos But whan we do stere or exhort them / which are agaynst the truth agayne to that tradition which is of the apostles and is kept in the churches by successyon of the preestes they wyll say that they beynge wyser not onely then the preestes but also theÌ„ the apostles yâ— haue fouÌ„de out the pure truth It hath therfore happended that they do consente neyther to the scryptures nor the tradityons Seest yâ— not reader here a playn difference betwene tradicions yâ— scryptures he coÌ„cludeth thus Traditionem itaque apostoloruÌ„ per totum mundum manifestataÌ„ in ecclesia adest oiÌ„bus perspicere qui vera audire velint That is to saye Wherfore all men whiche wyll see the truth maye perceyue the apostles tradicion declared in the churche throughe all the whole world But of saint Ireneê° this may be sufficieÌ„t for my purpose Nowe let vs see what saynt Clement Paules coÌ„panion in preachynge the gospell hath wrytteÌ„ in this poynt which is nowe intrauerse and questyon betwene me and the lutherans Eusebyê° the olde wryter of the churches Lib. 5. â—â— 6 storye thus wytnesseth of hym Clemens scripsit epistolam ad corithios exprimeÌ„s in ea apostolorum traditionem quam nuper ab eis ipse susceperat Clement wrote sayeth he to the corinthians an epystle expressyng in it the apostles tradicion whiche he of late had receyued of them Also another clemens bysshppe alerandrya which was as he sayth him selfe Eusebtê° wytnessynge shortlye after the apostles thus wrote of the apostles In libello quem scripsit Eusebiê° lib. 6. ca. 11. de pascha inquit eusebiê° confitetur extorqueri sibi a frarribê° vt ea quae a presbyteris et successoribus a postolorum voce sibi sola traditasunt describeret in libris et posteris traderet In his boke sayeth Eusebiê° of eastur clement coÌ„fesseth that his brethren gat of hym by force or with greate difficultie that he wolde wryte in bokes and de lyuer to his successours or them that shuld come after hym those thynges whiche were taught hi by voyce onely of the preestes successours of the apostles Loo this bysshop beynge very nygh to the apostles tyme coÌ„fesseth that he learned by voyce onely certeÌ„thynges of the preestes and successours of yâ— apostles and lefte them written to them that shuld come after hym and luther bullynger with a greate rablement of an yll heare Do saye the contrary whether wylt thou beleue Epistalâ— Ignatiê° also saynte Iohan the euagelystes discyple holdeth with me in this matter saynge Stude â—e coÌ„firmari in dogmatibus domini et apostoloruÌ„ That is Applye your myndes to be coÌ„fyrmed in the ordynaunces of our lorde the apostles That he ment here ordyuannces of the apostles vn wrytteÌ„ it appeareth fyrst by that that saynte Basyll sayeth dogmata silentur decrees or ordynaces called in greake dogmata aâ— not spoken of in wrytynge Secondly B asniê° de spuÌ„ Cancto cap. 27. it appeareth that ignatiê° saynte Iohan euangelystes scholer wolde men to endeuour them selues to obserue the apostles tradityons vnwrytten by that that he wrote hym selfe a boke of the apostles tradicions as eusebiê° witnesseth sayenge Ignatiê° â—â— 3. â—â— 36 edocebat populos vt diligentius ettenacius apostolorum traditionibê° inherereÌ„t quas traditiones cautelae gratia et nequid apud posteros remaneret incerti etiam scriptas a se asserit reliquisse Thus moch it is turned into englyshe Ignatius Mark this well reader saynte Iohans disciple taughte the people that they wolde more dilygently and fastlyc cleaue to the apostles tradityons the whiche traditions he affyrmeth that he lefte yea wrytten to make meÌ„ ware and leste any vncerteyntie shulde remayne to them that shuld come after Here we se that thys holye Martyr exhorted men to sticke vnto the apostles tradytions very dilygeÌ„tly and fastely / whych he left behynde him written that they whiche shulde succede or come after him shulde be cyrcumspecte leste they were deceiued of heretikes which might teache some thynge contrarye to the verities vnwrytten that chryste taught his apostles and they other wythout wrytynge Therefore is it not many fest by thys wytnesse that Luther and Bulliger do erre whyche not so ernestly as vnlearnedly vngodlye defende that the apostles wryte all thynges necessarye that they hadde preached to the people Saynte Ignatius saynte Iohans scholer whyche was muche conuersaunte wyth the apostles and was made bysshoppe of Antiochia nexte after saynt Peter wytnesseth that the apostles lefte sundrye thynges not wrytten necessary to be knowen and beleued and Bullynger sayth the contrary whether of them two is more worthye to be receyued and belyued Now shall saynt Deonise the apostle Paules disciple make an ende of thys chaptre whiche as he was taughte of Paule Hierotheus learned manye thynges of the other apostles whych thynge he him selfe affyrmeth in dyuers places of hys booke De ecclesiae hierarchia eueÌ„ so he wrote playnlye of the apostles traditions lefte by them to the churche wtout writing For thus hehath Substantia accrdotii nostri sacra scriptura est diuinitê° nobis tradita Diouâ—â— dâ— eccle hieraâ— cap. 1. Porro huiusmodi plena venerationis eloquia dicimus quae a beatissimis nostris patribus a quibê° sacris mysteriis iÌ„buti sumê° in sanctis ac theologicis coÌ„meÌ„data sunt libris Ac pretaerea quaeque ab iisdeÌ„ sanctissi mis viris sacratiore purgatiore et ê“piÌ„qua quodaÌ„ modo caelesti hierar chiae doctrina sancti duces ac praeceptores nostri didiceruÌ„t et ex animo in animuÌ„ medio intercurrente verbo corporali quideÌ„ sed quod car nis excedat seÌ„suÌ„ sine literis transsu sa sunt That is to say The holy scrypture gyueÌ„ or taught vs of God is the substaunce of oure preesthode Moreouer we call suche sayenges full of worshyp honour or reuerence which are wrytten in the holye and diuine bokes of oure mooste blessed fathers of whom we were instructed or taughte the holy secretes or pryuities And furthermore al those thynges which our holy leaders the apostles and oure maisters haue learned of the same moost holye men by doctryne or teachynge more holy more purged and nigh after a certen maner to the heauenly holy gouernaunce or principalitie which are powred froÌ„ minde to minde or harte to hart the worde runnynge a meane betwene sothlye corporall but such as exceadeth the flesshes perceyuynge or fealyng Saynt Dionyse here putteth manifeste difference betwne the holy scrypture other thynges conteyned in bokes of dyuynytie set forth by holy men affyrmeth that manye thynges came by harte from one to another wythout wrytynge whyche are worthy to be had in honoure and reuerence thoughe the Lutherans despise al such thynges both to theyr owne coÌ„fusion and other mennes also oure lorde amende thys in tyme. But euery good chrysten man wyll beleue thys saynte Paules scholer rather