did beholde therein the power of God that the Scriptures are come vnto vs euen from the verie mouth of God by the administration of men Therefore the Spouse in the Ballets sayeth with marueilous ioy My beloued sayd vnto me I saye nothing of that which euerie one which is lightned with the light of true fayth must needes finde by experience in himselfe By this experience wrote once Augustine the man of God howe God by a little and a little tempered and disposed his heart with his most meeke and most mercifull hande and at the last thorowly perswaded him so that at the last he knew and beleeued that those bookes were deliuered to mankinde by the spirite and the onely true and most true god Therefore the authoritie of the Scripture doth depend not of the iudgement of the Churche but of the inwarde testifying of the holy Ghost And Iohn witnesseth that Christ sayd thus concerning the spirite If God were your father why do ye not know my speach For it is most certaine that we are adopted to be the sonnes of GOD by the meanes of the holie Ghost Which when we haue obteined Christ witnesseth in this place that wee by the lightning of the same Spirite may so discerne his speache from a strangers that it may be manifest and certaine vnto vs In the which selfe same sense Christ sayth also in another place He that entereth in by the doore is the shepheard of the sheepe To him the porter openeth and the sheepe heare his voyce and he calleth his owne sheepe by name and leadeth them out when he shall put forth his owne shepe he goeth before theÌ„ the sheepe follow him for they know his voice A stranger will they in no wise follow but flie from him for they know not the voice of strangers Neither is it to bee doubted that we become Christs sheepe through the power of the holy Ghost that we follow not falshood errours corruptions and heresies which are the voices of strangers but heare the onely voice of Christ that is to say imbrace the true and naturall sence of the Scripture And Paule saith to the Corinthians The naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirite of God for they are foolishnes vnto him neither caÌ„ he know them because they are spiritually discerned But he that is spirituall discerneth all things And in the same place The spirit searcheth the deepe things of God. And Christ also saith The comforter which is the holy ghost shal bring all things to your remeÌ„brance whatsoeuer I haue said vnto you Also Iohn hath these wordes in his Epistle The anointing teacheth you of al things Againe He that knoweth God heareth vs. To be briefe August in the place lately cited saith Therfore when as we were weake to finde foorth the truth by cleare reason and when as we had need of the authoritie of the holy Scriptures for the same purpose I began to beleue forthwith that thou wouldest by no meanes giue â—o excellent authoritie vnto that scripture throughout al lands but that thy will was that thou wouldest be sought by it and wouldest be beleeued by it Behold it is God I say it is God which hath established his holy bookes with so great authoritie in all nations And August addeth the cause why God will be sought through them why he wil be beleued through them I conclude therfore â–ª that the scripture hath not her authoritie chiefly froÌ„ the Church For the firmnes strength thereof dependeth of God not of men And the word being both firme sure was before the church For the church was called by the word And seeing the doctrine of the prophets of the apostles is the foundation of the Church it must needes bee that the certaintie of the Church must consist in the said doctrine as in her foundation and ground worke before the said Church can take her beginning For if the Church of Christ were founded in the beginning by the writings of the Prophetes and with the preaching of the Apostles wheresoeuer the saide doctrine bee founde certainely the allowing of the doctrine went before the Church without the which doctrine the Church could neuer haue beene And because the spirit of God wrought in the heartes of them which heard the word of God read it that they might acknowledge that it was not the word of man but of God vndoubtedly the worde of God receiueth authoritie from the spirite and not from the Church The .x. Chapter How the canon of the new Testament was ordeined and that it hath authoritie of it self from the authours thereof that the authoritie of the Church is mainteined thereby THey which reason that we haue receiued manie things to be beleeued â—f necessitie by the authoritie of the Church which are expressed in no part â—f the Scriptures make this as a great â—rgument as they thinke that there are â—ut foure Gospels onely which may not â—e discredited without the perill of losse â—f saluation and that it appeareth by no Scripture that the other Scriptures which we haue are Canonicall worâ—hie credite Neither are the titles thereâ—f the titles of the Scripture but put to â—y others Therefore say they if we shall â—eceiue nothing but that which is in the Scriptures then shall wee not receiue â—he scriptures themselues Nowe that I may disclose the deceitfulnesse of this argumeÌ„t the indifferent reader must know â—hat the Canonicall Scripture hath her â—uthoritie chiefly from the holy Ghost â—y whose motion and inspiration it was â—et forth as lately wee did declare And â—fter that from the writers vnto whome God gaue certaine and peculiar testimonies of the truth Wherevnto is added the witnesse of the primitiue Church in whose time those bokes wer published receiued And they which haue the spirit of faith do not dispute peeuishly of the receiuing of the said bookes who receiued them or who reiected them but acknowledge in them the sweete sauouring force of the spirit by whose instinct they were set forth The canon of the new Testament was ordeined by the authoritie of God and receiued by the Church of the Apostles Neither can I sufficiently meruaile at their rashnesse which saye that the authoritie of the church hath giuen canonical authoritie vnto certaine of the scriptures yea and those the chiefest which otherwise neither of themselues neither of their authours they could haue had amongst vs Words Not the authoritie of euery one but of the Apostles is required to make any writing in the new Testament Canonical or giuen by inspiration from God. As well saith Tertul. when as he confuteth the counterfeit gospel of Marcion First we do holde that a true Gospel must haue the Apostles for the authors thereof Iohn sawe the writings of three Euangelists allowed â—hem And by writing his Gospel hee â—ade an ende of writing Gospels And â—herefore saieth hee
the inspiration of the holie ghost set them in order What say you to 〈◊〉 moreouer that Iudas in his Epiâ—… alledgeth certaine things forth of the â—…ke of Enoch Neither is there anie â—…e why ye should say vnto me that that â—…e is apochyphal PeradueÌ„ture that 〈◊〉 was apochyphal which was caried â—…ut after that age wherein the Apoâ—…s liued but those things which Iudas alledged were firme certaine But be â—…or I wil not contend that the word of 〈◊〉 was not written before Moses but 〈◊〉 only vttered by the mouth and as it â—…re deliuered froÌ„ hand to hand What â—…keth this to the matter w we haue in â—…d For the same word wheÌ„ afterward 〈◊〉 was put in writing must needes be so â—…erued and restrained that nothing â—…ght be altered therin by meÌ„ The word 〈◊〉 God is inuiolable cleane without corâ—…tion whether it be deliuered by voice â—…y writing neither can it sound coÌ„traâ—… things I confesse that the vnwritten â—…de was more ancient theÌ„ that which â—…r was put in writing But I acknowâ—…ge onely betweene these two the diffeâ—…ce of time not of efficacy or authoriâ—… But in that the church is gathered by the worde of God it must needes folow that the Church is later then the woorde of God and inferiour to it Wherefore it is most euident that the Church taketh her excellencie and dignitie from the worde of God. The third Chapter That the authoritie of Scripture is greatest because it containeth the worde of God which in the beginning was deliuered to the Church by liuely voyce THe authoritie of holie Scripture is farre greatest because it containeth the worde of God him self and tooke her beginning of the holy Ghost For the doctrine conteined in holie Scripture was not vttered enlarged and plainelie set foorth by Philosophers which liued in Grece or Italie but published by God him selfe and reuealed from heauen to certaine chosen men The heauenly Father did declare it with his owne voyce 〈◊〉 the Patriarchs and Prophets The â—â—erlasting in heauen and in the verie â—ome of his father I meane the onely â—â—gotten sonne of God our Lord and saâ—â—ur Iesus Christ comming downe to 〈◊〉 shewed it The holie Ghost in al ages â—â—spired certaine excellent men who deâ—ered the worde vncorruptly Knowe â—s sayth Peter that no prophesie in tâ—e Scripture is of anie priuate interâ—â—etation For the prophecie came not â—olde time by the will of man but â—â—ly men of God spake as they were â—oued by the holy Ghost Wherefore â—ul defineth this doctrine The wiseâ—â—me not of this world neither of the â—â—nces of this worlde which come to â—ught but the wisedome of God in a â—ysterie euen the hid wisedome which â—od had ordeined before the worlde â—â—ich God hath reuealed by his spiâ—e Therefore all most excellent points â—e to be attributed to the Scripture the â—cles and diuine sayings whereof are â—h in diuinitie as are in euerie science 〈◊〉 principles of the same which must â—edes be supposed and graunted Moreouer vntill Christ came into the worlde the Scripture was conteined in the lawe and prophesies So do wee see that Moses and the Prophets are cited by Christ and the Apostles as approued witnesses whose writings were receiued amongst the people of God without controuersie none otherwise then publike registers The Apostles did first witnesse with liuely voice that which was giuen them in commaundemeÌ„t But after that the doctrine of Christ was spread wide and broade and confirmed with innumerable miracles and wonders and after that the Church was established which tooke her beginning of the preaching of the worde by fayth but yet so that the worde went before when as many false Apostles rose vp who vnder the pretence of reuelations and traditions of the Apostles brought monstrous toyes into the Churche and corrupted the purenesse of God his worde it seemed good to the holy ghost that the summe of the Apostles preaching shoulde bee sette foorth in writing that it might bee left perfect for â—â—em which should come after Whereâ—â—â—e by the instinct of the holie Ghost â—wo of the Apostles wrote as witnesses of thinges which they had seene and two of the Disciples and Apostoâ—â—e men wrote also as witnesses of â—â—ose thinges which they had hearde 〈◊〉 the Apostles whome other doe affirme to haue seene also the thinges that they wrote Those writings make the foure Gospels touching the which â—renaeus debateth manie thinges in the â—leuenth Chapter of his thirde Booke agaynst Heresies where hee shewâ—th that there must bee foure Gospels â—nely not because the Church hath receiâ—ed foure onely but because God hath so appointed Touching the Gospel of Matâ—hewe Saint Hierome writeth this Historie Pantaenus when hee was sent by Demetrius Bishop of Alexandria into India founde that Barâ—holomew did preach there the comming of Christ according to the Gosâ—el of Matthew the which being also written in Hebrue he brought from thence with him to Alexandria Herevnto agree those things which Nicephorus sheweth in the 32. chapter of his 4. booke The same Nicephorus reporteth in the 36. Chapter of his 7. booke that the Gospel of Matthew was founde in Barnabas his tombe written with Barnabas his owne handes Whereby may be gathered how greatly Apostolik men did esteeme this Gospel Eusebius forth of Clement doth report that Peter the Apostle did approue and confirme by his own iudgement the Gospel of Mark and did ordeine that it should be reade in the Churches Nicephorus sayth that Peter indited the Gospel of Marke and decreed that it shoulde from thenceforth be read in the Congregations Irenaeus sayeth Marke the Disciple and interpreter of Peter hath deliuered vnto vs those precepts which were preached by Peter The same Irenaeus writeth of Luke thus The Apostles deliuered to al men simplie and enuying no man those thinges which they themselues had learned of the Lorde And therefore â—â—ke also enuying no man deliuered to vs in like maner those thinges which he had learned of theÌ„ Furthermore Iohn perused ouer the writings oâ—â—he three Euangelists and witnessed tâ—â—t they were true Finally he finished 〈◊〉 writing of the Gospel Therefore he â—cludeth the Historie written by him â—â—is And manie other things truely did Iesus before the eyes of his disciâ—lâ—s which are not written in this â—â—ke These are written that ye might â—â—â—eeue that Iesus is Christ the sonne 〈◊〉 God and that in beleuing ye might â—e life thorowe his name Vnder â—â—th wordes he comprehendeth not onâ—â—is owne Gospel but also the Gospels 〈◊〉 â—he rest of the Euangelistes as also 〈◊〉 olde writers haue vnderstoode this â—ce And then trulie was the truth of 〈◊〉 Gospel acknowledged and receiued â—â—en as yet there remained aliue which 〈◊〉 both heard and seene the Lorde 〈◊〉 selfe in his mortall fleshe or had â—rde the chosen Apostles and Disciâ—â—â—s which were familiar and conâ—sant with him And because also
therein Therefore if it be eyther commaunded in the Gospel or conteined in the Epistles and Actes of the Apostles let this holy tradition be also obserued Also Basill in his third booke against Eunomius hath Our Baptisme is according to the very tradition of the Lord in the name of the father and of the Sonne of the holy Ghoste And it is a pointe of diligence to marke where the olde Writers vse the woorde Tradition in this sense For wheresoeuer the Papistes finde this woorde they wrest it foorthwith to their traditions with they cannot prooue foorth of the Scripture Secondly the olde writers by this woord Tradition vnderstand the articles of our fayth which are conteined in the Apostles Creede as we haue lately declared more clerely than the light it selfe forth of Irenaeus and Tertullian Which writers propose the saide badge or Creed as a perfect rule of faith whervnto there may nothing be added and from the which there may nothing be takeÌ„ which remaining whole men may safely inquire of all thinges Thirdly by the woorde Tradition the fathers vnderstand a sentence or meaning not expressed woorde for woorde in the holy Scriptures but gathered by the true interpretation thereof which the Apostles preached with liuely voyce and their auditours and successours deliuered vnto vs and conserued as for example that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth a person that there are in the diuine nature three persons and yet one and the selfe same substance that the Sonne is coequall with the Father and of one substance with him that there be two natures in Christ the Lord and yet but one person that the holy Ghost is to be woorshipped and glorified together with the father and the Sonne that the flesh of Christ is of one substance with vs that infantes ought of right to be baptized others of this kinde which although we reade not expressed in the oracular scripture yet haue we learned by the authoritie of the auncient Fathers and most graue Councels that they are to be vnderstode by the meaning and vnderstanding of the Scriptures And this vnderstanding is not to be separated from the scripture it selfe forsomuch as it may be conteined therein either as the definition in the definitiue or as the conclusioÌ„ in the premisses And although the tradition of the Church haue shewed vnto vs the scripture and vnderstanding thereof yet hath it not bestowed authoritie vpon it which it hath greffed in it froÌ„ god For they froÌ„ whoÌ„ we haue receiued this tradition are onely witnesses of the heauenly doctrine and not authours therof VVhereof we haue reasoned plentifully in the place belonging therevnto Lastly where the olde writers make mention of traditions they doe not entreate of the doctrine of faith to be receiued without and beside the Scripture although it can be prooued by no testimonie of Scripture but they speake of certaine olde rites which for their antiquitie they ascribed to the Apostles Part of the rites seeme to take their beginning from the Apostles and parte of them are vnwoorthie such authours But we haue declared alreadie by what rule such manner of rites are to be prooued and examined Nowe since that this woorde Tradition is so diuersly vsed of the fathers truely it is wicked sophistrie to intermeddle all these thinges without difference that superstitions being deriued partly froÌ„ the Iewes partly froÌ„ the Ethniks may haue their defence maintenance without the scripture vnder the cloke title of traditions The xxiiii Chapter Of the vncertaintie repugnancie and varietie of traditions AND their madnesse is to be noted and auoyded which will haue the â—ertaintie of doctrine to depend rather of â—e authority of traditioÌ„s of those things â—hich they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnwritten thaÌ„ of â—e scriptures this especially coÌ„sidered that â—â—ey caÌ„not prooue vnto vs the traditioÌ„s of 〈◊〉 apostles gathered described any where â—se but in the scriptures neither can they â—ooue that the traditions which by this â—tle they commend come froÌ„ the Apostles â—â—eir authours There be traditions reciâ—â—d by the fathers in diuers places as reâ—â—iued froÌ„ the Apostles but those traditiâ—â—s w they gather are partly abolished partly do not wel agree one with an other â—hervpon it commeth to passe that al traâ—â—tions are not to be esteemed Apostolike â—ither can the faith of christians be holâ— vp with so weake feble a fouÌ„dation as â—e traditions which faith must stand vnâ—nquered against al the engines of hell â—here was a tradition in TertulliaÌ„s time â—t milke honie should be giuen foorth â—â—th them which were baptized where with as he saieth they might bee fedde like infantes It was a tradition in the time of Cyprian and Augustine that the Euchariste and that vnder both kinds shoulde be geuen to infantes and shoulde be so giuen as necessarie to saluation Hierom in his Commentaries vppon Matthewe Chapter 25. sayeth that the tradition of the Apostles remained That in the day of the vigiles of Easter it was not lawfull to let the people goe looking for the comming of Christe before midnight Although these and other like bee read in olde writers vnder the title of the traditions of the Apostles yet are they a bolished are obserued now in no nation so that Tertullian wrote well in his book Of couering virgins There is altogeather one rule of faith onely vnmoueable irreformable to beleeue in one God almightie maker of the worlde and in his Sonne Iesus Christ borne of the Virgin Marie crucified vnder Pontius Pilate raysed againe the thirde day from the dead receiued in heauen sitting now at the right hande of the Father to come to iudge the quicke and the dead euen by the resurrection of the flesh This Lawe of faith remaining al other points of discipline conuersatioÌ„ admit the newnesse of correction the grace of God working and profiting euen vnto the ende Thus much hath that flourishing Septimius Tertullian Therfore the onely rule of faith grounded in the Scripture hath runne on euen from the beginning of the Gospell vnchangeable vnmoueable and vnreformeable when as in the meane season rites and traditions be mutable variable and such as may somtimes be taken away and sometimes restored againe The west churches in progresse of time inioyned the Lawe of single life to the ministers of Churches coÌ„trarily the east Church euen vnto this day will haue mariage to be lawfull for them Wherevpon Stephanus Bishoppe of Rome saith The Tradition of the east Churches is after one sorte and of this holy Church of Rome after an other sorte For their Priestes Deacons and Subdeacons are maried but none of the Priestes of this Church or of the west churches froÌ„ the Subdeacon to the Blshop hath licence to marie It was an Apostolical traditioÌ„ at Ephesus and in Asia that Easter should be kept after the maner of the Iewes Again the Apostolicall traditioÌ„ in
holy profitable and necessarie argument I began foorthwith to read the Booke with great affection and easily perceiued that the authour being indued with singular humanitie and modestie did of purpose conceale his name not regarding to make it knowen For hee woulde not seeke to gette any praise of the worlde which manie foolishly doe by setting foorth Bookes but was rather willing to further extolle and sette foorth the glorie of GOD onely and of his woorde I sawe also in the man a feruent desire to bringe the syncerenesse of pure Religion to knowledge and to further the manifest profite of the louers of godlinesse To bee briefe I acknowledged the giftes of God to appeare in this man I meane his dexteritie and happinesse in handeling this famous argument hauing beene long in controuersie among the learned and diuersly expounded For whatsoeuer may be spoken thereof necessarily and profitably hee hath wholy conteined it in this booke yea and that briefely euidently plainly and in verie good order For hee hath distinguished the whole matter being otherwise copious into Chapters then hath â—ee placed before euery Chapter the Argument so that euen by these briefe Chapters thou mayest easily perceiue the scope and ende of the whole Booke the summe and maner of the handeling of the â—ame Wherevpon I haue prefixed before this woorke the Title of the Booke fraâ—ed of the matter handeled therein that thou mayest euen with one viewe and foorthwith in the beginning beholde all thinges in a verie briefe summe whiche are conteined in this Booke He setteth foorth plainely and confirmeth all his matters especially as it is meete by the holie Scriptures then also by fitte testimonies of the blessed auncient Fathers Neither hath this his profitable trauaile â—iked mee onelie but also certaine other godlye and learned men vnto whome thou mayest worthilie ascribe more than vnto mee I haue therefore placed this mine Epistle before this Booke least the woorke beeing sette foorth without â—he Authours name shoulde eyther â—ee little regarded or suspected of thee Neither shall this Booke bee namelesse if it meete with anie stoute aduersarie which can assaile it and oppugne it Those thinges which I haue hitherto spoken in praise of this booke thou shalt by experieÌ„ce and with admiration witnesse to be true so that thou reade it diligently and with a sincere minde and also weigh it duely Farewell gentle Reader From Zurich the moneth of August 1571. ⧠A briefe summe of the chiefest pointes handeled in this Booke as it is deuided by Chapters THE reasons of those which doe extoll the authoritie of the Church abooue the Scriptures Cap. 1. Fol. 1 The deceitfulnesse of them is reprooued which doe diminish the authothoritie of the Scripture wherevpon the authoritie of the church doeth depend Cap. 2. Fol. 4. That the authoritie of the Scripture is greatest because it containeth the woorde of God which in the begining was deliuered to the church by liuely voice cap. 3. Fol. 8. The place of Hieremie his 31. chapter is discussed also it is shewed that the Apostles wrote the Gospel by the will of god cap. 4. Fol. 14. That all things which concerne faith godlinesse and saluation are fully and sufficiently contained in the Scripture cap. 5. Fol. 26. That the Scripture was giuen by inspiration to correct euill manners to confute heresies that forth of it onely controuersies must be iudged And that it is neither darke nor doubfull cap. 6. Fol. 30. Whervpon the Scripture is called Canonical Also testimonies of the Fathers touching the most excellent authoritie thereof cap. 7. Fol. 42. That the authoritie of the Canonicall Scripture is more excellent then the Councels the Fathers yea then the decrees and ordinaunces of all men Cap. 8. Fol. 44. That the Canonical Scripture hath the chiefe perfection of her authoritie from the holie Ghoste and of her selfe And coÌ„trarily that the Church receiueth her authoritie from the Scripture cap. 9. Fol. 51. Howe the Canon of the newe Testament was ordained and that it hath authoritie of it selfe and from the Authors thereof and that the authoritie of the Church is maintayned thereby cap. 10. Fol. 55. Howe vngodly and wicked it is to preach without the warrant of holy Scripture cap. 11. Fol. 11. That the true Church is to bee sought in the Scripture to bee included ded therein and to be esteemed by the Scriptures cap. 12. Fol. 65. Of the dueties of the Church about the Scriptures and first of this that she keepeth the holy Bookes of the scripture as a witnesse cap. 13. Fol. 69. That the Church publisheth the word of god cap. 14. Fol. 70. That the Church discerneth the Books of holy Scripture from Apocryphall and counterfaits cap. 15. Fol. 71. Of the saying of Augustine I would not beleeue the Gospel but that the authoritie of the Church mooueth mee also cap. 16. Fol. 74. Of the gift of interpretation Cap. 17. Fol. 77. Of the the saying of Christ If he will not heare the Church let him be vnto thee as an Heathen man and a Pubcan Mat. 18.19 cap. 18. fol. 82. Of the saying of Paule The Church is the piller and grounde of the trueth 1. Tim. 3.15 Chap. 19. Fol. 84. Of the saying of Paule Brethren stand fast and holde the ordinances which ye haue taught whether it be by our preaching or by our Epistle 2. Thes 2.15 Chap. 20. Fol. 86. That the doctrine which the Apostles taught by liuely voyce and which they deliuered in writing is all one and that this is the fourme of the traditions of the Apostles if they agree with the holie Scriptures Chap. 21. Fol. 88. A perfite proofe of those Traditions which are indeede the Apostles foorth of the moste auncient Writers Irenaeus and Tertullianus Chap. 22. Fol. 91. Of the subtiltie and deceitfulnesse of Sophisters which vse guilefully the woorde Tradition which is diuersly taken Chap. 23. Fol. 101. Of the vncertaintie repugnancie and varietie of Traditions Chap. 24. Fol. 104. That the Church hath beene deceiued euen from the Apostles time vnder the pretence of Traditions Chap. 25. Fol. 106. A Catalogue of the Doctors and writers whose testimonies the authour of this Treatise doth alledge in this Booke Ambrose Athanasius Augustine Basil Chrysostome Clemens Cusanus Cyprian Cyril Epiphanius Enagrius Eusebius Gerson Gratian Hillarie Hyperius Ierome Irenaeus Lactantius Nicephorus Origen Panormitanus Philaster Saluianus Sozomenus Tertullian Theodoretus Theophilactus Whether the holie Scripture haue authoritie from the Church Or whether the Church doe rather take authoritie from the holie Scripture The first Chapter The reasons of those which do extoll the authoritie of the Church aboue the Scripture THE chiefest reuerence after God God his woorde is due to the Churche Christe his spouse whiche God so dearelie loued that his will was that his onely begotten sonne should be a sacrifice for the same whome he endueth with his spirit that the sayde Church may be the temple and image of God wherein his
will is to bee celebrated both heree in the euerlasting life Therfore it is godlinesse diligently to collect with thankful minde to coÌ„sider all the giftes all the riches wherewith the Church is adorned enriched Shee hath the soÌ„ne of God for her head spouse and sauiour vnto whom she is maried in faith shee hath the ioyfull newes of the Gospel she hath the holy Ghost for her gouernour shee hath the ministerie prolonged by the Fathers the Prophetes Christ the Apostles which haue most plentifully bestowed vpon her as vpon a riche treasure house as saith Irenaeus all things apperteyning to trueth that euerie one which will may drawe forth of her the drinke of life shee hath Pastours authoritie to call Ministers for the setting forth and conseruing of the gospel of whom it is writteÌ„ How beautiful are the feete of theÌ„ which bring good tidings of peace bring good tidings of good things Shee hath excellent gifts vnderstanding the inerpretation of doctrine giuen by diuine inspiration shee hath also the administration of Sacramentes a certaine iurisdiction of her own lawes of her owne The holy Scripture adorning her with marueilous prayses calleth her thoroughly â—re The paradise of the great workeâ—n The citie of the holy king cleare as â—e dawning of the daye bright as the â—orning beautifull as the Moone elect the SuÌ„ne who smelleth of ointments â—tandeth at the right hande of the king â—cked with imbrodered gardes of diuers â—â—lours who hath no obscure thing and 〈◊〉 through Christ altogither most white Therefore because the sweete name of the Church is ful of worthinesse reâ—erence herevpon it coÌ„meth to passe that â—anie eloquent learned men doe with â—ately plentiful gorgious speache exâ—ll amplifie exaggerate the maiestie â—reheminence authoritie dignitie therâ—f so that they doe affirme that she hath â—orce and power aboue the written word â—f God thinke that Christians ought â—o giue place to her in all thinges For â—herevpon the aduersaries of the trueth gather that the Church is more ancient than the Scripture that the Scripture hath her authoritie from the Church that the Church of the Fathers continued 2449. yeares before anie thing was written touching religion Also that the Church of the new Testament was gathered togither many yeres with the liuely voyce of the Gospell before any thing was written by the Apostles And because the Church receiued the Scripture allowed it by her owne iudgement that the authoritie of the Church which receiued and allowed is greater than the authoritie of the Scriptures which were receiued and allowed And therefore that the authoritie of the Church is not only not inferiour not only equall but rather superiour and better knowen than the authoritie of the scripture For the Church hath approued the chiefest scriptures to be Canonical whiche approbation they neither had of theÌ„selues nor of their authours Otherwise what cause is there why wee should receiue the Gospell of S. Marke whiche sawe not Christ and yet not receiue the Gospell of Nicodemus which nowe also is extant who notwithstanding both saw Christ and was his schollar Moreouer why is the Gospell of Luke the disciple admitted the gospel of Bartholomewe the Apostle reiected Truelie they haue â—r authoritie not from the authours â—n whome they come but from the â—â—urch No holy Scripture doth shewe 〈◊〉 the rest of the Scriptures which we â—e are canonical and worthie credite 〈◊〉 coÌ„sent of the Church hath made them â—benticall So that Augustine saieth â—ll I would not beleeue the Gospell â—re it not that the authoritie of the â—tholicall Church doeth moue mee â—o And especially because there were â—e in times past which both reiected â—o written gospels the Euangelistes â—o which wrote them sticking forsooth â—ought false religion to Christ only who â—ither wrote him self neither commanâ—â—d to be written but to be preached and â—â—lled his doctrine not scripture that is 〈◊〉 say writing but the Gospell that is to â—y ioyfull newes But if wee giue place â—rein to the Church as by right wee â—â—ght al to giue place vnto her why then â—ould we not also giue place vnto her in â—e matter of the holy Sacramentes in â—â—her pointes That the Apostles did â—rite certaine things not that their wriâ—â—ngs shold rule our faith religion but â—at their writings should rather serue our faith and religion And that it is not to be thought that the Apostles were able to comprehend in their Epistles al the preceptes and mysteries of our faith and of christian doctrine that Christ and his Apostles in so many yeres preached much more than could be coÌ„prehended within the narow roome of the bokes of the new testament And that therefore so short an abridgemeÌ„t of the gospell was put in writing that the greatest part thereof as a rich treasure might be left to the traditions fastened in the inward bowels of the church That therefore many things are to be beleeued which are not written that the constant sentence of the church ought to be accepted as the gospel that therefore in matter of doubt in anie raised coÌ„trouersie the authoritie of the traditioÌ„ of the church is more effectuall to cause credit to be giuen to proue certainly then the scriptures because the tradition is more euident and plaine altogether vnflexible when as contrarilie the Scriptures be oftentimes very obscure and do suffer them selues to be wrested applied to a diuers meaning yea to that meaning which any shall presume with him selfe â—efore hand easily to be shifted of with 〈◊〉 craftie exposition And that therefore the common sentence of the tradition of the church is the certaine and inflexible â—â—le of the Scriptures And to be briefe â—hat the exactest squier paterne rule of â—â—ith is not the scripture but the iudgement of the Church That the saying of Christe is If hee will not heare the church let him be to thee as an heatheÌ„ man a Publicane That the church is the piller ground of trueth and that â—he can not erre because Christ promised to her the holy Ghost which shoulde leade her into al truth S. Paul exhorteth vs saying Brethren stand fast holde the ordinances which yee haue bene taught c. To be brief they go about to proue by the testimonie of the Prophete Hieremie that this is the propertie of the doctrine of the newe testameÌ„t which first was published by Christ and afterward by the instruction of the holy ghost was preached by the Apostles spread abroad throughout the whole world wherby God would haue it to be knowen froÌ„ the doctrine of the olde testament that it should neither bee ingraued in tables of stone nor written with inke and paper That the Apostles were commaÌ„ded by Christ to preach not to write Finally they dispute much of the briefnesse insufficiencie flexiblenesse ambiguitie and
vppon you and ye shall be cleane yea from all your vncleannesse and from all your idolâ— shall I cleanse you a newe hearte also will I geue you and a newe spirite will I put into you as for that stonie hearte I will take it one of your fleshe and geue you a fleshie hearte I will geue my spirite amongst you and cause you to walke in my commaundementes and ye shal keepe my iudgementes and doe them Of the lightening of the minde is this prophesie of Esaie The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lorde euen as the Sea floweth ouer with water Also And they shal be all taught of God Againe this prophesie of Ioel which Saint Peter interpreteth And it shal be in the last daies saith God of my spirite I will powre out vpoÌ„ all flesh your sonnes and your daughters shall prophesie your young men shall see visions and your olde men shall dreame dreames And on my seruants and on my handmaydens I will powre out of my spirite Of the free remission of sinnes Esaie hath reasoned most plainely in his liii chapter And Daniel in his 9. chapter Micheas also in his last chapter Who is such a God as thou saith he that pardonest wickednesse and forgiuest the offences of the remnant of thy heritage He keepeth not his wrath foreuer for his delight is to haue coÌ„passion He shall turne againe and be mercifull to vs he shal put downe our wickednesses cast all our sinnes into the bottome of the sea But what did the holy fathers of the â—lde testament lacke these benifits Not 〈◊〉 For in obeying the commaundements of GOD and in belieuing rightly they did worshippe God purely which thing they did not performe by the strength of â—ree will nor by naturall power For had it not beene that they had Gods lawes promises written in their minde and vnderstanding by the holie Ghost and also a good wil to obey his commaundements through the grace of God they had not bin able to haue done such things Therefore they wanted not the diuine light which lightened them to beleeue obey And their sinnes also were forgeueÌ„ them through Christ Therefore they also enioyed these good thinges Why then did he promise that he woulde geue these thinges in the new League Truely because the father shewed foorth the power of his spirit much more plentifully vnder the kingdom of Christ and poured foorth his mercie vpon men This excellencie is the cause that that small portion of grace which he vouchesafed to bestowe vpon the fathers vnder the lawe is not to be made accompt of Therefore the difference consisted herein onely euen in the largenesse and plainnesse For at that time those giftes were restrained to verie fewe but now are the Gentils also made partakers of them They were in that age somewhat darke and intricate but vnto vs are they made plaine and cleare so that we neede not anie more the olde schoolemaister like instruction Therefore the difference of the olde and newe Testament doeth consiste in this largenesse playnnesse putting away of the olde schoolemaister like instruction and excellent clearnesse of the Gospel and not in that colde and vnsauourie I will not say wicked deuise of not writing the doctrine of the Gospel which these triflers doe feigne For what Hath GOD powred forth in the time of grace so great giftes by the meanes of immediate inspiration from GOD or without anie meanes That may not be By what meanes therefore hath he brought it to passe Euen by the ministerie of the Gospel For by it hath Christ most effectually shewed foorth the force of his spirit hath most clearly made himselfe knowâ—â— to men and hath moste plentifully â—estowed all the treasures of his heaâ—enly riches vpon mankinde So that â—e ministerie of the lawe and of Moses â—e Lawegiuer in comparison of the miâ—isterie of the Gospel may seeme verie â—arraine and drie and as Saint Paule â—earmeth it onely the deade letter destiâ—ute of the liuely iuyce of God his spiâ—ite Wherefore the same Paule when he woulde commende the efficacie of his ministerie alluded to the Prophesie of Ieremie saying Yee are our Epistle written in our heartes vnderstoode and read of all men Forasmuche as yee are manifestly declared that yee are the Epistle of Christ ministred by vs written not with ynke but with the Spirite of the liuing GOD not in stonie tables but in fleshie tables of the heart Here muste wee diligently note that hee calleth them forthwith the Epistle of Christ whom a litle before he called his Epistle moreouer he doth straightway reconcile expouÌ„d those things which at the first sight semed to be coÌ„trarie the one to the other when as he addeth Ministred by vs. It may be called his Epistle in this respect that the holie Ghost seemeth to vse him in the writing thereof as the writer and the penne and it may also be called the Epistle of Christe because he is the authour of the saide writing and endited it to Paul by his spirite and guided the hande and penne of the writer and moreouer ingraued with his finger the healthfull doctrine of the Gospel in the heartes of the Corinthians by the force whereof it is not nowe printed in stonie tables as was the lawe before but in the fleshly tables of the hearte This is therefore to pertaine to the newe Testament saith Augustine to haue the lawe of God written not in tables but in the heartes that is to say to conteine the righteousnesse of the lawe in the inwarde affection where fayth woorketh through loue This is that sweete goodnesse of the hearte euen a niewe creature in Christe This is that pleasaunt goodnesse of the minde euen lightenyng And this happie and â—â—â—ceiued goodnesse doeth not lead vs â—â—y from the Lawe and testimonie to know not what vnsauerie traditions doeth delight in the law of God and â—geth to passe that our will is in the â—we of the Lord and that we exercise 〈◊〉 selues therin day and night although other law striue still in our members â—â—â—inst the lawe of the minde vntill the â—â—wnesse which from day to day is inâ—ased in the inwarde man all oldnesse â—ng chaunged passe away The grace God thorow Iesus Christ our Lorde â—iuering vs from the bodie of this â—ath Moreouer who is he nowe but hee â—y see by the premisses howe iustly the â—rt may bee turned backe vpon our adâ—rsaries which they foolishly and rashâ— wrested forth of the Prophesie of Iereâ—ie The Lorde giueth his lawe into â—â—r heartes and writeth it in our bowels â—ith his finger and bringeth to passe â—at we walke in his statutes and keepe â—s iudgements and doe them he lighteth our mindes with the knowledge of â—â—m he freely forgiueth our sinnes and putteth away our iniquities Therefore let vs sanctifie and glorifie him and turne from these iuglers
which thrust vpon vs a doctrine defiled and corrupted with the deuises of men in steade of the true doctrine of Christ and his Church endeuouring to bring to passe with fires with flames with water with swoorde and with halter more cruelly than euer did Nero or Dioclesian that we shoulde receiue the sayde doctrine as God his woorde because it is approued and confirmed by the Decrees and Councels of men So that wee being become the Disciples and scholers not of Christ the chiefe and heauenly maister but of men shoulde hang not of the authoritie of GOD but of men and worshippe him not after that Religion which was appointed by his owne lawes but after that Religion which mans rashnesse and boldenesse hath deuised and counterfeited With so great Religion forsooth is the fiercenesse of crueltie clothed The Samaritanes being moued by a woman of their owne nation after that they had 〈◊〉 Christ themselues answered that did no longer beleue Christ because â—e womans wordes but because they heard Christ themselues But howe â—h more rightly shal we answere these â—cers of mindes which goe about by â—eanes possible not to leade vs to â—ist as did that woman of Samaria to turne vs from him that wee doe beleeue them but Christ and that â—e doe not for their sake imbrace the â—â—spel but because wee haue hearde â—ist himselfe teache and that wee doe 〈◊〉 therefore approoue and receiue their â—â—cked deuises because they set them â—ale vnder the pretence of the Churche 〈◊〉 Councels but that wee doe conâ—ntly refuse and detest them because â—y are manifestly agaynst GOD 〈◊〉 trueth and because they doe their â—st endeuour to make the authoritie 〈◊〉 GOD subiect to the authoritie of â—n And what madnesse is this in that â—â—ey saye that it was done without the â—ill of GOD that the Apostles and Euangelists write the Gospel when as in the first writing of the newe TestameÌ„t that is to say in the Epistle of the Synod of the Apostles this gorgious flower is expressely read It seemed good to the holy Ghost Paule also witnesseth that all Scripture is geuen by inspiration of god To be briefe Iohn in the Reuelation is coÌ„maunded often to write for the instruction of the Church Yea the Lorde himselfe witnesseth It is not yee that speake but the spirite of your Father he it is which speaketh in you And we place speaking writing both in one degree so that he which said God into all the worlde and preach vnderstoode that the Gospel was also spread abroade by writing forsomuche as writing is plainely contained vnder doctrine To conclude the Catholike Church with one consent doeth witnesse that the bookes of the niewe Testament were written by the instinct of the holie Ghoste Doe these men with whom â–ª so ofte as they liste it is a greate offence to departe euen a little from the consente of the Churche not onelie â—â—â—â—rt from it but are directly contrarie 〈◊〉 it I meane in this place to repeate discusse the most beautifull sentence â—â—enaeus lately cited And this is it â—t is the onely true and liuely fayth â—â—â—ch the Church hath learned of the â—â—ostles and distributed to her chilâ—â—â—n For the Lord of all gaue to his â—â—ostles the power of the Gospel â—row whom we haue also knowne truth that is to say the doctrine of 〈◊〉 sonne of God to whom the Lord 〈◊〉 also he that heareth you heareth 〈◊〉 and he that despiseth you despiâ— me and him that sent me For we â—e not knowne the disposing of our â—ation thorow anie other but thoâ—â—w them by whom the Gospel came â—o vs which then they preached â—d afterward thorow the will of God â—iuered vnto vs in the Scriptures to the foundation and piller of our â—th This sentence of Irenaeus speaâ—h generally of the Scripture of the 〈◊〉 Testament the authoritie perfectiâ—â— and sufficiencie whereof he sheweth 〈◊〉 most strong demonstration That is without controuersie the onely true and liuely faith which the primitiue Church receiued from the Apostles and distributed to her children This faith was in the beginning conceiued of that doctrine which the Apostles receiued from the sonne of god And this doctrine whereof the faith of the primitiue Church sprang did the Apostles deliuer first without writing by liuely voice Afterwarde they put the same doctrine in writing By what aduise Was it by the aduise of man No but by the will of god But did they put the same doctrine in writing Euen the verie same which being receiued from the sonne of God they preached with liuely voyce out of the which onely the Primitiue Church receiued the true and liuely fayth from the Apostles and distributed it to her children Wherevnto tendeth this That these particular Churches onely vnto whom the Epistles of the Apostles were writteÌ„ should vse those writings for theiâ— present necessitie onely Not so Vnto vs say I haue the Apostles deliuered in the Scriptures the selfe same which they â—â—â—ached Remember that the Epiâ—s of the Apostles sayth Augustine 〈◊〉 not written for them onely which â—ard them in the same time when â—â—ey were written but for vs also neiâ—â—er are they recited in the Churche 〈◊〉 anie other purpose And what 〈◊〉 of the sayde Scripture woulde the Aâ—â—stles shoulde bee in the Church Ireâ—us answereth that that which they â—iuered to vs in the Scriptures might â—e in time to come the foundation and â—er of our faith euen of that true and â—ely fayth which the Church receiued the Apostles distributed to her chilâ—â—en Therefore we haue the foundation â—d piller of fayth in the Scriptures â—iche the Apostles by the will of God â—â—ue deliuered to vs Therfore that faith â—â—ich is conceiued proued confirmed â—â—th of any other then of the Scriptures â—iuered by the Apostles is not the true â—ely faith the Apostolike faith the faith the Primitiue Church These things most manifestly firmly agre togither 〈◊〉 Irenaeus his demoÌ„stration Therefore â—e â–ª sheweth for what purpose the Apostles deliuered their doctrine to vs in the scriptures and what they would the end of the sayde scripture should bee in the Church euen that it might be the foundation and piller of our faith which hauâ— not heard the liuely voice of the Apostles For wee will hereafter consider those thinges whiche Irenaeus in the same place reporteth of the accusers of thâ— Scriptures And that yet there wicked vanitiâ— may more plainly appeare which darâ— affirme that it was not done by the commandement of Christ that the Euangelists and Apostles committed certainâ— things to writing I will bring concerning this matter the most cleare witneâ— of Saint Augustine Hee in the firsâ— booke of the consent of the Euangelist the last chapter sayeth thus Through the manhoode which he tooke vpon him hee is the heade of all his Disciples as of the members of his own bodie Therefore when they wrote these
thinges which hee shewed and spake it may not be said that he himselfe did not write because his meÌ„berâ— â—…ote that which they knew the head â—…structing them For whatsoeuer hee â—…ould that we shoulde read touching â—…s deedes and wordes that did hee â—â—mmauÌ„d them to write as his owne â—…ndes Whosoeuer shall vnderstande â—…is fellowship of vnitie and ministerie â—f members agreeing in diuerse offiâ—…s vnder one head he wil none otherwise take that which he shall reade in â—he Gospel by the report of the disciâ—les of Christ then if he had beholden â—he verie hand of the Lorde which he â—are in his own bodie writing it Loe what can be more euident then this witâ—esse of this most holie man Christ wrote in his Disciples inasmuch as â—hey wrote that which hee shewed and â—pake yea and whatsoeuer he would that we should reade of his deedes wordes â—hat did he commaund them to write as â—hough they had beene his owne hands â—o that we ought none otherwise to take â—he report of the Euangelists then if we had beholden the verie hand of the Lord writing it Are not these most vaine men ashamed to scatter cloudes in so cleare weather Marcus Scaurus when he was accused of treason openly before the people of Rome by one Varius sayde thus Varius Sucronensis sayeth that Marcus Aemelius Scaurus hath committed treason agaynst the common wealth Marcus Aemilius Scaurus denieth it whether will you beleeue At this worde the people forthwith stopped the accion Howe much more iustly may I in this controuersie appeale to indifferent iudges and say Irenaeus and Augustine being most ancient and holy fathers yea and the consent of all the Catholike Church d ee affirme that the Apostles and Euangelists haue comprehended in writing the doctrine of Christ by the commaundement and will of the lord The Herinates the Pighicâ— the Peresies the Lindanes the Andradies denie it I pray you whether will you beleeue Let them therefore leaâ—◠〈◊〉 to barke against so cleare truth let them reasse to diminish the holy authoritie of Scripture yea rather let them repeâ—t them of their errour and madnesse The fifth Chapter â—hat all things which concerne faith godlinesse and saluation are fully and sufficiently conteined in Scripture NOw our aduersaries are cast forth of their fortresse by the force of Truth we shal haue more liberty to cope with them in the open field It remaineth â—herefore that wee handle now more at â—arge that which lately we touched in â—ewe woordes that is to say that wee proue that all thinges which concerne â—ayth and godlinesse are fully and absolutely conteyned in the Scripture And God hath giuen so perfect a law that he hath straghtly forbid anie thing to be added therevnto And howe seuerely the Lord hath reuenged this presumption if any thing haue beene added in the rites much more in the doctrine so many most graue sermons of the Prophetes which are the interpreters of the lawe made touching these matters all the holie Histories yea and Christ himselfe doe most euidently witnesse There must be the same iudgement touching the Gospel forsomuch as it is much more excellent then the Lawe Except we should peraduenture thinke that God after hee had sent his Sonne into the worlde had lesse care for his Church or shoulde suppose that the Apostles vsed lesse diligence in that poynt then did the Prophetes Tertullian exclaimeth saying Happie is the Church for whome the Apostles haue powred foorth all the doctrine of GOD euen with their bloud Paule witnesseth that he hath expounded to the Ephesians all the counsell of God touching euerlasting saluation without anie shifting dissimulation Can it bee proued that Paul taught anie thing which he did not write Can it bee denied that the full doctrine of the Gospell is plainely comprehended in his Epistles But least I shoulde bee long I will content my selfe to alledge one but yet a verie plaine sentence of Paule For that being thorowly handled will plainely shewe the perfection and sufficiencie of the Scripture Hee â—â—refore aboute the ende of his life â—â—en as the bookes of the newe Testaâ—â—nt were written and set foorth speaâ—â—th thus to Timothie the Bishoppe â—t continue thou in the thinges â—hich thou hast learned which also â—ere committed vnto thee knowing â—f whome thou hast learned them and that from an infante thou hast â—nowne the Scriptures which are aâ—le to make thee wise vnto saluation â—hrough fayth which is in Christ Ieâ—â—s All Scripture is giuen by inâ—piration of GOD and is profitaâ—le to doctrine to reproue to correcâ—ion to instruction which is in righâ—eousnesse that the man of God may â—e perfect throughly instructed vnto â—ll good woorkes Herevnto agreeth â—he place Rom. 15. Whatsoeuer things haue beene written afore time were written for our learning that we thoâ—ough pacience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope Which two places being weyed it will plainâ—y appeare that the Scripture is in â—ll poyntes most perfect For in them doeth the Apostle comprehende all the vse of holye Scriptures and deuideth it into fiue pointes 1. Doctrine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth the documentes of our Religion as when we intreate of God of Gods prouidence of Predestination of the Iustification and glorification of men of the Lawe of sinne of the Gospel of Fayth of charitie of hope of Christes incarnation of his death and resurrection of the resurrection of all the dead and of such like matters 2. Reprofe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is whereby we reproue and conuince them which do not reason rightly and which commit faultes in gathering their arguments Wherevpon Aristotle instituteth that part of Logike wherein he sheweth the way to discouer the guiles and deceytes of Sophistes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Elenghkes that is to say of Reprofes It is therefore Reproofe whereby the errours of Heretikes of Philosophers or of anie other whiche iudge euill of Religion are vanquished and confuted 3. Instruction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conteineth the teaching of godly life 〈◊〉 the informing of manners as when â—n of all degrees are put in minde of â—ir duetie that euerie man maye haue â— care for that whiche belongeth vnto â—m as when wee teache what is seemeâ— for the ministers of the Church what â—r husbandes what for wiues what â—r children what for maisters what for â—â—ruantes what for riche men what for â—oore men It is also instruction when â—xhortations are made to moue men to â—raye to doe almes deedes to fast to oâ—ey the Magistrate to repent and to â—mbrace all kinde of vertues For those â—hinges which perteine to this place are â—erie large For vnder instructions is â—omprehended all doctrine of vertues â—nd vices is comprehended whatsoâ—uer concerneth the gouernement of a man him selfe of his house of a state â—is comprehended whatsoeuer maye bee referred to the Churche to the common wealth to all kindes of life Admonition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of the same nature as is Instruction whereof 1. Cor. 10. All these things saith Paule hapned vnto them for ensample but they are written for our admonition This doeth perteine to the instruction and amendment of life the which the examples applied by the Apostle and all the course of his speache doeth witnesse For hee sayth that the Fathers which came forth of Egypt were baptized and that they were refreshed with the spirituall meate and drinke as well as wee notwithstanding when they did not keepe them selues from sinnes that they were grieuously punished through God his iustice and vtterly destroyed by death Therefore doeth the Apostle admonishe all Christians by their examples that although they bee baptized and fedde with the spirituall foode of the bodie and bloud of Christ yet may they not esteeme that sufficient to saluation but desire moreouer to liue godly and innocently whiche except they doe that they shall perishe by the example of the old Fathers 4. Correction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is whereby men are reprooued corrected and reformed if anie negligence or faults appeare in their liues maners â—â—erefore by it are men reproued for deâ—â—â—ing the doctrine of religion for hypoâ—â—â—e pride ambition couetousnesse 〈◊〉 such like And by it is also shewed â—e they which haue offended both â—â—ght and may be amended Consolaâ—â—â—n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is whereby their â—ndes are comforted and confirmed â—â—ich either through errour in doctrine through faulte in actions or through â—ne inconuenience either spirituall or â—porall were discomforted and discouâ—â—ged To be briefe doctrine and reâ—â—oofe are occupied in expounding docuâ—entes instruction admonition and corâ—â—ction treate of life and manners vnto â—ose two are referred the chiefe pointes 〈◊〉 fayth and vnto the other two the â—eties of charitie as vnto consolation â—e pertaine properly those things wherâ—y hope is stirred vp The first two conâ—â—ine speculation instruct the inwarde â—an the other two containe action and â—mploy all their labour in instructing the â—utwarde man The two first discerne â—rue doctrine from false when as the one â—onfirmeth the trueth stoutely the other confuteth falshood pithily The two other discerne godly and honest deedes from wicked and dishonest deedes for the one teacheth and persuadeth honest deedes the other sharpely reproueth dishonest deedes and doth labour and indeuour to amende them And these pointes haue I written foorth of the most learned Hyperius touching al the which since the most plentiful fountaine of the scriptures doth yeelde aboundantly most wholesome and sweete preceptes doeth it not largely minister that whereby the whole man as wel the inward as the outwarde may be rightly instructed in faith charitie hope So that Paule did wholesomely admonishe Timothie to take heede to himselfe and vnto doctrine for in doing this he shall both saue himself them that heare him Therefore the Authours lastly cited and Augustine also do teache right wel that those thinges are written by the Euangelistes Apostles which they iudged to be sufficient for the saluation of the beleeuers as well for manners as for doctrine that they shining in right 〈◊〉 in wordes and vertue might come â—e kingdom of heaueÌ„ through Christ 〈◊〉 whome Chrysostome agreeth disâ—ing of the worthinesse of the Scripâ—es Whatsoeuer saith he is requiâ— for saluation the same is fully conâ—ned in the scriptures Also The Gosâ—â— containeth all things both things â—esent and thinges to come honour â—â—dlinesse faith comprehendeth 〈◊〉 things together vnder the name of â—â—dlinesse Athanasius also accordeth â—rein contra gentes The holy scripâ—â—res saith he geuen from God by in â—iration are sufficient for all instructiâ—n of truth I omit many testimonies â—hich I could alledge here foorth of the â—oly fathers which geue in plaine witâ—es of the perfectioÌ„ fulnes sufficiency â—f the Scripture I doe therefore conâ—lude that all things which concerne the perfection of the man of God are plentiâ—ully contained in the Scripture So that Paule did moste wisely admonishe the Euangelicall pastour that it behoued him to bee wise foorth of the written woorde of GOD onelie wherein are perfectly sette foorth whatsoeuer to pertaine as well to the knowledge establishing of true doctrines and to the ouerthrowing of false doctrines as also to the correcting of euill manners and instructing of good manners Therefore do the aduersaries wrongfully complaine of the straitnesse and imperfection of the Scripture and they doe also vainly contende that all thinges which concerne faith are not contained in the bookes of holie Scripture As by these thinges which followe more plainely shall appeare The vi Chapter That the Scripture was geuen by inspiration to correct euill manners and to confute heresies That foorth of it onelie controuersies must be iudged And that it is neither darke nor doubtful BAsill Archbishoppe of Caesaria in Cappadocia in the beginning of his Homilie vppon the first Psalme sayâ—â—â— All the Scripture being geuen 〈◊〉 God by inspiration and proâ—â—ble is constantly receiued as it is â—â—ten by the holie Ghost for this â—â—ose onelie that euerie one might â—ose foorth of it as foorth of a cerâ—â—e common shoppe for the curing â—oules a medicine healthful and fitt â—his disease Well and wisely said Baâ— forsomuch as all thinges which perâ—â—e to the instruction of true godlinesse 〈◊〉 the framing of our life are fully comâ—â—hended and set forth in the Scripture doeth appeare by those things which â— haue alreadie spoken Scripture is â—e to make the man of God wise vnto â—â—uation through faith which is in â—â—rist Iesus which was therefore giuen 〈◊〉 inspiration of God that foorth of it a and onelie foorth it true doctrine â—â—ght be confirmed and false doctrine â—nfuted and good manners might bee â—ught and euill manners reformed â—s Chrysostome teacheth most finely 〈◊〉 his first Homilie vppon Matthewe It â—ad bene meet saith he that we should â—ot neede the helpe of writinges but that wee shoulde leade so pure a life in all thinges that wee mighte vse the grace of the spirit in steed of bookes But because wee haue put this grace from vs let vs at the leaste sette our mindes on the seconde remedie Euen so God spake to the Patriarches not by writinges but by himselfe because he founde their heartes naked But after that all the people of the Iewes were fallen into the sinke of sinnes then were writinges necessarily geuen and the tables and that admonition which is geuen by them And wee doe vnderstande playnely that this did not onely happen to the holie men of the olde Testament but also of the newe For neither did Christe deliuer anie thing in writing to his Apostles but promised to geue theÌ„ the grace of the holie Ghost in steede of writinges And that this was muche better for them Hieremie chapter 31. and Paule 2. Cor. 3. doe witnesse But because in processe of time some erred
at the last shewe it selfe againe Nowe since Augustine teacheth that in those things which are plainly sette forth in Scriptures may bee founde all things that conteine faith and maners of liuing that is to say hope charitie â—hat wickednesse is it to accuse the â—cripture of darkenesse Hee did not 〈◊〉 which sayde Thy worde is a Lanâ—erne vnto my feete and a light vnto â—ny pathes Also The Testimonie of â—he Lorde is sure and giueth wisdome â—o the simple Againe I haue more â—nderstanding than my teachers for â—hy testimonies are my studie I am â—iser than the aged because I keepe â—hy commandements Also Peter sayâ—th We haue also a right sure worde â—f prophesie wherevnto if you take â—eede as vnto a light that shineth in â— darke place ye do well vntill the day â—awne and the day starre arise in your â—eartes And will they call the Scripâ—ures so obscure intricate and harde wherevnto Peter ascribeth clearenesse â—s vnto those which are able to guide vs â—ertainly that we go not out of the way â—o not in the greatest darkenesse in the worlde For that Gospel which the Lord commanded to be preached to eueâ—ie creature hath hee also promised to make knowne to euerie creature if one will aske it Therefore those thinges which concerne saluation are so aptly plainly and abundantly proposed expouÌ„ded and repeated in the Scriptures euerie where that for the vnderstanding thereof the onely declaration of the Euangelistes and continuall reading of the rest of the bookes of Scripture may suffice a minde lightened with the light of fayth without the which no poynt of Religion can bee soundely vnderstoode and willing to obey god Whiche two namely fayth and her companion the studie of obedience are verie necessarie for the right vnderstanding of those thinges whiche belong to Christ as these woordes of the Lord doe well shewe My doctrine is not mine but his that sent mee If anie will doe his will hee shall knowe of the doctrine whether it be of GOD or whether I speake of my selfe Also Howe can yee beleeue whiche receiue honour one of another and seeke not the honour that commeth of God only If our Gospel be hid it is hidde in them that are lost In whom the God of this world hath blinded the mindes â—f them which beleeue not least the â—ight of the Gospel of the glorie of Christ should shine vnto them 2. Cor. â— In deed I do confesse that euery one â—an not easily aptly expound the scripâ—ures and I will that the consente of Churches haue their place in determiâ—ing and ending the questions of fayth â—ut yet so that it be not disioyned froÌ„ the Scripture without the which the authoritie of the church hath litle streÌ„gth And â—orsomuch as all points of religion must â—e tried proued by the testimonies of â—cripture as lately we haue declared it must necessarily follow that among all things which concerne religion the said testimonies are most certaine cleare HerevpoÌ„ it resteth that the holy fathers coÌ„mend the scripture vnto vs because of â—he light the clearnes the certaintie the plainnes therof so farre off are they from complaining that it is vncertaine intricate hard apt to be applied both the ways Very wel said August When disputatioÌ„â—s had of an obscure matter if the certaine and cleare instructions of holie Scriptures doe not further the cause man his presumption ought to stay it selfe doing nothing by declining to either part What place I beseech you shall this sentence haue if God his truth haue not firme and constant certaintie in the Scriptures yea and such certaintie as cannot be battered with any engines Therefore doeth he afterward conclude that he doeth beleeue that nothing is necessarie to be knowen for saluatioÌ„ which hath not most cleare proofe in the scriptures We will yet adde herevnto a few testimonies concerning the plainnesse and easinesse of the Scripture Cyrillus contra Iulianum libro septimo answering this obiection That the Scripture hath a base and common stile and manner of speaking saieth That the thinges therein contayned might bee knowen to all little great they are profitably vttered in familiar speach so that they should not passe the capacitie of anie Vnto the which saying Lactantius agreeth who saith What cannot God the framer of the minde and of the voice and of the tongue speake eloquently nay rather his will was of his singuler prouidence that those thinges which be diuine shoulde want painted and fine speach that all might vnderstande what he spake to all And Basilius in Hexameron Homil 3. saith The doctrine of the truth is common in speache but stable and firme in knowledge Chrysostomus Homil. 1. in Iohannem speaking of the Gospel written by saint Iohn saith His doctrine is clearer than the Sunne and plainer And Ambrose sayeth Paule in most points doth expound himselfe in his owne words that he which intreateth of him can finde nothing of his owne which hee may adde or if hee would say anie thing he shal rather vse the place of a Grammarian than of a disputer I cease to recite more testimonies touching the plainenesse and easinesse of the scriptures for what needeth it Truely it is an horrible blasphemie to say that the holy ghost hath so doubtfully set forth this his doctrine which is the onely and true wisdome vnderstanding of the church that it must bee expounded by man his wisdome and left it so obscure that it must bee made plaine by man his cunning This is no lesse absurde then if a man shoulde goe aboute to mende the brightnesse of the Sunne by lighting of Torches Yea holy scripture of it selfe being set foorth of the perfectest doctour of all were able to make a man wise vnto saluation as Paule preacheth But that I may at the last come to the conclusion Forsomuch as all doctrines of Religion are to bee examined and determined by the iudgement of Scripture all questions of faith are to be defined by the same and all poyntes of Religion are to bee tried and proued by the testimonies thereof Truely it cannot bee doubted that the authoritie of the vniuersall Church doeth stand and depende chiefly of the oracles and authoritie of holie Scripture and that the testimonies of GOD his woorde are especiallie to be required in all things which are set foorth in the name and authoritie of the Church The .vij. Chapter Wherevpon the Scripture is called canonicall Also testimonies of the Fathers touching the most excellent authoritie thereof THe name of Canonicall Scripture is of great râ—nowne which wel proueth and confirmeth whatsoeuer we haue hitherto spoken of the authoritie perfection and sufficiâ—ncie thereof Aristotle disputing in his Politikes whether it be better to gouerne a common wealth according to the lawes written or according to the will of the gouernours vseth the woorde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Therefore as the
law written is the canon and rule of politike iudgements euen so is the scripture called Canonicall That is to say rule-like because it is the certaine and infallible canon and rule of fayth And the naming of it so is taken forth of the Scripture it selfe In the 19. Psal. Their sound is gone out into all landes Here the Septuaginte interpreted it by the Greeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the Hebrue worde Kau signifieth a corde a rule a line To the Galathians the 6. And as manie as walke according to this rule in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Peace be on theÌ„ and mercie To the Philippians the 3. Let vs proceede by one rule in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â–ª And wisely doeth Paule warne vs to walke according to this rule for such is the lightnesse and inconstancie of men on the one side and their boldnes and desire of innouation change on the other side that they would oftentimes desire a new forme of religion were it not that they are inclosed within certaine boundes of doctrine as it were within certaine hedges And therefore is the Scripture called Canonicall because the Church maye vse it as a Canon that is to saye as a squire and rule and as a perfecte touchestone whereby euerie kinde of doctrine which is proposed to the Church may bee exactly tried From the which meaning Cyprian doth not dissent whose wordes are these Christian religion hath found that the â—ules of all doctrines flowe out of this â—cripture and that hence springeth â—ither returneth whatsoeuer Ecclesiâ—stical discipline conteineth The same Cyprian in the exposition of the Creede â—fter that he had rehearsed the canonicall â—ookes added These are they which the â—athers placed within the canon forth of the whiche they woulde that the â—roofes of our fayth shoulde be made â—nowen Also forth of these fountains of God his word must the cuppes be filled And Irenaeus sayeth that the verie selfe â—ame Gospel which the Apostles deliueâ—ed vnto vs by the will of God in the Scriptures is the foundation and piller â—f our fayth And Augustine teacheth â—hat the canonicall Scripture is the â—oundation of our fayth when as hee â—ayeth The Citie of GOD hath beâ—eeued the holie Scriptures the olde â—nd the newe which we cal canonical â—rom the which faith is receiued by the which the iust liueth throgh the which we walke without doubting so long â—s we are pilgrimes from God. Also He euen the sonne of God hauing spoken first by the Prophets then by himselfe afterwarde by the Apostles so much as he iudged sufficient ordeined also the scripture which is called Canonical being of most excellent authoritie which we credite in things wherin we may not be ignorant and yet of our selues are not able to attain the knowledge thereof Again in an other place The Canonicall authoritie of the olde and newe Testament confirmed in the Apostles time by the successions of Bishops and increasing of Churches is placed as it were aloft in a certain seat wherevnto euerie faythfull and godly vnderstanding should submit it selfe Therefore forsomuch as God hath established the Scripture to bee the foundation piller and rule of fayth and hath therefore placed it in a seate of most excellent authoritie and hath aduaunced it as the iudgement of the holie Ghost except we will bee dispitefull against God himselfe we must needes confesse that it is so perfect in euery point that there mâ—â—y neither be added to it nor taken from it without doing of iniury to the holy ghost The rule and the squire saith Basil forsomuch as in them is no want to retaine their name admit no addition For addition agreeth therevnto wherin there is a defect and these thinges which bee vnperfect shall neuer bee rightly called by the name of a squire or rule And Theophilacte also sayeth A rule and a squire can neither abide to haue any thing put vnto them nor taken from them Therefore in the iudgement of Basil and Theophilacte either the Scripture shal be perfect and full or else not to be iudged worthie the name of Canonicall Yea and the scripture is the canon the rule and the squire wherby the holy fathers woulde haue all doctrines proued all questions of faith defined Neither haue they iudged any decrees or writings either of couÌ„cels or of men although learned holy to be receiued by their owne authoritie This honour haue they yeelded to the canonicall scripture only that they iudged al things with the scripture hath set forth vnto vs to be receiued simply without reasoning eueÌ„ because they are so written haue appointed the decrees and ordinances of all other men to be referred to the Scripture of God forth of it to be discerned as by their owne testimonies wee will forthwith more at large declare Therefore doe wee worthily reuerence the fulnesse and the authoritie of the Scripture whiche is as it were the highest lawe and as the Lawyers in their pleadings tearme it the definitiue sentence wherewith all men must content them selues The .viij. Chapter That the authoritie of the Canonicall Scripture is more excellent than the Councels the Fathers yea then the decrees and ordinances of all men AVgustine against the epistle which they call Fundament sayth Those thinges which are defined in holye scripture are preferred before al other things And that of right because the catholike Church of Christ that is to say the vniuersall Churche doeth acknowledge no booke as her owne wherein â—hee doeth certainely propose vnto the â—onnes of GOD the traditions of Christ â—nd of the Apostles but onely the Caâ—onicall Scripture All other writings â—re none otherwise receiued by the Churche of GOD then so farre foorth â—o be of authoritie in the Churches â—nd among all Christians as the auâ—hours of them shall bee able to perâ—wade foorth of holie Scripture and â—y probable reasons And those things â—re probable whiche like excellente men and the brightnesse of woorthie â—ames pearseth the vnderstanding that â—hey seeme good but those thinges â—nelie are esteemed certayne and approâ—ed in the Churche of Christe which â—re plainely and vndoubtedly concluâ—ed foorth of the Scripture The Scripâ—ure is as it were the Queene of all CouÌ„â—els of all Churches of all writers Neiâ—her haue the holie Fathers iudged anie â—hing more woorthie credite in the Churche than the Scriptures yea and whomsoeuer they tooke in hande to instructe in religion them did they alwayes sende after the example of Christ himselfe and of the Apostles to the lawe and to the writinges of the Prophetes and of the Apostles And to this meaning serue manie godlie sayinges of the Fathers whereof wee will noate some Augustine in his seconde booke and third Chapter touching Baptisme agaynst the Donatistes saith Who knoweth not that the holy canonicall Scripture as well of the old as the new Testament is contayned within her
is necessarie for vs to folowe the holie scriptures and in nothing to depart from their determination Ambrose de officiis lib. 1. saith We may vse as we will those things which we finde not in holy scripture In the commentaries vpon the 86. Psalme which are set foorth in Hierom his name wee reade these wordes The Lorde shall rehearse it in the scripture of his people and of the Princes which were in her Howe shall the Lorde rehearse it Not by woorde but by writing By whose writing By the writing of his people that is to say by the holy scripture which is read to all people that is that all may vnderstande it Plato wrote not to the people but to a few for scantly three men vnderstand him But these that is to say the princes of Christ wrote not for a few but for all the people not that a few might vnderstande but that all might vnderstande And he sayth by the writing of his Princes that is to say of the Apostles and of the Euangelistes of them which were in her See what he sayth which were not which are that the Apostles onely excepted what thing else soeuer shall be sayde afterward might be cut off and not haue authoritie Therefore although any one be holy after the Apostles although he be eloquent let him not haue authoritie Because the Lorde rehearseth it in the Scripture of his people and of the Princes which were in her Cyrill or whether it be Origen in Leuiticum cap. 5. sayeth If thou canst not finishe all the flesh of the sacrifice the second day thou shalte eate none of it the thirde day c. I saith he doe suppose that by this space of two dayes may be vnderstanded the two Testamentes wherein euerie woorde which pertayneth to GOD may be sought for and discussed and all knowledge of thinges may be learned foorth of them And if there be any thing ouer the which holy Scripture cannot determine that none other thirde Scripture ought to be brought in for authoritie of the knowledge I coulde bring more suche like sayinges foorth of the Fathers but I trust I haue throughly satisfied the indifferent Reader with these Therefore all the sayinges and writinges of men whatsoeuer they be are to bee examined and tried by the lawe and by the Prophetes and by the Apostles writinges as in the moste certayne balaunce and so haue the moste holie Fathers iudged one and all For greater is the authoritie of Canonicall Scripture then of anie man of anie Byshoppes of anie Synode yea or of all the Churche Neither can the authoritie of the vniuersall church although it be gathered together whollye into one place foorth of all her members which euer were or be or in yeares to come shall bee deserue creâ—ite in anie thing without the testimonies of Scripture So that Panormitane sayde neither foolishely nor falsely More credit is to be yeelded to one Laie man alledging the scriptures then to a general Councell representing the vniuersall Church if it bring no scriptures vnto whom Iohn Gerson agreeth when as he saith That the consent and voice of one learned man alleadging the scripture fittly is to be preferred before a generall Councell And it is prooued by the example of the Nicen Synode which had receiued the superstitious law of the single life of priestes had not Paphnutius onelie withstoode it Therefore if the disputations of the Fathers or their sentences or their expositions of the Scriptures doe disagree with the Canonicall Scripture and rule of fayth there is no cause why any shoulde obiecte their authoritie vnto vs For if the conteÌ„tion be touching learning holinesse and auncientnes the Prophets and the Apostles of Christ be more learned more holie and more auncient Neither is there anie cause why anie shoulde obiect vnto vs the consent of many Churches in this or that opinion For the consent of Christ of the Prophetes of the Apostles yea and of the Patriarches in sincere religion and in the holy sense of religion reuealed manifestly to vs by the Scriptures is more to bee esteemed from whose godly and religious iudgement wee must neuer departe But if anie reckon vp manie and whole kingdomes whiche haue beene of this or that opinion wee oppose against him the laboures of Paule one holie Apostle who filled the greatest partes of the worlde with the simple sense of the Gospel euen from Hierusalem and the coastes rounde aboute vnto Illiricum And forsomuch as by Augustine his authoritie generall Councels must be sometime corrected by the later and those assemblies which are to bee corrected muste needes bee in errour it followeth that all the authoritie of the Churche and of Councels stayeth it selfe by the Canonicall Scripture vnto the which onelie GOD his will is that this happines is peculiar that in it there is none errour The ix Chapter That the Canonicall Scripture hath the chiefe perfection of her authoritie from the holie Ghoste and of herselfe And contrarily that the Churche receiueth her authoritie from the Scripture HEtherto we haue yeelded many reasons for the most excellent authoritie of the Canonicall Scripture Nowe the question is from whence the scripture hath or receiueth this most excellent and perfecte authoritie or by whom the Canon was made whervnto the Canonical bookes pertayne The Papistes saie that the Scripture hath her authoritie from the Churche and that therefore the authoritie of the Churche is greater then the authoritie of the Scriptures As though the worde of GOD which endureth for euer were subiecte to mens decrees or as though GOD his truth shoulde intreate men to authorize it It is not so The woorde of GOD is of it selfe moste sure and needeth not the propping vppe of men but holdeth vp all thinges Heauen and earth shall passe away but my wordes shall in no wise passe away The Scripture receiueth her strength or authoritie chiefely from GOD from whom it was reueiled that is to say that it came not by the will of men but that the men of GOD beyng mooued by the holie Ghoste both spake and wrote whom beeyng chosen and elected for this office GOD adorned with manye and sundrie myracles and diuine testimonies So that there is no doubte at all but that those thinges were geuen from GOD by inspiration whiche they wrote and sette downe And the selfe same spirite which hath caused these thinges to bee written assureth vs that they are not the inuentions of men And when the spirite of GOD doeth herein witnesse to our spirit seale vp the Scripture in our heartes the faythfull soule doeth marueilously reioyce and is greatly confirmed Therefore we being illuminated by the vertue of the spirit doe not nowe beleeue either through our own iudgement or through the iudgement of other that the Scripture is of God but doe most certainlie perswade our selues aboue mans iudgement none otherwise then if wee
of the auncient fathers haue done also as of the Greekes Melito Origines and Eusebius Bishop of Caesaria and of the Latines Cyprian Bishop and Martyr and Hierome Priest But long before their iudgement the bookes of holie Scripture had diuine authoritie among christians which they would haue had although Councels had neuer bene celebrated Notwithstanding the holy men of God thought good to giue foorth their senteÌ„ce also against theÌ„ which were wickedly beÌ„t against the canonical bokes If the Church were able to bring to passe that the Scripture might be receiued certainly she would haue perswaded long before this time Epicures Talmudikes and Mahometistes to haue receiued it For the authoritie of the Gospel doeth not hang on the Church but what authoritie soeuer the Church hath it hangeth wholy on the worde of god And if the authoritie of God his woorde decay the authoritie of the Church must needes decay with it For if thou demaunde of them howe they proue the authoritie of the Church or howe they bee certaine that it erreth not in the vnderstanding of holy Scriptures and in discerning them from others They will say because it is gouerned by the holie Ghost And if thou saye And howe knowe you this They will answere because Christ hath promised that he will bee with the Church vnto the ende of the worlde And because he hath sayde also Where twoo or three are gathered in my name there am I in the middest of them And I will sende the comforter vnto you and hee will leade you into all trueth These are the thinges say they which perswade the authoritie of the Church But whence take you these thinges good men but foorth of holie Scripture Wherefore we must rather conclude that the Churche hath her authoritie from the Scripture Therefore as no man deemeth but the testimonie of the Church is greatlye to bee weyed aboute the woorde of GOD so euerie man well seeth that the authoritie of the Church is of greate renowme therefore because it is sette foorth by the cleare light of God his worde The .xi. Chapter Howe vngodly and wicked it is to preache without the warrant of holie Scripture BY those things which we haue saide of the worthinesse of the scriptures it is manifest that that doctrine whiche the Prophetes and Apostles haue deliuered to vs in writing is the foundation of our faith Wherefore the Ministers of the Churche and Preachers ought to learne hereby what they shoulde preach euen the worde of God onely set forth in the Scripture and not mens traditions although they presume to say they bee God his worde which by no meanes they can proue because they be vncertaine contrarie one to an other sometime abolished and sometime newly deuised which by no meanes can agree to the worde of god Neither be there any Apostolike Churches wherin the traditions of the Apostles be sincerely kept But wee will speake of traditions more at large in place conuenient Moreouer Christ his sheepe are not quiet vntill they heare the certaine voice of their shepheard And the minde desiring to liue to God is not certaine vntill it vnderstande those things which it heareth to bee grounded vppon this firste principle of Diuinitie Thus sayeth the Lorde Christ his spouse can not be quiet in minde vntill she may say I heare the voice of my beloued Nowe his voice according to the common rule of God his disposition towards vs doeth not sounde any where more cerâ—ainely vnto vs then forth of holie Scripâ—ure Well saide Chrysostome If anie â—hing be spoken without Scripture the â—hought of the hearers halteth But wheÌ„n the Testimonie of God his voice â—s come forth of the scriptures it conâ—irmeth both the speache of the speaker and the minde of the hearer And Esaie hauing admonished the people to â—eeke after none but God onelie addeth â—he meanes also saying Get thee to the â—awe and testimonie Wherefore well â—ayde Augustine Let our bookes be â—aken away from among vs and let God his booke be brought foorth among vs Heare Christe telling â—eare the trueth speaking Hee sayâ—th also in an other place Read vs this â—oorth of the lawe foorth of the Prophetes foorth of the Psalmes foorth of the Gospell reade it foorth of the Apostles writings and we will beleeue â—t Againe Vrge them to shewe some manifest testimonies foorth of the Canonicall bookes Remember that this is the saying of the Lorde They haue Moses and the Prophetes let them heare them If an Angel from heauen preach any other Gospel Paul coÌ„mauÌ„deth that he be accounted accursed Now if the Angels ought also to be in subiection to God his worde to obey it then are they worthely brought into this order that if they doe otherwise They are iudged Deuils And although that cannot come to passe yet such is the maiestie of the Gospel that to sette foorth the dignitie thereof it is not vnlawfull after a sorte to abuse the name dignitie of Angels Wherfore their wicked and cursed rashenesse which presume to preach in the church of GOD beside the Scripture is as it were stoned to death with the most graue sentences of most holy fathers Let vs therefore recite some testimonies of the Fathers Tertullian against Hermogenes sayeth I reuerence the fulnesse of scripture Let Hermogenes his shoppe shewe that it is written If it be not written let him feare the curse pronounced against them which adde and take away from GOD his worde Saint Augustine likewise against Petilian his letters in his thirde booke and sixth Chapter hath these woordes If anie I will not say if wee but which Paule added If an Angel from heauen shall preache either of Christ or of his Churche or of anie other thing whiche pertayneth to faith or to the leading of our life otherwise then you haue receyued in the holie Scriptures of the lawe and of the Gospel Let him bee accursed Wherevnto agreeth that also whiche hee writeth in an other place saying Let him whiche preacheth any other Gospel bee accursed or let him reade it mee in the holie Scriptures and not be accursed He saith also in his treatise of Pastoures Christ hath appointed the mouÌ„taines of Israel the authours of the holie scriptures Feede there that you may feede safely Whatsoeuer you heare thence let that sauour well vnto you whatsoeuer you heare not thence refuse that you wander not in a cloude gather your selues to the meaning of the scripture There be the dainties of your heart There is nothing venemous nothing from the purpose There be onely the most fuitful pastures Also in his boke of the goodnesse of widowehood in the first Chapter he saieth What shoulde I teach thee more then that which we reade in the Apostle For the holy Scripture fashioneth the rule of our doctrine least we shoulde presume to be wiser than wee ought Therefore let it be to
foorth of Augustine and Chrysostome wee haue declared What saye you to this that the same Christ the Lorde will hereby chiefly haue his disciples and so consequently and vndoubtedly his church also knowen and esteemed if they keepe his sayings faythfully and obserue them And doeth plainly witnesse that they are cast off which will not keepe his doctrine and followe it As for this power aboue the Scriptures which these felowes claime vnto themselues by their subtile Sophistrie the auncient Fathers neuer knewe nor sought as lately we haue shewed Constantine the Emperour commaunded the Fathers when as they were assembled in the Nicene Councell that they should define the controuersie of the one and selfe same substaunce of the father and the sonne foorth of the Propheticall and Apostolicall Scriptures And yet none withstoode him there saying that the Churche ought to discusse the controuersie by her owne absolute authoritie because shee was not subiect to the Scriptures but had them rather in subiection vnto her Neither did they complaine that the Emperour did anie whitte at all debase the Churche when as hee made her subiect to the rule of the Scriptures And how will these men bring the Scriptures in subiection to the authoritie iudgement and censure of the Church seeing Christ our Lorde doeth not saye that the Churche is iudge of his Doctrine but pronounceth rather that his doctrine shall be iudged of all mankinde in generall And thus maye wee vnderstand that Christe is not to bee iudged by men with what title soeuer or prerogatiue they bee adorned but all mankinde to bee iudged by him according to the Doctrine of his worde The .xix. Chapter Of the saying of Paule The Church is the piller and ground of the trueth THey say that the Church is the piller and ground of truth and that it can not erre The Apostle speaketh not of the Church of anie one time or place but of the Catholike Church of al times and places which also conteineth the Prophets and all the Apostles with all their doctrine and Christ the Lorde himselfe as the chiefe and euerlasting heade and therefore her onely head This Church is the piller and grounde woorke of the trueth of the Prophetes and Apostles doctrine VVherefore we also following Augustine doe confesse that we are mooued by the testimonie of this Churche which also before wee sayde rather to beleeue the Gospel then the Popes and their Decrees and all their Councels But the Church of anie one time or place especially after the Apostles is not the piller and grounde of the trueth but so farre foorth as shee hath the word of God with her preacheth it reteineth it conserueth it and not because she strengthneth it being weak or maketh it to be of authoritie being vnconstant much lesse because she vsurpeth vnto her self a censours rod ouer it or setteth downe any thing concerning it after her owne iudgement Therefore as she speaketh foorth of God his worde she erreth not neither can she erre but either speaking or doing without it she not only can erre but doth erre But these men whilst they cloke their tyranny with the beautifull title of the Church faine vnto vs a Churche which although it ordeine any thing beside or against God his worde yet erreth not And therefore would they that shee should rather be beleeued then the worde of god But whilst they stay them selues vpon this opinion they differ as much as may be from the olde fathers and from the consent of the Catholike Church For the fathers in their councels did alwayes confirme their decrees by the testimonyes of Scripture And although they yeelded no small honour to councels yet â—n the greatest controuersies they did not â—o much appeale vnto councels as to God â—is oracles which are the Scriptures Heereof Augustine is witnesse which would not that the authoritie of the councell And this which Hilarie wrote long agoe may much more truely be applyed to our times For the greeuous and perilous errour in many and the fall of many although it doe vnderstande it selfe yet through shame to rise presumeth authoritie to it selfe hauing this impudencie of the number that wheras it erreth it would haue it esteemed wisedome and where as it erreth with many it affirmeth it to bee the vnderderstanding of the trueth whilest lesse errour is supposed to be in the trueth The xx Chapter Of the saying of Paule Brethren stand fast and holde the ordinaunces which ye haue beene taught whether it bee by our preaching or by our Epistle I Had almoste passed ouer the place of Paule whiche the defendours of superstitions obiect vnto vs as a moste strong and an vnanswearable argument And it is thus 2. Thes 2. vers 15. Therfore brethren stand fast and holde the ordinaunces which yee haue beene taught whether it be by our preaching or by our Epistle By this place it is manifest say they that all things which are necessarily to be holden are not comprehended in the writinges of the Apostles but that those thinges also which beeing deliuered by the Apostles with liuely voice are come vnto vs by traditions are to bee receiued with like reuerence and affection of godlines But when as they can not prooue that those traditions which they defende bee Paules they are woorthy to be laughed at and very foolish whilst they will holde vp their stinking piller of their superstitions by the testimonie of the Apostles And when Paule wrote this Epistle the Canon of the Scripture of the newe Testament was not yet made Which when it was once made by the authoritie of the holy Goost as we haue lately taught after the making thereof we make men the authours of thinges to bee beleeued not without the great reproche of the same spirit Wherfore in this matter we must consider with great heede that which Paule wrote aboute the ende of his life concerning the sufficiencie of the Scriptures when as hee sayth All Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God is profitable to doctrine to reproue to correction to instruction which is in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect instructed to all good woorkes For if the Scripture make the man of God instructed perfecte and throughlye furnished to euerye good work than doth it not leaue him to be instructed to be made perfect and to bee thorowly furnished by traditions in any good worke Wherefore so ofte as they bring in a worke which they contend to be good or any thing necessary to be beleeued which can not be proued foorth of the holy Scriptures I had rather say that that which they bring in is not good or profitable then to pronounce otherwise of the moste excellent authoritie of the Scripture than the Apostle hath appointed concerning the same What saye you to this moreouer that the doctrine which the Apostles taught whether it were by preaching or by Epistle was not contrary not
diuerse not an other but one and the selfe same For although they wrote not all thinges yet had they an especial care that what they deliuered by tradition might bee manifestly inferred foorth of those thinges which were written by them selues or in other holy Bookes of Scripture Otherwise diuers superstitions might be bragged off euery where as receiued from ancient time as deliuered by the Apostles which can be knowen by none other meanes but because they are not agreeable to the Scriptures whereby as by a rule and squire all traditions constitutions and rites ought to be examined and tried because the Churche doeth not binde the consciences of the faithful vnto her constitutions but onely so farre foorth as they doe agree with the commaundements of our Lord Iesus Christ For she knoweth that it is written Thou haste charged that we shall diligently keepe thy commaundements The xxi Chapter That the doctrine which the Apostles taught by liuely voice which they deliuered in writing is all one that this is the fourme of the traditions of the Apostles if they agree with the holy Scriptures WWhereas I haue boldely affirmed that it is one and the selfe same doctrine which the Apostles taught whether it were by liuely voice or by Epistles it may bee proued both foorth of the holy Scriptures and by the testimonies of the Fathers and is also manifest by the consent of the Church It is a tradition of Paule that a woman haue her head couered in the Church and that Christians which are poore laboure with their handes and liue not idlely But whereas he professeth these traditions to be his owne doeth he propose them nakedly and simply to the Churches both without proofe and iudgment onelie vnder this title he wil haue them receiued bycause they be the traditions of the Apostles Not so but he goeth about to approue and confirme them by effectuall reasons yea and by proofes drawen forth of the Scripture and giueth the Church leaue to iudge of them The same Apostle writeth also in an other place that all things be doone honestly and in order We haue therefore the forme of the traditions of the Apostles foorth of these Namely if they agree with the holye Scriptures if they be confirmed by substanciall reason by aptnesse of edifying by the example of Churches by comlines and order And we also ought to examine the traditions of the Church by the very same proofes But now a dayes when as testimonie forth of the holy Scriptures is required touching any thing or when a reason should be yeelded concerning abuses and superstitions Antichristes haue alwayes in their mouth It is a tradition you may not inquire of it But the traditions which are proposed vnto vs are to be examined by the rule of God his word neither would Paule that they should otherwise be beleeued And let our aduersaries doe this also if they woulde haue their traditions to take place And it is the consent of the Catholike church that the Apostles did not deliuer to the Church such things as are straunge and disagreable to those thinges which are contained in the Canonicall Scripture Cōcerning the which thing I wil allege some moste euident testimonyes of certaine olde writers Irenaeus declareth that the very same Gospel which the Apostles preached with liuely voice they did afterwarde deliuer vnto the Church in the Scriptures by the will of God that this written Gospell might be the ground and piller of our faith euen of that true liuely faith which the Church learned of the Apostles and distributed to the children Therefore the Apostles taught nothing by liuely voice contrarie to those things which they haue comprehended in the Scripture of the new Testament The saying of the same Irenaeus in Eusebius is worthy memory where he sheweth that Polycarpe preached those thinges which he had learned of them who had seene the woorde of life themselues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to saye all agreable to the Scriptures This surely is a golden saying of Irenaeus which also declareth certaine sentences of olde writers touching traditions and doeth fully agree with that fourme of traditions whiche wee haue taught foorth of Paule The Apostles taught many things with liuely voice Apostolike men receaued them beeing so taught which afterwarde they deliuered ouer againe to their disciples but Irenaeus saith that those thinges were all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 agreable to the Scriptures Therefore by the testimony of Irenaeus the Apostles deliuered nothing to the church by liuely voice which might dissent frō the Scriptures Wherfore if the Papists wold haue vs to receaue and reuerence as Apostolike the traditions which they haue vndertaken to defend let thē shewe their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 agreablenesse with the Canonicall Scripture And if they can not shew this let thē with shame acknowledge their vanitie For no traditions are to be esteemed necessarie for saluation which are not proued firmly and strongly forth of the scripture For Tertullian saith We haue no neede of curiositie after Christ nor of inquisition after the Gospel When we beleeue we desire nothing beyond our beliefe For this wee beleeue first that there is nothing which we ought to beleue more Wel saith Ierom the sword of God which is the liuely worde of God striketh those things which men of their owne accorde finde forth and faine as it were by the tradition of the Apostles without the authoritie testimonies of the scriptures And Augustine pronounceth a curse against all Angels and men which shall preach vnto vs any thinge either of Christe or of his Church or of any other thing which pertaineth vnto faith or to our life besides that which we haue receiued in the scriptures of the lawe and of the Gospel We alleged lately more testimonyes of the Fathers which the diligent Reader may consider in their place VVe haue therefore by the tradition of the Apostles preached none other Gospell then that whiche is contained in the canonicall Scripture and that by the saide Scripture wee may iudge which be the traditions of the Apostles If our aduersaries did reuerence the consent of the Church with al their heart as in woordes they take vppon them would they dispise it at their pleasure with such impudencie They brag of their tradition vnto the Churche as though they came from the Apostles which euen by their own witnesse can be proued by no Scriptures Are they so senselesse and blockishe that they vnderstand not what the Catholike consent doth pronounce touching them Wee lastely heard that such like traditions are to be stroken with the sword of God his worde and that the preachers thereof are subiect to the curse and to be sente into the tentes of Heretikes O foolishe and miserable louers of darkenesse O blasphemous corrupters of the Scriptures when will you waxe wise when will you acknowledge your errour when
will you examine your doctrines and traditions by the Touchstone of the Scripture Are you so mad and blinde that you wil neuer confesse and reuerence with the Catholike Church of God the fulnesse the perfection and sufficiencie of the Scripture will you still be turned from the moste pure wheate of God his worde to the chaffe and coddes of traditions The xxij Chapter A perfect proofe of those traditions which are in deede the Apostles foorth of the moste auncient writers Irenaeus and Tertullian IRenaeus and Tertullian moste auncient writers and neerest to the Apostles time doe moste plainely proue vnto vs what traditions are moste auncient and the Apostles in deede For they when as they did contende with Heretikes about Doctrines doe alledge the tradition of the Apostles and of the Church that they might by the authoritie thereof confirme their cause and doe with great honour make mention of the same But it is worth the while to consider by what occasion for what cause in what sorte and with what moderatenesse they doe it For so shall it plainely appeare that the Churche at that time had no doctrines by traditions no mysteries of Faith but what were grounded in the Scripture Irenaeus had to deale with moste wicked Heretikes whiche were neither mooued with the authoritie of the Scripture nor with the consent of the vniuersall Churche Therefore they did either slylye shifte off or impudently refuse what so euer was obiected If they were ouerthrowen and conuicted by the Scriptures they did debase their authoritie yea they did accuse them as not Authentical or as hauing an obscure and an vncertaine meaning or as insufficient But they bragged that they had by tradition wisedome more high then the Apostles and more perfect If they were called backe to the consent of the Church they said that it was no meruaile if the Church doe not keepe the pure doctrine which receiued it corrupted and sowered with leauen not onely of the Disciples but also of the Lorde himselfe And therefore they boasted that they were the correctours of the Apostles And what sayeth Irenaeus herevnto We haue saieth hee the dispensation of our saluation by none other then the Apostles which what they published by preaching afterward they deliuered vnto vs in writing to bee the grounde and piller of our faith Afterwarde he vrgeth this parte also that all Churches taught and instructed by the Apostles did imbrace the vnitie of Faith grounded in the Scriptures And yet so that hee confuteth the doting opinions of Heretikes by the Scriptures as by the rule of perfect and absolute wisedome Tertullian also stroue with the like monsters Their vsuall maner was to escape by subtile shiftes If they were pressed with the authoritie of the scriptures they did either refuse them or if they did receiue them they did peruert them by putting to and taking awaye for the framing of their owne purpose or else corrupted them by their peruerse interpretations Therefore because Tertullian coulde not well goe forwarde against such mangling of the Scriptures hee doeth his diligence to confirme the doctrine certainly set foorth in the Scriptures among the simple and weake by this note also that the Apostles deliuered it by liuely voyce from hande to hande Wherefore because in these disputations the Heretikes refused the Scriptures as not in all poyntes to bee receiued and as though they were of an obscure and doubtfull meaning by whome onely the trueth coulde not bee knowne except one knewe the Tradition both the sides appealed to the tradition And because both the parties bragge of traditions this question was disputed of Which was the true tradition of the Apostles Irenaeus and Tertullian proue that that is the true traditiō only which Christ receiued of God and deliuered to the Apostles and which the Apostles againe deliuered to the Churches and which was kept in the Churches by the succession of Bishops And doeth this tradition conteine a doctrine contrarie to that which is sette foorth in the Canonicall Scripture No. For for this cause they did condemne those traditions which the Heretikes bragged of as erronious and forged Therefore what doeth the Tradition alledged in disputation againste the Heretikes conteine No doctrine contrarie and disagreeable to that which is taught in the Scripture but the selfe same articles of fayth which doe as it were comprehend the summe of all the Scripture For both of them doe shewe what that Tradition is whiche the Church receiued of the Apostles and also kept sincere and they bee the same poyntes of doctrine whiche the Apostles Creede doeth conteine And no man doubteth but they are sette foorth in the Scripture by manie manifest testimonies They doe not then proue any other doctrine of fayth besides those which are conteined in the Scripture but they shewe and proue by tradition the verie same doctrines which are comprehended in the Scripture And what needeth that Forsooth that they might proue the consent of the true Apostolicall Tradition with the Scripture so that the doctrine whiche the Scripture doeth teach and that which the Primitiue Churche receiued by the preaching of the Apostles is all one And this is diligently to bee considered that our position of the authoritie perfection and sufficiencie of the scriptures is most strongly mainteined by this disputation of Irenaeus and Tertullian and also that the disputations of the Papistes touching Traditions which can bee prooued by no Testimonie of Scripture are refuted For the Traditions of the Apostles and the Scriptures prooue the consente so that the Tradition be not opposite against the Scripture as though the Scripture were either false or doubtfull or vnperfect as the Heretikes quareled but the trueth the authoritie the certaintie and absolute perfectnesse of the Scripture is proued and confirmed by the tradition Wherefore when as there bee traditions proposed whiche doe not agree with the Scripture and which cannot bee shewed and prooued foorth of the Scripture it is moste certaine that those traditions are not the Apostles These are sure and sounde reasons which can not bee ouerthrowen with anie subtile shiftes of Sophisters Now if you aske which that true ancient and Apostolike tradition is it is not needful to search it without the scripture For Irenaeus and Tertullian in that disputation whereof wee spake speake not onely generally but declare specially euidently in expressed wordes what that tradition of the Apostles is Let vs then heare Irenaeus expounding the tradition of the trueth which the Church hauing receiued it from the Apostles keepeth The Church sayth he being sowed throughout the whole worlde vnto the endes of the earth receiued both of the Apostles and of their disciples that faith which is in one God the father almightie which made Heauen and earth the sea and all thinges which are in them And in one Iesus Christ the sonne of GOD incarnate for our saluation in the holy Ghost which preached by the Prophetes the
And many other â—ignes truely did Iesus before the eyes â—f his disciples which are not written â—n this boke These are written that ye â—ight beleeue that Iesus is Christ the â—onne of God and that in beleuing ye â—ight haue life thorow his name By â—e which wordes if we beleeue the Faâ—hers Iohn coÌ„mended vnto the Church â—ot onely his owne Gospel but also the Gospels of the other three Euangelists Therfore by the euideÌ„t testimony of Iohn â—hose things are written by the foure Eâ—aÌ„gelists with holy choise which might sufâ—se the saluatioÌ„ of men not satisfie their â—uriositie Paule hath signed his Epistles 〈◊〉 a peculiar marke so haue we 2. Thes â— The salutatioÌ„ of me Paul with mine â—wne hand which is the tokeÌ„ in euery â—pistle So I write The grace of our â—ord Iesus Christ be with you all Amen Vpon these words Ambrose saith â—ecause of corrupters of the scriptures â—e witnesseth that he subscribeth the â—alutation himselfe alwayes with his â—wn hand in euery one of his Epistles that the Epistle might not be receiue vnder his name which was not subscribed with his hand And Theodoret sayth This did he adde moreouer because of them which presumed to carie about couÌ„terfeit Epistles teaching them to looke for the subscription For this sayth he is the signe of mine Epistles For I write the salutation my selfe in euery Epistle Therefore hereby we learne that this The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with you all Amen is vsually writteÌ„ by him in stead of fare well Thus farre Theodorete Herevpon is it that in the ende of the Epistle to the Romans when as he had set downe his vsuall subscription The grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ be with you all Amen And had added newe salutations in the behalfe of other brethren he repeateth the subscription the seconde time In the ende of the first Epistle to the Corinthians he subscribeth thus The salutation of me Paul with mine owne hande If any man loue not the Lord Iesus Christ the same be Anathema maranatha The grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ be with you Ambrose vpon the same woordes sheweth the cause The vsuall subscription of his owne hand Also Theodorete sayeth I haue indited the Epistle my selfe and put to the salutation with mine owne hande shewing to all men by those letters that those things which are written are mine He subscribeth the Epistle to the Galathians with these wordes Brethren the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ be with your spirit Amen VpoÌ„ the which wordes Theodoretus sayeth He put vnto his letters his vsual blessing as a certaine seale putting them in remembrance of the gift giueÌ„ them which they receiued not by the law but by faith Ambrose in the ende of the first to Timothe sayeth He subscribed with his owne hand saying Grace be with thee Amen And the Apostle subscribeth the second to Timothe after this maner The Lord Iesus Christ be with thy spirite Grace be with you Amen Vpon the which words Ambr. noteth This is the subscriptioÌ„ of the Apostle for he saith it is his mark in euery epist. And Tert. sayth that the verie hande writings of the Apostles were conserued euen in his time in the Apostolike Churches To be briefe Paule doth not onely confirme his Epistles with so great diligence by subscriptions but also hath set them forth with much more riche and polished inscriptions than other writers are accustomed The same hath Peter done also who hath commended Paul his Epistles to the Churches in expressed woordes Iohn concludeth his canonicall Epistle thus These things haue I written vnto you that beleeue on the name of the sonne of God that ye may know that ye haue eternall life and that ye maye beleeue on the name of the sonne of God. Why should not this Epistle bee canonical which was written to this end by the instinct of the spirite of God that the faythfull might be assured of their saluation in Christ through fayth The Epistle to the Hebrues whether it bee Lukes or Barnabasses or Clements the Church is vncertaine of the Authour but most certaine of the spirit and of the truth sauoureth such a grace of the Apostles diuinitie that it easily defendeth it selfe from being reiected The Epistle of Iames being filled full of most wholsome precepts well sheweth that the authour thereof was Iames the seruant of God and of our Lord Iesus Christ whether he were the sonne of Alphe or that Oblias the matter is not great For they were both worthie men The one an Apostle the other a Disciple the Lords cousin of great authoritie in the Church and among the Iewes also I would therfore that they should tell mee which bee those chiefe bookes of the newe Testament which haue authoritie from the church which they could neither haue of themselues nor of their authours And it may be gathered forth of those thinges which I haue alledged now forth of the newe Testament how the Canon of the Scripture of the newe Testament was made and from whence the Canonicall Scripture hath that excellent authoritie Therefore the Church receiued this Canon from the Apostles confirmed by no Councell and deliuered it as it were from hande to hande vnto the posteritie Wherefore Iohn in the ende of his Gospel addeth both his owne testimony and also the witnesse of the Church when as he saith The same disciple is he which testifieth of these things wrote these things and we know that his testimonie is true And this testimonie of the Church is not the deuise of man but necessarie such a confession as is expressed by the truth of the thing it selfe wherof we will intreate more at large in the place coÌ„uenient And since they do so peeuishly contend that the authoritie of the Scripture doeth depend of the Church why do they not bring forth some canon or decree of some councell whereby holie scripture was approued or confirmed The primitiue Church of the Christians found the bookes of the olde Testament authentical firme and by them approued confirmed the articles of our faith Afterwards succeeded the bookes of the Apostles written by the inspiratioÌ„ of the spirite of God which no decree of man confirmed For Gods word is not subiect to mans will and pleasure but contrarily whatsoeuer the Churches ordeyned they alwayes were careful to proue it by the word of God as it may be proued by the CouÌ„cels of best credite So that well wrote blessed Siluianus Bishop of Marsiles All other things that is to say the sayinges of men haue neede of profes and witnesses but the word of God is a witnesse to it selfe for it must needes bee an vncorrupt witnesse of truth which vncorrupt truth speaketh In deede the Councels haue made a rehearsall of the bookes of holy scripture written by inspiration from God which some