to sing any made coÌ„moÌ„ly vsed soÌ„gs in the church nor read ani boke beside the canoÌ„ but only the canonical bokes of the new old testameÌ„t those bokes which oughte to be red and receued for authoritie those bokes whiche be deuided froÌ„ the bokes called apocrypha in the gret bible Vnto the which S. CipriaÌ„ HieroÌ„ AusteÌ„ with all the old writers agre ¶ But the .3 couÌ„cell of carthage added to these the bokes of wisdom Ecclesiasticus Tobie Iudith Hester the bokes of the Machabees vnto which latter couÌ„sel the papistes cleaue with toth nayle and ther vpoÌ„ stay their purgatory prayiÌ„ge to sainctes with diuerse other errors and heresies coÌ„trary to the elder better couÌ„sels Herby you may most easely perceiue how shamefully their general couÌ„sels haue erred as wel in the iudgemeÌ„t of the scriptures as also in necessary articles of our fayth good maners Yea the chefest and oldeste couÌ„sels be as Anacharsis said of the lawes made by Solon for the Atheniens like to cobwebbes wherin smal flies gnattes and Miges be takeÌ„ and deuoured of the spiders but greate hornettes and hoÌ„bellbees flie through and breake them without any daunger or hurt And generally there is no lawes regarded kepte or maintained amonge them but suche as make as they turne theÌ„ pro pane lucraÌ„do that is for their dignities immunites or libertes and prophetes Wherefore the words of our sauiour Christ maye be rightly veryfied of theÌ„ they laye heuy importable burtheÌ„s on other mens shoulders but wil not once moue theÌ„ with their fiÌ„ger For all their lawes be but nettes to take kyll the poore fishes and to fyl their own pauÌ„ches ¶ That nothyng can be proued by oracles of Angels touchynge relygyon ¶ The. iiii Chapter GEnesis .3 Sathan beyng chauÌ„ged into a serpeÌ„t disceaued our first parentes in them cast al mankynde hedlynge into damnacion REgum .3 Vlti I wil go furth and bee a lyinge spirite in the mouth of all his Prophetes ¶ Reade the whole Chapter GAlat .1 Thoughe an angel from heauen preache any other gospell c. THe .2 to the. Cor. ca. 11. SathaÌ„ himselfe is chaunged into an Angell of lyghte COlossi .2 Let no man make you hote at a wronge marke by the humblenes and holynes of Angels THe same .4 Cap. The spirite speaketh euidently that in the latter tymes some shal depart from the fayth and shall geue hede vnto spirites of error and deuyllyshe doctrine IOhn .4 Beleue not euery spirite but proue the spirites whether they are of god or not ACtes .16 A certayne damsel possessed with a sprite that prophesied met vs which brought her master and mistres much vauÌ„tage wyth prophesieng The same folowed Paule and vs and cried saying these are the seruauntes of the moste high god whiche shewe vnto vs the waye of saluacyon And thys dyd she many dayes but Paul not content turned about and sayd to the spirite I commaunde thee in the name of Iesu Chryste that thou come out of her And he came out the same houre CIprian of the simplenes of prelates The enemye after the woordes of the Apostle chaungeth hymselfe into an Angell of lyght and setteth forth his seruauntes as ministers of righteousnes affirminge nyghte for daye death for health desperacion vnder the cooler of hope false fayth vnder the preteÌ„ce of faith Antichrist vnder the name of Chryst so that whyles they counterfete the like things thei make voide the truth with subtiltie Thys dearly beloued brethren commeth to passe by thys meanes that we resorte not to the original of the trueth nor seke the head Chryst nor kepe the doctrine of oure heauenly master CIprianus in his .4 treatesse of the vanite of Idols Filthie spirites wanderyng abroade beeiÌ„g drowned in worldly vicesâ— after they haue shronken from heauenly vertue through worldly corrupcyon beeynge them selfs destroyed cease not to destroye other and beyng infecte wyth euill infecte other wyth the same These inspire the hartes of the Prophetes euer lappyng vp lyes with the truth they trouble mens lyues dysquiet their slepes drawyng their meÌ„bers awry hurt their health prouoke diseases to force meÌ„ to worshipping of theÌ„ this is the remedy of them whaÌ„ they cease to hurt neither haue they any other study but to cal meÌ„ backe froÌ„ god and turne theÌ„ froÌ„ the perceauiÌ„g of true religioÌ„ to their superstitioÌ„ seyng they be in paine theÌ„ selfe to seke those to be companioÌ„s of their paine whom they haue made through their error partakers of their synne LActaÌ„tiê° institucionuÌ„ li. 2. ca. 15. corrupt daÌ„ned spirits strey ouer al the world seke for ease of their destruction thorough the destructyon of men They therefore fill al the worlde wyth snares fraudes and errours the whiche because they be fine spirits and can not be perceaued conueye themselues into mens bodyes and beyng secretlye hyd wythin the bodyâ— trouble health bryng sickenes fraie men with dreames vexe mens myndes with sweate that thorow these harmes they may force meÌ„ to runne to them for helpe The cause of all whych disceaâ—es is darke to theÌ„ that be ignoraunte in the trueth for they thynke they profyte whan they cease from hurtynge which can doe nothyng but hurt But they whych haue shrunken backe from godes seruice because they be enemyes and traÌ„sgressours of the trueth goe about to chalenge to themselues the name and honour of god not because they desier any honorâ— for what honour can the damned haue nor that they shold hurt god who cannot be hurt but to hurte men whom they goe aboute to draw away from the worshyppe and knowledge of gods true maiesty least they shoulde attayne immortalytye whyche they haue lost thorowe theyr own malice So they couer all wyth darknes and compasse the truth with claudes so that they can not knowe their lord nor their father And that they maye easely allure menne they hide themselues in the churches and are at hande in al sacrifices Yea many tims they work miracles through whiche men beyng astonyed do geue to Images the fayth of the godheade Here of it commeth that a stone was cut in sander with a rasure by a sorcerer and that Iuno of Veâ—a answered that she woulde goe to Rome that a shyppe folowed the hande of Claudia and that Iuno beyng robbed and Proserpina of LocreÌ„se and Ceres of Milet toke vengeaunce of those that had commytted sacriledge and Hercules of Appius and Iupiter of Atimus and Minerua of Cesar. Hereof also it commeth that a serpente delyuered the Citie of Rome from the pestileÌ„ce beyng brought from Epidaure But chefely they deceaue men in their oracles and answers whose Iuglynges vngodly men cannot discerne froÌ„ the trueth Therefore they thynke that Empiers and victories ryches and lucky chaunces of thinges are geuen of them and to bee shorte oft tymes common welthes to be deliuered froÌ„ present daungers at their beck which
to S. Paule afore And wheras they say that thiÌ„gs geuen by woorde of mouthe are as well to bee beleued as those that bee wrytten they meane that they are worthy of lyke credite wyth tradycyons written For neyther of both ar of necessite to saluacion but may be chauÌ„ged and taken awaye by common consent as it is afore sayd BAsile of the holy goste Cap. 27. Of those doctrines that ar preached in the churche we haue soÌ„e deliuered vs by writing and agayne some we haue receiued by the tradicions of the Apostles in mysteri that is in secret both haue lyke strengthe to godlynes nother doth any maÌ„ speake against these whatsoeuer he be that hath but meane experience what the authorite of the churche is For if we lyke fooles goe about to reiecte the customes of the church which ar not written as thynges of small weyght we shall condemne those thyngs that be nedeful for our saluation in the gospell Yea we shall rather cut short the true preachyng of fayth to bare name and he rehearseth like tradicions as Tertullian did IErome againste the Luciferians Although there were no authorite of the scriptures at all yet the consent of the whole worlde in thys matter shold haue the force of a law For many other thynges whiche are obserued in the Churche by tradicioÌ„ haue obteyned the authorite of a law written as to dyppe the head thrise in baptisme and when they are chrystened to geue them first pappe made of milke with hony for a signification of their infancie on the Sondaye and all Whytsone weake not to knele at their prayers AVgustine vpon the wordes of Basile Some of the ecclesiasticall institucions we haue receued by writinges some through tradicions from the Apostles approued by successiosn and some vse hath alowed being strengthned by custoÌ„e Vnto all which lyke vsage and lyke affectyoÌ„s of godlines is due of which who wil doubt though he haue but small experiences in the scriptures For if we set out mynd to regard light lycustomes of the churche delyuered vs from our elders without the scriptures it shall easelye appeare to them that loke earnestly theron how great losse Christen religion shall suffer And he reciteth the same that Ierome doeth wyth diuerse other THese .iii. authors and all that make for the same purpose bee answered before in Tertullian For not one of those thyngs that they make mencion of are necessary for our saluacion and many of them are now taken away and the reste whiche yet remayne as to dippe the childe thrise wholly in the water to hallowe the water oyle and creame or to crosse it in the forthead are not of necessite to saluatioÌ„ For Iohn Baptised in IordaÌ„ and the ChaÌ„berlaine of the Quene of Ethiopia was Christened in the commoÌ„ streame chrildreÌ„ in dauÌ„ger of life are Christened of the midwife or soÌ„e other womaÌ„ without any of these ceremonies yet thei wil not deni that al these baptismes be good alowed of god In Spaine also thei dippe the child but once as it was decreed in the couÌ„cell of Tollet And I am suer they wil not say that al the Spaniardes so many yeres haue wanted a thing necessary to saluatioÌ„ in their baptisme God also regardeth not our outward bodely gesture in oure praiers but he beholdeth the fayth earnest desier of the hart of him that prayeth wher soeuer he prayeth what soeuer hys outwarde bodely gesture be THe saÌ„e agaiÌ„st Cresconi a gramarieÌ„ li. 1. c. 33. to 7. Although we haue no certaine exaÌ„ple of thys matter in the Canonical scripture yet neuertheles the truth of the saÌ„e scriptures in this matter is retained of vs wheÌ„ we do that that the hole church aloweth Which churche the authorite of the scriptures commend And for as muche as the holy scripture caÌ„ deceiue no man whoso feareth to be deceiued with any dark speaking of it let him aske counsel at the church ther in which withoute any doubt the holye scripture doeth shewe THe answere is easye Austen was more circumspecte theÌ„ to thiÌ„ke that any doctryne might be proued by vse and custome without the scripture For baptysme of infaÌ„tes he bringeth in this text except a man be borne agayne of water and the holy gost he cannot be my disciple And because the Donatists like as the Anabaptistes do nowe wrest this to them that be of â—eres of discretion against thys exposicioÌ„ he allegeth the maner of the churche in christenynge of Infantes By the which he proueth that the churche hath all waye taken this sentence except a man be borne againe to be spoken also of infantes What maner of argumente shoulde thys be of Austenâ— The exposition of the scrypture and the vse of the Sacraments may be iudged by the custome vsed in the holye churche alwaye ergo the church may make a newe sacrament and ordeine any newe Article of oure fayth without the scripture By the seÌ„tences before cited of AusteÌ„ himself it may be easely iudged I also graunt that euery exposicioÌ„ of the scripture wherein soeuer the olde hole true churche dyd agree is necessarye to be beleued But oure controuersye here is whether any thynge ought to be be leued of necessite without the scripture THe same against the Epistle of Fundament Cap. 5. tomo 6. I would not beleue the gospel but that the authorite of the churche moueth me Ergo say they what soeuer the church saith we must nedes beleue them as wel as the gospell This argumente is naughte For the testimonye of the churche is but as a publicke office of a record as the exchequer the court of the rolles the office of a recorder or a regester of all Christendome in whiche office menne maye searche and haue of the keepers of such offices the true copies of such lands or other moueables as be due to them by the lawe And yet may nether the Regesters Recorders Stcwardes of courtes or towne clarkes put to or take awaye any thing from the firste originall writinges no nor the iudge himselfe But all thynges oughte to be iudged by those writings So likewise we beleue the holy Canon of the byble because that the Primitiue churche of the Apostles and eldest wryters nexte to their time approued them in their regester that is in their wrytinges whyche partlye sawe them partlye hearde them of the Apostles And more receue we not because these olde fathers of the firste churche testifie in their bokes that there was no more then these required to be beleued as the scripture of god And yet were these wrytynges no lesse true afore they were alowed by them theÌ„ sence Christe witnessing and saying I seke no witnesse of man AVstine to Cassulane In these thynges wherein the scripture of god hath determined nothiÌ„g the custome of the people and our elders ordinaunces oughte to be holden as a law and the traÌ„sgressors of the customes of the churche at
is the true church the very spouse of god Christ beÌ„ig the head therof But how many and who of that nomber that heare the word of god and receiue the sacramentes be gods elect and church and true meÌ„bers of Chryst is knoweÌ„ to god onelye For the Lorde knoweth who he his and no man can tell of an other man whether he be worthy loue or hatred although their works seme neuer so holy and gloryous afore men so great a wytch is Ipocrisie LAst of al to make all coke suer and to maintaine their Idolatrye besyde yea and also contrarye to the worde of GOD as itruocacion and prayinge to Saynctes worshyppyng of Images reliques with pilgrimages and offerynges the sacrifice of the masse for the quick and the dead and pardons to delyuer dead mens soules from purgatory holy breade holy water ashes palms and suche other baggage they alledge reuelacions of Aungels of our Ladye and other sainctes and dead mennes soules appearyng to diuers men and wemen bidding them to cause certen masses trentalles pilgrimages and offering to Images and reliques of this and that saincte to bee done for them and they shoulde be delyuered from the fier of purgatorye where the paynes be greater say they than mans wit can comprehende And whaÌ„ suche masses pilgrimages with offringes to suche sainctes reliques and images be done for them they appear to the same persons agayne sayinge that by suche meanes they be deliuered out of purgatory into the eternal ioyes of heauen they tel also of many wonders and straunge miracles to proue their doctrine in all these afore sayed thynges to be true And because they haue great profyte and aduauÌ„tage therby they counting gains godlynes haue fylled all theyr bookes with suche vanites and lyes of which some be so fonde so directly againste gods glory that the most earneste papistes hauing either learnyng or wit be ashamed of theÌ„ Yea and the pope himselfe hath cleane put them out of gods seruice vsed in the churche of Rome and yet must we reade them beleue them as necessarye articles of our fayth or els burne therfore lyke heretikes BY theÌ„ manifest and plaine words of the Scriptures and the consent of the most auncyente authours before written it is euydente that neither the visions of Aungels apparitions of the dead nor miracles nor all these together ioyned in one are able or sufficient to make anye one newe article of our fayth or stablyshe any thyng in religion wythout the expresse wordes of god because that all such thyngs as is before proued may be yea and haue been throughe gods permission for oure sinnes and vubelefes sake done by the power of the deuill hymselfe or fayned and counterfeited of hys lyuelye members Monkes and Friers with other such hipocrites But what shal sathan nede to tell oracles vse visions shew apparitioÌ„s or worke miracles now a daies what should he nede to toyle herin himself or why should he not like a gentle maÌ„ take his ease in his inne seing his subtil seruauÌ„tes Monkes Friers NoÌ„nes and other Pope holye hipocrites can and doe counterfeit such thynges day lye and from their beginning hath doÌ„ diligently parâ—e whereof I shall rehearse About fourtene yeares paste at OrleaÌ„ce in Fraunce the Profestes wife died willing to beburied at the friers in the same citie without poÌ„pe or other solemnite coÌ„monly vsed at burialles Wherfore the friers fearinge to lease a great pray if this shoulde be suffered to enter into the heades of the people caused a younge frier to speake in a vawte in a womaÌ„s voice many people hearinge it sayd that she was the soule of the Profests wife condemned in hell for contemnyng of the suffrages of the holy churche commaunding also her body to be cast out of Christian buriall But the profeste so boolted out the mater that the yoÌ„g frier confessed the place and the maner of his speaking and all the friers were openly punished for that fault in the common market at Orleance But let vs come home to oure owne realme of Englande About .xxx. yers paste in the borders of wales wythin a Priory called Lymster there was a younge woman called the holy maide of Lymster whiche as the faÌ„e was lyued onely by Aungels foode and was enclosed wythin a grate of Irone Vnto whom certain daies when the Prior of the place sayede masse the thirde parte of the hoste went hanging in the ayer by miracle as it semed from the aulter wher the Prior massed into the maids mouth whiche thing broughte the people into a great opinion of holynes in her and caused great pilgrimage to be ther vsed But when the Lord of Burgauenny with his brother sir Edward â—euel and diuerse other ientle men ientle wemeÌ„ came to trye the trueth her of thei caused the doore to be opened and strayghte wayes the dogges fought for bones that wer vnder her bedde Whervpon they searching farther founde a priuye doore whereby the Prior myght resort to her and she to hym at their pleasures And then the confessed that she made as it wer .ii. fine thredes of her own heres siÌ„gly tyed together wyth fyne knottes and then made a bigge hole with a bed kin thorowe the corner of a quarter of the hoste and fastened one ende of the sayed heere to the corporas where the sayed Prior sayd masse and the other ende to her own bedde wherein the laye tyed the other heer faste to the quarter of the hoste and wrapped the other ende aboute her own finger And wheÌ„ the Prior had receiued his porcion of the hoste she woÌ„de vy the threde wherto the hoste was tyed vpon her fingers and so coÌ„ueyed the ost into her mouth Thys both the Prior and she confessed and dyd open penaunce for the same To Sainct Albans about .xxviii. yeares past came a mayde crepyng vpon her knees and lening vpon .ii. short staues enquiring after Sainct AlbaÌ„s boÌ„es affirminge that she shoulde bee made whole and goe vpright so sone as she should come to the place where saiÌ„ct Albans bones were In token wherof an Aungell had deliuered her a keye wherby she should certenlye knowe where his verye bones were And when she passed thus throughe the streates of Sainct Albans creping on her knees till she came to Sainte Albans shrine after she had made her prayers deuoutly there she toke out the key of her purse whiche she sayed an Angel had deliuered to her and theÌ„ she stode vpright opened the shrine with the sayd key and then kneled agayne to pray and to geue thankes to god and sainct AlbaÌ„e for her healing geuing her streÌ„gth to walke whiche was borne laÌ„e And by the moÌ„kes would haue had it roÌ„ge for a miracle but some wiser men thought it mete to trye the matter better to examine her further before they teÌ„pted to riÌ„ge a miracle opÌ„enly And vpon her examinacion the sayd that she had bene lame from her
⧠A ConfutatioÌ„ of vnwritteÌ„ verities both bi the holye scriptures and moste auncient autors and also probable arguments and pithy reasons with plaine aunswers to al or at the least to the moste part and strongest argumentes which the aduersaries of gods truth either haue or can bryng forth for the profe and defence of the same vnwritten vanities verities as they woulde haue them called made by Thomas Cranmer late Archebishop of Cantorburie Martyr of god and burned at Oxford for the defeÌ„ce of the trewe doctrine of our sauiour Christ translated and set forth by E. P. ¶ The contentes whereof thou shalte finde in the next side folowinge The contentes FIrste the preface of the translator to hys contrye men and brethren of Englande Ca. i. That the word of god written and contained within the Cannon of the Bible is a trew sounde perfect and whole doctrine containinge in it selfe fullye all thynges nedefull for our saluacyon ii That the writinges of the olde fathers without the written woorde of God are not able to proue any doctryne in religion iii. That generall counsels haue no auctorytye to make newe Articles of our fayth iiii That nothyng can be proued by oracles of Angles touchyng religion v. That apparicions be vnsufficiente to that purpose vi Neyther at miracles able to proue the same vii Custome also is of no strength in this case viii Reasons against vnwritten verities ix Scriptures alleged by the papistes for vnwritteÌ„ verities with answeres to the same x. Doctors to the same purpose with their aunswers The papistes obiections with aunswers vnto them ¶ The Preface WHat Chrystyan harte dearelye beloued contremen and brethreÌ„ in oure sauyour Chryst can abstayne from depe sobbes and sorowefull syghinges What naturall and kinde harted man can forbeare weping so ofteÌ„ as he calleth to rememberaunce the Lordes vyneyarde within the realme of Englande whiche he himselfe had of late so stronglye hedged walled and fenced rounde aboute by the princes of most famous memory King Henry the eighte and Edwarde the sixte and planted therin the pure vine of his owne blessed woorde by Godly preachers his gardeners to be so sodenly broken down destroied wasted and wrooted vp by the rootes by the wilde bore of the wood and the beastes of the field that is by the Romishe Bishoppe and hys bloodye ministers and now in the same vineiard to see planted take roote and prosper brambles bryars and heÌ„lockes that is grosse ignorauÌ„ce naughtie doctriÌ„eâ— false worshyppe of God and suche other kindes of moste stinkynge vile and filthye weedes Oh what a swete and pleasaunt grape of godly doctrine was theÌ„ gathered in England to the great comfort and reioysing of al theÌ„ that louinglye tasted thereof Then was gods word for that is the swete and pleasauÌ„t grape that maketh glad the hart of man with great freedome preached earnestly embraced and with gredy hartes in all places receaued Then was Godes great glory maruelously auaunced Then the onely merytes of Chryste then trewe repentaunce for oure former synnes then trust in gods mercy through the death of our sauyoure Christe with a newe Christian life was truly published preached euery wher Then was ther the common praier rightlye vsed and the SacrameÌ„ts Baptisme I meane and the holi Communion in suche a tounge and language set forthe that all people myghte vnderstande them Then were they playnlye ministred without any iuglinge or sorcerie accordyng to Christes institucyon and the rule of hys holye worde Whiche worde at that time had the pryce bare the bell awaie throughe oute the whole lande With that were all pulpettes filled Churches garnished priÌ„ters shoppes furnyshed and euery mans house decked With gods word was euery maÌ„s mouth occupied of that wer al soÌ„ges enterludes and plaies made But alas so long till all was playde vnder the boorde But what was the cause of all this Truly none other thing but oure owne sinnes and wickednes For we were talkers onelye and not walkers lippe gospellers from the mouth outewarde and no farther We were euen suche as the prophet speaketh of saying thys people honoreth me with their lyppes but are farre from me with their hartes We coulde speake of gods word and talke gloryously therof but in oure hartes we were full of pryde malice enuye couetousnesse backebitynge riosing harlot hauntinge no whitte bettered at all then we were before vnder the Popes kingdom Nothing was in vs amended but only our tonges no nor they neither if I shall speake ryghtly and as the trueth was in dede For besydes oure communycacion of scrypture we vsed detraction of our neighboure filthy talke with many proud bragges of our selues We red not the scryptures neither harde them for any amendmente of oure owne wicked lyues but onely to make a bragge and a shewe thereof to checke and to taunte others yea and to spye small motes in other mens eies but nothing desyerous to see the greate beames in oure owne This I saye to talke and not to walke to say not to do was not onely amongest the vnlerned sort but also amongeste the greate clarkes and chefe preachers of gods worde Whiche thynge as I iudge was the only cause why god by his iust iudgemente suffered his electe and chosen vynclarde to be thus troden downe wroeted vp and myserably afflicted by thys bloodye Bore of Rome and the faâ—te Bulles of Basan hys cruel officers Thys is the cause why God hath suffered thys greate Antichryste to disgrace the merites of Christes passion and in place thereof to sette vp mens merytes and in steade of hys sufficyent satisfaction vpon the crosse once for all to sette vp hys masses satisfactorye for the synnes both of the quicke and deade This is the cause that this moÌ„sterous beast hath taught the inuocation of saincts and the same to be our medyators to God and satysfyers for oure sinnes Where as before in the forenamed vyneyarde was planted Chryste Iesus the trewe breade that came downe from heauen and that moste pure well of the water of life now after the wrooâ—ing of this moÌ„sterous and rauenous Bore are vp spronge coniured bread coniured water to driue awaye euill spirites and to pourge oure sinnes Thys bloody Bore besides al mischeues that he hath done to the vineyarde yet ceaseth he not with faggotfier and all other cruell tormentes to constraine and compel men to worship Images the worke of mens handes to knele to them to reuereÌ„ce theÌ„ to bow them and with all maner of obeâ—saunce to honour them cleane contrary to gods commaundemente who saieth thou walte not make to thy selfe much lesse then to honoure reuerence and worshippe them any grauen Image nor the likenes of any thing that is in heauen aboue or in the earth beneth or in the water vnder the earth thou shalt not bowe down to them nor worshippe them But yet these shameles wretches be not abashed to saye
also as thou haste knowen the holy scriptures of a chylde which are able to make the learned vnto saluacion throughe the fayth which is in Chryste Iesu. For al scripture geuen by inspiracion of God is profitable to teache to improue to amende to instructe in righteousnesse that the man of god may be perfecte prepared to all good workes If any man speake let hym speake as the wordes of god If any man come vnto you and bryng not thys learning receaue hym not into your house neither bid him God spede For he that byddeth hym God spede is partaker of hys euyll dedes If any man shall adde vnto these thynges god shall adde vnto hym the plages that are wrytten in this booke And if any man shall minishe of the wordes of thys prophesye God shall take awaye his part out of the boke of lyfe and out of the holy citie and froÌ„ those thynges whiche are written in thys boke ¶ That the writinges of the olde fathers without the written woorde of god are not able to proue anye doctryne in religion ¶ The .ii. Chapter IReneus libro .ii. Cap. 46. To leâ—Ì„e to the scriptures of god whych is the certayne and vndouted trueth is to buylde a mans house vpoÌ„ a suer and stronge rock But to leaue that and leaue to ani other doctrins what so euer they be is to builde a curious house vpon the â—hatteringe grauell whereof the ouerthrowe is easye IDem in Epistola .72 Happy is he that soweth vpon the watâ—râ— where the Oxe and the Asse treadeth that is vpon that people whych onely foloweth the doctrine of both the testamentes and not vpon the vayne tradycions of men TErtulliane in the prescryptioÌ„s of heretykes pa. 95. It is not lawfull for vs to fauoure any doctryne at oure pleasure nor yet to chose what any manne hath brought in of his owne mynde We haue the Apostles of the Lorde for oure authors whyche dyd not electe anye thynge that they woulde brynge in of their owne heades but taught faythfullye to all nacyons that doctryne that they had receaued of Chryste Therefore althoughe an Aungell from heauen shoulde preache any other thynge lette vs holde hym accursed ANd a litle after he sayeth We nede to vse no curiositie after Iesus Chryste nor make further searche after the gospell for wheÌ„ we beleue we desier to beleue no more For first we beleue this that there is nothyng els that we ought to beleue IDem of the fleshe of Chryst pa. 20. agaynst Apelles whyche saied that the Angels had a bodely substancâ— which thei toke of the â—â—â—tres Tertallian answereth that there is no certenty in thys matter because the scripture declareth it not THe sae to Praxeas Let thys be a generall rule indifferently determyned before hande agaynst all heresyes that that is true what so euer is first that to bee forged what soeuer coÌ„meth after pa. 418. ORigen in his first homily vpon Ieremy Vle must nedes cal the holye scriptures to wytnes for our iudgements and exposicious with out these witnesses are worthye no credite IDem vpon Leuiticus in his fyfte homilye If the holy scripture doe not determine any thing we ought not to admitte any other wrytyng for the stablyshinge of our doctryne but as for the rest let vs leaue it to god THe same vpon the thirde chapter to the Romanes After these as his custome is meanynge by sainct Paul he doth confirme that he had sayd by the scriptures geuing also an example to the preachers of the churche that those thynges whyche they speake to the people should be armed and mayntained by the holi scriptures and not spoken oute of theyr own iudgements For if he being such and so great an Apostle thoughte not the aucthorite of hys owne wordes to be sufficiente excepte be teache those thynges which he saieth to be wrytten in the law and the prophets hoâ— much more ought we litle ones to take heade that when we teache we vtter not our own mindes but the sentences of the holy gost THe same vpon Mathew in his 26. homily no man ought for the stablyshing of doctryne to vse any bokes that be withoute the canonicall scriptures CIprian in the exposicion of the Crede after that he hath rehearsed the canonical bokes of the Bible he sayeth These be they whiche oure fathers haue included within the Canon out of the whyche our fathers woulde the doctryne of our fayth to be certaine neuertheles there be other bokes which of our elders were not called canonycall but Ecclesiastical as the boke of wisdoÌ„e the bokes of Sirach Tobie Iudyth Machabees and other All whyche bokes they would haue to be redde in thâ— churche but not alleged as of aucthoritie to confirme any article of our fayth Al other writinges thei called Apâ—crypha whiche they would in no wyse to be redde in the churche AThanasius against the gentyles The holy Scriptures being in spired from god are sufficiente to all instruction of the trueth BAsilius in his boke of Ethikes of his short definitions the. 26. Euery worde and dede that maketh for the certentye and suertye of good men and the confusion of them that be euill must be confirmed by the testimony of Goddes scriptures And those thinges which either in our nature or in the custome and maner of our life are manifestly knowen must we vse to confirme those thynges which we doe and say THe same in his short definitioÌ„s the first questioÌ„ Whether it bee lawful or expedient for a man to permit himselfe to do what he thinketh good without the testimonie of the holy scriptures â–ª 〈◊〉 aunswere Seyng that our sauiour sayth of the holy gost he shall not speake of hymselfe but what soeuer he hath heard that shall he speake And of himself he sayeth the sonne can dooe nothynge of himselfe And agayne I haue not spoken of my selfe but he whiche sent me gaue me commaundemente what I shoulde say and what I shold speake and I knowe that hys commaundemente is eternall lyfe therefore those thynges that I speake I speake as the father sayd vnto me who is he then that wil runne into suche madnesse that he dare once thynke onelye anye thyng of himselfe seeing that he hath nede of the holy ghoste for his ayde so that both in mynde word and worke he may be gided in the way of trueth and that he must nedes walke in darknes excepte he bee lightened with the sonne of righteousnes oure lorde Iesus Chryste whiche shineth vpon vs with hys coÌ„maundementes as with bright beames For the commaundement of the lorde is cleare and geueth lyght to the eyes For of those thinges that are done and commonly vsed among vs some are by gods commauÌ„dement determined and playnlye set forth in the holyscriptures and some not expressed Of those that be expressed by the scriptures there is vtterlye no power geuen to any man what so euer
that be yet rude and siÌ„ple to instruct I say in righteousnes that they maye be made righteous by puttyng awaye their former instructions of infidelite I say that he may be so taught that as muche as in the teacher lyeth he that is taught maye be the perfect man of god so perfecte that he maye be instruct to doe euerye good worke BEda in the. 1. Epistle of Peter Cap. 5. If any man speake lette him speake as the words of god fearyng least he say or commaunde any thing besides the wil of god or besides that whiche is manifestly commaunded in the holye scriptures and be founde as a false witnes of god or acommitter of sacriledge or a bringer in of any straunge thynge from the Lordes doctrine or els leaue oute or passe ouer anye thynge that pleaseth god seeing that Chryste most playnly commaundeth the preachers of the trueth concernyng them whom they had taughte sayinge teache them to kepe all thyngs that I haue commauÌ„ded you Yea euen the same whych he had commaunded and none other and he commaunded hys preachers to coÌ„maunde their hearers to kepe not soÌ„e of these but all ANselmus Bishop in his booke of virginitie 24. Cap. Goddes lawe forbyddeth to folowe the steppes of the Catholyke or vniuersal faith any more then the iudgemente of the canonicall trueth coÌ„maundeth to beleue And all other Apocryphall lies the good policies of the best learned fathers haue stablished in their decrees vtterly to reiecte and to banishe them cleane as horrible thoundriÌ„ges of wordes LYraâ—e vpon the laste Ca. of the Prouerbes Like as in a marchauntes shyppe are caryed dyuerse thynges necessarye for mannes lyfe so in the scripture are conteined all thynges nedefull to saluacyon THomas of Aquine The holye Scripture is the rule of oure fayth wherevnto it is neyther lawfull to adde nor take any thyng away But the trueth of oure fayth is contayned in the holy scryptures diffusely and diuerse wayes in some places darklye and to trye oute the trueth of oure fayth by the scryptures is required long study and exercise to the which al they cannot come that nede to knowe the trueth of the fayth the more part wherof beeynge occupyed wyth other busines cannot attende to study And therfore it was nedefull out of the sentences of holy scripture to gather some thyng into a shorte some which should be set forth for all men to beleue whiche is not added to the scriptures but rather takeÌ„ out of the scriptures SCotus in the prologe of sentences que 2. Question Whether knowledge about nature sufficient for a man in this lyfe be sufficientlye sette forth in the holy scripture The Question is not whether any thynges bee true that are not written or whether god sence the creacion and redemption of the worlde hath done or sayd any thyng that is not wrytten and receyued of the Churche for the holye scripture but thys is the questyon whether the worde of god wrytten be sufficient for our saluacioÌ„ or whether a Christen man be bounde to beleue any thyng that cannot he proued bi the holy scripture And thys grauÌ„ted that all thynges that may be gathered out of the scripture and euery thyng that vpon any trueth graunted maye bâ— proued by a good argumeÌ„t of the scripture doth pertayne to the holy scripture this graunted I say he concludeth that all thynges necessarye for our saluacion are fully conteyned in the holy scripture ¶ The schole authors call the staye of our faith the trueth shewed of God and conteyned in the Canon of the Bible ¶ That the general counsels withoute the worde of god are not sufficiente to make articles of oure fayth ¶ The .iii. Chapter EVsebius in his ecclesiastical historie lib. 1. Cap. 8. The head rulers of the churche forgettynge gods commaundementes were inflamed one againste another wyth contencyon zeale enuy pride malice and hatred so that they thoughte rather that they occupied the rome of tiraÌ„nes then of priestes And also forgettinge Christian humilite and sincerite they did celebrate the holy misteries wyth vnholy handes GRegorye Nazianzen to Procopius Vndoubtedli I thiÌ„k thus if I must nedes wryt the truth that al assembles of Byshoppes are to be eschued For I neuer sawe good end of any synode that did not rather bryng in euils then put them awaye for the lustes of stryfe and desyer and of lordshyp reigne there AVgustine in his lib. 2. Capit. 3. agaynst the Donatists The couÌ„sels which are kept through euery region or prouince wythout all clokinges ought to geue place to the generall counselles whiche are made of all Christendome yea and the former generall counsels oughte ofttimes to be reformed by the latter counsels if any thynge in them dooe chaunce to erre from the trueth AVgustine against Maximinum the bishop of the Arrians lib. 3 Ca. 4. But now neither ought I to alledge the counsel of Nice nor thou the couÌ„sel of Arimine to tak aduauÌ„tage therby for neyther am I bounde nor helde by the authorite of this nor thou of that Lette matter with matter cause wyth cause or reason with reasoÌ„ trye the matter by the aucthorite of scriptures not proper witnesses to any of vs but indifferent witnesses for vs both GErson We ought rather beleue the sayiÌ„g of any teacher armed with the Canonycall scripture then the Popes determynacyon THe same More tredite is to be geuen to a maÌ„ that is singularlye learned in the Scripture bryngying forth catholyke aucthorite then to the generall counsel PAnormitan in cap. Significasti A simple laye man bryngynge forth the scriptures is to be beleued rather then an hole counsel For a counsell may erre as it hath afore tymes erred as did the counsell of Melchildense and Aquisgranum of contracting of Matrimonie The councel of CoÌ„stance among other articles of Iohn Husband Hierome of Prage vniustly condemned condemned also this article for heresye that the two natures that is the diuinite and humanitie be one Chryst whych is a necessarye article of our fayth expressed in the Crede of Athanasius called qui cunque vult where it is red the right fayth is that we beleue and confesse that our Lorde Iesus Chryst the soÌ„ne of god is god and maÌ„ and a litle after lyke as the reasonable soule and the flesh is one man so god and maÌ„ is one Christ the same is also decreed by the counsell of Nice and dyuerse other catholike counsels and it is the doctrine of the churche at thys tyme. Finally it may be proued by the expresse word of god and yet these malycyous cleargy were not ashamed to condemne the same for an heresy Note here ieÌ„tle reader vnto what shameles and detestable heresyes theyr Popishe yea Antichristian general counsels haue falleÌ„ of the which they boast so much that they cannot erre and wherevpon cheÌ„fely they builde al their errours and heresyes Moreouer the most part of the good lawes and Canons be in
this it is not written in this place or to those persons ergo it is not written in the scripture at al. For the shortnes of one Epistle or of one sermon caÌ„not sufficieÌ„tly coÌ„teine al thinges necessary for our saluacioÌ„ therfore be ther so many bokes of the scripture that what so is omitted and not spokâ— of in one place or els darkly spokeÌ„ of mighte bee writteÌ„ plainly in another place And for this cause S. Paul writeth to the ColossiaÌ„s â–ª sayiÌ„g wheÌ„ thys leter is redde wyth you cause it also to bee redde to the Laodicians And reade you also the Epistle written froÌ„ Laodicia And Sainct Paul wryteth of himselfe suche as we are in our absence by leters such are we in dede being preseÌ„t Moreouer Paul speaketh not here of doctrynes of fayth and charite whiche euer continew wythout chaunging adding or minishyng but of certayne tradicions obseruacyous ceremonyes and outwarde rites and bodelye exercyces whiche as he sayeth is litell worth to god warde but to be vsed for comlines decent order and vniformite in the churche to auoyde schisme whych ceremonies euery good man is bounde to kepe lest he trouble the common order and so breake the order of charite in offendiÌ„g his weake brethren so long as they be approued receyued and vsed by the heades and coÌ„mon consente But they and euery one of such ceremonyes as be neyther sacramentes nor commauÌ„dementes of fayth and charite may be altered and chaunged and other set in their places or els vtterly takeÌ„ away by the authorite of Prynces and other their rulers and subiectes in the church Yea also the tradycyoÌ„s made by the Apostles in ful counsel at Ierusalem may be and already are takeÌ„ awaye as to abstayne from thynges offered vnto Images from blood and strangled ar no where kept And this of Paule that a man should neyther praye nor preache capped or with his head couered is also cleane abolyshed ¶ Doctors to the same purpose wyth theyr aunswers ¶ The .x. Chapter TErtullian of the croune of a soldier He reciting many tradicyons as to reneuÌ„ce the deuil his poÌ„pe and his Angels afore Baptisme to dip the childreÌ„ thrise in the fouÌ„t to geue it pappe of hony and milke first thing after baptime and not to waâ—â—e it in a whole weeke after to offer both at the day of the buriall and birth on the soÌ„day neyther to fast neyther to praye knelyng nor also froÌ„ Easter to whitsontide crossinge of our foreheades with diuerse suche lyke saith If thou require a law of these and other suche disciplines there can be no pretence of a law for them out of the scriptures But thou shalt either perceaue by thy selfe or learne of some other that perceaueth it that custome being author confirmer conseruer and obseruer of fayth shal maintaine and defende the cause of this tradicion and custome of fayth BY the scriptures before alledged it is euidentlye proued that all thyngs requisite for out saluacion be set forth in the holye bokes of the bible and that it is not lawful to put any thyng therto vnder payne of euerlastying damnacyoÌ„ The same TertulliaÌ„ also as it is afore rehersed saith that there is nothyng els that oughte to be beleued after Chrysts gospel oÌ„ce published Yea all the olde authors a thousande yere after Christ and lykewyse almost all the new affyrme the same and would not haue vs credyte their sayiÌ„gs without the profe of gods worde Why shoulde we then beleue Tertullian agaynst so playne Scripturs agaynst the old fathers of the church and also contrarye to his owne sayinges Yet here wyll I gentlye interprete hym so as he maye bothe agree wyth the Scriptures wyth the olde authors and also wyth himselfe TertullyaÌ„ speaketh here not of doctrines of fayth hope and charyte but of tradycions outward gestures rites ceremonies which he not necessary for our saluacyon but be ordayned for a decente order and conformite in the churche as is playnly shewed in the answere to Saint Paul in the Epystle to the ThessaloniaÌ„s And that he speaketh of such rites and ceremonies it is euident For all those that he rehearseth be mere ceremonies and few of them kept at this day which nomaÌ„ myghte haue altered or abolyshed if they had bene necessarilye to be kept vnder payne of damnacion CIprian to Pompeius agaynste SteueÌ„s Epistle It is of no lesse authorite that the Apostles delyuered by the instructyon of the holy gost then that which Christeâ— himselfe delyuered CIprian speaketh not here of tradicions vnwritten but of such thynges as the Apostles delyuered in their writings as the gospels and Epistles like as Paule sayeth I deliuered you that I receiued of the Lordeâ— whiche thing he wrote to theÌ„ But if thei wil nedes vnderstand him of thynges delyuered by the Apostles wythout wrytyng then answere him as Tertullian ORigen In obseruauÌ„ces of the church there be diuerse thiÌ„gs which al men must nedes do and yet the reason of them is vnknowen to all men And he reciteth in maner the obseruauÌ„ces that Tertullyan doeth and after he concludeth Who can certenly tell the cause of all these thinges THe answer made to Tertullian wyll serue Origen here A Thanasius vpon the .2 Epistle to the Thessa. Cap. 2. vpon this place State et tenete Hereby it is playne that Paule delyuered many thynges wythoute the scripture not written in his Epistles but by worde of mouth only And these are worthy no lesse faith then the other Therfore I doe iudge the tradycion of the churche to be a thyng worthy to be credited so that if any thyng be deliuered by it make no farther searcheâ— CHrisostomê° in the .2 Epistle to the Thessa. Cap. 2. Stande fast brethren and kepe the tradicioÌ„s c. Hereof sayeth Chrysostome it is playne that Paule deliuered not all things in his Epistles but also many thynges without writing and as wel those as these ar worthi of like faith Wherefore we iudge the tradicion of the churche worthye of credite it is a tradicion searche no farther EPiphaniê° against heresyes li. 2 to mo .1 Agaynst those that call theÌ„selfes Apostles .1 cor 11. 14. 15 We must saith he vse tradicions for all thynges can not bee perceyued by the holy scripture Wherfore the holi Apostles haue set furth vnto vs some thynges by the worde of god and soÌ„e thynges by tradicions as the Apostle sayth as I haue deliuered vnto you thus I teache and thus I haue deliuered in all churches and thus you remeÌ„ber by what meanes I haue preached vnto you except you haue beleued in vayne ANswere these .iii. authors lyke as Tertullyan is answered sauing that they alledge S. Paul for their purpose but clearly wrested from his true meaning as it shal easely appeare to euery indiffereÌ„t reader that is not blinded of malice to resyst the truth as they may plaiÌ„ly perceue by the answere made
and that in no smal trifles Exodus xxxii a. 2. Tim. 2. 3. Reg. 22. Hiere 20 This and such like is the rewarde of al true preachers and faithful seruauntes of god 1. 〈◊〉 vii et ii Machabeorum iiii Math. iii. b. xii c. xxiii d. Act. iiii d Actes vii g. Euse. ecc his lib. ii cap. xxii Acte ix Actes xxiii Ruffini lib. i. cap xvii Socratis Lib. 6. cap. 18. Marke well the fruites of this outwarde churche and by them ye shal knowe what they be the Pope maketh him selfe equall to God yea rather aboue him in this his promise This is one of the practises of prelates The spiritual man neuer persecuteth the carnal man but forgeueth him Hier. ad Gala. iiii Exo. xii i. Pet. ii d Eph. 1. d. Collos. 1. Iohn 10. Iohn 5. 2. Tim. 3. Psa. 116. c Goddes word only certifyeth a man whether his fayth be good or no. Trie euery spirite but alow none further then thei agree with the written scriptures Goddes word trieth all thynges whether they be good or badde Their coÌ„sciences shal therfore cnodeÌ„ne theÌ„ for so doing if they repent not in tyme. Math. 16 the witte and vertue of delicate gospellers is in their tongues Math. 23. ii Mach. vi b. Ebru xii â— Para. 13 The wil of a womaÌ„ must be folowed or els al the 〈◊〉 is in the fierâ— 3 Re. 19. c 3. Re. 18. 4 Re. 18. 4. Re. 21. 4. Re. 23. 4. Re. 24. As princes wold so all thinges were done Math. 26 Math. 27 Theodoriti lib. 2 cap. 18. The priestes for the most part wer double faced turne tippettes and flatteres â–ª These be the Popes thunder bolts wherewith he feareth the people and maketh them to incline to his waies It was a smal matter at that tyme to be displesed with such meÌ„ and so much the more for that thei withstod priuate commodite Priuate commodite and Popishe sutte Itie ouercaÌ„e good publike policie and brought in tirannye Thei are al periured so many as gaue their consent to the bringing in of the Byshop of rome The Byshoppes I warraÌ„te you were none of those for they can not erre these are wauerÌ„ig redes ct perfecte wether cockes that turne with euery winde By their dedes ye shall knowe theÌ„ what they be In his .3 boke of ChristiaÌ„ doctryne cap 28. In hys â— boke of ChristiaÌ„ doâ—trine cap 9. In his â— â–ª boke of mâ—â—â—es and forgeuenes of sinnes tom 7. cap. vâ—â—i Vpon Genesis cap 14. hom 35. In his vnperfecte worke cap. 23. Iacob 1. â— Math. 22. Mark 12. Ioan. 10. â— Apo. 3. b Iohn 15. Ephe. 2. d 2. Iohn epistle c. Deu. 4. Deu. 12. Ibidâ— in fine Deu. 18. Pro. 30. lere 23. Math. 5. Math. 7. Math. 15. Math. 28 Mark 16. Iohn 5. Iohn 5. Iohn 20. Actes 20. Acte 26. Rom. 10. Rom. 14. 2. Cor. 1. Gala. 1. 2. Tim. 3. 1. Pete 4. 2. Iohn epistle Apo. 22. Doctrine in religion must be grouÌ„ded vpoÌ„ the scriptures only we maye not build our faith vpoÌ„ meÌ„s tradicioÌ„s The Apostles taught nothing but that whyche they learned of Christe The first point of belefe is that after the gospell none other thiÌ„g is to be beleued There is no certeÌ„ty in that the scripture defineth not The law the Prophetes and the gospell are the first doctrines ct therfore true Our wordes with out gods wordes are not to be beleued That which caÌ„ not be proued by the scripture leaue to god If Paul thought his aucthorite Al bokes which be not in the Canon of the Bible are called Apocrypha and are not sufficient to proue any Articles of our sayth No man can dispence with goddes law Things that be not commauÌ„ded be indifferent to be vsed or not vsed but yet as charite requireth Searche no further then the gospell In time of hereâ—ie there is no meanes to trye the truth and the true church of Christe from Antichrists churche but only by the scripturs An heauy sayiÌ„g but alaâ— to true Prechers most neyther adde nor take 〈◊〉 froÌ„ gods lawe They that host theÌ„selues of the holy goste with out scripture be voide of the holy goste Heretiks oughte first to be coÌ„uinced by the scripturs and after by reasoÌ„ To prech ani thing besydes goddes worde is to sow sedicioÌ„ and heresie Al things may be determined by the scripture The holi scripture coÌ„teineth all thinges nedefull for our saluacioÌ„ A preacher must speake nothyng but out of gods mouthe Beleue him not that speaketh without the scripture He that beleueth the gospel written nedeth beleue nomore Not maÌ„s wisdome but the holi gost is the true expositor of the scripture nothing is of lyke aucthoritie wyth the holy scripture Goddes word cutteth of al tradicioÌ„s apostolik as they cal them which be beside the same worde we ought not to alowe ani mans doctryne wythout gods worde the Apostles grouÌ„ded all their doctrine vpoÌ„ the law and Prophetes To build vpon any doctours saying without scripture or reason agreing to scripture were to folow Pithagoras rather then Christe Be a maÌ„ neuer so holy and neuer so learned after the apostles yet his wordes without gods word are of none aucthorite To teach that as nedefull to saluacion which Câ—â—yst â—ath not taught is daÌ„nâ—â—le the soule liueth only by the worde of god nothing is to be added to the word of god althoughe it be for a good purpose As well who precheth beside the gospel as against it is accursed Euen the Apostles preching besides the gospel ar not to be beleued Christe made all to be written that he wold we should reade we are as wel bouÌ„d to beleue that which the Apostles wrote as thoughe Chryst had written it with hys own haÌ„d The church is knowen by the scripture Al that concerneth true relygion is contained in the scripture The worde written is inoughe for oure saluacion No man is bound to beleue farther then the holi scriptures teache The balance to trye the trueth is the holy scripture Thei that sit on moses seate and teach their own doctrine are not to be beleued Al euil is condemned by the scripture and all good thynges are there founde We may lawefulli disseÌ„t froÌ„ all doctrine except the scryptures onlye al things that concerne fayth hope loue and good maners are coÌ„tained in the scripture not what we say but what the lord that must be heard The church is knowen by the scriptures We may doubt of all mens doctrine but not of holye scripturs If gods scripturs can not discusse a matter in doubt let man neuer go about to discusse it Who fedeth with the scriptures fedeth safely Other therfore with vnwritten verites fede vntrulye In the scripture are all thinges necessary for faith and good lyfe which two suffice for saluacion If any mans saying or writinge cannot be proued by plaine scripture or good reason gathered of the saÌ„e a maÌ„ mai alowe or refuse it as him liketh The olde writers are not of suche aucthoritie but
that Images are necessarie because they be laie mens bokes teaching them instructing them and leading them to the trewe worshippe of god Oh great blasphemie Oh sacrilege Oh spitfull robbery What is blasphemie what is sacrilege what is robberi if this be none god geueth his worde written to bee euery mans booke and his pure euerlastinge and vnderfiled commaundementes as sufficient instructions for all men to the trewe worshippe of him But these earthly wroters the Pope I meane and his prelates as though they wer wiser then God will teache men to worship him with Images althoughe the same be vtterli forbidden by god through out the whole course of his holy scriptures These and suche other false and fained doctrines coÌ„trarie to the scriptures of God contayned in his holye Bible are now blowen out biustered and yelled forth in euery pulpit Euery streate soundeth of these yea eueri prynters house is filled with such vngodly baggage yea and the same are commaunded by publique aucthority which is much to be lamented to bee sette forth and the sincere doctrine of Christes holy worde cleane put to silence and vtterlye condemned Neyther maye any man reason or once doubte of their doctrine vnder paine of excommunicacion naye rather vnder paine of burning And when theâ— be able as they are not able at any time in dede to proue any of these doctrines by the worde of god written then they flye to their vnwritten verites that is to certain things deliuered as they saie from the Apostles by worde of mouth without writing Whiche thynges ar to all men vncertaine for no maÌ„ knoweth certainly what they are But whatsoeuer pleaseth them and maketh for theire purpose profite and Lordly ambicion that is an vnwrytten verite not to be gaine saide or denied This is their shote anker bulwarke and extreme refuge wherunto to they flie whensoeuer they are forced and constrained by gods worde These they make their foundacion wherevpon they builde and mayntaine all their supersticioÌ„s Idolatries and heresies Whiche foundacions I truste by gods grace and helpe so to shake both by the open scriptures by the full consent of all the moste auncient writers and by probable reasons that the building therevpon shal haue a fall For this is most true that no vnwritten verite is or can be necessarie for our saluacion For then sholde the sacred and holy scriptures written by the Apostles in the spirite of god and sealed with their bloodes seme to bee insufficient and not able to bring vâ— vnto saluacion But what a greate blasphemye that shoulde bee to God and his most holy spirite all men I trust that list to reade the same scryptures easely shall perceaue But wheÌ„ these vnshame fast robbers are put to their shiftes vrged and forced herein by the open and manyfeste word written then haue they another startiÌ„ge hole to crepe out at cryinge and yelling templum domini templum domini templuÌ„ domini c. the church the churche the churche affirmynge in plaine wordes that the church can in no wise erre or be disceaued And heare they disceaue theÌ„selues because they make no distinctyon or differeÌ„ce of the churche For there are two maner of churches one true perfect and holy in the sighte of god and another false imperfect and vngodly Trueth it is that the true churche of God beeing grounded and sette vpon hys holy worde I meane the gospell of grace can not erre vnto damnacion But the other how shining and glorious so euer it appeare if it wander abroade and be not contained within the compasse and lymets of the worde written is no true but a fained and forged churche That Church as it is without the compasse of Gods promises made in trueth not onelye maye but also doth commonli yea continuallyerâ—e and goe astraâ—e for they are not câ—uppeled to the head Chryste which is the life the way the truth Paul the Apostle of god and elect vessell of saluacion writing to the Galathians hath these wordes if we saith he or an Aungell from heauen preach any other gospell vnto you then that we haue preached hold him a curseâ— and yet the papistes not fearing the curse of God â—are bee bolde to teache thinges which Paul neuer knewe yea thinges cleane contrarye to hys euident and manifest teaching Such grosse Ignoraunce I would to God it were but Ignoraunce in dede â—s entered into their heades and such arrogaunt boldnes possesseth their harts that they are bolde to affirme no churche to be the true churche of god but that which standeth by ordinary succession of Bishoppes in such pompeous and glorious sort as nowe is seen For if there be say they no such outwarde and visible churche howe shal any man know whether he be of the churche of Chryst and in the right belefe or noâ— To this I aunswer that if our faith should be stayed vpon the outwarde glisteringe and pompeous churche not ruled nor gouerned by the determinate counsell of God in his worde written we shoulde neuer be certaine therof but euer wauering and doubting which is the gate and readye path way to desperacion from whiche god defende his chosen flocke Cursed is he sayth the scripture that putteth his trust in man And why for all men as the kinglye Prophete Dauid saith ar lyers in their words and sinners in their workes By whiche wordes it appeareth plaine that there was neuer man so vertuous so holy nor so wel learned onely the writers of the holi scripturs excepted but either of Ignoraunce or of neglygence there escaped some faultes in his writinges and doinges Yea the generall counsels themselues also that they make so much of haue notably erred as hereafter shalbe declared Yea suche hath been the trueth of those seen churches that one generall counsell hath coÌ„demned another of heresie Moreouer the outwarde seen churche wherof they bragge not a litel hath neuer since the beginninge any space continued in the true doctrine of god Let vs beginne at Moses who was the first law geuer and we shal see the state of this outwarde churche which consisteth in the ordinarie succession of Bishoppes whether it be so as I haue said or no. WheÌ„ Moses was gone vp to the mounte Sinai to talke with God and to receaue the lawe at his handes did not Aaron the hiegh Priest and Bishop with al the people in the mene space worship the golden Calfe reade the boke of Iudges and you shal see how the whole outwarde visible church fell to Idolatrie and worshippinge of straunge goddes as Baal Astaroth goddes of the Edomites Moabites Philistines and the Sirians After the reigne of king Dauid howe many kynges were there I praye you in whose tyme false gods were not openly worshipped All the kynges of Israel serued straunge gods wyth the consent of the Byshoppes priestes the hole people And in Iuda there passed not .iii or foure kinges after
succession of Bishops then shal we make Christ whiche is an innocent lambe without spot and in whom is founde no gile to bee the head of vngodly and disobediēt members Which thing is as impossyble as to make god which is onli good and nothynge but goodnesse it selfe to bee the aucthor originall and cause of al euill For Chryste as he is pure holy and perfyte euen so must his churche and members be to whom he as the head is adioyned and coupled But if we alow the Pope hys Cardinales Bishops Priestes Mōkes Chanō◠Friers and the whole rable of the clergye to be thys perfect church of god whose doinges are cleane contrarye for the most parte to the wyll and commaundement of Chryst lefte and expressed in his woorde wrytten then make we him a synner and his word of none effecte For as swete agreeth wyth sower blacke with white darknes with light and euil with good euen so this outward seene and vysyble churche consisting of the ordinari succession of Bishops agreeth wyth Christe But there they wyll aske me how shal a man know whether he be in the right faith but by this church To this Christe shal make aunswere himselfe sayeng in the gospel of Iohn my shepe heare my voice and shal not heare a straunger And where I pray you hath Christe left any voyce to be heard or folowed but in hys woorde writtē Search the scriptures saith he for they beare witnes of me Wher he biddeth you not search vnwritten verities such as the outward sene and pompeous church shall of theyr own heades showe you but the written verities contained in the holye scriptures whiche are profytable to teache to improue to amende and to instructe in righteousnesse that the man of god may be perfet and prepared vnto all good workes If thou therefore bee desyerous to knowe whether thou be in the righte fayth or no seke it not at mās mouth for all men bee lyers Seke it not I saye at a proude gloryous and waue ringe sorte of Bishoppes priestes but at gods owne mouth whyche is his holy worde written whiche can neither lye disceaue nor be disceaued As 〈◊〉 I say seke and knocke by dylygent study earnest prayer vnto god who hath promised to geue to al thē that aske faithfulli of him the certaīti of good faith in their cōsciēce taught confirmed by the holye scryptures of the olde and newe testament And here I forbid no man as though they shold not aske and learne of the learned for that is good and necessarye yea and alowed by gods trueth but thys would I haue all men to dooe to vse discretion and wysdome in this matter and to knowe whether they be lerned godli minded and able to instruct by the scriptures or no. And yet if thei be beleue them no further then they can shewe their doctryne and exhortacion to bee agreable wyth the true worde of god written For that is the very touche stone whiche must yea and also wyl trye all doctryne or learnyng whatsoeuer it be whether it be good or euill true or false And let not men of small learninge be to curious in askyng or mouing darke and doubtful questions whiche brede contenciō rather then godly edyfieng but lette them be contente with the plaine and open places of the scriptures Let thē rather be earnest to obserue the commaundementes of faythe and loue whiche are plainly set forth in Gods boke then to trouble themselues and busy their heades wyth darke places for that is a thyng that hath done and also doth displease god very greatly Yea I thinke surely that these heauy plagues where wyth god most iustly punisheth now this realme of Englande whyche I beseche hym of hys infinite mercy eyther to take cleane awaye or els to mitigate them for his electe sake commeth not so much for the simple innocente and vnlearned sorte whych beeyng begiled throughe theyr simplicite by the craft and subtyltie of the wilie papystes doe stil cōtinue in supersticion and Idolatrye but rather for the curious sort which preache straunge farre fetched doctrynes nothyng so muche to edyfieng as to contencyous brawlynge Yea I would to god there were not a greate nomber of them that were and are counted learned whiche preache and defende doctrines whiche themselues know to be vntrue cōtrary to the euidēt scriptures Wolde god ther wer not many hūdreds of great gospellers sometimes that had not subscribed with their own hāds confirmed by their opē publique sermōs the cōtrary of that which they once builded in Chryst. And some of such I know in perswading priuatlye with their olde frēds acquaītaūce haue cōfessed no lesse but that they haue done cōtrary to the truth the good perswatiō of their own cōsciēce yet the same mē coūsell their frēdes for vnitie peace sake as thei terme it but rather ther maisai for feare of losse of goods life to obey wicked supersticiōs naughtie rites and dānable lawes But what peace or what vnitie is that that is a gaynst god his Christ And what profiteth it a mā to winne al the world lose his own soule For he that loueth his own life more thē me saith christ is not worthy of me For these mēs sakes therfore that is to saye the stubburne papistes that leade the worlde in blindnes cōtrary to their own cōsciēces specialli for delicat gospelers sakes whose wit vertue is in their toūgs hot disputers busi talkers taūters fault fīders with others rather thē mēders of thēselfes for these two sorts sakes chefly I say god heapeth these great plages that is persecuciō of his word dearth daūger of war people of straūge naciōs likely to subdue vtterli distroy that our realme except thei repēt amēd their liues in time becōe not ōli forgetful of their former euils but also diligēt workers true folowers of the word that thei haue so lightlye cōdēned and refused Which if thei do not let thē be suer that al the plages which ar written in the boke of god al the blood of hys sainctes which hath been shed frō iust Abel vnto this presēt time shalbe poured vpō thē But howsoeuer these mē do let vs deare brethrē whose harts god of his goodnes hath more mercyfulli touched repēt amēd our former liues ceasse frō al deade workes lest we be partakers of the same plagues with them But thankes be vnto our god that hath so gentlye ordered vs for thys we know that god suffereth not hys people longe to folowe theyr owne mynder but shortly punisheth them whiche is a token of his greate louinge kindnesse towarde them For this grace haue we of God more thē other people as it is wrytten that he suffereth not vs longe to synne vnpunished like other nacions that whē the daye of iudgemente commeth
like wyse to be punished as the breakers of gods law Of which thinges if thou wylte dispute and reproue one custome by another there shal aryse an endlesse strife He repeteth also this sentence manye tymes that what so euer is vniuersally obserued not writtē in the scripture nor ordained by general coūcels is a tradiciō come from the Apostles ANswere him as Tertullyan yet of all other authors he is most playne that nothing is of necessite to saluacion besydes the Scriptures of God But let vs graunt for their pleasures that those customes whiche they speake of bee tradiciōs Apostolyke yet they bee no longer nor other waies to be obserued then the tradiciōs Apostolike writtē Which as is before fully proued mai and are already be both chaunged clearly taken awaye And as concernyng custome it is playnlye proued that it is not to be receaued agaynste the Scrypture trueth or reason THey sai moreouer that the perpetuall virginite of our Lady is to be beleued of necessite as Ciprian Chrisostome Ierome Ambrose Austen and all other speakyng therof say But this is not founde in the scripture ergo there is some thīg to be beleued that is not written in the Scripture THe minor that is to say that thys is not written in the scripture is false For firste none of the old authours that rehearce tradiciōs of the Apostles vnwrytten make mencion of the perpetual virginite of our ladye to be one of them but they rehearce only diuerse cerimonies or bodelye gestures and suche rites vsed in Baptisme prayers holy dayes and fastynges which as I haue manyfestly declared are not necessary to saluacyon But the most part of them are cleane taken away and the contrarye commaunded and vsed by the vniuersall churche Moreouer all the sayed authours proue her perpetuall virginite by thys texte of Scripture EZechiell 44. Thys doore shalbe styll shutte and not opened for any man to goe thorowe it but only for the Lord god of Israel yea he shall goe thorowe it els shal it be shut still For if these and suche other fathers had not iudged her perpetuall virginite to haue been wrytten in the scriptures they woulde neuer haue iudged it to haue bene a thing to be beleued vnder payne of damnacyon Sainct Ierome also calleth Heluidiū a rashe and an vngodly man because that he taught that our Ladye hadde other children by Ioseph after Christs birth which doctrine he coulde not proue by the scriptures of god In like maner we cal al them that preache a ny doctrine in the church without the Authorite of gods worde both vngodly rashe and wicked members of Antichrist ARgument Yet they bring forth to maintaine their errour the Baptisme of infantee which they say is not contained in the scriptures and yet this is to be obserued vpō paine of dānaciō of the said childrē Ergo there is sōe thyng to be done of necessite to our saluacion that is not contained in the scriptures ON what a gappe these men open both to the Donatistes to the Anabaptists that deny the baptising of infantes For if it were not writtē in the worde of god no manne ought to beleue it or vse it And so the Donatistes Anabaptistes doctryne were true outs false But in dede the baptisme of infaūtes is proued by the playne scriptures Firste by the figure of the old law which was circūcisiō Infātes in the olde law were circūcised Ergo in the newe lawe they ought to be baptised Againe Infātes pertaine to god as it is said to Abrahā I wil be thy god the god of thy sede after thee Christ saith also suffer children to come to me for of such is the kingdome of heauen And agayne see that ye despice not one of these lytle ones for their Aūgels in heauen alwayes behold the face of my father which is in heauē for the sōne of māiscōe to saue that that is lost And agaīe Paule sayth that youre children art holy nowe By these and many other playne wordes of Scripture it is euidente that the Baptysme of infantes is grounded vpon the holye scriptures FVrthermore the churche saye they hath chaunged the Sabboth daye into the Sondaye whych Sabboth was commaunded by God and neuer man found fault there at Seeyng thē that the church hath authorite to chaunge Goddes lawes muche more it hath authorite to make newe lawes necessarie to saluacion THere bee 2. partes of the Sabboth day One is the outward bodely reste from all maner of labour and worke and this is were ceremoniall and was taken awaye with other sacrifices and ceremonies by Christ at the preaching of the gospell The other part of the Sabboth day is the inwarde rest or ceassing frō sinne from our own wils and lusts and to do only gods wil and commaūdementes Of this part speaketh the Prophet Esai He that taketh hede that he vnhalow not the sabboth day is he that kepeth himselfe that he doe no euyl and they that hold greatly of the thing that pleaseth me and kepe my couenaūte vnto them wil I geue an euerlastyng name that shall not peryuse And moreouer the same Prophete sayeth If thou turne thy feete from the sabboth so that thou doe not the thing which pleaseth thy selfe in my holy daye Then shalte thou be called vnto the pleasaunt holy and gloryous sabboth of the Lorde where thou shalte be in honor so that thou do not after thine own imaginacions nether seke thine own wil nor speake thyne owne wordes Then shalt thou haue thy pleasure in the Lord whiche shall carry the hyghe aboue the earth and fede thee with the heritage of Iacob thy father for the Lords own mouth hath spoken it This spirituall Sabboth that is to abstayne from synne and to doe good are all men bounde to kepe all the dayes of their life and not only on the sabboth day And this spirituall sabboth may no man alter nor chaung no not the whole church That the vtter obseruinge of the sabboth is mere cerimonial sainct Paul writeth plainly as that the holy daies of the newe mone and of the sabboth daies are nothinge but shadowes of thinges to come And that the outwarde bodely rest is a mere cerimoniall precept S. Austine also affirmeth saying that amōg all the ten commaundements this only that is spoken of the sabboth is cōmaūded figuratiuely but al the other commaundements we must obserue playnly as they be cōmaunded with out any figuratyue speche IErome also to the Galathians 4. accordyng to the same sayeth leste the congregaciō of the people with out good order shoulde dimmishe the faith in Christ therfore certaine daies wer appointed wherin we should cōe together not that that daye is holyer then the other in whiche we come together but that what soeuer day we assemble in there might aryse greater ioye by the sight of one of vs to another But he that wil
Prophetes are gone out into the world Herby is the spirite of god knowen sayeth he euerye spirite whiche confesseth that Iesus Chryst is come in the fleshe is of god c. Whoso euer therfore sayeth that there is anye thyng that pacifieth the wrath of god or obtaineth his fauour and forgeuenes of synnes but onelye Christes death and passioÌ„ he denieth Christ to be coÌ„e a sauiour in the flesh Wherfore these Angels saincts souls of the dead and miracles thaâ— alowe worshipping of sainctes by inuocacioÌ„ and prayinge to them the sacrifice of the masse for the quicke and the dead worshipping of images pilgrimages offeryngs to holy reliques to forgeue synnes or to delyuer the deade oute of purgatory denye Christe to be come an only sauiour by hys fleshe For theiÌ„ make all these to be sauiours froÌ„ purgatory or at the least coadiutores to helpe him in that office of saluacyon and deliuering those soules froÌ„ sinne and the paynes due for the same and so they cannot be of God but of Antichrist Thus I haue plainly fully and truly without fraud of cloking or coloure of rhetorike and darke speache to blind the eies of the siÌ„ple people answered to al that I remember which the Papistes doe or can alledge either by writing preaching or reasoning for the defence of their vnwritteÌ„ verites wherevpon they builde so many detestable idolatries and heresies and the same answers if they be aptly applied and placed by a discret and witty reader wil suffâ—ce for the answere to all that euer they haue or can bryng furth for the maintaining of their vnwrytten and vncertayne verites And yet I wyll not be so much wedded to myne owne witte or will but that if they be able to answer so plainly and trulye to the Scriptures authors and reasons rehersed by me as I haue done to theirs and to proue their doctrine of vnwrytten veryâ—es by as playne coÌ„seÌ„t both of scriptures aunciente doctours and as pithy argumentes as I haue done myne and sette it forth in prynte to the iudgemente of the whole worlde as myne iâ— I shal not onely acknowledge mine ignoraunce and erroure but I shall gladlye returne into Englande recaÌ„t myne heresyes openlye submyttynge myselfe to such discipline correctioÌ„ as they shall thynke mete fo myne offences But if thei refuse to answer my boke by writing vâ—ing their olde trade burne both my boke and the readers therof let them knowe thei shal doe nothyng but cut of the head of hibra For for euery heretike as you cal them which you shal burn wil arise many faythful and coÌ„staÌ„t ChristiaÌ„s For except the grayn or corne of wheat dye it remaineth alone but if it dye it bringeth forth much fruite Wherefore I most hartely beseche the father of heaueÌ„ of his infinite mercye if you be not indurat in your heartes wyth that synne which is irremissible and shal neuer be forgeuen in this worlde nor in the worlde to come and resyste the holy gost impugning the trueth of god of you knowen and defendynge maintaining wicked doctrines which your consciences beare recorde to be idolatries and heresies that he wyll mollifie your stony heartes and geue you fleshy heartes yea rather spirituall and godly hartes to worshyp him truly in spirite accordyng to his godly wil expressed in his holy word written And I exhort al you which feare god be desierous to saue your owne soules to flee from this whore of Babilon and from al her detestable idolatries and heresies not builded vpon the sure rocke of gods infallible word written but vpon the qualinâ—re of vnwritteÌ„ verites whervpon whatsoeuer is builded furthwith eyther sinketh or quite ouerthroweth And staÌ„de thou fast and stay thy fayth whervpoÌ„ thou shalt builde al thy workes vpon the strong rocke of gods word writteÌ„ and conteined within the old testameÌ„t and the newe which is able sufficieÌ„tly to instruct thee in al thinges nedeful to thy saluacion and to the attaiÌ„meÌ„t of the kyngdome of heauen To the whiche I beseche the almightie father of heauen of his infinite mercy and goodnesse and by the merytes of his only sonne oure sauiour redemer Iesê° Christ throgh his holy sprite in vs bring vs all Amen ¶ Faultes escaped in the pryntynge A. 2. pag. 1. line 19. That apparicions of the dead A. 2. pa. 2. li. 6. ca. 11. the papistes C. 1. pa. 1. li. 15. were cccc C. 1. pa. 2. li. 18. martyrs and al the people sayd amen C. 7. pag. 1. li. 4. are there opened D. 4. pa. 2. li. 6. I haue shewed you D. 5. pa. 2. li. 14. ruinus house F 1. pa. i. li. 18. scriptures only F. 1. pa. 2. li. 15. Donatystes G. 4. pa. 2. li. laste The couÌ„sel woulde be a capitall T. G. 5. pa. 1. li. 22. before note put a ¶ which noteth my saying and not the doctors G. 8. pa. 2. li. 1. but now wold folowe the. 6. canon of â—ice H. 1. pa. 2. li. 15. be those bokes H. 2. pa. 1. li. 11. midges li. 18. terme I. 1. pa. 1. li. 16. soule I. 5. pa. 1. li. 7. put a ¶ before By this â— 1. pa. 1. li. 24. blot out of K. 3. pa. 1. li. 1. wherby you may K. 3. pa. 2. li. 11. Christâ— saith The deuil K. 5. pa. 2. li. 2. PoÌ„pey N. 2. p. 2. li. 2. spiritual N. 3. pag. 2. li. 8. Dcc. or Dccc. yeares N. 5 pa. 1. li. 17. ouer li. lâ—st of late N. 6. pa 〈…〉 10. be gods elect churche Esaie v. â— KiÌ„ges rulers oughte to be aiders and not inuaders helpers and not hurters defences and not offeÌ„ces to gods people Psal lxxx Gods vvord is a svvete pleasaunt grape and comforteth the harte of man to euerlasting saluacion psa ciiii b 〈◊〉 â—â—tes of the most parte vvere naked bare emptie as the profe novv alas to vvell declareth Sinne is the cause vvhâ— god taketh his vvorde from ani people Esai xxix Math. vii a. Psalm xxii The Pope geueth lies for trueth poison for norishinge sustenauÌ„ce and ministreth death for life Iohn vi c Iohn iiii b. psal cxv Hierm. x. Exo. xx a. Gods vvord is sufficieÌ„te to instructe al men in the true vvorship of god vvithout images priestes thâ—â— them selueâ— vviser the god The Pepe maintaineth his doctrine by fyer and fagot and not by the holie scriptures A vveake refuge if thei vvere not obstinate and shamelesse If vnvvritten verites vver necessarie to saluacion then gods vvord vvere not sufficiente therevnto â—herâ— vii a. yea this is their strong tovvre and bulvvarke of defence and ieat vveake inough not being vvalled about vvith gods vvord gods true churche because it is grounded vpon the vvorde of grace can not erre in maters of saluacion The church that vvandereth from gods vvord vvritten mai doth erre in matters of faith and saluacion galathi i. b. The papists feare not gods curse Ierem. xvii â–ª Psal. cxvi â–ª â— The general couÌ„sels haue erred