¶ Thus euery man maye se how that shadowe & this thynge agreeth & answereth one tyll an other fully & clerly . But now let vs pause here a whyle . I wyll construe this fygure yet by an other dede of christ in that gospel . So it was . the the Jewes were tributaryes vnto the romaynes . & for that trybute the heed of euery housholde dyd paye a certayn coyne called didrachma . So whan they that were the gaderers of this trybute came to saynt Peter . our sauyour bad hym go vnto the see . And tolde hym that in a fysshes bely there he shold fynde staterem . whiche was a double didrachma . and bad hym paye that vnto the gaderers . bothe for hymselfe and for chryst . Marke here that this trybute was heed money payed for them that were heedes and gouernours of housholdes . & christ commaunded this to be payed for no moo . but onely for hym & for saynt Peter . & therby quyted all the resydue . Joyne this facte of the gospel vnto that fygure byfore . & what can be more euydent to shewe that Peter vnder christ was the heed of al the houshold of christ . But yet thyrdly let vs here the testimony of some father of the chirche that this is the veray meanynge of the gospell . Saynt Austyn in the boke of questyons of the newe & of the olde testament the .lxxv. questyon sayth in this maner . didrachma capitum solutio intelligitur . the payment of this money was heed money payde for the heedes . And after foloweth . Saluator quum ꝓ se et Petro dari iubet . pro omnibus exoluisse videtur quia sicut in saluatore erant omnes causa magisterii . ita & post saluatorem in Petro omnes continentur . ipsum enim constituit caput eorum . that is to saye . whan our sauyour commaunded this double trybute . to be payed for hymself and for Peter . & in so commaundynge he dyd quyte all the resydue of the apostles . for all they were conteyned in hym . bycause he was theyr mayster . And as al they were conteyned in our sauyour . So after our sauyour all they were conteyned in Peter . for christ made hym the heed of them all . Here note of saynt Austyn that saynt Peter bycause he was heed of them all . & all they were conteyned in hym . therfore this trybute that was payed for hym was payed for them al. But yet by an other scrypture whiche I rehersed before . Saynt Austyn proueth that al the other apostles were conteyned in saynt Peter . Simon Simon . ecce sathanas expetiuit vos . vt cribraret sicut triticum . Ego aunt oraui pro te . vt non deficiat fides tua . et tu aliquando conuersus confirmafratres tuos . that is to saye , Symon Symon . loo sathanas hath coueted to syft you as a man syfteth whete . but I haue prayed for the that thy faythe shall not fayle . & thou ones conuerted to the stable waye . do conferme thy brethren . Upon the whiche wordes saynt Austyn saythe . Christ dyd not praye for James and John & for the other . but he prayed for saynt Peter in whome the resydue was conteyned .

¶ Consydre now how eche of these testimonyes conferme & strenghte one an other . Fyrst the fygure & shadow of the olde lawe . Secondly the testymony of the gospels answeryng vnto the same . Thyrdly the declaracyon tyon of saynt Austyn vpon the same . And here I bryng but one doctour . whose testimony in the balaunce of any trewe christen mans herte . me thynketh shold wey downe Martyn Luther . But saynt Ambrose spekynge de didrachmate calleth it also capitum solutionem . that is to say heed money . And of saynt Peter he saythe . Petra enim dicitur . eo ꝙ primus in nationibus fidei fundamentum posuerit . & tanquam saxum immobile totius operis christiani compagem . molemque contineat . that is to saye . Peter is called petra . bycause that he fyrste amonge the gentyles dyd establisshe the ground of our fayth . & as a stone not easy to be remoued . he conteyneth in hym & stayeth all the frame & gretnes of the worke of christ . And saynt Gregory saythe . Certe Petrus apostolus primum membrum sancte & vniuersalis ecclesie est . Paulus . Andreas . Joannes quid aliud quam singularium plebium sunt capita . that is to saye . Peter is the chefe membre of the vniuersall chirche . Paule & Andrew . & John . what els be they . but heedes of certayne & syngler people . wherby it appereth that as they were chefe euery man of that people the they had cure of . So saynt Peter was chefe of the vnyuersall chirche . Saynt Hierome also sayth spekyng of Peter . Propterea inter duodecim vnus eligitur . vt capite constituto . schismatis tolleretur occasio . that is to say the Peter was one chosen out amongest twelfe to th entent that he beynge theyr heed al occasyons of schysmatyke diuysyon shold be take awaye . Saynt Cypriane forthermore sayth . spekyng of Peter whan he dyd confesse cryst Jesu to be the sone of god . Loquitur illic Petrus super quem edificāda fuerat ecclesia . that is to saye there speketh Peter vpon whome the chirche was for to be buylded . But how shold the chirche be buylded vpon hym yf he were not the heed and chefe membre of the chirche .

¶ All these be of the latyn chirche . holy fathers . all men of grete lernynge . all men of synguler holynes . whose vertuous lyuynges be conformed by miracles bothe done in theyr lyfes & after theyr deeth . Of grekes lykewyse . Chrisostome after that he hath praysed saynt Paule speketh of saynt Peter sayeng . ꝙ ipse quifuit apostolorum caput talis fuit . that is to saye that saynt Peter whiche was the heed of the apostles was suche an other and often he called saynt Peter eximium apostolorum . et os discipulorum ac verticem collegii . that is to saye the chefe of the apostles and mouthe of the dyscyples & the top and heed of all the college . And Oxygene saythe . Magno illi ecclesie fundamento petreque solidissime super quam christus fundauit ecclesiam suam . vide quid dicatur a domino . Modice fidei quare dubitasti . that is to say . Se what was sayd of our lorde to that grete foundament of the chirche and moost stable stone . o man of lytle faythe why dydest thou doute . ¶ yf all these so many testymonyes bothe of grekes and latyns shall not counterpease agaynst one frere . What reason is this ? I truste there is no true chrysten man but that he wyll be moued with the testimonye of all these . specyally whan they be grounded of so playne & euydent a fygure of the olde lawe . and of so clere a lyght of the holy gospels . ¶ But here Luther wyll saye that he can not conceyue duos summos . Of the whiche I merueyle gretly . Sithen it is manyfest that Aaron was called summus in scrypture . & yf he were summus sacerdos & Moyses was no whit benethe hym . than must they two eyther of them be summus . one of them vnder an other in comparyson of the other people . So as saynt Paule maketh many hedes sayeng . Caput mulieris vir . caput viri christus . christi vero deus . Se here be thre heedes vnto a woman . god / chryst / & hyr housband . & yet besyde al these she hath an heed of hyr owne . It were a monstruous syght to se a woman withouten an heed . what conforte sholde hyr housbande haue vpon hyr . yf than one woman notwithstandynge she hathe an heed of hyr owne to gouerne hyr accordynge to the wyl & pleasure of hyr housband . yet she hath hyr housband to be hyr heed & chryst to be hyr heed . and god to be hyr heed , How moche rather our mother holy chirche which is the spowse of christ . hath an heed of her owne . that is to say the pope . & yet neuerthelesse chryst Jesu hyr housbande is her heed . & almyghty god is hyr heed also . ¶ But now let vs retourne to our instruccyon . Thus than ye vnderstande how that in the vnyuersal chirche of chryste remayneth the spyryte of trouthe for euer . and that the heed of this chirch the pope is vnder chryst . Bi this breuely it maye appeere that the spiryte of christ is not in Martyn luther . The spyryte of euery naturall body gyueth lyfe noo forther . but to the members & partes of the same body . whiche be naturally ioyned vnto the heed . And so lykewyse it must be in the mystycall body of our mother holy chirche . ¶ For asmoche than as this wretched man hath deuyded hymselfe from the heed of this body . whiche is the vycare of chryst . how can he haue in hym the spyryte of this body whiche is the spyryte of trouthe . & specyally whan he hath dyuyded hymselfe with suche pryde / arrogancye / & presumpcyon . whiche is moost odyous vnto this holy spyryte . and so dispytyously . so presumptuously . so malicyously contemneth & setteth at nought . & all to raggeth the heed of chrystes chirche . to whome as to his chefe spyrytuall father . by the reason of his religyon he hath vowed and promest obedyence . How can this man haue in hym the spyryte of god this holy spyryte of trouthe . And here I make an ende of the fyrst instruccyon .

FOr the second instruccyon the next wordes enseweth . Ille testimonium perhibebit de me . that is to saye . And he shall bere wytnesse or gyue euydence of me What merueylous vertue what wonderfull operacyon is in the bemes of the sonne whiche as we se this tyme of the yere spred vpon the grounde dothe quycken & make lyfely many creatures the which before appeered as deed who that vewed and beheld in the wynter season the trees whan they be wydred and theyr lefes shaken from them and all the moystour shronke into the roote & no lust of grenenes nor of lyf appeereth outwardly yf he had had none experyence of this mater before he wold thynke it an vnlyke thyng that the same trees shold reuyue agayne & be so lustely clad with lefes & floures as we now se them . And yet this is done by the subtyll operacyon and secrete workynge of the sonne bemes spred vpon the grounde . Neuerthelesse not euery beme of the sonne hathe this vertue . It is a trouthe the bemes of the sonne in wynter be lyght as they be now this tyme of the yere but that lyght is so faynt and feble that it gyueth no lyfe . for than we sholde haue herbes and trees to growe as wel in wynter as they now do this tyme of the yere . The cause of this weykenes is . for the sonne shooreth so lowe by the grounde that his bemes than sklaunteth vpon the grounde and dothe not rebounde nor double in themselfe agayne towardes the sonne . and this is the cause of this weykenes . they wyll set tynder or clothe on fyre . And lykewyse it is of the bemes of the faythe & hope whan they be ioyntly compacte and vnyte togyder . yf a man had suche a faythe and confydence than he myght commaunde a gret mountayne to remoue for his pleasure and this were a myghty faythe . Neuerthelesse yf a man had suche a faythe yet yf he wanted the hete of charyte he were but as a deed tree . For saynt Paule sayth . Si habuero omnem fidem ita vt montes transferram charitatem aunt non habuero nihil sum . yf I haue all faythe he that speketh of all leueth none vnspoken of . yf I haue all faythe he saythe & so myghty faythe that by my faythe I maye remoue at my commaundement gret mountaynes yet yf I want the hete of charyte I am nothyng but as a deed stok a tree withouten lyf . And therfore saynt James saythe . Fides sine operibus mortua est Faythe withouten the fruyte of good workes is deed . To this purpose our instruccyon saythe . Ille testimonium ꝓhibebit de me . that is to saye he shall bere wytnesse of me . Of whom ? of christ . What is christ ? Luxvera que illuminat omnem hominem venientem in hunc mundum . that is to saye the true lyght the whiche enlyghtneth euery creature commynge into this world . who shall bere wytnesse or gyue euydence of this lyght ? the spyryte of god . Quia charitas dei diffusa est in cordibus nostris per spiritum sanctum qui datus est nobis . That is to saye the hete of the charyte of god is spred in our hertes by the holy spyryte the whiche is gyuen vnto vs . hete of charyte gyueth euydence that that lyght is lyfely . Haue a man neuer so moche lyght of faythe onlesse he haue also this hete of charyte sterynge his soule and bryngyng forthe lyfely workes he is but a deed stock & as a tree withouten lyfe . For as I sayd though the naturall sonne shyne neuer so bryght vpon a tree . yf this tree haue in it no grenenes nor puttyng forthe of buddes and lefes this tree is not alyue . So whan the bemes of the spirytuall sonne be spred vpon our soules yf we fele not the sterynge hete to fruytfull workes our soules be but deed .

¶ But now to what purpose serueth this instruccyon ? To this . it subuerteth one grete grounde of Martyn luther whiche is this that faythe alone withouten workes dothe Justifye a synner . vpon the whiche ground he byldeth many other erroneous artycles & specyally that the sacramentes of christes chirche dothe not Justyfye but onely faythe . A perylous artycle able to subuerte all the order of the chirche . but touchynge these sacramentes the kynges grace our souerayne lorde in his owne persone hath with his pen so substauncyally foghten agaynst Martyn luther that I doute not but euery true christen man that shal rede his boke shall se those blessed sacramentes clered & delyuered from the skalaūderous mouthe & cruel tethe that Martyn luther hath set vpon them . wherin al englond maye take grete comforte & specially al those that loue lernynge . Plato saythe . Tum beatas fore respublicas quando aut philosophi regnent aut reges philosophentur , That is to saye . than shall Ye se whan a bowle is throwen sklantlynge vpon a wall it slydeth forward and reboundeth not bakward dyrectly agayne to hym that was the thrower . but whan it is dyrectly cast agaynst a wall with a grete vyolence than it dothe dyrectly rebounde agayne . In this maner it is of the sonne bemes the more nye that the sonne draweth vnto vs now this tyme of the yere the more dyrectly his bemes bete vpon the grounde & the more dyrectly they rebounde & retourne agayne towardes the sonne . And by the reason of the nyenesse of beme to beme ryseth a greter strengthe in the beme and a more full lyght . quia omnis virtus vnita fortior est . that is to say . For euery vertue that is gadred togyder is more stronger . ¶ Asengell threde is nothynge so stronge as is a double / nor a syngle beme of the sonne is nothyng so myghty as whan it is doubled and bowghted in it selfe by reboundyng and reflexyon . Forthermore of these two ryseth an hete & a warmenes the whiche is the pryncypall worker of lyfe in euery creature . But for all this we be not yet sure that any tree is alyue to than we se some puttynge forthe of buddes or lefes out of the same tree . ¶ This example yf ye perceyue it maye enduce vs to conceyue how wonderfully the spyrytuall sonne almyghty god worketh by his spyrytuall and inuysyble bemes of his lyght spred vpon the soule of man or vpon the chirche . bothe whiche is called in scrypture a spyrytuall erthe . Dominus dabit benignitatem et terra nostra dabit fructum suum . That is to saye . our lorde shall gyue his gracyous influence and our erthe shall yelde fruytful workes . The bemes of almyghty god spred vpon our soules quyckeneth them & causeth this lyfe in vs and the fruyte of good workes . Fyrst they cause the lyghte of faythe but this is a veray sklender lyght withouten the reboundynge of hope & the hete of charyte . faythe withouten hope is a sklender beme & of a lytle power . But Joyne vnto hym hope whiche reboundeth vp to god agayne ad●● que non videntur . & than is he moche stronger than he whas byfore . For nowe this is doubled and bowghted in it selfe and gadred more nye vnto hymselfe & made more valyaunt and mighty than it was before . Before it was lyke vnto the faythe that saynt Peter had whan christ bad hym come to hym vpon the see . he beleued his mayster but he had no veray fast hope that he myght walke there . He was not stronge in his faythe & therfore our sauyour sayd vnto hym . Modice fidei quare dubitasti . But of the stronge faythe that hath a confydence & hope adioyned . therunto he sayth in an other place . Si habueritis fidem sicut granum sinapis dicetis monti huic . transi hinc et transibit . That is to say . yf ye had faythe lyke vnto a corne of mustard sede ye shold commaund this mountayn to remoue hymselve & it shold by your faythe auoyde . this is a grete fayth & hath also confydence & hope adioyned therwith . A corne of mustard sede is veray lytle but it hath a gret vertue compact and gadred in it . So whan the bemes of faythe & hope be ioyned togyder in one poynt than it is of mighty power . The bemes of the sonne whan by reflexyon of a brennyng glasse they be gadred togyder . they be so myghty that ●omen welthes be blessed whan eyther those that be phi●osophers gouerne / or elles those that gouerne gyue them to philosophy . And scrypture exhorteth prynces to the same sayenge . Et nunc reges intelligite erudimini qui iudicatis terram . that is to say And now ye that be kynges study to haue vnderstandynge . & ye that take vpon you the Judgementes of the worlde inforse you to haue lernynge .

¶ But now lette vs retourne to our mater agayne . For this grounde he bryngeth saynt Paule in dyuers places sayenge that a man is iustyfyed by his faythe onely withouten workes . Neuerthelesse saynt Austyn saythe that saynt Paules wordes were myscōceyued in the begynnyng of the chirche for the whiche as he saythe the other apostles in theyr epistoles studyeth to the contrary parte . But some here thynketh that Martyn luther lytle regardeth saynt Austyn . And a trouthe it is . but yet that is a foule presumpcyon . let hym at the least beleue the other apostles whome withouten manyfest heresye he can not denye . Saynt James sayth . Ex factis iustificatur homo & non ex fide tm̄ . A man is iustifyed by his dedes and not by his faythe alone . whiche thynge saynt James dothe not onely saye but also proueth it by dyuers wayes . One is this . Demones credunt et contremiscunt . The deuylles he saythe hathe faythe . & yet no man maye say that the deuylles be iustyfyed by theyr faythe . How many that lyue in horryble synne that yet haue the faythe of chryst Jesu & wold rather dye or they shold renye theyr faythe . but for all that they be not iustyfyed . But yf onely faythe dyd iustifye bothe they and the deuylles also shold be iustyfyed . Second the same example that saynt Paule vseth vnto the Romaynes to proue that faythe iustifyed a synner withouten workes . the same vseth saynt James to the contrary . the example I meane of Abraham as there appereth in the same place . But ye than wyll saye . Syr be these apostles one contrary to an other . To this saynt Austyn saythe that nay forsothe . But that saynt James onely contrareth that that may be construed & mystaken in saynt Paule . For saynt Paule meaneth of the workes that gothe before faythe . & saynt James meaneth of the workes that folowe after the faythe . Saynt Paule meaneth that the worke of circumcysyon or of other workes of the lawe was not necessary for the iustyfyeng of Abraham to go before his faythe but his faythe withouten them dyd iustyfye hym . Saynt James meaneth of the fruytfull workes that folowe after faythe the whiche gyue euydence of a lyfely faythe and these iustyfyeth a man . and these he saythe yf Abraham had not had . he had not ben iustyfyed yf Abraham had not ben redy to offer vp his sone Isaac at the commaundynge of god he had not ben iustyfyed . but bycause he was so redy therfore he saythe . Abraham ex operibus iustificatus est . That is to saye . Abraham was iustifyed by his workes . wherfore saynt James speketh not agaynst saynt Paule but agaynst the mysunderstandynge and mysconceyuynge of hym . Of the whiche mysconceyuynge saint Peter also speketh in his second epistle sayeng . In quibus sunt quedam difficilia intellectu que indocti et instabiles deprauant sicut et ceteras scripturas ad suam ipsorum perditionem . That is to saye in the epistoles of our ryght dere broder Paule be some thynges harde to be conceyued whiche the vnstable myndes dothe misconstrue lyke as they do many other scryptures to theyr owne damnacyon . Thus ye maye se that dyuers other haue mysconstrued saynt Paule byfore this as nowe dothe Martyn luther to his owne peryll and damnacyon .

¶ But here one thynge I merueyle moche of Martyn luther specyally that he saythe that in all scrypture there is no more testymony agaynst hym but this one place of saynt James . for it is not to be douted but many moo maye be brought . And fyrst oure sauyour in the gospell of Luce saythe . Date eleemosynam & ecce omnia munda sunt vobis . That is to saye . gyue ye almes and all thynges shal be clene vnto you . what is this clennesse but the iustyfyenge of our soules the whiche is promest for the workes of almes . yf I beleue neuer so moche and yf I releue not the poore in theyr necessyte I shall not atteyne vnto this clennesse . Ferthermore in the gospel of Matthew . Si remiseritis hominibus erra ta sua remittet & vobis pater vester celestis Quod si non remiseritis hominibus errata sua nec pater remittet vobis errata vestra . That is to saye . yf ye do forgyue vnto them that hathe greued you theyr offences your father in heuen shal do lykewyse to you . and yf ye do not forgyue to men whiche hath greued you theyr offences nor your father shall not forgyue to you your offences done agaynst hym . Ouer this he saythe in the same gospell . Non omnis qui dicit mihi domine domine intrabit in regnum celorum . sed qui facit voluntatem patris mei . that is to say . yf we worke not the wyll of almyghty god the father we shall not be iustyfyed nor entre into the kyngdome of heuen . Besydes these in the same gospell . Nisi abundauerit iusticia vestra plusquam scribarum & phariseorum non intrabitis in regnum celorum . That is to saye . onlesse your iustyce or your maner of lyuyng be more better and ample than was the iustyce and lyuyng of the Jewes and pharysees ye shal not entre into the kyngdom of heuen whiche is to be vnderstanded de iusticia operum . of the iustyce of workes . as clerly appeereth of all that foloweth . Besydes this he saythe . Omnis qui audit verba mea hec & non facit ea similis erit viro stulto qui edificauit domum suam super arenam . That is to saye . Al the hereth these my wordes & worketh not therafter is lyke vnto an vnwyse man that buyldeth his hous vpon an vnsure ground . And saynt Paule also saythe . Non auditores legis sed tactores iustificabuntur . that is to saye . Suche as onely be herers of the lawe of god shal not be iustifyed but the workers therafter . And saynt James saythe . Estote factores verbi et non auditores tantum fallentes vosmetipsos . that is to saye be ye workers of the worde of god and not onely the herers for than ye disceyue yourself . & saynt Paule agayne sayth . Si secundum carnem vixeritis morie mini . Si spiritu facta carnis mortificaueritis viuetis . that is to say . yf ye lyue after the workes of your flesshe ye shall dye . but yf ye mortifye in you by spyryte the workes of your flesshe ye shall lyue . And fynally saynt Paule sayth resoluyng his owne sentence . fides que per dilectionem operatur . that is to saye . Fay the whiche is wrought by loue . accordynge to the whiche saynt James saythe . Uides quoniam fides cooperabatur operibus illius : ex operibus fides consummata est . That is to saye . Thou seest how that faythe helped his workes and how of the worker his faythe was made perfyt . By all the whiche testimonyes ye may playnely se that not onely faythe suffyseth but also loue and workes be requyred to the iustyfyenge of our soules . And thus moche for the seconde instrucyon .

TOwching the third instruccyon it foloweth in the gospel . Et vos testimonium ꝓhibebitis . quia ab initio mecum estis That is to saye . & ye shall bere wytnesse bycause ye be conuersaunt with me fro the begynnyng . To whome shall they bere wytnesse . but vnto the vniuersall chirche of chryst ? Theyr wytnesse than must be allowed of euery true christen man ¶ Of these wordes & of the other aboue rehersed . it shal appeere that more testimony must be admytted for sufficyent authoryte . than only yt. that is wrytten in the byble . Whiche one thynge yf we may establysshe . it wyl cast downe a grete nobre of Martyn luthers artycles . But for this we must consydre that these .iij. persones of whome this gospel hathe made mencyon . though al theyr workes be vndiuyded & vndeseuered one from an other . but ioyntly go togyders . yet scripture assygneth thre seuerall tymes vnto these .iij. persones . in the which they haue instructeth man . of the trouth necessary to be byleued . First almighty god the fader istructed our elders by his ꝓphetes : as saint Paule sayth . Multiphariā multisque modis olim deus loquens patribus in ꝓphetis . that is to saye . Almighty god the fyrst persone in the godhed many diuers wayes instructed our fathers by his ꝓphetes . saynt Paule meaneth here by our fathers the Jewes . of whom we spiritually descended . for Abraham that was theyr carnal fader is oures also spiritual . Now almighty god the father taught them by his ꝓphetes . whose prophecyes all be it they be wrytten in scrypture . yet was there many moo thinges which they spook vnwrytten . that was of as gret authoryte . as that that was wrytten which the mayster of Jewes calleth cabala . which is deriuyed fro man to man . by mouthe onely & not by wrytyng . After this the second person the sone of god our sauiour christ Jesu was send by his father into this world to instructe man . bothe by hymselfe & by his apostles . the which were conuersaunt with hym ( as the gospel here sayth ) fro the begining . These blessyd apostles left vnto vs also many thinges by mouthe . which is not written in the byble . This thyng may appeere by saynt paule . whiche cam after them & was not present whan christ saye these wordes vnto them in .ij. epistole ad thessalonicenses . state & tenete traditiones q̄s didicistis . siue ꝑ sermonem siue ꝑ eplam nostram . that is to say . be ye constaunt & kepe those instruccions & erudicyons that ye haue lerned of vs . ather by mouth . or els by wryting . yf saynt paule ( that was latter than the other apostles ) to whom these wordes were sayd of christ . wyl haue his tradicyons obserued & kept . aswel those that he tolde them by mouth . as those that he wrote with his penne . why shal not lyke wyse the tradicions of al the other apostles be of lyke strengthe to make fayth & to bere wytnesse of the trouthe . Here ye may se by expresse scrypture of saynt paule that we be bounde to byleue many mo thynges than be wrytten & put in the byble . We shall conferme this by Origene which is an auncyent doctor & to whome in this poynt grete faythe is to be gyuen . He in the boke of nombres omelia .v. sayth . SꝪ in eccl̄iasticis obseruationibus sunt nonnulla que omnibus facere necesse est . nec tn̄ ratio eorum omnibus patet . Nam ꝙ verbi gratia genua flectimus orantes . et ꝙ ex omnibus celi plagis ad solam orientis partem conuersi fundimus orationem . non facile puto cuiquam ratione compertum . Sed & eucharistie . seu percipiende seu quo ritu geritur . explicande vel eorum que geruntur in baptismo . verborum . gestorumque . et ordinum . atque interrogationum . et responsionum . quis facile explicet ratione . Et tamen hec omnia operta licet et velata portamus super humeros . quum implemus ea et exequimur . vt a magno pontifice christo et a filiis eius tradita et commendata suscepimus . That is to saye . But in the obseruancyes of the chirche be many thynges whiche is necessary for vs to do and yet the reason why that we so do is not open to al men . As in example . whan that we make our prayers knelynge and whan amonges all the other plages of heuen we chose the eest parte towarde the whiche we make our prayer I thynke not that the reason of this is lyghtly knowen to any man . Of the obseruancyes also and rytes that we vse aboute the sacrament of the alter to be consecrate . or elles of the sacrament of baptyme to be minystred whoo can expresse the reason of al those wordes . gestures . orders . questyons . answers that there be accustomed . And yet neuerthelesse al these we bere couerd & hyd vpon our sholders whan that we do perfourme and execute them accordynge to the tradicyons & erudycyons whiche we haue receyued commended vntyll vs by the grete bysshop christ & by his children the holy apostles . Of the whiche wordes of Oxigene it clerly dothe appeere . that many suche tradycyons were left vnto the christen people by christ & his apostles . the whiche we must folowe notwithstandyng they be not wrytten in scripture . To the whiche purpose I myght also brynge the testimonyes of Damascene . Demose . Augustine . Hierome . & other moo .

¶ Thyrdly the thyrd persone in the trynyte that is to saye the holy spiryt of trouth was sent fro the other twayne to abyde with vs for euer . and to be as a conforter contynuell in christes chirche . whan the stormes & tempestes of heresyes do aryse . & agaynst al floghteryng doutfulnes to teche vs the veray certayne trouthe . where vnto we shold rest . After that the apostles were departed from vs the holy spyryte dyd & dothe remayne & shall remayne with vs vnto the worldes ende . but by whome I pray you speketh he vnto vs ? by whome techeth he vs any trouthe ? by whome elles but by the fathers & doctours of the chirche . by theyr mouthes this holy spyryte techeth vs euery trouthe . Non enim vos estis qui loquimini . sed spiritus patris vestri qui loquitur in vobis . that is to saye . It is not ye that speke . but the holy spyryte of your father whiche dothe speke within you . Saynt Basyll whan he was baptised . a wonderful lyght was sene aboute hym . which is not to be douted . but that it was a sensyble token of the holy goost . And lykewyse saynt Ambrose ( whyles he was endytynge of that .xliij. psalme ) a lyght was sene aboue his heed in maner of a shelde . which by lytle & lytle entredin at his mouthe in veray token of the spiryte of god . And so lykewyse it was of the other . Wherfore it is not to be douted but in suche holy bisshoppes and doctours of the chirche the holy goost dothe speke . but moche rather in councelles whan many of them were assembled togyder . For euer as the stormes and tempestes of heresyes dyd aryse . so they were at length oppressed & conuynced by this holy spyryte . spekynge in the mouthes of the fathers & doctours of the chirche . Somtyme by generall councelles and assembles of many bysshoppes togyder . ¶ In the counsel of Nicene was cccix . bisshoppes in whome the holy goost spake to the confutacyon of an heresye that than sore vexed the chirche . After that in the counsell of constanstynoble was assembled .c.l. bisshoppes . & in them the holy goost spake to the destruccyon of an other heresye that than rose in the chirche . In the counsell kept in Epheso in a grete cyte of Asye so named were assembled . CCC . bisshoppes in whome than the holy spyryte spake to the confoundynge of an other heresye that was alofte . & so contynually frome tyme to tyme euer as these clowdes arose and made any grete tempestes . & began to lighten and shewe a fals lyght of misconstruyng of scryptures . this holy spiryte was redy by these fathers to enforme the vniuersal chirche of the certayn trouthe . ¶ Se than I saye what we haue to conferme those thynges that be taught vs by the chirche . Fyrst the prophetes that were instructed by the father almighty god . and also theyr Cabala . that is to saye theyr secrete erudycyons not wrytten in the byble . Secondly the apostles . whiche were instructed by oure sauyour chryst Jesu . and also theyr tradycyons not wrytten in the byble . Thyrdly the holy fathers and doctours of the chirche . that were enformed by the holy spyryte of trouthe . as well in theyr exposycyons of scrypture . as also by theyr general assembles and councelles had here to fore .