A brief treatyse settynge forth diuers truthes necessary both to be beleued of Chrysten people, & kepte also, whiche are not expressed in the Scripture but left to ye church by the apostles traditio[n] / made by Rychard Smyth ...

☞ The fyrst chaptre touchynge bryefly , & as it were by the way , the aucthorytie of bysshopes to to make lawes . &c.

ALbeyt that the holye scrypture is perfecte Deut , 32. as all other the workes of god are , good chrysten reader . Yet there be sundrye & dyuers thynges therin , not set furth expressly and namelye , whiche euery christen man is bounde to receyue , as trewe & necessary , beleuynge and obseruinge vnder the peyne of euerlastinge dampnation , as it shal be hereafter proued , not one lye by Gods worde , but also by certeyne generall councels . The auctoryte of the catholyke church of chryst , and the auncyent doctours , expoundyng the scripture . Wherby it shal appeare manyfestlye howe they are deceyued that wyll byleue nothynge : that is not put forth manyfestlye in the scrypture , euer demaundynge where that is founde in the scrypture : or how can ye proue it by the scrypture / which vngodlye doctrine was brought vp by the waldenses , Iohan wicleph Iohn hulse , and Martyn Luther to no small decay of the fayth , and Chrystes holy religion : whiche euery good catholyke man both seeth , and also lamenteth verye greatelye . But once to begynne this treatyse / I wyll alledge some textes of the scrypture to proue that the holye apostles of Chryste lefte dyuers thynges in chrystes churche to be beleued , & kepte / of the which the scripture maketh no mency on at all : but they be aucthoryzed by tradition and custome onely withoute the scrypture . Of the which places this shall be the fyrste of saynte Mathews the .xxiii. Chapiter . Then spake Iesus vnto the multitude or assembly of people / & to his discyples . The scrybes & pharysees haue sytten vppon Moyses chayre , seate : or benche . Therfore all that euer they byd you , obserue : & do , but do not after theyr work es : for they say , & do not . Saynte Hylarye , which was aboue .xii. C : yeres past : expoundynge the seconde psalme of the sawter , vnderstandeth by these Quare fremuerunt gentes . wordes that our sauyoure gaue commaundement to the people and his disciples to obserue the tradicyons whiche the scrybes and pharyses shuld teach them besyde the lawe of God wrytten . Hylaries wordes be these in latyne . Quamuis Moises veteris testamenti verba in literis condidisset , tamen se ꝑatim quedam ex occult is legis secretoria mysteria septuaginta senioribus , qui doctores deinceps manerent , intimauerat . Cuius doctrinae etiam duns in euangeliis meminit , dicens . Super cathedram Moisi &c Doctrina ergo horum mansit in posterû , que ab ipso scriptore legis accepta , in hoc seniorû & numero , et seruitio , conseruata est . Which wordes are this moch in englysshe . Though Moyses had writtten the wordes of the olde testament , yet he opened seuerally or apart vnto the lxx . elders , which shuld remaine afterward doctours or techers , certayne more secrete mysteries of the hydde thinges of the lawe , of the which doctrine our lorde also made mention sayeng . The Scrybes and Pharyses haue sytten . &c. Wherfore theyr doctrine hath remained afterward , or to the world to come , the whiche beyng receyued of hym whiche wrote the lawe : is kept both in this nombre & seruyce also of the preestes or elders . Hytherto saynt Hylarye whose wordes do declare sufficyentlye that those thynges / which were then practysed : and had in vse among the faythfull / were not then nor are yet : all wrytten , but euen gyuen from one to another as by hande , and so are comen to our tyine .

Moreouer saynt Clement saynte Paules companyon in preaching Episc. i. A. the gospell , affyrineth that saint Peter the Apostle did teach that men ought to obey the bysshops commaundementes in all lefull thiges though they dyd other wyse lyue , bearynge in remembraunce our Lordes precepte sayng . Do ye the thynges / which they saye or bydde you do , but do ye not as they do / for they saye : and do not , Also he sayeth . Our hartes and bodyes muste be prepared vnto the holye obedience of godis commaundementes , & his byshoppes and preachers / that we may escape the peyne of hel , and come to euerlastynge glorye .

These wordes saynte Clemente testifyeth that he learned of S. Peters mouthe , and shewed them to saynte James the apostle .

Aboute the ende of that epystle wrytten to saynt James saynte Clement thus sayeth . Hec ergo praecepta nequis credat absque sui periculonegligenda , aut dissimulanda , quia iudicio del ignis aeterni cormē ta sustinebit , qui ecclesiastica decreta neglexerit . That is to saye in our speach Therfore let no man beleue that these cōmaūdeinētes are to be dyspysed , or dissembled without his peryll : because that he shall suffre by gods iudgment the paynes or tourmentes of fyre euerlastyng : which shall dispyse the churches decrees : or determiniations . Here we se that saint Clement affyrmed that he lerned of Saynte Peters owne mouth that the dispysers of the churches ordinaunces shulde be dampned for euer therfore , and Marten luther folowyng other heretykis beyng before his tyine / as Johan wycleph and Johan Husse , was not ashamed to teache that no inennes ordynaunce shuld bynde vs to the obseruynge therof vpon arye suche payne , and that nothynge was necessarye to be done of vs , excepte it were commaunded in the holy scrypture , Whether ought we to beleue of these two / Luther or saynt Clement the apostles Paules companyon in preachynge which learned this lesson of saynt Peter ? But nowe as touchyng the tert of saynt Mathewe / which is afore alledged . Luther and his scolers do vnderstande it onely of those thynges that are wryten in the scrypture , & that in these thynges onely obedience ought to be gyuen vnto the minysters of the church , and not when they commaunde any thyng to be done / whiche is not conteyned in the holye scrypture . To that I answere that saynt Hylary : and S clement : yea saynt Peter , of whom S. Clement lerned that that texte made for the obseruynge of the churches ordynaunce : dyd better perceyue what Christe our sauiour mente by those hys wordes , then Luther and hys disciples . Agayne I saye that the wordes immediatlye folowynge in that chapter wyll not suffre that letter to be vnderstande onelye of obedience to be giuen to the ministers of the churche preaching goddes lawe . For anone after it foloweth thus . They bynde heuy , and intollerable burthens , and lay them vpon mennes shoulders . Which wordes do declare that our sauiour commaunded the people & his disciples to obserue & do those thinges , whych the scribes and pharisees dyd bynde , & lay vpon mennes shoulders them selues , and not onely those thynges , whyche god hym selfe dyd bynde , and laye vpon Lib. 4. Aduersus martionem . mennes shoulders . Also Tertulyan vnderstandeth by those heuye & intollerable burdens , mens preceptes , & doctrynes , whiche they taught for theyr owne profyte . Saynte Bernarde testyfyeth Homili● . 66. in c●●● . the same sayenge vpon this texte of . S Mathew . The scrybes and pharyses , &c. Qui non audierint eis tanquam episcopis , inobedientie reifuerunt , etia in ipsum dominum praecipienten & dicentem Que dicunt , facite . That is to wyt . They whiche haue not obeyed them as bysshops , haue bene gyltye of dysobedyence , yea againste our lorde hym selfe commaundyng and saynge . Do ye that thynge which they byd you do . Wherof it is manifeste that the scrybes and pharyses : of whom Chryste spake there , though they were very yll men , had auctorite not onely to teach , & instruct the people with gods holy word , but to commaund also them to obserue , kepe : and do such thinges that they shulde iudge necessary to edifye the congregation of christyans , albeit they dyd abuse that theyr auctorite , of Chryst declared , when he sayed . They bynde heuye & intollerable burdens / and Math. 23. lay them vpon mens shulders . The holy doctour Chrysostome after this maner doth vnderstand Cap. 13. this texte of Mathew sayenge vpon these wordes of . s . Paul to the Hebrews obey your rulers , or them that are cheyfe in offyce : & be ye subiecte to them . If he that is in auctorite or a ruler be yll / shal we obey him ? He answereth thou yf he be yl in any cause of the fayth , flye from hym / and auoyde him , not onelye yf he be a Gala. 1. man , but also yf he were an angel comming from heuen , because . s . Paul sayeth . If we , or an angell from heuen shuld preach vnto you otherwise than that whiche ye haue receyued , let him be seperate from your company . Also . s . Iohan sayth If any man do come to you , and bryng not this doctrine , receyue him not . But yf thou do call him wicked in his desire & maners : or if he be called yll , or wycked in his desyre & maners , search not . I saye not this of my selfe but of the scrypture saynge . The scrybes & pharyses haue sytten vpon moises seate , or stole , do ye those thinges that they byd , but do not after theyr workis . For they haue a dignyte or great auctoryte though they be of an vnthryfty lyuyng . But neuertheles loke not vpon theyr maners / but to theyr sermons or saynges . Hytherto . s . chrysostome declarynge that yll bysshops ought to be obeyed in theyr leful commaundementes , with out regarde had vnto theyre yll lyfe . Is it not as conuenyent , & more , that the people obey theyr bysshops commaundementis , decrees de●minatiōs , & ordinances beyng good and lefull , accordynge , the auctorytie and power giuen them to edifye , and not to stroye as , s. Paule affyrmethe , then that seruauntes ● . Corin. 13. shuld obey , and fulfyll theyr maysters byddynges in al thynges pertaynynge to theyre offyce , and that chyldren shulde obeye theyr fathers & mothers , synce the bisshops are maysters & parentes of the soule , and these other of the bodye , and is therfore as moch dyfference betwene those kyndes of maysters and parentes , as is betwene the soule and the bodye ? And doth not Saynte Paule commaunde the seruauntes to obeye theyr maysters per omnia hollye or in euerye theyr honest & lawfull bydyngꝭ , Eccle. 5. Ephe. 6. Ti. ●● P● . and lykewise the sonnes to obey theyr fathers in all theyr commaundementes in domino in our lord ? This may not be vnderstand of those thynges onely which god expresly commaundeth to be done in the scrypture . Fyrste because Paule sayeth per omnia through al thynges , not onely yf they commaunde those thynges that the scrypture wylleth to be done .

Secondly because that as touchynge thynges set forth by the scrypture the mayster is as well bounde to obeye his seruaunte , as the seruaunte the maister , and the father the sonne , as contrarily , not for as moche as they bydde August a● casulan●● that to be obeyed and done , but because god doth commaunde it . Thyrdly who doubtethe that yf the mayster commaunde his seruaunt to do any thyng apperteynynge to his duyte , and in lyke maner the father the sonne , but he synneth disobeyng it , though it be a thynge indifferente of it selfe , and not commaunded in the scrypture namely ? Moreouer commaundethe not saynte Paule that we shulde obey our kynges commaundementes , lawes , and ordynaunces , non solum ꝓpter ir● , sed etiam ꝓpter cōsciām . That is not onely to auoyd his worldly and temporall ponyshement , but also to escape gods vengeance , and Roma. 13. eurrlastyng peynes : as Saynte Ambrose expoundeth that letter ? August . bonifacio . Saynte Austen ●sayeth that he whiche disobeyeth Emperours and rulers cōmaūdemetes getteth hym selfe therby greate ponyshement . Therfore subiectes are bounde to obey and fulfyll the prynces lawes , whiche are not conteyned in godes lawe / beyng not agaynst it , as chrysten people be bounde to obey , & do that , which theyr bysshoppe byd deth theym to do beynge an honest thyng , & making for the settynge forth eyther of the faythe , or els of good & vertuous lyuing though gods lawe make no mencyon therof , & saynt Iohans dyscyple Ignatius sayeth . Dignum est et Epistola . 2. vos obedire episcopo vestro et in nullo ei contradicere . It is mete that you also obey your byshop , and say against him in nothyng , For it is ( sayeth he there ) a terryble thyng to say contrarye vnto anye such . For a man doth not despise this visyble man the bysshop , but he contemneth in him god inuisible , which can not be dispysed of any , because he hathe his promotyon not of any man , but of god For god saith vnto Samuel of his dyspysers . They haue not despysed the but me . And Moyses sayed vnto the people grutchynge agaynste hym . For you haue not murmured against me but agaynst the lord God . Hytherto saint Ignatius S. Iohan the euangelystes scoler hath set forthe the obedience due vnto a bysshop , whose godly catholyke doctrine ought rather to be beleued , obeyed , and folowed then Luthers vngodly and erroneus teaching , which is cleane contrary to it . Hytherto I haue entreated of the auctoryte of byshops in making of lawes & ordynaunces , which the people ought to obey I did not entend , when I beganne to make thys treatise , to speake any thyng of byshoppes lawes , but onlye to declare that manye and diuers thinges are to be beleued , and kepte of vs christen people , which the holy scripture putteth not forth expresselye , by the which it might appeare manifestly , howe vngodly a thinge it is to beleue vtterly , nothynge not set forth playnly and namelye in the scripture , and to aske where that is founde in goddes worde , or in the bible . Thys I saye was , and is my chiefe , and principall purpose , and therfore I wyll nowe set vpon it , lettyng passe other thynges not apperteynynge to the same , most hartely besechyuge the , gentle reader , of charitie to accepte and to take in good worth this myne endeuour , labour , & peynes taking onelye ( as god well knoweth the searcher of my thoughtes ) to auaunce , defend , and set forth the truth of our religion to goddes glorie , the honour of our moost dreade soueraygne lorde Kynge Edwarde the syxte , & to the edifiyng of this our countrey . That therby the ignoraunte maye be taught the truth , the faythful & catholike confirmed & made more stedfast in the truth , & they that haue wandered from the truth of thynges here publyshed & declared , may , ( yf they wyl lerne the truth and lyst not styll to abyde in the falsitie to theyr vndoynge both in bodye and soule , ) se here the truth openly proued , and thereby recule backe from theyr errours and retourne agayne to the embracynge of the truth , to the great honour of god , & theyr owne soules health . The whych to do yf I may perceyue but one onely man or woman it shall be vnto me a great comforte , gladnes and ioye , and no lytle cause to thynke this my laboure well spente , thoughe it shal not contente and please euery body , nother perswade them , whych may be more easelye ouercome , then perswaded , as saynte Hierome maketh mention that Lucifer confessed of hys felowes , and disciples saying . Vnum tibi confiteor , Lib. aduersus luciferianos . quia mores meorum apprime noui , facilius eos vinci posse , quam persuaderi . I confesse one thyng to the , for as moche as I knowe chefely the conditions or maners of myne ( disciples or scolers ) that Suche are al heretike● commonly as sayeth saint Ch●isostom vpon Mathew . they maye be more easelye vanquyshed or ouercome then persuaded or induced to beleue the truth . But ones to beginne this treatise , I wyll allege a few textes of the scripture , to proue that the holye scripture contayneth not manefestly and namely all the thynges whiche we are bounde to beleue , and to do also , and this in this next Chaptre nowe folowyng .

¶ The seconde Chapter contaynyng in it certeyne places of the Verities vnwrytten . scripture , prouyng that Christe and hys apostles taught & lefte to the churche manye thynges wythout wrytynge , whyche we must both beleue stedfastly , and also fulfyll obedientlye , vnder peyne of damnation euer to endure .

OVre sauioure Christ sayed vnto hys apostles , I haue yet many thinges to say vnto you , but ye can not nowe beare them . When that the Io. 16. spirite of truthe shall come , he shal teach you al truth , the .xvi. chapter of Iohans gospell . Do not these wordes of Christ shew openly that he taught not his apostles before the commyng of the holy goost vpon Wytsonday al the truth , because they were not able before that tyme to beare & perceyue sundrye poyntes pertaynynge vnto the truth of hys religion , which thynges the holy spirite of the truth taught them afterwarde , and they the church without any wryting , so that the same came from them to other the faythful from tyme to tyme vnwrytten , of the whiche the actes of the apostles do make mention the .xv. chapter sayinge . Paule Act. 15. and Silas walked ouer Syria & Cicilia confirmynge the church Act. 16. and commaundynge them to kepe the preceptes of the Apostles & the elders . Also the .xvi. chapter we reade that when saynt Paule & Tymothye had gone ouer the cities , they gaue to the people the determinations , or ordinaunces to kepe , whiche were decreed of the Apostles and the elders / that were at Hierusalem . Suche ordinaunces are not wrytten in the scripture , but delyuered and taught the churche by mouth , & by the lyuely voice of the teachers , which is a stronger instrument to teach both the fayth and good maners also , then is the wryters hande . For ( as Quintilian sayeth truely . ( Viua vox alit plenius , et vehementius ac acrius afficit . That is to saye in englysh . The quycke voice fedeth more fully , and moueth affecion more Paulino de omnibus sacre scripture libris . myghtely and sharpely . Wyth hym agreeth well saynt Hierom wrytyng thus . Habet nescio quid latentis energiae , viue vocis actus , in aures discipuli de authoris ore transfusa , fortius sonat . That is to saye . The dede of the lyuelye voyce hath , I can not tell what of a preuye strength , efficacye , or operation , & it powred oute from the mouth of the maker or autour , into the learners eares souneth more strongely . But nowe some wyll saye here to me that these decrees , ordinaunces , and determinations of the apostles , and the elders are now written , & set forth in the bible , as Bullinger sayeth , with diuers other of that secte , but he sayth it onely wythout all probation , & that agaynst not onely al the holy , & olde wryters mindes , ( with whom he can no better be resembled , & compared / eyther for learnynge or els for vertue , then wyth the swiftnesses of an hare the slowenes of a snale ) but also against the canons , or boke of rules let forth by the holy apostles , for the churches erudition , and learnynge both in the fayth , and honest lyuynge also , thoughe Bullynger be not ashamed to denye them vtterly , as vnworthy to be iudged wrytten by the apostles , in that poynt preferryng his owne opynyon , fantasye , and iudgement before saynt Damascenes , which was aboue . M. yeres before Damas . lib , 4. ca. 19 , The cenōs of the apostles do tōteyne many verities not written in the bible . fore Bullyngers dayes , and alloweth them as a part of the holy worde and scripture of God , sayinge that they were gathered together , and wrytten by saynte Clemente , whyche was conuersaunt wyth the apostles , & therfore no man oughte to doubte , but he knew well that those canons were made by them . In these canons are diuers thinges set forth whych the church now practyseth , and vseth necessarylye for the honorynge of God , and the edifienge of the people , which are not wrytten in the bible , as here after it shall appere at large , by gods grace . These In autentitis . canons of the apostles were accepted / regarded , and estemed as the holy apostles doinges of the emperour Iustinian , the which besyde the longe and constaunte opinion of Chrystes catholyke church , the syxt councel also dyd acknowlege to be sette forth by the apostles , when they were douted Lap. 25. 40 43. muche of , whether they were the apostles , or not . Therfore Bullyngers iudgemente herein ought to be iudged erroneous , whyche is agaynst so many and so weyghtie wytnesses , whyche I haue nowe recited , and therfore those canons must be taken for the apostles doctrine , & teachyng by a lyuely voice , and the mouth onely wythout puttynge them into the bodye of the holye scripture , and we ought as well to beleue , and kepe them as that whyche is conteyned expresselye in the scripture , for as muche as both of them two commeth from the holy goost , the authour of al truth , whych taught the apostles all truth , accordynge to oure sauiours promes made vnto them . Iohan. 16. But I wyll go forwarde to the rehearsall of other textes , which do proue that the holye apostles taught the churche , or the beleuynge people then beyng , many and diuers thynges to beleue , & to obserue also onely by mouth wythout leauyng them behynde them in wryttynge . The whyche done men may be ashamed hereafter to saye , that they wyll beleue nothynge / not expressed in the holye scripture , when they dose the contrarye to that sufficiently proued by the scripture , & so amende theyr belefe in that poynt , lest they at the length repent it , when it shall not auayle them . The holy apostle saynte ● . Cor. 2. Paule wryting to the Corinthians , after he had spoken muche of the blessed sacramente of the aulter , conteynyng in it the very natural body , and bloode of our sauiour Iesu Christe , and not a signe of them onelye , as I haue declared of late in a boke sette forth of that same matter , thus streighte writethe concludynge that treatise , and finyshinge that eleuenth chaptre . Caetera aunt cum venero disponâ , that is , but I wyll set other thynges in an order , when I shal come . The greke 1. Cor. 2. letter hathe . Ta de lipa , os an eltho diataxomae . Whych may be thus turned into latine . Reliqua vero , cum venero , de cernam . But the thinges remayning , when I shall come to you , I wyll ordeyne .

These wordes of saynte Paule do shewe manifestlye that he wrote not to the Corinthians the hole maner , & fourme of receyuynge the blessed sacrament of the aulter , but lefte some thynges vnwrytten , whiche he taught them by mouth onelye wythout wrytynge , when he cam to them , and was present wyth them , and therfore thys texte doth proue that all thynges , whyche a christen man ought to beleue , and kepe , are not set forth in the holy scripture , but diuers thinges are comen to vs by the holye apostle Paules tradition . That saynte Paule thus here mente the holy doctour saynt Austen sayinge to Ianuary . Epistola .cxix. By these Traditi●● of the apostles perteynyng to the masse and the blessed sacrament o● the aulter . wordes of saynte Paule / I wyll when I shal come set other thynges in an ordre , we may vnderstande , that it was much that he shulde shewe in an epistle that hole ordre of doynge ( in receyuyng the sacramente of the aulter , ) whyche the whole churche through the world kepeth / to be disposed of hym , that is varyed wyth no diuersitie of maners .

Do not these wordes of saynte Austayne shewe that after hys iudgement ( whyche was almost in euery poynt of diuinitie most excellente of al doctours , whych wrote vpon the scripture ) saynte Paule dyd not describe , and set forth the whole maner and ordre of receyuynge the sacramente of the aulter in that hys epystle , nor any other wrytyng , but onelye by mouth taughte it the Corinthians , Tertulian wrytyng to his wife speakyng of a woman maried to a heithen man sayeth of receyuyng the sacrament of the aulter before other meates fastyng . Non sciet maritus , quid ante omne cibum gustes ? Ets● scierit , non panem illum credit esse , qui dicitur . whiche nowe remayneth in Christes church as come from hym by tradition . Wyth the whyche agreeth ryghte well that the whyche saynt Austayne writteth in that same epistle saying . Though oure lorde Iesus Christe gaue hys blessed bodye & bloude vnto hys apostles after supper , yet the whole church may not be blamed , that the holy sacrament is euer taken of men yet being fasting . Ex hoc enim placuit spūi scton , vt in honorem tātisacra menti in os xp̄iani prius corpus dominicum intraret , quam exteri , vel ceteri cibi . Nam ideo per vniuersum orbem mos iste seruatur . Thus it is in englyshe For after this tyme ( of Christes maundy ) it pleased the holy goost , that to the honour of so great a sacramente oure Lordes bodye shulde entre into a christen mans mouth before outwarde or other meates . For therfore thys custome is kepte through the whole worlde . In these wordes , good christen reader / there are two thynges speciallye to be noted , the one is that saynte Austayne ( a manne of suche deape knowledge in goddes worde as none hathe bene synce the Apostles time ) affirmed that it pleased the holye goost the spirite of truthe , that we chrysten people shulde receyue the bodye of Chryste in the sacramente of the aulter before we eate any other meate , & so fastinge . The which thyng is not expressed in the holye scripture , but rather the contrary , for as moch as in it we find that Christ gaue his bodye to his discyples after supper was done , when they Math. 26. had eaten the paschal lambe , & so this custome came in to christes church by the tradition of the apostles , whome the holye gooste taught not this poynt onely for the edifyeng of chrystes church , but all other truthes necessarye therunto , accordyngly as chryst had promysed theym before his deathe . Iohan the euangeliste wytnessynge it in his Gospell playnly , Is not euen this one thynge touchyng the receyuyng of our hosle fastynge , taught by the holy goost without puttyng it in the scrypture , ynoughe and sufficyent to make vs to beleue that al truth necessarye to be knowen , beleued , and obserued is not expressed in the scripture , & to leaue vngodlye to aske where that or this thynge is set forth in goddis worde , snpposynge that excepte Iohan. 16. it can be proued by plaine scripture , we shuld neuer beleue it as truth : nor kepe it as profytable . The seconde poynte worthye to be marked in . S. Austens wordes aboue recited is that he saieth , it pleased the holy goost that to the honour of so greate a sacrament the bodye of our lorde Iesu Chryste shulde entre in to a chrysten mans mouth before other As doth Luther . meates , whiche is agaynste them , which denye that the blessed sacrament of the aulter shuld be honored of vs chrysten men . Agayne to saynt Austen , whiche thus wryteth in the same epystle Chryst gaue his bodye last after souper to his apostles that therby he myght commyt vnto theym more strongly the hyghnes of so greate a mysterye / and for that cause he wolde laste fyxe or fasten that thynge in the hartes , & memorye of his dyscyples , from whom he shulde departe to hys passyon Er ideo non precepit quo deinceps ordine sumeretur , vt apostolis , per qnos dispositurus erat ecclesias , seruaret hunc locum . That is to saye in englysshe , And therfore christ commaunded not after what order the sacrament shulde afterward be receyued , that he might kepe or reserue this place or rometh to hys apostles , by whome he shulde dyspose the churches : or companies of the faythfull people . Seest thou not here , chrysten reader , that christe dyd not commaunde how and after what maner the sacrament of the aultare shulde be receiued of vs , that he myghte leaue that to his disciples , whiche afterwarde taughte the churche the fourme , ordre , & maner howe Chrystes blessed body shuld be receiued of chrysten people ? Is then all truth set forthe in the scrypture , and nothynge by the apostles tradicion ? Where reade we in all the scrypture the maner & order in receyuyng this sacrament , which ordre christ left to his discyples to make & publysshe ? To be shorte saynt Austen recytethe strehghte waye there , saynt paules wordes . Caetera , cūvenero , ordinabo . I wyll order other thinges , when I shal come , to proue that the apostles , of the which . s . Paule was one though not of the .xii. dyd set forthe the fassyon / ordre , and maner of receyuynge chrystes blessed bodye in the sacrament . This custome and maner to receyue the bodye of Chryste fastynge was before saynte Austens dayes spoken of Socrates , whiche was one of the thre , that made the historye called Lib. 9. cap. 38. in latine tripertita historia .

For he thus wryteth . Aegiptii vero Alexandriae vicini ; & thebaidos habitatores , sabbato quidem collectas agunt , sed non sicut moris est , sacramenta percipiunt , nam postquam fuerant : epulari , et cibis oimbus adimpleti , circa vesperam , oblatione facta , communicant . The englysshe may be this . The Egipcyans nygh or neyghbours to Alexandria , and the inhabytans of thebays a countrey of Egipt gather collectyons for the pore : vpon the saterday , but they receyue not the sacramentes as the maner or custome is , for after they haue eaten at feastes or banketes , and are fylled with all meates , they do take theyre hosle or ryghtes aboute the euentyde , when the sacrifyce of the masse is done . But to let this passe , who can denye but that it cometh by the apostles tradicyon that chrysten people do receyue the sacrament of the aulter onely of the preestis as Tertulyan testyfyed with in C.lxxiii . after Chrystes passyon Tertulianus de corona militis , sayeng . Eucharistiae sacramentum nec de aliorum quam praesidenti in manu sumimus . We do receiue ( sāith he ) the sacrament of the alter of none other mens hande than of theyrs ; He meaneth the preestes . that haue auctorytie or rule .

This he wrote entreating of tradicions ; and customes obserued then without scrypture . Also it cometh by the apostles tradicyon without wrytynge that water is myxed with wyne in the chalyce when a preyst sayeth masse . For chryste him selfe toke ( as saynte Damascene wytnesseth ) the cup or chalyce mengled withe water and wyne / and gaue it to his apostles sayng vnto them , Drynke of this al. Where fynde we this truth , and thynge ( that Chryste dyd ) in the scrypture : Dyd not chryst teach his apostles to mengle water and wyne together at masse , and they taught the churche the same by mouth withoute wrytynge ? The blessed martyr S. Cypryan aboue . M. ccc . yeres hath testifyed that thynge thus wrytyng . But brother knowe Lib , 2. eps . 3 that we are admonyshed , that in offeryng the chalyce our lordes tradicyon be kepte , nother an other thynge be done of vs , then that which our lorde dyd before vs . That the chalyce , whyche is offred to his remembraunce , be offred myxed with wyne . When the water is myngled with the wyne in the chalyce , the people is ioyned to chryste as one with him , & the multitude of the beleuyng is coupled : & knyt to him , in whome they haue beleued . The which couplynge , & conyoinyng together of water and wyne is so myxed in our lordes chalyce , that the water and wine so mengled can not be seperate or disseuered . Wherof the churche , that is the people set in the churche , faythfullye and stedfastlye contynuyng in that whiche it hathe beleued , nothynge can seperate from chryste , that it cleaue not & abyde alwaye in gods loue . In that same Epystle he wrytethe moch more largely of this tradityon , wherby water & wyne are myxed togyther at masse in the chalyce , and what it betokeneth , of the whiche I also haue spoken more plenteously in my boke of the sacrifyce of the masse , yet I wyl not let passe vntouched this blessed martyrs wordes wryten in his sermon of washyng of fete , where he declareth that Chryst dyd instytute the holy sacrament of the aulter him self , and that the apostles inspyred with the holy gooste , dyd adde therunto other dyuers thynges . For thus he sayeth . Ipse summus sacerdos sui est sacramenti institutor , et autor , in caereris hoîes spūm sanctum habuere doctoré , & sicut par est spūi sancto et chricto diuinitas , ita in suis institutis aequa est autoritas , et potestas , nec minus rarum est , quod dictante spum s●cto Alias ●●tum . apostoli tradiderunt , quam ꝙ ipse tradidit , et in sui commemorationem fieri praecepit . That is to say , The hyghest preest hym self was the ordeyner and the fyrste maker of hys sacrament , in other thynges men had the holy goost a teacher , and lyke as the deite or godheade of Christe , and the holy goost are equal , euen so they haue equall auctoritie and power in theyr ordinaunces , and that is as excellente , that the apostles haue taughte or lefte by traditions as that , which he taught , and commaunded to be done in hys remembraunce . These wordes of saynte Cyprian do shewe that after hys mynde , ( whyche was a man both excellently well learned , & vertuous also , ) christ dyd institute , and fyrst make the holy sacrament of the aulter , and the apostles taughte of the holy gooste ordeyned the other thynges belongynge to the comelye and semely consecratynge of his bodye and bloude , and receyuynge of it , whyche they lefte to the church of Christ vnwrytten , as it is already proued by saynt Austen . Finally Cyprian sayeth that the apostles traditions perteynynge to thys sacrament are of lyke auctorite , power , and excellency , as Christes owne ordinaunces are , and therfore they muste nedes be shamefullye deceyued , whyche wyll beleue nothynge excepte it be expressed playnlye in the scripture . Another tradition of the apostles belongyng to this holy sacrament is that the blessed body of Christ is kept , and reserued in the pyxe or boxe at churche , because that custome is & hath bene in Christes churche kepte throughe all the worlde , where good christen men be , and therfore beinge not , as in dede it is not , ordeyned and inacted by anye councell , it muste nedes come by tradition from the churche after saynte Ianuatio epist. 118. Austens mynd . Of thys custome we reade in the historye of the churche compiled by the auncient wyrter Eusebius , whyche recytynge Lib. 5. cap. 25. certen sentences out of Ireneus the disciple of saint Polycarpe saynte Iohan the euangelistes scoler sayeth , that the bishop of Rome dyd vse to sende the blessed sacrament solemly to straunge catholyke by shoppes , which came thyther . Now shuld any such costome be so sone after Christes departynge , and the apostles death , ( of the whych S. Iohan the euangelist wrote . IX . yeres and aboue after Christes ascension , after the whiche tyme Ireneus was within lesse then an hundred yeres ) excepte the apostles had tanght the church that lesson ? Of thys custome to reserue the bodye of christe in the pyxe , saynte Nierom , and saynte Ambrose wrote , as I haue more largelye declared in my boke of Hiero Rustico . etambrosius in ora funebri de obitu fratris su● satyri , the sacrament of the aulter . Adde yet to these another tradition of the apostles belongynge vnto the masse , & sacramente of the aulter , which is that at masse the preest prayeth for the soules departed out of this worlde , which thyng the holy apostles dyd ordeyne to be done , as saynte Damascene Sermon● ꝓ de●●●tis . witnesseth saying . The apostles our sauiours disciples haue commaunded or ordeyned , that a remembraunce shulde be made of them that were dead , in the dreadful & lyuely sacramentes . Saynt Chrisostome also affirmeth in diuers places of hys bokes that the apostles ordeyned that the Ad anto●h . pop homilia . 69 et in priorem ad corinth , ho. 41. epipha . 3 3. Doinis . de eccle hierat . cap. 7. preestes at masse shulde pray for the deade . Epiphanius in lyke wise affirmeth that it is a tradition receyued of the fathers to pray for the dead , & saynte Dionise saint Paules scholer testifieth that that custome came from the apostles of christ by theyr tradition , whyche I haue declared sufficiently in the later ende of my boke of the sacrifice of the masse the .xxx. leafe , & therfore I nede not agayne to reherse the auctorities , whych are there set forth at large . It is therfore great fooly of men to deny the holye , godly , & charitable tradition of the apostles . Dionise Paules disciple publisheth & putteth forth many & diuers other ceremonies , & vsages of the masse / whyche no doubt he levned of his maisters Paul , & Hierotheus , & the holy apostles , De eccle. Hierar . ca 3 parie 3. etc. With the which he was often conuersaunt , but I wyl not recyte them at this tyme , intending to be shorte in this treatise . Nowe let vs se what yet S. Paule sayeth further for the defence of traditions . He wrytinge to the Corinthians 1 Corin 11. Arbitror apostolicum esse , etsam non scriptis tradetionibus inherere . Paulus enim inquit , laudo vos etc 1. cor 11 basilius de spiritu scton ca. 29 her in literas r●tulit . thus maketh for the furtheraunce of my purpose in this boke I pray you brethren , that in al thynges ye remember me , & kepe my commaundementes , as I haue deliuered them vnto you . Besyde that the paule speketh here of his commaundementes , & not of christis , & saieth he had deliuered , or taughte them by tradition vnto the corinthians , which thiges do shew the he spake of certen thiges , which he taught them him selfe by mouth wythout writing , besides this I say , the holye man Chrisostome thus wryteth Chrisost. vpon this text for traditions Ergo sine litter is multa tradider at , quod alibi sepe meminit . Therfore he delyuered or taught many thinges without writing , the which thing he ofte remembreth els where . Thophilactus also vpon the same text thus sayeth . Liquet ex eis , cum Paulum , tum apostolos reliquos haudquaquam omnia mandasse , litteris precepta , que populis tradidisset . It is euidente by these Paules wordes , the partly Paul , & chefely the other apostlis wrote not al the commaundementes , which they deliuered , or taught the people . Lo these two greate lerned men , & auncient good fathers iudged the Paule & the other apostles wrote not al the commaundementes , which they gaue to the people , & Bullinger with diuers other of luthers scholers affirme the contrary without any good ground , whether ꝑtie oughte we to beleue , the yonger or the elder ? the better in liuing or the worse ? the better lerned , or the worse ? But now to paule agayn which saieth to the philippians . You oughte to beare in remembraunce the thinges , which ye haue perceiued , had & sene , & not those thinges onely , which were written to you , & to timothy he also saith 2. Timo. 2 Thou , my son timothy , be strong in the grace that is in christe Iesu , & commit the thinges , which thou hast harde of me by manye wytnesses , to faithful men , that shal be apt to teach also other . Who seeth not the here Paule spake of traditions not written of him , but taught the bishop timothy without wrytynge by mouth onely , whyche he so delyuered to other that shulde teach the churche of christe ? These places aboue recyted out of s● Paule are playne agaynste them that denye tradycyons , and say that euery truth 2. thesso . 2. is expresly put forth in the scripture , but yet this now folowing 2. pe. 1. omnis prophetia i. scripture sacre enara ratio , propria interpretatione non fit . Non enim voluntate etc. is most manifestlye agaynst them , whiche is euen thus wrytten of Paule . Fratres state , et tenete traditiones , quas didicistis , siue per sermonem , siue per epistolam nostram . That is to say . Brethren stande ye fast , and kepe the tradicyons , that ye haue learned , eyther by Luke . 24. apparuit illis senson etc. our preachyng , or by our epystle Thoughe that this texte be so plain vpon our side , which do defende tradicions of the apostles , and Chrystes holy churche that it can not be wrested to any other sence then that saynte Paule commaunded the Thessaloniens , & all other chrystened people in & by theym to obserue not onelye his tradicions wrytten in his epystle , but also other not wrtten , but preached and taught theim without wrytyng by mouth one lye , yet Bullynger Luthers discyple labourethe to wrythe it agaynst his nature vnto another meanynge , affyrmynge , but without any proufe , reason , or auctorytie If that Bullingers vnderstandynge were good . what dyfference shulde there be betwene a sermon and epystle ? Had S. Paules epystles nothynge out of Moyses lawe , & the prophetes ? How moch of them hath the epystle to the romans ? How to the Hebrews ? and how the other ? It is therfore a very folysh e●asyon to expownde tradicions receyued by Paules sermon or spech , doctrine of the gospel taken out of Moyses wrytynges and the ꝓphetes , and not tradicions vnwryten . De Bullinge●o recte dici potest illud flacci . Et nescire pudens pra●● : ●discere ma●●lt . well taken that Paule ment by tradicions , which the Thessaloniens learned of hym by his worde or preachyng , thinges wryten in Moyses lawe and the prophetes , whiche afterwarde that he had preached them to the people , the holye euangelystes and apostles did wryte . But yet here I besech the , good reader , Bullyngers probacion the Paule ment nothyng els there to the Thessaloniens but onely hys sermons of the gospell taken out of Moises lawe & the prophetes after wryten by the euangelystes , & other the apostles . For he ( sayeth Bullynger ) speakyng of his sermons and preachinges before Agrippa doth wytnesse that he taught nothynge but that which Moyses and the Prophetes had taughte before . Is not this a learned probatyon , good reader , Paule before Agryppa sayed , he taughte nothynge ouer and aboue that whiche Moyses and the Prophetes had taughte before ergo by hys tradycyons , whiche the Thessaloniens learned of hym by his worde , or preachynge , he ment nothynge els but hys sermons made out of Moyses and the Prophetes , whiche the euangelystes / and other the apostles afterward dyd put in wrytyng ? Doth not he shewe by this reason his lytle reason , and lesse lernynge ? What madde man wyll make thys argument , which is moch lyke vnto his . Paul sayd before Agryppa that he taught nothynge but that which Moises lawe and the prophetes had , ergo he taught vtterly nothyng besyde the contentes of Moises lawe and the Prophetes ? Are there no thinges wryten in Pauls epystles which be not wryten in Moises law and the prophetes ? Dothe the fyrste hys epystle to Hare●●●● sunt arrogantes , ac putant ꝙ possint sapere et loqui abstrusius quiddāquam alii , adorna●●● verbo● pugnas C●ril Lib. 2. dialogorum . the Eorinthyans especyally the vii . xi . the xii . & . xiiii . Chapiters of it , comprehende nothynge els but that which was wryten before of Moises and the prophetꝭ ? Where do we rede in Moyses lawe the fourme of chosynge a bysshoppe or a preest , and a deacon , & dyuers other thinges wryten by Paule to the bysshoppes Timothy and Tite ? Paule said verely & truelye that he taughte nothynge before the Iewes but Moyses law and the prophetis , which they had receiued as true doctrine , and by whiche he trauayled to induce them to beleue in Chryste , and to repente theyr yl life that they might be saued . But wylt thou gather , good reder , therof that s . Paule taught to the faythfull people , whiche beleued in Christ and were christened , nothynge vtterly besyde thynges conteyned in Moyses law and the Prophetes ? Nay I suppose , excepte thou dote , Why then woldest thou gather therupon that Paules tradicions lerned by worde or preachynge of the Thessalonians , were taken out of Moyses law and the holy prophetes ? Agayne Bullynger alledgeth s . Paules wordes Gala. 1. for that is vngodlye purpose , which are these . I make knowen to you brethren that the gospell , whiche I haue preached , is not after man . For I haue not receyued it of man , nor learned it of man , but by the reuelation of Iesu Chryste . But the reuelation of Iesu Chryst ( sayeth Bullynger wysely ) dissenteth not from itselfe , but Mathewe . Marke Luke , and Iohan wrote of that same reuelation , wherfore it is necessary that saint Paule delyuered withe a lyuely voyce in his sermons the same thynges whiche the euangelistes afterwarde dyd wryte , and in wrytynge left to the churche of Chryste , and therfore it is not necessary to vnderstande by the tradycyons , whiche Paule sayed the Thessalonians had learned by his sermon or word , tradicions not wryten , hytherto bablynge Bullynger , vtterynge his shamefull blyndnes & ignoraunce , I wyl not say his malyce conceyued agaynste the truth . For must not he be very blynde and ignoraunt in the scrypture , whiche wolde reason thus . Saynt Paule learned the gospell of Iesu chryst by reuelation , the euangelistes wrote of & by the same reuelation , whiche dyssenteth not from it selfe . ergo it must neades folow that Paul taughte the Thessalonians nothing by mouth , nor vnderstode any thynge els by his tradicions delyuered vnto them by his word or preachynge , but onelye those thynges , which the euangelistes dyd wryte ? Dyd not the foure euangelistes all wryte by one inspiration and reuelation of Iesu christ , and yet one of them wrot● that , whiche another wrote not ? Peter , Iames , Iohan , and Iudas wrote al by one reuelation of Iesu christ and the holy gooste , whych neuer doth ne can dissent from it selfe , ergo they wrote all one thyng , & none of them wrote any thyng , whych the other wrote not . Is thys a wyse argumente , beyng lyke Bullyngers ? Therfore though saynte Paule receyued , and learned the gospell by christes reuelation , by whyche the .iiii. euangelistes wrote theyr gospelles , yet that proueth not sufficiently that paule wrote nothynge but that whych they wrote , nor that he preached nothing by mouth onely wythout puttynge it in wrytynge afterwarde , but that alonely , whyche was wrytten in the euangelistes . But lettynge thys passe , let vs se what saynt Chrysostom and other say vpon the text of saynt Paule aboue recyted , that therby it may euidently appeare that Bullinger & other of that secte do mysse construe and vnderstande that sayed letter for the mayntenaunce of theyr deuelish heresie against traditions . Saynt Damascene thus wrytteth . Quod autem plurima Lib 4. ca. 17 sancti apostoli tradiderint sine scripto , scribit Paulus gentium apostolus . Ergo fratres state , et tenete traditiones nostras , quas edocti estis , siue per sermonem , siue per epistolam nostram . That is thus muche to saye in oure tonge . But that the holy apostles taughte verye many thinges without writing , Paule the apostle of the gentles wryteth sayinge . Therfore brethren stande ye fast , and kepe ye our etraditions , whyche ye are taught , eyther by oure worde or sermon , or els by our epistle . Than he allegeth for that purpose this text of saynt paule I prayse you brethren , because in all thynges ye remembre me , and ye do kepe the traditions , as I haue taught you them . Chrisostome also holdeth 1. cor. 11. wyth the same thynge wrytynge vpon that texte of saynte paule to the thessalonians with these few wordes . Hinc patet quod non omnia per epistolam tradiderint , sed multa etiam sine literis . Eadem vero fide digna sunt tam illa quam ista . Itaque traditionem ecclesie fide dignam putamus . Traditio est , nihil quaeras amplius . The englysh may be thys . From thence it is open , that the apostles dyd not teach all thynges by an epistle , but also many thinges with our wrytynge . But as wel those as these are worthy the same fayth or credence . Therfore we thynke the churches tradition worthye to be beleued . It is a tradition , serch or demaunde nothyng more ouer . What could ye haue written Marke this wel redrr . more playnly against the lutherans , and all the hole rablement of them , that denye traditions , and defende that nothing oughte to be beleued but the onely , whych is put forth manifestly in scrpture ? Truely he is not wel aduised , nor godly disposed , that wil not rather gyue credence to this auncient godly wel learned doctoure then to the lutherans , wryters of late , vngodlye and vnlearned . Theophilactus also vpon thys same paules text Basyll confyrmeth this sayengArbitror apostolicum esse : etiam nōscriptis traditionibus inherere paulus enim inquit laudo vos ꝙ mea omnia meministis & quem admodum tradidi vobis , traditiones obtinetis , quas accepistis siue per sermonem siue per epistolam de spiritu s . capi . 29. That is , I do iudge it perteyning to the apostles doctrin to cleaue vnto traditions , yea not wrytten . For paule sayeth ● prayse you that ye haue remembred al my lessons , & kepte styll the traditions that ye haue receyued eyther by speache or an epistle , as I haue delyuered them vnto you , sheweth hym selfe to holde wyth the doctrine of traditions , saying thus . Hic sane perspicuum est pleraque paulum sine scriptis sermone duntaxat , hoc est , viua voce , non epistolis solum , his tradidisse . Non enim secus illa atque haec fide digna sunt . Itaque et ecclesie traditionem dignam existimemus , cui prestanda sit fides , vt si quid ab ea sit traditum , nihil vltra perquiras . The which wordes may be thus turned in to englyshe . Therof it is verily playne that paule taught them manye thynges by speache onely that is with a liuely voice wythout wrytynge , not onely by epistles . For those are no other wyse worthye of credence then these . Wherfore let vs iudge the churches tradition mete or worthy , to whom credence muste be gyuen , so that yf any thynge be taught or deliuered of the church , thou searche nothynge further . Hitherto Theophilactus . The greake scolies or short expositions set forth vpon thys place of saynte paule do expowne it as saynte Damascene , chrysostom , and Theophilactus do , whose wordes are these into latine , translated . Eteni et scripta , et non scripta precepta tradiderunt apostoli , et vtraque obseruatione digna . Igitur et ecclesiae quoque et non scripta traditio obseruanda est . Thus it is in our speach , because the apostles dyd deliuer , or teach commaundementes both wrytten , and also vnwrytten / and both two worthy to be obserued , therfore the churches also tradition , yea not wrytten muste be kepte . Are not all these wytnesses sufficient to stoppe theyr mouthes whych do bable without all reason & good learnynge agaynste traditions ? Saynt Basil , whych was nygh Basilius de spiritu scton ca 29. twelfe hundred yeres paste , and an excellent clerke thus writteth . Arbitror autem apostolicum esse etiam 1. Cor. 11. non scrrptis traditionibus inhaerere . Laudo , inquit paulus , vos quod per omnia mei memores estis , et quemadmodum tradidi , vos traditiones obtinetis , 2. Teffa . 2. quas acceptistis siue per epistolam , siue per sermonem . That is to say in english . But I iudge it apostolike or perteyninge vnto an apostles doctine to cleaue or sticke to traditions also not written . I prayse you ( sayeth paule ) that through al thinges ye remember me , and do reteyne styll the traditions , as I taughte you , whiche ye receyued eyther by an epistle , or by speach . Seest thou not here , chrysten reader , that S. Basyll affyrmeth not onely that we ought to stycke fast vnto traditions not written , but he sayth it belongeth vnto the apostles teachinge , and allegeth two textes of saynte Paule to proue the same ? Wherfore I beseche the shulde not we rather giue fayth and credence vnto this holy and greate clerke saynte basyll then to Luther or anye of hys scole ? Let this , that is nowe alreadye sayed , & that whych shall be sayd hereafter be to the ( gentell reader ) whych hast any regarde vnto thy soules health , sufficiente vtterly to abhorre , deteste , and forsake thys pestilente erroure , set vp against traditions , of the whyche manye are verye necessarye for the maynteynannce , and encrease of Chrystes religion , & mans saluation , as it shall hereafter appeare more at large by goddis helpe and grace . But now I wyl go to the rehersall of a multitude of thinges obserued and beleued of christen natyons through the hole world , which are bothe necessarye to be beleued , & kepte also , & yet they be not expressly set forth in the scrypture , but are onely come in to the church of chryst our blessed sauiour by tradition of the holy apostles inspired & styrred of the spirite of truth to ordeyne them , & to deliuer them vnto the church by mouth with out wrytyng , which as euer sence theyr tyme haue bene amonge all catholyke people beleued , & obserued , euen so shall they be vntyll the worldes ende , thoughe manye do barke neuer so moche agaynst them , as they do agaynst dyuers other truthes expressed in the scrypture .

¶ The thyrde chaptre comprehendynge A numbre of traditions , that came from the apostles in to the churche of christe without wrytynge by mouth onely . the nombre of tradicions commynge from the apostles to vs without writing .

IN the last Chaptre , good reader , I touched bryefly , and by the waye , as we are wonte to saye , foure tradicyons pertaynyng vnto the sacrament of the aulter , that is to say . Water to be myxed with wyne in the chalyce at masse , whiche our sauyoure hym selfe dyd , as saynt Cypryan sayth , of whom his apostles taughte the same , lefte it without wrytynge to the church . The seconde to receyue the sacrament fasting . The third to kepe the sacrament in the pixe or boxe in the temple . The fourth is to pray for the deade at masse , which thing the apostles taught the churche , as I haue proued in my boke of the sacrifice of the masse . Now let vs se what other tradicions there be , whiche are vnwrytten in the scrypture and yet necessary to be beleued , kept , and obserued of all chrysten people , and fyrst of all I wyll recite certayne tradycyons apperteynyng vnto baptisme , of the whiche the chyefe is that infantes , or babes that can not yet speake , are chrystened when they can not beleue , and baptysme auaylethe them through the churches fayth to the obtaynynge of remyssyon of originall synne , and the gettyng of heuen . What scrypture proueth this truth ? Is not the scripture rather agaynst it then with it ? Do not the heretyckes called in greke anabaptiste , because they chrysten men agayne , when they can beleue , which were chrystened beynge infantes , vtterly denye this veryte for that , that they sawe no scrypture expressly make for it ? What wyll or can they here say , that aske & requyre for euery doctrine , that they wyl beleue , manifest scrypture ? To. 3 , Li. 10 in genesi . Saynte Austen thus wrytethe vpon the chrystenynge of chyldren . Consuetudo matris ecclesiaeī baptizandis paruulis nequa quam spernenda est , neque vllo modo superflua depuranda , nec omnino credenda esset , nisi apostolica esset traditio . That is to saye . The custome of our mother the church in chrystenyng of chyldren is in no wise to be dispysed , nother by any waye to be rekened supenfluous , nor it oughte vtterlye to be beleued , excepte it had bene Note reder . the apostles tradicion . Loo . S. Austen sayth that the baptysme or christenyng of chyldren shuld not be beleued except it had ben the tradicion of the apostles , & therfore he founde no scrypture for it . Also in another boke he wryteth thus of the same matter . Lib. 4. cap● 24. Aduersus dona●istas de baptist . paru●lorum . Et si quisquam in hac re autoritatem quaerat diuinam , quamquam quod vniuersa tenet ecclesia , nec conciliīs institutum , sed semper retentum est , non nisi autoritate apostolica traditum rectissime creditur , tamen veraciter coniicere possumus , quid valeat in paruulis baptismi sacramentum ex circumcisione carnis , quam prior populus accepit . Thus it is in englysshe . Albeit any searche or asketh the auctoritye of God or the scrypture in this matter of chrystenynge chyldren , thoughe that whiche the whole churche kepeth and it is not ordeined by councels , but euer reteyned , it is beleued of mooste good right or reason , not delyuered or taught but by the apostles auctorite , yet we maye truelye coniecture , what strength the sacrament of baptysme is of in chyldren , by the circumcisyon of the flesshe , which the fyrst people receyued . Lo ones agayne saynte Austen doth confesse that the chrystening of chyldren came by the tradicion of the apostles without expresse worde or commaundement of the scrypture . Therfore what madnes & blyndnes are they in , that requyre manyfeste scrypture for euery thynge , that shulde be beleued and kepte of vs chrystened people ? They do open the dore & gyue an occasion by that theyr fonde opinyon , to the heresie of the Pelagians , Armenes , Albanenses , & the anabaptistes which denye that chyldren shuld be baptysed and chrystened before they can beleue in chryste . Origen also , whiche was with Origines Li. 5. comment in episto . ad romanos . in lesse than .cc. yeres after chrystis byrth , testifieth that it is a tradicion of the apostles to chrysten chyldren sayeng . Pro hoc et ecclesia ab apostolis traditionem accepit , etiam peruulis baptismum dare . That is to saye . For that originall synne the church also hathe receyued a tradicion of the apostles to giue baptisme vnto children . What can be more playnly wryten : than this is to proue that it is a playne tradicion of the apostles to chrysten infantes , or chyldren ? But to be shorte , saint Dionise the apostle Paules discyple affyrmeth manyfestly that it came from the apostles to baptyse Dionisi . de ecclesiastica hierar . ca. 7 ●artez . tyse chyldren , whose wordes are these . But that the chyldren / whican not yet vnderstande godlye thynges are made partakers of the holy baptisme & of the hyghest signes of the halowed communion , it appearethe to the paynems a thinge reasonable to be scorned , ( as thou saidest ) yf the bysshops do teach godly thinges to herers not mete , & they teache in vayne the holy tradicions to them that do not vnderstande , & that which is more to be laught at ( as they thynke ) other do renounce or forsake the deuyl for them , and do go in to or begyn y● , the holye couenauntes . Then anon after a fewe wordes thus he saieth . Verum ea de re ista quoque dicimus , que sancti praeceptores nostri ex pristina traditione edocti ad nos deriuauerūt . Aiunt enim , quod est verissimum , infantes , si sctam lege formentur , ad sacrum prouehendos habitum , omni errore liberos , et vitae exortes impurae , istud cum piissimis ducibus nostris in mentem venisset , visum est admittere infantes hoc modo etc. That is thus much in our tonge . But of thys thynge we also say these thynges , whyche our holy maysters ( saynt paule and Hierothe ) instructed of the olde tradition haue brought vnto vs . For they saye ( the whyche thynge is most trewe ) that the infantes or chyldren that can not yet speake , yf they be formed or made in facion wyth the law of lyfe , must be aduanced or promoted vnto an holy state , beynge free from all errour , and wythout parte or out of felowshyppe of vncleane life . Whan thys thynge came to the mynde of oure remembraunce most godly ducers capiteines or leaders ( the apostles ) it semed to them to admyt the infantes & chyldren after thys maner to be christened . Then streyght he declareth howe they are christened , & sheweth that the godfather doth answere for the chylde saying I renounce the deuyll / and beleue / promysynge that he wyll teache him to beleue & forsake the deuil when he shall come to vnderstandyng . Which wordes do declare that it came also by the apostles tradition , that godfathers do aunswere for the chylde when he is christend , and not onely that infantes are christened . Therfore we do no we se playnly that the baptisme or chrystenynge of chyldren was taught the church by the holy apostles wythout any scripture or wrytynge , and it oughte to be beleuedand kepte as well as anye other thynge , whyche is manifestly sette forth in the scripture , and therfore as many men as wyll not fal headlynge in to the damnable heresy of the anabaptistes , whyche denye that chyldren shulde be christened , let them leaue demaundynge and requirynge in euery poynt of our belefe expresse scipture , sence thys necessary thinge hangeth onely vpon the apostles tradition wythout anye scripture , that can proue it sufficiently , whyche thynge Luther , Melancthon , and other the lutherans are compelled to graunte , though they neuer so much crye out scripture , scripture , and saye that nothynge oughte to be beleued , and kepte necessarylye wythout manifest scripture settynge it forth . For when thys matter of christenynge chyldren is layed to theyr charges , they haue nothynge to aunswere , but are streyght enforced to graunte it to be a tradition of the holy apostles . But of thys I haue nowe sayed , I suppose , sufficiently , and therfore I wil reherse yet moo traditions of the apostles to the full confusion of them that wyll beleue nothynge wyth out an auctoritye of the scripture . Saynte Hierom sayeth , To. 2. ●0 . 50 Pa. 4. ( whych thyngethe church doth practyse ) that in tyme of necessitie laye men and women maye baptyse chyldren , whych thynge cometh by tradition , because it is generally vsed through christendome , and was not fyrste made by anye councell . Also it August . Jann . cometh of the apostles tradition that the water in the fonte stone is halowed before the child be christened in it , for saynt Dionyse Paules disciple beynge wyth the apostles , and instructed De eccle. Hierar . ca. ● part . 2 of them , as he sayeth ofte hym selfe , thus speaketh of that matter . The byshoppe goynge to the temple , in the whyche is the fonte , eius aquas sancta prece , et inuocatione sanctificans , itaque in eas ad crucis effigiem sanctissimum infundens vnguentum , illas hocmo do perficit . That is to saye . He halowed the fontes water wyth an holye prayer and wyth an inuocation , & powrynge into them thryse the mooste holye oyntemente after the fourme of the crosse by thys waye or fassion doth make them perfecte . These saynte Dionyse saynte Paules scolers wordes do shewe playnlye that then the byshoppe dyd vse to halowe the water in the The font is halowed vpon Easter euen because that baptisme hath his vertue of christes death . ro. 6 quicumque etc and vpon witsonday euen because the vertu of baptime cometh of the holy gooste which came downe at witsonday Math. zille vos baptizabit in spi etc Basilius de spi. s , ca. 27 Ciprianus lib. 1. epist. 12. Quomo do autem mum dare et sācrificare aquam potest , qui ipse imdus est , et apud quem soi s●nō est ? Lege Augst lib. 6. d● bap contre donatistas trast in Io. 80 et ad Januarium empi 118 Clemens lib. 3 recogni . fonte , and put in to it oyle thryse makynge a crosse therein , whyche no doubte was caughte by the holye Apostles wythout wrytynge , as saynte Basyll , and other auncient doctours do witnesse , whose wordes shall be anone alleged , and therfore men that wolde not that the font shulde be halowed before chyldren shuld be therin christened , and wyl beleue nothynge not conteyned in the scripture are farre deceiued , and oughte to forsake that yll , and peryllous opinion , lest they perish at length therby for euer , whyche oure Lorde forbydde . Saynte Basyll also rehersynge certeyn traditions in hys booke of the holye gooste thus wryteth of the halowynge of water in the fonte stone .

Consecramus autem aquam baptismatis , et oleum vnctionis . Praeterea ipsum , qui ; baptismum accipit , ex quibus scriptis ? Nonne a tacita secretaque traditione ? The englysh maye be thys . But we do consecrate , or halowe the water of baptisme , and the oyle of anonyntynge , and besyde that hym , that receyueth baptisme , of what wrytynges ? Cometh it not of a styll , and a secrete tradition ? Moreouer the custome is that he , which is to be chrystoned , shulde renounce or forsake the deuyll eyther by hys owne wordes , or elles hys Dionise godfather for hym , of the whych Dionise pauls disciple speaketh as I haue touched before & also Tertulian ( whyche was very nye De corona militis the apostles tyme ) saying . Aquam adituri , ibidem sed et aliquanto prius sub pontificis manu contestamur nos renuntiare diabolo , et pompae , et angelis ●ius When we wyl go to the water of baptisme ( sayth Tertulian ) but , ther also a litle while first we vnder the hand of the byshop do protest that we do renounce or forsake the deuyll , and hys pompe , and aungels . In lyke maner saynte De spiritu ●●tō . ca. 27. Basyll sayeth of that custom as foloweth . Reliqua item , quae fuerint in baptismate , velut renunciare satanae , et angelis eius , ex qua scriptura habemus ? Nonne ex priuata , et arcana hac traditiōe ? Nonne ex doctrina , quam patres n ostri in silentio , quod curiosos , et otiosos submouet , seruarunt ? The remenant also ( sayeth he ) which is done in baptysme , as to renounce the deuyll , and his aungels , of what scrypture haue we ? Haue we it not of a pryuate , and a preuye tradicion ? Haue we not it of the doctrine , which oure fathers , or elders haue kepte in sylence , the whiche remoueth , or caryeth far of ydle men , and curious ? The preest asketh of him , that is christened , whether he do beleue or not but what scrypture haue we for that ? Saynt Hierome speaketh To. 2. Aduersus lucifer●anos Ciprianus lib. 1. epist. 12. Ipsa inter rogatio , quam fit in baptismate , testis est veri tatis . Credis in vitam eternam et remissionem peccatorum y sanctam ecclesiam ? of it sayeng . Praeterea cum solemne sit in lauacro post trinitatis confessionem interrogare . Credis in sanctam ecclesiam ? Credis peccatorum remissionem ? Moreouer when it is acustomed in baptysme after confession of the trinite , to aske , Doest thou beleue in the holye churche ? beleuest thou remyssyon of synnes ? The chylde that is chrystened is thryse dypped in the water by an auncient custome & tradicion withoute scrypture , of the which Basyll thus wryteth . De spiritu scton. ca. 27. I am ter imergi hominem , vnde est traditum ? Nowe a man to be dypped thryse in the water , from whence it is taught , or delyuered ? Monne ex priuata , et arcana hac traditiōe . Cometh it not of this pryuate & secrete tradicion ? Of this speaketh De corona militis keth Tertulyan sayenge , Dehīcter mergitamur , aliquid amplius respondentes qu● dominus in euangelio determinauit . That is . Ifterwarde we are dypped vnder the water thryse , aunswerynge some what more then oure lorde hath determyned in the gospell . Note well these wordes , god reder , agaynste them that wyl nothyng shulde be beleued , & done but y● onely which is commaunded or set forth in the scrypture . But s . Hierome shall saye his mynde in this matter of baptysme . Thou askeste of me where it is written . I say in the actes of the To. ● aduersus luciferianos . apostles . Et si scripturae autoritas non subesset , totius orbis in hanc partem consensus instar praecepti obtineret Nam et multa alia , quae per traditionem in ecclesiis obseruantur , autoritatem scriptae legis sibi vsur pauerunt , velutin lauacro ter caput mergitare , die dominico , et per omnem pentecosten nec de geniculis adora re , et ie iunium soluere , multaque alia scripta non sunt , que rationabilis sibi obseruatio vindicauit . That is . Although there were no auctoritye of the scrypture , the consente of the whole worlde vpon this parte shulde opteyne lyke a commaundemente . For many other thynges also , whiche are obserued in the churches by tradicion , haue vsurped or by vse taken to them the auctoryte of a lawe wryten , as in the lauatory of baptisme / to dyppe the heade thryse / vpon sonday and al the tyme betwene Easter and wytsontyde neyther to honour god knelynge , nor to fast : and many other thynges ar Note this . not wrytten , which a reasonable obseruatyon hath chalenged to hyr . This saynt Hierome hath spoken to the great reproch of al those that saye nothynge shulde be beleued , and kept excepte the scrypture made therof some mēcyon . Also here we se that it is not a new thynge to aske where it is wrytten in scrypture , and that s . Hierome thought the custome & tradicion of christes church sufficyent for the auctorite , and defence of sundrye thynges without the scrypture . But to saynte Dionise s . Paules disciple , whiche thus wryteth of this matter . Pontifex ter illum a quis imergit , hac trinaillius mersione , et emersione tres beatitudinis diuinae personas inclamans . The bysshoppe dyppeth him thryse vnder the water De ecclesi . hierar . ca. ● . part. 2. callynge vpon the thre persons of the godly blysse with this threfolde dyppynge in to the water , and dryngeth hym oute againe . Though the saing of s . Dionise Paulꝭ scoler be sufficient to proue that it came frome the apostles by tradicyon that in baptysme the chylde is put vnder the water , because he was in the apostles time , and learned the truth of chrystes religion of them of S. Paule and Hierotheus his maysters , yet for a fuller prouffe , I wyll brynge hyther the apostles owne wordis out of theyr canons , Cap v●●● . whiche are euen these . If anye bysshop , or preest do not vse thre mersions , or dyppynges of one mysterye / but do ones dyppe the chyld in baptisme , which semeth to be gyuen in our lordes death , let hym be deposed . For our lord sayde not to vs baptyse or chrysten ye in my death , but you goynge teach all people baptysige theym in the name of the father , De eccle Hier ca 2 part 3 and the sonne / & the holy goost . Fynally saynt Dionise Paules scoler declarethe what is signyfyed by the dyppynge the chylde thryse vnder the water in the font saynge . Proprie , et cōueniētissime mersio illa , qua totus homo aquis operitur , ad imaginem mortis ac se pulturae informis accipitur . That is to say in englyssh . That dydpynge , by the whiche the whole man is couered with water , properly and moste conueniently is receyued to the ymage , or forme of chrystes deathe , and buryall , which was without fourme , or shape . The puttynge of the chylde , when he is chrystened , thryse vnder the water , betokeneth chrystes death , & thre dayes buryall , as the takynge of the child out of the water , sygnifyeth to vs chrystes rysyng vp againe Excepte the chylde be very lyk to take death therby , or any ●●●able harme . from death . Therfore as chrystis bodye was hydde cleane in his graue or sepulchre , so ought the chylde , when he is chrystened , to be put wholy vnder the water , & couered hole with water ( as S. Dionise here affyrmeth ) that therby Chrystes buriall may be fullye represented . The which thing some gentyll men wyl not suffre to be done vnto theyr chyldren , though it myght ryghte well be done without anye ieoperdye of the chylde . In which thyng they do not well , breakynge the laudable custome of the churche comynge euen frome the apostles , and especiallye beynge so reasonable , & agreyng with the scripture , and representynge the buryall of Christe very perfectly .

But I wyll go forwarde to the rehersal of mo traditions of the holy Apostles . It is a custome that when the chylde is christened at the font , anon is put vpon hym a whyte cloth called the chrysome , the whyche came from the apostles by tradition , as it shall streight appere by the olde wryters wytnesses , of the which one is the historye called in latyne historia tripertita , where we read these wordes . Praeparabatur baptisma , Lib. 11. ca. 14. et vestis conueniens baptiza to . Baptisme was prepared , and a vesture mete for the baptised .

Also Lactantius , whyche was De res . D aboue twelue hundred and forty yeres past , thus wryteth of thys whyte clothe whyche is put on the chylde christened .

Rex sacer ecce tui radiat pars magna trophaei Cum puras animas sacra lauacra beant Candidus egreditur hitidis exercitus vndis , Atque vetus vitium purgat in am ne nouo . Fulgentes animas , vestis quoque can dida signat , Et grege de niueo gaudia pastor habet .

¶ The englyshe of the verses .

BEholde O holy kinge a great parte of the victory sendeth forth beames lyke the sunne . When the holye lauatoryes do make happye the soules cleane . The white hooste goeth forth of y● bryght waters , And purgeth y● olde vyce in the newe ryuer . The whyte apparel also signifieth the shynyng soules , & the shepeherde hath ioyes of the whyte flocke . Thys Lactantius declarynge the custome to put vppon the person baptised a whyte garment , & that it sheweth as a token that the soule is made whyte from the filthines of synne Ambrosius de ●●s , qui mysteriis initiantur lib. 1. ca , 7. Idem habet . in baptisme . That whyte clothe also maye signify the manumission , or the deliueraunce of the soule from the bondage of the deuyll to the fredome of christe , whiche is gotten in baptisme . For Tertulian in his boke , recytyng in an ordre De res . carnis . the tokens of manumission or making a man fre of a bonde man , reherseth a whyte vesture amonge them . They that were baptised at Easter dyd vse to weare all the easter weeke that white vestures & vpon the sonday next folowing they dyd put them of , & for the cause that weke & sonday were called of the olde fathers . Septimana et dominicai albis , the weke & sonday in albis . That this vsage & custome to cloth the childe christened wyth a white vesture came by tradition from the apostles , Dionise paules scholer declareth makynge mention of it with these wordes . Assumentes baptizatum sacerdotes , induunt Dionisi . de ecclesie hierar , cum veste mūdiciae congrua . That ●s . The preestis taking to them the party baptised do put on hym a De ecclesie hierar ca. ● par. 3. vesture agreable with cleanes . Agayne he sayeth . Deinceps ita initiatum candem tes induunt vestes . After ward they him , so instructed in thinges concerninge religion , whyte vestures . Where shuld this paules disciple lerne this but of him , & the other apostles , whom he oft called duces suo● his leaders ? Is it to be supposed , I beseche the good reader , that this custom receiued of the church in the apostles tyme , came from any other teachers then the apostles ? Therfore embrace , & gladly receiue this & other as the apostles traditions , and ceasse for shame the vngodly bablyng / that nothing is to be beleued , & done excepte it be set forth & expressed in the scripture . This auncient doctoure Dionise speaketh also of consecratyng & halowing oyle & creame , & of the anoyntynge of Cap. 3. ꝑ . 3. et ca. 4. parte . 3. lib. 1. aduersus Mar. them that are christened with it , & Tertulia also sayinge , god wassheth his with water , & anoynteth them with oyle . Dionise thus hath of that De ecclesie hierar ca. 4 par. 3 oyle . Vnde , vt opinor , i●●ta sacratiorem sēsum traditione diuina , sancti nostrae sacerdotalis functionis duces , honestissimum illud vnguenti cōsecran di munus teletē ab effectu rei , quae in eo perficitur nominant . That is to say Wherof ( as I suppose . ) the holy leaders of our preestis offyce after a more holy sense by gods tradition or teaching do call that most honest office of consecrating oyntment a perfection or making a thing perfect , of the effecte of the thing , which in it is made perfect . Lo here Dionise playnly affyrmeth that the apostles gaue a name vnto the preestes office , by the which he doth halow the oyle , & therfore it must nedes folow y● that thing was in vse , & brought vp by them through christes instruction or the De spi. ●●● cap. 27. holy gooste . Basil speaketh also of the anoyntynge them that are baptised saying . We do halow the oyle of anoynting . Nonne a tacita secre taque traditione ? Do we not of a styl , & a secrete tradition ? Ipsam porro olei inumctionem , quis sermo scri pto proditus docuit ? That is . Further , what speache put forth by wrytyng hath taught the innoynting lib. 1. epi , 12. of oyle ? Ciprian in like facion writeth of the anoyntinge of them that are baptised , saying . Vngi quoque necesse est eum , qui baptizandus sit , vt accepto chrysmate , id est , vnctione esse vnctus dei , et habere in se christi gratiam possit . It is also ( ●ayeth he ) necessary that he , which must be baptized , be anoynted , the anoynting being taken , he may be the anoynted of god , & haue in hym the grace of christe . As yf he had sayed , excepte he be anoynted with oyle when he is christened , he can not be the anoynted of god , nor haue in him the grace of christe , wherby he declared how necessary a thing it is to be anointed with oile in baptisme receiuing , & yet there is no scripture setting any such thyng further , thou seest therfore , good reader , yet ones agayn some thyng necessary to be both of vs beleued , & kept , of the which scripture speketh nothing at al. Moreouer there are yet diuers other thinges not expressed in the scripture , whyche we are bound both to beleue , & also to kepe , of the whiche thys is one that the bishop haloweth the aulters before masse be sayed vpon them , of the whiche Dionise maketh mention saying . Diuiui altatis conse cracionē sanctissimorum mysteriorum lex , sanctissimi vnguenti castissimis infusionibus perficit . That is . The lawe of the holyest mysteryes , doth make perfecte the halowing De ecclesie hierar ca. 4 par. 3. of gods aulter wyth most chast powrynges on it of moost holye oyle , manye men can not abyde that hymnes and psalmes shuld be songe in the churche vnto the honour of god , & the styrryng of the herers vnto greater deuotion , when at the begynnynge of christes churche in the apostles tymes christen people dyd vse to synge songes vnto the honoure of god , & to encorage them selues to be the better disposed , as we may reade in one Pliny , whych Plenius secundus in epist. ad traianum . was not chrystened , and yet he spake of that thyng saying . Affirmabant autem hanc fuisse summam vel culpae suae , velerroris , quod essent soliti stato die ante lucem conuenire , carmenque christo , quasi deo dicere secum inuicem . Thys in englysh . But they affyrmed that thys was the chyef poynte eyther of theyr faut , or of theyr erroure , that they were wounte to assemble and come togyther before day vpon a daye appoynted , and saye with theym selues one to another a verse or a metre vnto chryste as to God . And to confyrme this matter more surelye , I wyll brynge forth the wytnes of one Phylo which was a iew● borne and tourned to Chrystes fayth . He beyng in chrystis tyme , and his apostles thus testifyeth of chrysten mennes songes , and hympnes , sayde and songe vnto god , as Eusebious hath wryten Euse 〈◊〉 secundo ●● . 17 : Agathense consilium , cap. 30. aboute twelfe hundred yeres passed . Vnus ex iībus in medio consurgens , psalmum honestis modulis concinebat , et praecinenti vnum versicu lūomnis multitudo respondebat That is . One of them al rysing vp in the middes dyd syng a psalme or a song with semely measures & all the multitude dyd answere hym syngyng before or fyrst one verse as a chaū● doth in a qurie . Hyther Philo settynge forth the begynnyng of chrystendome / the ordynaunces of the church when it fyrst begon , and dyscrybed the begynnynge of the apostles tradicions , and therfore the custom of syngyng verses , psalmes , hines , and other songes is not to be set at naught hauynge theyr begynnynge of the apostles by tradicion . Adde to these verytes vnwrytten this also that the preest at masse vseth certayne prayers to consecrate the hoost , & to turne it through the almyghty power of god , and the workynge of the holy goost in to Chrystes verye bodye , which wordes are not in the scrypture , but came vp by the apostles tradicion , and teachynge De spi. s . cap. 27. by mouth onely . They are thought of saynte Basyll to come ( as I sayde ) by tradicyon , Lib. 2. ca. 19 whose wordes are these . Inuocationis verba , quum ostenditur panis eucharistiae , et poculum benedictio nis , quis sanctorum nobis in scripto reliquit : Nec enim his contenti sumus , quae commemorat apostolus , aut euangelium , verum alia quo or et ante et post dicimus , tamquam multum habentia momentiad mysterium , quae ex traditione citra scriptum accipimus . The wordes ( sayth Basyll ) of inuocation or callyng for helpe , when the bread or fode of the sacramente of the aulter is shewed ( ouer the preestes head to the people at masse ) and the cuppe or chalyce of blessyng who of the holye menne hathe lefte vs in wrytynge ? For we ( preestes ) be not contented with those wordes , whiche the apostle saynte Paule dothe remember or the gospell , but we do saye other also both before the ( consecration ) and after , as hauynge moche pythe or bcynge of great effecte to the mysterye or sacramente , which wordes we haue receyued of tradicyon without wrytyng Hytherunto S. Basyll playnly disprouyng theyr opinion , whiche say that all thyng , which we are bound to beleue or do , is conteined in the holy scrypture . Of the wordes De ettle . hierar . ca. 7 parte . 3. of consecracyon the holy Dio nise saynt paules dyscyple thus wryteth . At vero efficientes consecrationis preces fas non est scripto interpretari , neq ipsarum arcanum , siue illas , quae ex deo fuerint virtutes , ēsecreto in publicum efferre . Sedsicut nostra habet sacro sancta traditio , vbi eas sacratioribus instructionibus hauseris , at q ad sacra tiorem habitum , capatiorē q intelligentiam diuino a more , sacris q actionibus consummatus euaseris , ad su premam ipsarum sciam subueheris , di uina luce radiatus . That is this moch to saye in englysshe , But it is not lefull before god , to expowne or translate by wrytynge the prayers which made the consecratyon , nother to publyshe or vtter openly the pryupte of them , either the vertues which ar done , Eherfore the masie eughte not to be in the engiysshe tongae . but lyke as oure holy tradicyon hath , after that a man hath lerned them with very holy or halowed institutions , & being made perfecte is comen vnto a holyer state , and an vnderstandige more apte to perceyue throughe or by the loue of god , and holy dedes , he shall be caryed vp , or promoted to the hyghest knowledge of them , when he hathe bene made bryght or shynyng lyke the sunne beames with Gods lyghte . Doest not thou here se playnlye , good reader , that the prayers vsed of the preest whê he doth consecrate the host of breade at masse came of the holy tradicion of chrystes apostles , & that it standeth not with gods law to vtter abrode among the lay people the prpuyre of them by expownynge or translatynge theym with wrytynge ? Saynte Dionise dyscyple testifyeth that the holy apostles vsed certayne sygnes and ceremones in the celebracyon of the blyssed sacrament , of the which scrypture speaketh not , these are his word ; transtated out of greke in to latine , Ne in ipsa quidem sctīssimorū sacramentorum celebratione sancti illi nostrae ceu legalis traditio his magistri , diumis at q honestissi mis abstinuere signis . That is to say . Chose mayiters of our tradiction belongynge to the lawe dyd absteyne frome godlye and moost honeste sygnes no not in celebratynge of the moost holye sacramentes . Vpon the whiche texte of saynte Dionise Pachymeres , whiche was aboue . M. yeres sence , thus hath . Theologiam quae per figuras diuinis oracu lis ttadita est Telesticē asserit di onisius vt quae per sacerdotum institutionem ceremonias tradat sacramentorum , comprehensas , signorum involucris dionise : He affirmeth that diuinite which is expressed by tokens , or taught in the holy scripture by figures , to be figuratiue because it teacheth or deliuereth ceremonies of the sacramentes by the preestes institution , whiche ceremonies are comprehended or conteyned in couerynges of sygnes . The heades of the aulters are set towarde the easte & we do praye tournynge our faces towarde the easte , the which thynge comethe by the apostles tradicyon , as dyuers autours do wytnes , of the whiche saynte Damascene is one sayenge . We do praye towarde the easte , not by chaunce but because god is lyght that may be vnderstande and the sunne of ryghteousnes , & christ is called in the scripture oriens the east , the east must be appoynted ●a●ha . 6. or dedicate to hym for prayer or worshyppyng of hym . Anone after damascene sheweth another reason and cause , why the we pray toward the east / sayng . Because God made Paradyse towarde the easte , in to the whiche he brought Adam , the whiche offending he banished out therof and made hym dwell in the west contrary to the easte . Antiquam igitur patriam requirentes , et ad ipsam suspirantes , deum adoramus scz ad orientem . Therfore we requyryng the olde countrey ( Paradyse of heauen signifyed by the earthlye paradise a place of much pleasure , ) and feruently desyrynge to come vnto it , do worshyppe god , or pray to hi towarde the easte . After certeyne tokens of the excellencye of the easte taken out of the scripture rehersed in the ende of that chap tre , Damascene thus hath . Non est aunt scripta haec apostolorum traditio , nam multa sine scripto nobis tradita sunt . That is to saye . But this the apostles tradition is not wrytten , for manye thynges are delyuered to vs , or taught vs wythout writing . Are not these playn wordes of thys auncient doctour to the confusion of all them , that are not ashamed to speake agaynst traditions , and affirme that nothynge ought to be beleued and kept , that is not expressed in the holy scrypture ? Heare nowe what saynte Basyl sayeth De spi. s . cap. 27. of thys matter ? Vt ad orientem versi precemur , quae nos docuit scriptura ? That is . what scripture hath taughte vs to praye turned toward the easte ? Athanasius like wise which was aboue . M. CC. yere synce , affyrmeth that the holy apostles dyd teache christen men to praye towarde the east . These are hys wordes . Why do we christen people pray towarde the easte , and the Iewes toward the south ? He answereth thus . We muste defende this thinge other wyse to the Iewes , and other wise expowne it to the Gentiles . To the Iewes we saye , that we pray toward the easte , because the holy goost so taughte vs by the prophete Dauid sayinge . Adoremus ad locum , vbi steterunt pedes tui domine . That is . Let vs O Lorde worshyppe the or pray to the towarde that place , where psai . thy fete stode . And the prophete zachary sayeth . And oure lordes fete shall stande in the mounte or hyll of olyuete agaynste Hierusalen ( whyche is in the easte . ) Thys maye be a shorte answere ( sayeth he ) to the Iewes . But to the gentiles we saye that we do praye towarde the easte not that god is closed in there , or is onelye there , but forasmuche as he is named lyghte , for that cause we hauing a respecte to the ligi● of the sunne created , do nowe worshyppe not that same lyghte created , but the maker of it by the lokynge towarde it . Thys is the annswere to the gentiles , but lette the faythfull people of Chryst learne yt. Hac de causa beatissimi apostoli fecerunt Christianorum ecelesias intendere versus orientem , vt ad Paradisum respicientes , vnde cecidimus , scilicet ad veterem patriam , et regionem nostram , petamus deum , et dominum nostram reducere nos illuc , vnde eiecti exulamus . The englysh may be thys . The mooste blessed apostles for this cause haue made the churches of chrysten people to bêde or loke to warde the Caste , that we lokynge towarde Paradyse , from whense we fell , verily shulde desyre God , and oure Lorde to brynge vs thyther againe , to the olde countrey and oure region , from when●e we caste are banyshed . Lo thys holye and blessed auncyent wryter Athanasius , a man of excellent vertue and lernynge , affyrmeth that the apostles taughte christen people to praye towarde the Caste , and sheweth the reason , why we so do , as saynte Damascene hath done . Saynte Basyll moreouer De spi. t. cap. 29. sayeth . Ipsam fidei professionem , qua credimus in patrem , et filium , et spiritum sanctum , c quibus habemus scriptis ? That is Of what scripture haue we the profession of the fayth , by whyche we beleue in the father , and the sonne , and the holy gooste ? He concludeth that it cometh by tradition onely . I passe ouer manye traditions of the Apostles nowe vsed in the masse , as that the preest senseth wyth frankenceuse the aulter washeth hys handes at masse , sayeth confite or , sheweth the bodye and bloude of Christe ouer hys heade to the people , of the whyche Dyonyse speaketh , that was saynt Paules scholer . De ecciesie hierar ta . ; par. . 2 Also that the people seynge the bodye and bloude of Christ shewed them , do worshyp the same . Saynt Dyonyse also wryteth . Lap. 3 . qte 3. de spi. s . cap. 27 . Another tradition yet ! is rehersed of saynte Basyll sayinge . Vt signo crucis eos , qui spem collocarunt in Christum , signemus , quis scripto docuit ? That we do marke wyth the signe of the crosse them , that haue put theyr truste in Christe , who hath taughte by wrytynge ? Tertulyan wryteth also of thys affyrmynge that it is a tradition , and not wrytyng in the scripture . Whose wordes De corona militis . are these . Ad omnem progressum at q promotum , ad omnem aditum , et exitum , ad vestitum , et calceatum , ad lauacra , ad mensas , et lumina , ad cubilia , etsedilia , quacun q nos conuersatio exercet , frontem crucis signa culo terimus . That is to say in englyshe . At euerye goynge forth , and aduancynge , profytynge or mouynge forth , at euerye accesse , comynge to or entry , and goynge out , at apparelyng , and showyng or puttynge on of showes , at bathes or baynes , at the tables , and lyghtes , at the entrynge in to the chambers , and seates , or places to syt on , what so euer conuersation setteth vs on warke , we make a signe of the crosse in oure forheade . Saynt Athanasius sayeth that Lib. 2. de incat . ver. Saynt Athanasius sayeth that by the signe of that crosse al witchcrafte , or sorcerye , and the acte or crafte of poysonynge is put awaye , yf it be vsed in fayth and Lib quest quest. 38. deuoutely . Also he sayeth . Legem Mosis videntes daemones , non timent neque tremunt , quod ea non sit operata salutem . Crucem autem videntes , saepe tremunt , fugiunt , euanescunt . That is to saye in englyshe . The deuylles seynge Moses lawe feare not , nor tremble not , because it hath not wrought mannes health , but seyng the crosse they ofte quake , flee , vanysh away . Of the which it fyrste came that meat / drynke , and other dyuers thynges are blessed wyth a signe or a figure of the crosse . Damascene also Lib. 4 ca. 22 sayth . The crosse is gyuen to vs upon our forhead , and that it is a shelde , a buckler , and a cote of armure agaynste the deuyll .

Adorandum igitur est hoc signum , Of the signe of the crosse . therfore thys sygne ( sayeth he ) muste be worshypped of vs gyuynge to god the reuerence , and the deuoute honoryng . Qui hanc adorant , participes sint christi crucifixi They that do worshyp this fygure of the crosse , let them be ( O lorde ) partakers of chryst crucifyed . Hytherto saynt damasene . Let men , that despise the fygure and sygne of the crosse , & shame not to call it an ydoll abhorringe it almost as moche as the deuel doth , reade olde and auncyente histories , and they shall fynde straunge and wonderfull thinges wrought by it of god . Sozomenus Lib 2. ca. 19 one of the thre that made the storye called tripertita historia , tellethe that a deade manne was reised vp agayn by the touching of the crosse , and that one of the sybilles , which were hethen wemen hauynge the gyfte of prophesyng , sayed no doubt styrred of the holy goost . O ter beatum lignum , in quo deus extensus est . That is to say . O thryse happie woode , in the whiche God was stretched forth Also he reherseth there , that when saynte Helene had founde thre crosses , and not men douted which of them was chrystis crosse , & whiche the theues , that were crucifyed wyth hym , Macaryus then beynge bysshoppe of Hierusalem thus dyd put away the doubt . He broughte one of those thre crosses vnto a noble woman , which was longe sicke , & praing deuoutly he perceyued the myght of our sauyour . For by and by after that the crossehad touched the woman , it dryue awaye the passyon of that moste sharpe disease , and restored healthe vnto the woman . Eusebius moreouer telleth that in Alexandria al brest plates of serapis the god of the Egiptians , which stode in euery houses walles , entryes , postes , & wyndowes , were so cut awaye that no prynte nor the name eyther of hym , or els of anye other deuell remayned , and euery bodye set vp in stede of them the sygne of our lordes crosse in the postes , entrynges in to theyr houses , the walles , windowes , & pillers The which thyng when the painoms , that were left , did se , they were reported to haue comen vnto the remembraunce of a greate thynge by a tradicyon to theym selues of olde commytted . The Egypcyans haue a sygne of our lordes crosse amonge theyre alphabete letters , and say it signieth the lyfe to come . Wherfore they ( sayeth Eusebius ) whiche by the wonderynge at the thynges which were done , were tourned to the fayth , sayed that it was so of olde taught or lefte to theim . that these thynges , whiche are nowe worshypped , shuld so longe stande , as longe as they shulde se that signe to haue come , in the which life was . When in Hierusalem the iewes nyghe all were slayne of God wyth a bowle or thynge of fyre very rounde , and the rest were with feare of death enforced and constrayned to confesse chryste Iesu to be god , least that thynge shulde haue bene thoughte to haue happened by chaunce , the nyghte folowynge the sygne of the crosse dyd so euidently appeare in all theyr garmentes , that he , whiche for hys vnfaythfulnes wolde haue taken it awaye coulde not in no wyse . Therfore lette men beware that do dispise the pycture of the crosse or the crucifyx of chryste , lest lyke vengeaunce of god do lyght vpon them . The good , and godly Emperour constantyne , when he was Histo. tri● lib. 1. ca. 5. tourned to Chrystes fayth , and hard moch preaching of the crosse , when he was in warfare he commaunded kunnyng men to chaunge his signe , or bainer that he had , in to a baner of the crosse made of gold , & precious stones . Hoc enim signum bellicum inter alia preciosius erat , eo ꝙ īꝑatorē precederet , et adorari id a militibus moris esset . For this signe of warre was among other more precyous , or estemed better , because it went before the Emperour , & the custome was it to be worshypped of the souldiers ●herof chyefly I suppose constantyne the noblest honoure of ymperye of Rome to haue chaunged it in to the sygne of the crosse , that his subiectes by oft seynge it and regargynge it myghte be dysused , or broughte oute of custome frome the fyrste maner of belefe in honouryng ydols , and iudge hym onely god , whom the Emperour dyd worship , or whom as a captaine , & an aider he vsed agaynste his enemyes , This fygure of the crosse was caryed vpon mennes shoulders through the whole hoost : and when the bearer of it through great feare of the enemyes delyuered it to another & fledde awaye , he was slayne sodeynly , and he that caryed the crosse amonge manye sharpe weapons , quarelles , and dartes escaped harmeles , all the dartes wonderfully by goddes power , stucke in the sygne of the crosse and dyd all flee from hym that bare the standerde or baner in the felde . It is more reported ( sayeth Eusebius ) that none the bearer of that standard was eyther wounded or taken prysoner in batell . Hytherto Eusebius declaringe the great vertue of the sygne of the crosse , how it ayded constantynes souldiers , & howe moche the godly Emperour constantyne dyd esteme it . We christen men for a greate nombre of vs are very farre gone from the olde regardynge of the fygure , or ymage of Chryste crucyfyed for vs , so that we be not ashamed to call it an ydoll . The Emperour constantyne after many and dyuers notable victories optained of his enemyes accustomynge his souldiers to honour god as he dyd hym selfe he made theyr armur to haue the sygne of the crosse . Maximam culturam sacratissimae Tri● . histo lib. 1. ca. 9. crucis habebat . He dyd moost honoure the holye crosse , as the historye sayth , both for the good lucke / which he hadde in warre by the helpe of it , & for the sygne , whiche god shewed therby . Sozomenus wrote this aboue twelfe Li●●●sto tri● . ca. 4. hundred yeres paste , the whiche telleth also that when this Emperour constantyne was in great care and thought , how he shuld optayne vyctorye agaynste hys enemyes , he saw in a dreame the fygure of the crosse brightly appearynge in the fyrmament , and the angels standing by hym wonderynge at the sygne sayeng to him , O Constantine in hoc vince .

That is to saye . O Constantyne vanquyshe / or ouercome in this or by this signe of the crosse It is also ( saith the story ) reported that chryste appeared vnto hym and shewed hym a sygne of the crosse , commaundynge hym to make a lyke fygure , and take this helpe in battell , wherby he might get the victory of his enemies . Eusebius Pāphily sayth that he harde the Emperour him self tellynge it with an othe that aboute the myddis of the day when the sunne dyd go lower , a sygne of the crosse made of the bryghtnes appered and the wrytynge whiche was in it , sayenge to him In hoc vince . Wynne the victorye by this sygne of the crosse , This Emperoure also caused the figure of the crosse to be made in the coine and ymages . To be Histo trip . lib. 7. ca● . 34. shorte , Theodoritus tellethe that it was the maner to put on them that were chrystened , the sygne of the crosse , so moch did men at that season esteme and regarde that holye signe , the whyche is nowe mooste abhorred o● vs , in that poynte muche lyke vnto the infideles , and the deuels , whych can not abyde it . Vnto whose greate confusion it shal appeare at the day of iudgement , as saynt Mathewe testifyeth sayinge . Math. 24.

Tunc parebit signum filii hominis in caelo . Then at the day of dome the signe of the sonne of man shal appeare in the fyrmamente , that is to saye , the crosse of Christe , sayeth Teophilactus , glisteryng , and shynynge muche aboue the sunne , to the reproche and condemnation of the Iewes .

Is concernyng the worshyppyng of the crosse , I haue alleged already saynte Damascenes wordes , & nowe wyl saint Hieroms , Austens , and Chrisostoms that therby men may se theyr blyndnes and errour , whyche can not abyde that picture to be honoured of christen people , & seinge theyr fooly may forsake it in time , ere it be to late . Thys sayeth saynte Hierom vpon these wordis of Dauid . Adorate scabellum pedum eius , quo niam sanctum est . Honour the lowe Psal. 9● . settle or fote stole of hys fete , for as much as it is holy . There are many opinions of thys fote stole . For some referre it vnto christes humanitie , or manhode , vpon the whyche the godheades maiestie stode , & this humanitie the apostles dyd worshyppe . Ad crucem dominicam , et ad animam sanctam haec referenda sunt . These wordes of saynte Dauyd muste be referred ( sayth Hierom ) to our lordes crosse , and his holye soule . And therfore after Hieroms mynde , the holy goost by Dauids mouth commaunded christen men & women to honour the crosse , though we very vngodlye do dishonoure it neuer so muche . Saynt Austen sayeth . Quid seruat fideli suo , qui Tract . in Joan . 36. talem honorem dedit supplicio suo ? Denique modo in paenis reorum non est apud Romanos . Vbi enim crux domini honorata est , putatū est quod reus honoraretur . That is to say , What doth god reserue for hys faythful , whych hath gyuen such honour to the crosse , vpon whych he suffrred death ? To conclude nowe the crosse is not amonge peynes of the gyltie at Rome .

For after the crosse of our lorde was honoured , it was thoughte that the giltie was honoured .

Thys saynt Austen full godlye Lib. 6. aduersus Iulianum . touched the honorynge of christes crosse . Cirillus also makinge answere to Iulian , whych mocked christen people for worshypping the crosse , sayed vnto hym after he had rehearsed the greate , and sundrye benefites that came to vs , by the crosse . Haec omnia recordari nos facit salutare lignum , et suadet , vt cogitemus , quod sicut dicit diuus Paulus . Vnus pro oimbus mortuus est , et resurr exer it . The holsome wood maketh vs remembre all these thinges , and moueth vs to thynke that ( as s. Paule sayeth ) one is deade for all , and hathe rysen vp agayne . Thys auncyent doctoure saynte Cyril wrote against the apostata Iulian scornyng christen people for honouryng the crosse , and not agaynst hym onely , but agaynst al other in lyke maner derydynge & mockyng men for the same worshippynge . But of thys matter I mynde ( god wylling ) to entreate more largelye in a boke of worshyppyng ymages , of the whych in thys boke I thoughte to saye nothynge at all , & therfore nowe I wil passe ouer it to the rehearsal of other the apostles vnwritten traditions , of the whych the obseruyng of the sonday is one . For though saynt Iohan in the Apocal. cap. 10. apocalypsis maketh mention of it , yet there is no commaundement in The obseruyng of the sonday commeth by the apostles tradition . the scripture to kepe the day holye day , more then al other dayes of the weke . Of this dayes honourynge before other spake saynte Damascene aboue a thousande yeres paste , saying . We do celebrate holy the perfect rest of mans nature , I saye the daye of Chrystes lib. 4. ca. 24 Crip. hist. cap. 9. resurrection . The valeant , and noble Emperoure constantyne made a lawe that vpon our lordes daye the sondaye all men shulde ceasse from gyuyng iudgementes , and from the doynge of other matters of the worlde , Ambros . ser. 6. de pentecoste dominica est venerabilis atque Colēnis , quia eo die chritus resurrexit . and to be occupied that day onely in prayer . Honorabat autem diem dominicum , qnia in eo Christus resurrexisset a mortuis , alium vero scz veneris , quia in eo fuerit crucifix us . That is to saye . But the emperoure Constantyne honoured the lordes day , ( sonday ) because Christe rose agayne vppon that daye from death to lyfe , and he honoured the frydaye because christe on that was crucifyed .

Hytherto the storye Ignaiius saynte Iohans disciple wryteth of this holy daye , saying . Christ Epist. 1. ● vpon the sondaye rose from death to lyfe . Pro sabati zatione celebret omnis christianus diem festum dominic● resurrectionem , regalem et eminentissimum omnium dierum . That is in englyshe thus much to say . Let euery christen man kepe holy the feast day of the resurrection of our lorde in stede of the saterday , a royal , or a kinges day , and most excellent of al dayes . Wolde oure lorde that all men , whiche do thynke euery daye of the weke lyke , & none rather to be obserued holy day than another , wolde loke well on these holye martyrs wordes , whyche was saynte Iohan the euangelistes disciple / taught the truth of and by whych , whom christ him selfe scholed in the truth . Thys same holye father commaunded the people to kepe holye dayes deuoutely sayinge to them . Dies festos Episto . 4. nolite inhonorare . Do ye not dishonoure the holye dayes .

What saiest thou Luther , or lutheran , are all dayes equall , and after lyke sorte to be honoured , obserued , and kepte holy daye ? Is thy îudgement more to be regarded than this blessed martyrs saynt Iohans scholers ? Saynt Austen make the mention of the sonday to Ianuary , and sayeth christen men kepeth it holy daye Episto . 118. Dies d●●icus ( inquit august ) non iudeis . sed christianis resurrectione d●i declaratus est . et er illo suam : festiuita ● habere cepit rursus ad casulanum epist. 86. preponitur dies dn̄icus sabbato , fide resurrec tionis . Hieronimus epist. 53. idem in the honoure of chrystes resurrectyon . To be bryefe could this feaste come otherwyse in to the church of chryste then by the apostles tradicyon , and teachyng by mouth , synce saynte Iohan in the apocalipse the fyrste chaptre speaketh of it ? I graunt to Bul lynger that the sonday is mencyoned in the holye scrypture , but the pueth not it to be set forth by commaundement in the scrypture , as nowe it is , & hathe bene sence the apostles tyme Ignatius bearing wytnes . Thefore the sondaies feaste came vp by the Apostles tradicyon . It cometh also by tradicion that we do not fast vpon the sonday , of the which thyng saite Ignatius wryteth sayng . Quicumque Epist. 4. dominican ieiunauerir , ipse est inter fector christi . That is . Who soeuer shal fast vpon the sonday , he is the murderer of Christ . From whense came this custome / yf it came not by mouth from the apostles ? Of whom shuld this S. Iohnns discyple lerne this poynt but of his mayster saynt Iohan ? Tertulyan , whiche was with in lytle more then . C. xx . after chrystes death affyrmethe playnlye that this cnstome came by tradicyon without scrypture . For he recytynge certeyne tradicyons thus wryteth . Die dominico ieiunium nefas ducimus . That is . We do thynke or suppose fastynge vpon the lordes daye sonday to be vnlefull before god . Also Hierom Aduersus luciferianos . hath the very same his wordes . It is therfore not lefull nor standynge with gods law to fast the sonday , excepte a man fast many dayes togither . as Moyses , He.lias , & christ dyd in the which this is included , & yet it is aganyste no law of god wrytten , wherfore it must neades folowe that it is agaynste gods lawe vnwrytten , commynge by the holye apostles tradicyon vnto chrystes church . Which taught the chrysten people to forbeare fastynge on that daye in honoure of Chrystes resurrectyon , whiche brought vnspeakable toyes of gladnes in to the vorlde , and therfore it is mete that chrysten men that day abstayne frome fastynge , whiche is a kide of mourning as chryst sayed . Mathewe , ix . But of this I haue sayed , I suppose ynoughe , the learned men maye reade of this matter more in S. Austens booke , and in other of of the old doctours : Moreouer that Easter day is kepte , it is a tradicion of the apostles . For Socrates thus wrytethe in the Histo trip , lib. 9. ca. 38. historie called in latyn tripertita historia Nec apostolus , nec euangelia accedentibus ad predicationem iugum seruitutis imponunt , sed festiui tatem paschae et alias celebritates honorandas esse dixerunt . That is to say . Neither the apostle , nor the gospelles do laye the yocke of bondage vpon theym that come vnto the preachynge of the gospel , but they haue sayed that the feaste of Easter and other solemne dayes are to be honoured Anone after he concludynge the treatyse of the matter thus sayth . Mens namque fuit apostolorum non de diebus sancire festiuitatum , sed conuer sationem rectam , et dei predicare culturam . Mihi ergo videtur , quod sicut multa alia per prouincias ad consuetu dinem venerant , sic & paschae festiuitas tradita sit , eo quod nullus apostolorum hinc aliquid sanxisset . That is . For the apostles mynd was not to make any lawe concernynge feastes , but to preache good cōuersaryon , and the worshyppynge of god . Therfore it appeareth to me , that as manye other thynges throughe the prouinces , countreys , or realmes came vnto a custome , so also the feaste of easter is taughte , or delyuered by tradition , because non of the apostles dyd inact , or make any law therof . But the canons of the apostles them selues declare that this feast of Easter was of theyr ordynaunce , thoughe they wrote no lawe and dyd constitute none ordynaunce of it in theyr epistiꝭ . For these are theyr wordis Si quis episcopus , presbiter , aut diaconus Canone . 8. sanctum paschae diem ante aequinoctium vernale cum iudae is celebrauerit , abiiciatur . That is to say in our tongue . If any bysshoppe , preest , or deacon do kepe holy with the iewes the feaste of easter before the daye be as longe as the nyght in the sprynge tyme , let hi be caste away , despysed , or renunced . Do not these wordes manifestly shew that the apostles assygned what season of the yere Easter day shulde be kepte , yt must neades herof folowe the they instructed by the holy goost , or els of our sauyour chryst hym selfe ordeyned that feaste to be obserued of vs chrysten people , and they lefte the same by tradicyon vnto the church without putting it into the scrypture . Of this feast Ianuario episto . 118. and certayne other speaketh S. Austen sayeng . Quae non scripta , sed tradita custodimus , quae quidem toto terrarum orbe obsernantur , dantur intelligi vel ab ipsis apostolis , vel a plenariis conciliis , quorum est in ecclesiis saluberrima autoritas , commendata , atque statuta retineri , sicuti quod domini passio , resurrectio , et ascensio in caelum , et aduentus spiritus sancti de celo , anniuersaria solemnitate celebrantur per vniuersum orbem . In the englysh this it is . Those thynges whiche we do kepe not wryten , but delyuered or taught by mouth , the whyche sothelye are obserued thorowe the whole worlde they be to be vnderstand that they beyng commytted and decreed , or ordeyned eyther of the apostles , or of the full and general councels , the autoryte of the which is in the church moost holsome , as that our lordes passyon , his resurrection , and ascensyon , and the commynge of the holye goost from heauen , are kept holy daye yerelye throughe all the world . Here it appeareth playn lye by saynt Austen that these holy dayes , whiche then were , and yet are obserued and kepte thorowe all chrysten nations , were ordeyned eyther by the holye apostles , or els by generall counsayls , whose aucthoryte is most holsome in chrystes churches , or congregatyons of the faythfull , though we now set very lytle by them , because they plucke oure heresies by the rootes , but these feastes were not set vp fyrste by anye generall councell , as it appeareth in the councels , and espicyally Easter daye , when christe rose , of the whyche the apostles before al councels not wrytten in the scripture , spake , as I haue declared alreadye , & therfore they muste nedes by saynte Austens rule aboue mentioned come of the apostles tradition . Wyth the whyche that agreeth ryght well that saynt Iohans scholer Ignatius commaunded the people not to sette naughte by theyr holye daies , sayinge . Dies festos no lite ihonotare . Do ye not dishonour Epist. 4. the holye dayes , meanynge no doubte the dayes chiefelye afore here recyted , apperteynynge to christes death , resurrection , ascention and the commyng of the holy gooste vpon whytsonday , of the which saint Gregory Nazianzene Sermone de pencecoste . S. Hieroms mayster thus wryteth . Honoremus diem in aduentu spiritus sancti . That is to say . Let vs hononr the day in the cōymng of the holy goost . Also saynt Cipryan sayeth . Celebramus tam nos , Sermone de spi scion . quam iudaei quinquagesimum diem , sed illi in typo , nos autem in veritate , non tam significamus , quam agimus . Pentecostē igitur celebrantes commemorauimus , que olim sub Mose in veteri testamento sunt acta , et quae sub Christo facta sunt , post cuius assensionem in caelos spiritus sanctus visibiliter super apostolos in linguis igneis aparuit . That is . As well we christen people as the Iewes do kepe solemne the fyfty day after Easter , but they in a figure , we in the truth , do not so much signify , as do it in dede . Therfore we kepynge whytsondaye holye haue remembred the thynges / whych were , ones long sence done vnder Moses in the olde testament , and also the thynges , whyche were done vnder Christe , after whose ascension in to the heauens , the holye gooste appeared visiblye vpon the apostles in fyry tonges . Finallye saynte Hierom expownyng the epistle of saynt Paule to the Galathians thus wryteth Cap. 4. after he hath declared that Paule commaunded the Galathians not to kepe the Iewysses feastes or holy dayes . Dicat aliquis . Si dies obseruare , et menses , et tempora , et annos , non licet , nos quoque simile crimen incurrimus , quartum sabbati obseruantes , et parascheuen , et dic̄ dominicam , et ieiunium quadragesimae , et paschae festiuitatem , et pentecostes laeticiam , er pro varietate regionum , diuersa in honore martyrum tempora constituta . The englysh may be thys . Some man may say . If it be not leful to obserue dayes , and monythes , and tymes , and yeres , we christen men do runne in to lyke faulte , obseruyng the wensday of the weke , and the frydaye , and the sonday , and the fast of the lent & the feast of Easter , & the myrth of whytsondaye , and after the diuersytye of regions dyuers tymes constitute or ordeined in the honour of martyrs . To that he answereth , sayinge . To the whyche he that wyl playnly make answere , shall say that the Iewes feastes are not the same that oures are . For we do not kepe holy the Easter or pasouer of swete breade , but the Easter of the resurrection , and the crosse . Nec septem iuxta morem Israel numeramus ebdomadas in pentecoste , sed spiritus sancti veneramur aduentum . Nother we do numbre seuen wekes in whytsontyde after the maner of the chrldren of Israel , but we honoure the holye goostes comming . Hitherto the holy and ancient doctoure saynt Hierom declarynge playnly that albeit all dayes in the weke be lyke , and equal by theyr natures , yet some of them are appoynted before the other to serue god vpon , & ceasse from worldly busines , and therfore they that do beleue the contrary , are deceyued shamefully / but of this sufficient , now I wil go forwarde on mine enterprise , and rehearse yet mo traditions . It is a tradition of the apostles not wrytten in the holy scripture , that he , whyche was baptised or christened of an heretyke or a schismatike deuided from the church of christe shulde not be baptised agayne afterwarde , because the baptime of an heretike , or a schismatike is effectuall , & of strength as that is , whiche the catholiques , beyng not separate from the church do mynistre & gyue , of the which thynge saynte Austeyne a clerke most excellent of christes church Lib. 2. ca. 7. con●ta ●●●●tistas . thus speaketh . Saluberrimam tenet ecclesia consuerudinem in his schismaticis , et haereticis , corrigere , quod prauum erat , non iterare quod da tum fuit , sanare quod vulneratum est , non curare quod sanum . Quam consuetudinem credo ex apostolica traditione venientem , sicut multa non inu●niuntur in literis ●orum , neque in conciliis posteriorum , et tamen quia per vnsuersā custodiuntur ecclesiam , non nisi ab ipsis tradita , et commendata creduntur . That is . The churche kepeth a custome moost holsome in these schismatickes , and heretickes , ( that is to saye , in theyr christenynge or baptising ) to amend that which was yll , not to gyue againe that , which was gyuen , to heale that , which was wounded , not to cure the thing hole or sound . The which custome I beleue came of the apostlis tradition , lyke as many other thynges are not founde in theyr wrytynges , nor in the councels of them that came after , & yet for as much as they are kepte through the hole churche , they are not thought or beleued to be committed , and deliuered or taught but of them . Are not these wordes ynough to stop al bablers mouthes , that say they can not tel well what , against traditions , vtterly refusing to giue any fayth & credence to thyngꝭ not expressed in the scripture . Wil they be so folish to beleue Luther before Austen ? The holy apostles dyd condemne them that wold be baptised , or christened of heretikis , & yet they commaunded the he , which was baptised or christened with the baptisme of the church shulde not be baptised or christened agayne , as it apereth in their canons . Wherfore Austen Cap. 46. ● . 47. iudged right wel that it is a tradition of the holy apostles not wrytten in that scripture , that who soeuer was ones baptised of an heretique or schismatike shulde not be baptised againe , but onely that amended / which Eusebius lib. 7. ca. 8 , was yl done of them . Thys knew well the olde byshop of Alexandria called Dionyse , which in his fyfth boke of baptisme tellethe that a chrysten man came vnto him , and sayed that he had receyued baptysme of heretykes otherwyse than he saw it gyuen to other by the catholyke minysters , and that he durste not lyfte vp his eyes to god for that faulte , & therfore he desyred to be made cleane with baptisme of the churche , wherby he might receiue the grace of the holy goost . But the holy man Lege aug. lib. 1. ca. 33. Aduersus cresconium grāmaticum . sayed he durst not baptyse hym agayne in any wyse , knowynge that the apostles tradityon and constitucyon was agaynste that thynge to be done . Another tradicyon of the holy apostles is to haue pyctures and ymages in our temples , as saynte damascene hath witnessed aboue . M. yeres before oure dayes , whiche thus Lib. 4. ca. 7 wryteth of them . Because ( sayth he ) some men do ymbrayde or lay to vs in reproche that we do honoure & worshyp oure sauyours ymage and our queene his mothers , and moreouer the images of other sayntes , and Chrystes seruauntes , let them heare that god made man at the begynning after his ymage . Therfore for what cause do we honoure one another , but in as moche as we be made vnto gods ymage ? For as the godlye and greate Basyl sayeth . Imaginis honor ad exemplaris transfertur honorem . That is . The honoure of the ymage is referred , or caryed ouer from the ymage vnto the honoure of the sample . A lytle afterwarde when he had saide that in the time of the olde testament there were but few ymages , because chryst was not then incarnate , but after his incarnatyon , death & resurrectyon , for as moche as all men know not lerning nor gyue them selues to readyng he sayth That our fathers dyd agre and consent to represent the incarnatyon , death , and resurrectyon by ymages as certayne tokens of vyctorye for the readye remembrance of chrystes benefytes . For ofte we thynke not on chrystes passion through neklygēce , seyng the ymage of chryste stryken through we come agayne vnto the remembraunce of chrystes deathe , & we fallynge downe do worshyp not the matter of the crosse , but chryst represented by the ymage . Lyke wise our lady chrystis blessed mother , sayeth he , is honored by her pycture , and that her honour is referred vnto Chryste her sonne borne of her . For as we haue sayde lyke as the honoure gyuen to chrystes good and kynde seruauntes sheweth a token of good wyll towarde all mens lorde , sic et imaginis honor , ad prototypum , ex emplar , imaginisque veritatem transfertur That is to say , euen so the honour of the ymage is caryed from the ymage vnto the fyrste example or paterne , sample , and truth of the ymage , Est autem haec traditio non scripta . But this is a tradicyon not wrytten . Anone he addeth that the apostles taught and delyuered many thynges with out wrytynge , and to proue that he allegeth .ii. textes of . s . Paule the one . ii . Thess. ii. state . &c: stande ye faste , and kepe ye the tradicions , which ye haue lerned either by our speache , or by our epistle , the other Corin .xi. Brethren I prayse you , that ye do remembre me in all thynges and do kepe the tradicyons , as I haue taughte them to you . All this hath that olde wryter Damascene to declare that the settynge of ymages in the churches came by the apostles , and howe they ought to be vsed and what profyte cometh of them yf they be well vsed . In the whiche same place he dothe recyte a very straunge historye , which is this . It is sayde in a storye that Abagarus kyng of the Edesenes sent a painter to paynt an ymage This kyng wrote vnto out sauyour , & oure sauyoure vnto hym agayne as Eusebius hath . lib. 1. ca. 15. lyke to our lorde , the which when he could not do for the bryghtnes of his face shynynge , oure lorde hym selfe puttinge a cloth to his godlye , and lyuelye face whype of in the cloth his owne ymage and so sent it the kyng Abagarus desyrynge it . This historye sheweth manifestlye that ymages do please chryste , & not displease hym , though many men do cal them ydols . The seuenth general councell kepte at Nicaea bithiniae recytynge many anncyent doctouis sentenses touchinge images , allegeth these wordes of S. Basyll . I do honoure the holy apostles , Nicenum consilium . marty●s , and confessours , which do humblye praye for me vnto god , that by theyr medyacyon oure moste beoūteous god may be mercyfull , & frelye gyue to me remission of my synnes .

Quam ob causam , et historias imaginum illorum honoro , et palam adoro : hoc enim nobis a sanctis apostolis traditum , non est prohibendum , sed in oimbus ecclesiis nostris eorum historias erigimus . That is in english thus moche to say . For the whiche cause I do honoure , and openly worshippe also the stories of theyr ymages , for that delyuered to vs of the holye apostles , is not to be forbydde , or prohybited , but we do set vp the storyes of them in all our churches . Here we se that after s . Basils mynde , the holy apostles taught & lefte by tradicyon the settynge vp of ymages in the temples of chrysten people , & therfore this is also a veryte not wrytten in the holy scrypture . And to the intent men may se theyr blynd errour , whiche rayle agaynste the image of chryste , his blessed mother a virgyn most honorable , of the holy apostles & other sayntes : I wyll recyte here certayne storyes concernynge ymages both auncyent Lib. 7. capi. 14. and profytable also to the godly disposed people . The auncyente wryter of the churches storyes , Eusebius tellethy ᵗ the woman , whom our sauyour healed of a bluddy flyxe , as Mathew doth wytnesse Capi. 9. dwelled in a Citie called caesare● philippi , and that in hys tyme , whiche was about .ccc. yeres after christes byrth , her house was sene there & before the dores of her house a pyller was shewed set in a very hye place , in the which the same womans ymage grauen in brasse appeared as it were knelyng vpon her knees and humbly holdynge vp her palmes of her handes . There stode also another ymage graued in brasse , lyke a man apparayled clenly with a robe or alonge garmente , reachynge forth the ryght hande to the woman . At the fote of this ymage out of the pyller dyd grow a certayne herbe of a newe kynde . The which when it was spronge forth , was wonte to growe oute styll to the hemme or skyrtes of that robe the brasen clothynge . The whiche hemme or skyrte of that brasen garmente , when the herbe growyng vp had touched wyth the hyhgest toppe , it gotte strength therof to put awaye all diseases , & fayntnes or faylynge of strength , in so much , that what so euer the sickenes of the bodye it were by a lytle draught of the ioyce of that holsome herbe it was put awaye , hauinge no strength at all , yf it were broken of before it had touched by growynge the highest part of that brasen hem . They sayed that thys picture was made lyke to Iesus countenaunce , whyche remayned vntyll oure tyme , as we sawe wyth our owne eyes . And no marueile yf they , which had beleued of the gentiles dyd seme to offre suche thynges as a gyfte , for the benefytes , whiche they had obteyned of oure sauiour , synce we se also now the apostles Peter , & Pauls , and our sauiours ymages to be drawen , and paynted in tables . But we also haue sene their olde ymages kepte of certeyne men . Hytherto Eusebiꝭ in hys storye , by the whyche men maye se , yf they be not all blynde , that it is no new nor late inuented thynge to haue ymages in the temples , and what god hath wrought by them . But of thys sufficient for ●ny purpose , whych is to declare onely that many thynges come by tradition of the apostles and other the eldest fahers , wythout anye expresse worde of the holye scripture . Thys not wythstandynge it shall be a thynge both worth my labour , & also the readers or hearers , to recyte here a wonderfull myracle done by the ymage of Christe , of the whyche Athanasius maketh mention , saying . Lib. ●e passione imaginis do vel exhortatio ad mona . vt quidam co dices habē● ca. 1. 23. It chaunced that the ymage of christe was founde of the Iewes in a citye called syria in the tyme of constantyne the elder .

The whyche they caste downe to the grounde , and sayed one to another . We haue harde that our fathers dyd mocke & scorne Iesus of Nazareth manye wayes , let vs do so to thys ymage . Than they began to spyt in the face of oure lordes ymage , & they stroke it wyth buffettes , sayinge . How great thynges our fathers haue done to the Iesu of Galile , so bygge let vs do to thys picture of hym . Then they crucified our lordes ymage , naylyng the handes , and fete of it wyth sharppe nayles , puttynge vnto the ymages mouth vinagre , and gal , as they had done to Iesu thrist him selfe hangyng vpon the crosse . After that they put a crowne of thornes on the ymages heade , strekynge theron with a staffe , & mockynge it spite fullye . And at the length , ( as they had learned the theyr elders had done to christe vpon the crosse ) they do streke the syde of the ymage with a speare . When this abhomynable malycyus acte was done , there ensued streyght a wonderful myracle . For the syde of that our sauiour Iesu christis ymage sodenly began to runne with water & bloud , and the other myracles then were done , which chaunced when chrîste was crucified vpon the crosse . Then the Iewes caused a greate vessell to be set vnder the place of the wounde , & anone it was ful of bloud & water . Ther vpon they sayed that they wolde proue whether anye myracles shuld be wrought therby , for as much as christes frendes sayed the manye myracles were done by him . They broughte the water & bloud to their synagoge , & caused sicke folke to be washed with it , amonge the whyche there was a verye aged man , whiche had the palsey or the losyng of his membres euen from the tyme of his birth . He as sone as he was washed with the water & bloud was streight hole , & rose out of his bed , & went home . Then the people brought thither al diseased & sicke persons , the blind , the halt , the lame , the deafe , the dome , the lepers , with all other , & as sone as they were washed with the water & bloud , they were forth with deliuered from their diseases The which when the people sawe , they beleued in our sauiour iesu , and praysed him highly , After this A thanasi : which wrote aboue . M. cc. yeres passed , telleth that a christen man had this ymage of christ , & leftit thorow negligence behind him in syria , when he departed thence , when he was examined of the of the Metropolitaine of the citie , he confessed the Nicodemus , which came to iesu by night , made it with his owne handes , & gaue it to gamaliel pauls schole scholemaister , when he died , & gamaliel when he sawe that his death approched & drew nighe , gaue it to Iames , Iames to symeon , symeon to zacheus , & so from tyme to time it continued in Hierusalem nigh vntil the citie was destroied , whyche was the .xliii. yere after christes ascension in to heuen . For about ii . yeres before the destruction came by Titus & Vaspasianus the faythful , and disciples of christe were aduertised by the holy gooste to depart from Hierusalem in to the kyngdome of kynge Agrippa , & so they did carying with them al the thinges , that did belong vnto christes religion , amonge the whiche was that christes ymage which remayned in syria til this day , & when my father & mother dyed , I receyued it by the ryght of an heire , and do now possessee the same . Hytherto I haue recyted saynte Athanasius wordes , entreatyng of thys marueylous storye , whyche I haue rehearsed here the men may se both that ymages haue bene longe in Christes churche , & the God hath wrought by them great and straunge myracles to the greate comforte of christen people , and finally that men shulde be wyse that they do not mysuse the ymage of christe , and hys sayntes , leste they feele gods vengeaunce therby . Now to go forwarde , I wyl recyte yet a fewe thynges moo that are receyued and vsed by tradition in christes church without writing , of the which thys is one , that we The lentes fastynge . do faste the lente . For albeit it hath authoritie ( as saint Austen Aug. Ianu. epist. 118 , affirmeth ) of Moses and Helias fasting in the olde law , & also of christes in the new , which fasted fortye dayes , yet it cometh to the churche by the apostles tradition , that it is commaunded to be kept , and obserued fastyng . For saynt In epist. ad Marcellam Hierom this wryteth . Nos vnam quadragesimam secundum traditionem apostolorum , toto anno tempore nobis congruo ieiunamus . That is . We do fast one lent according to the apostlis tradition , in a time mooste mete for vs of al the hole yere . Lo hieron saieth the the holy apostles dyd or dayne and institute the faste of the lent , and we folowynge Luthers blyndnes saye that the apostles taught nothynge which they wrote not afterwarde , and do dyspyse this faste vtterlye , preferrynge herin our owne carnall iudgementes , and flesshely , yea bestly lustes before the auctoryte & iudgement of s . Hierom , whiche as he sayde hym selfe fasted wonderfullye moch , euen so he sayth the apostles taught the feaste of lent by tradicyon . Of the which one theophilus wrote thus before S. Hierome , whose boke Lib. ● . he translated out of greake in to latyn . Nequaquam diebus quadrage simae , sicut luxuriosi diuites solent , vini poculum suspiremus , neque in procinctu , et prelio , vbi labor , et sudor est necessarius , carnium edulio delectemur . Qui autem legum precepta custodiunt , vini vsum repudiant , et esum carnium . That is in oure language . Let vs not syght for , or greatly desyre wyne in the lente dayes , as ryotous rych men are wont , neyther let vs delyte in eating of fleshe in the state of an army when they be ready to gyue battayle , and in battayle , where laboure and sweate is necessarye . They that do kepe the commaundementes of lawes , do refuse or forsake the vse of wyne , and the eatynge of flesshe . This we se that lente was aboue twelfe hundred yeres synce fasted , and that deuote men dyd absteyne both frōdrynkyng of wyne , & also from eatyng of flessh in it . How wel this is nowe kept of chrysten people it neadeth not me to tell , but rather to lamente , and bewaile the greate and exceadyng ryote and gluttonye whiche is nowe vsed bothe in eatynge of flesshe , and dryukynge of wyne , of the whiche I haue spoken more largely in my boke of fastyng . But that lente fastynge came from the holy apostles saynt Iohan the euangelistes Epist. 4. dyscyple Ignatius maye wytnesse sayenge . Quadragesimānolite pro nihilo habere , imitationem enim continet dei conuersationis That is to say . Esteme not lente for naught , for it conteyneth the folowyng of gods conuersation . Where or of whom learned Ignatius saynte Iohans scoler this commaundement of the lentꝭ fast , yf he learned it not of his mayster saynt Iohan , or of the other apostles ? This blyssed martyr saynt Iohans discyple byddeth or commaundeth vs to faste the lent , Luther and his scholers lyke be lye gods , or whose bely is theyr god , and ryotous epycures , do teache vs to breake it , whether partye ought chrysten people to beleue , and folowe ? Saynt Ignatius commaundeth vs also to tast the wensday and fryday sayng . Quarta vero , & sexta feria ieiunate , reliquias pauperibus porrigentes . Faste ye the wensday & the frydaye , gyuyng the remenaunt or scrappes to the poore . Seest thou not , good chrysten reader , that the frydaye oughte to be fasted and the wensdaye after the apostles doctryne , which this saynt Iohans discyple wrote ? Why therfore sayest thou , that the apostles taught nothynge , but that only which they wrote afterwarde in the holy scrypture ? Ceasse for shame that fonde babling . Leaue of that vngodly doctrine , which poysoneth the soule , & bryngeth it to vtter confusyon , yf it be not forsaken in tyme . Theophylus sayeth . Habemus quadragesimam ab apostolis institutam , et ordinatam We haue the lent institute , & ordeyned of the apostles . Wherfore oughtest not thou rather to beleue hym then lewde lyenge Luther ? was not he both godly and excellently learned , as saint Hierome was whiche testifyeth the same , & that tyme when this matter was nothynge deubted of ? were not these doctours nerer the apostles tyme by more than M. c. yeres , then Luther was , that therby they myghte better knowe , then he coulde , what the apostles dyd teach the church of chryste by mouth onely without wrytynge ? But I wyll procede in this treatyse , and rehearse yet certayne moo tradicyons .

The churche of chryste vseth to make holye water , & to spryncle it abrode vpon the people in a remembraunce of our baptyme , & the water the flowed oute of Christes blessed syde persed with a speare in tyme of his bytter passyon , & to put vs in remembraunce also of our death , whiche lyke water ( as the seconde boke of the kiges witnesseth ) do slyde into the erth 2. Reg. 14. vndoubtedly . This custome is neyther brought vp of late nor yet worthy to be ( as of manye it nowe is the more pitie ) despysed lib. 9. ca. 34. ●rip . hist. and nought regarded . For we do reade in a storye made aboue M. cc. yeres passed , that there was at apamia the citie a notable and a stronge temple of iubiter , which was worshipped then for a god . When the good byshop Marcellus with another man beinge a head officer commaunded it to be throwen downe with fyre cast in to it , there appeared a certeyne blacke deuyll lettynge the flames of the fyre to burne . The whiche when the bysshop Marcellus harde , he ranne thyther speadely , and commanded a vessel of water to be broughte to hym , the whiche sette vnder the alter , he lyenge downe vpon the pauyment made humblye peticion to our lorde , that he wolde not suffer that deuyl to vse any lenger his tyrannye , and a sygne of the crosse made in the water , he gaue the water to one Equitius deacon armed with fayth , and A zele commaundynge hym to runne haste lye , and put the fyre vnder and spryncle the water aboute there . Quod cum fuisset factum , daemon effugit , non ferens aquae virtutem . The whiche when it was done , the deuyll fledde awaye not sufferyng the vertue or strength of the water . This water feading the fyre lyke oyle , the whole temple was burnte cleane . Doth not this storye declare that halowed water hath power to dryue awaye from vs wycked spirites ? Why shuld not the holy water vsed in chrystes church amonge all chrysten natyons , that be catholyke , be of the vertue , power , and myghte , that this water was of , since it is consecrated and halowed with many mo prayers , and makyng of crosses ouer it , then this holy bysshoppe Marcellus vsed in halowynge that water , wherby the deuyll was chased awaye out of Tomo . 2. cōtea hereses the temple ? Epiphanius also bysshop of Cypers telleth thys storye of a certen iewe conuerted to christes fayth , whose name was Ioseph . Thys iewe beynge a christen man , receyued letters , & aucthoritye of the emperour constantine , went to tyberias a citie in Galilea , and hauyng letters to take al thynges necessarye of the kynges coste , he beganne to buylde in tyberias . He had nede of lime and other stuffe to build , and therfore he commaunded many chymneys , or fournayses to be made wythout the citie . But the crafty iewes began to bynde the fyre , & to scatter it abrode wyth certen charmes . Wherfore Ioseph meued , troubled , or angry , & streken with a zele toward our lorde , ranne out of the citie , and after that he had commaunded water to be brought to hym in a vessel , the vessel of water beynge taken before all men ( for there was a greate multitude of iewes , that came to see that syghte ) he made wyth hys fynger a signe of the crosse ouer the vessel with a great voyce , & the name of Iesus called vpon for helpe , so he sayed .

Be made in iesus of Nazarethes name , vertue or strength in this water to the reprouffe or puttyng away of all charmyng , & wytchcrafte , whyche these iewes haue made , & to make also the fyer to haue power to worke , to perform oure lordes house the temple , & so he toke the water in to hys hand & spryncled wyth it all the fournayses , & the charmes were dissolued , or destroyed , & the fyre braste out before all men . Hytherto that auncient great clerke Epiphanius . Whose wordes do playnlye make ( as the other story dyd before recyted ) for the custome to make holye water or to halow it with signes of the holy crosse , and good prayers , that it maye therby haue strength , vertue , & myght against yl spirites , & worke agaynste charmes , and wytchcraft . Thys also declareth that the custome to blesse meate , drynke , and other creatures , is godly and good . Especially sith Paule affirmeth that euery creature of god is halowed by gods worde and praier . But that this 1. Tom. 4. custom to make holye water came vp by the holy apostles . It may appeare therby / that the godlye martyr Alexander , whyche was wythin lesse than an hundred yeres after Chrystes death , and alyue before saynt Iohan the euangeliste departed by dyuers yeres , holy wate● thus maketh mention of holy water . A quam sale conspersam benedicimus populis , vt ea cuncti aspersi sanctificētut , ac purificentur , quod et omnibus sacerdotibus faciendum esse mandamus . That is to say . We do blesse water spryncled with salte vnto the people , that all sprincled wyth it maye be halowed , or made holye & cleane , the whych we commaund to be done of all preestes .

Anone he saieth , she wing a good cause why thys shulde be done . For yf the asshes of an heffer spiyncled wyth bloude , dyd sanctify or halowe the people , & make them cleane , moch rather water sprincled wyth salte , & halowed with godly prayers , doth halow & make cleane the people . And by salt sprincled of Heliseus the prophet , the barraines of the water is cured , howe much more it halowed wyth godlye prayers taketh away the barraines of thynges belongyng to man , & sanctifieth the defyled , maketh pure , & purgeth , and encreaseth other good thynges , & putteth away the deuilles wiles or craftes to intrap a man , & defendeth from the wylynesses or craftes of mennes phansye . For we dout not but that by the touchyng of the skyrte or hem of our sauiours garment the sycke haue bene healed , howe muche rather are the elementes , ( as water & other lyke ) halowed of god by the vertue of hys holy wordes , by the whiche elementes , mannes weaknes receyueth helth of body , & soule ? All this that blessed martyr wrote of holye water aboue M cccc . yeres , & xx . passed , & therfore no man can iustly doute , but this thinge ( as I haue saied afore ( by the holy apostles tradition in to christes church , & therfore it oughte not to be despised of vs , nor left vndone , as a thing of no value . But let this go by , as spoken of sufficiently . The apostles lefte to the churche also by tradition , the preestes shulde not Cap. 27. mary wyues , as it appeareth by their wordes , in theyr canons , which are these . Innuptis aunt , qui ad clerum ꝓuecti sunt , pncipimus , vt si vo luerīt , vxores accipiant , sed lectores , cantoresque , tantummodo . That is to say . We christes apostles do commaunde , that they which being sengle are promoted to the clergie , do take wiues , if they wyl , but onely the readers , & singers . Which were two degrees in the church among the clergie at the season , whom onely the apostles commaunded to mary yf they wolde , excluding cleane from marrying , preestes , deacons and subdeacons . Also they ordeyned Cap. 20. & commaunded that none of the clergy shulde be warranters , or suerties saying . Clericus fide iussionibus inseruiens , abiiciatur . That is . Let the cap. 17. et ca 18. clerke , which is a suerty , be caste away . Likewise they taught the church that he , whiche had maryed 1. Tomo . 3. two wiues , a widow , an outcast , or a commen woman shulde not be promoted amonge the clergy to holye orders , though the apostle paule saying , a bishop or preeste muste Tertul. ad vrorem Apostolus non sinit digamos p̄sidere . haue one wife , ment , ( as tertulian sayth ) that bigamus shuld not be chosen a preest . Of theyr tradition it came also that one bishop shuld not giue holy orders to clerkes of anothers diocesis . Likewise the orders , & offices of the church shuld Cap. 36. not be obteined by money , that a clerke , or a lay man contynuyng in Cap. 30. playinge at dice , or hasarde , and a lay man puttyng hys wife from hym shulde not be suffered to receyue the blessed sacramente of the aultare . But to be briefe I wyll speake no more of them at this tyme , but wyll recyte yet a fewe traditions , of the whiche thys is one , that we beleue that our blessed lady christ our sauiours The contynuall virginite of our lady . deare mother was continually a virgin til her deth , which Eluidius denyed , & the because he could fynd no scripture to proue it , but rather ( as he supposed falsely ) the scrypture was agaynst it , and therfore saynte Hierom in hys boke made agaynste hym called hym an heretyke , though it can not be sufficyently proued by the scrypture , that she was a vyrgen vntyll hyr departynge out of thys worlde .

The which thyng ought to stop theyr mouthes that affyrme all thiges to be expressed in the scrypture , whiche we are bounde to beleue vnder payne of damnatyon . I am verye sure that no man is able to proue this veryte by any texte of the holye scrypture , and yet he that beleueth it not is , yf he stande stoburnly in defence therof , an heretyke , & therfore saynte Hierome ( as I haue sayde already ) called Eluidius an heretyke , which maynteined that our lady had other chyldren besyde chryst , whom she conceyned withoute man by the holye goost . What wyll or can they now here say , that requyre scrypture for euery thynge , and euer aske where is that or this wrytten The which they neuer can do lernedly . in the scrypture ? Let theym answere to this one poynt , or to the chrystenynge of chyldren , as to diuers other put forth in this treatyse before . Bullynger , one of Luthers scholers , laboureth to proue by scrypture that oure ladye chrystes most honourable mother was a contynual virgen , lest he shuld be enforsed , & compelled to confesse that all truth whiche we must beleue is not expressed in the holy scrypture , but he laboureth al in vayne , as anone hereafter it shall playnly apere . For he abuseth these wordes of the prophete Ezechiell to that purpose . Porta haec clausa erit , et non aperietur , et vir non pertransibit per eam . &c. That is in englysshe this moch to saye . This Ezech. 44. gate shall be shytte , & shall not be opened , and a man shall not passe throughe by it . Loo ( sayth Bulliger ) hath not the prophete discrybed here aptelye ynoughe the holye wombe of the virgyn Mary Chrystes mother of whom the sonne of ryghteousnes is born to vs ? This Bullinger wresteth this prophettes sentence from the litteral sence vnto an allygory , ( whiche al lerned men , do confesse not mete to proue any doctryne beynge in controuersye , ) for the defence of his deuyllyshe heresy Proclus the bisshop of Cizicene ( sayeth he ) doth none otherwyse expowne this the prophetes texte . What then ? he doth vnderstande yt mystycally & by an allegorye . Is that sufficyent to proue any kynd of doctrine , or to perswade any thynge in questyon , and controuersye ? Agayne S. Hierome doth otherwyse expowne it , that is to wyt , of the gate of the lawe , & the prophettes . For he thus wryteth . What gate is this that is alwayes shytte , & onely the lord god of israel entreth by it ? Trulye that of the which oure sauyour speaketh in the gospel . Wo to you scrybes , & pharysees hypocrytes , & wo to you doctours of the lawe , which do take away the key of eunnyug , ye entre not in youre selues , and then that are about to go in , ye prohibite . Of this gate ( sayeth Hyerome ) the prophet writeth vnder the name of a booke . Erunt verba libri istius , sicut verba libri signati . &c. The wordes of this booke shal be as the wordes of a booke sygned or sealed & so forth . No man coulde Apoca. 5. ● open and louse the seales of this booke , but he of whome Iohan speaketh in the apocalypse sayng Beholde a lyon of Iudas trybe hath optayned the victorie , which openeth the boke , and louseth the seales of it . For before Chryste came the gate of the lawe , and the prophettes , and all knowledge of the scrypture was shytte , paradise was also shytte , which by chrystes death were opened , the vele of the temple brake , the vele In 2● . 2. Cor. 3. taken away , al thynges were open , and manifeste . Hitherto S. Hierome / whose wordes declare that this texte ought otherwyse to be expowned then Bullynger vnderstandeth it , to defende his naughty and damnable heresie . Notwithstandyng saynt Hierons exposition is mystycal , or allegorical , and not litteral in dede . For to the letter , by that gate or dore is mente a certayne gate or dore of the temple , that was shytte and no man but the prynce , whiche was gods vycar , myght enter into the temple at it , to offre sacrifices vnto god , & therfore the prophete sayed . Vir non pertransibit per eam . A comen man , or any other then the chyef or prynce shall not passe through it . This is the true meanynge of the letter , as it shall easelye apeare to hym , that wyll wey and examyn dilygently the texte wythout all affection , and corrupted iudgemente , and therfore this place of the prophet can not proue Bullyngers purpose , that our ladye chryst our sauyours blessed mother was a continuall virgyn , thoughe it be very trew that she so was , and Heluidius was iustly estemed of saynt Hierom an heretyke for the denyenge that she continued a vyrgyntyl her deth . Moreouer saynt Ciprian expownyng the apostles crede sayth that the prophet Ezechyell dyd set forth the wonderfull maner of our ladyes bryngynge forthe chryste , and that he called our ladye blessed saynt marye chrystes mother a gate by a fygure . In the whiche place the sayde Cipryan affyrmeth that our ladye was a perpetuall virgyn . To be shorte in this matter Saynt Hierome in his hole boke compyled , and publyshed of , and vpon this matter agaynste Heluidius , alledged not one texte of the scrypture to proue this truth , but onely dyd make answere to the auctorities that Heluidius mysse toke for his purpose , the which he did ( as Erasmus In argumen to episto●e illius . sayeth truely ) because the scrypture spake nothyng of that thynge , but it was set forth , and lefte to the church by the holy apostles tradicion . Certaynlye yf the prophet Ezechiels texte alleged before of Bullynger coulde haue proued that our blessed ladye was a virgyn to the ende of her lyfe , saynte Hierome wolde haue alledged it to that purpose synce he expowned that whole pphet , and therfore for as moche as he dyd not recyte it to the ende , it may appere that he sawe that it made nothynge at al to proue that thyng . But this of this veryte vnwrytten delyuered from the apostles to vs by mouth without any expresse worde of scrypture , speakynge therof . Further we beleue ( as in dede we are bound The crede of the apostles . to do ) that the holy .xii. apostles made a certayne crede called in latyn symbolum apostolorum ( as S. Cyprian affirmeth expowning it ) because euery one of them made an artycle therof , and yet it can not be proued by the scrypture that they made any suche . Rufinus aquiliensis , saynte Austen , In expos●illius . August sermo . 10. de penteco . &c. in ramis palmarum Lyprianus in symbo apost ait . Tenet fidel traditio sāctam ecclesiam . & diuers other do wytnesse , that the apostles wrote that crede , & thys article . I beleue the holye church catholyke , whyche is conteined in it , can not be proued by any texte of the scrypture . If we shulde beleue nothynge , that is , not expressely & namely set forth in the holye scrypture , then we shulde not beleue that christ the sonne of god is equall wyth hys father , of the same nature , substance & power , for Arius denyed it because he saw nothyng in the scrypture namely to proue it , as saynte Athanasius wrytynge agaynst hym , affyrmeth playnly . Lib 2 disp● in arianos Where fynde ye ( sayed Arius ) thys worde , homousios , that betokeneth one that is of lyke , or the same substance , in al the scripture : Dasillus cp. 78. Si vero quis dixerit exaiteta essentia et substantia esse filium , eum reprobat as detestatur catholica , et apostolica ecclesia . O. did est satis ad illius hereseos explosionem . was he not as foolyshe , as many nowe are , & many now as then he was / which do euer aske where fyndeste thou that in the scrypture ? Saynt Athanasius , and the great councel holden at Nicea , wyth as manye as haue written against the heresie , which holdeth that the sonne is not equal wyth hys father , haue made answeare vnto the arryans , that albeit this worde or name homousios signifiynge that christe the sonne is of one nature and substaunce wyth hys father , is not put forth expressely in gods holy worde , yet the scrypture alloweth , and proueth the thynge it selfe in dyuers places , the which they iudged to be sufficyent , as in dede it is , not in thys matter one●●● , but in sundrye other , as that there be three persons in the trinitie , though it be not expressed in the scripture , and therfore Sabellius denyed it , yet the scrypture doth fully and plenteouslye set the thynge it selfe forth . Also that the holye gooste procedeth from the father , and the sonne is not namely expressed in the scripture , and for that cause the grecians , and the Armenes denyed it , and yet the scrypture proueth that thynge sufficiently , as it is expowned of the holy doctours . Wherfore it is peryllous to demaunde for the beliefe of euerye thynge receyued of vs , where it is wrytten in the scrypture , or howe can it be proued by the holy scrypture , syth it is ynoughe that the scripture is not against it , beynge receyued of the catholique churche , or that the scrypturs dothe sette it forth , as it is vnderstande , and expowned of Tertulianus de corona militis . the holye churche , and her doctours catholike , In this matter concernyng the askyng of scrypture for the proufe of euery thing , I wolde that euerye man wolde marke wel what the eldest latine doctour of christes church Tertulyan sayth therin , whose wordes are these . Cum quaeritur , cur quid obseruetur , obseruari interim constat , ergo nec nullum , nec incertum videri potest delictum , quod committitur in obseruationem suo nomine vindicandam , et satis autoratam consensus patrocinio . That is to say . When it is asked , whyany thynge shulde be obserued , it is euydente , in the meane season , the it is obserued . Therfore it may seme some faulte , & a certen synne , that is committed agaynste an obseruation , whyche is to be defended by hyr name , & is sufficyentlye authorysed by the defence of consente . These wordes do rubbe some men of thys oure tyme vpon the gall , as also do Tertuliande corona militis . those whyche now folow in thys olde authoure . Quale est autem , vt quis tunc in questionem prouocet obseruationem , cum ab ea excidit ? et tunc requirat vnde habuerit obseruationem , cum ab ea desiit ? But what thynge is it ( sayeth he ) that anye man shulde then cal in to question , or doubte an obseruation , when he is fallen from it ? And then requyre from whense or wherof he had the obseruation , when he hath lefte it ? Do not dyuers men euen after thys sort now among vs chrysten people ? For we do forsake fastynge , and dyuers other thynges longe kepte of al chrysten nations before we were borne / and then we call them in doubte / and aske what autoritie they be of , and how they may be proued by scripture . It is an easy thing to aske where is it written , that we shulde faste the lent , obserue any feastes , & kepe many other thynges , not playnly , & namely set out in scrypture , but we maye aske of them where is it wrytten that these thynges oughte not to be obserued ?

Expostulātesenim scripturae patrocinium So reasoneth Tertulian . in parte diuersa , praeiudicant suae quoque parti , scripturae patrocinium adesse debere . That is . For they / askyng a defence , or an eayd of scrypture in the contrary part , do iudge before , that the scryptures defence oughte to helpe theyr parte . Habemus obseruationem inueteratam , quae praeueniendo statum fecit . Hanc si nulla scriptura determinauit , certe consuetudo corroborauit , quae sine dubio manauit detraditione . Quomodo enim vsurpari quid potest , si traditum non sit prius ? Tthus maye be the englyshe . We haue an olde obseruation , whych commyng before , hath made a state , or a certayntie in it . Thoughe no scrypture hath determyned thys obseruation , yet at lest the custome hath strengthened it , or made it stronge , whyche doubtles came of tradition . For how maye any thynge be obserued , or kepte , yf it be not fyrste taught , or delyuered by tradition ? Hitherto Tertulyan , whyche was aboue . M. ccc . yeres , & . xl . before our dayes , whose sayeng maketh much for traditions , & for thynges vsed in the church of christ without manifeste scripture for them . Nowe where some lerned men haue supposed As Iohan cecius , Bunderius , and other certen . and set also forth in theyr bokes , that the goinge downe of our sauiours blessed soule with his godhead in to the place , where the olde fathers soules remayned before christes death , called libus patrum , to confort them , to shewe the he was come in to the world by his birth , & had dyed for them , & to deliuer theym thense , is not expressed in the scripture , I thynke that therein they were greatly deceyued , as no man is cleare from all erroure , especiallye they that write vpon goddes holy worde , which onely is without al lyes , and errours , as the wryters of August ad hieroni . it onelye were in that theyr dede not deceyued in any one poynte , ( I say the they , whyche affyrmed ) that descensus Christi ad inferna , the descendynge downe of christ to hell , is a truth not wrytten in the scrypture , were playnlye deceyued therein , because manye textes of the scrypture do proue that thing euydently , of the whiche these are the chyefe . Dauyd sayeth in the parson of our sauyour Psal. 19. chryste . Non derelinques animam meam in inferno . O father thou wylt not leaue my soule in hell . Howe could this haue bene truely sayed of chryst to god his father excepte his soule coupled with his godhead had descended in to hell or the place where the fathers were before chrystes commynge and death ? Also we rede these wordes in the sawtre . Abstraxisti Psal. 29. de inferno animam mean . Thou hast ( O father ) taken my soule oute of hell , I let passe other Act. 2. Ephe. 4. auctorites , puing the same , because these two are sufficyent for to proue this purpose , which is that the scrypture maketh mention that christ defeēded or went downe in to the place where the fathers soules remayned abidyng and lokyng for his comyng thither to them after his death , when his body laye in the sepulchre .

Nowe to make ones an ende of this treatyse , I wyll breyfely declare that the certayne knowledge of the holy scrypture commeth by tradicyon without any other auctorytye then of the catholyke churches , & the fathers of christis relygyon , that lerned of the apostles , which were the very trewe scryptures wrytten by the inspiracion and styrynge of the holy goost , & which were not , though they were putforth in the euangelystes , or apostꝭ names . Saynt Austen in dyuers places of his The euangels and other the holy scripturs are not assuredly knowen to be gods worde but by the churche of chryst bearynge wytnesse there vnto . workes , and namely in these , that nowe do here folowe , affyrmeth the the auctoryte of the holye scryptures dependeth , and hangeth vpon the iudgement of the vniuersal or catholike church . Fyrst this hath he , lib. vii. confess .

Scripturas sanctas ecclesiae catholicae commendat autoritas . That is to saye . The auctoryte of the catholyke churche setteth forth the To. 6. epist. contra funda . Mani . holy scryptures . Agayne more playnly this he wryteth . Quid faceres dicenti , non credo euangelio ? Ego vero non crederem euangelio , ni Hiero contra vigilantium . Quid necesse est in manus sumere , ꝙ ecclesia non recipit . si me catholicae ecclesiae authoritas commoueret That is to say . What woldest thou do to hym , that saith , I beleue not the gospel ? I trewly wold not beleue the gospel , except the auctorytie of the catholyke churche shulde moue me . It folowethe anone there . I muste neades beleue the boke of the apostles actes , yf I do beleue the gospell , because the catholyke churches autorytie commendethe to me of like sort both those scriptures . Tertulian also affyrmeth Tertilianus . prescript . the same thus wrytynge . Quid apostoli predicauerint , id est , quid illis christus reuelauit , et hinc praescribam , non aliter probari debere , quam per easdem ecclesias , quas ipsi apostoli condiderunt , eis predicando tam viua , ( quod aiunt ) voce , quam per epistolas postea . That is . What the apostles haue preched that is , what chryste hath reueiled , or opened to them , I wyl note or determyne also hence or therof that it ought not otherwise to be proued then by the same churches , or sayth full companyes , whiche the apostles them selues buylded , preachinge to them , as well with a lyuely voyce , ( as they say commenly ) as afterwarde by epystles . Besyde this in another boke he wryteth after this maner . Tertilianus lib 4. aduer sus martia nem . Habemus et Iohannis alūnas ecclesias . Nam et si apocalipsin Marcion respuit , or do tamen episcoporum ad originem recensitus in Iohan nem stabit autorem . Sic et caeterarum generositas recognoscitur . Dico apud illas , nec solas a postolicas , sed apud vniuersas , quae illis sacramenti societate confaederantur , id euangelium lucae ab initio aeditionis stare , quod cum maxime tuemur . Eadem autoritas apostolicarum ecclesiarum caeteris quoque patrocinatur euangeliis , quae proinde per illas , et secundum illas . habemus , Iohannis dico , Mathaei , et Marci . Thus may be the englyshe of these wordes . We haue also churches of . s . Iohans scholynge , or bryngynge vp in learnynge of the gospell . For though marcion doth refuse the reuelation , or apocalipse , yet the ordre of bysshoppes nombred or rekenyd to the begynnynge shal hold with Iohan , that he is the autour or maker of it . So also the nobilite , or strength of the other scryptures is knowen perfectly . I say y● that gospell hath stande for Lukes from the makynge or puttynge forth of it at these churches , nother onelye with them that were the apostles , but at or with all them holly , which are confedered , or ioyned to them with feloshyppe of a sacrament , othe , or sygne of a holye thynge , the whiche thinge we do chyefly defende . The same autorytie of the apostles churches defendeth also the other gospels from iniurye , the whiche therfore , and after or by them we haue , I say , Iohas , Mathewes , and Markes . Hitherte the auncyent wryter Tertulian , whose wordes declare , that the apostles tradicyon teacheth vs / whiche are the gospelles of chryste and the trew scryptures , where there is no scryptures , to proue them by , and therfore he that wyll beleue nothynge withoute scrypture , let hym tel me why he Mark this reader . beleueth any one boke of the scripture to be true scrypture syth no texte of the scrypture can testifye , that it is scrypture in dede ?

Wrote not I praye the , reader , Bartylmewe a gospell , and Nychodemus another , ( as storyes do tell ) whiche are not receyued for anye parte of the scrypture ? By what auctorytye is this done ? wherfore doest thou rather giue credence vnto Lukes gospell whiche neuer sawe chryste : then to saynte Bartylmewes , whiche was one of the twelfe apostles ? Eusebius testifyeth that an euangel Lib. 3. ca. 3. or gospel was iuged to haue bene wrytten by saynt Peter , and a boke of actes with a reuelation , which are not alowed to be scripture . Enoch wrote a boke , of the which Iudas in his epystle spake and also Tertulian . Manye dyuers De habitu muli●bri . other bokes were ascrybed vnto the apostles , and euangelystes beynge put forth in theyr names , and bearynge theyr tytles , whiche in dede eyther they neuer wrote , or els the holy gooste moued not them to make them , or thought it not good nor necessary to haue them receyued and vsed amonge chrysten people , which thing he opened & taught the holy apostles , and other the beleuynge people , of and frome whom the certeyne knowledge , whych is the holy scripture , and whych is not , doth come , as S. Cypryan sayeth , thus wrytyng . In enarr● symbo . ap● Quae sunt noui , ac veteris instrumenti volumina , quae secundum maiorum traditionem per ipsum spiritum sanctum inspirata creduntur , etecclesiis tradita , competens videtur in hoc loco euidenti numero , sicut expatrum monumentis accepimus , designare . That is to wyt . Whiche are the bookes of the newe , and olde testament , that accordynge to the elders tradition are beleued to be inspired by the holye gooste , and delyuered vnto the churches , it semeth mete to assigne or note in thys place by an euidente nombre , lyke as we haue learned of the fathers recordes , or bookes . Then streyght he recyteth the numbre of the bokes , whyche are reckened to be holy scrypture . Wherby it appeareth yet ones agayne that we knowe not what bookes be to be iudged , & estemed gods worde but by tradition of the apostles , and oure auncetours , or elders , whom the holye gooste ( sayeth saint Cyprian that blessed martyr ) taught that thinge by inspiration . It foloweth therfore that yf thou wylte beleue nothynge wythout wytnesse of the scrypture , that thou canste beleue nothynge of the gospell to be scripture nor no other parte called scrypture , and so all the fayth wholly muste neades at ones by that one deuellish opinion cleane peryshe . Wherfore cease asking where it is wrytten in the scrypture , in thinges at the lest receyued generally of Christen nations , and gyue credence vnto the catholyque churche , whose authoritie , as it is moost certeyne and sure , so it is verye longe , and greate , as this chaptre shall proue to the by goddes grace sufficientlye .

¶ The auctoritie of christes catholike churcch of and vpon the Apostles traditions and veryties not written in the scripture .

AS touching the authorite of christes catholyke , or vniuersal church , I entende at thys tyme to be very briefe , and shorte . The olde and auncyent wryter saynt Ireneus I●eneus lib. 5. cap. 4 whyche was scholer to one Polycarpe saynt Iohan the euangelystes disciple , thus wryteth of the churches auctoritye . We ought not to seke yet the truth at other , the which it is easy to take of the churche , seyng that the apostles haue brought al thinges belongyng to the truth in it most plenteously , as it were into a rich treasure house , or store house , so that euery man that wyll , maye receyue of it water of lyfe . Here thys holye martyr sendeth vs to the catholyke churche , to learne the truthe , & sayeth we maye not seake it but there onelye . Thys churche neyther doth approue any thynge agaynste the fayth & good lyuynge , nor suffereth any thing agayust eyther of them to be Tomo , ● . Epist. 119. kept , as s . Austen testifyeth . If thys churche through the whole worlde do teache anye thynge , Epist. 118. quin ita faciendum sit , disputare ( inquit August . ) insolētissime insaniae est , that is , but that it must so be done , to reason or dispute , it is most proud T●en was Luther madde , as many other are that folowe him nowe . madnes , Thys sayeng of saynte Austen declareth many men both to be proud and very madde also , whyche do reason stubbornely , and spytefullye agaynste dyuers thynges obserued , & kepte through the whole church , these many hundred yeres . Oure Lorde make theym meke , humble , and wyse , that they maye acknowledge the hygh , and certeyne authoritye of Chrystes catholyke churche , agaynst the whyche no Aug. de trinita . lib. 4. cap. 6. quiete man hath , or wyl , ( as S. Austeyne testifyeth , ) iudge saint Austen intreating of the christenyng agayne of them , that were baptysed or christened of an heretyke thus wryteth . Thoughe there were no example of this matter taken out of the holye scrypture , yet the veritie of the same ●ib. 1 cap. 33. contra ●resconium grāmaticum . scriptures is holden of vs in this thynge , when we do that whyche hath pleased the whole churche , when the same scriptures authoritie commendeth , & setteth forth , so that foras much as the holy scripture can not deceyue vs , who so euer feareth to be deceyued by the darkenes of thys questyon ( whether one baptysed of an heretyke sh●●l●e be chrystened agayne or not ) let hym aske councel of the same catholike church , whom wythout al doubt the holy scrypture commendeth . Hytherto this great clerke saynt Austen whyche wylleth vs to aske counsaile of christes catholike church in thys doubtefull question of baptyme , of the which the scripture speaketh not , and therfore al thynges can not be proued by the scrypture , whyche we muste both beleue / & do also , thoughe many men vngodly / and falsely saye they may . The same Austen / which sayed he wolde not beleue the gospel / except the authoritie of the catholyke churche shulde moue hym / in another place defineth / & declareth / what is the catholike churche , sayeng . I beleue Tomo . 10. sermonem de tempore . 131. the holy churche catholike , that is to saye , whyche is spred , and dyspersed throughe all the worlde , because the churches of dyuers heresyes , for that cause are not called catholyke , that they what churche is called the catholike church . are conteyned in theyr places , and countreyes . Hec vero a solis ortu usque ad occasum usque vnius fidei splendore diffunditur . That is . Thys the catholyke churche is scattered abrode wyth the shynynge of our faythe from the sunnes rysyng vntyll the goyng done . The donatystes , whyche were a certen kynde of heretykes in Numidia aboute the yere of oure Lorde , thre hundred fyftye & thre , affyrmed that the church , or congregation of christen people was no where but with them as Luther , and hys scholers are not asshamed to booste of theyr flockes , which is agaynst the nature , and name of the catholyke churche , of the whiche Vincentius lirynensis , which was aboue aleuen hundred yeres before this Vincentius lirinensis gallus . tyme , wryteth after this sorte . I haue often with great studye asked of very many men both wel learned , and godly also , by what rule , or sygne I myght discerne the truth of the catholyke fayth from the falsite . And I had almoste euer this aunsweare , that whether I , or els anye other wolde espye out the gyles , or deceytes of heretykes , and auoyde theyr snares , and abyde sownde , and hole in a sownde faythe , he oughte two wayes by goddes ayde to arme and defende hys fayth . Primo scilicet diuinae scripturae autoritate , tum deinde ecclesiae catholicae traditione . That is to saye . Fyrste or chyeslye with the auctoryte of the holy scrypture , then further more with the tradicyon of the catholyke church . Anone after he addeth these wordes . But in the same catholyke church , after whose rule the scriptures muste be expownded , we Here it appeareth what is called catho . muste see , that we kepe the thyng , the whiche hath bene beleued euery where , of all nations , and alway , for that is verely catholyke , as the strength of the worde declareth . But that at the length Ille est get manus christianus , qui quicquid ecclesiam catholicam vniuersaliter antiquitus tenuisse cognorit , id solum sibi tenendum Credēdū● decernit Vincentins li●●mensis gallus . is done onely . Si sequamur vniuersitatem , antiquitatem , et consentionem , that is . If we folowe the generalitie , all or the hole , the auncyentie or oldnes , and the consent or agreyng of the faithfull people . The fyrste of these three shall be done yf we do confesse y● to be a true faith , which the whole churche through the worlde confesseth . The seconde shall be , yf we go not from the fathers sences , vnderstanders of the scrypture , or iudgement . The thyrde also then shal be done , If in the auncyente we folowe al , or nigh all , the preestes and maisters , or teachers determinations , & sentences this liryndsis . Then anone afterwarde he rehersynge howe moch , and howe great yll , and myschyef came into the world by the arrians heresie , the subuersyon , ouerthrowyng , and destruction of all good thynges , & godlymen , thus he wryteth .

Atque haec o●a numquid aliam ob causam , nisi vtique dum procaele sti dogmate A notable sayenge of this olde wryter . humanae superstitiones introducuntur , dum bene fundata antiquitas scelesta nouitate subruitur , dum superiorum instituta violantur , dum rescindūtur scita patrum , dum conuelluntur definita maiorum dum sese intrasacratae , atque incorruptae vetustatis castissīos limitis profanae ac nouellae curiositatis libido non continet . This is a very notable saynge of this auncyent doctour , and the englysshe of it maye be this . Do al these euyls chaunce for any other cause , but truelye whyles that mans superstitions , Supstition is superfluous or vain religion . are brought in for heuenly doctrine , whyles the auncyent well grounded , or hauing a good foundation is ouerthrowen , or caste downe with an vngracious , or myscheuous noueltye , or newnes , whyles the superyours ordinaunces , are broken , whyles the fathers decrees , or statutes are taken away , or repelled , whyles the determynations of the elders , or auncetours are shaken out of theyr places , whyles the luste , or sensualytie of the prophane , vngodly or vnlearned , & new curiosite holdeth not it selfe within the most pure or honeste boundes of the halowed and vncorrupted auncyentye , or age . These wordes of this olde wryter / and excellent clerke declare verye well that of heresye newe Newe doctrine is cause of al myschete . doctryne , contempte , and breach of the elders tradicions , decres / and ordynaunces cometh al myschefe , & vngratiousnes : whiche thing how true it is diuers countreys of chrystendome haue and yet do / and contynually shal vntyll amendement be , feale lament , and bewayle remedyles . Oure lorde wyll remedy it when he shal se tyme , whom we must instantly , deuoutly , & contynnallye desyre with oure prayers so to do , euer remembrynge and cleauyng vnto chrystes churches determynation , and fayth , and then in and amonge al these sharpe , & rough stormes of blusterynge heresies we shall sauely sayle through the seas of this whretched worlde , and ariue , and come at the length vnto the hauen of quyetnesse : full of all ioyfulnes in heauen . God ( sayth saynte Austen ) hathe In psa. 47 De symbolo ad cateche . cap. 5. buylded this churche euer to endure : why therfore doest y● feare lest the foundacyon of it shulde fall ? The catholyke church fighteth agaynst all heresies , she yet can not be ouercome : or vanquyshed , hell gates agaynst her can not preuaile . Eusebius sayth that Lib. 4. ca. 7 et . 8. the deuyll the continuall enemy of all goodnes : of the truth , and of mans helth by his minysters the heretykes assayeth all waies to deceyue gods church , but the truth vanquyssheth : and suffereth not the church to be corrupted with the falsitie , beynge dyuers men well learned : whiche shuld dysclose heretykes vngodly gloses : reproue them : and open moreouer the fayth in the catholyke church of chryste : saynge with the bisshoppe alexander ( of whom Theodoritus speakethe . The churche can not be ouercome Histo tri● . lib. 1. ca. 14. though all the worlde be against it . She vanquyssheth al vngod lynes , our sauyour assuryng vs therof , when he sayth . Be ye of good trust , I haue ouercome the worlde . Haec docemus , haec predicamus , haec sunt apostololicae ecclesiae dogmata , pro quibus etiam morimur , et destruere ea volentes nullatenus formidamus . We do teache ( sayth Alexander ) these thynges we also preache these / these are determinations of the apostles church , for the which yea we dye A godly bisshoppes saynge . and we in no wyse do feare thiem , whiche wyll destroye them . Also saynt Chrysostom sayth thus of To. 2. homilia . 12. the churche . Non cessat impugnari ecclesia , non cessat insidiaspati , sed in nomine christi , semper superat , semper vincit . Et quantum alii insidiantur , tantum illa dilatatur . Sermo enim dei est īmobilis , quia portae inferi non praeualebunt aduersus eam qui impugnat , seipsum dissoluit , et fatigat , ecclesiam aunt fortiorem ostendit . That is in our tongue thus moche to say . The churche ceasseth not to be stryuen against or assaulted , it ceasseth not to suffre wiles , to intrap her or she beware , but in the name of chryste she euer vāquyssheth , euer ouer cometh . And as muche as other beseige hyr , or worke crafte agaynste hyr , so muche she is enlarged . For goddes worde is vnmoueable , whych is , that the gates of hel shal not preuayle agaynst hyr , he that fighteth against hir , doth louse or destroye hym selfe , and make him selfe wery , but he sheweth the churche to be stronger . How trewe thys sayeng is , the storyes , & cronacles of thynges passed do so manifestely declare , that I nede to speke no more thereof . Thys churche was so much estemed , & the auctorite of it so greatlye regarded of sayn e Lib. 2. Gregory Iieroms maister , that he saied , teaching that god hath no body . Ex his , qui diuino munere afflati fuere , nemo hactenus sētētiam vel pronunciant , vel ꝓnūtiatū apꝓbauit & abhorret hinc nostrae ecclesiae doctrinae . That is . Of these , which were inspired wyth the holy goost ●mora doctrine chritiane . none hytherto eyther hath pronounced this sentence , or approued it pronounced , & the doctrine of our church discordeth from thense . Thys great learned man & holye father thoughte it ynough for the improuffe of an heresye that none of the auncient doctours had eyther set it forth , or allowed it set forth by other , & that it shuld be contrary to the doctrine of chyrstes church , and we , such is our pryde and want of grace , do despise the iudgemente both of the godlye fathers , and of the hole catholyke churche , which is , ( as saynte Chrysostom wytnesseth ) the mother of the beleuyng people . Here nowe what Tertulian ●ermonē . 76 de 〈◊〉 hath sayed of the church in these fewe wordes . Non alia agnoscenda est apostolorum traditio , quam quae hodie apud ipsorum ecclesias aeditur . Exhibe ergo aliquem ex tuis apostolici Lib. ● . aduersus Mattionē habet euangelium marcionis ecclesias , sed suas , tam posteras quam adulteras , quarum si c●sum requitas factitus apostaticum inuenias , quam apostolicam lib. 4. aduersus mart . ● . census , et obduxeris . None other tradition is to be recognysed , or knwledged the apostles , then that whiche is published , or set forth at theyr churches . Therfor shew forth some man of thyne of the apostles estimation , numbre or iudgement , and thou shalt ouercome or obteyne the victorye . ) Agayne thus he hath . In summa si constat id verius , ꝙ prius , id prius ꝙ ab initio , id ab initio quod ab apostolis , pariter vtique constabit id esse ab apostolis traditum , quod apud ceclesias apostolorum fuerit sacrosanctum . That is to say brieflye . If it be playne that to be trewer , that is fyrste , that to be fyrste , or before that was from the begynnynge , whyche was of the apostles , it shall in lykewyse be verily euident that to be taught of the apostles , whyche hathe bene much estemed , as a thynge halowed , or that ought not to be touched but reuerentlye , at or wyth the apostles churches .

Furthermore the councell kepte In registro lib. 1. ca. 23 at Nicea , whych was one of the four general councels , that s . Gregorye sayed he no lesse than the four gospels beleued , declareth how muche the churches autoritie & determinations shulde be regarded : sayeng . Si cathari venerint ad Cap. ● . ● . ecclesiam catholicam , prae omnibus eos scriptis conuenit profiteri , ꝙ catholice et apostolice ecclesie dogmata suscipiant , et sequantur . That is . If the heretykes ( whyche called them selues cathoros for the cleanes of lyuing , which they proudlye challynge to them ) shal come to the catholyke churche , it is mete that they fyrste or before all thynges do by wrytyng promise openlye or confesse , that they do receiue and folow the doctrines or determinations of the catholyke & apostles churche . Againe Cap. 9. the councell sayeth . Quod irreprehensibile est catholica tenet ecclesia . The catholyke churche holdeth that thynge , whiche can not be reproued . If we wolde marke well thys sayenge , which as I sayed , saynt Gregorye estemed it as the gospel , & folowe it , we shuld not so shamefully ere , & go out of the waye as we nowe Lib. de ver● sapien. daylye do . For ( as Lactantius witnesseth . ) Sola catholica ecclesia est , quae verum cultum retinet . Hic est fons veritatis , hoc est domicilium fidei , hoc templum dei , quo si quis , non intrauerit , vel a quo si quis exiuerit , a spe vitae et salutis aeternae alienus . That is to saye . The catholyke churche onelye is , that holdeth styll the trewe worshyppynge of God . Thys is the well of truth , thys the house or mansyon of fayth , thys the temple of god , whither yf any man shal not entre , or out of whyche yf any man goo , he is wythout hope of lyfe , and euerlastynge saluation .

These are both trewe wordes , & also dreadful , and therfore lette men beware that forsake the catholyke churche , and folow any particular churches opynyons , as they do , whyche leane to Luthers . And that we maye knowe the catholyke churche from the heretycall , he addeth sayenge .

But yet because euery companye of heretikes do iudge them selues chyefly chrysten people , and theyr church to be the catholike church , we muste knowe that that is the trewe churche of Chryste , in the whyche is religion , confession , and penaunce . By confession he vnderstode aurycular confession of synnes / whyche is made to a preeste / for confession to god is refused of no church / be it neuer so hereticall / & therfore he ment that where aurycular confession was not regarded / & vsed / there was not the trew churche of christ Lib. 4. Epistola . ● . But Cypryan shall speake hys mynde in this matter with these wordes . Quisquis ille est , et qualis cumque est , christianus non est , si in christi ecclesia non est , quae vna est per totum mundum in multa membra diuisa . Who so euer he be / and what so euer he be / he is not a chrysten man / yf he be not in christes churche , the whyche is one dyuyded through all the worlde in to many members . Nestorius an arrogant heretike , as al such be / sayed that all the hole number of doctours & wryters , that were before hym , were deceyued and the whole churche erred from the truth , and he onelye founde out the truth and folowed it .

Dyd not euen so saye , and boost Marten Luther folowinge him therein , the Donatians , Nouatians , Ruthenes , Armenos , and all other heretykes affyrmynge that the churche of Chryste was wyth them onelye ? Beware of them , good chrysten reader , and stedfastlye folowe the catholyke & vniuersal churche , whyche the apostles buylded , & set vp wyth preachynge the gospell to them . This is not in one place , cytie , corner , nor countrey , but euerye where where true beleuyng folk be . It can not erre the holy gost rulynge , guydynge , and gouernynge it from tyme to tyme vntyll Io. 14. 16. the worldes ende , accordingly as christ promysed to it . This is the pyller of the truth ( as S. Paule affyrmethe ) and therfore leane vnto it fast , and thou shalt neuer fall from thy fayth , but abyde therin to thy greate confort , and soules health . But nowe to the nexte chaptre , which reciteth the anncient doctours sentences pronounced , and publysshed in theyr bokes vpon this matter of verytes vnwrytten , and the churches tradicions . Saynt Ireneus policarpes saynte Iohan the euangelystes dyscyples scholer sheweth what doctours we shuld folowe in learnyng the truth of our fayth sayenge . We must beleue those preestes , which are in the church hauynge successyon of Lib. 4ca . 43 et . 45. the apostles , and all other , that come frome that the pryncypall successyon , in what place soeuer they are gathered togyther or els to be suspected eythera s hetykes , and of an euyl iudgement , Cap. 44. or deuidyng the church againe . Adhaerere oportet his , qui a postolorum doctrinam custodiunt , et ab eis discere verit atem , apud quos est illa , quae est ab aposto lis ecclesie successio .

☞ The auncyent doctours sentences wrytten and set forth vpon traditions of the apostles , & chrystes holye church .

NOwe for as moch as Saynt Basyll proueth a truth concernyng the holy goost to be godby saynte Llemente , Ireueus , Dionisius , Alerandrinus , Eusebius palestinus , origin Affricanus , historicus Gregori Naziāzane saynte Paule , good chrysten reader / wytnesseth that Chryste sente some doctours for the edifyeng of the churche , not onelye by preachyuge of the scrypture to the people , but also by the true and godly openynge and expowning the same , I wyl alledge certayne of the eldeste , & best learned of theym , that men maye perceyue the more clerely and perfectlye that all thynges whiche we muste beleue , and do are not expressed , and publyshed in and by the byble , & scrypture , but that dyuers thynges , which ought to be beleued and kept of vs do come , and defende also of and vpon the blessed apostles of chryst , & the churches tradicyon without any texte of the scripture speakynge of them . I haue alre dye rehearsed some sentences of saynte Basyll , Chrysostom , Damascene , & Theophilactus , which therfore I neade not now again to recyte except it be in other wordes , then they be alredy rehearsed , as nowe I wyll allege here saynt Basyll godly and notable saiges , which he hath in a boke of the holy goost thus wrytyng . Basilius de spe . s . ca. 27. Dogmata , quae in etclesia predican tut , quaedam habemus e doctrina scripto predita , quedam rursus ex apostolorum traditione , in mysterio id est , in occulta tradita recepim us Quorum vtraque , parem vim habentlad pietatem , nec his quisquam contradicit quisquis sane vel tenuiter expartus est , quae sint iura ecclesiastica . Nam si consuetudines , quae scripto proditae non sunt , tanquam haud multum ha bentes momenti , conemur reiicere imprudentes , et ea daminabimus , que in euangelio necessaria ad salutem habētut , imo potius ipsam fidei predicationem ad nudum nomen con trahemus . These wordes may be turned in to englysshe after this maner . The lawes , ordinaunces , decrees , statutes , or commaundementes ( for all these the greake word ( dogmata ) signifieth ) whiche are preached , or publysshed in the churche , we haue certayne of doctrine set furth in wrytyng eftsones or agayne we haue receyued certayne by the apostles tradicyon in a mysterie , that is , in secrete deliuered . Of the which two bothe haue lyke strength , power or vertue , to the knowledge the honour , deuote worshypping or loue of god , nother anye man contrary to them , truely who soeuer hathe proued , or learned by experience yea barely or poorely which are the lawes , power , auctorite , or ryght of the church . For yf we shuld endeuour , or labour to caste away the customes , whiche are not put forth in wrytyng lyke as not hauyng moch pyth , or not beynge of moche value , we shall also vnwards condemne those thynges , whiche are in the gospell had necessary to saluaty on , yea we shall also abridge , or Vnum est crimen ꝙ nunc vehementer damnatur , ac punitur , di ligens obseruatiotra di●yon●● patrum basilius Episto . 70. drawe togyther the same preachynge or publishyng of the fayth vnto a bare , or a naked name .

This saynte Basyll rehearsyng streight many thynges set forth withoute scrypture by the apostles tradition , of the whiche I haue spoken before . Thou maest note here , good reader , dyuers lessons agaynste the lutherans , bearynge vs in hande that all thynges are wryten in scrypture , which we must neades beleue , & kepe , but pryncypally that this blessed doctoure affyrmeth that those thynges , whiche the apostles lefte without scripture , or vnwryten , haue lyke efficacye , & vertue to the honorynge , and louynge of god : as haue those thiges whiche are wryten in scrypture : and that because bothe of them cometh by the inspiracyon of the holy goost : which styrred both the apostles : and the euangelistes also to write that : which is wrytten : and the apostles in lyke maner to leaue certen thinges vnwrytten by tradition vnto the church : the which was done ( as . S. Basyll wytnesseth ) that such thinges shulde remayne hyd or secrete , lest they shulde be knowen of the rude , and vngodlye folke , and therby myght be despysed vtterly . But this shall be ynough of saynt Basyl , though he wrote in this mattier moche more . Saynt Hierome thus writeth Adiluciniā . of traditions to lucinius demaundyng of hym whether men ought to faste the saterday , and dayly receyue the sacramente of the aulrer , Sed ergo breuiter te admonendum puto , traditiones ecclesiasticas ( praesertim quae fidei non officiant , ) ita obseruandas , vt a maioribus traditae sunt● . Nec aliorum consuetudinem aliorum more contrario subuerti . Vnaquaeque prouincia suo sensu abunder , et praecepta maiorum Roma. 19. leges apostolicas arbitretur . That is to wytte . But I thynke thou Roma. 14. must be warned bryefly , that the traditions of the churche ( prynrypally those whych can not hurt the fayth . ) So are to be obserued as they are taught or delyuered of the elders , or auncient fathers . Nother other mennes custome ought to be subuerted or turned vp so downe by the contrary custome of other . Let euerye countrey haue hys owne iudgement , and iudge the auncetours , or elders commaundementes the apostles lawes . I passeouer manye Lege enim in eccleseastē ca. 10 et in Mat. cap. 21. like sentences of saynt Hieroms whyche he wrote in thys matter , left my boke shuld be ouer longe . Austen hath very much of thys matter in sundry of hys bokes , of the which some is alleged before out of his epistle wrytten to Ianuarye , where he sayeth those thynges whyche are obserued through the hole world without wrytynge , came eyther from the apostles , or els from the generall councels , whose autoritie is most holsome in christes church . Al●o to one Casulane he thus hath , intreating of the saterdayes fast . In his rebus , de quibus nihil certi statuit scriptura di●ina , mos populi dei , vel instituta ma●orum ꝓlege tenē da sunt . That is to saye . In these thynges , of the whyche the holy scipture hath ordeined or stablished nothyng certen / the custome of gods people , or the elders ordinaunces are to be kepte for a lawe . Luther and hys disciples teache n●ē to breake the fathers ordinaunces , preceptes & lawes , & saye that without manifest wytnes of the scrppture we shuld be bounde to beleue & do nothyng , Austen here affyrmeth the clene Lib 2. T●● . contrary , whether ptye wylt y● beleue , good christen man ? Epiphanius also , which was aboute . M. cc. yeres sence , confirmeth my purpose sayeng . Oportet aunt et traditione vti . Non enim omnia a diuina scriptura accipi possunt , qua ppter aliqua sacris seripturis , aliqu a traditione fancti apostoli nobis cōmēdauerunt , quemadmodum dicit sanctus apostolus . Sicut tradidi vobis . Et alibi . Sic doceo et sic tradidi in ecclesiis etc. That is . But we must of necessitie vse tradition . For al thinges can not be taken of the holye scripture / wherfore the holye apostles committed to vs some thinges by the holye scripture , some by tradition , lyke as paule sayth . As I haue lefte vnto you by tradition . And in 1. Lor. 11. another place . I teach so and so haue deliuered by tradition in the churches . Lo thys olde doctour doth not onely affirme that al thinges are not wrytten in the scripture but the apostles left sundry thinges vnto the churche by tradition , & he also doth allege paule in two places for his purpose . Origen Hom● . 5. in Numeros . agreeth with thys ( whiche was aboue . M. ccc . yeres passed ) sayeng . In ecclesiasticis obseruationibus sunt nonnulla eiusmodi , quae oimbus quidem facere necesseē , nectamen ratio corum omnibus patet . That is . There be some thinges in the churches , ob seruations of that same sort , that which al men must nedes surely do , & yet that reason , or cause of them is not open to al men . For examples he putteth that we do knele when we do pray , whiche Basyll also affirmeth to Despi . ●a . ca. 27. haue come of the apostles tradition , & sayeth y● as often as we do knele downe , & rise vp againe in our prayers , by that dede we do shew that we fel downe for syn vpon the earth , & that by hys humanitie which made vs , we are called agayne in to heuen . Also Origen recyteth the custome to pray , our faces being turned towarde the east part , affirming that the cause therof is not easely knowen of euery man , though I haue already declared by Basyll & Damascene , why it is done . Origen furthermore reciteth the maner , or fascion to consecrate , & to receiue the blessed sacrament of the aulter , & the wordes / gestures , orders , or demaundes , & answeares , that are made in baptisme , which he sayeth cannot lyghtly be expowned . Et tamen haec omnia operta , et velata portamus super humeros nostros , cum ita implemus ea , et exequimur , vt a mag no pontifice , atque eius filiis tradita , et cōmēdata suscepimus . Which thus in englyshe sowneth . And yet we do beare all these thynges vpon our shulders couered , & hydde , when we do so fulfyll them , & do them , as we haue receyued them delyuered by tradition , & committed of the great byshop , ( christ ) & hys chyldren ( the apostles . ) Se we not here that after Origens mynde christe the great byshop , & hys sonnes the holye apostles taught the church those thinges aboue tecited of hym , & yet there is no scripture makyng any mention of them at al ? doth not thys proue that some thynges necessary to be done are left to vs by the apostles tradition without scripture ? But I wyll go forth towarde an ende . Ciril writeth verye playnlye in thys behalfe agaynst the lutherans sayeng . Fidei De tec●a ●i de ad theodosium sanctissimum traditionem , quae ab ip sis sanctis apostolis ad nos peruenit , in dignum est īmodica ratiocinatione inquirere , quae humanam mentem excedunt sed neque in medium ꝓferre , sicut quidam periculose definiunt , et dicunt , quod haec quidem recte se habeant , haec aunt aliter . That is to saye . It is vnmete to search out with to much reasoning , the moost holy tradition of the fayth , that came from the holy apostles to vs , the which thynges do excede mans wytte , but it is nother conuenient to commune of them openly , or to cal them in to question , lyke as certen men determyne perillouslye , & saye , that these thynges are well , but these other wise . Our lorde wold that thys sentence touched not the quicke of many men thys tyme , & rubbed them not on the gal to make them to kycke / & wynse . Well let thys passe . Tertulian , which was very nygh the apostles tyme wryteth De carona militi● . thus plainly of traditions , sayenge after he had recyted dyuers thinges kepte by tradition onely . Harum , et aliarum eiusmodi disciplinarum si legem expostules scripturarum , nullam inuenies , traditio tibi prae tendetur autrix , consuetudo confirma trix , et fides obseruatrix . Rationem traditioni , consuetudini , fidei , patro cīnaturā , aut ipse perspicies , aut ab aliquo , qui perspexerit , disces . Interim nonnullam esse credes , cui debeatur obsequium . That is to say . If thou doest requyre a lawe of the scryptures of these , and such other learnynges , thou shalte fynde none , the tradition shall be alleged to the fyrste inuentoure or maker , the custome a customer / and fayth the keper .

Eyther thou thy selfe shalte perceyue , or els shalt learne of him , that hath perceyued , that reason shall defende the tradition , custom and fayth . In meane season beleue thou some reason to be , to the whiche obedience is due . Againe a lytle after hewriteth after this maner . His igitur exemplis renuncia tum erit , posse etiam non scriptam traditionem in obseruatione defendi , confirmatam consuetudine idonea teste , probatae tunc traditionis ex per seuerantia obseruationis . That is . Therfore by these examples it shall be openly shewed , or reported , that a tradicion not wrytten may be defended in the obseruing of it confirmed by custome , a mete wytnesse of the tradicyon then tryed or approued by the continuance of the obseruynge . I spake not of many other suche godlye , and notable sentences , whiche this auncyente doctoure hath in his bookes , lest I shulde be tedious to the reader . Saynt Ireneus , Ireneus lib. 3. the scholer of polycarpe saynte Iohan the euangelystes disciple , thus speaketh of traditions .

Quid si de modica aliqua quaestione disceptatio esset , nonne opor●ebat in antiquissimas incurrere ecclesias in quibus apostoli conuersati sunt , et ab eis de praesenti questione sumere quod certum , et reliquidissimū est ? Quid autem si neque apostoli quid● scripturas reliquissent nobis , nonne oportebat ordinem sequi traditionis , quam tradiderunt his , quibus committebant ecclesias ? Cui ordinationi assentiunt multi gentis barba rorum , eorum , qui in christum credunt sine charactere , vel atramento , scriptum habentes per spirit um in cordibus eorum salutem , et veterum traditionem diligenter custodientes .

That is . What yf there shulde be reasoning of a litle , or a meane question , ought not men to runne in to the eldeste churches / in the whiche the apostles were conuersaunte , and to take of them , as touchyng the questyon present , that whyche is certen and most manifest . But what yf the apostles had not lefte to vs anye scryptures , muste not we neades folowe the ordre of tradition , which the apostoles taughte them , to whome they commytted the churches ? Vnto the whiche ordynance many do consente of the barbarous people , of them , whiche do beleue in chryste , hauyng the saluatyon wrytten in theyr hartes by the holye gooste without letters , or ynke , and diligently kepynge the elders tradition . Agayne he sayeth this . Cum autem ad eam iterum traditione , quae est ab apostol is , atque per successiones presbiterorum in ecciesiis custoditur , prouocamus eos , qui aduersantur traditioni . Dicent se non solum presbiteris , sed etiam apostolis exi●tētes sapientiores , synceram inuenisse veritatem . Euenit it aque neque scripturis , neque traditioni consentire eos .

But whan we do stere or exhort them / which are agaynst the truth agayne to that tradition , which is of the apostles , and is kept in the churches by successyon of the preestes , they wyll say , that they beynge wyser not onely then the preestes , but also them the apostles that haue founde out the pure truth , It hath therfore happended that they do consente neyther to the scryptures , nor the tradityons .

Seest y● not reader here a playn difference betwene tradicions , & the scryptures : he concludeth thus Traditionem itaque apostolorum per totum mundum manifestatam in ecclesia adest oimbus perspicere , qui vera audire velint . That is to saye . Wherfore all men , whiche wyll see the truth , maye perceyue the apostles tradicion declared in the churche throughe all the whole world . But of saint Ireneus this may be sufficient for my purpose . Nowe let vs see what saynt Clement Paules companion in preachynge the gospell , hath wrytten in this poynt , which is nowe intrauerse and questyon betwene me , and the lutherans . Eusebyus the olde wryter of the churches Lib. 5. ●● . 6 storye thus wytnesseth of hym .

Clemens scripsit epistolam ad corithios , exprimens in ea apostolorum traditionem , quam nuper ab eis ipse susceperat . Clement wrote ( sayeth he ) to the corinthians an epystle expressyng in it the apostles tradicion , whiche he of late had receyued of them . Also another clemens bysshppe alerandrya , which was , as he sayth him selfe ( Eusebtus wytnessynge ) shortlye after the apostles , thus wrote of the apostles . In libello quem scripsit Eusebius lib. 6. ca. 11. de pascha ( inquit eusebius ) confitetur extorqueri sibi a frarribus , vt ea , quae a presbyteris , et successoribus a postolorum voce sibi sola traditasunt , describeret in libris , et posteris traderet . In his boke ( sayeth Eusebius ) of eastur clement confesseth that his brethren gat of hym by force or with greate difficultie , that he wolde wryte in bokes , and delyuer to his successours , or them that shuld come after hym , those thynges whiche were taught hi by voyce onely of the preestes , & successours of the apostles . Loo this bysshop beynge very nygh to the apostles tyme confesseth that he learned by voyce onely certen thynges of the preestes , and successours of the apostles , and lefte them written to them that shuld come after hym , and luther , bullynger , with a greate rablement of an yll heare , Do saye the contrary , whether wylt thou beleue Epistal● . Ignatius also saynte Iohan the euagelystes discyple holdeth with me in this matter , saynge . Stude ●e confirmari in dogmatibus domini et apostolorum . That is . Applye your myndes to be confyrmed in the ordynaunces of our lorde , & the apostles . That he ment here ordyuannces of the apostles vnwrytten it appeareth fyrst by that that saynte Basyll sayeth , dogmata silentur , decrees or ordynaces called in greake dogmata a● not spoken of in wrytynge . Secondly B asnius de spum Cancto cap. 27. it appeareth that ignatius saynte Iohan euangelystes scholer , wolde men to endeuour them selues to obserue the apostles tradityons vnwrytten , by that that he wrote hym selfe a boke of the apostles tradicions , as eusebius witnesseth sayenge . Ignatius ●● . 3. ●● . 36 edocebat populos , vt diligentius , ettenacius apostolorum traditionibus inhererent , quas traditiones cautelae gratia , et nequid apud posteros remaneret incerti , etiam scriptas a se asserit reliquisse . Thus moch it is turned into englyshe . Ignatius Mark this well reader saynte Iohans disciple taughte the people that they wolde more dilygently , and fastlyc cleaue to the apostles tradityons , the whiche traditions he affyrmeth that he lefte yea wrytten to make men ware , and leste any vncerteyntie shulde remayne to them , that shuld come after . Here we se that thys holye Martyr exhorted men to sticke vnto the apostles tradytions very dilygently , and fastely / whych he left behynde him written , that they whiche shulde succede , or come after him shulde be cyrcumspecte , leste they were deceiued of heretikes , which might teache some thynge contrarye to the verities vnwrytten , that chryste taught his apostles , and they other wythout wrytynge . Therefore is it not manyfest by thys wytnesse that Luther and Bulliger do erre , whyche not so ernestly , as vnlearnedly , & vngodlye defende that the apostles wryte all thynges necessarye , that they hadde preached to the people ? Saynte Ignatius saynte Iohans scholer , whyche was muche conuersaunte wyth the apostles , and was made bysshoppe of Antiochia nexte after saynt Peter , wytnesseth that the apostles lefte sundrye thynges not wrytten , necessary to be knowen , and beleued , and Bullynger sayth the contrary , whether of them two is more worthye to be receyued , and belyued ?

Now shall saynt Deonise the apostle Paules disciple make an ende of thys chaptre , whiche as he was taughte of Paule & Hierotheus , & learned manye thynges of the other apostles , whych thynge he him selfe affyrmeth in dyuers places of hys booke De ecclesiae hierarchia , euen so he wrote playnlye of the apostles traditions lefte by them to the churche without writing . For thus he hath .

Substantia accrdotii nostri sacra scriptura est diuinitus nobis tradita . Diou●● . d● eccle. hiera● cap. 1. Porro huiusmodi plena venerationis eloquia dicimus , quae a beatissimis nostris patribus ( a quibus sacris mysteriis imbuti sumus , ) in sanctis ac theologicis cōmēdata sunt libris .

Ac pretaerea quaeque ab iisdem sanctissi mis viris sacratiore , purgatiore et ꝓpīqua quodam modo caelesti hierar chiae doctrina sancti duces , ac praeceptores nostri didicerunt , et ex animo in animum ( medio intercurrente verbo , corporali quidem , sed quod car nis excedat sēsum , ) sine literis transsu sa sunt . That is to say . The holy scrypture gyuen , or taught vs of God , is the substaunce of oure preesthode . Moreouer we call suche sayenges full of worshyp , honour , or reuerence , which are wrytten in the holye and diuine bokes of oure mooste blessed fathers , of whom we were instructed or taughte the holy secretes , or pryuities . And furthermore al those thynges which our holy leaders ( the apostles ) and oure maisters haue learned of the same moost holye men by doctryne , or teachynge more holy , more purged , and nigh after a certen maner to the heauenly holy gouernaunce , or principalitie , & which are powred from minde to minde , or harte to hart , ( the worde runnynge a meane betwene , sothlye corporall , but such as exceadeth the flesshes perceyuynge , or fealyng . Saynt Dionyse here putteth manifeste difference betwne the holy scrypture , & other thynges conteyned in bokes of dyuynytie , set forth by holy men , & affyrmeth that manye thynges came by harte from one to another wythout wrytynge , whyche are worthy to be had in honoure and reuerence , thoughe the Lutherans despise al such thynges both to theyr owne confusion and other mennes also , oure lorde amende thys in tyme . But euery good chrysten man wyll beleue thys saynte Paules scholer rather than a thousande lutherans . Thys holy Dionise yet wryteth more playnlye of verities not wrytten , & of traditions of the apostles sayeng . Primi illi nostri sacerdotalis muneris duces ( aposto los intelligit ) summa illa , et supersubstantialia , parti scriptis , partim non scriptis institutionibus nobis tradiderunt . That is to wytte . They the fyrste leaders or capitaynes ( the apostles he meaneth , ) of oure preestes office , delyuered to vs , or taught vs by tradition those highest thynges ( whose substance exceadeth other thingꝭ substance ) by instructions of doctryne partly wrytten , partly not wrytten . What coulde haue bene spoken of anye man more playnlye then this is for the furtheraunce of my purpose ? Who , that hath anye sparcle of wysdome & careth for hys soules health , wyl not gyue credence to thys blessed doctoure Paules disciple , rather then to Histo. eccl. lib. 9. ca. 19. Luther , or any of hys scholers ? Sequendi sunt doctores , qui ante diuisionem fuerunt . Those doctours Dsligēter obseru ●dum est , vt lex dei , cum legitur , non secum dum yprii ingenii intelligenciam legatur vel doceatur . Suni e●im multa verba in scripturis diuinis , que possunt ●rahi ad eum sensum , quem sibi vnusquisque sponte presumpsit . Sed id fieri non opor tet , non eni sensum , quem attuleris extrin secus alienum , et extraneum de bes querere Et ideo oportet ex eo intelligentiam discere scripturarum , qui eam a maioribus secundum veritatem sibi traditam seruauit . Clemens epistola . 4. ad ecclesiam hieroso . are to be folowed ( sayth Eusebius ) whych were before the diuysion , & such I haue alleged here for to make men beleue the truth of thys controuersye , and therfore men oughte to folowe them rather than Luther or any other , be he neuer so wel lerned , whych hath bene sence the diuisyon begon . Saynte Hierom commended greatlye Nepotian because he , wyllynge to auoyde the glory of learning , was wont to say . Thys is the sayeng of Tertulian , this of Cypryan , that of Lactantius , thys of Hylaries , so spake Munutius felix , thus victorinus , & after thys fascion Arnobius , wherby we maye learne to folowe the auncyent doctoures iudgemente in al controuersies rysen vpon matters of our fayth , & therfore syth I here haue alleged the greatest part of all the eldest , and best learned wryters to proue traditions , and to declare that the holy apostles lefte manye thynges to vs not wrytten , men oughte to gyue credence to it , and to ceasse askyng where it is wrytten in the scrypture . Salomon counsaylleth vs that we shulde not truste ouer much vnto our owne wyttes , and iudgement / and thynke oure selues wyse , sayenge thus . Ne sis sapiens apud teipsum , be thou not wyse in thyne owne eye , vpon whyche texte saynte Hierome thus wryteeth . Est autem sapiens in semetipso , qui in illis , que ex patrum magisterio recte potuit cognoscere , sese prae caeteris quasi doctor extollit . That is to saye in oure tonge , But he is wyse in hym selfe , or in hys owne conceyte , whyche extolleth hym selfe before other as more cunnynge in those thinges , whyche he moughte haue knowen well ynough , of a ryght fashion , or trewly of the fathers or elders maysters office .

God gyue vs grace to do otherwyse then do al heretykes , whiche So do all the lutherans to theyr owne confusion , and manye others . Vt qui cor nicum oculos cōfig●● et conantur reseindere , que antiquitas magno approbauit consensu . Esaie. 5. despyse al the holy doctours iudgementes and folowe theyr owne fonde fantasye , which causeth them to be so blynde as they are , & to erre in so many weyghtye poyntes of our fayth as they do , beynge cursed by the holy prophet Esaie saynge . Vae vobis , qui sapientes estis in oculis vestris . Wo be to you , that are wyse in youre owne eyes , or sight . CC. fathers assembled in the generall councel holden at Ephesus agaynst Nestorius aboue eleuen hundred yeres past folowed the doctours myndes , and iudgement : as vincentius lirinensis , which was then alyue , telleth , and shall we set theim at nought ( as Bullynger dothe in his booke agaynste tradicions ) and cleaue to our owne dreames and lewde gloses , made vpon the scrypture to support therby our deuyllyshe opynions ? But let this passe , and compendiously here an aunswere to the auctorities alledged agaynste tradicions , & reasons made in defence of this naughtye opinyon by the lutherans , the which done , I wyl make an ende of this boke .

❧ An aunswere to the auctoryties alledged , and the reasons made vpon the contrary part agaynst traditions .

AFter I haue , good chrysten reader , sette fourthe the truth of this matter touchinge traditions not wrytten in the scrypture , I trust sufficiently / nowe I wyll aunswere very compendiously and bryeflye to all the obiectyons made , and put for the for the defence of the contrary part , the by them no man be deceyued , excepte he be desirous to be blynd , & wandre from the truth , which he may so playnlye see before his eyes . Fyrst they alledge this texte of the scrypture . Non Deute. 4. addetis ad verbum , quod loquor vo bis . That is to say , ye shal not adde to the worde / that I do speake to you . If ( sayeth Luther & hys scholers ) no man maye put anye thynge to gods worde , as he commaundeth here , it muste neades therof folow that traditions not wrytten in the scrypture oughte not to be obserued of vs . Is not this a wonderfull blyndnes of these men , whiche do take vpon them to reache all chrysten nations a newe doctryne ? who ( that wyse is ) wyll folowe such blynd leaders , that so do wrest the holy worde of god from his ryght sence to maynteyne an heresye ? Our lorde open mens eyes , whiche are shyt and closed by affectyon , that they may se ones how lytle learnynge they haue , whom they take for great clerkes . But to the scrypture recyted , whiche is . Thou shalt put nothynge to the worde ( sayeth god ) which I do speake to the. Must not this sentence or sayenge haue a mete exposition , lest it appeare verye false , whiche is very true ? For these wordes were spoken of the commaundementes , and is it in no wyse lefull to adde anye thynge vnto the preceptes of the old law ? Dyd the prophetes yll when they added theyr prophecies to the word of gods commaundementes ? Who can denye but that chryste hymselfe , his euangelystes , and the apostles added many thinges to that worde of god , of the which he spake here , and yet no good chrysten man wyll saye that the prophetes , chryste , and his apostles dyd offende , & breke goddes commaundemente therby , & therfore that gods precept , byddyng nothynge to be added vnto hys worde , muste be vnderstande of thynges contrarye to it , or corruptyng the ryght sense therof / suche as were the pharisees , and scrybes traditions , by the which they induced men to breake gods commaundements / as I wyll more at large declare in the soylynge of the nexte argumente . Nowe there is not one tradition sette forth in this my boke , though I haue intreated of very many vnwrytten , no nor one other kepte , and obserued throughe the hole worlde where christen people are , that is agaynste or contrarye to any one commaundement of god or any portion of his holy word , but gathered oute therof rather moche helpynge to the kepynge of it . This meanynge and sentence may be well gathered of the holy goostes wordes publyshed by salomon in the prouerbes saynge . Ne addes quicquam verbis illi us , et arguaris , īueniarisque mendax . Cap. 30. That is . Adde nothynge to his wordes , that thou maiste therby be reproued , and founde a lyar . Therfore gods mynde , and commaundement is , that nothynge shulde be added to his worde of vs , wherby we might be accused and founde lyars . The hebrewe texte sowneth thus moch . Adde not vpon his wordes , leste perchaunce he may make correctyon agaynste the , and thou be espied a lyer . Secondly it may be expowned : that by the which is saied in this commaundement is ment that nothing shulde be added to gods worde , or taken frome it , as the scrybes , and wyse men of the iewes dyd , which wrote a boke called Ticcim zophrim , that is additions , or corrections of the wyse men or scribes , in the which they toke from the scrypture manye thynges , as it apereth in a boke of hebrewe called the Talmud , and added also dyuers thinges , lest the gentyles shulde se gods secretes and mocke theim , or the rude iewes not perceyuyng them , Lib. 1. ca. 8. might take harme therby Thus the great clerke Galatinus expowneth both Moyses texte , and salomons also . Thyrdly it maye be well taken that god wolde no thynge shulde be added to hys word as to a thing imperfecte , or lackynge anye poynte to make it perfyte / as saynte austen vnderstode these wordes of Moses Li. 17. ca. 2. et 6 aduer●us faustum wrytten deutero .xii. Quod praecipio tibi , hoc tantum facito domino nec addas quicquam , nec minuas .

Do thou onely that vnto the lord whiche I commaunde the , neyther adde thou anye thynge , nor dymynyshe . Fourthly it may be expowned of addyng any thyng to goddes worde , whiche shulde be iudged , estemed , and kept , as a portion of it , after the whyche meanynge saynte Iohan in the Apocalypse sayeth that yf anye Cap. bi● . man shall adde to the wordes of hys prophecy anye thynge , God wyll laye vpon hym the plages wrytten in it etc. To be short . It maye appeare by Moses wordes Deuter. 1● . laste rehersed , that god dyd forbydde the iewes to adde anye ceremonyes , or obseruations of the gentiles or heathen people , leadynge them to Idolatry or anye sacrifyces of the gentyles , when they shulde come in to the lande promysed them , but that they shulde onelye obserue , fulfyll , kepe , & do that , whiche he com●aunded them . Thys , I saye after myne opynyon , is the very trewe , and ryghte meanynge of gods commaundyng that nothyng shulde be added to hys worde . But whych so euer of these senses is truest , and featest for the purpose , the texte maketh nothynge vtterlye agaynst traditions of the church , because they are not contrary to it , nor suche additions , as were made by the lerned of the iewes , in theyr booke called Ticcim zophrim , nor they are added to goddes worde as thynges to make it perfecte , beinge imperfecte before , nor yet as thoughe they shulde be regarged as goddes word or as part of it , nor finally they leade not chrysten people to ydolatrye , as dyd the paynoms , and heathen ceremonyes , ordynaunces , and sacrifices of whych he bade the iewes to beware and adde none of them to hys commaundementes , when they shulde entre into the lande of promes , the heathen beyng thense expelled . But The seconde argument . of thys ynough , now to the next reason buylded , as al the rest is , vpon the wronge vnderstandyng of these chrystus wordes taken out of the prophet Esaye . Frustra me Esay . 29. Math. 15. colunt , docentes doctrinas , et praecepta hominum . They honour me vaynlye teachyng mens doctrines , and commaundementes . Of these wordes yll taken men gather that we shulde beleue and kepe nothynge of necessitie , that is not written in the scrpture , but taught , ordeyned , and set forth The answeare . Acto . 15. v●● sum est etc. ●● precepti chr non d●m nauit ne● apostolorum et seniorum decreta et precepta quorum Lucas meminit acto . ●5 , ●● 16. by man without any expresse commaundement of god . It is very easye to soyle thys wyse reason , by the ryghte vnderstandynge of the sayed wordes , whiche is thys , that they do worshyp God in vayne , whiche do teach mens doctrynes , & commaundementes , that are agaynste goddes commaundementes , and doctryne , suche as the pharasyes taughte the people . The whiche Luther , and hys scholers myghte haue sene ( yf they had not bene stark● blynd ) by these wordes of christ . Why do ye breake goddes commaundemente for your tradition ? God bade you shulde honor Exo. ●● your father and mother , and ye dishonour them for to kepe your owne tradition . Ye hypocrytes the prophet Esaye dyd prophecy well of you , sayenge . Thys people Math. 15. honoureth me wyth the lyppes , but theyr harte is farre frome . They worshyp me in vayne , teachynge mannes doctrynes , and commaundementes . Do not these wordes , I beseche the , good reader , so playnlye open chrystes meanyng , when he spake agaynst mennes traditions , that it is a greate blyndenes , or elles a greate malyce , that the Lutherans do wraste it agaynst all the holy churches constitutions , ordynaunces , and traditions , the whiche are not agaynst goddes commaundementes , nor the kepynge of them is the breache of goddes lawe , but a greate furtheraunce to the kepyng of them , as it may appeare to euery good chrysten man , lokyng vpon them indifferentlye all affection , and corrupte iudgement layed aside . These the pharysees , and scrybes traditions sette vp agaynst gods lawe are not heare onelye reproued of Chryste , but also of saynt paule , sayeng to Tite the byshop . ●● . ● . For whyche cause blame them sharply , that they may be sounde or hole in the fayth , not takinge heed of the Iewes fables , and commaundementes of men turnynge them selues from the truth , contempnyng the truth wyth disdayne , or abhorrynge the truth . Thus saynt Cypryan , and saint Ciprianus lib. 1. epist. 3 Hiero in esa●am . Hierom do expowne Esayes , & chrystes wordes , & therfore they make nothynge agaynst the churches traditions . Yet they allege The. 3. argament . mo auctorities of the scrypture against traditions , of the which thys is one / Omnis plantatio , quam non plantauit pater meus caelestis , Math. 15. eradicabitur . Euerye plantynge which my father of heauen hath not planted , shall be plucked vp by the roote , but the churches traditions are not ( sayth Luther ) of gods plantynge / wherfore they shall be plucked vp by the rootes ) The auswere . To thys obiection an aunswere is sone made for as much as christ spake of planting doctrine , & preceptes agaynst gods law , as he did of teaching them , & of planting any suꝑstitious , superfluous , tri feling , & vayne traditions , which shulde be more estemed than gods commaundementes , & kepte also before them , yea gods commaundementes broken for the kepinge of them , such as was the iewes ordinaunce to wasshe their handes before meate , lest by the fylth of the handes the meat myght be defyled , & it so defyled myghte defyle the eaters soule , and of offeryng also the chyldrens goodes in the temple before the helping of theyr poore fathers , and mothers . All such plantynges shal be plucke cleane vp by the rotes sayeth chryste , but what is thys agaynst the godly , holsome , and necessarye traditions of christes churche , of the which I haue recyted in thys booke the greater part ? Moreouer they allege S. paule sayeng to the Galathians Cap. 1. But though we , or an angel from heauen , preach saue it , that we haue preached , that same be cursed or diseuered from your company . As we haue saied before , so say I again If any man preache beside it , that ye haue receiued , let him be cursed , or seperate from you . If he ought to be cursed , or put from christen peoples company , that preach ought beside that wich paule preached , & the people receiued , why shulde we beleue , or kepe mens traditions which paule preached not , nor the people then had receyued them . This reason dependeth vpon the wronge takyng of saynt paules The aunsweare . wordes . For he ment not that euery preacher of any thing whiche he had not preached and the galathyans receyued , shulde be acursed or seperate from theyr company , for them he had bene cursed hym selfe , which preached many thynges : that he taught not the galathians . Therfore Paule is to be vnderstande of theym that preache any thynge agaynst the gospell , which he hadde taught the galathyans , and they receyued it , but afterward forsoke it , receyuyng the olde lawe of Moses and ioynyng it with the gospel of chryst , as though they could not be saued by fayth in chryste without the kepyng of those ceremonies then prohibite vtterly This is the true meaning of saynt Paule saynt Austen it generally of all doctryne that Lib. 17 cap. 3. contra faustum . is agaynste the apostles and the gospell established by theyr prechyng . And so the greake , Para o muste be translated contraquam or contra quod that is otherwyse them , or contrary to that : paules purpose declareth none other thynge to be mente of hym , whiche was to perswade the galathians to retourne agayne from the keping of the ceremonies of Moyses law and to beleue no false teacher labourynge to make them thynke that Chrystes gospell were not sufficient for theyr saluatyon with oute those ceremonies . Sayeth not saynt Paule that he meruey led that they were so sone turned from the gospell , and from hym which called theym to the grace of chryste , in to another gospell , whiche is not another , sauynge that there besome which do trouble you , and wolde tourne vp so downe chrystes gospel ? What nede we anye further declaratyon ? yet lest some man wyl suppose that this is myne owne phansye or dreame , let men marke these s . Chrysostoms wordes vpon the same letter of paule . If any angel come from heuen corruptyng the preachynge of the gospel , let hym be coursed . Againe . Etiam si quid vis labefactarint , a nathema sint . yea yf they do corrupte or subuert a litle , or what thou wilt / let them be cursed . Nec mihi ipsi parco , si diuersa predicem . Nother I spare my selfe , yf I preach or publishe thynges contrary to the gospel . This is sufficyente for the full confutacion of that argumente / especially seyng that I haue declared by paules owne wordis & dyuers doctours expositions sette forth vpon them , that he taught many thynges whiche he wrote not at al , and sainte Paule sayeth not , If any man do preach ought be syde that whiche I haue wrytten to you or you receyued of me by my wrytyng , but besyde that which I haue preached to you , whiche maketh nothynge agaynste tradicions or verities vnwrytten , which Paule preached , more than agenst that which he wrote . Marke also , reader , that Paule spake there to the Galathi●s of the gospel , that he had preached , which in dede properly is the good , mery and ioyful tydynges of our saluation by chryste oure sauioure , vnto the which mans tradicions do not perteyne , nor to anye parte therof , but as thynges helpinge to the easyer vnderstandynge , & better fulfyllyng of it , and therfore these Paules wordes speakynge of settynge forth another gospel , do nothynge at all make agaynste the churches tradicyons . They yet procede on reasonynge The .iiii. reason . thus vpon saynte paules wordes . Videte nequis vos decipiat per philosophiam , et inanem fallaciam , secundum traditionem hominum . that is . Take ye hede , or beware lest any man deceyue you by philosophy , and vaine deceite , after the tradicion of men . Here saynt Paule byddethe men to be ware lest they be deceyued by mennes traditions , therfore they are not to be kepte . This reason is so weake , yea so fonde & folysshe , that it is not worth rehearsing , moch lesse any confutacion . For Paule warnethe men to be wyse leste some man deceyue them by philosophye , and voyde crafty handlynge them after mennes teaching , and not to be ware absolutely , & generallye of all traditions , for them he hadde sayed agaynste his owne instructions gyuen to the corinthians in the .xi. chaptre of the fyrste epystle , when he spake of his tradicions , as I haue alreadye declared , and also when afterwarde he badde the thessalomans stande faste , & kepe hys tradicions .ii. Thess. ii. Agayne he expowneth his mynde by the wordes nexte folowynge , which be parte of the same sentence , and are lefte out of these men because they dyd make agaynste theyr purpose , after whiche fasshyon the deuyl alledged the scripture as all his knyghtes the heretikis doo . It foloweth . Secundum elementa mundi , et non secundum christum . That is . After the elementes of the worlde , and not after chryste , which is as moche as yf he sayde . Be ware , and circumspecte lest any man deceyue you by philosophye & vaine deceyte , after the tradicyon of men in worshyppynge and obseruynge the planettes : to whose influences , & coniunctions the lyenge apostles , and false prophettes did referre & ascrybe al thynges / as the phylosophers , & astronomers dyd / & not to god as the autour of them . This kynde of doctryne as it is not after Chrystes teachynge and religyon / so no good chrysten man hath or dothe defende it / or maynteneth anye suche tradicyons , whiche are properly called mens tradicions , for as moche as they be inuented by man onlye without the steringe , and inspyration of the holy goost , and so are not the apostles and the churches tradytyons , but they come chyefely of the holy goost , as wytnesseth the blessed martyr Fabian , which was aboue . M. In epistola ad episcopo● orientales ccc . yeres past , sayenge . Cura vestrae solicitudinis est adhibenda , vt ea , quae sunt ab apostolis , eorumque successoribus ordinata , et instigante spiritu sancto instituta , nec dissimulatio negligentiae , nec aliqua praesumptio valeat perturbare . Sed sicut hoc , ꝙ exigebat rationis vtilitas oportuit definire , ita quod definitum est , non debet violari . That is to saye .

The dilygence or studye of your care must be put to , or you must be diligent , and careful , that dyssymulation of neglygence may not moche trouble , nor any arrogance , those thynges , which are ordeyned , of the apostles , & their successours , and instructed by the holy goost styrrynge , or prickynge forward . Also he spake of the iewes ceremonies , which then it was vnleful for the Galathians to obserue , & kepe , & therfore the obseruing of them was mans tradition . That thys is the true / & righte meaninge of the apostles wordes it apeareth both by that that anone afterwarde , when he had spoken of the iewes choyse of meatis & their feastes , he calleth them elementa mund , elementes of the worlde , sayenge . If ye be dead with christe from the elementes of thys worlde , why do ye yet put difference betwene meat and meat , daye and day etc ? Also the iiii chapter of his epistle to the Galathians paule calleth the olde lawes ceremonies egena elementa , elementes lackyng somewhat . Therfore this pauls letter standeth nothynge agaynst the traditions of the apostles , & their successours / lefte in the churche from one to another . But let thys Pet manus tradua be sayed for the repeallynge of that argument . They dispute yet further The .v. argument . of this sort against traditions . Paule sayeth .ii. To .iii. Al scripture geuen by the inspiration of god is profitable to teach improue , informe , & to instructe in righteousnes , that the man of god may be perfect , & prepared vnto all good workes . Then why do we thruste ( sayeth Vrbanus regius wisely ) in the churches handes the lawes of men , as necessary to christes religion ? Thys argument is sone answeared vnto . For what argument , I besech the , good christen reader , is this , al scripture inspired by the holy goost is profitable to teach man , that he maye be perfect , & made ready to al good workes , ergo the scripture conteyneth in it expressely al truth , and euery thing necessary to be beleued of vs , & kept ? May not euery part , & boke of the scripture be , as in dede it is profitable to instructe man , that thereby he maye be perfecte , & prepared to all good workis , & yet not conteyne al truth & the hole , that is necessary for our saluation ? The .v. bokes of Moses conteine a doctrine profitable to the purpose , & so of the rest seuerally , & yet that notwithstandyng , there are sundrye thynges both true , & necessary not conteyned therin . Yea but perchaunce some man wyl say to me . The gospel is perfecte , & sufficient for to procure oure saluation , for Chryste gaue vnto hys churche not botched , clowted nor vnperfect lernyng , & seing there nedeth no addition to be made vnto the whiche is perfecte , wherfore shulde men beleue the the scripture conteyneth not in it all truth & thynges necessarye for our saluation , but the diuers thynges come by tradition , whiche are both necessary to be beleued of vs , & also kepte ?

It is very true that the scripture , & the gospel is perfecte , not that it conteineth in it expresselye all truth necessarye to be knowen , & obserued , as I haue proued before in thys my boke , but the it is perfecte touchynge the thynges comprised therein , & conteyneth general rules & preceptis , out of the which al thynges necessary for a chrysten mannes religion , & saluation , may be collected , & gathered thoughe they be not particularly , & expressely publyshed , & sette forth therin . As for an example . The scripture byddeth vs honoure god , but vpon what daye Exo. 20. Deute . 6. Math. 4. we shulde do it chiefly , scripture plainly telleth not , leauing that to be taughte the apostles of the holy goost , whiche dyd institute the sonday styred of that spirite of al truth , as I haue shewed before . Also the scripture sayeth the wythout baptyme none can entre in to the kyngdome of heuen Iohan iii. the holy apostles inspired with the holy goost of that , and other sayenges touchyng the necessitye of baptysme , ordeyned , and taughte wythout wrytynge that chyldren ought to be chrystened , & may be saued therby . Finallye the scrypture commaundeth euerye man to take vp , & beare his crosse & mortify the sensualities , & affections of the fleshe , the apostles taught bow that shulde be done by fastynge the lente , wensdaye , fryday , & such other . This we se therfore that wyth the perfectenes of the scripture agreeth , & standeth right wel , that it conteyneth not expressely all truth , but that dyuers truthes were opened to the holy apostles by the holy goost / which they lefte vnto the The .vi. argument . churche vnwrytten . Hytherto of thys . Another reason maketh Vrbanus regius vpon Pauls wordes ● Cor. 3. sayenge . All thynges be yours / whether it be Paule / eyther Apollo / eyther Cephas . Wherby ( sayeth he ) we do vnderstande the , neyther Paule / nor Cephas or Peter hath auctoritie to bynde mens conscience / where god byndeth not / & therefore we are not bound to beleue , or kepe of necessitie any tradition of paul / peter or any other , whiche God byndeth not vs to beleue / & obserue by his holy word . Did euer any man The aunsweare . reade / or heare so fonde , & folysh a reason as this is ? who wyl not bewayle , & lament this great blindnes of the lutherans , which do reason so vnlernedlye to defende an heresy ? It is trew , the peter & paul were the corinthians , for asmuch as they were ministers sent of God for theyr saluation . What than ? coulde not they yet teache many thinges by mouth onely , & leaue them without writing vnto the church the it shulde beleue them to be trew , & kepe them also ? But thou sayest that they could not bynde mens conscience , where god bindeth not . I graunt the / but of the must it nedes folow that they left nothyng vnwritten byndynge mens conscience to beleue and obserue it ? Doth god bynde vs to nothynge vnwrytten in the holy scrypture ?

Haue not I proued the contrarye in this boke ? Byndeth not them & there god mans conscience / when & where the holy gooste styrreth the apostles to institue & ordeyn any thing not comprehended in the scripture , & leaue it to the churche vnwrytten ? Therfore this slender argument is cleane wypte away , as this other shal be , grounded lyke wyse vpon the wronge vnderstandyng of these S. Pauls Colo. 2. The. 7. argument . wordes to the Collossians . Ye beyng dead wyth christ why are ye holden styll with decrees ?

What is this , yf it be not plaine wrestynge of scrypture from his true sense ? Saint Hierom sayed wel , that heresye standeth in the Ca. 1. ad Gala. wronge takyng of the scrypture doth 〈…〉

Dyd not saint Paule in that seconde chaptre to the Colossians playnly speke of the olde lawes decres , or ordinances , which dyd consyste in choyse of meates & suche other ceremonies / that were than anulled , & made voyd by chryst ? For he thus hath , If ye be dead with chryste from the elementes of this worlde , why do ye yet decree or teach , or els , as the greke nowe hath Dodmatizesthe are ye taught ( suche decrees and ceremonyes ) as yet lyuynge in the world , Touche not , nother taste , nor handle . Who seeth not that these wordes do playnlye show , that saynte Paule mente of the iewes decrees , and ordinaunces perteynynge to theyr olde ceremonies than abrogate cleane by chryst , and nothyng of the churches decrees , or the apostles tradicions ? It is therfore a greate blyndnes to applye suche textes agaynste the traditions of the churche , and they do verye lytle regard theyr soules health , that do folowe suche teachers , which do so manifestly abuse , and mistake the scrypture to kyll theyr owne soules , and other mennes by an heresye . Some man perchaunce wyll say to me , chrysten people are indued with libertye Vrbanns regius . of conscyence .ii. Cor .iii. whiche nother ought , nor can be bound to the obseruynge of any tradicion set vp by man , whiche scrypture speaketh not of , for them we shulde be the seruauntes of men agaynst saynte Paules commaundemente . To that I saye that chrysten men are free , and idued 1. Cor. 7. with a certayne libertie from the yocke of the olde lawe / and the bondage of synne , in which two standeth the lybertye of chrystes gospell , & not in the lybertie from the obseruynge of good , and holsome tradytions institute , & set forth by the holy apostles without wrytynge by mouth onely .

The obedience due vnto the hyer powers , and to the kepyng of theyr lawes standeth not onelye with the libertie of the gospel , but the gospēll doth also commaund that to be done of vs . They that suppose them selues free frome obseruynge of the apostles traditions by reason of the lyberte of the gospell , do agaynst pauls commaundement vse theyr lybertie to satisfye the flesshes lustes : and haue ( as saynt Peter sayth ) Gala. 5. 1. P● . 2. it as a cloke or a couer of theyr malyce . Chrysten people shuld not be the seruauntes of men , it is true , but what than ? Wylt not thou therfore be bounde in conscyence to obedientlye kepe thy prynce , and kynges ordynaunces and lawes , when Paule biddeth vs to be obediente vnto his commaundementes for conscyence sake ? It is not therfore holly vnleful Ro. 13. nor forbydden of saynte Paule to be mennes seruauntes , but to obey them , and to serue them commaundyng any thing agenst the lybertye of chrystes gospell , or els any vnlefull thinge , the kepyng of the which shulde cause them to fall from the benifite of christes deathe , and therfore he dyd put them in remembraunce , that they were bought with a great pryce Thus saynt Chrysostome doth vnderstande this paules texte , byddynge that we shulde not be mens seruauntes . Saynt paule also he ment that the corynthyans shulde not be mens seruauntes to reyse schismes , or diuisions , so y● one of them shulde be counted cephas scholer because he was christened and instructed by hym , & another Apollos ? Take nowe this text whether way thou wylt it maketh nothyng at al against the traditions of the holye apostles and the church . Moreouer when we do beleue certen truthes and obserue theym also , whiche the apostles lefte vnwryten by the inspiration of the holy goost / as they dyd manye thynges , whiche are aboue rehearsed in this boke , what madde manne wyl saye that therby we be mennes seruauntes / and not rather the holy goostꝭ the autour of those tradicyons ? Some men do suppose that these god the fathers wordes . Ipsum audite , heare hym , do bynde vs onelye to learne of Mat. 17. dr●auus ●e●●us . chryste the doctoure and teacher of the church , and to beleue and obserue nothynge but his doctrine , & therfore we oughte not , nor can be bounde to any thyng not wrytten in the scrypture , as though we are not bounde to be leue the apostles teachinge in thinges not taught afore by chryste , or that we ought not to beleue , as I haue touched before , that chyldren ought to be chrystened , albeit we fynde not in the scrypture that euer christ taught that doctrine , or els hys apostles , but it cometh onely without wytnesse of the scrypture by theyr tradition . If thou yet wylt reason further , and saye that Chryste sendynge his apostles to preach abrode the gospel in the hole world , commaunded them to teache the people what soeuer he had commaunded , and therfore men are not bounde vnto any thyng not commaunded of Chryste , of the whiche it muste neades folowe that there are no traditions vnwrytten necessarye for vs eyther to beleue , or to fulfyll . This reason of one vrbanus regius a lutherans makynge declareth the autours ignoraunce , or blinde malyce conceyued agaynste the churche of chryst . For chryst byddinge the apostles teach the people all that he had commaunded theym , dyd not bydde them teach nothing more then he commaunded them . For who doubteth but the apostles taught afterwarde manye thynges by inspiration of the holy goost , which chryst neuer commaunded , as that the gentyles shulde abstayne from bloudde , and meates suffocate , or strangled , with manye other thynges as it appeareth in theyr epystles and the actes wrytten by Luke the euangelyste . But se what kynde of argument is this of regius , Chryste commaunded his apostles to preach al what soeuer he had dyd them do , ergo the apostles lefte nothynge vnwrytten to the church that ought to be beleued , or obserued , or men are not buunde to kepe the churches traditions . This is a wonderfull blyndnes . What madnes were it to beleue suche teachers ? Maye it not be sayde truely of them , the blynde leaders & they that are Mat. 15. ledde by theim , do fall bothe togyther into the den , as our sauy our chryste sayed ? There are other obiectyons as fonde , and folyshe as these be , which because they are made agaynste mannes lawes and constitutions , & not agaynste the apostles , and hole churches traditions vnwrytten in the holy scrypture , I wyll recyte them very compendiouslye & as compendiouslye confute the same . Thys is one of them . Paule sayeth . Si spiritu ducimini non estis sub lege . It ye be ledde wyth the The. 8. argument . spirite , ye are not vnder the law . These wordes do proue ( sayeth the lutherans , ) that no mannes traditions can bynde vs to the obseruinge of them , yf we do leade our lyues after ryghte reasons and the holy goostes guydynge and styrrynge , for els we shulde be vnder the lawe , whyche saynt The answere . Paule denyeth here . Thys auctorytie of saynte Paule proueth nothing more agaynst the churches constitutions , ordinaunces , and traditions of the apostles , that they oughte not to bynde mennes consciences , then it doth agaynste the law of god , that iuste and good men ledde by reason and the holye gooste shulde not be bounde to kepe it , because that paule vnderstode not , here the law of man , but the law of god , whiche rested in ceremonyes , & was abrogated by chrystes death . That Paule spake there of that olde lawe of Moses , it appeareth by that the proces of that epistle and chaptre , where he speaketh of circumcision . Now what argument is this , ( good reader . ) If ye be ledde with the spirite ye are not vnder Moses lawe , ergo the traditions of the apostles vnwritten oughte not nor can not bynde mennes conscience ? Saynte Chrysostom expowneth it thus . He that hath the holy goost , and in his liuing and dedes is ruled , and ledde by the same , doth quenche al yll desires , and lustes , and therfore he hath no nede of the lawes helpe , that by feare of it he shulde lyue well . Etiam qui ex sese suo fungitur officio , quid opus habet paedagogo ? For what nede hath he , that of hymselfe doth hys duetie , of one appoynted to se hym well ordered , as a childe ? As a horse that runneth fast of hym selfe nedeth not to be spurred , euen so the ryghteous , and perfecte good man ledde wyth the holy gooste , is not vnder the lawe of god , for as much as he doth lyue godly , & wold so contynew yf there were no lawe to enforce and constrayne hym so to do . But what is thys to the holye apostles traditions ? Yea what maketh i● agaynste anye ordynaunce of the churche ?

The beste men , that lyue in the worlde haue nede of gods lawe to leade them streyghte in the waye and payth of vertuous lyuynge , thoughe they ncade no lawe to compel them for feare of punyshmente to do well , and to absteyne from synne . After thys meaning and sense Paule saied . Justo non est lex posita , the lawe is ● . Tim● . 1. not made for the ryghteous , because ( sayeth Chrysostome ) the lawe is made that by feare and threteninge of it , synners shulde leaue committyng of synne , and be punished when they do amisse , and therfore Paule sayed to the Galathians . Lex propter transgressiones posita est , the lawe is Gala. 3. made for transgressyons to be restrayned and punyshed thereby . But of thys sufficient .

Some men alledge saynte Austen agaynst traditions , whiche in a certen epistle to saynte Hierom , wolde that we shoulde beleue that the wryters of the holye scrypture onelye neuer erred and gyue no credence vnto any other man be he neuer so holye and well learned , excepte he dyd proue by the scrypture , eyther by autours or by probable reasons that he sayed the truth , and therfore men oughte not to beleue them that teache traditions . To thys wyse reason J fyrste saye that seynge saint Austeyne hym selfe sayeth in sundrye places of hys bookes that we muste nedes obserue traditious , as J haue declared before , it is a great blyndnes or rather malice agaynste the truth , to alledge hym agaynste traditions , as though he were contrarye to hym selfe . Secondarilye J saye that they whiche do set forth the apostles traditions do proue them by the scrypture , other autours , and probable reasons also , as J haue done in thys booke , & therfore saynte Austeynes authoritie alledged before holdeth with vs agaynst the reprouers of traditions . Thyrdlye J saye that saynte Ansteyne in the sayed epistle resembled , and compared the bokes of holy scrypture vnto other bookes compiled , made & set forth by mans wyt without the reuelation of the holy goost , as it appeareth by the tenour of that epystle euidently , and therfore he mente nothynge there agaynste anye thynge taught , or lefte to the churche of chryste by the holy goostes stirring and in spiration , but he called there all suche doctryne holye scrypture , that is good & godlye though it be not wrytten expresselye in the bible , but delyuered by tradition wythout wrytyng . Therfore this argumente is soyled clerely . Furthermore thys reason is made agaynst traditions of the churche . The olde testamente The. 9. argument . and the new are as sufficient for chrysten people beleuynge nowe in chryste as the olde testamente onely was for the iewes , but the whole fayth , vnto the which the Jewes were bound was expressed in the olde testament , and the bokes of it / ergo the hole fayth , to the whyche chrysten men are nowe bounde is expressely written in the newe testamente , and the olde , and therfore the faythfull are not bounde to beleue anye thynge not expressed in the Byble / and so there are no traditions vnwrytten necessarye to be beleued of vs christen people . Thoughe thys reason do The answeare . appeare good , and pythye vnto them that are not learned in the scrypture , or beynge meanelye learned therein , are affectionate , and so maryed to the contrarye opniyon / that all thynge whyche doth anye thynge soune to theyr purpose pleaseth them hyghelye , yet in very dede it nothynge serueth for theyr malycious intent , partely because the Hebrewes were of longe tyme faithful peple before theyr faith was wrytten by Moyses in hys fyue bokes , and yet they were the tyme bounde to beleue the thinges then not wrytten , but afterwarde , partelye for as moche as after Moyses had wrytten , and the other bokes of the law were all wrytten , the people beleued many thynges perteynyng both to the faith , and also to maners , whiche were taught by mouthe onely without wrytynge , to the beleefe of the which and fulfyllynge also they were neuerthelesse bounde of necessytie . And these traditions not wrytten some men of the hebrues called in that Cabala . tonge cabalam , because they were receyued by the yonger or later lyuynge people of the elders without wrytynge of the olde testament , lyke as dyuers dilygente searchers of such thynges haue wytnessed by wrytynge . Therfore this argument is answered vnto sufficyently , as the next anone shall be , god willynge , whiche is thus framed of the lutherans vpon these saynt Hieroms wordes . Quod ex scriptutis sacris In Math. 23. auctoritatem non habet , eadem facilitate contemnitur , qua approbatur . That is to say . That which hath not auctorytie of the holye scriptures , is despised by the same easeynes , by whiche it is approued , or allowed , but all traditions haue not theyr autorite of the scrypture therfore they are as easely despised asalowed , which they shulde not be yf men were bounde of necessyte to beleue them , or to kepe them , wherof it foloweth that we are not bound to beleue & obserue any of them not wrytten in the holy scrypture . This reason hangeth altogether vpon the yll vnderstanding of saynt Hieroms sentence , which mente not by holy scripture that onely whiche is sette forth in the byble expresselye , but all doctryne commynge of the holy goostes reuelatyon wrytten in the Byble , or not written , but taught the apostles , and the church of them by mouth onely , for els he had writen agaynste hym selfe , which in dyuers places of his bookes exhorteth men to beleue , and kepe many thynges not wrytten in the scrypture , as it appereth before in this boke . This is thoughte by a learned man to be saint Hiero●s mynde , where I examining and wayenge diligentlye saynte Hieroms commentaryes there , haue founde that he mente another thing . For he recyteth some mens opinion to haue bene that zachary , whom chryst sayed that Mat. 23. the iewes murdered betwene the temple and the aultare , was S. Iohan baptistes father , prouing by certen bokes dreames ( which were apocriphi , because theyr makers were hyd , and not knowen ) that he was therfore sleane because he publy sshed our sauyours commynge . Hoc quia de scripturis ( inquit hieronimus ) non habet autoritatem , eadem facilitate contemnitur , qua probatur . That for as moche as it hath not auctoritie of the scryptures , is with the same easynes despysed , by which it is praysed or aproued . Loo we se that the holy father saynt hiecome mente of that one thynge , which was proued onely by bokes of none auctorytie , what is this agaynste the apostles tradicions , or to proue that we are bound to beleue and kepe nothyng but onely that whiche is expresselye written in the scrypture ? Do the churches traditions hange , and depende of bookes the autours wherof be vnknowen ? Haue not I declared that scrypture approueth the apostles vnwrytten traditions , and that they taught or ordeyned diuers thinges by the motion and inspiration of the holy goost , which they lefte to the churche vnwrytten , and so they remayne hytherto and shal styll whyles the world dureth ? Now to make an ende of this boke , I exhorte euery man and woman to be ware of erroneus doctours , and yll bookes , which do teache and auaunce any learnynge contrary to the fayth of the churche of chryste / that is the deare spouse of our sauyour , bought with the shedynge of his moost precious bloude , and therfore hath euer bene so tenderly beloued of hym that he hath not suffred hyr wholly to erre in any weightye point of our religion , nor hereafter wyll permit to erre accordyng to his promes , sayeng hel gates , that is , syn and heresye shal not preuayle agaynste hyr . Who that leaneth to this sure pyller the church shall be euer in the ryght waye , ouercome all heresye , to the great conforte of his soule / & at the length throughe the helpe of god lyuing deuoutly he shal come to endles Ioyes of heauen , which our saniour Iesu Chryste purchased for all his seruauntes , to whom with the father & the holy goost be honoure & glorye for euer . Amen .