rinces that were in
Toteachthat — Ambrosius, of Virgins, Lib. 3. cap. 1. “We justly do condemn all new things salvation, which Christ hath not taught; for Christ is the way to the faithful. If therefore we t ourselves preach any thing that Christ hath not taught, judge that abominable?.” damnable. The same, inthe Psal. 118. “The word of God is the lively meat of our souls, The soul with the which it is nourished, fed, and governed: neither is there any thing else 1veth on. by the word that maketh a reasonable soul to live but the word of God”
“98. The same, in his book of Paradise, chap. 12. “By that which Eva added to the Nothingisto word of God, [‘Thou shalt not touch, &c. we do learn how much this present lesson the word ὔ putteth us in remembrance that we ought to add nothing to the word of God,] focuehitbe yea, though it be for a good purpose. For if thou put to, or take away any thing, purpose.
[[! Ut quiequid in evangelio pradicabant, legis tura. In cujus scriptura? In populorum. Non et prophetarum vocibus comprobarent. Id.in Mat- sufficit in populorum, sed etiam principum dicit. thaum, cap. xiii. Tom. IX. p. 35.] Et quorum principum? Qui sunt in ea. Non dixit [^ Nec juxta Pythagorz discipulos prajudicata hoc, sed qui fuerunt in ea. Et principum, hoc est, doctoris opinio, sed doctrinz ratio ponderanda est. apostolorum et evangelistarum: horum qui fuerunt Si quis autem contrarie factionis immurmurat, inea. Videte quid dicat: Qui fuerunt, non qui quare eorum explanationes legam, quorum dog- sunt: ut exceptis apostolis, quodcunque aliud posmatibus non acquiesco; sciat me illud apostoli tea dicetur, abscindatur; non habeat postea auctorilibenter audire: Omnia probate, quod bonum est tatem. Quamvis ergo sanctus sit aliquis post tenete;” [et Salvatoris verba dicentis: Estote pro- apostolos, quamvis disertus sit, non habet auctoribati numularii,”] ut si quis nummus adulter est, tatem. Quoniam Dominus narrat in scriptura et figuram Cesaris non habet nec signatus est populorum et principum horum qui fuerunt in ea. moneta publica, reprobetur. Qui autem Christi Id. in Psalmum lxxxvi. Tom. VIII. p. 103.] faciem claro przfert lumine, in cordis nostri mars- [7 Nos enim nova omnia, qua Christus non dopium recondatur. ld. Minerio et Alexandro. Tom. cuit, jure damnamus, quia fidelibus via Christus 111. p. 128.] est. Si igitur Christus non docuit quod docemus, [3 Hoc quia de scripturis non habet auctoritatem, etiam nos id detestabile judicamus. Ambros. eadem facilitate contemnitur, qua probatur. Id.in De Virginibus. Lib. 111. cap. i. Tom. IV. p. 229. Matth. cap. xxiii. Tom. IX. p. 57.] Ed. Colon. Agrip. 1616.] [ Omne quod loquimur, debemus affirmare de [? Hzc est enim anim nostra vitalis substantia, scripturis sanctis. Id. in Psalmum xcviii. Tom. qua alitur, pascitur, gubernatur. Nec quidquam VIII. p. 118.] aliud est quod vivere faciat rationabilem animam, [^ This side-note is omitted in ed. 1582.] quam alloquium Dei. Id. in Psalmum cxviii. (119) [5 [Dominus narrabit, &c.] Non dixit, qui Octon. vii. Tom. II. p. 437.] sunt in ea, sed qui fuerunt in ea. Dominus nar- [? This passage is omitted in ed. 1582. ] rabit: et quomodo narrabit? Non verbo, sed scrip-]
it appeareth to be a transgression of the commandment: for there ought nothing to be added, although it seem good’.”
The same, in the epistle to the Galatians, cap. 1. “Neither saith the apostle, 4s well who if they preach contrary: but, if they preach any thing besides that that we have beside the preached,’ (that is, if they add any thing to it at all,) “hold them accursed.” Neither ast. is do I except myself, if I put to any thing beside that which was preached afore”.” Seige) The same, in the same place. “Ie doth affirm the gospel, which he had preached Even the & apostles, unto them, to be so firm and true, that although it should chance themselves (that preaching be:… sides the is to say, the apostles), being changed, to preach any other thing, he teacheth. that gospel, are » no they ought not to be heard”. believed. Augustine, of the consent of the Evangelists. “He that sent the prophets before Christ made. LJ LJ LI a t his incarnation, the same sent also his apostles after his ascension; yea, and by that ten that we manhood, which he took upon him, he is the head of all his disciples, which are members should read of his body: therefore, forasmuch as they wrote those things, which he shewed and taught them, it ought not to be said that he wrote them not, seeing that his mem- We are as.. ell b bers wrote that which they knew by their head teaching them. For whatsoever he to believe would have us to read, both of his deeds and words, that commanded he them to aaa: write, as his hands of his body. Whosoever doth perceive this fellowship of unity, though Christ ux.. ς had written and agreement of members, ministering under one head in diverse offices, he shall none with his own other ways take that that he readeth in the gospel, the disciples declaring it, than if he yi had seen the very hand of the Lord, which he bare in his own body, writing 1£.”
The same, to Vincent, against the Donatists, the 6th tom. pa. 116, Epist. 48. We The church therefore for this cause are certain and sure, that no man ought to withdraw himself RON from the communion of all men. And let none of us seek the church in our own righteousness, but in the holy scripture.”
Again, to the brethren in the wilderness. Read the holy scripture, wherein ye shall [the word » 18 find fully what is to be followed, and what to be avoided. enough for.. «. our salvaThe same, of nature and grace, lib. i. cap. 61. “I owe my consent to the canonical tion] scriptures only, without any refusal.” 29
[[!? Etenim quantum presens lectio docet, dis- Quicquid enim ille de suis factis et dictis nos]
[cimus nihil vel cautionis gratia jungere nos debere legere voluit, hoc scribendum illis tanquam suis]
[mandato. Si quid enim vel addas vel detrahas, pre- manibus imperavit. Hoc unitatis consortium et in]
[varicatio quzdam videtur esse mandati.Nihil diversis officiis concordium membrorum sub uno]
[igitur, vel quod bonum videtur, addendum est. Id. capite ministerium, quisquis intellexerit, non aliter]
[De Paradiso, cap. xii. Tom I. p. 62.] accipiet quod narrantibus discipulis Christi in evan- [! Aut si forte diabolus angelumDei se fingens, gelio legerit, quam si ipsam manum Domini, quam]
[ut facile possit audiri, de colis appareret contra hec in proprio corpore gestabat, scribentem conspexerit.]
[praedicans, sciretur esse contrarium, et ut abominatio Augustin. De Consensu Evangelistarum. Lib. 1.]
[haberetur. Si ergo apostolos Christi, quorum tam cap. xxxv. Tom. IV. p. 170. Ed. Paris. 1635.]]
[praclara opinio in signis et prodigiis erat faciendis, [4 Nos autem ideo certi sumus, neminem se a]
[et angelum de cc«lo, quem possit spiritalis ratio communione omnium gentium juste seperare potu-]
[commendare, aliter docentes quam ab apostolo isse, quia non quisque nostrum in justitia sua, sed]
[Paulo edocti erant, anathematizari precepit, &c. in scripturis divinis quarit ecclesiam. Id. Epist.]
[Id. in Epist. ad Galat. cap. i. Tom. III. p. 221.] xlviii. Vincentio contra Donatistas Tom. II. p. 68. ] [? Nam tam firmum atque verum evangelium [^ Omnia qué preteritis temporibus erga huma-]
[quod eis pradicaverat, asserit, ut etiam seipsos, id num genus majores nostri gesta esse meminerunt,]
[est apostolos, si immutati forte aliter predicarent, nobisque tradiderunt; omnia etiam qua nos vide-]
[non audiri doceret. Id. ibid. cap. i. Tom. III. mus, et posteris tradimus, qua tamen pertinent ad]
[p. 221.] veram religionem quarendam et tenendam, divina [13 Proinde qui prophetas ante descensionem scriptura non tacuit. Id. Epist. xlii. Mandauren-]
[suam praemisit, ipse et apostolos post ascensionem sibus. Tom. II. p. 57.]]
[suam misit. Omnibus autem discipulis suis per [15 Legite sacram scripturam, in qua quid tenen-]
[hominem quem assumpsit, tanquam membris sui dum, et quid fugiendum sit, plene invenietis. Id.]
[corporis, caput est. Itaque cum illi scripserunt, quz Sermones ad fratres in eremo. Serm. xxxviii. Tom.]
[ille ostendit et dixit, nequaquam dicendum est quod X. p. 734.]]
[ipse non scripserit: quandoquidem membra ejus id [17 Omitted in ed. 1582. ]]
[operata sunt, quod dictante capite cognoverunt, [18 Quia solis canonicis debeo sine ulla recusa-]
The same, upon John, 49th Treatise, cap. 11. “Not all things that the Lord Jesus did are written, as the same evangelist witnesseth: for the Lord both did and said many things that are not written; but things were chosen out to be written, which seemed
sufficient for the salvation of the believers
Non E The same, against Faustus, lib. 23, cap. 9. “That which Faustus putteth forth upon lieve farther. the birth of Mary, that she had a certain priest to her father, of the tribe of Levi, named holy serip- ^ Joachim; because it is not canonical, it doth not bind me.” The balance The same, of Baptism against the Donatists, lib. ii. cap. 6. Let us not bring detruth is the ceitful balances, wherein we may weigh what we will after our own pleasure, saying, ted P= “this is heavy,” this is light; but let us bring the divine balance of the holy scriptures, as of the treasures of the Lord, and in it let us weigh what is heavy; yea, let us not weigh,
but rather acknowledge the things that are weighed of the Lord”
[tione consensum. Id. De Natura et Gratia contra [^ Sedendo enim [super] cathedram Moysi lePelagianos. Lib. 1. cap. Ixi. Tom. VII. p. 322.] gem docent; ergo per illos Deus docet. Sua vero [^ Nam cum multa fecisset Dominus Jesus, non illi si velint docere, nolite audire, nolite facere: omnia scripta sunt: sicut idem ipse sanctus Joannes certe enim tales sua querunt, non que Jesu Christi. evangelista testatur, multa Dominum Christum et Id. in Joannem. Tract. xlvi. De cap. x. Tom. IX. dixisse et fecisse qua scripta non sunt. Electa sunt p. 139.] autem qué scriberentur, qua saluti credentium suf- [ Quantum autem minor est auri, argenti, vesficere videbantur. Id. in Joannem. Tract. xlix. De tisque copia, quam de /Egypto secum ille populus cap. xi. Tom. IX. p. 146.] abstulit, in comparatione divitiarum, quas postea [3 Ac per hoc illud, quod de generatione Marie Hierosolyma consecutus est, qua maxime in Salo-Faustus posuit, quod patrem habuerit ex tribu Levi mone rege ostenduntur; tanta fit cuncta scientia, sacerdotem quendam nomine Joachim, quia canoni- qua quidem est utilis collecta de libris gentium, si cum non est, non me constringit. Id. Contra Faus- divinarum scripturarum scientiz comparetur. Nam tum, Lib. xx111. cap. ix. Tom. VI. p. 188.] quicquid homo extra didicerit, si noxium est, ibi [> Non afferamus stateras dolosas, ubi appen- damnatur; si utile est, ibi invenitur. Et cum ibi damus quod volumus, et quomodo volumus pro ar- quisquis invenerit omnia quz utiliter alibi didicit; bitrio nostro, dicentes, hoc grave, hoc leve est: sed multo abundantius ibi inveniet ea quz nusquam afferamus divinam stateram de scripturis sanctis omnino alibi, sed in illarum tantummodo scriptutanquam de thesauris Dominicis, et in illa quid sit rarum mirabili altitudine et mirabili humilitate disgravius appendamns: imo non appendamus, sed cuntur. Id. De Doctrina Christiana, Lib. r1. capa Domino appensa recognoscamus. Id. De Bap- xlii. Tom. III. p. 20.] tismo contra Donatistas. Lib. 11. cap. vi. Tom.VII. [7 The reference in the text appears to be erp. 43.] roneous.] [ On Moses seat, Orig. ed.]]
how many the more every man findeth, so much the more is he apt in his understanding. good mam, LI.. d. Abe are In these, therefore, which are evidently contained in the scripture, are found all things, tained i the 1 ὦ -— seripture. — which contain faith, manners of living, hope, and love.”
The same, of the Unity of the Church, cap. 3. “Let us not hear, ‘I say,” ‘Thou Net what we sayest; but let us hear, Thus saith the Lord. There are, out of doubt, the Lord’s the Lord, 2.. that must books, to the authority whereof we both consent, we both believe, we both serve. Let heard,
Again, in his book of Pastors. He appointed the hills of Israel, the authors of Who feedeth A ith t the scriptures of God; feed there, that you may feed safely. Whatsoever you hear out of e VR ἡ -. fi that, let it savour well to you; whatsoever is besides that, refuse it, lest you wander un à Other, th into clouds. Get you to the hill of the scriptures: there be the pleasures of your hearts; CR there is no noisome, hurtful, or venomous things, no inconvenient things; there be most “mite os plentiful pastures.” untruly. Again, of Christian Doctrine, lib. 2, cap. 9. “In these things that be plainly set 391. forth in the scriptures are found all things that contain faith and manners of living, that I^ the seri is to wit, hope and charity. Then after a certain familiarity had with the speech of the things neces scripture of God, we must go to expound and discuss those things that be dark, that and good life, (to give light to dark speeches) examples may be taken out of the more plain places, suffice fo suffice for
[[? In his omnibus libris timentes Deum et pie- vel utrum rectum sit, quicquid in ea scriptum con-]
[tate mansueti quarunt voluntatem Dei. Cujus stiterit; episcoporum autem literas, qua post con-]
[operis et laboris prima observatio est, ut diximus, firmatum canonem vel scriptae sunt vel scribuntur,]
[nosse istos libros, et si nondum ad intellectum, le- et per sermonem forte sapientiorem cujuslibet in ea]
[gendo tamen vel mandare memoriz, vel omnino in- re peritioris et per aliorum episcoporum graviorem]
[cognitos non habere. Deinde illa quz in eis aperte authoritatem doctioremque prudentiam et per con-]
[posita sunt, vel precepta vivendi vel regule credendi, cilia licere reprehendi? Id. De Baptismo contra]
[solertius diligentiusque investiganda sunt. Qua Donatistas, Lib. 11. cap. iii. Tom. VII. p. 40.]]
[tanto quisquis plura invenit, quanto est intelligentia [!? Ubi enim de re obscurissima disputatur non]
[. capacior. In iis enim quze aperte in scriptura posita adjuvantibus divinarum scripturarum certis claris-]
[sunt, inveniuntur illa omnia quz continent fidem, que documentis, cohibere se debet humana prz-]
[moresque vivendi, spem scilicet atque caritatem. sumptio, nihil faciens in partem alteram declinando.]
[Id. De Doctrina Christiana. Lib. rr. cap. ix. Tom. Etsi enim quodlibet horum, quemadmodum demon-]
[I1I. p. 12.] strari et explicari possit, ignorem, illud tamen credo,? Sed, ut dicere coeperam, non audiamus, Hzc quod etiam hinc divinorum eloquiorum clarissima]
[dico, hac dicis; sed audiamus, Hzc dicit Domi- auctoritas esset, si homo illud sine dispendio pro-]
[nus. Sunt certe libri Dominici, quorum auctori- misse salutis ignorare non posset. Id. De pecca-]
[tati utrique consentimus, utrique credimus, utrique torum meritis et remissione, Lib. 11. cap. xxxvi.]
[servimus: ibi quaeramus ecclesiam, ibi discutiamus Tom. VII. p. 304. Ib.]]
[causam nostram, Id. De Unitate Ecclesia. cap. iii. [ To the hills, Orig. ed.]]
[Tom. VII. p. 142.] [5 Constituit montes Israel auctores scriptura- [/9 Certain bonds, Orig. ed.] rum divinarum, Ibi pascite, ut secure pascatis.]
[[ All latter writings, Orig. ed.] Quicquid inde audieritis, hoc vobis bene sapiat: [!? Quis autem nesciat sanctamscripturam ca- quicquid extra est, respuite, ne erretis in nebula.]
[nonicam tam veteris quam novi testamenti certis Colligite vos ad montes scripturz sanctse. Ibi sunt]
[suis terminis contineri, eamque omnibus posteriori- deliciae cordis vestri, ibi nihil venenosum, nihil ali-]
[bus episcoporum literis ita praponi, ut de illa om- enum; uberrima pascua sunt, Id. De Pastoribus,]
[nino dubitari et disceptari non possit, utrum verum cap. xi. Tom. IX. p. 279.]]
and some testimonies of places being certain may take away the doubt of the uncertain sentences!.”
Again, of the Christian Doctrine, the 3 lib. cap. 26. “Dark places are to be expounded by plainer places. That is the surest way, to expound one scripture by another.” Again, to Vincent the Donatist, Epist. 48. “This kind of learning (speaking of the old writers doings) is not to be read with necessity of belief, but with liberty of judgment.” And after: There, that is, in the holy scriptures, it is not lawful to say, the author of this book perceived not the truth; but either that the book is false, or the Ifany man’s interpreter hath erred, or thou understandest it not. But in the works of all them that saying or: los:: writing come after, (which be contained in innumerable books, yet in no wise to be compared to cannot be… proved by — the most holy excellency of the canonical scriptures,) although in some of them be found ture, or good the same truth, yet the authority is far unlike. Therefore, if it fortune any thing in ain serip-. ”. E. E. reason. gathered of them to be thought to dissent from the truth, because they are not so understand as they the same,:: ‘ man may be spoken, yet the reader or hearer hath his free judgment, so that either he may allow refuse it, as that that pleaseth him, or reject that which offendeth him. And therefore all such 0 0. LI.. like (except they may be defended either by good reason, or by the canonical authority, that it may be proved that they are so in deed, or may be so, because either it 1s there disputed or declared), if it displease any man, or if he will not believe it, he is not to be blamed therefore?.”
t.. the holy The same to Jerome. “I have learned to give this reverence and honour to those t. LI LJ LJ mrs only writers which be now called canonical, that I dare be bold to believe that none of them did err any thing at all in writing. But if I find any thing in those scriptures that seemeth contrary to the truth, I doubt not but that either the book is false, or the We may not interpreter did not attain the thing that was spoken, or else I understand it not. But all that the old other authors, be they never so excellent both in virtue and learning, I do so read them, wütetobe not that I think it true that they writ’, because they thought so; but because they could persuade me either by other canonical scriptures, or by some probable reasons, a thing not altogether abhorring from the truth.”
[[! In iis enim, qua aperté in scriptura posita par authoritas: itaque in eis, si qua forte propterea sunt, inveniuntur illa omnia qua continent fidem dissonare putantur à vero, quia non ut dicta sunt moresque vivendi, spem scilicet atque charitatem:— intelliguntur, tamen liberum ibi habet lector audiTum vero facta quadam familiaritate cum ipsa torve judicium, quo vel approbet quod placuerit, lingua divinarum scripturarum in ea qua ob- vel improbet quod offenderit: et ideo cuncta ejusscura sunt aperienda et discutienda pergendum est, modi nisi vel certa ratione, vel ex illa canonica auut ad obscuriores locutiones illustrandas de mani- thoritate defendantur, ut demonstretur sive omnino festioribus sumantur exempla, et quzdam certarum ita esse, sive fieri potuisse, quod vel disputatum ibi sententiarum testimonia dubitationem de incertis est, vel narratum: si cui displicuerit, aut credere auferant. Id. De Doctrina Christiana, Lib. 11. cap. noluerit, non reprehenditur. Id. Contra Faustum, ix. Tom. III. p. 12.] Lib. xr. cap. v. Tom. VI. pp. 104, 5.] [? Ubi autem apertius ponuntur, ibi discendum [ Noli ergo frater contra divina tam multa, tam est quomodo in locis intelligantur obscuris. Neque clara, tam indubitata testimonia colligere velle caenim melius potest intelligi quod dictum est de Deo. lumnias ex episcoporum scriptis, sive nostrorum, siId. Lib. 111. cap. xxvi. ibid. p. 25.] cut Hilarii, sive antequam pars Donati separaretur, [? The reference is erroneous; the passage is as ipsius unitatis, sicut Cypriani, et Agrippini: primo, follows:—Quod genus literarum non cum credendi quia hoc genus literarum ab authoritate canonis disnecessitate, sed cum judicandi libertate legendum tinguendum est. Non enim sic leguntur, tanquam est. Ibisi quid velut absurdum moverit, non licet ita ex eis testimonium proferatur, ut contra sentire dicere, author hujus libri non tenuit veritatem: sed, non liceat, sicubi forte aliter sapuerint quam veritas aut codex mendosus est, aut interpres erravit, aut tu postulat. Id. Vincentio contra Donatistas, Tom. II. non intelligis. In opusculis autem posteriorum, p. 70.] quz libris innumerabilibus continentur, sed nullo [5 That they wrote, Orig. ed.] modo illi sacratissima canonicorum scripturarum ($ Ego enim fateor caritati tue, solis eis scripexcellentia cozquantur, etiam in quibuscunque turarum libris, qui jam canonici appellantur, didici eorum invenitur eadem veritas, longe tamen est im- hunc timorem honoremque deferre, ut nullum eorum]
. μὲ. ” ures; bu have judged otherwise than truth is; the same truth, by God’s help, being understand τοῖν fefuse T ty 1em at our either of other men, or of us. For I am even such an one in other men’s writings as I pleasures. would men should be in mine?” The same, in the same place. “Let us seek no further than is written of God our Saviour, lest a man would know more than the scriptures witness”.” 33. Cyril, lib. vi. upon Leviticus. — There be two offices of a bishop, to learn Understand.. the wor the scriptures of God, and by oft reading to digest the same, or else to teach the written, for.. they that people; but let him teach those things, which he hath learned of God, and not of learn of it,… earn o his own heart, or by man’s understanding, but those things which the Holy Ghost teacheth ”.” The same, in John, chap. vi. He saith, “By this we learn, that only Christ ought to be followed as a master, and we must cleave unto him only.” The same, in John, chap. xx. “Not all things that the Lord did are written, but Al thin… 5 pertaining those things that the writers thought sufficient, as well to good manners as to doctrine; doctrine and LI. L]… gooc manthat we, shining with a constant faith, good works, and virtues, may come to the king- Tiers are in e wor dom of heaven ’.” written, which is RES Ι Τ TE SES ETT ET sufficient.
[auctorem scribendo aliquid errasse firmissime cre- firmiter retinere. Id. Proemium in Lib. 111. de]
[dam. Acsi aliquid in eis offendero literis, quod vi- Trinitate, Tom. III. p. 104.]]
[deatur contrarium veritati: nihil aliud, quam vel [!? Neque enim quorumlibet disputationes, quam-]
[mendosum esse codicem, vel interpretem non asse- vis catholicorum et laudatorum hominum, velut]
[quutum esse quod dictum est; vel me minime intel- scripturas canonicas habere debemus, ut nobis non]
[lexisse, non ambigam. Alios autem ita lego, ut, liceat salva honorificentia, qua illis debetur homi-]
[quantalibet sanctitate doctrinaque prapolleant, non nibus, aliquid in eorum scriptis improbare atque]
[ideo verum putem, quia ipsi ita senserunt; sed quia respuere, si forte invenerimus quod aliter senserint]
[mihi vel per illos auctores canonicos, vel probabili quam veritas habet, divino adjutorio vel ab aliis]
[ratione, quod a vero non abhorreat, persuadere po- intellecta vel a nobis. Talis ego sum in scriptis]
[tuerunt. August. Epist. xix. (de Petro reprehenso aliorum, tales volo esse intellectores meorum. Id.]
[a Paulo ad Hieronymum) Tom. II. p. 27. Ed. Fortunatiano, (de videndo Deo). Epist. cxi. T’om.II.]
[Paris. 1637.] p. 199.]
[7 Ego hujus epistole auctoritate non teneor, [} De corpore autem spiritali pacatius et dili-]
[quia literas Cypriani non ut canonicas habeo, sed gentius inquiramus, ne forte aliquid certum ac]
[eas ex canonicis considero; et quod in eis divinarum liquidum, si nobis hoc utile esse novit, secundum]
[scripturarum auctoritati congruit, cum laude ejus scripturas suas Deus dignetur demonstrare. Id.]
[accipio; quod autem non congruit, cum pace ejus ibid.]]
[respuo. Id. contra Cresconium Grammaticum, Lib. [13 Hzc duo sunt pontificis opera: ut a Deo discat]
[11 cap. xxxii. Tom, VII. p. 177.] legendo scripturas divinas et sepius ruminando, aut]
[[^ Neque enim negare debeo, sicut in ipsis mo- populum doceat; sed illa doceat qua ipse a Deo]
[ribus, ita multa esse in tam multis opusculis meis, didicerit, non ex proprio corde, vel ex humano]
[qua possint justo judicio et nulla temeritate culpari. sensu, sed qua Spiritus docet. Cyril. Alexand. In]
[Id. De Anima et ejus origine, Lib. 1v. (ad Vincen- Levit. Lib. vr. col. 20. Ed. Paris. 1514.]]
[tium Victorem) cap. i. Tom. VII. p. 499.] [13 Hinc etiam discimus unum solummodo Chris-]
[[ Noli meis literis quasi scripturis canonicis tum sequendum esse magistrum,illi soli inherendum.]
[inservire; sed in illis et quod non credebas cum Id. in Joannem, cap. vi. p. 384. Ed. Lutet. 1638.]
[inveneris incunctanter crede, in istis autem quod [! Non igitur omnia qua Dominus fecit con-]
[certum non habebas, nisi certum intellexeris, noli scripta sunt, sed qua scribentes tam ad mores [cnANMzER, r1. ] 3]
34 A CONFUTATION [cuar. Fulgence, in his sermon of the Confessors. “In the word of God is plenty for the and. strong man to eat; there is enough for the child to suck; there is also milk to drink, wherewith the tender infancy of the faithful may be nourished; and strong meat, wherewith the lusty youth of them that be perfect may receive the spiritual increasement of holy virtue. There provision is made for the salvation of all men whom the Lord doth vouchsafe to save. There is that that is agreeable to all ages; there is also that which is meet for all states. There we learn the commandments which we ought to do; there we know the rewards which we hope for’.”
Gregory, in Job, lib. xvi. cap. 28. “He that prepareth himself to the office of a then 8,?:.: true preacher, must needs fetch the foundation of his matters out of the holy scriptures; so that all that he saith he must reduce it to the first beginning of God’s authority, o LI LI LJ LI and in that stay the effect of his sayings. For, as I have said many times afore, heretics, one due::: rule. when they study to maintain their froward doctrine, surely they bring forth those things that are not contained in the holy scriptures.”
Theophylactus, upon this place of Paul, the last to the Romans, “I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause division, and give occasion of evil, contrary to the doctrine which you have learned, and avoid them. For they that are such, serve not the Lord Jesus Christ, but their own bellies; and with sweet preachings and flattering words deceive the hearts of the innocents.” Here saith Theophylactus, that they bring in ^ divisions and occasions of evil, which bring forth any thing beside the doctrine and learning of the apostles.”
Damascenus, lib. i. cap. 1. All that ever was delivered by the law, the prophets, the apostles, and the evangelists, we receive, acknowledge, and give reverence unto them, searching nothing besides them.”
Bruno, in the second to Timothy. Doubtless the holy scriptures are able to instruct are: [ ep: ἘΣ for thee to salvation. For every scripture being inspired from God, that is to say, spiritually o; i a understand after the will of God, is profitable to teach them that be ignorant; to reprove, that is, to convince them that speak against the faith; to correct sinners, such as deny not themselves to be sinners; to instruct those that be yet rude and simple; to instruct, I say, in righteousness, that they may be made righteous by putting away their former instructions of infidelity, I say, that he may be so taught, that, as much as in the teacher lieth, he that is taught may be the perfect man of God; so perfect, that he may be instruct to do every good work
[quam ad dogmata putarunt sufficere; ut recta fide cutionis suz firmet. Ut enim praediximus, sspe]
[et operibus ac virtute rutilantes, ad regnum colorum heretici dum sua student perversa adstruere, ea pro-]
[perveniamus. Id. in Joannem, cap. xxi. col. 220. ferunt qua profecto in sacrorum librorum paginis]
[Ed. Paris. 1508. This edition is quoted, since this non tenentur. Gregor. Papa I. Op. (Moral. Lib.]
[reference made by the archbishop was undoubtedly xvriir. in cap. xxxviii. beati Job.) Tom. I. col.]
[extracted from it, and not from the Greek text of 573. Ed. Paris. 1705.]]
[the author, which is more diffuse.]? Kai ai διχοστασίαι τοίνυν, kai Ta σκάνδαλα,]
[[! In quibus denuo mandatis, tanquam ditissi- ἤγουν ai αἱρέσεις, ἐκ τῶν παρὰ τὴν ἀποστολικὴν]
[mis ferculis, sic celestium deliciarum copia spiritalis διδαχὴν δογματιζόντων. “Theoph. In Epist. ad]
[exuberat, ut in verbo Dei abundet, quod perfectus Rom. Tom. 11. p. 116. Ed. Venet. 1754.]]
[comedat; abundet etiam, quod parvulus sugat. Ibi [^ Liber vero scripturz est sacra pagina, legem,]
[est enim simul et lacteus potus, quo tenera fidelium prophetas, et evangelium continens. In quibus]
[nutriatur infantia; et solidus cibus, quo robusta divina revelatione nobis indultis manifesta traditur]
[perfectorum juventus spiritalia sancte virtutis ac- Dei cognitio, quid de eo tenere, quid sentire debea-]
[cipiat incrementa. Ibi prorsus ad salutem consuli- mus; ut quz ibidem aperiuntur de Deo, inconcussa]
[tur universis, quos Dominus salvare dignatur. lbi fide teneamus, et ultra illa temerarie quippiam as-]
[est quod omni ztati congruat: ibi quod omni pro- truer de ipso non tentemus. Damascen. Orth-]
[fessioni conveniat. Ibi audimus precepta quz fa- dox fidei, Lib. 1. p. 3. Ed. Basil. 1675.]]
[ciamus: ibi cognoscimus premia qua speremus. [^ Matter of salvation, Orig. ed.]]
[Fulgent. Sermo de Confessoribus, p. 649. Ed. Ant- [6 Vere sacrz litera possunt te instruere ad sa-]
[verp. 1574. ] lutem: quia omnis scriptura inspirata divinitus, i.]
[[? Qui ad vere praedicationis verba se praeparat, spiritualiter secundum Deum intellecta, utilis est]
[necesse est ut causarum origines a sacris paginis ad docendum eos qui nesciunt; et ad arguendum, i.]
[sumat; ut omne quod loquitur, ad divin auctorita- ad convincendum eos qui fidei contradicunt; et ad]
[tis fundamentum revocet, atque in eo @dificium lo- corripiendum peccantes, et se peccasse non abne-]
Anselmus, bishop, in his book of Virginity, cap. xxiv. God’s law forbiddeth to
3 A
follow the steps of the catholic, or universal faith, any more than the judgment of the canonical truth commandeth to believe. And all other apocryphal lies, the good policies. E A.
…:. of the best learned fathers have stablished in their decrees utterly to reject, and to banish them clean, as hofrible thunderings of words.”
Lyrane, upon the last chap. of the Proverbs. “Like as in a merchant’s ship are carried divers things necessary for man’s life, so in the scripture are contained all things needful to salvation.”
Scotus, in the prologue of Sentences, quest. 2. Question: Whether knowledge above nature, sufficient for a man in this life, be sufficiently set forth in the holy scripture.” The question is not, “Whether any things be true that are not written, or whether God, since the creation and redemption of the world, hath done or said any thing that is not written, and received of the church for the holy scripture;” but this is the question, “Whether the word of God written be sufficient for our salvation; or whether a christian man be bound to believe any thing that cannot be proved by the holy scripture.” And this granted, that all things that may be gathered out of the scripture, and every thing that upon any truth granted may be proved by a good argument of the scripture,
[gantes; et ad erudiendum eos qui adhuc rudes [? The Editor has not succeeded in discovering]
[sunt et simplices, erudiendum dico in justitia, i. ad the passage referred to.]]
[hoc ut justificentur exuendo rudimenta infidelitatis. [? Sicut enim in navi institoris portantur di-]
[Sic inquam erudiant ut, quantum in doctore est, sit versa vite human necessaria; sic in scriptura]
[ille qui eruditur perfectus homo Dei; perfectus ita continentur omnia necessaria ad salutem. Nico. de]
[ut sit instructus ad omne opus bonum faciendum. Lyra. In Prov. cap. xxxi. Pars rrr. p. 339. Ed.]
[Brun. Carth. Patri. In 2 Tim. cap. iii. in fine. Basil. 1502.]]
[Ed. 1524.] [10 Sacra enim scriptura est regula fidei, cui nec]
[7 Si quis loquitur quasi sermones Dei. Timens addere, nec subtrahere licet. Veritas fidei in sacra]
[videlicet, ne preter voluntatem Dei, vel preter scriptura diffuse continetur et variis modis, et in]
[quod in scripturis sanctis evidenter praecipitur, vel quibusdam obscure, ita quod ad eliciendum fidei veri-]
[dicat aliquid, vel imperet, et inverftatur tanquam tatem ex sacra scriptura requiritur longum studium]
[falsus testis Dei, aut sacrilegus, vel introducens et exercitium, ad quod non possunt pervenire omnes]
[aliquid alienum a doctrina Domini, vel certe subre- illi, quibus necessarium est cognoscere fidei verita-]
[linquens et przteriens aliquid eorum, qua Deo pla- tem; quorum plerique aliis negotiis occupati, studio]
[cita sunt, cum ipse manifestissime przdicatoribus vacare non possunt: et ideo fuit necessarium, ut ex]
[veritatis de his quos imbuerint pracipiat dicens: sententiis sacra scripture aliquid manifestum sum-]
[Docentes eos servare omnia, quecunque mandavi marie colligeretur, quod proponeretur omnibus ad]
[vobis. Et ea enim, quz ipse mandavit, non alia, et credendum: quod quidem non est additum sacrae]
[hzc non ex parte, sed omnia suis auditoribus obser- scripture, sed potius ex sacra scriptura sumptum.]
[vare tradere jubet. Beda Opera, Tom. IV. col. Thomas Aquin. Secunda secunde, Quast. i. Art.]
[710 Ed. Colon. Agrip. 1612.] ix. Tom, II. p. 5. Ed. Antverp. 1624.]]
doth pertain to the holy scripture; this granted, I say, he concludeth, that “all things necessary for our salvation are fully contained in the holy scripture’.”
fT The school-authors call the stay of our faith, the truth shewed of God, and contained in the canon of the bible.
The Third Chapter
36. That the General Councils, without the Word of God, are not sufficient to make articles
of our faith
They were Eusesius, in his Ecclesiastical History, lib. i. cap. 8. [viii. 1.] The head-rulers of the the spirit of church, forgetting God’s commandments, were inflamed one against another with conpride anc.: ” envy, and not tention, zeal, envy, pride, malice, and hatred; so that they thought rather that they in the spiri: β: EE de οὔ Ine ness occupied the room of tyrants than of priests. And also, forgetting christian humility and love. 3:…,
and sincerity, they did celebrate the holy mysteries with unholy hands?
lusts of strife and desire and of lordship reign there?.“
any thing in them do chance to err from the truth
Augustine, against Maziminum, the bishop of the Arians, lib. iii. cap. 4. “But now neither ought 1 to allege the council of Nice, nor thou the council of Arimine, to take advantage thereby: for neither am I bound nor held by the authority of this, The seripture ΠΟΥ thou of that. Let matter with matter, cause with cause, or reason with reason, must try all.
try the matter by the authority of scriptures, not proper witnesses to any of us, but
indifferent witnesses for us both.”
Mark this, Gerson. We ought rather believe the saying of any teacher, armed with the
canonical scripture, than the pope’s determination.”
[[ Quastio ii. Utrum cognitio supernaturalis tin. de Bapt. cont. Donat. Lib. rr. cap. iii. Tom. necessaria viatori sit sufficienter tradita in sacra VII. p. 42. Ed. Paris. 1635. ] scriptura: upon which the conclusion is, Quod [5 Sed nunc nec ego Niczenum, nec tu debes sacra scriptura sufficienter continet doctrinam ne- Arimenense, tanquam przjudicaturus proferre concessariam viatori.] cilium. Nec ego hujus auctoritate, nec tu illius [3 Οἵ τε δοκοῦντες ὑμῶν ποιμένες, Tov τῆς Üco- detineris: scripturarum auctoritatibus, non quocefleías θεσμὸν παρωσάμενοι, ταῖς πρὸς ἀλλήλους rumque propriis, sed utrisque communibus testibus, dveQAéyovro φιλονεικίαις” αὐτὰ δὴ ταῦτα μόνα, res cum re, causa cum causa, ratio cum ratione τὰς ἔριδας καὶ τὰς ἀπειλὰς τόν τε ζῆλον καὶ τὸ concertet. Id. Contra Maxim. Arrian. Epis. Lib. πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἔχθος καὶ μῖσος ἐπαύξοντες, οἷά Te 111. cap. xiv. Tom. V1. p. 306.] τυραννίδας Tas φιλαρχίας ἐκθύμως διεκδικοῦντες, [ἡ Jungatur huic consideration cum sua decla- τότε δι), k.T.c, Euseb. Eccl. Hist. Lib. virr. ratione duplex veritas. Prima, staret quod aliquis cap. i.] simplex non auctorisatus, esset tam excellenter in [? “Exe μὲν οὕτως, εἰ δεῖ ταληθὲς γράφειν, sacris litteris eruditus, quod plus esset credendum woTe πάντα σύλλογον φεύγειν ἐπισκόπων, ὅτι in casu doctringli suz assertioni, quam pape decla- μηδεμιᾶς συνόδου τέλος εἶδον χρηστὸν, μηδὲ λύσιν rationi; constat enim plus esse credendum evangelio κακῶν μᾶλλον ἐσχηκυίας ἢ προσθήκην” del γὰρ quam papa: si doceat igitur talis eruditus veri- φιλονεικίαι καὶ φιλαρχίαι. Greg. Nazianz. Epist. tatem aliquam in evangelio contineri, ubi et papa exxx. Procopio. Tom. IT. p. 110. Ed. Paris. 1840.] nesciret, vel ultro erraret; patet cujus praeferendum [^ Et ipsa concilia, quz per singulas regiones sit judicium, Altera veritas, talis eruditus deberet vel provincias fiunt, plenariorum conciliorum auc- in casu, si et dum celebraretur generale concilium, toritati, que fiunt ex universo orbe Christiano, sine cui et ipse presens esset, illi se opponere, si sentiret ullis ambagibus cedere; ipsaque plenaria sepe majorem partem ad oppositum evangelii malitia vel priora posterioribus emendari, cum aliquo experi- ignorantia declinare. Gerson. De Exam. Doctr. Pars mento rerum aperitur quod clausum erat, Augus- i. Consid. v. Tom. I. col. ii. Ed. Antverp. 1706.]]
The same. More credit is to be given to a man that is singularly learned in —. the scripture, bringing forth catholic authority, than to the general council?.”
Panormitan, in cap. Significasti” “A simple layman, bringing forth the scriptures, is to be believed rather than a whole council. For a council may err, as it hath aforetimes erred:” as did the council of Melchidense and Aquisgranum, of contracting of matrimony. The council of Constance, among other articles of John Hus and Hierome of Prague unjustly condemned, condemned also this article for heresy: That the two natures, that is, the divine? and humanity, be one Christ; which is a necessary article of our faith, expressed in the Creed of Athanasius, called Quicunque vult; where it is read, The right faith is, that we believe and confess that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and man:’ and a little after, Like as the reasonable soul and the flesh is one man, so God and man is one Christ, The same is also decreed by the council of Nice and divers other catholic councils, and it is the doctrine of the church at this time. Finally, it may be proved by the express word of God: and yet these malicious clergy were not ashamed to condemn the same for an heresy.
9. Note here, gentle reader, unto what shameless and detestable heresies their popish, yea, antichristian general councils have fallen, of the which they boast so much that they cannot err, and whereupon chiefly they build all their errors and
heresies. Moreover, the most part of the good laws and canons be in manner altogether abrogated, and nowhere kept: part whereof I shall express. Canons of the Apostles and Councils Not Kept nor Used
Let not a bishop, priest, or deacon, by any means put away his own wife under pretence of religion: but if he do, let him be excommunicated; and if he so continue, let him be deposed.”
Let no bishop, priest, or deacon, be received into another bishop’s diocese, without a testimonial of his good behaviour: and when they have delivered their writings, let them be diligently examined if they be godly preachers.”
9. If these two laws were throughly executed by indifferent judges, being no priests, the realm of England should not swarm so full of runagates, adulterous, and sodomical priests. For in Wales, for their cradle crowns paid to the ordinary, they kept their concubines or harlots openly; and in England many great beneficed men keep their harlots at rack and manger without any punishment, except it be by, bribing of the ordinaries privily; and, all shame set aside, they have their own known bastards waiting upon them in sight of the whole world. But the poor purgatory priests, when they be taken in open advoutry, flee from east to west, from north to south, from diocese to diocese, and there be received without any letters testimonial at all; where they be taken for honest and chaste priests. But if the rich priests were deprived of all their promotions, so oft as they be known to be fornicators, (as they ought to be,) and the poor priests not received into any strange diocese without testimony of his honest demeanour from his former ordinary, you should scarcely find priests for every
[7 See note 6 on previous page.] Tom. I. col. 25. Ed. Paris. 1671.1? Uni fideli privato, si meliorem scripture auc- [1 Μηδένα τῶν ξένων ἐπισκόπων, ἢ πρεσβυτέ-]
[toritatem aut rationem habeat, plus credendum est, ρων, ἢ διακόνων ἄνευ συστατικῶν προσδέχεσθαι,]
[quam toti concilio—nam et concilium potest errare.— xai ἐπιφερομένων αὐτῶν ἀνακρινέσθωσαν. ld.]
[Panorm. (N. de Tudesch.) sup. Decretal. Lib. i. Can. xxii. Labbe et Cossart, Tom. I. col. 31. Ib.]
[Tit. vi. Tom. I. fol. R. 2. Lib. Venet. Ed. Nur. et This Canon is given more fully, ex interpretatione]
[Basil. 1476-8.] Dionysii exigui,” in Latin, as follows (col. 50):]
[[? The divinity and humanity, Orig. ed.] Nullus episcoporum peregrinorum, aut presbytero-]
[19 Επίσκοπος, ἢ πρεσβύτερος, ἢ διάκονος τὴν rum,aut diaconorum sine commendatitiis suscipiatur]
[ἑαυτοῦ γυναῖκα μὴ ἐκβαλλέτω προφάσει εὐλαβείας. epistolis. Et cum scripta detulerint, discutiantur]
[Ἐὰν δὲ ἐκβάλλῃ, ἀφοριζέσθω” ἐπιμένων δὲ, καθαι- attentius, et ita suscipiantur, si predicatores pietatis]
[ρείσθω. Can. Apost. Can, v. Labbe et Cossart. exstiterint,” Id. Can. xxxiv. col. 50.]]
third benefice of England, and the priests themselves would be the first earnest suitors that they might have their lawful wives of their own. But as long as they be their own judges, (according to the old proverb, One scabbed horse knappeth another,”) what for favour and friendship, what for money and for slandering of their order, they wink one at another’s faults, and help to cloke the same; insomuch that within my sus” memory, which is above thirty years, and also by information of other, that be twenty — years elder than I, I could never perceive or learn that any one priest under the pope’s no.. in kingdom was ever punished for advoutry by his ordinary. And yet, not long ago, a petty canon of a cathedral church in England was accused, by three boys of nis the grammar-school, to the vice-dean or sub-dean of the same church; a man not unlike to a monk called Jodocus, of whom Erasmus maketh mention, that he were worthy to walk openly with a bell and a cockscomb, if he were not set forth under the holy habit of a monk. But when he perceived that the said priest could not purge himself of the foresaid crime, he privily paid him his quarters wages beforehand, and suffered him to depart without farther trial of the said crime: and now he jetteth in London, with side gown and sarcenet tippet, as good a virgin-priest as the best. If I should but briefly touch all the histories that I have known of the incontinency of priests, i& would grow to a work thrice greater than all my whole book, and it would make some of the proudest of them to blush, if they be not past all shame: but I will not blot my good paper with so evil matter, although they be not ashamed openly to blot and stain their own good names with crimes worthy of such reproach and ignominy.
“Let not any bishop, priest, or deacon, in any wise take upon him any secular business; but if he do, let him be excommunicated?.”
” But now such shameless contemners they be of their own laws, which they so greatly extol and bind all other to keep, that they be hunters, falconers, stewards, surveyors, and receivers, to all great men, yea, and to the bishops themselves.
“If any priest or deacon, or any other of the number of priesthood, do not receive at the communion, let him shew his cause: if it be reasonable, let him be pardoned; if not, let him be deprived from the communion.”
“It is meet to put off from the communion all christian men which enter into the church, and hear the scriptures, but continue not in prayer until mass be done, nor receive there the holy communion, as disturbers of the quietness of the church 5,”
Ἵ By these two canons be subverted, and utterly overthrown, all private masses, where the priest only receiveth.
“Let the old custom continue still in Egypt, Lybia, and Pentapoli, that the bishop
6. of Alexandrie have power over all these; forasmuch as the bishop of Rome hath a like custom. At Antioch also, and other provinces, let their honour be reserved to every church
^ Because there be some that kneel at their prayers on the Sunday and in Whitsun-
week; be it therefore ordained by this holy council, that all men stand at their prayers; forsomuch as it is a convenient custom, fit to be kept in all churches?.”
[[! Third be benefice, Ed. 1582.] Can. ix. Ib. Tom, I. col. 27.]? Two words are omitted. ] (9 Ta ἀρχαῖα ἔθη κρατείτω, τὰ ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ [? Επίσκοπος, ἢ πρεσβύτερος, ἢ διάκονος κοσ- καὶ Λιβύῃ καὶ Πενταπόλει, ὥστε τὸν AXcEavópeías]
[μικας φροντίδας μὴ ἀναλαμβανέτω” εἰ δὲ μὴ, kab- ἐπίσκοπον πάντων τούτων ἔχειν τὴν ἐξουσίαν”]
[αιρείσθω. Id Can. vi Labbe et Cossart. Tom. I. ἐπειδὴ καὶ τῷ ἐν τῇ Ῥώμῃ ἐπισκόπῳ τοῦτο σύν-]
[col 25 Ib] ηθές ἐστιν ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ κατὰ τὴν ᾿Αντιόχειαν, [ Εἴ τις ἐπίσκοπος, ἢ πρεσβύτερος, ἢ διάκονος, καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἄλλαις ἐπαρχίαις, τὰ πρεσβεῖα σώω-]
[ἢ ἐκ τοῦ καταλόγου τοῦ ἱερατικοῦ, προσφορᾶς γε- ζεσθαι ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις. Conc. Nican. Can. vi.]
[vouévns μὴ μεταλάβοι, τὴν αἰτίαν εἰπάτω. Kal Labbe et Cossart. Tom. II. col. 32. Lutet. Paris.]
[ἐὰν εὔλογος ἢ, συγγνώμης τυγχανέτω” εἰ δὲ un 1671-2.]]
[λέγει, ἀφοριζέσθ, &c Id Can. viii. Ib, Tom. I. [7 Ἐπειδή τινές εἰσιν ἐν τῇ κυριακῇ γόνυ κλί-]
[col 25] νοντες, καὶ ἐν ταῖς τῆς πεντηκοστῆς ἡμέραις, ὑπὲρ [^ Πάντας τοὺς εἰσιόντας πιστοὺς, kal τῶν τοῦ πάντα ἐν πάσῃ παροικίᾳ ὁμοίως παραφυλάτ-]
[γραφῶν ἀκούοντας, μὴ παραμένοντας δὲ τῇ προσ- τεσθαι, ἑστῶτας ἔδοξε τῇ dyia συνόδῳ τὰς εὐχὰς]
[εὐχῇ καὶ τῇ ἁγίᾳ μεταλήψει, ὡς ἀταξίαν ἐμ- ἀποδιδόναι Oed. Id. Can. xx. Ib. Tom. II. col.]
[ποιοῦντας TH ἐκκλησίᾳ, αφορίζεσθαι χρή. Id. 37.]]
4. But now Antichrist of Rome, contrary to this decree, hath extolled himself above his fellow-bishops, as God’s vicar, yea, rather as God himself; and taketh upon him - authority over kings and emperors, and sitteth in the temple of God, that is, in the consciences of men, and causeth his decrees to be more regarded than God’s laws; yea, and for money he dispenseth with God’s laws, and all other, giving men licence to break them.
“If any priest be found eating in a common alehouse, let him be excommunicated.” — “If any man judge that a married priest ought not to offer, as it were for his marriage sake, and for that cause do abstain from his oblation, let him be excommunicated?.”
1. But now married priests be excommunicated; and except they will forsake their lawful wives, they shall be burned therefore.
Forasmuch as there are some which pray standing, both on the Sunday and in Whitsun-week, it is therefore ordained by this holy council, that because it is a convenient custom, and agreeable throughout all churches, that men should make their prayers to God standing
1. This law is no where kept.
“Let no priest be made before thirty years, yea, though he be of an honest life; but let him tarry to the time appointed: for the Lord was baptized at thirty years, and then preached’.”
How this law is kept, the whole world may judge: for the cardinal of Loreyn was made about the twelfth year of his age; and pope Clement made two of his nephews cardinals, being very boys. And of late, in the pope’s kingdom, children have been made archdeacons and deans of cathedral churches.
“No man may be received to baptism in Lent after two weeks,”
Dread ought not to be offered in Lent but in the Saturday and Sunday.”
4. He speaketh of the bread of the holy communion. But who keepeth these laws?
Laymen ought not to sing any made and commonly used songs in the church, nor read any book beside the canon; but only the canonical books of the new and old testament.” ‘Those books which ought to be read and received for authority, be those books which be divided from the books called Apocrypha, in the great bible. Unto the which Saint Cyprian, Hierome, Austin, with all the old writers, agree ^. ”
€ But the third council of Carthage added to these the books of Wisdom, Ecclesiasticus, Tobie, Judith, Hester, and the books of the Machabees’^; unto which latter council the papists cleave with tooth and nail, and thereupon stay their purgatory, praying to saints, with divers other errors and heresies, contrary to the elder and better councils. Hereby you may most easily perceive how shamefully their general councils have erred, as well in the judgment of the scriptures, as also in necessary articles of our faith and good manners. Yea, and the chiefest and oldest councils be (as Anacharsis said of the laws made by Solon for the Athenians) like to cobwebs, wherein small flies, gnats, and midges, be taken and devoured of the spiders; but great hornets and humblc-bees fly through and break them, without any danger or hurt. And generally there is no laws regarded, kept, or maintained among them, but such as make (as they term them) pro
[[? There is an error in the reference. But see [13 μέ. Ὅτι οὐ δεῖ μετὰ δύο ἑβδομάδας τῆς]
[Concil. Labb. et Cossart. Tom. II. p. 592. Tit. τεσσαρακοστῆς δέχεσθαι εἰς τὸ φώτισμα. Synodi]
[xxiii. ] Laodicenz Canones, Can. xlv. Ib. Tom. I. col. [? Εἴ τις διακρίνοιτο παρὰ πρεσβυτέρον ye- 1509.]]
[γαμηκότος, ὡς μὴ χρῆναι λειτουργήσαντος αὐτοῦ [75 ub’. Ὅτι οὐ δεῖ τῇ τεσσαρακοστῇ ἄρτον]
[προσφορᾶς μεταλαμβάνειν, ἀνάθεμα ἔστω. Conc. προσφέρειν, εἰ μὴ ἐν σαββάτῳ καὶ κυριακῇ μόνον.]
[Gangr. Can. iv. Tom. II. col. 419. Id.] Can. xlix. Id. Tom. I. col. 1505.] [!? See preceding page, note 7. [! νθ. “Ὅτι οὐ δεῖ ἰδιωτικοὺς ψαλμοὺς λέγεσθαι [!! Πρεσβύτερος πρὸ τῶν πριάκοντα ἐτῶν μὴ ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ, οὐδὲ ἀκανόνιστα βίβλια, ala]
[χειροτονείσθω, ἐὰν καὶ πάνυ ἢ ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἄξιος, μόνα Ta κανονικὼ τῆς καινῆς καὶ παλαιᾶς διαθήκης.]
[ἀλλὰ ἀποτηρείσθω. Ὁ yap κύριος 1ησοῦς Χριστὸς Id. Can. lix. Tom. I. col. 1507.]]
[ἐν τῷ τριακοστῷ ἔτει ἐφωτίσθη, καὶ ἤρξατο δι- 15 Vide Can. 1x. Ib.]]
[δάσκειν. Concil Neocasarense, Can. xi. Ib. Tom. ’ [’ Vide Canones Concilii Carthagin. iii. Can.]
[I. col. 1483.] xlvii. Id. Tom. II. col. 1177.]]
Matt. xxiii. pane lucrando, that is, for their dignities, immunities, or liberties and profits. Wherefore the words of our Saviour Christ may be rightly verified of them: They lay heavy and importable burthens on other men’s shoulders, but will not once
move them with their finger.” for all their laws be but nets to take and kill the poor fishes, and to fill their own paunches. The Fourth Chapter
- That nothing can be proved by oracles of angels touching religion’. Gen. iii. Satan, being changed into a serpent, deceived our first parents; and in them cast all mankind headlong into damnation. 1 Kings xxii. “I will go forth, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.”
9 Read the whole chapter
Gal. i. “Though an angel from heaven preach any other gospel,” &c. 2 Cor. xi. Satan himself is changed into an angel of light.” Col. ii. Let no man make you shoot at a wrong mark by the humbleness and holiness of angels.” [1 Tim. iv.] The same, chap. iv. The Spirit speaketh evidently, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, and shall give heed unto spirits of error and devilish doctrine.” 1 John iv. Believe not every spirit, but prove the spirits, whether they are of God, or not.” Aets xvi. “A certain damsel, possessed with a spirit that prophesied, met us; which brought her master and mistress much vantage with prophesying. The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These are the servants of the most High God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. And this did she many days: but Paul, not content, turned about, and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesu Christ, that thou come out of her. And he came out the same hour.”
Cyprian, of the Simpleness of Prelates. “The enemy (after the words of the apostles) changeth himself into an angel of light, and setteth forth his servants, as ministers of The devil ὡς righteousness, affirming night for day, death for health, desperation under the colour of heeause he hope, false faith under the pretence of faith, antichrist under the name of Christ: so that from the en whiles they counterfeit the like things, they make void the truth with subtlety. This, and is not ’ dearly-beloved brethren, cometh to pass by this means, that we resort not to the original therewith. — of the truth, nor seek the head Christ, nor keep the doctrine of our heavenly Master?.” ud eo Cyprianus, in his fourth treatise of the Vanity of Idols. Filthy spirits wandering pod βου ” abroad, being drowned in worldly vices, after they have shrunken from heavenly virtue through worldly corruption, being themselves destroyed, cease not to destroy other, [The devils and, being infect with evil, infect other with the same. These inspire the hearts of the ESOS SE prophets, ever lapping up lies with the truth; they trouble men’s lives, disquiet their sleeps, drawing their members awry, hurt their health, provoke diseases, to force men to They hurt — worshipping of them: and this is the remedy of them, when they cease to hurt. Neither when they have they any other study but to call men back from God, and turn them from the mm mim “eoo ων
[[! The Confutation here contains several au- lute, desperationem sub obtentu spei, perfidiam sub thorities which are not to be found in Cranmer’s pretextu fidei, antichristum sub vocabulo Christi; Common-place Book at the British Museum, par- ut dum verisimilia mentiuntur, veritatem subtilitate ticularly the long quotation from Lactantius. ] frustrentur. Hoc eo fit, fratres dilectissimi, dum ad [3 The apostle, Orig. ed.] veritatis originem non reditur, nec caput quzritur, [? (Blandiente adversario atque fallente,) qui nec magistri celestis doctrina servatur. Cyprian, secundum apostoli vocem transfigurat se velut ange- De Unit. Eccles. (vulg. de Simp. Pral.) p. 194. Ed. lum lucis, et ministros suos subornat velut ministros Paris. 1726.] justitia, asserentes noctem pro die, interitum pro sa- [^ These paragraphs are omitted in ed. 1582.]]
perceiving of true religion to their superstition; and seeing they be in pain themselves,. to seek those to be companions of their pain whom they have made, through their error, partakers of their sin.”
Lactantius, Institutionum, Lib. ii. cap. 15. “Corrupt and damned spirits stray over all the world, and seek for ease of their destruction through the destruction of men. They therefore fill all the world with snares, frauds, and errors; the which, because they be fine spirits, and cannot be perceived, convey themselves into men’s bodies, and being secretly hid within the body, trouble health, bring sickness, fray men with dreams, vex men’s minds with sweat, that through these harms they may force men to run to them for help. The cause of all which deceits is dark to them that be ignorant in the truth; for they think they profit when they cease from hurting which can do nothing but hurt. But they which have shrunken back from God’s service, because they be enemies and transgressors of the truth, go about to challenge to themselves the name and honour of God: not because they desire any honour, (for what honour can the damned have?) nor that they should hurt God, who cannot be hurt; but to hurt men, whom they go about to draw away from the worship and knowledge of God’s true majesty, lest they should attain immortality, which they have lost through their own malice. So they cover all with darkness, and compass the truth with clouds; so that they cannot know their Lord, nor their Father. And that they may easily allure men, they hide themselves in the churches, and are at hand in all sacrifices. Yea, many times they work miracles, through which men being astonied, do give to images the faith of the godhead. Hereof it cometh that a stone was cut in sunder with a razor by a sorcerer; and that Juno of Veia answered, that she would go to Rome; and that a ship followed the hand of Claudia; and that Juno being robbed, and Proserpina of Locrense, and Ceres of Milete, took vengeance of those that had committed sacrilege; and Hercules of Appius, and Jupiter of Atimus, and Minerva of Cesar. Hereof also it cometh that a serpent delivered the city of Rome from the pestilence, being brought from Epidaure. But chiefly they deceive men in their oracles and answers, whose jugglings ungodly men cannot discern from the truth. Therefore they think that empires and victories, riches and lucky chances of things, are given of them; and to be short, ofttimes commonwealths to be delivered from present dangers at their beck, which dangers they both declared by their answer’, and, being pacified with sacrifice, turned away. But all these be but deceits; for seeing they know before the disposition of God, because they were his ministers, they thrust themselves into these business’, so that whatsoever things either be done or have been done of God, they might seem chiefly to do or have done it. And so oft as any goodness is coming at hand to any people or city, according to God’s appointment, they promise that they will do it, either by miracles, dreams, or revelations, if churches, if honours, if sacrifices, be given to them: the which things being given, when that chanceth that needs must be, they get to themselves great worship. For this cause be temples vowed, for this cause be new images hallowed. And so oft as perils be at hand, for some foolish and light cause, they feign themselves angry, as Juno toward Varro. But these be the deceits of them, that lurking under the names of the dead, intend to plague them that be alive. Wherefore, whereas that danger that is at hand may be avoided, they would seem that they, being pacified, have turned it away. And if it cannot be eschewed, this they do, that it might appear to chance for the contempt of them. And so they purchase to themselves great authority and fear among men that know them not. Some men will say, Why doth God then suffer these things? neither doth he succour so evil errors? “That evil
[[? Spiritus sunt insinceri et vagi, qui postea ad cultum sui cogant. Hzc est de illis medela, cum]
[quam terrenis vitiis immersi sunt, et a vigore codlesti illorum cessat injuria; nec aliud illis studium est]
[terreno contagio receperunt, non desinunt perditi quam a Deo homines avocare, et ad superstitionem]
[perdere, et depravati errorem pravitatis infundere. sui ab intellectu vera religionis avertere, et cum]
[Hi afflatu suo vatum pectora inspirant, falsa veris sint ipsi penales, quaerere sibi ad penam comites]
[semper involvunt; nam et falluntur et fallunt, vitam quos ad crimen suum fecerint errore participes. Id.]
[turbant, somnos inquietant, irrepentes etiam spiritus De Idolorum Vanitate, pp. 226, 7.]]
[in corporibus occulte mentes terrent, membra distor- [^ Answers, Orig. ed.]]
[quent, valetudinem frangunt, morbos lacessunt, ut [7 Businesses, Orig. ed.]]
things may fight with good, that vices may be contrary to virtues, that he may have
19» some whom he may punish, and some whom he may honour’
believed to be the Lord. See here how this fearful and foolish monk
Valent, leaving very Christ, worshipped Christ’s enemy, and, instead of the truth, a counterfeit antichrist and Satan.”
[[! Hi, ut dico, spiritus contaminati ac perditi antur. Et quoties alicui populo vel urbi secundum per omnem terram vagantur; et solatium perditionis Dei statum boni quid impendet; illi se id facturos suz perdendis hominibus operantur. Itaque omnia vel prodigiis, vel somniis, vel oraculis pollicentur; insidiis, fraudibus, dolis, erroribus complent—qui si sibi templa, si honores, si sacrificia tribuantur. quoniam sunt spiritus tenues, et incomprehensibiles, Quibus datis, cum illud acciderit, quod necesse est, insinuant se corporibus hominum; et occulte in vis- summam sibi pariunt venerationem. Hinc templa ceribus operti valetudinem vitiant, morbos citant; devoventur, et nove imagines consecrantur.—Quo-somniis animos terrent; mentes furoribus quatiunt; ties autem pericula impendent; ob aliquam se ineput homines his malis cogant ad eorum auxilia de- tam et levem causam profitentur iratos; sicut Juno currere. Quarum omnium fallaciarum ratio exper- Varroni. —Sed illorum sunt isti lusus; qui sub notibus veritatis obscura est. Prodesse enim eos pu- minibus mortuorum delitescentes, viventibus plagas tant, cum nocere desinunt; quinihil aliud possunt tendunt. Itaque sive illud periculum, quod immiquam nocere,— Illi autem, qui desciverunt a Dei mi- net, vitari potest, videri volunt id placati avertisse; nisterio, quia sunt veritatis inimici, et prevaricatores sive non potest, id agunt ut propter illorum conDei, nomen sibi et cultum deorum vendicare co- temptum accidisse videatur. Ita sibi apud homines, nantur: non quod ullum honorem desiderent, (quis qui eos nesciunt, auctoritatem ac timorem pariuntenim honor perditis est?) nec ut Deo noceant, cui Dicet aliquis, Cur ergo Deus hzc fieri patitur? nec noceri non potest; sed ut hominibus, quos nituntur tam malis succurrit erroribus? Ut mala cum bonis a cultura et notitia vera majestatis avertere, ne im- pugnent; ut vitia sint adversa virtutibus; ut habeat mortalitatem adipisci possint, quam ipsi sua nequitia alios quos puniat, alios quos honoret. Lactant. Lib. perdiderunt. Offundunt itaque tenebras, et verita- II. capp. 14, 15, 16, 17. pp. 138—143. Ed. Lugd. tem caligine obducunt; ne Dominum, ne patrem Batav. 1652.] suum norint. Et ut illiciant, facile in templis se oc- [> Non etiam mireris de fictitiis angelis et de culunt, et sacrificiis omnibus presto adsunt; edunt- simulato astutia Satan Christo, cum Valentini que saepe prodigia, quibus obstupefacti homines, monacho ex historia Heraclidis simile accidisse fidem commodent simulachris divinitatis ac numi- agnoscatur. D:emon (inquit) in effigiem salvatoris nis. Inde est, quod ab augure lapis novacula inci- transfiguratus, nocte ad eum venit cum choro quosus est; et quod Juno Veiensis migrare se Romam dam mille (ut finxerat) angelorum, lampadas acvelle respondit; quod Claudiz manum navis secuta censas tenentium, et cum flammea rota, in qua est; quod in sacrilegos et Juno nudata, et Locrensis salvatorem sedere simulaverat, precedente uno ex Proserpina, et Ceres Milesia vindicavit; et Hercules ipsis, eique ista dicente: Egredere igitur e cella de Appio, et Jupiter de Atinio, et Minerva de Ca- tua nihilque aliud facias, nisi ut venientem eminus sare. Hinc, quod serpens urbem Romam pestilentia cernens, inclinans te, adorare festines, sic deinceps liberavit Epidauro accersitus. In oraculis autem ad proprium habitaculum reversurus. Egressus vel maxime fallunt, quorum preastigias profani a igitur e cella sua, credensque se cernere divina mysveritate intelligere non possunt: ideoque ab illis terii celestis officia, cunctaque lampadum fulgore attribui putant et imperia, et victorias, et opes, et rutilantia, et ipsum Christum non ultra unius spaeventus prosperos rerum; denique ipsorum nutu cium stadii constitutum, protinus pronus in terra, sepe rempublicam periculis imminentibus libera- et eum quem crederet dominum adoravit, Hec tam: qua pericula et responsis denuntiaverunt, et Heraclides. Ecce quomodo, relicto vero Christo, sacrificiis placati averterunt. Sed omnia ista fal- timidus et insipiens Valens Christi adoravit adlacie sunt. Nam cum dispositiones Dei prasenti- versarium, et pro veritate simulatum phantasma et ant, quippe qui ministri ejus fuerunt, interponunt ementitum simulachrum. J. Fabri Stapulens. Com-se in his rebus; ut quecunque a Deo vel facta sunt, ment. in Epist. Pauli; in 2 Epist. Thess. cap. ii. vel fiunt, ipsi potissimum facere aut fecisse vide- fol. οἷν. Ed. Paris. 1531.]]
The Fifth Chapter. That apparitions of the dead be unsufficient to prove truth
“WnuEN thou art come into the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, see Deut that thou follow not the abominations of those nations: let there not be found among you any one that maketh his son or daughter to go through the fire, or that useth witchcraft, or a chooser of days, and that regardeth the flying of fowls, or a sorcerer, or a charmer, or that counselleth with spirits, or a soothsayer, or that asketh the truth at them that be dead. For the Lord abhorreth all these: and for such abominations the Lord thy God doth cast them out before thee. But the Lord thy God hath not suffered thee so to do.”
“And if they say to you, Ask counsel at the soothsayers, witches, charmers, Isai and conjurors; then make them this answer, Is there a people any where that asketh place not counsel at his God? should men run unto the dead for the living? If any man want light, let him look upon the law and the testimony, whether they speak after this meaning.”
“If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they believe if one arise from death.”
Lactantius, in his Institution’, lib. ii. cap. 2. “The rude sort think that men’s souls walk about the graves and relics of their bodies.”
Chrysostom in his fourth Homily of Lazarus. “That thou mayest know that the doctrines of the scriptures and prophets are of more force, than if they that be raised from death should tell any thing: consider this, that whosoever is dead, is a servant. But what the scriptures speak, the Lord himself speaketh: therefore, though a dead man arise, yea, although an angel come down from heaven, yet chiefly we ought to believe the scriptures. For he that is Master of angels, and Lord of the quick and the dead, made them. If dead men should come again from thence unto us, the devil might have brought to us false doctrines; and that very easily. For he might have shewed oftentimes ghosts, and have suborned men that should counterfeit death and burial, and within a while after shew themselves as though they were raised again from death, and through them to persuade the people so beguiled whatsoever him list. For if now, when no such thing is done in deed, yet dreams seen of many men in their sleep, as though it were of them that are departed hence, have deceived, destroyed, and overthrown many men; much more it should have chanced, if the thing had been done in deed, and gotten credit in men’s minds; that is to say, if many of the dead had returned again to life, that wicked devil would have wrought innumerable deceits, and brought much fraud into the life of men. And for that cause God hath shut up that way, neither doth he suffer any of the dead to come again hither, to tell what is done there; lest he by that means should bring in all his wiles and subtleties. For when there were prophets, he stirred up false prophets; when the apostles were, false apostles; when Christ appeared, he raised false Christs; when sound doctrine was brought in, he brought in corrupt doctrine, sowing cockle every where. But God, from whom nothing is hid, hath stopped his way to those snares, and he favouring us hath not suffered that any soul? at any time should come from thence hither, to tell what is there done to any men living, teaching us that we should rather believe the scriptures than all other things.”
[[? Institutions, Orig. ed.] amas δοῦλός éoviv” ἃ δὲ al γραφαὶ φθέγγονται, [^ Quemadmodum vulgus existimat mortuorum ταῦτα ὁ δεσπότης ἐφθέγξατο ὥστε κἂν νεκρὸς]
[animas circa tumulos et corporum suorum reliquias ἀναστῇ, κἂν ἄγγελος ἐξ οὐρανοῦ καταβῇ, πάντων]
[oberrare. Lactantius, Lib. 11. cap. ii. p. 83.] ἔστωσαν ai γραφαὶ ἀξιοπιστότεραι. ὁ γὰρ τῶν [^ Subornated, Orig. ed. ] ἀγγέλων δεσπότης. καὶ τῶν vékpov kai τῶν ζώντων [9 So corrected in the errata of Orig. ed. though κύριος, αὐτὸς ἐκείνας ἐνομοθέτησε. εἰ συνεχῶς]
[ed. 1582 reads ““son.”) ἔμελλον ἀνίστασθαι νεκροὶ, kal πονηρὰ dv εἰσή- [7 Ἵνα δὲ καὶ ἑτέρωθεν μάθῃς, ὅτι ἀξιοπιστό- γαγε δόγματα ὁ διάβολος μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς εὐκο-]
[τερα ἡ τῶν προφητῶν διδασκαλία τῆς τῶν ἀνιστα- Aas. εἴδωλα γὰρ ἐδύνατο δεικνύναι πολλάκις, ἢ καὶ]
[μένων ἀπαγγελίας, ἐκεῖνο σκόπησον, ὅτι νεκρὸς μὲν παρασκευαζων τινὰς ὑποκρίνασθαι θάνατον καὶ κατ-]
The same, in Matth, cap. viii. Homily ii. 9. “1 will not deny but that men have been killed of cursed charmers and sorcerers: but that dead men’s souls work with them, how shall they make me believe that? Because thou hast heard dead men’s souls many times the CTY, ‘I am the soul of such a one. Yea, but these words proceed out of the fraud the E… and deceit of the devil. For it is not the dead man’s soul that saith this, but the am mans devil that feigneth this, that he may deceive the hearers. For these ought to be the:.. taken as old wives fables, the words of liars, and fraybugs of children: neither can the. de- the soul, being departed from the body, walk in this earth. For the souls of the liv- - d d tl 1 souls righteous are in the hand of God, and the souls of sinners are straight after their th… εἰν D death carried away. Which is manifest by Lazarus and the rich man. The Lord:: Σ ^ ” saith also in another place: This day shall they fetch away thy soul” The soul therefore, after it be departed from the body, cannot wander here amongst us. It may be proved by many scriptures, that the souls of the righteous cannot wander here after their death. For Stephen said, Lord, receive my spirit.” And Paul desired to be loosed from the body, and to be with Christ. Of the patriarchs also the scripture saith, He was laid up with his fathers, he died in a good age.” And that the souls of sinners cannot tarry here with us, hearken to the rich man, what he saith: consider what he asketh, and obtaineth not. But if men’s souls might be conversant here, he would have come as he desired, and have certified his brethren of the torments in hell. Of the which place of scripture it is manifest, that after the departure from the body the souls are carried into a certain place, from whence they cannot return at their pleasure, but look for that terrible day of judgment’”
Hierome in the 8. cap. of Jeremy [Isaiah]. If you doubt of any thing (saith the prophet) know that it is written, that those nations, which the Lord shall scatter before thy face, shall hearken to dreams and soothsayers. But the Lord thy God hath commanded thee not so to do: but if you will know things that be doubtful, give yourselves rather to the testimonies of the law and the scriptures. But if your congregation will not search the word of the Lord, they shall not have the light of the truth, but shall wander in darkness of errors. You ought to know this, that every nation asketh counsel at their own gods, and inquireth of the dead for the health of the quick: but God hath given you the law for your help; so that you may say,
[ορύττεσθαι, δεικνύναι πάλιν ὡς ἐκ νεκρῶν dva- hujus ego sum? Verum hac quoque oratio a fraude]
[στάντες, kal δι ἐκείνων ὅσα ἐβούλετο πιστεύεσθαι atque deceptione diabolica est. Non enim anima]
[ταῖς τῶν ἀπατωμένων διανοίαις. εἰ γὰρ viv, οὐδενὸς defuncti est quz ista dicit, sed demon qui hac]
[ὄντος τοιούτου, ὄνειροι πολλάκις φανέντες ἐν τύ- audientes decipiat, fingit. Quare vetularum hac]
[ποις τῶν ἀπελθόντων πολλοὺς ἠπάτησαν καὶ διέφ- verba temulentarum ducenda sunt, et puerorum]
[θειραν’ πολλῷ μᾶλλον, ei τοῦτο γεγενημένον ἦν terriculamenta. Nec enim potest anima a corpore]
[καὶ κεκρατηκὸς ἐν ταῖς τῶν ἀνθρώπων Siavoiats, separata in his regionibus errare. Justorum anima]
[οἷον 671 πολλοὶ τῶν ἀπελθόντων ἐπανῆλθον πάλιν, enim in manu Dei sunt: peccatorum vero post]
[μυρίοις ἂν ὁ μιαρὸς δαίμων ἐκεῖνος δόλοις ἔπλεξε, hunc exitum continuo abducuntur, quod a Lazaro]
[καὶ πολλὴν ἀπάτην εἰς τὸν βίον εἰσήγαγε. διὰ et divite planum efficitur. Sed alibi quoque Domi-]
[τοῦτο ἀπέκλεισε Tas θύρας ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ οὐκ ἀφίησί nus ait, Hodie animam abs te repetent. Non igitur]
[Twa τῶν ἀπελθόντων ἐπανελθόντα εἰπεῖν Ta ἐκεῖ, potest anima, cum a corpore abscesserit, apud nos]
[ἵνα μὴ λαβὼν ἀφορμὴν ἐντεῦθεν ἐκεῖνος τὰ map hic errare. Multis e locis scripture comprobari]
[ἑαυτοῦ πάντα εἰσαγάγῃ. kal γὰρ OTe προφῆται potest, non errare hic post mortem justorum homi-]
[ἦσαν, ψευδοπροφήτας ἤγειρε, kai ὅτε ἀπόστολοι, num animas. Nam et Stephanas ait: Suscipe]
[ψευδαποστόλους, kai ὅτε Χριστὸς ἐφάνη, Yevdo- spiritum meum. Et Paulus resolvi ac esse cum]
[χρίστους” καὶ ὅτε δόγματα εἰσηνέχθη ὑγιῆ, àw- Christo desiderabat. De Patriarcha quoque scrip-]
[φθαρμένα εἰσήγαγε, kai ζιζανία πανταχοῦ διασπεί- tura dixit: Et appositus est ad patres suos, enutri-]
[ρων. ἀλλ ὁ Θεὸς ἅπαντα ταῦτα προειδώς, d7e- tus in senectute bona.—Quod vero nec peccatorum]
[τείχισεν αὐτῷ τὴν ἐπιβουλὴν ταύτην, kai φειδόμε- anima hic commorari possint, divitem audias qui]
[vos ἡμῖν, οὐ συνεχώρησεν ἐλθόντι τινί ποτε ἐκεῖθεν enixe eam rem petit, nihil tamen impetrat. Quod]
[περὶ τῶν ἐκεῖ διαλεχθῆναι τοῖς ζῶσιν ἀνθρώποις, si possent anima hominum hic conversari, venisset]
[παιδεύων ἡμᾶς πάντων ἀξιοπιστοτέρας ιγεῖσθαι ipse ut cupiebat, et suos de tormentis inferni fecisset]
[τὰς θείας γραφάς. Chrysost. De Lazaro, Concio certiores: quo ex loco scripture illud etiam aperte]
[iv. cap. iii. Tom. I. pp. 755, 6. Ed. 1718-38.] patet, quod post exitum a corpore in locum quen-]
[[! Ego autem quod homines a scelestis aruspi- dam certum anima deducuntur, unde redire sponte]
[cibus atque magis occisi sint, non negabo. Quod sua non possunt, sed terribilem illum judicii diem]
[vero immolatorum hominum anima ipsis coope- ibi exspectant. Chrysost. In Matth. cap. viii. Hom.]
[rentur, unde mihi persuadebitur? an quia ipsos xxix. Tom. II. cols. 270, 271. Ed. (Lat.) Basil.]
[damoniacos clamare nonnunquam audisti, Anima 1547.]]
The soothsaying of the heathen, which deceive their worshippers, is not like ours,. which is spoken out of the law without any cost?”
St Augustine also saith, that the spirit of Samuel, which the woman sorcerer raised to Saul, was not the soul of Samuel, but the devil which appeared in Samuel’s likeness, for to deceive Saul: this doth he prove both by evident scriptures, and strong reasons’.
The Sixth Chapter. Neither are maracles able to prove our faith
“Tar wise men and enchanters of Pharaoh turned their rods into serpents, and the waters of Egypt into blood; and made all the whole land to swarm with frogs, through their sorceries.”
“If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and give thee a sign or a wonder, and that sign or wonder, which he hath said, come to pass, and then say, Let us go after strange gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; hearken not unto the words of that prophet, or dreamer of dreams. For the Lord thy God tempteth thee, to wit whether ye love the Lord your God with all your hearts and all your souls.”
“Behold, here am I, saith the Lord, against those prophets that dare prophesy lies, and deceive my people with their vanities and miracles, whom I never sent nor commanded.”
“Many shall say to me in those days, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? have we not cast out devils in thy name? And then it shall be answered them, I never knew you; depart from me, you children of iniquity.”
An evil and froward generation seeketh a sign, and there shall no sign be given to them, but the sign of Jonas the prophet.”
There shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall shew great miracles and wonders, insomuch that, if it were possible, even the very elect should be deceived: but take you heed, behold, I have shewed you all things before.”
“The coming of that wicked one (meaning antichrist) shall be after the working of Satan, with all lying power, signs and wonders, and with all deceit of unrighteousness of them that shall perish, because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And therefore God shall send them strong delusions, that they might believe lies; that all they might be damned, which believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”
Simon Magus, an enchanter, by his wonders bewitched the Samaritans.
Elymas the sorcerer had of long time deceived the Antiochians. Read the stories. ὀ Irene, Lib. i. telleth of a certain judge, called Mark, which in the sacrament of thanksgiving wonderfully deceived the simple people. For he so changed the colour of wine, that it appeared utterly to be blood; and a little wine so increased through his juggling, that the chalice was filled, and ran over’.
[[? Si de aliquo, inquit, dubitatis, scitote scrip- dedit Deus, ut possitis dicere: Non est talis eth-]
[tum: Gentes quas Dominus Deus tuus disperdet nicorum divinatio, qui cultores suos sepe decipiunt,]
[a facie tua, somnia audiunt et divinos; tibi autem sicut nostra, qua absque ullo munere profertur ex]
[non ita tradidit Dominus Deus tuus. Unde si lege. Hieron. Comment. in Esaiam. Lib. rrr.]
[vultis nosse qua dubia sunt, magis vos legi et cap. viii. Tom. V. pp. 34, 5. Ed. Francof. 1684.]]
[testimoniis tradite scripturarum. Quod si noluerit [3 De Mirab. sacr. Scrip. Lib. 11. cap. xi. Tom.]
[vestra congregatio verbum Domini quzrere, non III. p. 403. Ed. Paris. 1637. ]]
[habebit lucem veritatis; sed versabitur in erroris [ A certain juggler, Orig. ed.]]
[tenebris. Hoc scire debetis, quod unaquaque gens [5 Ireneus, Adversus Hareses, Lib. 1. cap. ix.]
[proprios consulat Deos, et de virorum salute mor- p. 57. Ed. Oxon, 1702.]]
[tuos sciscitetur. Vobis autem in auxilium legem.]
« By this juggling it is plain enough that those miracles, that be alleged of many men for the real presence in the sacrament of the altar, do not confirm their error, but be very delusions of the devil or of his juggling ministers.
Chrysostom, in his 49. Homily, upon the 24. of Matth. Aforetime it was known which were true christian men, and which false, by miracles: but how were the false ehris- known? Because they could not work such or like miracles as true christian men pro- did; but they wrought vain things, making men to wonder, but bringing no profit at all, But the Christians did miracles which not only brought wonders, but also profit: with- E “iu.. at and by these they were known, which were true Christians, and which false. But now working of miracles is utterly taken away. Yea, counterfeit miracles are rather found among them that be false Christians, as Peter declareth in Clement: Antichrist shall have full power given him to work great miracles.”
25
ther thou love God in deed”.
The same, in John, cap. ii. in the end of the 22. Hom. — There be some doubtloss now-a-days, that ask why men work no miracles now. If thou be faithful as thou oughtest to be, if thou love Christ as he should be loved, thou needest no miracles: tii for signs are given to unbelievers, and not to the faithful.”
Augustine, against Faustus the Manichee, Lib. 13. cap. 5. “The scriptures, that be stablished and set forth by so great authority, ye despise: miracles you work none; which though you did, yet we would beware of you, by the Lord instructing and teaching us, saying, There shall arise false Christs, &c.5”
The same, Of the City of God, Lib. 20. cap. 19. “The presence of antichrist shall be after the working of Satan, with all lying powers,” as afore. For then shall Satan be let loose, and by him antichrist with all his power shall work marvellously, but lyingly: of the which miracles it was wont to be doubted, whether they be called lying signs and wonders, for this cause, that he shall deceive man’s senses with visions, so that he seemeth to do the thing that he doeth not in deed; or else because the same, although they be true miracles, and not counterfeit, yet they draw men to believe that they cannot be done but by the power of God: whereas men know not the power of the devil; chiefly seeing that how great soever power he hath, he hath received it. For when fire fell down from heaven, and with one dash destroyed so great a family with so many herds of cattle of holy Job, and a sudden whirlwind, overthrowing his house, slew his children; these were no deceivable visions, but for
[[! This marginal note is omitted in Ed. 1582.] ἢ λεπρὸν καθάρῃ, ἢ πηρὸν ἰάσηται” kal, μετὰ To [^ Item antea et per signa cognoscebantur, qui ποιῆσαι τὸ σημεῖον, καλέσῃ σε εἰς ἀσέβειαν” μὴ]
[erant veri Christiani, et qui falsi. Quomodo? Falsi πεισθῇς διὰ τὴν ἔκβασιν τοῦ σημείου. διὰ Ti; πει-]
[quidem aut non poterant facere, sicut veri Christi- paler γάρ σε κύριος ὁ Θεός cov, ἰδεῖν, εἰ ἀγαπᾷς]
[ani: aut talia non poterant, qualia veri Christiani: αὐτὸν ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας cov, kal ἐξ ὅλης τῆς]
[sed faciebant vacua, admirationem quidem facientia, ψυχῆς σου. Id. Adver. Judzos, Oratio i. Tom. I.]
[utilitatem autem nullam habentia: Christiani autem p. 598.]]
[faciebant plena, non solum admirationem facientia, [^ Sunt sane et hac nostra etate qui quzrant,]
[sed etiam omnem utilitatem habentia. Et per hec quare et nunc signa non fiunt? Si fidelis es, ut]
[cognoscebantur, qui erant veri Christiani, qui falsi. oportet; si Christum diligis, ut diligendus est, non]
[Nunc autem signorum operatio omnino levata est: indiges signis: signa enim incredulis dantur. Id.]
[magis autem et apud eos invenitur, qui falsi sunt In Joannem, cap. ii. Hom. xxii. Tom. 111. col.]
[Christiani, fieri facta. Sicut autem Petrus apud 119. Ed. (Lat.) Basil. 1547.]]
[Clementem exponit, Antichristo etiam plenorum [^ Scripturas tanta auctoritate firmatas com-]
[signorum faciendorum est danda potestas. Chrysost. mendatasque respuitis; miracula non facitis: qua]
[Opus Imperfectum in Matt. Hom. xlix. ex cap. si feceritis, etiam ipsa in vobis caveremus, pre-]
[xxiv. Tom. VI. p. 205. Ed. Paris. 1718-38.] struente nos Domino et dicente, Exsurgent multi O δὲ λέγει, τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν. ἐών τις ἀναστῇ pseudochristi, August. cont. Faust. Manich. Lib.]
[προφήτης, φησὶ, kal ποιήσῃ σημεῖον, ἢ νεκρὸν ἐγείρῃ,Ἠ ΧΙΠΙ. cap. v. Tom. VI. p. 118. Ed. Paris. 1637.]]
every one of these it is said, They shall be beguiled with signs and wonders that shall deserve to be beguiled,.forasmuch as they have not received the love of the truth, that they might be saved. Neither did the apostle fear to say and add, God shall send them strong delusions, that they should believe lies” For God doth send these things, because he suffereth the devil to do them: he indeed by his just judgment, although the devil doth it of a wicked and malicious purpose.”
The same, Of the Unity of the Church, cap. 16. “Let them shew their church, if they can, not in the sayings and in the fame of the Africans, not in the determinations of their bishops, not in any man’s reasonings, not in false signs and wonders (for against all this we be warned and armed by God’s word), but in the things appointed in the law, spoken afore by the prophets, in the songs of the Psalms, in the voice of the Shepherd himself, and the preachings and painfulness of the evangelists, that is, in the authority of the books canonical: but not so that they may gather and rehearse those things that be spoken darkly and doubtfully and figuratively, which evefy man may understand as he list after his own mind. For such things cannot be understanded and expounded rightly, except those things that be very plainly spoken be perceived before with a constant faith. Let him mot say, This is true, because I say it, or because my companion saith thus, or these my companions, or these our bishops, clerks, or laymen: or else, It is true, because such miracles did Donatus, Pontius, or whatsoever other: or else, because men pray at the shewed tombs of our dead men, and be heard: or because these and these things chanced there: or that this brother of ours, or this sister of ours, saw such a vision; either.. ov. waking, or sleeping, in his dream, saw such a vision or sight. Away with these. Either
they be feignings of lying men, or the wonders of deceitful devils. For either they are
not true that are spoken: or if any miracles be done among heretics, we ought the more to take heed of them, because that when the Lord had said there should come
some that by working divers miracles should deceive, if it were possible, the very elect’; he added, and earnestly setting forth the thing, said, Behold, I have told you before.” Whereof the apostle, admonishing them, speaketh plainly, that in the latter times men should depart from the faith, giving heed to spirits of error, and doctrines of devils” Furthermore, if any man be heard at the tombs of heretics, he receiveth, whether it be good or evil, not for the merit of the place, but for the merit? of his desire. For the Spirit of the Lord, as it is written, filleth the whole world, and the earnest ear heareth all things, and many» be heard of God when he is angry, of whom the apostle saith, He had given them up to their hearts desire.” And God to many, whom he favoureth, giveth not what they would, that he may give them that which is profitable: wherefore saith the same apostle of the sting of his flesh, the messenger of Satan, (which he said was given him to buffet him, lest he should be exalted above measure by the greatness of revelations,) For the which I prayed the Lord thrice that he would take it away from me; and he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect through weakness. Do we not read that many men were heard of God himself in the high places of Jewry?
[[$ The devil doeth it, Orig. ed.] sancti Job uno impetu absumpsit, et turbo irruens, [7 Prasentia quippe ejus (i.e. antichristi) erit, et domum dejiciens, filios ejus occidit, phantasmata]
[sicut dictum est, secundum operationem Satan in fuerunt: qua tamen fuerunt opera Satane, cui]
[omni virtute, et signis, et prodigiis mendacii, et in Deus dederat hanc potestatem. Propter quid horum]
[omni seductione iniquitatis, his qui pereunt. Tunc ergo dicta sint prodigia et signa mendacii, tunc]
[enim solvetur Satanas, et per illum antichristum in potius apparebit. Sed propter quodlibet horum]
[omni sua virtute mirabiliter quidem, sed mend- dictum sit, Seducentur ejus signis, atque prodigiis,]
[citer operabitur. Quod solet ambigi, utrum prop- qui seduci merebuntur, pro eo quod dilectionem ve-]
[terea dicta sint signa et prodigia mendacii, quoniam ritatis, inquit, non receperunt, ut salvi fierent. Nec]
[mortales sensus per phantasmata decepturus est, ut dubitavit apostolus addere et dicere, ldeo mittet]
[quod non facit, facere videatur. An quia illa ipsa illis Deus operationem erroris, ut credant mendacio.]
[etiam si erunt vera prodigia, ad mendacium per- Deus enim mittet, quia Deus diabolum facere ista]
[trahent credituros non ea potuisse nisi divinitus permittet, justo ipsius judicio, quamvis faciat ille]
[fieri; virtutem diaboli nescientes; maxime quando iniquo malignoque consilio.—August. De Civitate]
[tantam quantam nunquam habuit, accipiet potes- Dei. Lib. xx. cap. xix. Tom. V. p.1373.]]
[tatem. Non enim quando de celo ignis cecidit, [3 For the rite, Ed. 1582.]]
[et tantam familiam cum tantis gregibus pecorum]
[[! These marginal notes are omitted in Ed. 1582.] contra ista verbo Domini praparati et cauti redditi [3 That he should depart, Orig. ed. ] sumus: sed in prescripto Legis, in Prophetarum [? Remotis ergo omnibus talibus, ecclesiam suam pradictis, in Psalmorum cantibus, in ipsius Pastoris]
[demonstrent, si possunt, non in sermonibus, et ru- vocibus, in Evangelistarum pradicationibus et la-]
[moribus Afrorum, non in conciliis episcoporum boribus, hoc est, in omnibus canonicis sanctorum]
[suorum, non in literis quorumlibet disputatorum, librorum auctoritatibus. Nec ita, ut ea colligant et]
[non in signis et prodigiis fallacibus, quia etiam commemorent, qua obscure vel ambigue vel figu-]
Chrysostom, of the Contrition of the Heart. “Christ promised not that he would Not reward at the latter day them that work signs and wonders, but them that keep his com- thecom- —qmandments, saying: Come, you blessed children of my Father, receive that kingdom keepers, which was prepared for you from the beginning of the world. He said not, Because of you did miracles; but, “Because I was hungry, &c. He shall also call them blessed, not that wrought miracles, but the humble and meek in heart.” rate dicta sunt, qua quisque sicut voluerit, inter- autem caput Christum nemo poterit, nisi qui in ejus pretetur secundum sensum suum. Talia enim corpore fuerit, quod est ecclesia; quam, sicut ipsum recte intelligi exponique non possunt, nisi prius caput, in scripturis sanctis canonicis debemus agnosea, qua apertissime dicta sunt, firma fide tene- cere, non in variis hominum rumoribus et opinioniantur.—Et sic ostendat, ut non dicat, Verum est, bus, et factis, et dictis, et visis inquirere.Sit ista quia hoc ego dico, aut quia hoc dixit ille collega omnis turba palea eorum, nec frumentis przjudicet meus, aut illi college mei, aut illi episcopi, vel siipsi ecclesiam tenent. Sed utrum ipsi ecclesiam clerici, vel laici nostri; aut ideo verum est, quia illa teneant, non nisi de divinarum scripturarum canonet illa mirabilia fecit Donatus vel Pontius, vel icis libris ostendant: quia nec nos propterea dicimus quilibet alius, aut quía homines ad memorias mor- nobis credi oportere quod in ecclesia Christi sumus, tuorum nostrorum orant.et exaudiuntur, aut quia quia ipsam quam tenemus commendavit Milevi-illa et illa ibi contingunt, aut quia ille frater noster tanus Optatus, vel Mediolanensis Ambrosius, vel aut illa soror nostra tale visum vigilans vidit, vel tale alii innumerabiles nostrze communionis episcopi; aut visum dormiens somniavit. Removeantur ista vel quia nostrorum collegarum conciliis ipsa przdicata figmenta mendacium hominum, vel portenta fall- est; aut quia per totum orbem in locis sanctis, qua cium spirituum: aut enim non sunt vera qua di- frequentat nostra communio, tanta mirabilia vel cuntur, aut si hereticorum aliqua mira facta sunt, exauditionum vel sanitatum fiunt, ita ut latentia magis cavere debemus; quod cum dixisset Domi- per tot annos corpora martyrum, quod possunt a mulnus quosdam futuros esse fallaces, qui nonnulla tis interrogantes audire, Ambrosio fuerint revelata, signa faciendo etiam electos, si fieri posset, falle- et ad ipsa corpora cacus multorum annorum civitati rent, adjecit vehementer commendans et ait, Ecce Mediolanensi notissimus oculos lumenque receperit; pradixi vobis.” Unde et apostolus admonens, aut quia ille somnium vidit, et ille spiritu assump- Spiritus,” inquit, manifeste dicit, quia in novis- tus audivit, sive ne iniret in partem Donati, sive ut simis temporibus recedent quidam a fide, intenden- recederet a parte Donati. Quacunque talia in cates spiritibus seductoribus et doctrinis daemonio- tholica fiunt, ideo sunt approbanda, quia in cathorum.” Porro si aliquis in hereticorum memoriis lica fiunt; non ideo ipsa manifestatur catholica, quia orans exauditur, non pro merito loci, sed pro merito hac in ea fiunt. Ipse Dominus Jesus cum resurdesiderii sui, recepit sive malum sive bonum. ^Spi- rexisset a mortuis, et discipulorum oculis videndum ritus enim Domini,” sicut scriptum est, € Replevit manibusque tangendum corpus suum offerret, ne orbem terrarum.” Et, ‘ Auris zeli audit omnia.” quid tamen fallacie se pati arbitrarentur, magis eos Et, “Multi Deo irato exaudiuntur.” De qualibus testimoniis legis, et prophetarum, et psalmorum dicit apostolus, ‘ Tradidit illos Deus in concupis- confirmandos esse judicavit, ostendens ea de se centias cordis illorum.” Et multis propitius Deus impleta, qua fuerant tanto ante przdicta. Sic et non tribuit quod volunt, ut quod utile est tribuat. ecclesiam suam commendavit dicens, przedicari in Unde idem apostolus ait de stimulo carnis sue, nomine suo pomitentiam et remissionem peccatoangelo Satana, quem sibi datum dicit a quo cola- rum per omnes gentes, incipientibus ab Hier-phizaretur, ne magnitudine revelationum extollere- salem.” Hoc in lege, et prophetis, et psalmis esse tur: Propter quod ter Dominum rogavi, ut auferret scriptum ipse testatus est, hoc ejus ore commeneum a me. Et dixit mihi: Sufficit tibi gratia mea; datum tenemus. Hac sunt causa nostre docunam virtus in infirmitate perficitur,” Nonne legi- menta, hac fundamenta, hzc firmament. Legimus mus ab ipso Domino Deo nonnullos exauditos in in Actis Apostolorum dictum de quibusdam creexcelsis montium Jude; quz tamen excelsa ita dentibus, quod quotidie scrutarentur scripturas, an displicebant Deo, ut reges qui ea non everterent, hzc ita se haberent.” Quas utique scripturas, nisi culparentur, et qui everterent, laudarentur? Unde canonicas legis et prophetarum? Huc accesserunt intelligitur magis valere petentis affectum, quam Evangelia, apostolice epistole, Actus Apostolorum, petitionis locum. De visis autem fallacibus legant Apocalypsis Joannis. Scrutamini hac omnia, et quz scripta sunt, et quia ipse Satanas transfigurat eruite aliquid manifestum, quo demonstretis ecclese tanquam angelum lucis,” et quia multos seduxe- siam vel in sola Africa remansisse, vel ex Africa runt somnia sua: audiant etiam qua narrant pa- futuram esse, ut impleatur quod Dominus dicit: gani de templis et diis suis mirabiliter vel facta Pradicalitur hoc evangelium regni in universo vel visa, et tamen “ dii gentium damonia, Domi- orbe in testimonium omnibus gentibus, et tunc nus autem colos fecit.” Exaudiuntur ergo multi veniet finis.” Sed aliquid proferte quod non egeat et multis modis, non solum Christiani catholici, sed interprete, nec unde convincamini, quod de alia re et pagani, et Judi haeretici, variis erroribus et su- dictum sit, et vos illud ad vestrum sensum detorperstitionibus dediti. Exaudiuntur autem vel ab quere conemini.—August. De Unit. Eccles. cap. spiritibus seductoribus, qui tamen nihil faciunt, nisi xviii. xix. Tom. VII. pp. 154, 5. Kd. Paris. permittantur Deo sublimiter atque ineffabiliter ju- 1635.] dicante quid cuique tribuendum sit; vel ab ipso [^ Kai ὁ Χριστὸς δὲ κατὰ τὴν ἡμέραν ἐκείνην Deo, vel ad penam malitie, vel ad solatium mise- οὐ τοῖς τὰ σημεῖα ἐργασαμένοις ἁπλῶς τὰ ἔπαθλα riz, vel ad monitionem quzrende salutis ternz. δίδωσιν, ἀλλὰ τοῖς τὰ προστάγματα πεποιηκύσι Ad ipsam vero salutem ac vitam zternam nemo cd αὐτοῦ. δεῦτε γάρ, φησιν, οἱ εὐλογημένοι τοῦ pervenit, nisi qui habet caput Christum. Habere πατρός μου, κληρονομήσατε τὴν ἡτοιμασμένην ὑμῖν [ CRANMER, π.7
Cyril, in John, Lib. vii. cap. 13. “To work miracles maketh not a man one whit
more holy, seeing that it is also common to evil men and abjects, as the Lord himself also work witnesseth: Many shall say to me in that day, &c. And, contrariwise, working his of no miracles hindereth not a man’s holiness. For John wrought neither sign nor A miracle, and yet was this no derogation to his holiness; for among the children of women there was none greater than he’.” t Sabellic, upon the Life of Celestine, almost five hundred years after Christ: “The = devil, taking upon him the person of Moses, shewed himself visibly in the sight of the Jews that dwelt at Candie, promising that he would bring them again into the coun- i;. — land of promise, where Jerusalem standeth, dry-footed, the waters standing on either 5146 in manner of a wall, as when the children of Israel were brought out of the land of Egypt. Many of the Jews, rashly giving credit to these jugglings, and entering into the sea, were overwhelmed with the waves thereof, except a few, the which at last, being warned of their vanity, became Christians.”
The Seventh Chapter. Custom also is of no strength in this case of proving a religion
Follow not the multitude to do evil.”
The Lord commanded the Israelites not to follow the customs of the Egyptians, nor the Canaanites. Read the chapter.
Walk not in the statutes of your forefathers, and keep not their ordinances, and defile not yourselves with their idols.” — “Unto this day they keep their old customs; they fear not God, nor do after his customs, ordinances, and laws.”
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