They did not hearken unto the Lord, but did after their old custom.”
“They followed the wickedness of their own hearts, and served strange gods, as their fathers taught them.”
Tertullian, of Virginity, or Praises. ^ Custom, for the most part, taking his beginning either of ignorance or simplicity, in process of time waxeth strong by use: and so it is alleged against the truth. Whatsoever smelleth against the truth, that is heresy, yea, though it be old custom?.”
Cyprian, unto Cecilie, Lib. ii. Epist. 3. There is no cause why, dear brother, that any man should think the custom of some men ought to be followed. If any man have thought that only water ought to be offered in the chalice, we must first ask, whom they followed: and that Christ only ought to be heard, the Father witnesseth from heaven, saying: This is my well beloved Son, hear him.” Wherefore, if only Christ ought to be heard, we ought not to regard what any man afore us thought to be done, but what Christ, which is before, did first: neither ought we to follow the custom of man, but the truth of God.”
[βασιλείαν ἀπὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου” οὐχ ὅτι ἐθαυ- tioned by Platina in his account of Pope Celestine I.]
[paTovpyicare’ ἀλλ ὅτι émelvaca — kai ἐν τοῖς asfollows: Ferunt hoc tempore diabolum, personam]
[μακαρισμοῖς δὲ, οὐδαμοῦ τοὺς τὰ θαύματα ποιοῦν- Moysi indutum, multos Judaos decepisse, dum eos]
[Tas τίθησιν, ἀλλὰ τοὺς βίον ἔχοντας ὀρθόν. Chry- ex Creta in terram promissionis ad similitudinem]
[sost. De Compunct. Cordis. Lib. 1. cap. viii. Tom. historie veteris sicco pede per mare deducere polli-]
[I. pp. 136, 7. Ed. Paris. 1718—38.] cetur. Multi enim ex his, falsum Moysen secuti, [! Primum quia Joannes quidem nullum fecit in undis periere. Aiunt autem illos solos evasisse,]
[signum, id est nullum miraculum ostendit, neque qui tum Christum verum Deum credidere.— Plat. de]
[tamen id in aliquo derogat sanctitati ejus, quo inter Vit. Pontif. p. 57. Ed. Colon. Agrip. 1626. ]]
[natos mulierum non surrexit teste Salvatore major; [5 Consuetudo, initium ab aliqua ignorantia vel]
[nempe miracula operari nihil adjicit sanctitatis ho- simplicitate sortita, in usum per successionem corro-]
[mini, cum malis et reprobis id competat, dicente boratur,et ita adversus veritatem vindicatur.Quod-]
[Domino apud Mattheum, Multi dicent in illa die.— cunque adversus veritatem sapit, hoc erit haresis,]
[Quare e diverso, nulla signorum ostensio nihil etiam vetus consuetudo. Tertull. De Virg. Veland.]
[detrahit homini sanctitatis. —Cyril. Alexandr. in cap. i. pp. 172, 3. Ed. Paris. 1664.]]
[Joannem. Lib.vrr. cap. xiii. col. 45. Ed. Paris. [^ Non est ergo, frater carissime, quod aliquis]
[1508. ] existimet sequendam esse quorundam consuetu- [? This is not found in Sabellicus, but is men- dinem, si qui in przteritum in calice dominico]
The same to Julian, of the Baptizing of Heretics. “In vain do some men, when they be overcome with the truth, allege custom against us, as though custom were greater - -than the truth” St Augustine hath the same”.
The same to Pompus, against Stevens Epistle. Custom without truth is an old error: for the which cause let us leave custom, and follow the truth?.”
Chrysostom, upon Genesis xxix. Homily 59. “For if the counsel be good and profitable, yea, though it be not custom, keep it; but if it be hurtful and noisome, cast it away. For if we will be wise, and care for our salvation, we may leave off an evil custom, and bring in a good custom; and so shall we give no small occasion to them that come after us to change the same, and have the reward of those things that be done of them.”
Jerome, in his Preface to Job. “Old custom is of such force that vices, which many men themselves confess, please them through it.”
The same, Cap. 9. Neither are the errors of our fathers, nor our elders to be followed, but the authority of the scriptures, and the commandments of God that teacheth us.”
Augustine, of one only Baptism, Lib. ii. Distinct. 8. cap. ^ When the truth is once 8 > y bap Ρ known, let custom give place to the truth. For who doubteth but custom ought to give place to the manifest truth 7 ”
The same, in the same place. “Let no man prefer custom above truth and reason. For truth and reason do ever exclude custom ”.”
Gregorius to Guelmunde the bishop, 2 Distinct. Si consuetudo. “If thou chance to lay custom against me, thou must take heed what the Lord saith: ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life He did not say, I am custom, but the truth.”
Nicolas the pope to Ignatius the reverend bishop, 8. Distinct. “ΑἸ evil custom is no less to be avoided than an hurtful corruption: which except it be plucked up the sooner by the roots, it will be taken of the ungodly for a law.” 56.
[aquam solam offerendam putaverunt. Quarendum ζηλοῦν, kal τῶν ὑπ ἐκείνων κατορθουμένων ἡμεῖς]
[est enim ipsi quem sint secuti. —Et quod Christus ληψόμεθα τὸν μισθόν. Chrysost. in cap. xxix.]
[debeat solus audiri, Pater enim de c«lo contestatur Genes. Hom. lvi. Tom. IV. p. 540.]]
[dicens: Hic est filius meus dilectissimus, in quo [? Tanta est enim vetustatis consuetudo, ut etiam]
[bene sensi; ipsum audite.” Quare si solus Christus confessa plerisque vitia placeant. Hieron. Praf. in]
[audiendus est, non debemus attendere quid alius Libr. Job. Alt. Tom. III. p. 17. Ed. Francof.]
[ante nos faciendum esse putaverit; sed quid, quiante 1684.]]
[omnes est, Christus prior fecerit. Neque enim ho- [!? This passage is not found in the place re-]
[—. minis consuetudinem sequi oportet, sed Dei verita- ferred to. ]]
[em. Cyprian. ad Cacil. de Sacram. Domin. cal. [? Itaque veritate manifestata cedat consuetudo]
[ry: xiii. p. 108. Ed. Paris. 1726. (Ed. Erasm. veritati. Plane quis dubitet veritati manifestata]
[Lib. 11. Epist. 3, as quoted in the text by the arch- debere consuetudinem cedere? August. De Bapt.]
[bishop.)] contra Donatist. Lib. 111. cap. vi. Tom. VII. p. 45. [5 Proinde frustra quidam qui ratione vincuntur Ed. Paris. 1637. Gratian. Distinct. viii, Cap. iv.]
[consuetudinem nobis opponunt; quasi consuetudo ” Veritate manifestata.” Tom. I. p. 6. Ed. Paris.]
[major sit veritate. Id. ad Jubaian. de Bapt. Heret. 1687.]]
[Epist. Ixxiii, p. 133. Ed. Paris. 1726.] [/? Nemo consuetudinem rationi et veritati [$ See below, note 11.] preponat; quia consuetudinem ratio et veritas [7 Nam consuetudo sine veritate vetustas erroris semper excludit. Id. ibid.]]
[est. Propter quod relicto errore sequamur veritatem. [!? Si consuetudinem fortassis opponas, adver-]
[Id. ad Pompei. contra Epist. Steph. de Hzret. Bapt. tendum est, quod Dominus dicit: Ego sum veri-]
[Epist. Ixxiv. p. 141.] - tas et vita.” Non dixit, Ego sum consuetudo, sed [? Ei μὲν γὰρ καλόν ἐστι τὸ τῆς συμβουλῆς καὶ veritas. Gregor. Wimundo Aversano Episcopo. Id.]
[ἐπωφελὲς, κἂν μὴ συνήθεια 1, γινέσθω ei δὲ βλά- ibid. Cap. v. Si consuetudinem,” Ibid. ]]
[βην ἔχον kai πολὺν τὸν ὄλεθρον To νῦν παρ᾽ ὑμῖν [^ Mala consuetudo, quz non minus quam per-]
[ἐπιτελούμενον, κἂν συνήθεια ἢ, ἐγκοπτέσθω.---ἐὰν niciosa corruptela vitanda est: nisi citius radicitus]
[γὰρ βουλώμεθα νήφειν, kai πολλὴν τῆς ἑαυτῶν evellatur, in privilegiorum jus ab improbis assumi-]
[σωτηρίας ποιεῖσθαι τὴν φροντίδα, δυνησόμεθα καὶ tur. Nicol. Papa Hincmaro Remensi Archiepi-]
[τῆς κακῆς συνηθείας ἀποστῆναι, καὶ ele καλὴν συνή- scopo. Id. ibid. Cap. iii. ‘ Mala consuetudo.”]
[θειαν ἑαυτοὺς ἀγαγεῖν. καὶ οὕτω καὶ τοῖς med Ibid.]]
[ἡμᾶς οὐ μικρὰν παρέξομεν ἀφορμὴν τοῦ τὰ αὐτὰ]
The Eighth Chapter. Reasons against Unwritten Verities’
ThE old testament was sufficient for the Jews; and why shall not both the new and old suffice us?
Christ and the apostles proved all their doctrines by the law and prophets. What an arrogancy is it then in us, to teach any thing which we can neither prove by the law, the prophets, the apostles, nor the evangelists!
The devil, when he tempted Christ, was not so far passed all shame to persuade any thing without the testimony of the scriptures, although he did (as his dear children the papists do) falsely allege them, wrest them from their true meaning to a contrary sense, and also cut off that which should make against him, or declare the true meaning of the scriptures.
This word, unwritten verities,” is a new term lately invented, and nowhere heard or read among the old writers: of which they could not have been ignorant, if there had been any such thing needful to salvation.
All contention which the old fathers had with heretics was for the scriptures: which heretics partly denied, as Marcion, Manicheus, and Faustus; partly they wrongly expounded: but for things which are not contained in the scriptures, they never accused any man of heresy.
If there were any word of God beside the scripture, we could never be certain of God’s’word; and if we be uncertain of God’s word, the devil might bring in among us
57. a new word, a new doctrine, a new faith, a new church, a new god, yea, himself to be god, as he hath already done in the popish kingdom. For this is the foundation of antichrist’s kingdom, to settle himself in God’s temple, which is the heart and conscience of man, of him to be feared and worshipped, as though he were God himself.
If the church and the christian faith did not stay itself upon the word of God certain, as upon a sure and strong foundation, no man could know whether he had a right faith, and whether he were in the true church of Christ, or in the synagogue of Satan.
If we be bound to believe certain things delivered from the apostles by word of mouth only, without writing, as they would make us believe, (but what those things be, no man can tell) it should hereof follow that we are bound to believe we wot not what.
[[! The Reasons against Unwritten Verities are writing for Athanasius, &c. Melchiades, and other]
[set forth in Cranmer’s Common-place Book, in the quotations he there mentioneth.]
[British Museum, Royal MSS. 7. B. xi. p. 94. (Vid. ‘The old testament was sufficient for the Jews:]
[Jenkyns’ Remains of Archbp. Cranmer, Vol. IV. and is not both the old and the new sufficient for]
[p.215.) Thefollowing is quoted from Strype, Mem. us?]
[Eccl. Vol. II. pp. 215, 16. Ed. Oxford, 1822. What things came by traditions from the apo- “Reasons. Idem. stles, no man can tell certainly: and if we be bound]
[“If traditions apostolic have the force of God’s to receive them as articles of our faith, then is our]
[word, so that every one is bound to the observation faith uncertain. For we be bound to believe we]
[of them, the bishop of Rome hath a great advantage know not what.]
[thereby to establish his primacy: not such a primacy Faith must needs be grounded upon God’s word.]
[as he hath lately usurped, but such a primacy as he For St Paul saith, Fides ex auditu; auditus autem]
[hath had by prerogative from the beginning; that is per verbum Dei. Omnis scriptura divinitus inspi-]
[to say, to be one of the four patriarchs of christen- ratur. This text St John Chrysostom, Theophylact,]
[dom, and the chief of all four. And the traditions “Thomas, with many other authors, both old and new,]
[be the chief authors, whereupon Pighius stayeth do expound plainly as the words be, that whatsoever]
[himself. And furthermore, if we admit traditions to truth is necessary to be taught for our salvation, or]
[be of such authority, it is to be feared that we must the contrary to be reproved; whatsoever is necessary]
[resort to the church of Rome to fetch there our for us to do, and what to forbear and not to do; all]
[traditions, as of the oldest and the mother church. is completely contained in the scripture: so that]
[Ireneus, Ad hanc, &c. Cyprian calls Rome Pe- a man thereby may be perfectly instructed unto all]
[tri cathedram et ecclesiam principalem. Julius manner of goodness.”]
Without faith it is not possible to please God; and faith cometh by hearing of —. God’s word; ergo, where God’s word lacketh, there can be no faith. Almighty God, afore he gave to Moses the law written of the ten commandments, wherein he fully taught the true worshipping of him, as it were a preservative against a plague or a poison to come, gave them this notable lesson, worthy alway to be had in memory: ^ You shall add nothing to the words, &c.;” and again he oftentimes repeateth the same sentence both in the law and the prophets, in the gospels, and the epistles of the apostles. And because his people should never forget it, St John commandeth the same in the last words of all the new testament, threatening terrible plagues, that is, the loss of his everlasting joys of heaven, and the pain of eternal fire, to all them that either put to or take aught from the word of God.
Chapter the Ninth
Scriptures alleged by the Papists for Unwritten Verities, with answers to the same.
WuEnE two or three be gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” But Christ cannot err, for he is the truth itself; ergo, they cannot err in their synods, convocations, and general councils, being gathered together in his name.
Christ said, When two or three be gathered in my name,” &c.; and to be gathered in his name, is in our assemblies to seek his only glory and not ours, to do all things by his prescript word. “For not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter,” &c.: as witches, charmers, necromancers, and conjurers, use their wicked arts all in the name of God and Christ, and yet is not Christ with them. For the seven sons of Sceva, the chief priest of the Jews, went about to cast out evil spirits in the name of Jesus whom Paul preached; but yet Christ was not with them, but the wicked spirit, which wounded them, and drave them away naked. Moreover, all forgers of wills, counterfeiters of false instruments, and judges giving false sentences, in the ecclesiastical law, they begin with this glorious title, “In the name of God, Amen.” Therefore sprang this old proverb, “In the name of God, beginneth all mischief.” And yet Christ is with none of these, though they pretend to do all these things in his name. Christ saith also: Many shall prophesy in my name, and cast out devils, and work miracles, in my name; and then will I confess to them, that I never knew you.” Read Eusebius and Athanasius, and you shall there see what pride, contention, hatred, malice, envy, and desire to bear rule, reigned in the councils of the clergy at those days, not much past four hundred years after Christ. What think you they would say if they saw our councils, where the Romish antichrist triumpheth? No doubt, that “though an angel from heaven preach any other,” &c.
Here you will reply again, Christ saith, Where two or three are gathered,” &c. Now in every council are not only two or three learned and godly men, but many; ergo, they cannot err.
I grant that in every general council be many good men which do not err, nor are deceived; and yet it followeth not that the whole council cannot err. For in councils the more part is taken for the whole, and things be there determined and ordered, not by reason, learning, and authority of the word of God, but by stoutness, wilfulness, and consent of the more part. In those councils, where be mo evil and wicked men than good and godly, it cometh oftentimes to pass that, iniquity having the upper hand, the greater part overcometh the better; and yet the good men neither err, nor consent to these errors concluded by the wicked and the more part, but resist and speak against them to
[[? The substance of the ninth and tenth chapters larged. “The subject of the sabbath in particular is]
[is in Cranmer’s Common-place Book at the British treated at much greater length. Vid. Jenkyns’ Re-]
[Museum, but they are here much altered and en- mains of Archbp. Cranmer, Vol. IV. p. 217.]
the utmost of their power, not without great danger of their lives, yea, and sometimes it costeth them their lives indeed, as it is now daily seen.
“The scribes and the Pharisees sit upon Moses’ seat: whatsoever they bid you do, that do, but after their works do not; for they say, and do not.” Here, they say, it appeareth plainly that Christ commandeth us to obey the heads of the church, how evil soever their lives be.
First, let them look well what manner men they make themselves, that is, seribes and Pharisees, the greatest enemies of God, persecutors and murderers of his prophets, of the apostles, and of Christ himself, and so antichrists.
Secondly, Moses’ seat is not his office or authority, but his doctrine; and therefore saith St Augustine, that seat, which is his doctrine, suffereth them not to err: and in another place, They sitting in Moses’ seat teach the law of God; therefore God teacheth by them. But if they will teach their own doctrine, believe them not; for such seek their own, and not Jesus Christs: and Christ biddeth us beware of the leaven of the Pharisees; and then the disciples knew that he spake not of the leaven of bread, but of their doctrines, although they sat in Moses’ seat, (if they will needs contend, the dignity or office of Moses to be Moses’ seat,) and yet erred shamefully in their doctrine.
Behold, I am with you all the days unto the world’s end.” “This promise was not made to the apostles only, (for they died shortly after Christ,) but to the church: ergo, the church cannot err.
I beseech them to begin a little afore, and they shall plainly hear Christ himself unloose this knot. The words before are these in Mark: Go and preach my gospel to every creature;” and in Matthew: “Go and teach all people, baptizing them in the name of the Father, of the Son,” &c.; “teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and, lo, I will be with you unto the world’s end.” Here you may see this promise of Christ, I will be with you,” &c., is not absolute or universal, but given under a condition: that is, if you preach my gospel truly, if you baptize rghtly, if you teach the baptized to do all things that I have commanded you, lo, then I will be with you unto the world’s end. But if you teach any other gospel, or baptize otherwise, or bid them do any other thing, above that which I have commanded you, you bave no promise of God, but the curse that Paul threateneth: though we or an angel from heaven preach,” &c.
“1 have yet many more things to say unto you, but you cannot bear them away now: howbeit when he is come, which is the Spirit of truth, he will lead you into all truth.” Here you may see, say the enemies of God’s truth, that Christ taught not all things himself, but left many things to be taught to the disciples by the Holy Ghost after his death.
Christ said not, “I have many things to say, which I will not tell you now,” but, which you cannot bear now;” that is, you cannot perceive or understand them — now: and thus Christ himself expoundeth these words: The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom my Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and put you in remembrance of all things that I have said unto you;” and no new or other things. For Christ saith plainly, that he himself had taught them all before, — Saying, All things that I have heard of my Father have I opened unto you.”
Moreover, our Saviour in plain words sheweth what things those were that his disciples could not understand, although he many times told them the same before. Behold,” saith he, we go up to Jerusalem, and all shall be fulfilled that are written by the prophets of the Son of man. For he shall be delivered to the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and despitefully entreated, and spitted on; and when they have scourged him, they will put him to death; and the third day he will rise again: and they understood none of these things: for these sayings were hid from them, so that they perceived none of the things that were spoken:” although he spake to them in most plain terms. And the cause why they perceived not his so plain speech, was this: they were yet carnal, and understood the prophecies of Christ’s kingdom carnally, — thinking that Christ should reign at Jerusalem like a mighty conqueror, and subdue all the Gentiles under the yoke of bondage to the Jews, so that the Jews should be lords and rulers over all the world for ever. And therefore James and John asked a
petition of Jesus by their mother, that they, “her two sons, might sit the one on his right hand, and the other on his left hand, in his kingdom:” and when he spake of his - death, Peter took him aside, and rebuked him, saying, Master, favour thyself; this shall not happen unto thee.” To whom Christ said: Go after me, Satan.” These be the things that the disciples could not then bear or understand, but thought that he had spoken some allegory, riddle, or dark speech unto them: but after his resurrection he opened their wits that they might understand the scriptures, and said unto them: “Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer.” And to the two disciples going to Emmaus he expounded Moses, the prophets, and all the scriptures that were written of him. And after the ascension the Holy Ghost appeared to them in fiery tongues, and filled them with all knowledge, and they began to speak with sundry tongues, as the Holy Ghost gave them utterance; and then they understood the scrip- “tures perfectly.
Many other tokens did Jesus, which are not written in this book.” Again: “There are many other things that Jesus did, which, if they were written, I suppose the world should not be able to contain the books that should be written.”
St John speaketh not here of faith and charity, but of miracles, the knowledge whereof is not necessary for our salvation; as his words following do declare: These are written, that you might believe that Jesus is Christ the Son of God, and in believing may have life in his name.” And what is more required or desired of a Christian than to enjoy everlasting life? That ought to be our whole study and endeavour; to that end ought we to apply all our minds, words, and works, and prayers.
Stand fast, brethren, and keep the ordinances that ye have learned, either by our preaching or by our epistle.” Of these words they gather, that Paul taught divers things to the Thessalonians by word of mouth without writing, which nevertheless he commanded them to observe and do.
I grant that Paul taught many things by word of mouth, which he wrote not in his epistles to the Thessalonians. But how shall they prove that the same things be neither written by him in any other of his epistles, nor in any other place of the holy bible? For what argument is this? It is not written in this place or to those persons; ergo, it is not written in the scripture at all. For the shortness of one epistle, or of one sermon, cannot sufficiently contain all things necessary for our salvation: and therefore be there so many books of the scripture, that whatso is omitted, and not spoken of in one place, or else darkly spoken of, might be written plainly in another place. And for this cause St Paul writeth to the Colossians, saying: When this letter is read with you, cause it also to be read to the Laodiceans. And read you also the epistle written from Laodicea.” And St Paul writeth of himself, “Such as we are in our absence by letters, such are we in deed being present.” Moreover, Paul speaketh not here of doctrines of faith and charity, which ever continue without changing, adding, or minishing; but of certain traditions, observations, ceremonies, and outward rites and bodily exercises, which, as he saith, is little worth to God-ward, but to be used for comeliness, decent order, and uniformity in the church, and to avoid schism: which ceremonies every good man is bound to keep, lest he trouble the common order, and so break the order of charity in offending his weak brethren, so long as they be approved, received, and used by the heads and common consent. But they, and every one of such ceremonies as be neither sacraments, nor commandments of faith and charity, may be altered and changed, and other set in their places, or else utterly taken away by the authority of princes, and other their rulers and subjects in the church. Yea, also the traditions, made by the apostles in full council at Jerusalem, may be, and already are taken away; as to abstain from things offered unto images, from blood and strangled, are nowhere kept. And this of Paul, that a man should neither pray nor preach capped, or with his head covered, is also clean abolished.
The Tenth Chapter. Doctors to the same purpose, with their answers!
TERTULLIAN, of the Crown of a Soldier. He, reciting many traditions, as to renounce the devil, his pomp and his angels, afore baptism, to dip the children thrice in the font, to give it pap of honey and milk first thing after baptism, and not to wash it in a whole week after, to offer both at the day of the burial and birth, on the Sunday neither to fast, nor to pray kneeling, nor also from Easter to Whitsuntide, crossing our foreheads, with divers such like, saith: If thou require a law of these and other such disciplines, there can be no pretence of a law for them out of the scriptures. But thou shalt either perceive by thyself, or learn of some other that perceiveth it, that custom, being author, confirmer, conserver, and observer of faith, shall maintain and defend the cause of this tradition and custom of faith?.”
By the scriptures before alleged it is evidently proved, that all things requisite for our salvation be set forth in the holy books of the bible, and that it is not lawful to put any thing thereto under pain of everlasting damnation. The same Tertullian also, as it is afore rehearsed”, saith that “there is nothing else that ought to be believed after salva. Christ’s gospel once published.” Yea, all the old authors, a thousand year after Christ, and likewise almost all the new, affirm the same, and would not have us credit their sayings without the proof of God’s word.
Why should we then believe Tertullian against so plain scriptures, against the old fathers of the church, and also contrary to his own sayings? Yet here will I gently interpret him, so as he may both agree with the scriptures, with the old authors, and also with himself. Tertullian speaketh here not of doctrines of faith, hope, and charity,
[[! The following list of traditions is contained mass. Consecrating of religious men. And a thou-]
[in the corresponding part of Cranmer’s Common- sand mo traditions apostolic there be, if we give]
[place Book at the British Museum.” (Vid.Jenkyns’ credence to St Denys, De Ecclesiast. Hierarch.,]
[Remains of Archbp. Cranmer, Vol. IV. pp. 223, 4.) Ignatius, the Canons of the apostles, Ecclesiastica et]
[Traditions not written recited by Tertullian. Tripartita Historia, Cyprian, Tertullian, Irenaeus,]
[That children should be christened but two times with other old ancient authors. And yet an infinite]
[in the year, at Easter and Whitsuntide. That number mo we shall be constrained to receive, if]
[the bishops should christen them. That they that we admit this rule, which St Augustine many times]
[should be christened should be three times put in repeats, «that whatsoever is universally observed,]
[the water, the whole body. That by and by after and not written in the scripture, nor ordained by]
[they should eat milk and honey mixed together. general councils, is a tradition coming from the]
[That the whole week after they should not be apostles: as, that bishops have authority to ex-]
[washed. To offer yearly, the day of men’s death, communicate all persons that be manifest and obsti-]
[and of their birth. Upon the Sunday neither to fast, nate sinners; to admit or reject other bishops and]
[nor to kneel in prayer: and likewise from Easter curates presented by princes or patrons; to ordain]
[to Whitsuntide. To make a cross upon our fore- ceremonies to be observed in the church; to make]
[heads. laws how to proceed in excommunication, and other]
[Traditions recited by Basilius. Making a laws ecclesiastical; and what punishment is to be]
[cross upon them that be christened. To turn our given to offenders; and all people being within]
[faces to the east, when we pray. Consecrating of their jurisdiction, of what estate or condition soever]
[oil and water in baptism, [and of him that is they be, be bound to obey them.” British Museum,]
[baptized.] Unction with oil. To put them that be Royal MSS. 7. B. xi. p. 92. Strype, Memorials,]
[baptized three times in the water. To renounce Vol. IL part i. pp. 214, 15, Ed. Oxford, 1822.]]
[the devil and his angels in baptism. [?^ To fast, neither to pray, Orig. ed. ]]
[Other authors rehearse a great number of tra- [? Harum et aliarum ejusmodi disciplinarum si]
[ditions. The fast of Lent. To fast Wednesday and legem expostules scripturarum, nullam invenies.]
[Friday. Not to fast Saturday nor Sunday. Thata Rationem traditioni et consuetudini et fidei patroci-]
[bishop should be consecrated of two or three bishops, naturam aut ipse perspicies, aut ab aliquo qui per-]
[and priests of one. A bishop, priest, and deacon, spexerit disces: interim nonnullam esse credes, cui]
[shall not meddle with the business and care of debeatur obsequium. Tertull. De Cor. p. 102. Ed.]
[worldly things; and if he do, let him be deposed. Lutet. Paris. 1664.]]
[If a bishop give orders in another bishop’s diocese ^ Id. de Prascript. Haret. cap. vi. p. 204. Vid.]
[without his licence, he shall be deposed, and also p. 22.]]
[he that taketh orders of him. Giving of pax after]
— but of traditions, outward gestures, rites and ceremonies, which be not necessary for our salvation, but be ordained for a decent order and conformity in the church; as is plainly shewed in the answer to St Paul in the epistle to the Thessalonians. And that he speaketh of such rites and ceremonies, it is evident. For all those that he rehearseth be mere ceremonies, and few of them kept at this day, which no man might have altered or abolished, if they had been necessarily to be kept under pain of damnation.
Cyprian to Pompeius, against Stephen’s epistle. It is of no less authority that the apostles delivered by the instruction of the Holy Ghost, than that which Christ himself delivered?.”
Cyprian speaketh not here of traditions unwritten, but of such things as the apostles. delivered in their writings, as the gospels and epistles; like as Paul saith: I delivered you that I received of the Lord;” which thing he wrote to them. But if they will needs understand him of things delivered by the apostles without writing, then answer him as Tertullian.
Origen. “In observances of the church, there be divers things which all men must needs do, and yet the reason of them is unknown to all men.” And he reciteth in many^ the observances that Tertullian doth, and after he concludeth: “Who can certainly tell the cause of all these things?”
The answer made to Tertullian will serve Origen in this place.
Athanasius upon the second epistle to the Thessalonians, chap. ii. upon this place, State et tenete. Hereby it is plain that Paul delivered many things without the scripture, not written in his epistles, but by word of mouth only. And these are worthy no less faith than the other: therefore I do judge the tradition of the church to be a thing worthy to be credited; so that if any thing be delivered by it, make no farther search.” Chrysostomus, in the 2nd epistle to the Thessalonians, chap. ii.: Stand fast, brethren, and keep the traditions,” &c. ^ Hereof,” saith Chrysostom, “it is plain that Paul delivered not all things in his epistles, but also many things without writing; and as well those as these are worthy of like faith. Wherefore we judge the tradition of the church worthy of credit: it is a tradition; search no farther?.”
Epiphanius against Heresies, Lib. i. tom. l. Against those that call themselves apostles. 1 Cor. xi. xiv. xv. “We must,” saith he, “use traditions, for all things cannot be perceived by the holy scripture. Wherefore the holy apostles have set forth unto us some things by the word of God, and some things by traditions, as the apostle saith: “As I have delivered unto you, thus I teach; and, Thus I have delivered in all churches; and, Thus you remember by wbat means I have preached unto you, except you have believed in vain
Answer these three authors like as Tertullian is answered, saving that they allege St Paul for their purpose, but clearly wrested from his true meaning, as it shall easily appear to every indifferent reader, that 1s not blinded of malice to resist the truth, as they may plainly perceive by the answer made to St Paul afore. And whereas they say, that things given by word of mouth are as well to be believed as those that be written; they
[[^ Si ergo aut in evangelio pracipitur aut in [? Εντεῦθεν δῆλον ὅτι οὐ πάντα δι’ ἐπιστολῆς]
[apostolorum epistolis vel actibus continetur—ob- παρεδίδοσαν, ἀλλὰ πολλὰ καὶ ἀγράφως” ὁμοίως δὲ]
[servetur divina hac et sancta traditio. Cyprian. κἀκεῖνα καὶ ταῦτά ἐστιν ἀξιόπιστα. ὥστε καὶ τὴν]
[Epist. Ixxiv. ad Pompeium contr. epist. Stephani. παράδοσιν τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἀξιόπιστον ἡγώμεθα.]
[p. 138. Ed. Paris. 1726. ] παράδοσίς ἐστι μηδὲν πλέον ζήτει. Chrysost. in [$ In manner, Orig. ed.) Epist. II. ad Thessal. cap. ii. Hom. iv. Tom. XI. [7 Will serve Origen here, Orig. ed.] p. 932. Ed. Paris. 1718-38.] [? The passage cited is not from Athanasius, [10 Δεῖ δὲ καὶ παραδόσει κεχρῆσθαι” οὐ yap]
[but Theophylact. Καντεῦθεν δῆλον ὅτι πολλὰ πάντα ἀπὸ τῆς θείας γραφῆς δύναται λαμβάνεσθαι.]
[καὶ ἀγράφως διὰ λόγου, τουτέστι ζώσῃ φωνῇ, διὸ τὰ μὲν ἐν γραφαῖς, τὰ δὲ ἐν παραδόσει παρέδω-]
[παρεδίδοσαν, οὐ μόνον δι’ ἐπιστολῶν. ὁμοίως δὲ kav οἱ ἅγιοι ἀπόστολοι” ὡς φησὶν ὁ ἅγιος ἀπόστο-]
[καὶ ταῦτα κἀκεῖνα ἀξιόπιστα. ὥστε καὶ τὴν Tapd- Nos, ὡς παρέδωκα ὑμῖν” καὶ ἄλλοτε, οὕτως διδάσκω,]
[δοσιν τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἀξιόπιστον ἡγούμεθα. mapd- καὶ οὕτως παρέδωκα ἐν ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις. καὶ εἰ]
[δοσίς ἐστι” μηδὲν πλέον (jTer. —Theoph. Comment. κατέχετε, ἐκτὸς εἰ μὴ εἰκῆ ἐπιστεύσατε. Epiphan.]
[in Epist. II. ad Thessalon. cap. ii. v. 19. p. 730. Adver. Heres. Lib. 11. Tom. I. p. 511. Ed. Colon.]
[Ed. Lond. 1636. ] 1582.]]
mean, that they are worthy of like credit with traditions written. For neither of both are of necessity to salvation, but may be changed and taken away by common consent, as it is afore said.
Basil, of the Holy Ghost, chap. 27. Of those doctrines that are preached in the church, we have some delivered us by writing, and again some we have received by the traditions of the apostles in mystery, that is, in secret: both have like strength to godliness; neither doth any man speak against these, whatsoever he be, that hath but mean experience what the authority of the church is. For if we, like fools, go about to reject the customs of the church, which are not written, as things of small weight, we shall condemn those things that be needful for our salvation in the gospel. Yea, we shall rather cut short the true preaching of faith to bare name’.” And he rehearseth like traditions as Tertullian did.
Jerome, against the Luciferians. Although there were no authority of the scriptures at all, yet the consent of the whole world in this matter should have the force of a law. For many other things, which are observed in the church by tradition, have obtained the authority of a law written: as to dip the head thrice in baptism; and when they are christened, to give them first pap made of milk with honey, for a signification of their infancy; on the Sunday, and on Whitsun-week?, not to kneel at their prayers?.”
Augustine, upon the words of Basil. Some of the ecclesiastical institutions we have received by writings; some, through traditions from the apostles, approved by succession; and some use hath allowed, being strengthened by custom. Unto all which like usage and like affections of godliness is due; of which who will doubt, though he have but — small experiences in the scriptures? For if we set our mind to regard lightly customs of the church, delivered us from our elders without the scriptures, it shall easily appear to them that look earnestly thereon, how great loss christian religion shall suffer.” And he reciteth the same that Jerome doth, with divers other.
These three authors, and all that make for the same purpose, be answered before in Tertullian. For not one of those things that they make mention of are necessary for our salvation: and many of them are now taken away; and the rest which yet remain, as to dip the child thrice wholly in the water, to hallow the water, oil, and cream, or to cross it in the forehead, are not of necessity to salvation. For John baptized in Jordan, and the chamberlain of the queen of /Ethiopia was christened in the common stream, and children in danger of life are christened of the midwife, or some other woman, without any of these ceremonies: and yet they will not deny that all these baptisms be good, and allowed of God. In Spain also they dip the child but once, as it was decreed in the council of Tollet’. And I am sure they will not say that all the Spaniards so many. years have wanted a thing necessary to salvation in their baptism. God also regardeth not our outward bodily gesture in our prayers; but he beholdeth the faith and earnest desire of the heart of him that prayeth, wheresoever he prayeth, and whatsoever his outward bodily gesture be.
The same against Cresconi, a grammarian, Lib. i. cap. 33, tom. 7. ^ Although we have no certain example of this matter in the canonical scripture, yet nevertheless the
[[! Τῶν ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ πεφυλαγμένων δογμάτων totius orbis in hanc partem consensus instar pra-]
[xal κηρυγμάτων, τὰ μὲν ἐκ τῆς ἐγγράφου didacka- cepti obtineret. Nam et multa alia, quz per tra-]
[Nias ἔχομεν, τὰ δὲ ἐκ τῆς τῶν ἀποστόλων wapa- ditionem in ecclesiis observantur, auctoritatem sibi]
[δόσεως διαδοθέντα ἡμῖν ἐν μυστηρίῳ παρεδεξάμεθα” scripte legis usurpaverunt: velut in lavacro ter]
[ἅπερ ἀμφότερα τὴν αὐτὴν ἰσχὺν ἔχει πρὸς τὴν caput mergitare; deinde egressos, lactis et mellis]
[εὐσέβειαν” kal τούτοις οὐδεὶς ἀντερεῖ, ὕστίς ye kav pregustare concordiam ad infantiz significationem;]
[κατὰ μικρὸν γοῦν θεσμῶν ἐκκλησιαστικῶν memei- die dominico et per omnem pentecosten nec de geni-]
[parat. εἰ γὰρ ἐπιχειρήσομεν τὰ ἄγραφα τῶν ἐθῶν culis adorare. Hieron. Adver. Lucifer. Tom. II.]
[ws οὐ μεγάλην ἔχοντα τὴν δύναμιν παραιτεῖσθαι, p. 96. Ed. Francof. 1684.]]
[λάθοιμεν dv eis αὐτὰ τὰ καίρια ζημιοῦντες τὸ εὐαγ- [ The words of Basil” referred to in this]
[γέλιον” μάλλον δὲ els ὅνομα ψιλὸν περιϊστῶντες τὸ brief comment are evidently those just quoted in]
[κήρυγμα. Basil. De Spir. Sancto. cap. xxvii. Tom. note 1. The Editor has not discovered the comment]
[11 p. 351. Ed. Paris. 1637.] itself in Augustine’s writings. ]]
[[? And all Whitsun-week, Orig. ed.] [5 Conc. Tolet. 1v. cap. vi. Labb. et Cossart.]
? Etiam si scriptura auctoritas non subesset, Tom. V. col. 1706, 7. Ed. Lutet. Paris. 1674.
truth of the same scriptures in this matter is retained of us, when we do that the whole church alloweth, which church the authority of the scriptures commend. And forasmuch as the holy scripture can deceive no man, whoso feareth to be deceived with any dark speaking of it, let him ask counsel at the church therein, which, without any doubt, the holy scripture doth shew.”
The answer is easy. Austin was more circumspect than to think that any doctrine might be proved by use and custom without the scripture. For baptism of infants he bringeth in this text: Except a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot be my disciple.” And because the Donatists, like as the anabaptists do now, wrest this to them that be of years of discretion, against this exposition he allegeth the manner of the church in christening of infants. By the which he proveth that the church hath alway taken this sentence, “Except a man be born again,” to be spoken also of infants. What manner of argument should this be of Austin? The exposition of the scripture, and the use of the sacraments, may be judged by the custom used in the holy church alway; ergo, the church may make a new sacrament, and ordain any new article of our faith, without the scripture. By the sentences before cited of Austin himself it may be easily judged. I also grant, that every exposition of the scripture, whereinsoever the old, holy, and true church did agree, is necessary to be believed. But our controversy here is, whether any thing ought to be believed of necessity without the scripture.
The same against the epistle of Fundament, cap. v. tom. 6. “I would not believe the gospel, but that the authority of the church moveth me:” ergo, say they, whatsoever the church saith, we must needs believe them as well as the gospel.
This argument is naught: for the testimony of the church is but as a public office of ἃ record; as the exchequer, the court of the rolls, the office of a recorder, or a register of all Christendom; in which office men may search and have, of the keepers of such offices, the true copies of such lands, or other moveables, as be due to them by the law. And yet may neither the registers, recorders, stewards of courts, or town-clerks, put to, or take away any thing from, the first original writings; no, nor the judge himself. But all things ought to be judged by those writings. So, likewise, we believe the holy canon of the bible, because that the primitive church of the apostles, and eldest writers, and next to their time, approved them in their register, that is, in their writings, which partly saw them, and partly heard them of the apostles. And more receive we not, because these old fathers of the first church testify in their books, that there was no more than these required to be believed as the scripture of God. And yet were these writings no less true, afore they were allowed by them, than since, Christ witnessing and saying, “I seek no witness of man.”
Austin to Cassulane. In these things, wherein the scripture of God hath determined nothing, the custom of the people, and our elders’ ordinances, ought to be holden as a law; and the transgressors of the customs of the church are likewise to be punished, as the breakers of God’s law. Of which things if thou wilt dispute, and reprove one custom by another, there shall arise an endless strife.” He repeateth also this sentence many times: “That whatsoever is universally observed, and not written in the scripture, nor ordained by general councils, is a tradition come from the apostles.”
[[ We do that that the whole church, Orig. ed.] xxxiii. Tom. VII. p. 168. Ed. Paris. 1637.]]
[7 Proinde quamvis hujus rei certe de scripturis [8 Ego vero evangelio non crederem, nisi me]
[canonicis non proferatur exemplum, earumdem ta- catholice ecclesias commoveret auctoritas. Id.]
[men scripturarum etiam in hac re a nobis tenetur Contr. Epist. Fund. Manich. cap. vi. Tom. VI.]
[veritas, cum hoc facimus quod universa jam placuit p. 46.]]
[ecclesie, quam ipsarum scripturarum commendat [? In his enim rebus, de quibus nihil certi statuit]
[auctoritas: ut quoniam sancta scriptura fallere non scriptura divina, mos populi Dei vel instituta majo-]
[potest, quisquis falli metuit hujus obscuritate quaes- rum pro lege tenenda sunt. De quibus si disputare]
[tionis, eandem ecclesiam de illa consulat, quam voluerimus, et ex aliorum consuetudine alios impro-]
[sine ulla ambiguitate sancta scriptura demonstrat. bare, orietur interminata luctatio. Id. Casul. Epist.]
[August. Contra Crescon. Grammat. Lib. 1. cap. Ixxxii. Tom. II. p. 143.]]
Answer him as Tertullian. Yet of all other authors he is most plain, that nothing is of necessity to salvation besides the scriptures of God. But let us grant for their pleasures, that those customs which they speak of be traditions apostolic, yet they be no longer nor other ways to be observed than the traditions apostolic written; which, as is before fully proved, may (and are already) be both changed, and clearly taken away. And as concerning custom, it is plainly proved, that it is not to be received against the scripture, truth, or reason.
They say, moreover, that the perpetual virginity of our lady is to be believed of necessity, as Cyprian, Chrysostom, Jerome, Ambrose, Austin, and all other speaking thereof say. But this is not found in the scripture; ergo, there is something to be believed that is not written in the scripture.
The minor, that is to say, that this is not written in the scripture, is false. For, first, none of the old authors that rehearse traditions of the apostles unwritten, make mention of the perpetual virginity of our lady to be one of them; but they rehearse only divers ceremonies, or bodily gestures, and such rites used in baptism, prayers, holydays, and fastings, which, as I have manifestly declared, are not necessary to salvation; but the most part of them are clean taken away, and the contrary commanded and used by the universal church. Moreover, all the said authors prove her perpetual virginity by this text of scripture: “This door shall be still shut, and not opened for any man to go through it, but only for the Lord God of Israel; yea, he shall go through it, else shall it be shut still.” For if these and such other fathers had not judged her perpetual virginity to have been written in the scriptures, they would never have judged it to have been a thing to be believed under pain of damnation. Saint Jerome also calleth Helvidium a rash and an ungodly man, because that he taught that our lady had other children by Joseph after Christ’s birth; which doctrine he could not prove by the scriptures of God. In like manner we call all them that preach any doctrine in the church, without the authority of God’s word, both ungodly, rash, and wicked members of antichrist.
Yet they bring forth, to maintain their error, the baptism of infants, which, they say, is not contained in the scriptures: and yet this is to be observed upon pain of damnation of the said children. £rgo, there is something to be done, of necessity to our salvation, that is not contained in the scriptures.
O what a gap these men open both to the Donatists and to the anabaptists, that deny the baptizing of infants! For, if it were not written in the word of God, no man. ought to believe it, or use it: and so the Donatists and anabaptists’ doctrine were true, and ours false. But in deed the baptism of infants is proved by the plain scriptures. First, by the figure of the old law, which was circumcision. Infants in the old law were circumcised; ergo, in the new law they ought to be baptized. Again: infants — pertain to God, as it is said to Abraham, I will be thy God, and the God of thy seed — after thee.” Christ saith also: Suffer children to come to me; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” And again: “See that ye despise not one of these little ones: for their angels in heaven always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven: for the Son of man is come to save that which is lost.” And again, Paul saith, that your children are holy now.” By these, and many other plain words of scripture, it is evident that the baptism of infants is grounded upon the holy scriptures.
Furthermore, the church, say they, hath changed the sabbath-day into the Sunday, which sabbath was commanded by God, and never man found fault thereat. Seeing then that the church hath authority to change God’s laws, much more it hath authority to make new laws necessary to salvation.
There be two parts of the sabbath-day: one is the outward bodily rest from all manner of labour and work; and this is mere ceremonial, and was taken away with other sacrifices and ceremonies by Christ at the preaching of the gospel. The other part
And yet of all, Orig. Hieron. adv. Helvid. Tom. 11. 7 sqq. Tom. 462. Francof. 1684
of the sabbath-day is the inward rest, or ceasing from sin, from our own wills and lusts, and to do only God’s will and commandments. Of this part speaketh the prophet Esay: He that taketh heed that he unhallow not the sabbath-day, is he that keepeth himself that he do no evil; and they that hold greatly of the thing that pleaseth me, and keep my covenant, unto them will I give an everlasting name, that shall not perish.” And moreover, the same prophet saith: If thou turn thy feet from the sabbath, so that thou do not the thing which pleaseth thyself in my holy day, then shalt thou be called unto the pleasant, holy, and glorious sabbath of the Lord, where thou shalt be in honour; so that thou do not after thine own imaginations, neither seek thine own will, nor speak thine own words. Then shalt thou have thy pleasure in the Lord, which shall carry thee high above the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the Lord’s own mouth hath spoken it.” This spiritual sabbath, that is, to abstain from sin and to do good, are all men bound to keep all the days of their life, and not only on the sabbath-day. And this spiritual sabbath may no man alter nor change, no, not the whole church.
That the utter? observing of the sabbath is mere ceremonial, St Paul writeth plainly, as that the holy days of the new moon and of the sabbath-days are nothing but shadows of things to come.
And that the outward bodily rest is a mere ceremonial precept, St Austin also affirmeth, saying, that among all the ten commandments this only that is spoken of the sabbath is commanded figuratively; but all the other commandments we must observe 5 plainly, as they be commanded, without any figure of speech.
Jerome also, to the Galatians, iv. according to the same, saith: Lest the congregation of the people, without good order, should diminish the faith in Christ, therefore certain days were appointed, wherein we should come together; not that that day is holier than the other in which we come together, but that whatsoever day we assemble in there might arise greater joy by the sight of one of us to another.
“But he that will answer wittily to the question propounded, affirmeth all the days to be like, and not that Christ is crucified only on Good Friday, and riseth only on the Sunday; but that every day is the day of the Lord’s resurrection, and we eat his flesh always. But fastings and comings together were ordained of wise men for them that give themselves rather to the world than to God; that cannot, yea, for them that will not, come there at all, there to make their sacrifice of prayers to God in the face of all the people.”
Hereby you may easily perceive that the church hath not changed the special part of the sabbath, which is to cease from vice and sin; but the ceremonial part of the sabbath only, which was abrogate and taken away, with other ceremonies of Moses’ law, by Christ, at the full preaching of the gospel: in place whereof the church hath ordained the Sunday for causes aforesaid’.
[[? i.e. outer.] semper eum carne vesci dominica. Jejunia autem [ Coloss. ii. 16, 17.] et congregationes inter dies propter eos a viris pru- [^ Ideoque inter omnia illa decem praecepta dentibus constitutos, qui magis seculo vacant quam]
[solum ibi quod de sabbato positum est, figurate Deo, nec possunt, imo nolunt toto in ecclesia vitae]
[observandum pracipitur,—cetera tamen ibi pra- suz tempore congregari, et ante humanos actus]
[cepta proprie, sicut precepta sunt, sine ulla figurata Deo orationum suarum offerre sacrificium, Hieron.]
[significatione observamus. August. Januario. Epist. Lib. rr. in Epist. ad Galat. cap. iv. Tom. IX. p.]
[cxix. cap. xii. Tom. II. p. 217.] 142. Ed. Francof. 1684.] [$ Et ne inordinata congregatio populi fidem [7 The following are some extracts from Cran-]
[minueret in Christo, propterea dies aliqui constituti mer’s Common-place Book in the British Museum]
[sunt, ut in unum omnes pariter veniremus. Non relating to the subject of this chapter.]
[quo celebrior sit dies illa qua convenimus, sed quo Nove doctrine.]
[quacumque die conveniendum sit, ex conspectu Quod sacerdos sit qui non vivat ex doctrina verbi,]
[mutuo letitia major oriatur. Qui vero opposite sed ex missis qua pro defunctis celebrantur.]
[quaestioni acutius respondere conatur, illud affirmat, Missa de scala coli. Missa satisfactoria.]
[omnes dies zquales esse, nec per Parascevem tan- Indulgentizm. Jubileus.]
[tum Christum crucifigi, et die dominica resurgere, Communicatio sub una specie.]
[sed semper sanctum resurrectionis esse diem, et Satisfactio.]
The Eleventh Chapter: The Papists’ Objections, with answers unto them
They boast themselves, moreover, of the certainty of their doctrine, and prove it to be true by the long continuance thereof, and lucky prosperity of their kingdom; and their adversaries’ doctrine to be false, by the persecutions, plagues, miseries, and afflictions, which they daily suffer for their doctrine’s sake.
If the trial of true religion should rest upon antiquity of time, or upon worldly prosperity, then should the gentiles and pagans have a great advantage of us Christians, and their religion should be better than ours, by the testimonies of our own scriptures. For idolatry and worshipping of false gods, and their images, was used long before the law of God, written and given to Moses, in which errors and idolatry the heathen continue unto this day, in great prosperity and wealth, under most victorious emperors and princes: whereas the true church of Christ hath been most miserably afflicted from time to time; first under the Egyptians, after by the Philistines, Canaanites, Phara-sites, &c.; then by the Babylonians, Assyrians, Medes, Persians, Syrians, and Romans, both subdued, conquered, and led away captives: and, last of all, by the Turk and the pope, the two horns of antichrist, the true church of Christ hath been most cruelly persecuted unto death, with prison, famine, water, fire, fagot, and sword, these seven or eight hundred years last past. Which Turk and pope, although they be mortal enemies one to the other, yet as Herod, Pilate, the bishops, scribes, and Pharisees, although they were utter foes each to other, conspired against innocent Christ, causeless condemning him to death on the cross; in like manner, I say, the pope and the Turk do fully agree in this one point, to persecute and murder Christ in his faithful members. For as the sun cannot be without his brightness, nor the fire with- out his heat; so cannot the true church of God be long without the cross of persecution, as witnesseth St Paul: All they that will live godly in Jesus Christ shall suffer persecution.” And our Saviour Christ saith plainly, that his “kingdom is not of this world.” For “if they persecute me,” saith he, “they shall also persecute you.” And Christ giveth not to his apostles earthly peace in this world, but peace and quietness of conscience, joined with persecution. For if the wicked persecuted Christ himself, shall they not also persecute his servants? And if they so handled Christ, being the lively tree, what think you they shall do to us his withered branches? And as the true church of Christ can never be long without persecution, in like manner can the false church of Satan and antichrist never cease from persecuting; as it appeareth throughout the histories of the whole bible. Of the tyranny and cruelty of antichrist in persecuting of Christ’s true church, prophesied Daniel long before. Speaking of the
[In ceremoniis fere omnibus Judaos imitamur. in libro regum (peracta dedicatione templi) reperies. Habemus et velum atrii domus Domini, sicut Pro ephodo lineo habemus superpellicia. Judai. De consecratione, Dist. i. Nemo.’ Pro sacrificiis fecimus ex missa sacrificium, ne Sicut solis sacerdotibus et Levitis licebat con-]
[sacerdotes nostri non essent sacrifici, trectare vasa sacra templi, ita et nunc. De Conse-Habemus et asyla pro locis refugii. cratione, Dist. i. «In sancta.” Habemus basilicas consecratas, cum altaribus, Nec in alios usus licet vestibus sacris frui, quam]
[calicibus, vestibus, et reliquis utensilibus, ad divi- in sacros. De Consecratione, Dist. i. Vestimenta]
[num cultum pertinentibus. et «Ad nuptiarum. ” Royal MSS. 7. B. xi. p. Habemus etiam hac omnia oleo peruncta. 101. Vid. Jenkyns’ Remains of Archbp. Cranmer, Quin et sacerdotes ac reliqui ministri oleo im- { Vol. IV. p. 234.]]
[buuntur, et consecrantur more Mosaico. De Con- [’ Itseems evident that the whole of this eleventh]
[secratione, Dist. i. cap. io. et iii. chapter could not proceed from the pen of the archNon licet offerre nisi in loco consecrato. De bishop, if even any part of it was written by him.]
[Consecratione, Dist. ii. Sicut non alii,” quia In several places there appear discrepancies of style,]
[scriptum est, Vide ne offeras holocausta tua in and there is reference made to a work which, ac-]
[omni loco quem videris, sed in omni loco quem ele- cording to the date, was not printed till after his]
[gerit Dominus Deus tuus. death. The chapter is not found in the Common-Festum dedicationis octo diebus celebramus,sicut place Book in the British Museum.]]
[Judai. De Consecratione, Dist. i. Solemnitates.’ [2 Moreover they boast themselves, Orig. ed. ] Quod autem octo diebus enczniasint celebranda, [? Conquest, Orig. ed.]]
empire and regiment of Rome: The fourth beast,” saith he, shall be the fourth kingdom, which shall be greater than all other kingdoms: it shall devour, tread down, — and destroy all other lands; he shall speak words against the Highest of all; he shall destroy the saints of the Most Highest, and think that he can change times and laws.” And again, he saith of Antiochus, which was a figure of antichrist: There shall arise a king uushamefaced of face; he shall be wise in dark speaking; he shall be mighty and strong, but not in his own strength; he shall destroy above measure, and all that he goeth about shall prosper in his hand: his heart shall be proud, he shall slay the strong and holy people, and through his craftiness falsehood shall prosper in his hand, and many one shall be put to death in his wealthiness; he shall stand up against the prince of princes, but he shall be slain without hand.” Of the tyranny and prosperous success of antichrist in slaying of the saints of God, and the reward of them that be slain for the witness of God’s truth, speaketh also St John, in the sixth chapter of his Apocalypse, under the opening of the four and five seals: and in the seventeenth chapter he lively setteth forth the pope in his own colours, under the person of the whore of Babylon being drunken with the blood of saints; pointing, as it were with his finger, who this whore of Babylon is, and the place where she shall reign, saying: “The woman which thou sawest is that great city which reigneth over the kings of the earth.” Now what other city reigned at that time, or at any time since, over the christian kings of the earth, but only Rome? Whereof it followeth Rome to be the seat of antichrist, and the pope to be very antichrist himself. I could prove the same by many other scriptures, old writers, and strong reasons. But forasmuch as Rodulph Gualter hath written hereof a notable work in Latin, and now of Latin translated into English by I. O., I remit the reader to his book, wherein he may be fully satisfied hereof. Of the prosperity and security that the false church hath in worldly pleasures, using the same with all greediness and voluptuousness of carnal lusts, with the wicked devices of tyranny against Christ and his true members, wherewith the ungodly daily persecute and murder God’s elect for his truth, with the reward also of them that suffer for the same truth sake, it is most plainly written in the second and third chapters of the Book of Wisdom.
By these scriptures now rehearsed it appeareth most plainly, that worldly prosperity of the pope and his clergy prove not the truth of their doctrine; nor yet persecution of God’s true preachers and other faithful people argueth their doctrine to be false. But if thou wilt needs know where the true church of Christ is, and where the false, and not to be deceived, herein take this for a plain and full answer, that wheresoever the word of God is truly preached, without addition of man’s doctrines and traditions, and the sacraments duly ministered according to Christ’s institution, there is the true church, the very spouse of God, Christ being the head thereof. But how many and who, of that number that hear the word of God and receive the sacraments, be God’s elect church, and true members of Christ, is known to God only; for the Lord knoweth who be his,” and no man can tell of another man, whether he be worthy love or hatred, although their works seem never so holy and glorious afore men; so great a witch is hypocrisy.
Last of all, to make all cock sure, and to maintain their idolatry beside, yea, and also contrary to the word of God, (as invocation and praying to saints, worshipping of images and relics, with pilgrimages and offerings, and the sacrifice of the mass for the quick and the dead, and pardons to deliver dead men’s souls from purgatory, holy bread, holy water, ashes, palms, and such other baggage,) they allege revelations of angels, of our lady and other saints, and dead men’s souls appearing to divers men and women, bidding them to cause certain masses, trentals, pilgrimages, and offering to images and relics of this and that saint, to be done for them, and they should be delivered from the fire of purgatory, where the pains be greater, say they, than man’s wit can
[[ The work referred to seems to be, Antichristus, (John Olde), Southwarke, 1556. See Herbert’s]
[id est, Homilize-quinque, quibus Romanum Pontifi- Ames’ Typog. Antiq. p. 1451.]]
[cem verum et magnum illum Antichristum esse [^ Trentals: services of thirty masses, said one]
[probatur. Without date.— Antichrist, That is to on each of thirty different days for the soul of a]
[saye: A true report that Antichrist is come, &c. person deceased.]]
[Translated out of Latine into English, by J. O.]
comprehend. And when such masses, pilgrimages, with offerings to such saints’ relics and images, be done for them, they appear to the same persons again, saying, that by such means they be delivered out of purgatory into the eternal joys of heaven. They tell also of many wonders and strange miracles, to prove their doctrine, in all these aforesaid things, to be true. And because they have great profit and advantage thereby, they, counting gains godliness,” have filled all their books with such vanities and lies; of which some be so fond, and so directly against God’s glory, that the most earnest papists (having either learning or wit) be ashamed of them; yea, and the pope himself hath clean put them out of God’s service used in the church of Rome: and yet must we read them, believe them as necessary articles of our faith, or else burn therefore like heretics.
By the manifest and plain words of the scriptures, and the consent of the most ancient authors before written, it is evident, that neither the visions of angels, apparitions of the dead, nor miracles, nor all these together joined in one, are able or sufficient to make any one new article of our faith, or stablish any thing in religion, without the express words of God; because all such things (as is before proved) may be, yea, and have been, through God’s permission, for our sins and unbelief’s sake, done by the power of the devil himself, or feigned and counterfeited of his lively members, monks and friars, with other such hypocrites.
But what shall Satan need to tell oracles, use visions, shew apparitions, or work miracles now-a-days? What should he need to toil herein himself? or why should he not, like a gentleman, take his ease in his inn, seeing his subtle servants, monks, friars, nuns, and other pope-holy hypocrites, can and do counterfeit such things daily, and from their beginning hath done diligently? Part whereof I shall rehearse.
About fourteen years past, at Orleance in France, the provost’s wife died, willing to be buried at the Friars’ in the same city, without pomp or other solemnity commonly used at burials. Wherefore the friars, fearing to lose a great prey, if this should be suffered to enter into the heads of the people, caused a young friar to speak in a vault in a woman’s voice, many people hearing it, and said that she was the soul of the provosts wife, condemned in hell for contemning of the suffrages of the holy church, commanding also her body to be cast out of christian burial. But the provost so bolted out the matter, that the young friar confessed the place and the manner of his speaking; and all the friars were openly punished for that fault in the common market at Orleance!. But let us come home to our own realm of England. About thirty years past, in the borders of Wales, within a priory called Lymster, there was a young woman, called the holy maid of Lymster, which (as the fame was) lived only by angels’ food, and was inclosed within a grate of iron; unto whom, certain days, when the prior of the place said mass, the third part of the host went, hanging in the air, (by miracle, as it seemed,) from the altar, where the prior massed, into the maids mouth. Which thing brought the people into a great opinion of holiness in her, and caused great pilgrimage to be there used. But when the Lord of Burgavenny?, with his brother Sir Edward Nevel, and divers other gentlemen and gentlewomen, came to try the truth hereof, they caused the door to be opened, and straightways the dogs fought for bones that were under her bed; whereupon they searching farther, found a privy door, whereby the prior might resort to her and she to him, at their pleasures. And then she confessed that she made, as it were, two fine threads of her own hairs singly tied together with fine knots; and then made a big hole with a bodkin through the corner of a quarter of the host, and fastened one end of the said hair to the corporas, where the said prior said mass, and the other end to her own bed wherein she lay, and tied the other hair fast to the quarter of the host, and wrapped the other end about her own finge. And when the prior had received his portion of the host, she wound up the thread, whereto the host was tied, upon her fingers, and so conveyed the host into her mouth. This both the prior and she confessed, and did open penance for the same’.
! Sleidan. De statu religionis et reipub. (A.D. - 97, n.; 307, n. Park. Soc. Ed. 1843.
[1534.) Book 1x. pp. 175, 6. Ed. Francof. 1568. ] [3 Sir Thomas More’s Dialogues of Vene- [2 Burgavenny, i.e. Abergavenny. Vid. Works ration and Worship of Images. Part I. Book 1.]
[of Thomas Becon, Early Writings, pp. 61,n.; cap.xiv. col. 25. ]]
To St Albans, about twenty-eight years past, came a maid, creeping upon her knees, and leaning upon two short staves, inquiring after St Alban’s bones; affirming, — £hat she should be made whole and go upright, so soon as she should come to the place where St Alban’s bones were: in token whereof an angel had delivered her a key, whereby she should certainly know where his very bones were. And when she passed thus through the streets of St Alban’s, creeping on her knees till she came to St Alban’s shrine, after she had made her prayers devoutly there, she took out the key of her purse, which she said an angel had delivered to her; and then she stood upright, and opened the shrine with the said key, and then kneeled again to pray, and to give thanks to God and St Alban for her healing, and giving her strength to walk, which was born lame. And by and by the monks would have had it rung for a miracle; but some wiser men thought it meet to try the matter better, and to examine her farther, before they began to ring a miracle openly. And upon her examination she said that she had been lame from her birth, declaring both her kindred and place where she was horn. Upon which confession she was committed to a nunnery called Sopwel, there to tarry until messengers, which they straightway sent forth, might return and testify the truth. And so she daily and holily visited St Alban’s shrine. But the night before the return of the messengers she was conveyed away, and never heard of nor seen after. And the messengers declared to be lies all that ever she had said: for there was never none born lame, nor of her name, where she said she was born.
A strange thing it is to hear of the wonderful trances and visions of Mistress Anne Wentworth, of Suffolk, which told many men the secrets of their hearts, which they thought no man could have told, but God only. She cut stomachers in pieces, and made them whole again; and caused divers men that spake against her delusions to go stark mad. All which things were proved, and openly by her confessed, to be done by necromancy and the deceit of the devil.
But Elizabeth Barton^, called the holy maid of Courtop Street in Kent, passed all others in devilish devices. For she could, when she list, feign herself to be in a trance, disfigure her face, draw her mouth awry toward the one ear, feigning that she was thus tormented of Satan for the sins of the people, and delivered from his power by our blessed lady of Courtop Street, and by her led into heaven, hell, and purgatory, and there saw all the joys and pains of those places; and took upon her to prophesy of things to come, and of the king’s death. This instrument of the devil drew into her confederacy, both of heresy and treason, holy monks of the Charter House, obstinate (they would be called observant) friars of Greenwich, nice nuns of Sion, black monks (both of cowls and conditions) of Christ’s Church and St Austin’s of Canterbury, knights, squires, learned men, priests, and many other: of which sort (whether they were blinded by her, or else of their own mere malice and hypocrisy dissembled the matter) some, by due proof made against them, were justly condemned both of heresy and treason, and suffered with the said Elizabeth Barton, according to their demerits; and some, acknowledging their own offences, were delivered by the king’s pardon. This wicked woman caused a letter to be made by a monk of St Austin’s of Canterbury, in golden letters, feigning the same to be delivered to her by an angel from heaven. This monster was convented both before William Warham, archbishop of Canterbury, and Thomas Wolsey, cardinal and archbishop of York: who, either because that generation of the clergy hath alway defended idolatry and superstition, or because she knew too much of their incontinency and other wickedness of living, (for she threatened them with eternal dammation, except they repented and amended their lives,) they clearly discharged her without finding of any fault in her at all. But when the matter came to be examined by Thomas Cranmer, archbishop of Canterbury, [^ Before they tempted, (i.e. attempted), Orig. account of Elizabeth Barton, the maid of Kent, and ed.] her accomplices, vid. Hall’s Chronicle: The 25th
[[^ Anne Wentworth, daughter of sir Roger year of King Henry VIII.; fol. ccxviii. 2. Ed.]
[Wentworth, of Ipswich, Suffolk, Vid. sir Thomas 1548. Burnet, Hist. Reformat. Vol. I. p. 302 et]
[More’s Dialogues, Of the Veneration and Worship sqq. Ed. Oxford. 1829. Strype, Eccl. Memorials,]
[of Images. Pt. I. Book 1. chap. xvi. col. 27.] Vol. I. chap. xxv. p. 271 et sqq. Ed. Oxford]
[[? But yet Elizabeth Barton, Orig. ed. Foran 1822.] [ CRANMER, 11. ] ài]
and Thomas Cromwell, then master of the rolls, they so handled the matter, that they found out the whole nest of that conspiracy: wherein was disclosed the whole number of those confederates, their books of heresy and treason, the authors and writers of the same, and of the letter feigned to be sent from heaven. All whose detestable facts, as well of idolatry, heresy, and also of treason, were so wittily and learnedly by God’s word convinced at Canterbury by Doctor Heath’, now chancellor of England, (she being present and openly confessing the same,) and also by another learned man at Paul’s cross, that the most part of them, which were before by her seduced, did then utterly abhor her shameless and abominable facts.
What a crafty point of legerdemain was played about the beginning of king Edward’s reign by a priest; which, being at mass, pricked his own finger, and caused it to drop upon the host; persuading the people that the host bled of itself, by the miraculous working of God, for to make the world believe the body of Christ to be as really and naturally in the sacrament as he was born of the virgin Mary his mother! For the which heinous fact, proved against him and also by him confessed, he did open penance at Paul’s cross.
I will rehearse one sermon, made in queen Mary’s beginning, by a momish monk, and so leave off their vain and wicked lies. A new upstart preacher, being some time a monk of Christ’s church in Canterbury, stept into the pulpit in St Pauls church, saying that the very body of Christ is really and naturally in the sacrament of the altar; yea, By God’s body is it,” quoth he. And because that neither oath nor perjury cam prove a good argument, he proved the same by three notable miracles: the first uo of an horse, refusing to eat wafers so long as their caky god was among them; the second, by the devil speaking in the likeness of an horse, being conjured of a priest by God’s body to tell what he was; and the third, a maid of Northgate parish in Canterbury, who, he said, in pretence to wipe her mouth, kept the host in her handkercher; and when she came home, she put the same into a pot, close covered, and spitted in another pot; and after a few days she, looking in the one pot, found a little young pretty babe about a shaftmond long, and the other pot was full of gored blood.
Here is goodly pulpit matters to prove new articles of our faith! For if the priests that told the stories of the two horses, or the maid that said that the bread was turned into a little child, or the monk that preached these shameful blasphemies, or the devil himself, who is father of lies, could lie, speaking in the horse, or in any of them; then do all these foresaid miracles prove nothing his purpose. But, O merciful God, in what a miserable state were we thine afflicted members, if it were true, which they say, being both enemies to thee and to us also, for thy truth’s sake! For we would not only suffer extreme miseries, as loss of our goods, good names, and the company of our dear friends in our native country; but also burn as heretics in this world, if we came in their cruel handling, and also burn eternally in the unquenchable fire of hell, if their cruel curses might take effect. Wherefore we yield thee most hearty thanks, O Father of all mercies, and to thy Son Jesus Christ our Saviour, which hast promised, for his sake and in his name, thy kingdom of heaven to all them which suffer persecution for thy righteousness’ sake.
How shall we then know true visions of angels from false, true apparitions and miracles from counterfeit, but by the scripture of God, which is the rule and true measure wherewith we must try all things? as St John saith: ‘ Believe not every spirit, but prove them whether they be of God: for many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby is the Spirit of God known,” saith he: “every spirit which confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God,” &c. Whosoever therefore saith, that there is any thing that pacifieth the wrath of God, or obtaineth his favour [! Nicholas Heath, successively bishop of Ro- mer, for whose execution he signed the warrant. chester and Worcester, under Henry VIII., was Vid. Anderson’s Annals of the English Bible. Vol. deprived under Edward VI.; but, under Mary, I. p. 374, n. 33. Burnet, Hist. of Reform. Vol. I. became Archbishop of York, and Lord chancelior, Part ii. p. 139, &c.] after the death of Gardiner in 1555, and therefore [? For we should not, Orig. ed.] only about three months before the death of Cran-
and forgiveness of sins, but only Christ’s death and passion, he denieth Christ to be come a Saviour in the flesh. Wherefore these angels, saints, souls of the dead, and miracles, that allow worshipping of saints by invocation and praying to them, the sacrifice of the mass for the quick and the dead, worshipping of images, pilgrimages, offerings to holy relics, to forgive sins, or to deliver the dead out of purgatory, deny Christ to be come an only Saviour by his flesh. For they make all these to be saviours from purgatory, or, at the least, coadjutors to help him in that office of salvation, and delivering those souls from sin and the pains due for the same; and so they cannot be of God, but of antichrist.
Thus I have plainly, fully, and truly, without fraud of cloaking, or colour of rhetoric and dark speech, to blind the eyes of the simple people, answered to all that I remember, which the papists do or can allege, either by writing, preaching, or reasoning, for the defence of their unwritten verities, whereupon they build so many detestable idolatries and heresies. And the same answers, if they be aptly applied and placed by a discreet amd witty reader, will suffice for the answer to all that they ever have or can bring forth for the maintaining of their unwritten and uncertain verities. And yet I will not be so much wedded to mine own wit or will, but that if they be able to answer so plainly and truly to the scriptures, authors, and reasons rehearsed by me, as I have done to theirs; and to prove their doctrine of unwritten verities by as plain consent both of scriptures, ancient doctors, and as pithy arguments, as I have done mine, and set it forth in print to the judgment of the whole world, as mine is; I shall not only acknowledge mine ignorance and error, but I shall gladly return into England, recant mine heresies, openly submitting myself to such discipline and correction as they shall think meet for mine offences. But if they refuse to answer my book by writing, and, using their old trade, burn both my book and the readers. thereof, let them know they shall do nothing but cut off the head of Hydra. For for every heretic, as you call them, which you shall burn, will arise many faithful and constant Christians. For “except the grain or corn of wheat die, it remaineth alone; but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit” Wherefore I most heartily beseech the Father of heaven, of his infinite mercy, (if you be not indurate in your hearts with that sin which is irremissible, and shall never be forgiven in this world nor in the world to come, and resist the Holy Ghost, impugning the truth of God of you known, and defending and maintaining wicked doctrines, which your consciences bear record to be idolatries and heresies,) that he will mollify your stony hearts, and give you fleshy hearts; yea, rather spiritual and godly hearts, to worship him truly in spirit, according to his godly will expressed in his holy word written. And I exhort all you which fear God and be desirous to save your own souls, to flee from this whore of Babylon, and from all her detestable idolatries and heresies, not building upon? the sure rock of God’s infallible word written, but upon the quavemire of unwritten verities; whereupon whatsoever is builded forthwith either sinketh or quite overthroweth. And stand thou fast, and stay thy faith, whereupon thou shalt build all thy works, upon the strong rock of God’s word, written and contained within the old
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