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TAke héede therefore, that ye do as the Lorde your* 1.1 God hath commaunded you: turne not a side to the right hande, nor to the left.
But walke in all the wayes which the Lorde* 1.2 your God hath commaunded you, that ye maye liue, and that it may go well with you.
Ye shall not do after all these things that we do heare this* 1.3
daie: that is, euerye man whatsoeuer séemeth him good in his owne eyes.
Nadab and Abihu, the sonnes of Aaron, toke either of them* 1.4 his Censor, and put fire therein, and put insence there vppon, and offered straunge fire before the Lorde, whiche he had not commaunded them.
Therefore a fire went out from the Lorde, and deuoured* 1.5 them: so they dyed before the Lorde.
And Samuell sayde: hath the Lorde as great pleasure in* 1.6 burnt offeringes and sacrifices, as when the voyce of the Lord is obeyed? beholde, to obey is better then sacrifice, and to hear∣ken is better then the fat of Rammes.
For rebellion is as the sinne of witchcraft, and transgressi∣on* 1.7 is wickednesse and idolatrie: because thou hast cast away the worde of the Lorde, therefore hath he cast away thée from thy kingdome.
When ye come to appeare before mee, who required this* 1.8 of your handes to treade in my Courtes?
My soule hateth your new Moones, & your appoincted fea∣stes,* 1.9 thei are a burthen vnto mée, I am wearie to beare them.
He that killeth a bullocke, is as if he slewe a man: he that* 1.10 sacrificeth a shéepe, as if he cut of a dogges necke: he that offe∣reth an oblation, as if he offered swines blood: he that remem∣breth incense, as if he blessed an Idoll: yea, they haue chosen their owne waies, and their soule deliteth in their abhomina∣tions.
Therfore with ioye ye shall drawe waters out of the wel∣les* 1.11 of saluation.
The Prophetes prophecie lies, and the Priestes receiue* 1.12 giftes in their handes, and my people delite therein.
My people hath committed twoo euils: they haue forsaken* 1.13 mée the fountaine of liuyng waters, to dig them pittes, euen broken pittes, that cannot hold water.
Heare not the words of the Prophetes that prophecie vn∣to* 1.14 you, and teache you vanitie, they speake the vision of their owne harte, and not of the mouth of the Lorde.
What is Chaffe to the Wheate, saieth the Lorde.* 1.15
The worde that thou haste spoken vnto vs in the name of* 1.16 the Lorde, we will not heare it of thee.
But will dooe whatsoeuer thyng goeth out of our owne* 1.17 mouth, as to burne incense to the Quéene of heauen. &c.
The lord coulde no longer forbeare, bicause of the wicked∣nes* 1.18 of your inuentions, and bicause of the abhominations whiche ye haue committed: therfore is your lande desolate. &c.
For the wickednes of their inuentions, I will cast theym* 1.19 out of mine house: I will loue them no more, all their princes are rebels.
Let all thynges be doone to the highest God, accordyng to* 1.20 the lawe of God, with diligence.
I haue hated theim that giue themselues to deceiptfull va∣nities:* 1.21 for I truste in the Lorde.
I hate vaine inuentions: but thy lawe doe I loue.* 1.22
There is a waie that seemeth right vnto man: But the is∣sue thereof are the waies of death.
Why doo ye also transgresse the commaundement of god,* 1.23 by your tradition?
In vaine they worship me, teachyng for doctrines, mens* 1.24 preceptes.
Euerie plante whiche my heauenly father hath not plan∣ted,* 1.25 shall be rooted vp.
Thei binde heauy burthens, and gréeuous to be borne, and* 1.26 laie them on mens shoulders: but they them selues will not moue them with one of their fingers.
Ye laie the commaundementes of god aparte, and obserue* 1.27 the tradition of men, as the washyng of pottes. &c.
Ye reiecte the commaundement of God, that ye maie ob∣serue* 1.28 your owne tradition.
Why tempte ye God, to laie a Yoke on the disciples nec∣kes,* 1.29 whiche neither our fathers, nor we were able to beare?
Beware leste there bee any man that spoyle you through* 1.30 Philosophie, and vaine disceipte, throughe the traditions of men, accordyng to the rudimentes of the world, and not after Christe.
If ye bee dead with Christe from the ordinaunces of the* 1.31
worlde, why as though ye liued in the worlde, are ye burthe∣ned with traditions?
As touche not, taste not, handle not.* 1.32
Which all perish with the vsing, and after the commaun∣dementes* 1.33 and doctrines of men.
Wherfore rebuke them sharpely, that thei may be sound* 1.34 in the faith.
And not takyng heede to Iewishe fables, and commaun∣dementes* 1.35 of men, that turne from the truthe.
If any speake, let hym talke as the wordes of God. If any* 1.36 man minister, let hym doe it as of the abilitie whiche God mi∣nistreth, that God in all thynges maie be glorified.
If there come any vnto you, and bryng not this doctrine,* 1.37 receiue hym not to house, neither bid hym god spéede.
For he that biddeth him god spéede, is partaker of his euill* 1.38 déedes.
BY a like kynde of madnes they confesse, that* 1.39 the Apostles in deede were ignoraunt of no∣thing: nor taught any cōtrary doctrine among them selues: but they saie, the Apostles reue∣led not all thynges to all men: but shewed cer∣taine thynges openly, and to all: and other certaine thynges secretly, and vnto a fewe.
Howe doest thou breake marriage, neither couplyng the* 1.40 man and the woman together, nor beyng coupled, otherwise admittyng them to the Sacramentes of baptisme, and than∣kesgeuyng (note how he striketh awaie fiue of the Popishe sa∣cramentes that of their owne heades, they haue deuised.)
We must examine what is meant by this that followeth:* 1.41 leaue her no manner of remnaunt. The meanyng is this, abo∣lish not certaine of the superstitions of the Chaldees, reseruing certaine: therefore he commaundeth that nothing be leafte in her, be it neuer so litle.
He rebuketh suche teachers, which not only do not as they* 1.42 saie: but also cruelly and vnmercifully, without any considera∣tion
of the strength of their disciples and hearers, enioyneth vnto them greater thynges then they maie 〈◊〉〈◊〉: As they that forbid to marrie, and compelleth and driueth them from it that is so conuenient, vnto vnmeasurable vncleannesse.
They also that teach to absteine from meates, and suche other thinges, to the which they ought not to compell faithful men, kinde by the worde of their exposition, heauie burdens, with∣out the will of Christ, whiche saieth, my yoke is easie, and my burden is light.
The sonnes of Aaron that put fire vpon the aulter, which* 1.43 god commaunded them not, by and by were slaine in the sight of the Lord, which toke a vengeaunce vpon them. The which sonnes, thei re•…•…emble and folowe, which despised the tradition of God, and desireth other straunge doctrines: And bryngeth in the au•…•…thoritie of mans ordinaunces, the whiche men the Lorde blameth, and rebuketh in his Gospell, saiyng, ye caste awaie the commaundement of God, that ye maie •…•…stablishe your traditions.
That Christ ought only to be heard: euen the father brin∣geth* 1.44 witnes from heauen, saiyng: This is my dearely beloued son, in whō I am well pleased, heare hym. Wherfore, if christ ought onely to be •…•…earde, we ought not to take heede what a∣ny mā hath thought good to be done before vs: but what christ, which was before all men hath done before. For we must not followe the custome of a man: but the truth of GOD, bicause God speaketh by Esaie the prophete, and saieth, Thei worship mée in vaine, teachyng Commaundementes and doctrines of men.
From whence haue we this tradition? whether commeth:* 1.45 it from the au•…•…thoritie of our Lorde, or of the Gospell, or els from the Commaundementes, and Epistles of the Apostles? Therefore, if it be either commaunded in the Gospell, or con∣teyned in the Epistles or Actes of the Apostles, let vs kepe the same tradition.
It is adulterous, it is wicked, it is abominable, whatsoeuer* 1.46 is ordered by the rashnesse of man, that Gods order should be broken.
If we returne to the head, and beginning of our Lordes tra∣dition,* 1.47 all errour of man must needes giue place.
This thing is plainely against the tradition of healthfull* 1.48 baptisme, our baptisme according to the lordes tradition, is in the name of the father, of the sonne, and of the holy ghost: by the verie tradition of baptisme, we haue the cōfession of faith.
Who so for biddeth the thing that God commaundeth: and* 1.49 commaundeth the thing that God forbiddeth, is to be holden accursed of all them that loue the Lorde.
Therefore, those that are bought of God, ought not to be* 1.50 bondmen of men. They are the bondmen of men, that make themselues subiect vnto mens superstition.
We by good right do 〈◊〉〈◊〉 all newe thiges that Christ* 1.51 hath not taught, for Christ is the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vnto the faithful men, for if Christe hath not taught it, that we teache, euen that we do iudge detestable and to be defied.
The Scribes (saith •…•…e) and the Pharisees sitteth in the* 1.52 chaire of Moises, do as thei bid you: but do not as thei do, Inst•…•…∣tyng in the chaire of M•…•…yses, they teache the lawe of God, therfore God teacheth by them: but if they teach their owne traditions, heare them not, do not after them, for surely suche seketh for their owne aduantage, and not the glory of Iesu.
When the Lorde Iesus had done many thinges, all things* 1.53 were not written, as the same Euangelist testifieth that the Lorde Iesus did and sayde many thinges which was thought sufficient for the saluation of them that beléeue.
Therefore let no man iudge you (saith he) in meate, as* 1.54 therefore he had sayde, all those thinges, for these men were seduced and beguiled, and •…•…ed away from the trueth, whereby they were frée, by such obseruaunces and traditions, of the which trueth, it is sayde in the Gospell, the trueth shall make you frée.
It is a shamefull, and too much a great deale vnséeming, and contrary to the noblenesse of your libertie, that ye (seing ye be the body of Christ) shoulde be deceyued with shadowes, and thinke that ye be sinners, when ye care not to breake these.* 1.55
Upon what dayes we ought not to fast, and vppon what
dayes we ought to fast, I finde it not appointed or limi•…•…ted by any commaundement, either of our Lorde, or of the Apostles.
All the most pée•…•…ishe heretiques, that •…•…ayne woulde be cal∣led* 1.56 Christians, go about to colour the bolde vanities of their inuentions, which the very sence and reason of man doth most abhorre, with the pretence of this saying in the Gospel, wher∣as our Lorde sayd thus, I haue many thinges to •…•…ay vnto you: but as nowe ye are not able to beare them.
For as much as Christe himselfe hath not •…•…eueyled these* 1.57 〈◊〉〈◊〉, which of vs will say, they be these or these? Or if he so say, howe can •…•…e proue it? for who is there, either so vayne, or so rashe, who notwithstandyng he speake the trueth to whom he 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and what he listeth, wyll affirme without any 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the Scriptures, that these be the thinges that the Lorde then woulde not open.
This thing 〈◊〉〈◊〉 me, that so many thinges wholsome∣lye* 1.58 comm•…•…unded in the holy scriptures, are not regarded: and all thinges are full of so many 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that he is more sharply punished, which with his •…•…are foote doeth touche the earth in the Octauas, then he that burneth his mynde with drunkennesse, or be drunke.
All be it these be not against the faith, yet with feruiles bur∣dens they so oppresse our very religion, which God of his mer∣cie woulde haue to be frée, vnder very fewe, and most many∣fest sacramentes of diuine seruice, that the state of the Iewes is much more tollerable: for the Iewes, not with standing thei knewe not the tyme of libertie, yet were they subiect to the packes and burdens of the laws of God, and not vnto the de∣uises and presumptions of men.
All such thinges in my iudgement, ought to be cut of, as soone as iust occasion, or power is giuen, without any maner of 〈◊〉〈◊〉.* 1.59
The most true and inuiolable rule of trueth, doth shewe, that in all 〈◊〉〈◊〉, that thing is to be improued and amended, which is false and vicious, that is to be acknowledged and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 which 〈◊〉〈◊〉 true 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉.
〈◊〉〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉〈◊〉 o•…•… 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ is the more daunge∣rous,
for that it de•…•…eiueth vs vnder the name of Gods seruice.
Our Lorde hath not burdened vs with signes: but Christ* 1.60 and his Apostles haue deliuered vnto vs a fewe sacramentes in stéede of many, and the same in doyng most easie, in signifi∣cation most excellent, in obseruation most reuerende: as is the Sacrament of Baptisme, and the celebration of the body and blood of our Lorde.
Such sleyghtes of huntyng hath the deuyll, vnder the co∣lour* 1.61 of holinesse he hideth his snares.
Let 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to honour Christ according to his owne will, for he that is honoured, is best pleased with that honour which* 1.62 he wyll, and not that we wyll deuise.
Tell not me they fast: but shewe me that they fast accor∣dyng to the will of God, which if they do not, then is their fast* 1.63 more wicked then any drunkennesse.
The 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sayde not vnto Christe, wherefore do thy* 1.64 disciples be•…•…ake the laws of Moyses▪ but, wherefor•…•… do they breake the traditions of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 wherby it appeareth that they had alterod many thinges: whereas God had comma•…•…n∣ded that they shoulde neither •…•…dde nor diminishe: but fearing least they shoulde loose their aucthoritie, as if they had bene lawe 〈◊〉〈◊〉, to the ende they might séeme the greater, they altered much, which thing god we 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 a wickednesse, that thei kept their owne commaundementes indre then the com∣maundementes of God.
To bowe to the left hande, is to abstayne from meates* 1.65 which God hath created to be receyued, and to condemne ma∣riage, it is to •…•…unne into this whiche is written in an other place, Be not much righteous▪ To turne to the left hande, is when any man giueth himselfe to excesse and 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and maketh many 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in the laws.
Holde the traditions which ye haue learned, either by our* 1.66 epistle, or by our worde; whereas saint Paule wyll haue his owne thinges to be kept, he wyll haue no straung•…•… thinges there is added.
They bragge not of their sh•…•… 〈◊〉〈◊〉 single life, 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉* 1.67 is, who 〈◊〉〈◊〉 be most 〈◊〉〈◊〉, 〈◊◊◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊◊◊〉,coun∣ted
first. There is neither difference, nor wondring in appa∣rell, howsoeuer it pleaseth a man to go, he is neither slaunde∣red for it, nor commended.
The Pharisées woulde that men should receyue and mag∣nifie* 1.68 their doctrine, and the traditions of their fathers, there∣fore, howe manye soeuer faithfull came vnto Christe, they thought so many were lost from them.
He saith, that euery plantyng that is not of the father, shal∣be* 1.69 pulled vp by the roote, that is, the tradition of man shalbe taken away, by whose fauour and meanes they haue broken the preceptes of the lawe.
Then the Apostles preache the Gospell, and afterwarde* 1.70 by Gods wyll, they deliuered the same to vs in writing, to be a foundation and a pyller vnto our faith.
Policarpus, when he had receyued these thinges of them* 1.71 that had seene the life of the worde, vttered and shewed the same, being all agreeable vnto the Scriptures.
The Gospell hath layde vpon vs no yoke of bondage: but* 1.72 men themselues in the countreys where they dwelt, for re∣lease of labour, and the remembraunce of the passion of christ, of a certayne custome, kept the Easter, and other holy dayes, eche man as he woulde. For neither our Sauiour, nor the A∣postles by any lawe commaunded these thinges.
It seemeth vnto me, that many thinges haue beel•…•…e recey∣ued by custome, nowe in one countrey, and nowe in another.
Ueryly, to speake vniuersally, in all maner of obseruati∣ons, or formes of common prayer, there cannot two churches be founde, that agreeth throughly betweene them selues.
They take fornication or whordome, to be a thing indiffe∣rent: but they fight for the keping of their holy dayes, as for their soules.
Paul, what thinges being present, he had playnely taught* 1.73 by mouth, the same thynges afterwardes beyng absent, he shortly called to their remembraunce, by writing of an epistle.
Saint Matthewe departing, recompenced his absence by* 1.74 present writyng.* 1.75
Therefore the Apostle hath prouided very well in both
causes (to witte) first, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vnder the pretence of Gods ser∣uice, seruauntes shoulde depart from their maisters, in whose power their bodyes are: Secondly, l•…•…st they should fall from God, when as they wyll serue their bodyly maister, further then becommeth, or they ought to 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
What needeth it to beleue that thing, that neither the* 1.76 lawe hath taught, nor the prophetes haue spoken, nor the gos∣pell hath preached, nor the Apostle hath deliuered?
Howe are these newe deuises brought in, that our fathers* 1.77 neuer knewe?
If sundry of our predecessours or elders haue done certaine* 1.78 things, which at that tyme might well be done without hurt, and afterwarde are turned into errour and superstition, without any staggering and with great aucthoritie, let them be destrayed and abolished by the successours.* 1.79
These be the Sacramentes of Christe in the Catholique Churche: Baptisme, and the body and blood of our Lorde.
We reade that these onely two Sacramentes were deli∣uered to vs playnely in the Scriptures.
In deede Paul hath commaunded vs to submit our vnder∣standing: but vnto the obedience of Christ, not vnto the obe∣dience* 1.80 of men.
In proper speache, those we call Sacramentes which are promised with signes annexed, the rest that haue no signes, are bare promises, wherefore speaking hereof precisely and* 1.81 straytly, there are two Sacramentes in the Church of God: Baptisme, and the Bread, for as much as in these onely we finde both the signe ordeyned of God, and also the promise of remission of sinnes.
Surely saint Peter in the actes of the Apostles, doth open∣lye* 1.82 call the lawe of Moyses (which is layde for a tyme, vpon the rebellious people of the Iewes) an harde and a heauy bur∣den, whiche neither we, nor our fathers were able to beare: neither can any man doubt it, that it is trueth which the truth hath pronounced. The yoke of Christ is in very deede plea∣saunt, and his burden is light, so that no mens traditions, be layde vppon mens shoulders, beside or more then that thing▪
which he hath already appointed: And he hath commaunded nothing else, but that one shoulde loue another, and there is nothing so bittere but that charitie will season, & make sweete.
Euen as the ordinaunce of men, did make heauie the lawe, being by it selfe greeuous inough for the Iewes, which ordi∣naunces so at the first crept in, as though they were small and ought not to be cared for, or regarded, or else, they beyng com∣mended with the shewe of godlynesse, be gladly receyued of them that are more simple, then foresighted.
Those that are once receyued by peecemeale, do growe and encrease, vnto a huge quantitie, and do oppresse downe, and ouerthrowe men, whether they wyll or no, either by the help of custome (whose violence is a certaine tyranny) or else, by the aucthoritie of princes, whiche holde stifly, it that is rashlie receiued, abusing it for their profite and gaine.
There are some that knit togither either a colde sylogisme of a peece of Scripture, which they do not vnderstande, or else make an article of faith, of a mans ordinaunces, and of suche men are we iudged to be christians, or no christians, which ap∣pertayne nothing at all to christian religion.
Some wrest this place so farre, as men ought to obey all* 1.83 maner of thinges: whatsoeuer the Bishops, Presidentes, or rulers commaunde, although they be vngodlye, and that for their aucthorities sake: whē as christ did speake only of them, which did teache rightly the law of Moyses, and not of such as did snare men with their ordinaunces & constitutions. Nowe peraduenture after the same maner a Bishop might be heard, which preacheth truely the Gospell, although he 〈◊〉〈◊〉 but •…•…∣tle according to the same.
But who can abyde that they shoulde 〈◊〉〈◊〉 an open ty∣rannye agaynst Christes doctrine, and make lawes for their owne aduauntage, measuryng all thinges according to their gayne, and glorious maiesties. They that snare the people with rites and ordinaunces, deuised for their owne profite, and to fulfyll their tyranny, do not sit in the chaire of the Gos∣pell: but in the ch•…•…ire of Simon Magus, and Caiaphas.
Deut. 5. 32.
33.
Chap. xii. viii.
Leuit. x. i.
i. Samuell. xv. xxii.
Esaie. i. xii. •…•…
Chap 66. 3.
Cap. xii. iii.
Ierem. v. xxxi.
Cap. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. xiii.
Cap. xxiii. xvi.
28.
Cap. xliiii. xvi.
Hosea. ix. xv.
i. Esdras. viii. xxii.
Psalm. xxxi. 〈◊〉〈◊〉
Psal. 119. 113. Prou. xvi. xxv.
Math. xv. iii.
Cap. xxiii. iiii.
Marke. vii. viii.
Actes. xv. x.
Colos. ii. viii.
Titus. i. xiii.
i. Peter. iiii. xi.
ii. Iohn. x.
Tertullian of prescription a∣gainst Hereti∣ques.
In his. 4. boke against Marti∣o•…•….
Origene in his 3. Homily vpō ler•…•…mie.
In his. 25. Ho∣milie vpon Math.
Ciprian in the treatise of sim∣plicitie of pre∣lat•…•…s.
In his. 2. Roke and. 3. Epistle vnto Cecilius.
Vnto Pom∣peius against the Epistle of Stephen.
In his. •…•…. booke▪ and. 8. Epistle.
To Pompeius.
Ba•…•…ile in his boke of the holie Ghost.
In 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Morals Summa. Chap 14.
Ambrose vpon the. 1. Cor. 7. Cap.
In his. 4. boke of Virgins.
Augustine in his. 46. treatise vpon Iohn.
In his. 49. treatise vpon Iohn.
In his. 59. Epi∣stle vnto Pau∣linus.
In his. 86. Epi∣stle.
In his. 97. trea∣tise vpon Iohn.
In his. 49. treatise vpon Iohn.
In his. 119. Epistlē.
In his booke of only baptisme against Peti∣lian. Cap. 9. Of Christes▪ Serm•…•…n. vpon the mounte.
In his. 3. booke of christian do∣ctrine, and. 9. Chap.
Chrisostome in his. 49. ho∣mily vpon the Actes.
In his. 51. Ho∣milie vpon Math.
In his. 1. Ho∣milie of the Iewishe fast.
In his. 52. Ho∣milie vpon Math.
Hierome vpon the. 2. Chap. of Malachie.
In his booke vpon the. 2. to the Thessal. 2.
Vnto Mercella that he would go to Bethlem
Citill in his boke, and. 1. cap. vpon▪ Iohn
Hillarie vpon Mat. Canon. 4.
Ireneus in his 3. boke, and. 1. Chap.
Eusebius in his. 5. boke and 20. Chap.
Socrates in his 5. boke and 22. Chap.
Nicephorus in his. 2. booke & 34. Chap.
In the. 45. cap.
Theophilact vpon the. 1. Cor. 7. Chap.
Leo 〈◊〉〈◊〉, in his 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Epistle and. 12. Cap.
In his. 97. Epi∣stle, and. 3. cap.
Stephen Pope, in the. 63. di∣stinction. Quia sancta.
〈◊〉〈◊〉, of the supper of the Lorde. Bessarion of the Sacrament of the Euchari∣stia.
Alphonsus de Castro in his 1. boke and. 7. Chap against herefies.
Luther, in his boke of the ba∣bilonicall cap∣tiuitie.
Erasmus in his annotations v∣pon the. xi. of Math.
In the same boke vpon this 23. of Matth.