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My meaning therein I haue set downe in my answere. It is to let you vnder∣stande* 1.1 S. Augustines iudgement in the matter we haue in hande. The rule is true and good, and so farre from establishing any péece of Poperie, that if rather quite o∣uerthroweth the same.
By it we may proue the supremacie whiche the Bishop of Rome claymeth ouer
all Churches, neither to be written in the worde, nor yet to be appoynted by the A∣postles, nor yet determined by auncient generall Councels: for neither hath he bin alwayes, nor in all places taken to be the head of the Church. And it is manyfest that Phocas the traytor and murderer, gaue first vnto him and his Churche that prero∣gatiue, and therfore not lefte vnto him by the Apostles, nor giuen him by the gene∣rall Councels. The like may be sayde of all other thinges vsed in the Churche a∣gaynst the worde of God. For it is certayne, that they haue not béene generally ob∣serued in all places, and at all times: and if some of them haue bëene so obserued, yet not in that maner and forme, that the Churche of Rome dothe nowe obserue them. So that you finde fault with this rule, before you haue cause. Master Zuinglius (who woulde haue béene lothe one whit to strengthen the Papistes) speaking of the lyke place of S. Augustine, in his booke de baptismo, sayth thus: But leauing those thinges,* 1.2 let vs returne to the wordes of Augustine, who among other thinges addeth this: Quan∣quàm quod vniuersa tenet ecclesia nec concitijs institutum, sed semper retentum est, non nisi autho∣ritate Apostolica traditum rectissimè creditur. &c. Let these words (sayth he) preuayle with other mē as they may, yet no mā can denie, but that there lieth great waight of authoritie in them. For if there be nothing in Councels concluded of the baptising of Infants: and yet the same was vniuersally of the whole Churche obserued in Angustines time, what other thing can be gathered, but that it hathe alwayes beene vsed without contradiction. Master Caluine also Lib. Insti. Cap. 13. Sect. 21. vseth this rule of Augustine to the same purpose, where he speaking of Popishe traditions, for the whiche they abuse the authoritie of Augustine, saythe thus: Ego verò non aliundè quam ex ipsius Augustini verbis solutionem afferam. Quae toto inquit terrarum orbe seruantur, vel ab ipsis Apostolis, vel concilijs generalibus, quorum est in ecclesia saluberrimā authoritas, statuta esse intelligere licet. Ve∣rily I will fetche a solution from no other place, than from the very wordes of Augustine. Those thinges (sayth he) which are obserued throughout the whole world, are vnderstode to haue bin instituted, either of the Apostles themselues, or of generall Councels. &c. As it is in the answere to the Admonition.
I knowe no reason why the Apostles maye not be sayde to be the authors of celebrating the day of the Passion. &c. Neither yet doe I vnder stande anye cause why the Churche maye not still obserue the same: sure I am, that they were not the authors of the superstitions and errours vsed in them by the Papistes, ney∣ther dothe Augustine saye so: for this is no good argument to saye, the Apostles appoynted these dayes to be celebrated: Ergo, they appoynted the manner of cele∣brating vsed by the Papistes. The dayes maye be wyth more godlynesse, and profite to the Churche obserued (béeing clensed from super stition and errone∣ous doctrine) than abrogated. Neyther is thys to open a gate to Papisticall traditions, but to shutte it close vp, as I haue sayde before. For let the Papistes (if they can) name anye wycked thing vsed in their Churche, whiche eyther bathe béene generally obserued, or wherof I am not able to shewe the first author and inuentor.
Neyther Aug〈1 line〉〈1 line〉in this place, nor I in any place haue sayde, or con〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 it 〈◊〉〈◊〉 thing not cōntayned in the Scripture, to bee so necessarie to bee obserued, that (vpon inst con∣sideration) it may not be. altered by suche as haue authoritie. And 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉all that you doe say, haue sayd, or shall say 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that effecte, is forged, and vntrue, deuised onely by you as a shifte to flye vnto, when otherwise you are to seeke for answere.
To these your wordes, they are necessarie to be kept, if they be commanded by the Apostles▪ (meaning suche things as Augustine speaketh of) I answere with master Caluin, who as I tolde you before, writing vpon these wordes. 1. Cor11: Quemadmodum tra∣didi vobis, &c. dothe graunt that there were some traditions of the Apostles not written, but he denieth them to be taken aspartes of doctrine, o〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 necessarie to saluation, saying, that they be onely suche as pertayne to order and pollicie.
The rest of this section of yours is nothing but: Petitio Principij. For neither doe I moue any such doubt in Augustines words, neither, is it materiall whether I do, or no: nether yet is it true that there is any thing commaunded of. God, or of the Apostles, as necessarie to saluation, whiche is not contayned in the worde of God: neyther
are these and suche like traditions partes of doctrine, and of saluation (as M. Caluin truely sayth) but of order and pollicie.
Who woulde thinke that any man (excepte he had hardened his face, without* 1.3 blushing to affirme vntruthes) would haue fallen into suche grosse absurdities, and vttered suche straunge assertions voyde of all truthe. Haue you euer read in Scrip∣ture, or in the writinges of any learned man, or can you by reason proue this Para∣dox, that all the commaundements of God and of the Apostles are needefull for our saluation?
What is to lay an intollerable yoke and burthen vpon the neckes of men, if this be not? or whereby could you more directly bring vs into the bondage of the lawe, from the whiche we are made free, than by this assertion? for if all the commaundements* 1.4 of God. &c. are needefull for our saluation, then must we be bounde vpon necessitie of sal∣uation, to obserue the whole Ceremoniall law, which was the commaundement of God. What? was the commaundement vnto Abraham, to offer his sonne Isahac:* 1.5 vnto the Israelites to robbe the Egyptians: vnto Moses to put off his shoes: vnto* 1.6 Saule to kill Amalech, and infinite other, needefull for our saluation? is the commaun∣dement* 1.7 of the Apostles to abstayne from bloud, and that whiche is strangled: or of* 1.8 Paule vnto Timothie, to drinke wine. &c. needefull for our saluation? What a tor∣ment* 1.9 is this doctrine able to bring vnto a weake conscience, whiche hathe not obser∣ued* 1.10 any one of these? You muste therefore vnderstande, that there are diuers kindes of commaundementes of God, and of the Apostles, some generall, and giuen to all: other* 1.11 personall, and pertayne onely to one singular person, or to one nation and kinde of people. &c. Agayn there are some which are perpetual, & not to be omitted or altered: other which are temporall, and may be omitted or altered, as the circūstance of time, place, & persons doth require. Wherby it may appeare, howe grossely you haue erred, in affirming, that all the commaundements of God, and of the Apostles, are needefull for oure saluation. I might in more ample maner prosecute this matter, but this that hathe bin spoken may suffice.
What I haue sayde of chaunging the Lordes day, and howe you haue satisfied my wordes, is declared before: and so is the answere made likewise vnto this your féeble conclusion, grounded vpon a falie principle.
Which of vs two is caried furthest by his affections, let the indifferēt reader iudge, by these and suche other like dealings of yours.
I haue tolde you before howe muche this and the other places of S. Augustine maketh for my purpose, whiche you can not but vnderstande, if you soughte not corners to creepe into, for the auoyding of suche reasons and authorities as be moste apte for my purpose.
Things whiche the Apostles haue done, for vs to followe, without any exception may not be violated, but the question is, whether these things whiche they haue done and written, be sufficient for the ordering and gouernment of all Churches, in all times and states, or no. And whether in all things that they haue done, we may or oughte to follow them, both which you haue hitherto very slenderly touched.
The rule of S. Augustine doth not esta∣blishe, but o∣uerthrow p〈1 line〉〈1 line〉∣perie.
Zuingl. de baptis. of the rule of Aug.
A grosse er∣ror of T. C.
Gal. 5.
Genes. 22.
Exod. 11.
Exod. 3.
1 Sam. 15.
Act. 15.
1. Tim. 5.
Diuerskinds of commaun∣dements.