For it was decreed in the councell of Laodicea, that nothing should be redde in the churche, but the Canonicall bookes, of the olde and newe Testament, and reckeneth vp what they be. Af∣terwarde* 1.1 as corruptions grewe in the church▪ it was permitted that homilies might be redde by the Deacon, when the minister was sicke, and could not preach, and it was also in an other Coun∣cell of Carthage permitted, that the martyres lyues might be redde in the church, but besides the e∣uill successe that those decrecs had (vnder preteuce whereof the Popish Legende, and Gregories* 1.2 homilies, &c. creptin) that vse and custome was controlled by other councels, as may appeare by the councell of Colen, albeit otherwise Popishe. And truly if there were nothing else but this con∣sideration, that the bringyng in of the readyng of Martyres liues into the churche, and of the ho∣milies of auncient wryters, hath not onely by this meanes iustled with the Bible, but also thrust it cleane out of the church, or into a corner where it was not redde nor seene, it ought to teache all men to beware of placing any wryting or worke of men in the church of God, be they neuer so well learned, as long as the world should endure.
It is certayne that the decrée of the Councel of Laodicea, can no more condemne the reading of Homilies in the Churche, than it may the readyng of Prayers or Ca∣thechismes, or any other interpretation of the Scriptures. The meaning of the* 1.3 Councell is onely, that nothing be redde in the Churche as Scripture, or vnder the name of Scripture, but that which is Canonicall. And that doth euidently appeare in the. 47. Canon of the third Councell of Carthage, which doth explane this Canon. The woordes be these: Item placuit vt praeter Scripturas Canonicas, nihil in Ecclesia legatur sub nomine diuinarum scripturarum. It is thought good that nothing be redde in the Church, vnder the name of the scriptures of God, but the Canonicall Scriptures. It doth not ther∣fore* 1.4 inhibite interpretations of the scripture and godly exhortations grounded vpon the same to be redde. Concilium vasense (as it is before declared) appointeth Homilies* 1.5 to be redde, when there is no Sermon, by reason of some infirmitie or sickenesse in the minister, which is a godly and profitable decrée, neyther could it be the cause of a∣ny corruption.
I do not defend the reading of any thing in the Churche which is not grounded* 1.6 vpon the worde of God, therefore the decrée of the Councell of Carthage, or any such like doth nothing touch the cause that I defende: and yet I know not in what sort or out of what storie these liues of Martyres were redde. I like very well of the decrée of the councell of Colen, for it inhibiteth the reading in the Churche of fabulous, and barbarous stories of the liues of Sainctes, whereby it is like that the booke called Le∣genda aurea is mente. But what is this against godly Homilies, that conteyne the true interpretation of the scriptures, godly exhortation to good life, & sound proofes of true doctrine, which is as far frō iustling the bible out of the church, or into corners, as is preach∣ing. And I muse that you can alleage this for a cause, seing you thinke so slenderly of the reading of the Scriptures, and will haue ye same giue place to your sermons.