A brief treatyse settynge forth diuers truthes necessary both to be beleued of Chrysten people, & kepte also, whiche are not expressed in the Scripture but left to ye church by the apostles traditio[n] / made by Rychard Smyth ...

¶ The seconde Chapter cōtay∣nyng in it certeyne places of the* 1.1 scripture, prouyng that Christe and hys apostles taught & lefte to the churche manye thynges wythout wrytynge, whyche we must both beleue stedfastly, and also fulfyll obedientlye, vnder peyne of damnation euer to en∣dure.

OVre sauioure Christ sayed vnto hys apo∣stles, I haue yet ma¦ny thinges to say vn¦to you, but ye cā not nowe beare them. Whē that the* 1.2 spirite of truthe shall come, he shal teach you al truth, the .xvi. chapter of Iohans gospell. Do not these wordes of Christ shew opēly that he taught not his apo¦stles before the commyng of the holy goost vpon Wytsonday al

the truth, because they were not able before that tyme to beare & perceyue sundrye poyntes per∣taynynge vnto the truth of hys religion, which thynges the ho∣ly spirite of the truth taught thē afterwarde, and they the church without any wryting, so that the same came frō them to other the faythful from tyme to tyme vn∣wrytten, of the whiche the actes of the apostles do make mētion the .xv. chapter sayinge. Paule* 1.3 and Silas walked ouer Syria & Cicilia cōfirmynge the church* 1.4 and cōmaundynge them to kepe the preceptes of the Apostles & the elders. Also the .xvi. chapter we reade that whē saynt Paule & Tymothye had gone ouer the cities, they gaue to the people the determinations, or ordinaū∣ces to kepe, whiche were decreed

of the Apostles and the elders / that were at Hierusalē. Suche ordinaunces are not wrytten in the scripture, but delyuered and taught the churche by mouth, & by the lyuely voice of the tea∣chers, which is a strōger instru∣mēt to teach both the fayth and good maners also, then is the wryters hande. For (as Quinti∣lian sayeth truely. (Viua vox alit plenius, et vehemētius ac acrius af∣ficit. That is to saye in englysh. The quycke voice fedeth more fully, and moueth affecion more* 1.5 myghtely and sharpely. Wyth hym agreeth well saynt Hierom wrytyng thus. Habet nescio quid latentis energiae, viue vocis actus, in aures discipuli de authoris ore transfusa, fortius sonat. That is to saye. The dede of the lyuelye voyce hath, I can not tell what

of a preuye strength, efficacye, or operation, & it powred oute frō the mouth of the maker or au∣tour, into y^e learners eares sou∣neth more strongely. But nowe some wyll saye here to me that these decrees, ordinaunces, and determinations of the apostles, and the elders are now written, & set forth in the bible, as Bul∣linger sayeth, with diuers other of that secte, but he sayth it one∣ly wythout all probation, & that agaynst not onely al the holy, & olde wryters mindes, (with whō he can no better be resembled, & compared / eyther for learnynge or els for vertue, then wyth the swiftnesses of an hare the slowe∣nes of a snale) but also against y^e canōs, or boke of rules let forth by the holy apostles, for y^e chur∣ches erudition, and learnynge

both in the fayth, and honest ly∣uynge also, thoughe Bullynger be not ashamed to denye them vtterly, as vnworthy to be iud∣ged wrytten by the apostles, in that poynt preferryng his owne opynyon, fantasye, and iudge∣ment before saynt Damascenes, which was aboue. M. yeres be∣fore* 1.6 fore Bullyngers dayes, and al∣loweth them as a part of the ho∣ly worde and scripture of God, sayinge that they were gathered together, and wrytten by saynte Clemente, whyche was conuer∣saunt wyth the apostles, & ther∣fore no man oughte to doubte, but he knew well that those ca∣nons were made by them. In these canons are diuers thinges set forth whych the church now practyseth, and vseth necessary∣lye for the honorynge of God,

and the edifienge of the people, which are not wrytten in the bi∣ble, as here after it shall appere at large, by gods grace. These* 1.7 canons of the apostles were ac∣cepted / regarded, and estemed as the holy apostles doinges of the emperour Iustiniā, y^e which besyde the longe and constaunte opinion of Chrystes catholyke church, the syxt councel also dyd acknowlege to be sette forth by the apostles, whēthey were dou∣ted* 1.8 muche of, whether they were the apostles, or not. Therfore Bullyngers iudgemente herein ought to be iudged erroneous, whyche is agaynst so many and so weyghtie wytnesses, whyche I haue nowe recited, and ther∣fore those canons must be taken for the apostles doctrine, & tea∣chyng by a lyuely voice, and the

mouth onely wythout puttynge them into the bodye of the holye scripture, and we ought as well to beleue, and kepe thē as that whyche is conteyned expresselye in the scripture, for as muche as both of them two commeth from the holy goost, the authour of al truth, whych taught y^e apostles all truth, accordynge to oure sa∣uiours promes made vnto thē.* 1.9 But I wyll go forwarde to the rehearsall of other textes, which do proue that the holye apostles taught the churche, or the bele∣uynge people then beyng, many and diuers thynges to beleue, & to obserue also onely by mouth wythout leauyng them behynde them in wryttynge. The whyche done men may be ashamed here∣after to saye, that they wyll be∣leue nothynge / not expressed in

the holye scripture, when they dose the contrarye to that suffi∣ciently proued by the scripture, & so amende theyr belefe in that poynt, lest they at the length re∣pent it, when it shall not auayle them. The holy apostle saynte* 1.10 Paule wryting to the Corinthi∣ans, after he had spoken muche of the blessed sacramente of the aulter, conteynyng in it the very natural body, and bloode of our sauiour Iesu Christe, and not a signe of them onelye, as I haue declared of late in a boke sette forth of that same matter, thus streighte writethe concludynge that treatise, and finyshinge that eleuēth chaptre. Caetera aūt cū venero disponâ, that is, but I wyll set other thynges in an or∣der, whē I shal come. The greke* 1.11 letter hathe. Ta de lipa, os an el∣tho

diataxomae. Whych may be thus turned into latine. Reliqua vero, cū venero, de cernā. But the thinges remayning, whē I shall come to you, I wyll ordeyne.

These wordes of saynte Paule do shewe manifestlye y^t he wrote not to the Corīthians the hole maner, & fourme of receyuynge the blessed sacrament of the aul∣ter, but lefte some thynges vn∣wrytten, whiche he taught them by mouth onelye wythout wry∣tynge, when he cam to them, and was present wyth thē, and ther∣fore thys texte doth proue that all thynges, whyche a christen man ought to beleue, and kepe, are not set forth in the holy scrip ture, but diuers thinges are co∣men to vs by the holye apostle Paules tradition. That saynte Paule thus here mente the holy

doctour saynt Austen sayinge to Ianuary. Epistola .cxix. By these* 1.12 wordes of saynte Paule / I wyll whē I shal come set other thyn∣ges in an ordre, we may vnder∣stande, that it was much that he shulde shewe in an epistle that hole ordre of doynge (in recey∣uyng the sacramente of the aul∣ter,) whyche the whole churche through the world kepeth / to be disposed of hym, that is varyed wyth no diuersitie of maners.

Do not these wordes of saynte Austayne shewe that after hys iudgement (whyche was almost in euery poynt of diuinitie most excellente of al doctours, whych wrote vpon the scripture) saynte Paule dyd not describe, and set forth the whole maner and ordre of receyuynge the sacramente of the aulter in that hys epystle,

nor any other wrytyng, but one∣lye by mouth taughte it the Co∣rinthians,* 1.13 whiche nowe remay∣neth in Christes church as come from hym by tradition. Wyth the whyche agreeth ryghte well that the whyche saynt Austayne writteth in that same epistle say∣ing. Though oure lorde Iesus Christe gaue hys blessed bodye & bloude vnto hys apostles af∣ter supper, yet the whole church may not be blamed, that the ho∣ly sacramēt is euer takē of men yet being fasting. Ex hoc enī pla∣cuit spūi sctō, vt ī honorē tātisacra mēti ī os xp̄iani pri{us} corp{us} domini∣cū ītraret, quā exteri, vel ceteri cibi. Nā ideo per vniuersū orbē mos iste seruatur. Thus it is in englyshe For after this tyme (of Christes maundy) it pleased y^e holy goost, that to the honour of so great a sacramente oure Lordes bodye

shulde entre into a christē mans mouth before outwarde or other meates. For therfore thys cu∣stome is kepte through y^e whole worlde. In these wordes, good christen reader / there are two thynges speciallye to be noted, the one is that saynte Austayne (a manne of suche deape know∣ledge in goddes worde as none hathe bene synce the Apostles time) affirmed that it pleased the holye goost the spirite of truthe, that we chrysten people shulde receyue the bodye of Chryste in the sacramente of the aulter be∣fore we eate any other meate, & so fastinge. The which thyng is not expressed in the holye scrip∣ture, but rather the contrary, for as moch as in it we find y^t Christ gaue his bodye to his discyples after supper was done, whē they* 1.14

had eaten the paschal lambe, & so this custome came in to christes church by the tradition of the a∣postles, whome the holye gooste taught not this poynt onely for the edifyeng of chrystes church, but all other truthes necessarye therunto, accordyngly as chryst had promysed theym before his deathe. Iohan the euangeliste wytnessynge it in his Gospell playnly, Is not euen this one thynge touchyng the receyuyng of our hosle fastynge, taught by the holy goost without puttyng it in the scrypture, ynoughe and sufficyēt to make vs to beleue y^t al truth necessarye to be knowē, beleued, and obserued is not ex∣pressed ī the scripture, & to leaue vngodlye to aske where that or this thynge is set forth in godd{is} worde, snpposynge that excepte* 1.15

it can be proued by plaine scrip∣ture, we shuld neuer beleue it as truth: nor kepe it as profytable. The seconde poynte worthye to be marked in. S. Austens wor∣des aboue recited is y^t he saieth, it pleased the holy goost that to the honour of so greate a sacra∣ment the bodye of our lorde Ie∣su Chryste shulde entre in to a chrysten mans mouth before o∣ther* 1.16 meates, whiche is agaynste them, which denye that the bles∣sed sacramēt of the aulter shuld be honored of vs chrysten men. Agayne to saynt Austen, whiche thus wryteth in the same epystle Chryst gaue his bodye last after souper to his apostles that ther∣by he myght cōmyt vnto theym more strongly the hyghnes of so greate a mysterye / and for that cause he wolde laste fyxe or fastē

that thynge in the hartes, & me∣morye of his dyscyples, frō whō he shulde departe to hys passyō Er ideo non precepit quo deinceps ordine sumeretur, vt apostolis, per qnos dispositurus erat ecclesias, ser∣uaret hūc locum. That is to saye in englysshe, And therfore christ cōmaūded not after what order the sacrament shulde afterward be receyued, that he might kepe or reserue this place or rometh to hys apostles, by whome he shulde dyspose the churches: or companies of the faythfull peo∣ple. Seest thou not here, chrystē reader, that christe dyd not com∣maunde how and after what ma¦ner the sacrament of the aultare shulde be receiued of vs, that he myghte leaue y^t to his disciples, whiche afterwarde taughte the churche the fourme, ordre, & ma∣ner

howe Chrystes blessed body shuld be receiued of chrystē peo∣ple? Is then all truth set forthe in the scrypture, and nothynge by the apostles tradiciō? Where reade we in all the scrypture the maner & order in receyuyng this sacramēt, which ordre christ left to his discyples to make & pub∣lysshe? To be shorte saynt Austē recytethe strehghte waye there, saynt paules wordes. Caetera, cū¦venero, ordinabo. I wyll order o∣ther thinges, when I shal come, to proue that the apostles, of the which. s. Paule was one though not of the .xii. dyd set forthe the fassyon / ordre, and maner of re∣ceyuynge chrystes blessed bodye in the sacrament. This custome and maner to receyue the bodye of Chryste fastynge was before saynte Austens dayes spoken of

Socrates, whiche was one of y^e thre, that made the historye cal∣led* 1.17 in latine tripertita historia.

For he thus wryteth.

Aegiptii vero Alexandriae vicini; & thebai∣dos habitatores, sabbato quidem collectas agunt, sed non sicut moris est, sacramenta percipiunt, nā post∣quā fuerāt: epulari, et cibis oībus ad∣impleti, circa vesperam, oblatione facta, cōmunicant.

The englysshe may be this. The Egipcyans nygh or neyghbours to Alexan∣dria, and the inhabytans of the∣bays a coūtrey of Egipt gather collectyōs for y^e pore: vpō the sa∣terday, but they receyue not the sacramētes as the maner or cu∣stome is, for after they haue ea∣ten at feastes or banketes, and are fylled with all meates, they do take theyre hosle or ryghtes aboute the euentyde, when the

sacrifyce of the masse is done. But to let this passe, who can de¦nye but that it cometh by the a∣postles tradicyon that chrysten people do receyue the sacramēt of the aulter onely of the preest{is} as Tertulyan testyfyed with in C.lxxiii. after Chrystes passyon* 1.18 sayeng.

Eucharistiae sacramētū nec de aliorū quam praesidenti ī manu sumim{us}.

We do receiue (sāith he) the sacramēt of the alter of none other mens hande thē of theyrs;* 1.19 that haue auctorytie or rule.

This he wrote entreatīg of tra∣dicions; and customes obserued then without scrypture. Also it cometh by the apostles tradicyō without wrytynge that water is myxed with wyne in the chalyce when a preyst sayeth masse. For chryste him selfe toke (as saynte Damascene wytnesseth) the cup

or chalyce mengled withe water and wyne / and gaue it to his a∣postles sayng vnto thē, Drynke of this al. Where fynde we this truth, and thynge (that Chryste dyd) in the scrypture: Dyd not chryst teach his apostles to mē∣gle water and wyne together at masse, and they taught the chur∣che the same by mouth withoute wrytynge? The blessed martyr S. Cypryā aboue. M. ccc. yeres hath testifyed that thynge thus wrytyng. But brother knowe* 1.20 that we are admonyshed, that in offeryng the chalyce our lordes tradicyon be kepte, nother an o∣ther thynge be done of vs, then that which our lorde dyd before vs. That the chalyce, whyche is offred to his remēbraunce, be offred myxed with wyne. When the water is myngled with the

wyne in the chalyce, the people is ioyned to chryste as one with him, & the multitude of the bele¦uyng is coupled: & knyt to hī, in whome they haue beleued. The which couplynge, & conyoinyng together of water and wyne is so myxed in our lordes chalyce, that the water and wine so men∣gled can not be seperate or disse∣uered. Wherof the churche, that is the people set in the churche, faythfullye and stedfastlye con∣tynuyng in that whiche it hathe beleued, nothynge can seperate from chryste, that it cleaue not & abyde alwaye in gods loue. In that same Epystle he wrytethe moch more largely of this tradi¦tyon, wherby water & wyne are myxed togyther at masse in the chalyce, and what it betokeneth, of the whiche I also haue spokē

more plenteously in my boke of the sacrifyce of the masse, yet I wyl not let passe vntouched this blessed martyrs wordes wryten in his sermō of washyng of fete, where he declareth that Chryst dyd instytute the holy sacramēt of the aulter hī self, and that the apostles inspyred with the holy gooste, dyd adde therunto other dyuers thynges. For thus he sayeth. Ipse sūmus sacerdos sui est sacramēti institutor, et autor, ī cae∣reris hoîes spūm sāctū habuere doc¦toré, & sicut par est spūi sācto et chri¦cto diuinitas, ita in suis institutis aequa est autoritas, et potestas, nec minus rarū est, quod dictāte spū s••∣cto* 1.21 apostoli tradiderunt, quam {quod} ipse tradidit, et in sui cōmemora∣tionem fieri praecepit. That is to say, The hyghest preest hym self was the ordeyner and the fyrste

maker of hys sacramēt, in other thynges men had the holy goost a teacher, and lyke as the deite or godheade of Christe, and the holy goost are equal, euē so they haue equall auctoritie and po∣wer in theyr ordinaunces, and that is as excellente, that the a∣postles haue taughte or lefte by traditiōs as y^t, which he taught, and commaunded to be done in hys remembraunce. These wor∣des of saynte Cyprian do shewe that after hys mynde, (whyche was a man both excellently well learned, & vertuous also,) christ dyd institute, and fyrst make the holy sacramēt of the aulter, and the apostles taughte of the holy gooste ordeyned the other thyn∣ges belongynge to the comelye and semely consecratynge of his bodye and bloude, and recey∣uynge

of it, whyche they lefte to the church of Christ vnwrytten, as it is already proued by saynt Austen. Finally Cyprian sayeth that the apostles traditiōs per∣teynynge to thys sacrament are of lyke auctorite, power, and ex∣cellency, as Christes owne ordi∣naunces are, and therfore they muste nedes be shamefullye de∣ceyued, whyche wyll beleue no∣thynge excepte it be expressed playnlye in the scripture. Ano∣ther traditiō of the apostles be∣longyng to this holy sacrament is that the blessed body of Christ is kept, and reserued in the pyxe or boxe at churche, because that custome is & hath bene in Chri∣stes churche kepte throughe all the worlde, where good christen men be, and therfore beinge not, as in dede it is not, ordeyned

and inacted by anye councell, it muste nedes come by tradition from the churche after saynte* 1.22 Austens mynd. Of thys custome we reade in the historye of the churche compiled by the aunci∣ent wyrter Eusebi{us}, whyche re∣cytynge* 1.23 certen sentences out of Irene{us} the disciple of saint Po∣lycarpe saynte Iohan the euan∣gelistes scoler sayeth, that the bishop of Rome dyd vse to sende the blessed sacrament solemly to straunge catholyke by shoppes, which came thyther. Now shuld any such costome be so sone after Christes departynge, and the a∣postles death, (of the whych S. Iohan the euangelist wrote. IX. yeres and aboue after Christes ascension, after the whiche tyme Irene{us} was within lesse then an hundred yeres) excepte the apo∣stles

had tanght the church that lesson? Of thys custome to re∣serue the bodye of christe in the pyxe, saynte Nierom, and saynte Ambrose wrote, as I haue more largelye declared in my boke of* 1.24 the sacramēt of the aulter. Adde yet to these another tradition of the apostles belongynge vnto the masse, & sacramēte of the aul¦ter, which is y^t at masse the preest prayeth for the soules departed out of this worlde, which thyng the holy apostles dyd ordeyne to be done, as saynte Damascene* 1.25 witnesseth saying. The apostles our sauiours disciples haue cō∣maunded or ordeyned, that a re∣membraunce shulde be made of thē that were dead, in the dread∣ful & lyuely sacramētes. Saynt Chrisostome also affirmeth in di¦uers places of hys bokes that

the apostles ordeyned that the* 1.26 preestes at masse shulde pray for the deade. Epiphanius in lyke wise affirmeth that it is a tradi∣tion receyued of the fathers to pray for the dead, & saynte Dio∣nise saint Paules scholer testifi∣eth that that custome came from y^e apostles of christ by theyr tra∣dition, whyche I haue declared sufficiently in y^e later ende of my boke of the sacrifice of the masse the .xxx. leafe, & therfore I nede not agayne to reherse y^e auctori∣ties, whych are there set forth at large. It is therfore great fooly of men to deny y^e holye, godly, & charitable tradition of the apo∣stles. Dionise Paules disciple publisheth & putteth forth ma∣ny & diuers other ceremonies, & vsages of the masse / whyche no doubt he levned of his maisters

Paul, & Hierothe{us}, & y^e holy apo∣stles,* 1.27 W^t the which he was often cōuersaūt, but I wyl not recyte thē at this tyme, intending to be shorte in this treatise. Nowe let vs se what yet S. Paule sayeth further for y^e defence of traditi∣ons. He wrytinge to y^e Corinthi∣ans* 1.28 thus maketh for the furthe∣raūce of my purpose in this boke I pray you brethrē, y^t in al thyn∣ges ye remēbre me, & kepe my cō¦maūdemētes, as I haue deliue∣red thē vnto you. Besyde that y^• paule speketh here of his cōmaū¦demētes, & not of christ{is}, & saieth he had deliuered, or taughte thē by traditiō vnto y^e corinthians, which thiges do shew y^e he spake of certē thiges, which he taught thē him selfe by mouth wythout writing, besides this I say, y^e ho¦lye man Chrisostome thus wry∣teth* 1.29

vpō this text for traditiōs Ergo sine litter is multa tradider at, quod alibi sepe meminit. Ther∣fore he delyuered or taught ma∣ny thinges without writing, the which thing he ofte remembreth els where. Thophilactus also vpon the same text thus sayeth. Liquet ex eis, cū Paulū, tū apostolos reliquos haudquaquā oī a mādasse, litteris precepta, que populis tradi∣disset. It is euidente by these Paules wordes, y^e partly Paul, & chefely the other apostl{is} wrote not al the cōmaūdemētes, which they deliuered, or taught the peo¦ple. Lo these two greate lerned mē, & aūcient good fathers iud∣ged y^e Paule & the other apostles wrote not al the cōmaūdemētes, which they gaue to the people, & Bullinger w^e diuers other of lu¦thers scholers affirme y^e cōtrary

w^eout any good groūd, whether {per}tie oughte we to beleue, y^e yon∣ger or y^e elder? y^e better in liuing or y^e worse? y^e better lerned, or the worse? But now to paule agayn which saieth to the philippiās. You oughte to beare in remem∣braūce y^e thinges, which ye haue perceiued, had & sene, & not those thīges onely, which were writtē to you, & to timothy he also saith* 1.30 Thou, my son timothy, be strōg in y^e grace that is in christe Ie∣su, & cōmit y^e thīges, which thou hast harde of me by manye wyt∣nesses, to faithful men, that shal be apt to teach also other. Who seeth not y^e here Paule spake of traditiōs not writtē of him, but taught y^e bishop timothy with∣out wrytynge by mouth onely, whyche he so delyuered to other that shulde teach the churche of christe? These places aboue re∣cyted

out of s•• Paule are playne agaynste them that denye trady¦cyons, and say that euery truth* 1.31 is expresly put forth in the scrip∣ture, but yet this now folowing* 1.32 is most manifestlye agaynst thē, whiche is euen thus wrytten of Paule. Fratres state, et tenete tra∣ditiones, quas didicistis, siue per ser¦monē, siue per epistolam nostram. That is to say. Brethren stande ye fast, and kepe the tradicyons, that ye haue learned, eyther by* 1.33 our preachyng, or by our epystle Thoughe that this texte be so plain vpō our side, which do de∣fende tradiciōs of the apostles, and Chrystes holy churche that it cā not be wrested to any other sence then that saynte Paule cō∣maunded the Thessaloniens, & all other chrystened people in & by theym to obserue not onelye

his tradicions wrytten in his e∣pystle, but also other not wrttē, but preached and taught theim without wrytyng by mouth one lye, yet Bullynger Luthers dis∣cyple labourethe to wrythe it a∣gaynst his nature vnto another meanynge, affyrmynge, but w^e∣out any proufe, reason, or aucto∣rytie* 1.34 well taken that Paule mēt by tradicions, which the Thessa¦loniens learned of hym by his worde or preachyng, thīges wry¦ten in Moyses lawe and the pro¦phetes, whiche afterwarde that he had preached them to the peo¦ple, the holye euangelystes and apostles did wryte. But yet here I besech the, good reader, Bul∣lyngers probacion y^e Paule mēt nothyng els there to the Thessa¦loniens but onely hys sermons of y^e gospell takē out of Moises

lawe & the prophetes after wry∣ten by the euangelystes, & other the apostles. For he (sayeth Bul¦lynger) speakyng of his sermōs and preachīges before Agrippa doth wytnesse that he taught no¦thynge but that which Moyses and the Prophetes had taughte before. Is not this a learned {pro}∣batyon, good reader, Paule be∣fore Agryppa sayed, he taughte nothynge ouer and aboue that whiche Moyses and the Pro∣phetes had taughte before ergo by hys tradycyons, whiche the Thessaloniens learned of hym by his worde, or preachynge, he ment nothynge els but hys ser∣mons made out of Moyses and the Prophetes, whiche the euā∣gelystes / and other the apostles afterward dyd put in wrytyng? Doth not he shewe by this rea∣son

his lytle reason, and lesse ler¦nynge? What madde man wyll make thys argument, which is moch lyke vnto his. Paul sayd before Agryppa that he taught nothynge but that which Moi∣ses lawe and the prophetes had, ergo he taught vtterly nothyng besyde the contentes of Moises lawe and the Prophetes? Are there no thīges wrytē in Pauls epystles which be not wryten in Moises law and the prophetes? Dothe the fyrste hys epystle to* 1.35 the Eorinthyans especyally the vii. xi. the xii. &. xiiii. Chapiters of it, comprehende nothynge els but that which was wryten be∣fore of Moises and the {pro}phet{is}? Where do we rede in Moyses lawe the fourme of chosynge a bysshoppe or a preest, and a dea∣con, & dyuers other thīges wry∣ten

by Paule to the bysshoppes Timothy and Tite? Paule said verely & truelye that he taughte nothynge before the Iewes but Moyses law and the prophet{is}, which they had receiued as true doctrine, and by whiche he tra∣uayled to induce them to beleue in Chryste, and to repente theyr yl life that they might be saued. But wylt thou gather, good re∣der, therof that s. Paule taught to the faythfull people, whiche beleued in Christ and were chri∣stened, nothynge vtterly besyde thynges conteyned in Moyses law and the Prophetes? Nay I suppose, excepte thou dote, Why then woldest thou gather theru∣pon that Paules tradiciōs ler∣ned by worde or preachynge of the Thessalonians, were taken out of Moyses law and the ho∣ly

prophetes? Agayne Bullyn∣ger alledgeth s. Paules wordes* 1.36 for that is vngodlye purpose, which are these. I make knowē to you brethren that the gospell, whiche I haue preached, is not after man. For I haue not recey¦ued it of man, nor learned it of mā, but by the reuelation of Ie∣su Chryste. But the reuelation of Iesu Chryst (sayeth Bullyn∣ger wysely) dissenteth not from itselfe, but Mathewe. Marke Luke, and Iohan wrote of that same reuelatiō, wherfore it is ne¦cessary that saint Paule delyue∣red withe a lyuely voyce in his sermons the same thynges whi¦che the euangelistes afterwarde dyd wryte, and in wrytynge left to the churche of Chryste, and therfore it is not necessary to vn¦derstande by the tradycyōs, whi¦che Paule sayed the Thessalo∣nians

had learned by his sermō or word, tradicions not wryten, hytherto bablynge Bullynger, vtterynge his shamefull blynd∣nes & ignoraunce, I wyl not say his malyce conceyued agaynste the truth. For must not he be ve¦ry blynde and ignoraunt in the scrypture, whiche wolde reason thus. Saynt Paule learned the gospell of Iesu chryst by reuela¦tion, the euāgelistes wrote of & by the same reuelation, whiche dyssēteth not from it selfe. ergo it must neades folow that Paul taughte the Thessalonians no∣thing by mouth, nor vnderstode any thynge els by his tradiciōs delyuered vnto thē by his word or preachynge, but onelye those thynges, which the euāgelistes dyd wryte? Dyd not the foure e∣uāgelistes all wryte by one in∣spiration

and reuelation of Ie∣su christ, and yet one of thē wrot•• that, whiche another wrote not? Peter, Iames, Iohan, and Iu∣das wrote al by one reuelatiō of Iesu christ and the holy gooste, whych neuer doth ne can dissent from it selfe, ergo they wrote all one thyng, & none of them wrote any thyng, whych y^e other wrote not. Is thys a wyse argumente, beyng lyke Bullyngers? Ther∣fore though saynte Paule recey∣ued, and learned the gospell by christes reuelation, by whyche the .iiii. euāgelistes wrote theyr gospelles, yet that proueth not sufficiently that paule wrote no∣thynge but y^t whych they wrote, nor that he preached nothing by mouth onely wythout puttynge it in wrytynge afterwarde, but that alonely, whyche was wryt∣ten

in the euangelistes. But let∣tynge thys passe, let vs se what saynt Chrysostom and other say vpon the text of saynt Paule a∣boue recyted, that therby it may euidently appeare that Bullin∣ger & other of that secte do mysse construe and vnderstande that sayed letter for the mayntenaūce of theyr deuelish heresie against traditions. Saynt Damascene thus wrytteth. Quod autem plu∣rima* 1.37 sancti apostoli tradiderint si∣ne scripto, scribit Paul{us} gentium a∣postol{us}. Ergo fratres state, et tenete traditiones nostras, quas edocti es∣tis, siue per sermonem, siue per epi∣stolā nostrā. That is thus muche to saye in oure tonge. But that the holy apostles taughte verye many thinges without writing, Paule the apostle of the gentles wryteth sayinge. Therfore bre∣thren

stande ye fast, and kepe ye our etraditions, whyche ye are taught, eyther by oure worde or sermō, or els by our epistle. Thā he allegeth for that purpose this text of saynt paule I prayse you brethren, because in all thynges ye remembre me, and ye do kepe the traditiōs, as I haue taught you them. Chrisostome also hol∣deth* 1.38 wyth the same thynge wry∣tynge vpon that texte of saynte paule to the thessalonians with these few wordes. Hīc patet quod non omnia per epistolam tradide∣rīt, sed multa etiam sine literis. Ea∣dem vero fide digna sunt tam illa quam ista. Ita{que} traditionem eccle∣sie fide dignam putamus. Traditio est, nihil quaeras amplius. The en∣glysh may be thys. From thence it is open, that the apostles dyd not teach all thynges by an epi∣stle,

but also many thinges with our wrytynge. But as wel those as these are worthy y^e same fayth or credence. Therfore we thynke the churches tradition worthye to be beleued. It is a tradition, serch or demaūde nothyng more ouer. What could ye haue writ∣ten* 1.39 more playnly against the lu∣therans, and all the hole rable∣ment of them, that denye tradi∣tions, and defende that nothing oughte to be beleued but y^e one∣ly, whych is put forth manifest∣ly in scrpture? Truely he is not wel aduised, nor godly disposed, that wil not rather gyue credēce to this auncient godly wel lear∣ned doctoure then to the luthe∣rans, wryters of late, vngodlye and vnlearned. Theophilactus also vpon thys same paules text* 1.40 sheweth hym selfe to holde wyth

the doctrine of traditions, say∣ing thus. Hic sane perspicuum est plera{que} paulum sine scriptis ser mo∣ne duntaxat, hoc est, viua voce, non epistolis solum, his tradidisse. Non enim secus illa at{que} haec fide digna sunt. Ita{que} et ecclesie traditionem dignam existimemus, cui prestan∣da sit fides, vt si quid ab ea sit tradi∣tum, nihil vltra perquiras. The which wordes may be thus tur∣ned in to englyshe. Therof it is verily playne that paule taught them manye thynges by speache onely that is with a liuely voice wythout wrytynge, not onely by epistles. For those are no other wyse worthye of credence then these. Wherfore let vs iudge the churches tradition mete or wor∣thy, to whom credence muste be gyuen, so that yf any thynge be taught or deliuered of y^e church,

thou searche nothynge further. Hitherto Theophilactus. The greake scolies or short expositi∣ons set forth vpon thys place of saynte paule do expowne it as saynte Damascene, chrysostom, and Theophilactus do, whose wordes are these into latine, trā∣slated. Eteni et scripta, et nō scrip∣ta precepta tradiderunt apostoli, et vtra{que} obseruatione digna. Igitur et ecclesiae quo{que} et non scripta tradi∣tio obseruanda est. Thus it is in our speach, because the apostles dyd deliuer, or teach cōmaunde∣mentes both wrytten, and also vnwrytten / and both two wor∣thy to be obserued, therfore the churches also tradition, yea not wrytten muste be kepte. Are not all these wytnesses sufficient to stoppe theyr mouthes whych do bable without all reason & good

learnynge agaynste traditions? Saynt Basil, whych was nygh* 1.41 twelfe hundred yeres paste, and an excellēt clerke thus writteth. Arbitror autem apostolicū esse etiā* 1.42 non scrrptis traditionib{us} inhaerere. Laudo, inquit paulus, vos quod per oīa mei memores estis, et quemad∣modū tradidi, vos traditiones obti∣netis,* 1.43 quas acceptistis siue per epi∣stolā, siue per sermonem. That is to say in english. But I iudge it apostolike or perteyninge vnto an apostles doctine to cleaue or sticke to traditiōs also not writ∣ten. I prayse you (sayeth paule) that through al thinges ye remē¦bre me, and do reteyne styll the traditions, as I taughte you, whiche ye receyued eyther by an epistle, or by speach. Seest thou not here, chrystē reader, that S. Basyll affyrmeth not onely that

we ought to stycke fast vnto tra∣ditions not written, but he sayth it belōgeth vnto the apostles teachinge, and allegeth two tex∣tes of saynte Paule to proue the same? Wherfore I beseche the shulde not we rather giue fayth and credence vnto this holy and greate clerke saynte basyll then to Luther or anye of hys scole? Let this, that is nowe alreadye sayed, & that whych shall be sayd hereafter be to the (gentell rea∣der) whych hast any regarde vn∣to thy soules health, sufficiente vtterly to abhorre, deteste, and forsake thys pestilente erroure, set vp against traditions, of the whyche manye are verye neces∣sarye for the maynteynannce, and encrease of Chrystes religi∣on, & mans saluation, as it shall hereafter appeare more at large

by godd{is} helpe and grace. But now I wyl go to the rehersall of a multitude of thīges obserued and beleued of christen natyons through y^e hole world, which are bothe necessarye to be beleued, & kepte also, & yet they be not ex∣pressly set forth ī y^e scrypture, but are onely come ī to the church of chryst our blessed sauiour by traditiō of the holy apostles inspi∣red & styrred of y^e spirite of truth to ordeyne thē, & to deliuer them vnto the church by mouth with out wrytyng, which as euer sēce theyr tyme haue bene amōge all catholyke people beleued, & ob∣serued, euen so shall they be vn¦tyll the worldes ende, thoughe manye do barke neuer so moche agaynst thē, as they do agaynst dyuers other truthes expres∣sed in the scrypture.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Verities vnwrytten.
• * 1.2

  Io. 16.
• * 1.3

  Act. 15.
• * 1.4

  Act. 16.
• * 1.5

  Paulino de oīb{us} sa∣cre scriptu∣re libris.
• * 1.6

  Damas. lib, 4. ca. 19, The cenōs of the apo∣stles do tōteyne many verities not written in the bible.
• * 1.7

  In auten∣titis.
• * 1.8

  Lap. 25. 40 43.
• * 1.9

  Iohan. 16.
• * 1.10

  ••. Cor. 2.
• * 1.11

  1. Cor. 2.
• * 1.12

  Traditi•••• of the apo∣stles per∣teynyng to the masse and the blessed sa∣crament o•• the aulter.
• * 1.13

  Tertulian wrytyng to his wife speakyng of a womā maried to a heithen mā sayeth of receyuyng the sacra∣mēt of the aulter be∣fore other meates fa∣styng. Non sciet mari∣t{us}, quid āte oēm cibum gustes? Et∣s•• scierit, non panē illū credit esse, qui di∣citur.
• * 1.14

  Math. 26.
• * 1.15

  Iohan. 16.
• * 1.16

  As doth Luther.
• * 1.17

  Lib. 9. cap. 38.
• * 1.18

  Tertulia∣n{us} de coro∣na militis,
• * 1.19

  He mea∣neth the preestes.
• * 1.20

  Lib, 2. eps. 3
• * 1.21

  Alias ••••∣tum.
• * 1.22

  Ianuatio epist. 118.
• * 1.23

  Lib. 5. cap. 25.
• * 1.24

  Hiero Ru∣stico. etam∣brosi{us} in ora funebri de obitu fratris su•• satyri,
• * 1.25

  Sermon•• {pro} de••••••tis.
• * 1.26

  Ad anto••h. pop homi∣lia. 69 et in priorē ad corinth, ho. 41. epipha. 3 3. Doinis. de eccle hie∣rat. cap. 7.
• * 1.27

  De eccle. Hierar. ca 3 parie 3. etc.
• * 1.28

  1 Corin 11. Arbitror a∣postolicum esse, etsā nō scriptis tra¦detionibus inherere. Paul{us} enī inquit, lau∣do vos etc 1. cor 11 basi∣li{us} de spiri∣tu sctō ca. 29 her in literas r••∣tulit.
• * 1.29

  Chrisost.
• * 1.30

  2. Timo. 2
• * 1.31

  2. thesso. 2.
• * 1.32

  2. pe. 1. oīs prophetia i. scripture sacre enara ratio, pro∣pria inter∣pretatione non fit. Nō enim volū∣tate etc.
• * 1.33

  Luke. 24. apparuit illis sensō etc.
• * 1.34

  If that Bullingers vnderstan∣dynge were good. what dyfference shulde there be be∣twene a ser¦mon and e∣pystle? Had S. Paules epystles no∣thynge out of Moyses lawe, & the prophetes? How moch of thē hath the epystle to the ro∣mās? How to the He∣brews? and how the o∣ther? It is therfore a very folysh e••asyon to expownde tradiciōs receyued by Paules ser¦mon or spe∣ch, doctrine of the gos∣pel takē out of Moyses wrytynges and the {pro}∣phetes, and not tradici∣ons vnwry¦ten. De Bullin∣ge••o recte dici potest illud flacci. Et nescire pudēs pra∣••••: ••discere ma••••lt.
• * 1.35

  Hare•••••••• sunt arro∣gantes, ac putant {quod} possint sa∣pere et lo∣qui abstru∣si{us} quiddā {quam} alii, ador¦na•••••• ver∣bo•• pug∣nas C••ril Lib. 2. dialo gorū.
• * 1.36

  Gala. 1.
• * 1.37

  Lib 4. ca. 17
• * 1.38

  1. cor. 11.
• * 1.39

  Marke this wel re∣drr.
• * 1.40

  Basyll cō∣fyrmeth this sayengArbitror a∣postolicum esse: etiā nō¦scriptis tra¦ditionib{us} inherere paul{us} enim inquit lau∣do vos {quod} mea omnia meministis & quē admo dum tradi∣di vobis, traditiones obtinetis, quas acce∣pistis siue per sermo∣nem siue per epistolā de spiritu s. capi. 29. That is, I do iudge it perteyning to the apo∣stles doctrin to cleaue vn to traditi∣ons, yea not wryttē. For paule sayeth •• prayse you that ye haue remē¦bred al my lessons, & kepte styll the traditi∣ons that ye haue re∣ceyued ey∣ther by speache or an epistle, as I haue delyuered them vnto you,
• * 1.41

  Basili{us} de spiritu sctō ca 29.
• * 1.42

  1. Cor. 11.
• * 1.43

  2. Teffa. 2.