Of the authority of the word of god against the bishop of london/ wherein are contained certain disputations had in the parliament house between the bishops a bout the number of the sacraments and other things/ very necessary to be known/ made by Alexander Alane Scot and sent to the duke of Saxon.  
There is nothing hidden that shall not be opened and come to light.  Math. x.  

Of the authority of the word of god.  
about .v. year agone I wrote to the noble king of scots the father of my country complaining of a certain proclamation wherein the bishops had forbidden the holy scripture to be red in the mother tongue. I answered also to certain slaunderos lies of cochleus/ whom the bishops had hired to spew out all the poison in his belly against me. For I was at antwerp when a country man of mine whose name was john foster did send a some of money unto Cochleus by a merchant from the bishop of. S. Andrews which giveth him yearly so long as he liveth a certain stipend. And it chanced by the goodness of god/ whereby he discloseth the wickedness of these hipocytes/ that a pistle of Cochleus which he sent unto a certain bishop of pole/ came unto my hands/ wherein he complaineth that he hath great loss and evil fortune in setting forth of books for as much as no man will wetesave to read his books. And he beggeth a yarely stipend of the bishops of pole saying that he hath been nobly rewarded of the king of scots and of the archbishop of. s. Andrews and of the bishop of glasguo. And were it not for the love of my country and of the kings grace I would cause his pistle to be printed with the copy of the king's letters which he send unto a certain bishop of pole/ & because he shall know that I have a copy of the king's letters the king doth write manifestly that Cochleus book did more please him for the commendation of King Ferdinandus and of Erasmus than for any study or diligence of the author. I will not utter other things contained in the said letters neither would I have disclosed thus much but that I would wissh that the king were admonished to consider whether cochleus were a man worthy to be presented with his letters and his princely reward or no. And because I would avoid the furios envy of this blasphemos impudent railer whom the bishops had hired to bark against me (for beside slanderoes railing words he made me no answer at all/ and he threatened me that he would send me home again if he could bring it to pass/ unto the bishops with my hands bound behind me) for the which cause/ I say/ I did cast in my mind to change again that country where I was specially seeing I was called in to Ingland by the right noble lord Crumwel and the archbishop of canterbery. for the railing wretch Cochleus did manifestly wright that he was sorer grieved with me for dwelling in that place where I did remain/ than he was with my matter or with any other thing else. I considered that christ gave place sometimes unto the furiosnes of the jews & again that cur dogs which be tied at men's gates to bark/ when no man is by them than they sleep and make no business at all. And therefore I thought to avoid his railing writings by no means so well/ as if I should go in to Ingland and even stop mine ears at his raving. And in deed I was not deceived/ for the serpent left his hissing/ and I was lovingly received not only of the archbishop/ and of the honourable lord Crumwel/ but even of the right noble king himself also/ and I was sent unto Cambridge to read a lecture of the scripture there/ but the cross followeth always Christ's doctrine/ where soever it goeth/ & the devil hath ever envy that christ should have any rest/ for even in the wilderness he would not suffer him to be quiet alone/ until he had brought him unto the cross. I had scarcely declared out the eight psalm/ but I perceived mine enemy going a bout to wrap me in contentions. the which although I hate naturally and have studied always to my power to avoid them/ yet I never submitted myself cowardly to the devil nor never recanted any thing sins I had any knowledge of Christ's true gospel. And when I would have made answer there for such doctrine as I had tawght/ I came to the schools of the university where a great number of auditors was gathered/ and there before the whole multitude I tarried an hour or ij looking when mine adversary should come. but he although he refrained from disputation (for what purpose or consideration I can not tell) yet he conspired me such envy that there were some that were not a frayed to threaten me that it should cost me my life which thing after I had opened to the vychanceler by the council of certain of the wisest men there/ and saw him wink at the matter/ I gave place to this malice also and departed from thence/ specially for as much as I perceived there were statutes sent forth from the bishops and from the whole council of the ream which were such that it had been wickedness not to have spoken openly against them and yet to have reproved them it should have been counted a point of sedition. The man was not hindered nor put in fear by me/ but the chancellor of the university which sent me thither by the commandment of the king would suffer none of his university to speak against any of the common laws. wherefore I determined with myself to serve the time and to change the preaching of the cross with the science of physic wherein I had a little sight before/ And thus I went unto a very well learned phisycian called doctor Nicolas which hath practised phisyk in london thes many years with high praise/ whose company I did use certain years whereby I did both see and learn many things even the principal points concerning that science. In so much that at length certain of my friends did move me to take in hand to practise/ which thing I did I trust not unluckyly. But yet not withstanding this/ contrary to all my expectation I chanced to fall again in to such a disputation as I was in before/ and in manner with like adversaries/ for before I was vexed with my country bishops and with an hired railer Cochleus about the reading of the scripture in the mother tongue. And it fortuned me to have a like contention with certain bishops of Ingland (which maintain still the bishop of rome so far as they dare) whether all things necessary unto our salvation be contained in the scripture/ or but a part only and the residue to be taken out of the gloss of the doctors/ out of the acts of old counsels and out of pope's lousy decreys. And unto this disputation I came suddenly unprepared/ for as I did meet by chance in the street the right excellent lord Crumwel going unto the parliament house in the year .1537. he when he saw me/ called me unto him/ & took me with him to the parliament house to westmyster where we found all the bishops gathered together. unto whom as he went and took me with him/ all the bishops and prelate's did rise up and did obeisance unto him as to their vicar general and after he had saluted them he sat him down in the highest place & right against him sat the Archibisshop of cantorbery/ after him the archbishop of york/ and than London/ Lincoln/ Salisbery/ Bathe Ely/ Herford/ Chichester/ Norwich/ Rochester and Worcester and certain other whose names I have forgotten/ all these did sit● at a table covered with a carpet with certain priests standing about them.  
Than the lord Crumwel being vicar general of the ream/ lord of the privy seal and chief secret counsellor unto the king turned himself to the bishops & said. Right reverend fathers in christ/ The king's majesty giveth you high thanks that ye have so diligently without any excuse assembled hither according to his commandment/ and ye be not ignorant that ye be called hither to determine certain controversies which at this time be moved concerning the christian religion and faith not only in this ream but also in all nations throughout the world: for the king studieth day & night to set a quietness in the church/ and he can not rest until all such controversies be fully debated and ended thorough the determination of you and of his whole parliament. For all though his special desire is to set a stay for the unlearned people whose consciences are in doubt what they may believe/ and he himself by his excellent learning knoweth these controversies well-enough/ yet he will suffer no common alteration/ but by the consent of you and of his whole parliament By the which thing ye may perceive both his high wisdom/ and also his great love toward you/ & he desireth you for Christ's sake that all malice obstinacy & carnal respect set apart/ ye will friendly & lovingly dispute among yourselves of the controversys moved in the church and that ye will conclude all things by the word of god with out all brawling/ or scolding/ neither will his majesty suffer the scripture to be wr●sted & defaced by any glosys/ any papistical laws or by any authority of doctors or counsels and much less will he admit any articles or doctrine not contained in the scripture but approved only by continuance of time and old custom and by unwritten verities as ye were wont to do. Ye know well enough that ye be bound to show this service to christ & to his church & yet notwithstanding his majesty will give you high thanks/ if ye will set & conclude a godly and a perfect unite/ whereunto this is the only way and mean if ye will determine all things by the scripture as god commandeth you in deuteronomy/ which thing his majesty exhorteth and desireth you.  
When the lord crumwel had spoken his mind after this sort with high gravity (as he was a man of a great wit/ of excellent wisdom and of goodly eloquence) all the bishops did rise up and gave thanks to the king's majesty for his fervent study and desire toward an unite and for this virtuous exhortation most worthy a christian king. After this began they to dispute of the sacraments. And first of all the bishop of london which was an earnest defender of the pope's part/ whom a little before the lord crumwel had rebuked by name for defending of unwritten verities/ this bishop of london/ I say/ went about to defend that there were vij sacraments of our christian religion which he would prove by certain stinking gloss and old lousy writers/ and he had up on his side the archbishop of york the bishop of lincoln/ bathe/ chichyster and norwich/ The bishop of salisbery/ Ely/ herford and worcester and certain other with the archbishop of Cantorbery/ were against him. And after they had made much strife and contention about the sayings of the doctors one contrary to another/ The bishop of cantorbery spoke and said thus. It beseemeth not men of learning & gravity to make moche babbling and brawling about bare words so that we agree in the very substance and effect of the matter. For to brawl about words Is the property of sophisters and such as mean disceight and suttilty which delight in the debate and dissension of the world and in the miserable state of the church/ and not of them which should seek the glory of christ and should study for the unity and quietness of the church. There be weighty controversies now moved & put forth/ not of ceremonis & light things but of the true understanding and of the right difference of the law and of the gospel/ of the manner and way how sins be forgiven/ of cowmforting doubtful and wavering consciences by what means they may be certified that they please god seeing they feel the strength of the law accusing them of sin/ of the true use of the sacraments/ whether the outward work of them doth justify man or whether we receive our justification thorough faith. Item which be the good works and the true service and honour which pleaseth god/ and whether the choice of meats/ the difference of garments/ the vows of monks and priests and other traditions which have no word of god to confirm them/ whether these/ I say/ beright good works and such as make a perfect christian man or no. Item whether vain service and false honouring of god and man's traditions do bind men's consciences or no. Finally whether the ceremonis of confirmation/ of orders and of annealing and such other (which can not be proved to be institute of christ nor have any word in them to certify us of remission of sins) ought to be called sacraments and to be compared with baptim and the supper of the lord or no. Thes be no light matters but even the principal points of our christian religion/ wherefore we contend not about words and trifles but of high and earnest matters. Christ saith. Blessed be the peace makers/ for they shall be called the sons of god And Paul commandeth bishops to avoid brawling and contention about words which be profitable to nothing but unto the subversion and destruction of the hearers. and be monisheth specially that he should resist with the scriptures when any man disputeth with him of the faith & he addeth a cause where as he saith. Doing this thou shalt preserve both thyself and also them which hear the. Now if ye will follow th●se counsellors Christ and Paul/ all contention and brawling about words must be set apart and ye must stablish a godly and a perfect unity & concord out of the scripture. Wherefore in this disputation we must first agree of the number of the sacraments and what a sacrament doth signify in the holy scripture/ and when we call baptism and the supper of the lord sacraments of the gospel/ what we mean thereby. I know right well that. s. Ambrose and other authors call the washing of the disciples feet and other things/ sacraments/ which I am sure you yourselves would not suffer to be numbered among the other sacraments.  
This exhortation did the archbishop make most soberly & discreetly as he is a man of a singular gravity/ with such sweetness that it did my heart good to hear him And because I did signify by some token of my countenance that this admonition of the archbishop did please & delight me excellently well/ the lord cromwell bade me speak what I thought of this disputation/ but he told the bishops before that I was the king's scolar and therefore he desired them to be content to hear me indifferently. Than I after the rude manner of the schools rather than after any courtly solemnyte/ bowing my knee for a token of courtesy and reverence/ as It became me/ with out any preface at all/ begun to speak after this manner. Right honourable & noble lord and you most reverend fathers and prelate's of the church/ although I come unprepared unto this disputation/ yet trusting in the aid of christ which promiseth to give both mouth and wisdom unto us when we be required of our faith/ I will utter my sentence and judgement of this disputation. And I think that my lord archbishop hath given you a profitable exhortation that ye should first agree of the signification of a sacrament. whether ye will call a sacrament a ceremony institute of christ in the gospel to signify a special or a singular vertu of the gospel and of godliness (as paul namith remission of sins to be) or whether ye mean that every ceremony generally which may be a token or a signification of an holy thing/ to be a sacrament. For after this latter signification I will not stick to grant you that there be vij sacraments and more to If ye wil But yet Paul seemeth to describe a sacrament after the first signification whereas he saith that circumcision is a token and a seal of the rightwiseness of faith: This diffinytion of one particular sacrament must be understand to pertain unto all sacraments generally/ for the jews had but one sacrament only as all the scholastical writers do grant. And he describeth baptism after the same manner in the .v. to the Ephesians whereas he saith that Christ doth sanctify the church) that is to say all that be baptized) thorough the bath of water in the word of life. For here also he addeth the word and promise of god unto the ceremony/ and Christ also requireth faith where as he saith/ who so ever believeth and is baptized/ shall be saved. And s. Austen describeth a sacrament thus/ The word of god coming unto the element/ maketh the sacrament/ and in another place he saith a sacrament is a thing wherein the pour of god under the form of visible things doth work secretly salvation. And the master of the sentences doth describe a sacrament no nother wise. A sacrament saith he is an invisible grace and hath a visible form/ and by this invisible grace I mean/ saith he/ remission of sins. Finally s. Thomas denieth that any man hath authority to institute a sacrament. Now if ye agree unto this definition of a sacrament/ it is an easy thing to judge of the number of those sacraments which have the manifest word of god and be institute by christ to signify unto us the remission of our sins. s. Austen saith that there be but two such sacraments in the cxviij pistle unto januarius: His words be these. First I would have the to understand the some and effect of this disputation/ which is this that our lord jesus Christ (as he himself saith in the gospel) hath laden us but with a light and easy yock or burden. Wherefore he hath glued the fellowship of his new people with sacraments/ very few in number/ very easy to be kept/ and very excellent in signification/ which be baptism and the supper of the lord and such other if there be any moo commanded in the holy scripture those except which were burdens for the seruytute of the people in the old law for the hardness of their hearts etc. And again in the three book of the learning of a Christian man he saith the scripture hath taught us but few signs/ as be the sacrament of baptism and the solemn celebration and remembrance of the body and blood of the lord etc.  
The bishop of london could scarcely suffer me to speak thus much/ but he broke forth and said thus unto me/ where as ye affirm all right and true sacraments to be institute of Christ or to have the manifest scripture to prove them or that all sacraments must have a signification of remission of sins/ It is all false. Than I answered that I would prove all that I had said to be true not only by the scripture but by the old doctors and by the school writers also.  
But the bishop of herforth (whom the king's grace favoured highly both for his singular wisdom and learning/ which was than new comen out of germany where he had been Imbassytor) being moved with the frowardness of this bishop of london said unto me brother Alexander contend not much with him about the minds and sayngs of the doctors and school writers/ for ye know that they in many places do differ among themselves and that they are contrary to themselves also almost in every article. And there is no hope of any concord to be made if we must lean to their judgements in these matters of controversy/ and we be commanded by the king's grace to dispute by the holy scripture/ et c. And he turned him to the bishops and made a short and pithy oration. Think ye not/ said he/ that we can by any sophistical suttiltes steal out of the world again/ the light which every man doth see/ Christ hath so lightened the world at this time that the light of the gospel hath put to flight all misty darkness and it will shortly have the higher hand of all clouds though we resist in vain never so much. The lay people do now know the holy scripture better than many of us. And the germans have made the text of the Bible so plain and easy by the hebrewe and the greek tongue that now many things may be better understand without any gloss at all than by all the commentaries of the doctors. And more over they have so opened these controversies by their writings that women and children may wonder at the blindness & falsehood that hath been hitherto. Wherefore ye must consider earnestly what ye will determine of these controversies/ that ye make not yourselves to be mocked and laughed to storne of all the world/ and that ye bring them not to have this opinion of you to think ever more here after that ye have neither one spark of learning nor yet of godliness in you. And thus shall ye lose all your estimation and authority with them which before took you for learned men and profitable membres unto the common wealth of Christendom. For that which you do hope upon/ that there was never heresy in the church so great but that process of time with the pour and authority of the pope hath quenched it/ it is nothing to the purpose. But ye must turn your opinion and think this surely that there is nothing so feeble and weak/ so that it be true/ but it shall find place and be able to stand against all falsehood. Truth is the daughter of time/ and time is the mother of truth. And what so ever is besieged of truth can not long continue/ and upon whose side truth doth stand/ that ought not to be thought transitory or that it will ever fall. All things consist not in painted eloquence & strength or authority. For the truth is of so great pour/ strength and efficacity/ that it can neither be defended with words nor be overcome with any strength/ but after she hath hidden herself long/ at length she putteth up her head and appeareth/ and as it is written in Esdra/ a king is strong/ wine is stronger/ yet women be more strong But truth excellyth all.  
He spoke many more things to this purpose & effect very discreetly to the high delight of all that hard him. And I thinking myself to be encouraged by his oration/ I began thus to reason against the bishop of london.  
Sacraments be signs or ceremonies which make us certain and sure of the will of god. But no man's heart can be certain and sure of the will of god with out the word of god/ wherefore it followeth that there be no sacraments without the word of god/ and such as can not be proved out of the holy scripture ought not to be called sacraments. The first part of this reason is Sanct Paul's own saying the four to the Romans where he saith that circumcision is a token and a seal of the rightwiseness of faith. Ergo it requireth faith to certify man's heart of the will of god. But the word of god is the foundation of faith/ the ten to the Roma. Faith cometh by hearing/ and hearing cometh by the word of god. For the mind must be taught and instruct of the will of god by the word/ like as the eye is taught & instruct by the outward ceremony. And Paul by this saing confuteth this opinion that the sacraments should make men rightuos and just before god for the very outward work without faith of them that receive them and after this manner doth Paul speak unto the ephesians that christ doth sanctify his church thorough the bath of water in the word of life. And for as much as he joineth the word unto the ceremony & declareth the virtue and pour of the word of god that it bringeth with him life/ he doth manifestly teach that the word of god is the principal thing & even as it were the very substance and body of the sacrament and the outward ceremony nothing else than a token of that lively inflammacyon which we receive thorough faith in the word and promise. S. Paul also in ministering the sacrament of the lords supper doth manifestly add the words of Christ: He took bread/ saith he/ and when he had given thanks he broke it and said/ take ye this and eat ye this for it is my body. Item do ye this in my rememberans. Beside this he teacheth evidently that only christ and none but he had pour to institute a sacrament and that neither the apostles nor the church hath any authority to alter or to add any thing unto his ordinance/ where as he saith/ For I received of the lord that which I d●lyuered unto you etc. To what purpose should he go a bout to move the people to believe him and to winne their hearts with this protestation if it had been lawful for him to have made any sacraments or to have altered the form & manner of ministering this sacrament/ as some men both wickedly and shamelessly do affirm that the apostles did alter the form of baptism. When I had spoken thus much/ the bishop of london did interrupt me/ and said/ let us grant that the sacraments may be gathered out of the word of god/ yet are you far deceived if ye think that there is no nother word of god but that which every souter and cobbler do read in their mother tongue. And if ye think that nothing pertaineth unto the Christian faith but that only that is written in the bible/ than err ye plainly with the Lutherans. For. S. johan saith that jesus did many things which be not written. And. S. Paul commandeth the Thessalonians to observe and keep certain unwritten traditions and ceremonies two Thessa. ij. Moreover he himself did preach not the scripture only but even also the traditions of the elders Act. xuj. Finally we have received many things of the doctors and counsels by times which although they be not written in the bible/ yet for as much as the old doctors of the church do make mention of them/ we aught to grant that we received them of the apostles/ and that they be of like authority with the scripture/ and finally that they may worthily be called the word of god unwritten.  
Now when the right noble lord Crumwel/ the archbishop with the other bishops which did defend the pure doctrine of the gospel hard this/ they smiled a little one upon another for as much as they saw him flee even in the very beginning of the disputation unto his old rusty sophistry and unwritten verities. And I would have disputed further with the bishop to have confuted this blasphemos lie/ But the lord Crumwel bade me be content for the time began to go away and it was twelve of the clock/ and thus I made an end with this protestation. Right reverend master bishop ye deny that our Christian faith and religion doth lean only upon the word of god which is written in the bible/ which thing if I can prove and declare/ than ye will grant me that there be no sacraments but those that have the manifest word of god to confirm them/ unto this he did consent and than immediately that assemble was dissolved for that day.  
Now the next day when the bishops were assembled again and I was present with the lord crumwel/ there came unto me a certain archdeacon in the name of the archbishop of cantorbery which told me that the other bishops were grievously offended w●th me/ that I being a stranger should be admitted unto their disputation/ which thing when I had showed unto the lord crumwel he thought it best to give place unto the bishops specially be cause he would not procure me their hatred/ for he knew well that if they had ones conceived in their hearts any malice against any man they would never cease till they had gotten him out of the way/ and they had before brought to death diverse whom the king did highly favour/ before the king himself (whom they moved by all means to put them to execution quickly) could perceive & spy out their craft and suttilty. But he bade me give him the paper wherein I had written my disputation that he might show it to the bishop of london & to the other bishops in the council/ the contents whereof was this.  
Right honourable and noble lord/ and ye right reverend father's/ yesterday when I disputed of the sacraments with the bishop of london/ we came thus far that those only aught to be called sacraments which have the word of god for them/ and this point only remained to be further declared that nothing ought to be taken for the word of god but only the holy books of the old and new testament. For the bishop of london affirmed that the traditions and ceremonies whereof the old ecclesiastical writers do make mention/ were received of the apostles and given us of the fathers from hand to hand and therefore they may be lawfully called the word of god unwritton/ and our faith must be proved by them as well as by the holy scripture which is written in the bible.  
Now I have determined to confute this saing and opinion and to show by the manifest testimonies of christ/ of the Apostles of the prophets and also of the old doctors that the Christian faith ought to lean only upon the holy scripture and that the books of the old & new testament only ought to be had and taken for the word of god. And because there hangeth another disputation upon this/ that is to say/ of the authority of the doctors and of counsels/ I will also speak of them. For cochleus and other blasphemos liars which for the bells sake have saleable tongues and in whom the saying which Paul allegeth against them that maintain wicked doctrine for their bells sake doth very well agre/ saying. The cretyans are always false liars/ wicked beasts and slow bells. These hypocrites I say/ do plainly hold that the church (that is to say the bishops/ as they understand) hath pour to judge over the scripture and to examine it/ and also that it hath authority to allow or to refuse the gospel/ and to dispense with the ten commandments and to alter the form of baptism and to make new articles of our faith beside those which be contained in the scripture. Some there be that speak yet more reverently saying that they contend not of the scripture or of the word of god but of the exposition thereof which they will have to be taken and sought of the church and of the doctors which be allowed of the church/ unto whose judgement they say we ought to stand in all controversies of our faith what so ever they dear whether they have any scripture for them or no.  
This sophistical subtlety although it hath more coning than the first gross blasphemy/ yet it is to the same effect and they both have one end and defend both one opinion. But yet/ before the bishop of london/ there was never none so far past shame as to say that the rites and ceremonies in the church which can not be proved by the scripture ought to be called the word of god unwritten▪ and that we ought to build our faith up on them as up on the holy scripture written in the bible.  
This threefold maze/ or rather one transformed three ways/ covered & painted with divers words hath those reasons only to confirm it which the bishop did before allege for the unwritten word/ and certain other which I will rehearse and confute in the end of this writing.  
But first I will beat down this gross blasphemy/ and I will show and declare that our whole faith and all the articles of the christian religion be contained in the scripture of the prophets and apostles/ so that a christian man is bound to believe no other thing than such things as may be proved out of that scripture.  
This horrible blindness of men/ and the boldness & malycyos obstinacy which followeth therup on (wherethrough they blaspheme god and his holy word/) is rather to be lamented than to be convict with many reasons the thing being so manifest. But the nearer that the brightness of the son of reightwisnes doth come/ and the more clearly that the light of the gospel doth shine/ so much more blinder and more obstinate are the unfaithful made/ in so much verily that they are more blinder now in the great light than they were before and they stumble in very deed up on the stumbling stone and up on the rock of slander. For the false teachers even when they were in the most blind darkness were never so bold nor impudent as to break out in to such a blasphemy as to say the church might make new articles of the faith not contained in the scripture/ or that it hath authority to dispense with the ten commandments and to alter the form of baptism. Gerson/ dun/ dorbel/ Decam/ Tomas/ Bonaventure/ do plainly condemn this heresy/ and they affirm that the truth revealed of god and contained in the body of the bible or in the holy scripture/ is the foundation of our faith/ that is to say the thing where vpon our faith ought to be builded/ & they would never have believed that there should ever be so great blindness in the church that any man should be so bold as to affirm that the articles of the christian faith ought to be sought not in the scripture but in the gloss of men and in bishops laws/ or that man's traditions/ rites and ceremonies received in the church and not contained in the scripture/ aught to be called the word of god unwritten.  
But I will cease my complaining seeing I know that now is the latter time whereof the prophets/ christ/ and the apostles did prophecy that there should come false prophets which should face out the gospel and imagine a new gospel even stinking/ hethenyssh/ old wivyssh and capcyos fables invented by the suttyl wit of man as peter and paul call them/ and of these false prophets (that is to say Antichrist) did daniel christ and paul admonissh us that he should extol himself a 'bove god and should rob god of his name/ pour/ wisdom/ and mercy and should accuse him of right wiseness/ cruelness and weakness & unabylyte/ which thing we do manifestly see in manner in all their doctrines/ as in their pardons/ in the pope's your/ in purgatory/ in private masses/ in the praying unto saints/ in worshipping of Images/ in the vows of monks and priests/ and in all man's traditions. And I pray you is not this to accuse god of ignorance/ of malice and of sluggisshnes & negligence/ to say that god hath not written in his holy books of scripture all things necessary unto our salvation? as though either he did not remember allthings when he gave the scripture to be written/ or else that he could not tell all things or else that he hid certain things from us of purpose that so he might damn and destroy us where as he had said before evidently that we should be judged at the latter day by the word which he had spoken unto us. But they be so blinded by the devil that they can not perceive the abomination of this blasphemy.  
Now to confirm all godly minds/ and to call them back from their doting I have gathered in order certain testimonies which do evidently prove that the written word of god is the fowndation of our christian faith and that all the articles of our christian faith ought to be proved by the holy scriptures.  
The first is in the four of Deuterono●ye shall not add unto the word which I speak unto you neither mynissh from it. And who did ever expound this to be understand of the unwritten word before thes lying false prophets and antichrists? And if it ought to be understand of the written scripture only/ than do they plainly against god's word which imagine that there should be any unwritten word. But I am not ignorant how these mockers are wont to jest or scoff a way and to face out this place/ saying that there is one kind of adding which minyssheth/ another which altereth/ another which maketh largyer and another which fulfilleth/ & they grant that this saying refuseth all manner of addings saving the last manner/ whereby the scripture is made more manifest and open. But to confute this fancy & imagination the manifest scripture is sufficient duty. the uj what I command that shalt thou do only unto the lord/ thou shalt neither add nor minyssh any thing. And in the last chapped. of the Apoca. Who so ever addeth any thing unto this/ the lord shall sand him the plagues which be written in this book/ which place all the duns men even duns himself granteth that it ought to be understand of the whole scripture. wherefore it is manifest that those sin against the commandment of god which affirm that there is any word of god unwriton/ like as they do which expound the scripture after their own fansis or give judgement of the will of god with out the manifest word of god. For it is a devillyssh lie to say that the scripture can not be understand with out men's commentaries or glosses/ because it is so dark & dowtful that it may be applied to confirm all manner of heresies. In the xxviij of deuter. are proffered benedictions of all sorts unto them that keep those things which are written in the book of the law. And in the xxxij chap. of the same book Moses doth manifestly say thus: Set and fix your hearts upon all the words which I testify unto you this day/ that ye may command your children to keep and observe all things which are written in the book of this law: for they be not given and commanded unto you in vain: but that every one of you should live after them. Mark/ here is everlasting life promised unto them which keep those things that are written in the scripture. And Moses doth plainly say that this is the final and only cause why god would have his word to be written/ that all men in general and every one in special of what order/ degree or occupation so ever he be/ should have the word of god where by they might be saved. whereupon it followeth that it is a manifest blasphemy to say that we may be saved or damned by any traditions of man. And here they are convict to be stark idyotes which asscrybe this ignorance & negligence unto god/ as though he either could not or else would not commit all articles necessary unto our salvation to be written in the holy scripture. For they declare evidently that they know not the final cause why the scripture is given unto us/ but they imagine god to be like some ignorant poet which hath given us a patched and an unperfight work. For god would that in the scripture/ his will should shine as it were in a glass/ and that the perfect image of his deyte (which paul calleth the print and seal of his substance) should appear therein. Item. s. john saith that this word doth shine in darkness/ and that it is the light which shineth in men's hearts blinded of the devil thorough sin: and that christ doth open unto us the will of god thorough his gospel/ which will no mortal man did ever know/ but so far as this word which is in the father's bosom/ did open unto him. Wherefore we may perceive that it is not only thorough the ignorance of man that the word of god is thus blasphemed/ but thorough the malice of the devil. For the devil never ceaseth to disfigure this word/ namely the son of god whom he despised before the world was made/ and shall fight with him even with all his pour until the day of judgement.  
In the xvij of duty. The king is commanded to have always in his hands and in his sight/ the book of the law/ and to read out of it all the days of his life/ for this purpose that he should learn to fear his lord god. And for his study & diligence this promise is made him/ that he should live long and that his kingdom should be given to many of his progeny & lineage. And would to god all christian kings and princes would think surely the reading of the holy books of scripture to be a part off their office, not to read them in latin which they understand not/ but so to read it as they may learn the will of god/ how he will be feared by his word only/ and not by any popish laws and man's traditions. And if they would do thus I durst surely warrant them both that they should live longer/ and also that they should have less tumult and sedition in their life tyme. For now seeing they play the tyrants over the scripture and over the readers of it/ it is no marvel that god doth ponissh them for their cruelness/ and that there be few of them but that die some shameful and cruel death/ for such is the end of tyrants' wont to be. joachim king of juda saw all his sons headed and he himself (his eyes before put out) was bound and led prisoner in to babylon/ and it was said openly unto him because thou hast brent the book of Iheremy there shall be none left of thy seed which shall sit upon the throne of david/ and thy cark as shall be cast out in to the heat in the day time/ and in to the frost in the night tyme.  
Antiochus which commanded the holy books of scripture to be burnt perished miserably in desperation and thorough a marvelous fall. Both daniel and paul do testify that he was the figure of the last Antichrist that ever should be. Wherefore I will not spend my words in vain unto these most damnable Antichrist's/ but I write only for the comfort of the faithful/ and for them which sin thorough ignorance/ if it shall please god to put in to their hearts to knowledge the verity and to repent and come out of the devils snare at whose will and pleasure they are now led captive prisoners. And because it were a long work to search all the aucthorytes throughout the scripture/ I will allege but one place more out of the law/ and than will I come to the prophets and to the gospel. In the xxx of deutero. it is written thus/ The commandment which I give unto the is not above thy pour neither is it far from thee/ it is not set in heaven that thou canst lawfully say/ which of us all can climb up in to heaven to bring it down unto us that we may hear what it is and fulfil it: Neither is it set beyond the see/ that thou canst lawfully say which of us all is able to swim over the see and to fetch it unto us that we may hear what it is and fulfil that which is commanded unto us therein. But the word is nigh yea & very nigh unto the in thy mouth and in thy heart.  
These words be spoken unto the glotens and belly gods of this last time/ which for all the great pretence and outward show that they make of holiness/ and say that they murder men for the preservation of the true faith and of the autorycte of the church/ yet they declare evidently enough that they deny the virtue of holiness seeing they be spotted and shamefully defiled with blood/ murder/ whoredom/ disobeyed/ and with all kinds of filthiness and of wickedness so that it may manifestly appear that they be fully persuaded that god taketh no care at all for mankind/ yea that there is no god at all which will punish these abominations? Leo the ten called a counsel to determine whether the soul of man were immortal or no/ and when he had heard every man's sentence and mind he said that the matter was more diffycult than that he could determine or judge which part had stronger reasons for it/ but whether the soul were mortal or immortal/ he said he would not defraud his soul of the commodities delycyosnes and pleasures which were present/ and if there were any life after this/ he would be content to make good cheer with other there also if he should see that they would be as good fellows there as they were here This was the voice of the high and supreme bishop/ after whose sentence all men must determine of the word of god/ and up on whose arbyterment our faith and salvation must depend/ This I say/ is the judgement of the holy see whereunto men must sail out of Aphryca/ Asya/ and europe/ Denmark/ Ingland and Irland and out of all other lands even in to Italy unto this vicar of christ and unto his twelve Carnals the posties of the church/ which succeeded the apostles/ to these must they come to ask council of the will of god/ & of the understanding of the scripture which in their own nations and in the counsels of their own contries they can in nowise understand But moyses draweth us from this devilish sentence where as he saith. The word is very nigh unto thee/ even in thy mouth and in thy heart & before thy eyes/ mark/ saith he/ & remember that I have set it before thy eyes that thou mayst read in that book yea and understand it also. For else in deed it had been but a very madness to have written such things as no man could understand. It had been much more worship for god to have written nothing at all than so to have mocked man kind/ where as he said he had set before him good and evil/ life and death/ blessing and curse etc.  
He meant not good and evil after the meaning of the serpent persuading Adam that he thorough trangressyon of god's commandment in eating of the forbiddyn fruit/ that he should have the knowledge of good and evil that is everlasting damnation. for so meant the devil.  
But god will not be honoured after the doctrine of the serpent/ nor after the doctrine of the devil nor yet he will not be feared after the commandments/ traditions and doctrines of men contrary to his word/ or other wise than his word appointeth. He forbiddeth all manner of honour and condennyth all manner of worship and service done unto him/ which he hath not ordained or commanded. For these things must be learned out of the word of god/ and the will of god both what pleaseth him and what pleaseth him noti/ ● known only by the holy written scripture. And if we believe not this/ even heaven and earth at the latter day/ shall witness against us that we follow & obey the serpent (which/ is now waxed a great Antichrist) even wittingly of a set purpose and obstinacy contrary to the exhortation and monition of Moses. For he saith/ I take and call to witness heaven and earth that I have set before the in thy sight/ life & death/ blessing & curse (not that curse that the puppy bloweth out under the name of almighty god & the holy saints Peter & Paul) but even this curse which/ if we regard or obey the pope/ we shall hear of christ go your way ye cursed in to everlasting fire which is prepared for the devil & his messengers. For christ giveth us warning there/ as Moses did/ of the belly gods of the last time/ of the falls lying prophets & of the false Christ's which should imagine a new word and a new Christ bound to certain appointed places days/ meats/ oaths/ vows & bands to abstain from the lawful creatures and ordinances of god/ which should drive christ out of the comp●ny of men and out of the ordinary & common life/ in to the wilderness again/ and shunned shut him up in deans & klosters/ or presons rather/ among the captive presoners/ he saith also that they shall byld & confirm their preaching/ doctrine/ & laws/ not by the word of god/ or by the holy words of the old Prophecies/ that is to say by the scripture/ but by false signs & lying miracles/ & that they shall so mightily blind and deceive the unfaithful & such as have not received the truth of god's word but have suffered themselves to be led a way from it & to be seduced thorough miracles/ that even the elect/ if it were possible/ might be deceived. And he monisheth us of these things so earnestly/ that he calleth upon heaven & earth to bear him witness/ that he did premonissh and declare these things unto us before/ of the Antichrist's that should come/ whereby he declareth what sorrow and care he taketh for us & how sore he lamenteth that we should perish & be damned thorough such blasphemy of Antichrist. And even after this same manner & with like words doth the prophet Esay thunder for the defence of god's word against the doctrines & traditions of men/ saying. All flesh is even grass/ & all the glory of it/ that is to say even his most excellent wisdom & pour/ is even like the flower of an herb. the grass widdereth away and the flower of the herb falleth a way for the spirit & breath of the lord hath blown upon it. And the people be very grass. the grass/ I say/ widdereth & the flower falleth/ but the word of the lord endureth for ever etc. He threateneth also everlasting night of infidelity or unbelief/ if we believe either any new revelations without the word of god/ or else any apparitions of dead spretes. The words after the true Hebrew text be these. Shall the people seek council of their god/ or shall they are council of the dead for the living? shall they not rather look & search in the law of the lord/ and take the testimony of god unto council? Iff they tell you not (saith he) according unto this word/ they shall have no morning light. Sureli this is a sore threatening unto them which understand what this voice is/ what this darkness signifieth and who is the auctor & causer of it. john calleth christ the light that shineth in darkness & that lighteneth all men which come in to this world/ he saith that the true life is in the word of god/ & that life is the light of men/ & again that god is the light in whom is no darkness at all/ & that who so ever walketh in darkness/ hath no fellowship with god. And christ calleth him self the life of the world/ & he saith unto us. Walk in the light while ye have it/ that no darkness compass now etc. Now the devil is the prince of all darkness/ he did first steal this light from mankind thorough infidelity/ he did first rob us of the true knowledge of god and brought us in to all darkness of infidelity/ and in to all kinds of errors. But the son of rigtuosnes hath restored this light unto the world again/ and his coming was unto us the bright morning whereof Esay speaketh in this place. And it is no marvel that we have walked in a continual darkness thus long/ for we have forsaken the word of god and sought the light in the devils doctrine/ in our own wisdom/ in man's traditions/ & we have had so great confidence in fantasies/ that we have believed dead spirits & made new articles of our faith even out of the appearing of them/ as namely that there is a purgatory after this life out of the which souls may be redeemed thorough the sacrifice of the mass/ which the pope and the devil have ordained to be a sacrifice for the quick and the dead contrary to the institution and ordinance of christ. But now let us hear what witness christ himself the everlasting word of god giveth of his scripture. For the same question was disputed of/ even in christes time among the high doctors which thought that the scripture without the traditions of the elders/ was not sufficient unto their salvation and one of those doctors came to christ and said/ master what may I do to enjoy everlasting life? But christ sent this curios infidele unto the scripture/ saying/ what is written in the law? How dost thou read therein? as though he should say. dost thou think that god is a waverer or a changeling that will alter his mind every hour as men change their laws/ and imagine dayli new opinions of god? I tell the the word of god continueth for ever/ and do thou nothing but even the self thing only that thou sayst written in the law/ and so thou shalt live: he saith not now how thinkest thou/ or how dost thou hear the Pharisees & the scribes preach & teach/ but he sendeth him to the scripture and saith what readest thou there? Do that & thou shalt live. And although the scribes/ Pharisees and doctors did ever patch their laws and traditions unto t●e word of god/ yea and preferred them also before it/ as christ showeth in the xu & xxiij of Matthew/ yet all other among w●om the true church did reign had on judgement & belief/ namely that the will of god must be known by the scripture only & that a●l articles must be judged and examined by it/ as christ declareth where as he saith unto the jews. Search the scriptures for ye believe surely that ye shall have everlasting life in them by the which words christ testifieth plainly that this was the opinion and judgement of the o●d church/ that all men should know the will of god by the scripture only/ and that they should judge all articles of the faith necessari unto salvation/ by that only. And where as he biddeth them examine his preaching by the scripture/ he showeth evidently even the whole gospel to beconteyned in the old scripture. And who so ever denieth the commandment of Moses before rehearsed to pertain unto us because the Apostles had not yet writton their books/ they be very asseheades without any knowledge or understanding. For this rule did the apostles follow when they testified unto the church of the gospel/ that no book should be received/ except it consented with the old scripture/ and by this rule the church refused the books which confirmed their stories by the prophets. And by this rule do the Evangelists prove their writings/ & Paul also procureth authority unto his pistle to the Roma i by this same rule/ where as he saith that his gospel was before promised by the prophets in the holy scriptures. To this purpose also serve these sayings of christ. If ye believed Moses'/ ye would believe me also/ for he wrote of me etc. and again this/ search the scriptures etc. for even they bear witness of me. Now this controversy of the unwritten word & of man's gloss and traditions/ if we will follow the council of our fore fathers and stand to the judgement of the church in christes time/ I will lay this sentence of the old church confirmed of christ for me/ against all that my adversaries can make or say/ writton in the xij. of john/ The word which I have spoken shall judge them in the last day. And if this word were not written/ or if it were not all written/ who could besure & certain of his salvation/ or of the will and pleasure of god. And if our faith and the salvation of mankind did depend only of men's doctrine/ so that the some & rule of our religion were not written in the scripture/ who durst trust & believe that one hole/ perfect and unblemisshed sentence of christ were left unto us? For seeing the devil wresteth the scripture unto every wicked opinion and durst refuse the scripture thorough the manichees/ as he doth now adays cause it be burnt by the bishops/ who doubteth but that he would rather have destroyed the whole scripture at once more than xu hundredth year agone/ and to have set up in the stead of it/ his own blasphemes/ and that they should have been called the written word of god rather than the unwritten & invented word. Oh lord/ the holy ghost had evil provided for us if he had left us in the holy scripture only part of the word and will of god. And how could god have lauffully damned us for receiving strange doctrines even after the commandmentes of the bishops if he had not left all things necessary for our salvation/ writton in his holy word? And again where as christ commandeth us to hear the church/ if we should not know the true church only by the scripture/ but by pour auc torite & saccession: who should have durst once to have opened his lips against the Idolatrissh service and false traditions of the bishops or ones have whisspred against any wickedness/ had it been never so manifest?  
But they being thoroughly blinded do not perceive this most shameful and detestable blasphemy: They do not consider/ what ignorance/ negligence & unmercifulness they ascribe unto god/ when as they say that god did not regard that the word should be written whereby he saith that we shall be judged at the latter day. But the holy ghost esspyed before the malice of the devil and also this blasphemy/ and therefore to repress and confownd his purpose and tyranny/ and again to stop the mouths of all other/ he enjoined his scribes (that is to say the Prophets/ apostles and evangelists) to write this word: that we should have by us a sure and a perpetual testimony whereunto we might surely trust and whereby he might show & declare him self to damn the wicked lawfully. And he commanded the apostles that they should bear witness of this scripture/ and that they should reject all other writings whose so ever they were/ which went about to mix their lies with the gospel/ like as. s. luke in the prologue of his gospel/ saith/ I thought it good to write unto thee/ gentle brother Theophyl/ all things which I have searched out with all diligence from the beginning/ that thou mightest have a perfect ground to build thy faith up on which thou le●nydst in thy youth etc. By this so evident a testimony hath the holy ghost stablished & confirmed our hearts against the blasphemy of antichrist which accuseth the holy ghost of most shameful wickedness and unrighteousness/ saying that he did not regard to write all Articles of our christian religion and faith/ but that he would they should depend upon uncertain doctrines which the bishops might make and alter as oft as they list. And the holy ghost was not content with this one testimony/ but he caused the self same evangelist which had promised himself to write all things from the beginning with all diligence/ to testify again that he had fulfilled his promise/ for in the beginning of the acts he saith that he hath written in the story of his gospel of all things which christ both did and taught even until that day that he left this world. And because there were certain which did falsely writ and wrest this place/ the holy father chrysostom doth expound it thus/ There be some that inquire/ how luke could write of all things which christ both did & taught seeing john saith it were impossible to write all things/ whom I answer/ saith he/ luke meaneth not all things but of all things necessary unto our salvation. But the holy ghost needeth no help of animan to confirm his words/ for he which is the most coning craftsman of all and hath the knowledge of all words did espy before what cavillacyon the devil would make at that/ & therefore he maketh answer unto it even by the self same evangelist. For where as John had said that jesus had done many miracles which be not written/ he addeth immediately and saith/ These be written that ye should believe that jesus is the son of god & that ye believing/ should have everlasting life by his name. By th●s words it is manifest that the sum of all christes doctrine and so many miracles also were written/ as be sufficient to confirm our faith & all manner of articles which we be bound to believe. For this article that jesus is the son of god & the promised seed which should break the serpent's head and restore that life which the devil had stolen from us and had brought again & restored thorough the appearing of the gospel/ that light which was darkened & hidden by the prince of darkness/ unto themyserable world sitting or living before in darkness & in the shadow of death/ this article I say is the some of the whole scripture and the principal point or article of s. john's gospel. And for this articles sake he saith in his first pistle that he wrote all things unto all men/ and that he which believeth in the son/ hath the witness in himself/ that is to say/ he doth understand the some of the whole scripture. And because god would have the holy books wretton testify of this seed that was to come/ namely/ the son of god/ the whole scripture is a testimony of this christ and son of god/ & there are many t●m●s diverse witnesses alleged in the scripture to bear witness of christ that he is the son of god conceived by the holy ghost/ born of the virgin suffered death/ & is risen up again etc. And unto this had he respect wh●n he said. search the scriptures for they bear witness of me. And peter speaketh in like manner s●ing. All the prophet's do witness with h●m that god forgiveth all the sins unto them which believe and put their confidence in this christ. And Paul saith in like manner that righteousness was testified of/ in the law & in the prophets. Wherefore those testimonies which prove jesus to be the son of god do sufficiently prove also our whole christian faith/ and all manner of articles necessarily to salvation and to everlasting life.  
And it were no hard thing to dyduce and draw all the articles of the faith even out of this one. For he that believeth jesus to be the son of god/ must needs also grant god the father almighty/ maker of heaven and earth/ to be the natural father of our lord jesus christ and that for his sake he is our father and we be the sons of god for jesus sake and thorough him. And christ saith believe ye in god? so believe in me also: do ye not believe that I am in the father and the father in me? And john saith/ who so ever confesseth jesus to be the son of god/ khe hath both the father & the son. Item who so ever believeth jesus to be the natural son of god/ must needs acknoulege that he is that Emanuel of whom Esay did Prophecy that he should be borne of a virgin and should suffer death like as other scriptures had before testified & he saith O ye foolish hearts hard to believe all things which the prophets have told you. Must not Christ needs have suffered all these things & so enter in to his glory? Again it was impossible that the son of god should be held down of death/ but that he should break the pains of hell & rise up again. As peter doth prove in the acts out of david/ and like wise Paul to prove his ascension unto heaven allegeth this verse out of the psalm/ Thou didst ascend unto the height/ And tookest captivity prisoner/ and gavest divers gifts unto men. And david speaketh of this son saying The lord said unto my lord/ sit at my right hand until I make thy emnies thy footstool: Which place paul expoundeth of the kingdom of christ after his resurrection and ascension i to the coryn xu Furthermore if thou believest jesus to be the son of god/ than thou shalt grant that he hath sent the holy ghost to sanctify the congregation that is to say all the faithful according to his promise/ and that he is the god in whose name he commanded that we should be baptized/ like as in his father's name and his. Iten all the prophets do bear witness of the holy ghost/ namely that we must receive remission of sins thorough his name and he promiseth that he will raise us up again unto everlasting life. These things have I spoken the more largely for the shameful cavillation and blasphemy of London which denieth that all the articles of our faith can be proved by the scripture/ because. s. john saith that jesus did many miracles which be not written in this book.  
Now will I allege the minds of Cirillus and. s. Austen to confute this wicked and blasphemos opinion.  
Cyrillus writing upon john. the twelve chap. speaketh thus: john saith there is a great multitude and an infinite number of the miracles which the lord did/ but those/ saith he/ which we have showed you be sufficient to them that read them diligently for the stablysshing & confirmation of a perfect faith/ and I am not to be blamed though I have not written them all. For if all were gathered one by one/ none left out/ the whole world would not receive the multitude of the books. Wherefore all that he did were not written: But all things which the writers thought sufficient both for the faith and belief/ and also for the life and conversation of men/ that we might shine with a right and perfect faith and with true works & virtues/ and so come unto the kingdom of heaven thorough our lord christ be written/ wherefore it is a newly/ lately invented in the devils shop to say that all the articles of the christian faith can not be proved by the scripture/ and that men's traditions beside the scripture be good works and please god. Now ye may see that the church in Cyrillus time did not acknoulege this wicked blasphemy.  
Austen affirmeth the same writing up on this place of john/ these be writton that ye should belive etc. Our lord jesus saith he/ did many miracles but all be not written / for those that should be written were specially chosen & picked out as many as were thought necessary and sufficient for the salvation of the faithful. By these authorities ye may see that they belie the old doctors which say that they maintain any such blasphemy. But now to make an end of alleging any more testimonies. I will city only two special and most faithful witnesses against this devilish sophistical cavillacyon and opinion/ namely Peter and Paul and so will I make an end. For every man that hath any wit at all may plainly perceive that Peter wrote his second pistle against such blasphemers as do imagine a new word of god beside that which is written. For he calleth the scripture even a very true prophecy and he calleth them false/ or lying Prophets which teach contrary to this prophetical and Apostolical prophecy or any thing which is not contained in it. and he teacheth this rule whereby we should avoid all manner of lies that we should try and examine them by this prophetical word or prophetical scripture whereunto he commandeth us to have a special eye as unto the candle which driveth out and banisheth away all darkness and lies of the devil. His words be these.  
I write unto you this second pistle to prick you up & to quicken your hearts that ye might remember the words which have been told now before by the holy prophets/ and also the words of our message and commandment which be the Apostles of the lord and saviour/ for ye must know that in the latter days there shall come mockers  
Now these mockers he painteth with special colours where by they may be known. They shall bring in saith he/ pernicyos and damnable sects/ or as Paul saith/ they shall speak lies in hypocrisy under the colour and pretence of holiness. Forbidding to marry & to abstain from the meats which god hath created to be received of the faithful with thanks giving/ And they shall deny the lord (saith he) which hath bought or redeemed them/ and the way of the truth shall they slander and revile/ as certain blasphemers do now a days speak blasphemosly of paul/ because he doth manifestly confute man's satisfactions/ rightwiseness/ and redemption by works. And therefore/ saith he for covetousness sake they shall make merchandise of now thorough fables and false doctrine invented of their own brains/ and he compareth them to Sodom and Gomor and he saith that they have eyes full of adultery. But their doctrine peter calleth deceitful fables and he saith that their subtlety must be disclosed by the lantern of the prophetical scripture. And we have the word of prophecy/ saith he/ where unto ye do well to hearken as unto a candle giving light in the dark night till the day light appear and the morning star rise in your hearts/ for as much as ye know that no prophetical scripture belongeth to man's interpretation nor it was never thrust unto us by man's will/ But the holy men of god were inspired of the holy ghost/ and moved to speak it.  
This is a sure and a substantial testimony to confute all manner of doctrines and traditions beside the scripture/ yea and to refuse all manner of doctors and writers which speak any thing of their own brain without scripture to confirm it. For. s. Peter putteth a special difference between prophecy or prophetical scripture/ and an interpretation which is invented of man's own brain and traditions which are made and enjoined at man's commandment/ and he calleth all manner of doctrines which be not contained in the scripture of the holy ghost/ capcyos & disceyghtful fables/ and he ascribeth an high authority unto the old prophecy and prophetical scripture. For when he had alleged for his doctrine the divinity of christ which he had seen and the voice of the father which he had hard/ and again the witness of Moses and Elyas te in wickedness/ and they shall subvert & bewitch their hearers that they shall have great delight in the devils cavillations and blasphemis. Such falls & lying prophets doth paul set forth in such lively colours as they ought be painted with/ and maketh a comparison between a faithful preacher of the gospel and a false hipocryte and dissembler. And he describeth both by these tokens.  

The tokens of a good and faithful bishop be these.  
j The husband of one wife.  
ij. Sober.  
iij. Discrete.  
iiij. Lowly and meek.  
v. A keeper of hospitality.  
vj. Apt to teach.  
seven. No drunkard.  
viij. No fighter/ but a just dealer/ hating all quarreling and contention.  
ix. Not desieroes of filthy lucre/ but abhorring all covetousness.  
x. Not double tunged.  
●j. No young scolar/ butt holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience.   

False hypocrites and dissemblers be these.  
j Forbydders of marriage.  
ij. Unthankful or unkind.  
iij. Gevyn to all pleasures and riot.  
iiij. Proud and vain glorroes.  
v. Vnmercyful and cruel.  
vj. Slanderers/ blasphemers/ seducers of other men in to errors/ & suffering themselves to be seduced.  
seven. Unchaste and given to all voluptuousness.  
viij. Vnpacyent/ braynles/ brawlers about words/ froward and sensual minded.  
ix. covetous and lovers of themselves.  
x. Betrayers of secret council & rass●blabbes.  
xj. Having a colour and out ward shine of holiness/ and yet denying the special virtue and pith thereof.   
Now there is no man so blind or of ●o little wit which can not discern and know false seducers from true preachers by these tokens/ but yet because there be many hypocrites which pretend to be as holy and devout as angels thorough their filthy wifeless life/ and abstinence from meats/ and difference of garments/ he reproveth this doctrine of theirs by name: saying that they shall forsake the faith and the virtue and pith of holiness. that is to say/ the rigtuosnes of faith/ & that they shall teach lies & the devils doctrine thorough hypocrisy/ namely this/ that marriage is unlawful and forbidden unto certain persons. Item they shall put difference between meats & garments/ that one kind is more holy than another. etc. And they shall affirm that these doctrines do contain in them salvation/ the pith of holiness/ and the perfection of a christian man. And he saith that these do turn & stop their ears from the truth and from the holy scripture/ turning them unto vain fables/ that they shall not abide wholesome doctrine nor the sweet word of our lord jesus christ that thorough faith is profitable unto true holiness/ but they shall procure themselves a multitude of masters/ which shall preach unto them after their own appetites/ & that they shall dote about vain questions and contentions of words because the truth is taken from them & they shall believe surely even lucre to be holiness because they be infect and poisoned in their hearts and minds/ and they shall have but little delight or pleasure in the doctrine of faith but put their confidence in opinions & articles invented of their own brains and of other men/ and those shall they highly esteem even for heavenly wisdom and true holiness. For thus doth paul himself affirm unto the thessalonyans/ that god shall send them a strong & mighty blindness that they shall believe lies and that all which believe not the truth and the wholesome word of our lord jesus christ/ shall be damned. he saith also that they shall have delight and pleasure in unrigtuosnes that is to say they shall think themselves saved by those things which have no virtue of salvation in them/ namely by the works of their own hands which are not confirmed by the word of god but only by false and lying miracles. Such do not hearken unto the angels singing glory be unto god above/ and peace delight & joy unto men in the earth etc. For they can not delight themselves upon this infant/ because he is simple miserable/ abject/ and disfigured with the cross of affliction/ for they think lucre to be holiness/ they seek riches and high empires or kingdoms/ they give no ear unto god speaking from heaven. This is my dearly beloved son in whom I delight/ but they delight in other things than in him/ in whom god would us to delight and rejoice. And there for paul biddeth us toshunne them/ saying/ that they ought not to he herd/ and that no man ought to dispute or reason with them/ but that we ought to i'll from them as from an infectuos canker/ and to stop our ears at their babbling & capcyos disceyght full words and foolish and wicked questions/ & he will not suffer us to move one hear breed out of the scripture to couple or reason with them/ but to resist and withstand them with the holy scripture/ for he saith. But thou stand fast in those things which thou hast learned & in those things which are committed unto thee/ remembering of whom thou hast learned them and that eversyns thou wart a child/ thou hast known the holy scriptures which be able to make the perfectly learned/ thorough faith/ unto the salvation which is in christ jesus/ for as much as all scripture inspired by god/ is profitable to teach/ and to reprove. etc. And paul reasoneth thus. A bishop ought to resist his adversaries with that learning whereby he may be instruct in the doctrine of faith/ eschew the doctrines of the devil/ and save both himself and his hearers. But the holy scripture is such learning/ where for he ought to resist by the holy scripture. which reason he proveth by the properties of a good and faithful preacher. For the property saith he of a true teacher is either.  
To teach/ to improve false doctrine to amend and edify/ or to instruct in rightwiseness.  
For/ as he saith/ a bishop must be apt to teach and to reprove the adversaries of the faith/ and he must be such one as must be mighty and also able to convince them that be adversaries to the truth/ & further more such as err thorough ignorance or infirmity/ they must reform them in to the right way/ finally it is necessary for children to be nourished with milk and gentle instructions. Now if the holy scriptures be sufficient to teach & instruct perfectly/ than it must needs follow that all things necessary unto salvation may be taught out of them. And again if they be sufficient to convynce them which resist the truth or fight against the articles of the faith & uphold the devils doctrines/ than it must follow also/ that all heresis may be confuted by them/ and that they lie abominably which imagine a new unwrttton word for that cause. And this refuge or excuse to say that although the scripture be profitable for such things/ yet it is not sufficient. That is false saith paul/ For I affirm/ saith he/ that the holy scriptures do teach us abundantly all things/ whereby a man of god that is to say a christian man/ may be perfect and apt or ready unto all goodness. and thus it followeth also/ that they teach lies which affirm any works to be good/ that are not contained in the scripture.  
Now the other part of his reason he proveth thus. Those which follow foliss● questions/ contentions of words/ strange old wives fables/ and to be short/ the doctrines of men not contained in the word of god/ do serve and err from the faith and are ungodly wicked hypocrites/ wherefore if thou stand fast by the holy scriptures and wade no further than they teach thee/ thou shalt save both thyself and also them which hear the from this capcyos snare and subtlety of the devil. Specially if thou wilt monissh the christian brethren both of the wholesome doctrine and also of the devils erronios doctrine/ as it becometh a faithful minister of jesus christ. Preach & teach these things saith he/ to all faithful men/ namely to such as may be apt to teach other likewies. And again/ If thou puttest them in remembrance of these things/ thou shalt be a faithful minister of jesus christ/ brought up in the word of faith and of the true doctrine which thou hast followed until this day. But see that thou banisch & contemn all unholy and old wivish fables/ and rather exercise thyself unto virtue and godliness. Take deligent heed to thyself and to thy doctrine & stand fast in it/ for so doing thou shalt save both thyself and them that hear the. Afterward he giveth him a commandment and saith this precept do I charge the with O son timothy/ according to the prophecies that be passed before thy days/ that thou fight a good battle in them/ with a sure perfect faith & a good or right up conscience/ which/ certain not regarding have suffered great harm & loss in their faith etc. And even in these words he teacheth us to fight against the devil even with the old prophecy or prophetical scripture/ and to confirm our faith by it and also to form and rule our conscience by it. And he showeth a cause/ for else we shall lose our faith as other have done/ & we shall procure ourselves a wavering and a dowtful conscience. Finally he is not content and satisfied to have given him this monition/ but he also entreateth & besechith him by all means/ saying I beseech the for god's sake and for our lord jesus christes sake which shall judge both quick and dead at his coming/ and for his kingdom's sake/ preach the word/ be instant/ be earnest and importune in season and out of season/ reprove/ chide/ & exhort with gentleness or soberness & with doctrine. For the time shall come when men shall not suffer the wholesome doctrine/ but they shall procure themselves masters according to their own affections and appetices etc. This time which he speaketh of hear/ if it be not now/ let us never look for it. For now our faith is confirmed with a unwritton word with man's traditions/ with custom/ ceremonis/ father's and cowncels with out any word of god/ and the manifest scripture is moked out with every crafty hypocrites Imagination and gloze. yea it is taken out of our hands and burnt. Now if these men be not lovers of themselves and estemers of their own wisdom/ if they be not covetous/ if they be not arrogant and vain glorios/ if they be not bragger's and blasphemers/ which imagine a new unwritton word/ if they be not dissobedient & unthankful unto their parents which will not once move their foot out of their deans to help an old man or to comfort their parents lying at the point of death/ if they be not unkind & unnatural which for their feigned chastity dare not know their own children/ if they be not truce breakers that unmercifully war against virtue and godliness/ if they be not devils & quarelers and the very members of the devil/ which do nothing but imagine cavillations to mock a way the truth/ if they be not voluptuos/ ryetors'/ merciless neglectors of their office/ despisers of all learning and of all true good works/ if they be not traiteroes betrayers of kings/ kingdoms/ & of the whole world/ if they be not lovers of worldly pleasures and lusts rather than lovers of god/ which condemn matrimony lest they should be compelled to marry wives/ but might still live in whoredom with other men's wives/ if they deny not the virtue/ pith and effect of godliness/ & that under a colour and pretence of true holiness which esteem man's traditions higher than the ten commandmentes of god/ and teach that their own traditions and ceremonies be sufficient to make a perfect christian man that they may minissh & drown the iustyfication of faith/ theridamas were never none such nor never shallbe.  
Paul when he should take his last vale of the church or congregation and bid them farewell for ever/ he called a counsel whose authority and testimony he would have to be esteemed and regarded of all men/ and in that council he preached thus unto the bishops. I take you all to witness/ and testify unto you all this day that I am innocent pure & clear from the blood of you all/ for I have kept secret from you none of those things which concern your profit and salvation/ but I have opened unto you all the council of god for the space of three years/ day & night without ceasing and I monished & exhorted every one of you even with weeping tears. For I know right well that after my departing there shall come among you ravening wolves which shall have no pity or compassion up on the flock/ and certain among you shall teach false and wicked doctrine to allure disciples after them/ Wherefore take diligent heed both unto yourself and to all your floke/ and watch/ remembering that I have monished you of these things/ for the space of three year together with great lamentation. And now brethren/ I commit you unto the word of his grace which is able to edify you and to give you an inheritance with all them that be sanctified. etc.  
Here doth paul monissh the council of the false and lying prophets and he exhorteth the whole church that they remember diligently his monition where of he had put them in remembrance continually for the space of three years that they should take heed of those wolves which had devoured both bodis and souls of men with wicked doctrine/ opinions & traditions which they would thrust in to the church under this colour and cloak/ that the apostles could not teach all things necessary unto our faith and salvation/ and that all the articles of the christian faith are not contained in the word of the grace of god. I have taken you to record this day/ saith he/ For this cause that if ye cast a way & damn yourselves thorough believing their persuasions/ I am pure & clear from your blood/ & christ shall not reckon unto me your damnation. For I know that this thing will come to pass and I tremble and shake/ every joint of me/ for the miserable perturbations and adversities of the church when the prophecies which speak of the latter days/ come to my remembrance. And I feared lest christ should reckon it unto me und lay it unto my charge/ if I should not have monished you before.  
And this thing with the horrible blasphemies and Idolatry which shall oppress the church/ hath made me so heavy & careful/ and hath caused me to water mine eyes so oft. But what shall I do when I hear danyel saying. The determination is concluded: I can no notherwise do than monissh you that ye hear or receive no new opinions under any such cloak or colour as though I had not opened unto you all the council of god somuch as pertaineth unto you to know/ or as though I had hidden any thing from you which should be necessary unto your salvation. I can not tell what to say more/ but only to commit and refer you unto the word of the grace of god/ that is to say/ to the holy scriptures which all are able to edify and to build you upon the true foundation which is christ/ whereupon the whole church/ all the patriarchs/ prophets and apostles be builded and grounded/ Christ is the foundation of the church we be the stones and styxes which are proved and assayed with divers tentations and afflictions/ The holy ghost is the master builder or worck man/ and the word of god is the clay & lime which holdeth the whole bilding together. For by the word of god we are incorporate unto the church/ and by it we abide and remain in the church. This word also incorporateth joineth/ & groundeth us perfectly to christ/ that we should not be drawn away and led about with every blazing wind of doctrine and so fall a way again. This is a good bucler against all the fiery darts of the devil. This is the stern whereby alone/ the ship of the church is ruled. This is the anchor which once broken or lost/ our faith must needs utterly perish. To this word peter biddeth us look as unto a lantern which in the dark night of ignorance/ of the contempt of god of infidelity and of all weakness of such hearts as be blinded of the devil showeth the light of faith and the knowledge of gods will that we fall to no heresis nor receive the doctrine of the false lying prophets. And by this light which chaseth a way all darkness of errors/ Christ and Peter command us to examen and try all manner of doctrine as by the true toche stone. And Paul biddeth us ronn unto this in all storms as unto the most sure anckar/ & to resist or withstand all manner of strange doctrines with the holy scripture/ and Christ doth plainly pronounce that by this we shall be judged at the last day. john writeth/ this to be sufficient to obtain ever lasting life by. And christ sendeth the man which inquired of him by what means he might be saved/ unto this scripture/ which luke saith that he hath written with all diligence. Esay sent them which sought new revelations unto this word/ Christ also sent them which required miracles unto this: saying They have Moses and the prophets if they will not believe them/ neither would they belief if any should rise from death. By this word doth Moses' command kings to fear god/ and he biddeth the priests to judge by this word/ and at last he saith/ let this word be written out to you before your eyes/ that no man may be excused of ignorance/ and he saith further/ that heaven & earth shall witness against us at the latter day/ that we give over ourselves again freely/ willingly and wittingly unto the devil/ if we receive any doctrine not approved by the word of god/ or if we judge & determine any thing of the will & pleasure of god without some testimony of the holy scripture. Now these testimonies gathered out of the holy scripture be sufficient against this gross blasphemy of the unwritten word.