Here are all Christen men come maunded not furiously straight way es to condemn, what so ever liketh them not at the first aspect & blush but to search the scriptures, & by them to prove, whither they be true or not ⟨image 4⟩Luke declareth in the Acts of the 1Apostles, that when Paul & Silas preached to certain men at Barrea, they that heard them, received the word gladly, yet not withstanding they searched the scriptures daily, & tried by them, whither it was so or not, as they preached. So becometh it all men to do, not rashly to admit & receive, nor yet furiously to condemn every thing at y• first sight, but as Paul saith, to 2prove all things, & to chose & hold that which is best. Chynges must be proved by the Scriptures & not by the spirit of pride, contention, despite, & contumacy. If men would do this, there should not be so great division in the church of Christ, as there is now a days. Christ & 3Christs trueth is only learned of the holy scriptures. They that teach any other things than the scriptures, teach not Christ, but humane ⟨image 4⟩inventions. Neither ought any thing as a necessary trueth to be believed under pain of damnation, for to be admitted in the church of Christ, except it may be established by the holy scripture & pure word of God. For the righteousness of god is proved saith s. Paul by the testimony & 4witness of the law & Prophets Again he saith: If we our selves or an An gel 5from heaven do preach unto you any other Gospel, than that we have preached unto you, hold it accursed. As I said before, so say I now again, if any man shall preach unto you any other gospel than that, which ye have received, hold it accursed. Hereto agreeth Origene, it is needful for us, saith he, to call the holy scriptures into witness. For our judgements & expositions without these witnesses, have no faith. Also S. Jerome, that we affirm, must 6be established & approved with the ⟨image 5⟩testimonies of the holy scriptures, 7in the which God speaketh daily to them that believe. Item Cyrillus, Christ alone 8is to be followed as a master, & to him alone ought we to cleave. They that bring any other thing besides the doctrine & teaching of the Apostles, saith Theophilact, Paul 9plainly saith, that slanders, that is to say heresies & dissensions are brought in of them.
Here are al Christē men com maūded not furyously streight way es to condemne, what so euer lyketh them not at the fyrst aspecte & blush but to search the scriptures, & by thē to proue, whither they be true or not ⟨image 4⟩Luke declarethe in the Actes of the 1Apostles, that whan Paule & Sylas preached to certayne mē at Barrea, they that hearde them, receyued the worde gladlye, yet not withstondynge they searched the scryptures dayely, & tryed by them, whyther it was so or not, as they preached. So becommeth it all mē to do, not rashe ly to admyte & receyue, nor yet furyously to cōdemne euery thynge at y• fyrste syghte, but as Paule sayth, to 2proue all thynges, & to chose & holde that which is beste. Chynges muste be proued by the Scryptures & not by the spiryte of pryde, contencion, despyte, & contumacy. If mē would do this, there shoulde not be so great diuision in the chyrche of Chryst, as there is nowe a dayes. Christ & Chri 3stes trueth is only learned of the ho ly scryptures. They that teache ony other thynges than the scryptures, tech not Christ, but humayne ⟨image 4⟩inuēciōs. Neither ought ony thyng as a necessarye trueth to be beleued vnder payne of damnacion, for to be admytted in the chyrche of Chryste, except it may be establysshed by the holy scrypture & pure word of God. For ye righteousnes of god is proued saith s. Paule by ye testymony & wyt 4nes of the lawe & Prophetes Agayn he sayth: Yf we our selues or an Aū gel 5from heauen do preach vnto you ony other Gospell, thā that we haue preached vnto you, hold it accursed. As I sayde before, so saye I nowe agayne, yf any man shall preach vnto you ony other gospell than yt, which ye haue receyued, holde it accursed. Hereto agreeth Origene, it is nedefull for vs, sayth he, to caull the holy scriptures into wytnes. For our iudgementes & exposiciōs wythout these wytnesses, haue no fayth. Also S. Ierome, that we affyrme, muste 6be establysshed & approued with the ⟨image 5⟩
- 1Act. xvii.
- 2•i. Thes. v.
- 3Note.
- 4Rom. iii:
- 5Gal. i.
- 6In Jerem: Hom. i.In Ierem: Hom. i.
- 7Ad •iesiphon.
- 8In Joan. cap. vi.In Ioan. cap. vi.
- 9In Roma. cap. ult•.In Roma. cap. vlt•.
