A Golden Chain

The difference.

Touching the first conclusion, they believe indeed all the written word of ⟨p. 1004⟩God, and more then all: for they also believe the books Apocryphal, which antiquity for many hundred years hath excluded from the canon: yea they believe unwritten traditions received (as they say) from Councils, the writings of the Fathers, and the determinations of the Church: making them also of equal credit with the written word of God, given by inspiration of the spirit. Now we for our parts despise not the Apocrypha, as namely the books of the Maccabees, Ecclesiasticus and the rest, but we reverence them in all convenient manner, preferring them before any other books of men, in that they have been approved by an universal consent of the Church: yet we think them not meet to be received into the Canon of holy scripture, and therefore not to be believed, but as they are consenting with the written word. And for this our doing we have direction from Athanasius, Origen, Hierom, and the Council of Laodicea. As for the unwritten Traditions they come not within the compass of our faith, neither can they: because they come unto us by the hands of men, that may deceive and be deceived. And we hold and believe, that the right Canon of the books of the old and new Testament, contains in it sufficient direction for the Church of God to life everlasting, both for faith and manners. Here then is the point of difference, that they make the object of faith larger then it should be, or can be: and we keep our selves to the written word; believing nothing to salvation out of it.

Touching the first conclusion, they beleeue indeed all the written word of ⟨p. 1004⟩God, and more then all: for they also beleeue the bookes Apocryphal, which antiquitie for many hundred yeares hath excluded from the canon: yea they beleeue vnwritten traditions receiued (as they say) from Councills, the writings of the Fathers, and the determinations of the Church: making them also of equall credit with the written worde of God, giuen by inspiration of the spirit. Now we for our parts despise not the Apocrypha, as namely the books of the Machabees, Ecclesiasticus and the rest, but wee reuerence them in all conuenient manner, preferring them before any other bookes of men, in that they haue beene approoued by an vniuersall consent of the Church: yet wee thinke them not meete to bee receiued into the Canon of holy scripture, and therfore not to be beleeued, but as they are cōsenting with the written word. And for this our doing we haue directiō from Athanasius, Origen, Hierom, and the Councel of Laodicea. As for the vnwriten Traditions they come not within the compasse of our faith, neither can they: because they come vnto vs by the hands of men, that may deceiue and be deceiued. And we hold and beleeue, that the right Canon of the bookes of the old and newe Testament, cō taines in it sufficient direction for the Church of God to life euerlasting, both for faith and maners. Here then is the point of difference, that they make the obiect of faith larger then it should be, or can be: and we keepe our selues to the written word; beleeuing nothing to saluation out of it.