Theophilus. He understandeth by those Martyrs, the seven brothers of the Maccabees, 1with their mother, who loved rather that Antiochus should dismember and torment them cruelly, then they would obey his commandments for to violate the law of God. It is easy to understand by those words, that the Church hath not received those books, in such authority, as those which have been holden alway sin the Prophetical & Apostolical church, nor to be sufficient, for to allow & confirm, or for to build any doctrine, which ought to be holē for an article of faith, & for to vanquish the heretics: But only in such stead, as we have at this day the ecclesiastical histories, & legends of martyrs: not a heap of foolish & fabulous legends, made by a heap of dreaming 2and deceiving Caphards and Monks, as are the lives of the fathers, the golden legend, and other like, more worthy to be numbered with the Roman of Fierobras, Orson, & Valentine, the erring knights, Mandeville, or the true narrations of Lucian, and others like, made for pleasure, then among the Ecclesiastical histories. But they have ⟨image 222⟩been in such reputation among the wise men, as the books of Josephus, Eusebius, Sozomenus, Theodoritus, Socrates, and such other which have written the Ecclesiastical histories, and the lives of Martyrs, for to keep the remembrance in the Church, as in a Chronicle for to edify and comfort with good examples: But not that they are of such authority, that they are sufficient for to set forth any new doctrine, of which we have no certain witness in the Apostolical doctrine. And that it is even so as I do say, I will not prove it by any other witness, then by the same which thou bringest forth against me: That is to say, Saint Augustin, who hath written in an other place after this manner, saying: The Jews have not the scripture of the Maccabees, as the Law, the Prophets and Psalms, to the which the Lord Jesus rendereth witness, as unto this witnesses, saying: All must be fulfilled which are written of me in the 3Law of Moses and in the Prophets nad in the Psalms. But that Scripture is received of the Church, not without profit, if one do read and mark it soberly. Doth he not evidently declare by those words, how much the authority of the same is abased in comparison of the others, the which Jesus Christ taketh for witnesses?
Theophilus. He vnderstandeth by those Martirs, the seuen brothers of the Machabees, 1with their mother, who loued rather that Antiochus shoulde dismember and torment them cruelly, then they would obely his commaundements for to violate the law of God. It is easie to vnderstand by those words, that the Church hath not receiued those bookes, in suche authoritie, as those which haue bene holden alwaie sin the Prophetical & Apostolical church, nor to be sufficient, for to allow & confirme, or for to builde any doctrine, which ought to be holē for an article of faith, & for to vanquish the hereticks: But only in such stéede, as we haue at this day the ecclesiastical histories, & legends of martirs: not a heape of foolish & fabulous legends, made by a heape of dreaming 2and deceiuing Caphards and Moonks, as are the liues of the fathers, the golden legend, and other like, more worthy to be numbred with the Roman of Fierobras, Orson, & Valentine, the erring kinghtes, Mandeuill, or the true narrations of Lutian, and others like, made for pleasure, then among the Ecclesiasticall histories. But they haue ⟨image 222⟩bene in suche reputacion among the wise men, as the bookes of Iosephus, Eusebius, Sozomenus, Theodoritus, Socrates, and such other whiche haue written the Ecclesiasticall histories, and the liues of Martyrs, for to keepe the remembraunce in the Churche, as in a Chornicle for to edifie and comforte with good examples: But not that they are of such authoritie, that they are sufficient for to sette foorth anye newe doctrine, of whiche wee haue no certeine witnes in the Apoostlicall doctrine. And that it is euen so as I doe saye, I will not proue it by anye other witnes, then by the same whiche thou bringest foorth against mee: That is to saye, Sainct Augustin, who hath written in an other place after this manner, saying: The Iewes haue not the scripture of the Machabees, as the Law, the Prophets and Psalmes, to the which the Lord Iesus rendereth witnes, as vnto this witnesses, saying: All must bee fulfilled whiche are written of mée in the 3Law of Moses and in the Prophets nad in the Psalmes. But that Scripture is receiued of the Churche, not without profit, if one doe reade and marke it soberly. Doth hée not euidentlye declare by those wordes, howe muche the authoritie of the same is abased in comparison of the others, the whiche Iesus Christe taketh for witnesses?
