Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity…

As when Popery overspread the earth, quotations were much in use. Luther renewed the Doctrine of Christ and preached it purely, The Authors grew out of request; the Scriptures rose up and grew. And we read in Sleiden that Luther being to dispute with Cardinal Cajetan, d sired that nothing might be quoted but the Scripture, but could not obtain it; and Religion had never gotten the upper hand, had not the Scriptures been heard more then they were before; we are apt to give too much to them, and deify them; and though the Fathers were Excellent in their times, yet it is too much to deify them, though the Scriptures be chief Judge, yet they are Assessors, yea the ⟨p. 317⟩truth is they are more esteemed then the Scripture with many, for we retain no other sense then what they have agreed on, not but that they may be used, but for them to step into the Pulpit and speak when God doth, this is too much.

As when Popery overspread the earth, quotations were much in use. Luther renewed the Doctrine of Christ and preached it purely, The Authors grew out of request; the Scriptures rose up and grew. And we read in Sleiden that Luther being to dispute with Cardinal Cajetan, d sired that nothing might be quoted but the Scripture, but could not obtain it; and Religion had never gotten the upper hand, had not the Scriptures been heard more then they were before; we are apt to give too much to them, and deifie them; and though the Fathers were Excellent in their times, yet it is too much to deifie them, though the Scriptures be chief Judge, yet they are Assessors, yea the ⟨p. 317⟩truth is they are more esteemed then the Scripture with many, for we retain no other sense then what they have agreed on, not but that they may be used, but for them to step into the Pulpit and speak when God doth, this is too much.

In this regard we ought to abstain, because it is doubtful ¹