or void, which is not painted and coloured with the sentences of the new or old Testament. But they are so much the more to be taken heed of, and to be feared, the more secretly they lurke under the shadowes of God’s divine law. For they know their stinkes would not easily please any man almost, if they were breathed out nakedly & simply themselves alone, & therfore they sprinkle them as it were with certaine precious spices of the heavenly word: to the end that he which would easily despise the errour of man, may not easily contemne the Oracles of God. So that they doe like unto them, which when they wil prepare certaine bitter potions for children, doe first anoint the brimmes of the cup with honie, that the unwarie age, when it shal first feel the sweetnes, may not feare the bitternes.
5. The cause why, the Scriptures being perfit, yet we use other Ecclesiastical
writings and tradition.
Vincentius Lirinensis in his golden booke before cited, adversus prophanas haresum Novationes.Here some man perhaps may aske, for as much as the Canon of the Scriptures is perfit, and in all points very sufficient in itself, what need is there, to joyne thereunto the authoritie of the So he calleth the Churches sense, & the Fathers interpretations of Scriptures. a Ecclesiastical understanding? For this cause surely, for that al take not the holy Scripture in one and the same sense, because of the deepnes therof: But the speaches therof, some interpret one way, and some another way; so that there may almost as many senses be picked out of it, as there be men. For Novatian doth expound it one way, & Sabellius another way, otherwise Donatus, otherwise Arius, Eunomius, Macedonius, otherwise Photinus, Apollinaris, Priscillianus, otherwise Jovinian, Pelagius, Celestius, lastly otherwise Nestorius. b Otherwise Wycleffe, Luther, Calvin, Puritanes.b And therfore very necessarie it is, because of so great windings and turnings of divers errours, that the line of Prophetical & Apostolical interpretation, be directed according to the rule of the Ecclesiastical and Catholike sense or understanding.
S. Basil li. de Spiritu Sancto. cap. 27.c Of such articles of religion as are kept & preached in the Church, some were taught by the written word, other-some we have received by the tradition of the Apostles, delivered unto vs as it were from hand to hand in mysterie secretly: both which be of one force to Christian religion: and this no man wil deny that hath any litle skill of the Ecclesiastical rites or customes. For if we goe about to reject the customes not conteined in Scripture, as being of smal force, we shal unwittingly & unawares mangle the Ghospel it-self in the principal parts therof, yea rather, we shal abridge the very preaching of the Ghospel, and bring it to a bare name.
