Now then the Church must heare Christs voice: Christs sheepe will heare his voice. Iohn. 10.16. They wil neither heare nor follow a stranger, ver. 5. Christs voice is not to be heard but in the Scriptures: therefore other doctrine must not be receiued of the Church, than is taught and deliuered in the Scriptures.[i] This directly impugneth the popish opinion of unwritten traditions: which they bring in beside, yea contrary to the scriptures, which they hold, not to conteyne all things necessary to saluation. But the Apostle saith otherwise, that the Scriptures are able to make one wise unto saluation: and to make the man of God perfectly prepared to every good worke, 2. Timoth. 3.15,17. If perfect wisedome then bee found in the scriptures, what need is there of any other additions: whatsoeuer is added to that which is perfect, sheweth a defect and is superfluous: Therefore Tertullian saith excellently, Nobis curiositate non est opus post Christum Iesum, nec inquisitione post Euangelium:[ii] Wee need no curious invention after Christ, nor no inquisition after (or beside) the Gospell. If any will search further, he is like a wayfaring man without a guide in a desert country, and as a shippe on the sea without a Pilot: to leave the scripture is a way to error, not a stay from erring as he againe worthily saith. Credunt sine scripturit, vt credant aduersus scripturas: They beleeue without Scripture, that they may beleeue against Scripture.
Andrew Willet, A Treatise of Salomons Mariage (London: Imprinted by F.K. for Thomas Mann the elder and William Welby 1612), pp. 8-9.
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