there bounds there were three principall Bishops or Patriarkes of the Christian Churche namely the Bishop of Rome Alexandria and Antioche After which time Constantinople before named Bizantium made greate by Constantine and being the seate of the Emperors the Bishops of this See not onely obtayned to haue the dignitie of a Patriarche amonge the rest but in the second generall Counâ—â—ll holden at Constantinople was preferred before bothe the other of Alexandria and Antioche and sett in degree of honor next vnto the Bishop of Rome Hitherto See D. Feild l. 4. c. 5. pag. 202. clearely allowtâ—e Popes sentence to be greatest next to a generall Councell It is cited in the next chapter D. Feild by which discourse of his there is euident demonstration made that the priuiledge of the Bishop of Rome was not giuen him by generall Councells but hee had it before the first Nicene Councell the first generall Secondly that it was the moste principall that was in the Christian Church for of the twoe moste principall Churches â—atine and Greeke to vse his words the Latine the moste principall was vnder him thirdly hee was from the begynninge preferred before the Patriarches of Alexandria and Antioche and Constantinople in so much that for Constantinople claymeing after to be cheefe hee calleth it a pretended Title Feild sup pag 62. and false and further his words of the Bishops of Constantinople be these The mognificence and glorie of his citie dayly encreaseinge hee challenged to be superior and would be namâ—d vniuersall B. not challengeing to himself to be B. alone but enchroacheinge vppon the Right of all other and thereby declareinge Himself greater and more honorable then any of the rest and the cheife Bishop of the whole worlde Hitherto his words of the encreacheing and vsurpation of that Bishop Then by his sentence the Pope of Rome still was cheife and obtayned by right the primacie in the whole Christian Church And this cheefnes and primacie as D. Couell hath told before must needs be supreamacie for no other could haue it and D. Downame alsoe hath acknowledged Down l. 1. Ant. pag. 36. that both the Emperor and generall Councell attributed to the Pope of Rome in the primatiue Church to be heade of the Churche the greatest stile in his Iudgment and it must needs be if as it is amonge all members of the bodie the heade is cheife supreame and most excellent Lett vs add to this twoe sentences of D. Feild the one concerninge the authoritie of Traditions in these words There is no reason why traditions or vnwritten verities should not be made equall Feild pag. 238. with the words precepts and doctrines of Christ the Apostles and Pastors of the Church left vnto vs in writeinge if they could proue any such vnwritten verities for it is not the writeinge that giueth things their authoritie But the worthe and creditt of him that deliuereth them though by word and lyuely voyce onely And after delyuering three Rules Feild pag. 242. how to knowe certaynely these so authorized traditions and vnwritten verities hee speaketh in this maner The third Rule is the constant testimonie of the Pastors of an Apostolicall Churche succeedeingly deliuered To which some add the present Testimonye of any Apostolicall Churche whose declynings when they began wee cannot precisely tell Hitherto the words of this Protestant Doctor of the authoritie of traditions equall to scriptures being proued by this his Rule Then if the opinion of these some his Protestants by his maner of argueinge teacheing that the present testimonie of an Apostolicke Church is sufficient Rule to proue true traditions of so high authoritie not onely this Catholique doctrine of the Popes supreamacie and commaunding power but all other doctrines taught against these Protestants of necessitie must needs be true by this Rule for they all being the doctrines of the present Church of Rome the first and principall Apostolicke Church must needs be iustified by the Testimonie of an Apostolicke Church at this present when they ar taught by it And this is sufficient for my purpose for so that some Protestants be of this opinion it is as much as I request and doe not desire or expect D. Feilds voyce or an harmony of Protestants neuer yett agreeing well in any thinge to be all of one mynde in this matter But to vrdge this particular question in hand of the Popes supreamacie by that Rule of traditions which hee alloweth which is The constant testimonie of the Pastors of an Apostolicke Churche succeedingly deliuered It is proued by these Protestants before that the Pastors of that greatest Apostolicke Church euen from the Apostle S. Peter haue succeedingly claymed taught decreed exercised and executed that highest power of supreamacie in all parts of the knowne worlde And yett for further proofe of my Minor proposition Mr. Powell writeth of these holy primatiue Powell l. 1. Antichrist pag. 230. 231. Popes followeing in this maner Calixtus Pope defined that all Bishops thoughe gathered in a generall Councell shall fullfill the will of the Churche of Rome They which doe not this ar pronownced of Pope Pelagius to keepe a Conciliable and not a Councell And againe in these wordes Powell sap pag. 240. Pope Damasus wrote that it is not lawfull for the Bishopps to doe any thinge against the decrees of the Bishops of Rome Therefore by these Protestants The Pope of Rome of right is and of all ought to be acknowledged and admitted for the supreame heade and Ruler of the Church of Christ And this being thus vnuincibly proued by these English Protestants themselues our mortall enemyes and persecutors I conclude with their owne words graunted before vppon such triall and conuiction That the Pope and the Offer of Conference pag. 16. Church of Rome and in them God and Christ Iesus himself haue had greate wronge and Indignitie offered vnto them in that they ar reiected and that all the Protestant Churches arre scismaticastin forsakeinge vnitie and communion with them Which D. Feild must alsoe Iustifie affirminge as Feild l. 4. c. 5. pag. 202. shall be cited at lardge in the next chapter that the Iudgment of the Pope of Rome or Church of Rome is one of the greatest in this world and as greate disobedience to resist or deny it which is euident alsoe before but more of it hereafter Now lett vs come to the New Protestants historie it self maliciously by their Bishops published against the Church of Rome First entreateing of the conuersion of this kingedome to the faith of Christ they sett downe this marginall supposition in these Theater of the Empire of greate Britanie pag. 203. cap. 9. n. 5. wordes Saint Peter the Apostle supposed to haue preached in Britaine And further write as followeth To which vncontrolable testimonie some others haue added that Saint Peter the Apostle preached the worde of life in this Iland as to other gentils hee did for whome God had
thinke be plurall That whosoeuer by their Interpretations should allowe such absurdities cannot haue the true interpretation of scriptures Now the Minor is easely proued by him also for all men are bownde to obey lawfull superioritie and authoritie such as hee saith a generall Councell hath ouer all Christians in these cases his wordes before cited be these They that haue supreame Feild l. 4. â— 16. pag. 228. power that is the Bishops assembled in a generall Councell may interpret the scripture and by their authoritie suppresse all them that shall gaynesay such Interpretations and subiect euery man that shall disobey such determination as they consent vppon to excommunication and Censures of like nature Wherefore seing generall Councells haue this bindeing and commaundeing power ouer all men by these Protestants and yet by their Article before may erre and haue Art 21. sup erred euen in things pertayning vnto God the whole Christian worlde with so many absurdities may be in this damnable error the Church might cease not be Catholicke Christ Feild pag. 203. should be without a Church which D. Feild before esteemeth greate absurdities Againe thus I argue They which straungely peruert bely depraue abuse and falsefye holy scriptures cannot be thought to be true interpreters of them But M. Parkes so testifieth of our Parkes ag lymbom def of the 1. 2. 3. testim English Protestants Therefore they cannot be thought to be true Interpreters of them Notheing remaineth in this Argument to be proued Further I argue thus No Interpreters or expositors of scripture whose Interpretations be partiall vntrue seditious sauoureing of Treason poysen the Ghospell c. are to be Iudged true and Iuridicall But the English Protestants hy their owne testimonyes be such Therefore not to be iudged true and iuridicall interpreters The Maior is true and euident And the Minor thus proued first by the Protestant Confer at Hampt pag. 47. conference in these wordes The notes annexed to the Geneua translation some are very partiall vntrue seditious and sauoureing toâ— much of daungerous and trayterous conceits Yet these were allowed and published as publicke and approued interpretations An other Protestant writeth in this maner The Bishops Aduerment An. 1604. notes betray our Lord and Redeemer and befoole the rocke of saluation they are the verie poyson to all the Ghospell M. Ormerod writeth thus of his fellowe Ormer pict purit q. 4. Protestants They fill the margents of their bookes full of places of scripture in a wronge sense that by this meanes they might more easely deceaue the simple people They neither care for Maior Minor nor Conclusion so they may say some thinge They point their margents with shamefull abuseing of scripture To these I might add more arguments as that by their owne testimonies they are Hereticks Scismaticks haue no ttue Churche no true Religion and the like as amonge other reasons from themselues why Catholiks may not communicate with them in spirituall and religeous affayres is proued in a late treatise against them I will therefore passe them ouer as allready proued CHAPTER VII WHEREIN BY THESE PROtestants is proued that vnwritten traditions lawfully proued are the word of God equally as the holy scriptures That many such are and all confirme the doctrine of the Church of Rome and condemne Protestants Religion AFTER this entreateinge of holy scriptures the written worde of God lett vs come to that parte of his sacred worde delyuered by traditions and vnwritten verities preserued and proposed to faithfull Christians by the holy spouse and Church of Christ whose Iudgment Rule and direction is so dignified aboue all Inferiour Iudgments by these Protestants before Concerninge the validitie and authoritie of truely proued traditions I argue thus All Rules Groundes and Authorities in matters of Religion that are equall with holy scriptures in the Iudgment of Protestants the highest Rule in such causes are â—eghely to be reuerenced and obeyed of all Christians But the holy traditions and vnwritten verities deliuered by Christ and Apostles being lawfully proued are of this nature Therefore to be reuerenced embraced and receaued The Maior proposition is euidently true for where there is absolute equalitie there is not inferioritie but paritie as is manifest in all equalities The Minor is thus proued in this maner first M. Wotton speakeing of such hath these Wotton def of Perk. pag. 405. pag. 436. supr words out of all question wee are bounde to keepe them and telleth vs that M. Perkins was of the same opinion D. Feild speaketh thus concerninge traditions In this question by tradition wee vnderstand such partes of Christian doctrine or Feild pag. 238. l. 4. cap. 20. discipline as were not written by them by whomâ— they were first deliuered For thus our Aduersaries vnderstand traditions which they diuide into diuers kindes First in respect of the authors so makeing them of three sortes Diuine Apostolicall and Ecclesiasticall Secondly in respect of the matter they concerne in which respect they make them to be of two sortes for either they concerne matters of faiâ—he or matters of manners and these later againe either temporall or perpetuall vniuersall or particular All these in their seuerall kindes they make equall with the words precepts and doctrines of Christ the Apostles and pastors of the Church left vnto vs in writeinge Neither is there any reason why they should not so doe if they could proue any such vnwritten verities For it is not the writeing that giueth things their authoritie but the worthe and credit of him that deliuereth them though by worde and lyuely voyce onely Thus the authoritie of Traditions is iustified by Protestants to be equall with the scriptures if they can be proued Now because Protestants mayntayneinge the sufficiencie of scripture for matters of faith deny traditions of that nature I argue in this maner All Articles and matters of faith are in Protestants Iudgment proued and deliuered to vs by tradition Therefore some articles and matters of faith are in their Iudgment or so must be graunted to be deliuered by tradition The consequence is euident for euery generall proposition includeth the particular The Antecedent is thus proued by them Whosoeuer doe graunte those things which by them conteyne all matters and Articles of faith to be delyuered by tradition must needs allowe traditions in matters of faith But these Protestants doe so Therefore they must allowe such traditions The Maior is euident for whatsoeuer conteineth all excludeth none and so comprehending all comprehendeth also some and the parts of that all The Minor is likewise proued in this maner supposeing the Common opinion of these Protestants set downe in the sixt Article of their Religion Articl of Relig. art 6. in these wordes Holy scripture conteyneth all things necessarie to saluation so that whatsoeuer iâ— not reade thâ—rein nor may be proued thereby is not to be required of any man that it should be beleeued as an Article of the
Question of the Popes prerogatiue and highest Iuridicall power is for as it followeth in these mens Iudgments if the Pope is not supreame heade and Ruler of the true Church of Christ then that societie that so accepteth him is not the true Church So if it be proued that hee is the highest supreame pastor and vicar of Christ in earthe That Church which so receaueth him and no other is the true Church of Christ For to be supreame gouernor of the true Churche and the true Church so to be gouerned ar mutuall and vnseparable Correlatyues as a Kinge and Kingedome Lord and Seruant and the like And this with that which is entreated in the former chapter might suffice in this controuersie But to giue all contentment I will proue it more in particular and first argue thus That Church which is the Mother and consequently commaundeing Church ouer all Churches her children hath supreame authoritie ouer them otherwise no Mother nor commaunder ouer all But the Church of Rome is this Mother and commaunding Church Therefore it hath supreame authoritie ouer all Therefore the Pope highest Pastor in it is this supreame Ruler and Commaunder Bothe propositions be proued by Protestants before and so nothinge remayneth doubtfull Further I argue in this order No societie or companie wanteing one supreame and cheefe Pastor ouer the rest to suppresse Scismes and auoide factions can be the true Church of God whose communion all men ar bownde to embrace followe her directions and rest in her Iudgment But all Protestant companies societies and Congregations want this cheefe Ruleâ— and commaunder and the Church of Rome onely enioyeth it Therefore no Assembly or societie of Protestants but onely the Church of Rome is the true Church of Christ The Maior though it be euident before yett thus it also is proued and confirmed againe by these Protestants teacheing that from the begynninge this supreamacie was in one D. Feild writeth thus Tertullian saith rightly Feild l. 4. c. 2. pag. 196. and apâ—ly what was hidden and concealed from Peter on whome Christ promised to builde his Churche D. Sutcliffe speaketh more plainely in these Sutcliffe sub pag. 40. words Tertullian giueth the keyes onely to Peter saying that the Church is built vppon him And to proue that this prerogatiue fownded in thiâ— cheife Apostle first Bishop of Rome was to continue to his successors D. Downame saith that in the primatiue Churche Downame l. 1. Antich p. 36. Titles of honor and prâ—eminence were giuen to the Churche of Rome as the cheife or head of the Churches Further D. Feild citeth and approueth this sayinge of S. Hierome Ecclâ—siâ—salâ—â— Hieron contra Lucifer in summi sacâ—rdotis dignitaâ—â— peâ—deâ— cui si non exors quaedam ab omnibu◠〈◊〉 deâ—â—â— poâ—esâ—aâ— tot in ecclesia efficientur scismata quot sacerdotes The health of the Church dependeth on the dignitie of the highest Preist to whome except an extraordinary and eminent power be giuen by all men there will be so many scismes where the wordes Church highest Preist and of all demonstrate that hee speaketh of the whole Churche vniuersall for those words cannot be applyed to any particular Church Againe D. Couell hath these words The twelue were not like to agree except there had beene one cheife amongst them for saith S. Hierome amongst the twelue one was therefore chosen that a cheefe being appointed occasion of dissention might be preuented Which neither S. Hierosme D. Couell or any other Couell ag the plea of the Innoc. pag. 107. Catholicke or Protestant could suspect amonge the Apostles confirmed in grace that any mortall or damnable dissention could fall amonge them Therefore this appointing of one to be cheife amonge the Apostles and him that was to be our first Bishop of Rome S. Peter it must needs be for a continuall Rule and lawe for the Vniuersall Church for euer And yett if wee would be maliciously enuious to the Apostles priuiledge in grace if in that speciall time of the grace and fauour of God The supreamacie of one aboue all was so necessarie that otherwise schismes which be more properly against the whole Church and heade thereof then against any particular Church wantinge such supreame authoritie to be disobeyed could not then he otherwise preuented it must needs be much more necessarie in the continuance and later ages of the Church as shall be proued from these Protestants in the next Argument in the meane time for this poynt D. Couell writeth in this order wee easely see Couell against the plea of the Innocent pag. 106. that equalitte doth breede factions and therefore wisemen to suppresse the seeds of dissentions haue made one aboue the rest And better to cleare this doubt by these Protestants I will heare repeate againe what their Protestant Relator hath written in this matter vtterly disablinge the Protestants Religion and commending Relation of Religion c. 47. the Church of Rome his words be these The Protestants ar seuered bands or rather scattered troupes eache draweing diuers way without any meanes to pacifie their quarrells to take vpp their controuersies No Prince with any preeminence of Iurisdiction aboue the rest no Patriarke one or more to haue a Common superintendance or care of their Churches for respondencie and vnitie no ordinary way to assemble a generall Councell of their parte the onely hope remayninge to asswadge their contentions The other haue the Pope as a Common Father Aduiser and conductor to them all to reconcile their â—arâ—â— to appease their displeasures to decide their difference aboue all things to drawe their Religion by consent of councells to vnitie Hitherto this Protestant writer where D. Feild may plainely see that those three things wherein hee teacheath the vnitie of the Church consisteth cannot in the Iudgment of his fellowe Protestants be mayntayned without this one supreame and commaundeing pastor and authoritie in the Churche of Christ My next Argument is thus whatsoeuer Regiment Supremacie and Gouernment of the Church was ordayned by Christ in his time and was as muche or more necessarie to remayne and continue in it for future and succeedeing ages is still to be allowed and continued But the Supreame Regiment and commaundeing Iurisdiction of one highest spirituall Pastor and Gouernor is such Therefore still to be allowed and continued The Maior proposition is euidently true for Christs ordinance aboue all things is to be obserued and notheing so necessarie to his Churche may be without damnation omitted The Minor proposition is thus proued by these wordes of D. Couell that followe Because in the execution of holy things where the parsons Couell against the plea of the Innocent pag. 106. putt in trust are but men discord and disorder vsually doe breake in the wisedome of God thought it necessarie that amongst them whoe for their Ministery were equall an Inequalitie for Order and Superioritie to commaunde should be graunted that by this meanes Order and vnion should both
be preserued in Christs Church Which of it concerne all persons and ages in the Churche of Christ as suerly it doth the gouernment must not cease with the Apostles where it is euident that Christ amonge his Apostles instituted in one an Authoritie and Superioritie to commaund and without this one commaundeing superioritie vnion and order could not be preserued that it concerneth all parsons and ages and so must neuer cease but enduer for euer which is all I contende to proue for all Protestants want it and onely the Romane Church enioyeth it And further the same Protestants Doctor proueth this spirituall supreamacie of one Pastor to be perpetuall because now in these times of scisme dissentions there is more neede of that commaundeing superioritie And yett saith hee it was the principall meanes to preuent scismes and dissentions in the Couell sup pag. 207. primatiue Churche when the graces of God were farr mâ—re aboundant and eminent then now they ar nay if the twelue were not like to agree excâ—pt there had bâ—â—ne one châ—ife amongst them for saith S. Hierome amongst the twelue one was therefore chosen that a cheife beinge appoinâ—â—d occasion of dissention might be prâ—uâ—â—â—ed And as in the same place hee thus argueth against the puritans Presbiâ—â—ry how can they thinke that equalitie would keepe all the Pastoâ—s of the world in vnitiâ— So I say to all Protestants they cannot with reason thinke that so many equall Regiments and Rulers in Religion as they make in their distinct Prouinces and Churches if the world were of their Religion could ouer agree to which the lamentable experience of their miserable dissentions and errors allreadie for want of one supreame Commaunder and not otherwise to be redressed as the Protestant Relator hath Relat. sup written before doth testifie Which absurditie and moste vnsufferable inconuenience for want of such commaunding power D. Couell setteth downe in these words seeing Couell sup pag. 107. that all men may easely erre and that no errors ar so daungerous as those which concerne Religion the Church should be in a farre worse case then the meanest Common wealth nay all moste then a denne of Theeues if it were destituâ—e of meanes eyther to conuince Heresies or suppresse them Which cannot be done as they playnely confesse by any power in their Church not by any authoritie as they write but by a Generall Feild Cowncell and a supreame Commaunder to call it which they want and as their Relator telleth vs can neuer haue it Further Relation I argue thus That Churche which as the Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury wittnesseth Abbot ag Hill pag. 189. by tradition of the auncient was the seate of S. Peter the highest and supreame pastor in the Church as D. Feild and D. Couell before haue allowed from S. Hierome and Tertullian and D. Sutcliffe Sutcliff subt pag. 40. thus citeth and writeth Tertullian giueth the keyes onely to Peter sayeing that the Church is built on him And thus hee testifieth for himself Peter preached in no place but hee there ordayned Sup. pag. 3. Bishops and teachers and fownded Churches Which in his booke against D. Kellison hee Sutel against Kell pag. 105. maketh an Argument of supreamacie And which as the same Protestant Archbishopp citeth from S. Leo and Prosper greate Doctors and Saincts was by Religion supreame heade of the worlde This Church I say must needs be Abb. sup pag. 189. 190. cheife and supreame But the Churche of Rome is that Church as is euident and appeareth by these Protestants in those their places cited Therefore it is and so ought by Protestants to be honored and obeyed Both propositions be affirmed by Protestants before and so notheinge in this Argument remayneth to be further proued Next I suppose what D. Feild writeth of the greate and patriarchall Churches of Gracia Armenia Aethiopia Russia neuer subiect or inferior vnto any except to the Church of Rome as Catholicks holde teacheing that to be supreame his words of those Churches be these Wee conclude therefore Feild l. 3. c. 5. pag. 7â— that their scismes and seperations ar sinfull wicked and daungerous and their errors inexcusable And concerninge scisme hee thus defineth it Scisme is a breache of the vnitie of the Church That supposed and that scisme which is Feild sup pag 70. contempt of authoritie is a kinde of disobedience which allwayes is against a Superior and one higher in dignitie and commaunde I argue thus Whatsoeuer Church is that to which and against which all patriarchall Churches excepting one clayminge to be highest ar in scisme and disobedience is supreame and of highest authoritie But this is the Church of Rome Therfore that is supreame The Maior proposition is euident otherwise those Churches against D. Feilds words before could not be scismaticall nor possiblie could be in scisme which hee saith is a breach of the vnitie of the Church and must needs be a contempt of superioritie The Minor is manifestly true for by D. Feild before the other patriarchall sees besides Rome ar in scisme and no other Church but the Romane Church was extant in the worlde besides them at the time of their scisme and longe after neither any other then did or now doth clayme superioritie ouer them Therefore that alone is supreame otherwise those Churches not resisting superioritie cannot be in scisme against D. Feild his graunt before related Feild sup l. 3. c. 5. pag. 70. Further for my next Argument the same D. Feilds hath these words Scisme is a breach of the vnitie of the Church The vnitie of the Churche consisteth in three things first the subiection of people to their lawfull Pastors secondly the connexion and communion which many particular Churches and the Pastors of them haue amonge themselues thirdly in holdinge the same rule of faithe This supposed which as it confirmeth the former argument for all these things required to the vnitie of the Churche so necessarie to be preserued must needs imply a supreame authorite So it giueth matter of an other Argument in this maner Whatsoeuer doctrine and power in the Church is so necessary that without it neyther all nor any of these vnities absolutely needfull can be preserued is to be graunted But one supreame spirituall commaundeing Ruler and the doctrine thereof is such Therefore one supreame gouernor and doctrine according is to be allowed The Maior proposition is euidently Relation of Relig supr cap. 47. true by D. Feild and other Protestants otherwise nothinge can be scisme nothinge can be heresie The Minor proposition is directly proued before by the Protestant Relator twice allreadie cited where hee expressely teacheth that without one such supreame preeminence of Iuridiction aboue the rest which hee saith all Protestants want and Catholicks haue quarrells cannot be pacified vnitie kept controuersies decided and consequently neither Scisme nor Heresie condemned Againe thus I argue whatsoeuer the Church of Rome claymed or
argue thus all those Bookes which Protestants in their authorised communion booke and bookes of Honolyes allowed by their conuocation and parlament and our Kinge doe prescribe to be vsed as canonicall scriptures as well as others and are so cited and practized ought to be receaued and allowed for canonicall But those Bookes which they denie and Catholicks receaue for canonicall are suche Therefore they ought to admitt them into the Canon of Holy scriptures The Maior proposition is euident for bookes Rules lawes and directions proposed by true authoritie as those be supposed of Protestants ar to be obeyed and followed The Minor proposition is likewise l. 1. homel l. 2. homel Artic. 25. Communion B. Tabl. direct of seruice Suruey of the Booke of comm prayer pag. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. Petit of 22. Preach exc ag hom and except 4. ag comm Booke Articl of Relig. Articul 6. moste certaine for their bookes of Homelyes receaued in the 25. Article of their Religion doe ordinarily so cite them and their Communion booke so termeth and vseth them too often to be alleadged in this place Whereuppon to be breife the Protestant Author of the Suruey of the booke of Common prayer affirmeth playnelye and often vrdgeth it That the Protestants of England must approue with the Romane Churche these bookes for canonicall So likewise doe the 22. preachers of London in their petition If any man shall Answeare that the Articles of their Religion exclude them from the canon of the scripture and so they cannot be saide to receaue them I answeare him againe that this is so farre from freeinge them in this point that it both excludeth them defineing and embraceing so contradictorie doctrines in so important busines from all hope of truthe and further proueth that these men buildeing all vppon scriptures haue either no scriptures at all or els such doubtfull vncertaine and vnresolued scriptures that true Religion which must be moste assured and infallible cannot be grownded or mayntayned by them For proofe whereof I will first recite their subscribed Article in this question and then frame my Argument Their Article is sett downe in these Articl of Rel. articul 6. definitiue wordes Holy scripture conteineth all thinges necessarie to saluation so that whatsoeuer is not read therein nor may be proued thereby is not to be required of any man that it should be beleeued as an Article of the faithe or be thought requisite or necessarie to saluation In the name of holy scripture wee doe vnderstand those canonicall Bookes of the old and new testament of whose authoritie was neuer any doubt in the Churche Of the first part of this Article I am to entreate in my chapter of Traditions hereafter Of the later part I will speake in this place onely first admonisheing my Readers in what ample maner D. Feild and others of that Religion Feild l. 3. c. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. pag. 60. 62. 63. 64. c. Feild l. 3. Titul c. 1. 2. take this worde the Churche for breuiate whereof the Titles of the first and seconde chapters of his third booke be these Of the diuision of the Christian worlde into the Greeke Latine Armenian Aethiopian and Nestorian Churches c. 1. of the harshe and vnaduised Censure of the Romanists condemninge all these Churches as Scismaticall and Hereticall cap. 2. Now this supposed I argue thus No bookes whose authoritie haue at any time beene doubted of in the Churche are by this Protestant Article to be allowed for Canonicall scriptures But all bookes that either Protestants or Catholicks receaue for canonicall haue in the Iudgment of these Protestants beene doubted of in the Church Therefore by these Protestants there be no canonicall scriptures at all The Maior proposition is euidently proued by their recited article defineing those bookes canonicall of whose authoritie was neuer any doubt in the Churche The Minor proposition is directly proued by D. Willet who writeth Willet Synop quaest 1. of scripture pag. 2. 3. edit An. 1594. and after published againe directly and at large how euery booke both of the old and new testament haue not onely beene doubted of but also denyed in this their Churche I suppose the laste edition of his booke was since the commeing in of his Maiestie my prescribed time otherwise it is so directly there proued by him that no Protestant can deny it And to shew the pitifull case of this their Protestant Article and Religion their Protestant Bishop of Wincester D. Bilson suru pag. 664. Bilson within my limitation writeth thus The scriptures themselues were not fully receaued in all places no not in Eusebius time Hee saith the Epistle of Iames of Iude the second of Peter the seconde and third of Iohn ar contradicted The Epistle to the Hebrues was contradicted the Churches of Syria did not receaue the seconde epistle of Peter nor the seconde and third of Iohn nor the Epistle of Iude nor the Apocalipse the like might be saide for the Churches of Arabia Will you hence conclude that these partes of scripture were not Apostolicke or that wee neede not receaue them now because they were formely doubted of Therefore the Protestants of England haue no certayne and vndoubted scripture if they will stand to their suscribed Articles and their owne subscription Which this Protestant Bishop before seeing the absurditie thereof hath refused to doe Therefore they may not as they doe denie those other bookes which Catholicks admitt vppon so greate and highest warrants before in Protestants Iudgment because in former tymes they haue beene doubted of as those laste recited by the testimonie of their Bishop and all the rest as D. Willet hath wittnessed haue beene To these I might add more Arguments from these Protestants true Greeke Churche and the generall Councell of Florence both allowed by some of these writers and yet alloweing and warranting for canonicall all bookes receaued by Catholicks And other Arguments by them but these ar sufficient for this matter at this time And as demonstration is made that these Protestants either haue no true scriptures at all or not the true Canon of holy scriptures So it is as euident that their Religion cannot be proued true and infallible as true Religion is by euidences that in their proceedings ar doubtfull fallible or no holy canonicall scriptures but by them excluded from that number and sacred Canon CHAPTER V. OF THE INTEGRITIE AND excellencie of the Latine vulgare translation of scriptures vsed in the Romane Church and Protestants false corrupt and erroneous Translations in their owne Iudgment and Censure NOW lett vs entreate of the vulgare Latine translation of holy scriptures handled in the next Chapter for whose allowance by these Protestants I argue by them in this maner That Latine Translation of scriptures which is to be vsed in scholes and pulpits and for antiquitie to be preferred before all others was vsed in the Church thirteene hundred yeares agoe by S. Augustine preferred
teach that those doctrines are not conteyned in or to be proued by scriptures consequently they defined them by vnwritten traditions of equall authoritie with scripture by D. Feild before being so adiudged allowed and approued by that highest commaunding sentence in the Churche of Christ But of generall Councells I am to entreate in the next chapter In the meane time I vrdge onely this one particular of the highest authoritie and gouermnent in the Church by tradition as these Protestants assure vs and I argue thus Whosoeuer defend and teach that which they thinke to be the highest authoritie and function spirituall in the Church without which the word of God cannot be truelâ— preached nor Sacraments duely ministred the essentiall things of the true Church by the Protestants Religion to be an vnwritten Tradition needs must allowe of vnwritten traditions necessarie to saluation But these English Protestants case is such Therefore they must allowe vnwritten traditions necessary to saluation The Maior proposition is euidently true and the Minor thus proued by them The Protestant Author of the offer of conference Offer of confer pag. 12. writeth thus The Bishop of Rochester with the consent and by the direction no doubt of some of the cheefest Prelates hath published his sermon preached before the Kinge at Hampton Court the mayne drift whereof is to proue that the offiâ—e and câ—lling of Bishops is a diuine and Apostolicall ordinance And againe in these words vnwritten ordinances Pag. 34. sup aswell as written or dyuine and Apostoliâ—ke in the constitution of the cheefest office and ministery of the Church D. Couell hath testified the same for himself before and their Bishop Barlowe Barlowe Ser. Sept. 21. 1606. before the Kinge his words before the Kinge and with publicke applause are these of this matter First posuit actu hee acted it by the hands of the Apostles and so the Episcopall function is an ordinance Apostolicall hee hath enacted it for succeeding posteritie and so it is a canon or constitution of the whole Trinitie It is Geographia agraphos vnwritâ—en Housbandrie whereof there is no written precept or Rule from Christ Irenaeus calleth it an Apostolicall tradition manifest to all the worlde To these lett vs add some Protestant testimonies how from the first creation of the world all Articles of Religion for many hundreds of yeares and afterward many cheife and necessarie points thereof were taught and deliuered by tradition without scripture And I will onely cite their late worke Historye of the world much commended Histor of the world lib. 1. pag. 180. and approued amonge them Of the practice and deliuery of Religion thus they write That the Rule in generall was paternall it is most euident for Adam being Lord. Ouer his owne children instructed them in the seruice of God his Creator as wee reade Cayne and Abel brought oblations before God as they had beene taught by their parent the Father of mankinde Their sixt treatise or Paragrah in that first booke is Lib. 1 §. 6. pag. 78. thus intituled of the Patriarkes deliueringe their knowledge by tradition And write in these wordes if wee consider the curiositie and polecie of elder ages wee shall finde that knowledg was the greatest treasure that men sought for and which they also couered and hid from the vulgare sort as Iewells of inestimable price feareing the irreuerent construction of the Ignorant and irreligeous so as whatsoeuer was attayned vnto concerning God and his workeinge in nature the same was not left to publicke dispute but deliuered ouer by hart and tradition from wise men to posteritie equally zelous ex animo in animum sine literis medio intercedente Dion Areop verbo from minde to minde without letters by way of Tradition or worde of mouthe And it was thought by Esdras Origen and Hilarius as Mirandula conceiueth that Moses did not onely vppon the mount receaue the lawe from God but withall secretiorem veram legis enarrationem a more secrett and true explanation of the lawe which saith hee out of the same Authors hee deliuered by mouth to Iosuah and Iosuah to the Elders for to teach these misteries which hee called secretiora to the rude multitude were no other quam dare sanctum canibus to cast pearls before swyne In succeeding times this vnderstandinge and wisedome began to be written in Cyphers and Characters and letters bearing the forme of beasts birds and other creatures and to be taught onely to such as serued in their temples and to their Kings and preists Of the first the Cabala of the Iewes was Pag. 79. an imitation This Cabala importeth a lawe receaued by Tradition and vnwritten Cabala in Hebrue is Receptio in Latine and a receauing in English If then such as would seeme wisest in the vse of reason will not acknowledge that the story of the creation or begynning of all things was written by Inspiration the holy Ghost guiding the hand of Moses yet it is manifest that thâ— knowledge thereof might by tradition then vsed be deliuered vnto him by a more certaine presumption then any or all the testimonies which prophane antiquitie had preserued and left to their successors For leauing to remember that Adam instructed Seth and Seth his children and Successors which cannot be doubted of it is manifest that Mathusalem liued together with Adam himself 243 yeares and Noah with Mathusalem no lesse then 500 yeares and before Noah died Abraham was 58. yeares old from whence this knowledge by an easy and ordinary way might come to Israel and so to Moses And to cleare all doubts and obiections these Protestants proue vnto vs. That the very binding and obligatory precepts of God themselues were thus deliuered and obserued onely by vnwritten traditions They intitle the 8. § of their second booke Histor sup libr. 2. cap. 4. §. 4. in this maner Of the vnwritten lawe of God giuen to the Patriarkes by tradition And thus they add The Patriarkes of the first age receaued many precepts from God himself and whatsoeuer was first imposed by Adam the same was obserued by Seth who instructed Enos from whom it succeeded to Noah Sem Abraham Isaac Iacob Ioseph and Moses Yea many particular commaundements afterward written were formerly imposed and diliuered ouer by tradition which kinde of teacheinge the Iewes afterward called Cabala precept receaued from the mouth of their preists and Elders to which the Iewes after the lawe written added the Interpretation of secret misteryes reserued in the bosomes of their preists and vnlawfull to be vttered to the people But the true Cabala was not to be concealed from any as being in deed the diuine lawe reuealed to the Patriarkes and from them diliuered to posteritie when as yet it was vnwritten And entreating how after letters and writing was inuented and many reuealed misteries so recorded yet men must still maintayne traditions vnwritten and instruction from them they exemplifie in this order out of S.
and the Hebrue Greeke Apostles also as Athenians But now sixe yeares triall hath taught that it is one thinge to dreame of tongues an other to knowe them And now they are said to be at a stand And would willingly giue ouer but that the Kings authoritie requireth an end But that your most learned Maiestie may se what is to be hoped for from them least the Churches be forced to buy bables for the word of God I will in few words deleuer that it may appeace that such pore students are not to be suffered to lest with the Kinge and the flocke Hitherto this greate linguists oration his exceptions are to tedious to be recited Onely because these men haue so magnified the Hebrue text of the old testament in respect of the septuaginta and vulgare Latine now this greate searcher of Hebrue monuments can heare onely for hee neuer se either of them of two perfect Hebrue copies of the old testament in all the world and both they be in the Iewes custodye one in Hierusalem and the other at Nehardegh in Mosopotamia Veteris testamenti duo exemplaria tam accurata atque mens humana prouidere potuit seruantur à Iudaeis Hierosolymis alterum alterum Nehardeghae in Mesopotamia Then if wee haue no better comfort from these Hebritians for a true Hebrue text then that England neither hath had or can procure any and none is to be had but from our Enemyes the Iewes and yet if they could procure a true copie which they haue not done there is not any one in England by their owne Iudgments able truely to translate it and these last translators were weary of their entreprise and would haue giuen it ouer after sixe yeares experience of their disabilitie but that the Kings Maiesties pleasure was to haue one end or other wee may not easely admitt such translations for holy scriptures nor Religion deduced from them for a true Religion And â—his the rather because since the birth of this new translation it is condemned by their owne approued writeings I will omitt others and onely cite one place out of their late commended history of the world in these Histor of the world l. 1. cap. ◠§. 14. Chron 2. cap. 21. v. 16. The Protest new transl sup words The ill translation of Ethiopia for Chus is amonge other places made moste apparant in the second of Chronicles in these words So the Lord styrred vpp against Iehoram the spiritt of the Philistines and the Arabians which confine the Ethiopians The Geneua translation hath it which were besides the Ethiopians the new English readeth thus more ouer the lord stirred vpp against Iohoram the spiritt of the Philistines and of the Arabians that were neare the Ethiopians Now how farre it is betweene the Philistines and the Negros or Ethiopians euery man that looketh in a mapp may Iudge For hee Philistines and Arabians doe mixt and ioyne with the land of the Chusites and are distant from Ethiopia about two and thirtie or three and thirtie degrees and therefore not their next neighbours but all Egipt and the deserts of Sur and Pharan are betweene them And to aggrauate this matter the more these new Protestant translators takeing vppon them to translate the old testament out of the Hebrue and new out of the Greeke and onely alloweing those texts in words are so farre from performing it in deeds that in the old testament they haue forsaken the Hebrue text diuers thowsands of times as may be proued by their owne merginall obseruations of that matter my leasure was not to recompt them all but in Genesis the first booke they haue thus behaued themselues aboue two hundred tymes and after the same rate in all the rest As in the 5. 20. and 25. chapter of the booke of Iudges fourtye times Fyfteene tymes in Sam. l. 1. cap. 18. in the 2. Booke of Samuel in cap. 22. thirteene times in cap. 1. 7. 18 20. in fower chapters aboue fyfty times in the third booke of Kings And so they deale with the Greeke in the new testament and in the old testament where the scripture is written in the Chaldy and Hebrue mixed as in the time of captiuitie so they vse the Chaldy tongue as in Esra cap. 4. they forsake the Hebrue thrise and the Chaldye eleuen or twelue times in the second chapter of Daniel they leaue it thirteene times in the third chapter twelue times in the 5. chapter neyne times c. and in these and other places where they refuse the originall tonge as for example the Hebrue they doe it not many times to preferre either the vulgare Latine Septuaginâ—a or Syriacke but their owne conceipt and Imagination Yet in places where they forsake the originall to preferre any of the other it is euidently against their owne profession and Religion and in places of their former translations censured by Mr. Gregory Martyne or other English Catholicks they often times neither regard their owne or ours but giue vs new scriptures and reuelations of their owne thoughe not many times in greate matters and so in this multiplication and chaunge of scriptures they haue also multiplied and chaunged Religion deduced from them and for that one Article of their auntient creed I beleeue in the holy ghost may now say by such proceedings wee beleeue in the foure and fourtie English Protestant holy Ghosts For whosoeuer reiect all texts of scripture as their owne marginall obseruations tell vs they doe though as before often not in great things yet sometimes otherwise and deny vnwritten traditions of this kinde must needs be in such estate CHAPTER VI. PROVETH BY THESE PROtestants that the true and Iuridicall exposition of scriptures is against them and for the doctrine of the Romane Church AFTER these I am to entreate of the true lawfull and Iuridicall Exposition of holy scriptures And that it belongeth to the Church of Rome haueing both the true scriptures the true translation of them and it self haueing power and authoritie being the true Church of Christ to propose it to all Christians and not to these Protestants for no companie or congregation of men wanting and denying diuers bookes of scriptures in which diuers Articles of Religion as prayer to Angels their patronadge prayer and sacrifice for the Deade meritt of good workes c. are directly proued not so apparently taught in other scriptures besides followeing and alloweing erroneous and corrupt translations can haue the true and Iuridicall exposition of scriptures especially hauing no Iurisdiction ouer others by their owne graunt But the English Protestants are in this state Therefore they haue not this true lawfull and Iuridicall exposition of scriptures Bothe propositions are graunted before and so nothinge remaineth to be proued in this argument Further I argue thus No priuate Interpretation of scriptures by conference of places and such Rules as Protestants assigne for Interpreteinge scripture is bindeing or iuridicall But all Protestant Expositions in respect of true byndeing
rash and inconsiderate holdenes and presumption in condemninge the vniuersall Church of Christ hee was iustely condemned For the practise of the Churche at that time was not euill in any of these things neither doe wee concurre with Aerius in the reprehension of that primatiue and auncient Churche What was this practise of the primatiue Church concerning the deade for deniall whereof Aerius was condemned as D. Feild hath told vs I will recite from other Protestants M. Middleton assureth vs thus Middleton papistom pag. 64. 45. 46. 51. 47. 48. 49. S. Chrisostome taught it to be the Apostles ordinance to pray for the deade it was a tradition in the primatiue Church receaued from the fathers to pray for the deade and begg mercie of God for them The deade were prayed for in the publicke liturgies of Hull Rom. pole pag. 86 Morton Apol. part 1. pag. 273. Basile Chrisostome and Epiphanius The Churche in Epipbanius time vsed to craue mercye for the deade M. Hull saith Leo 15 Leo the pope appointed Masses for the deade D. Morton citeth from Caluine this ipsi veteres preces fundebant pro defunctis The auncient fathers prayer for the deade And to giue finall content to D Feild the sentence of his true Greeke Church is Gennad Schol. def 5. cap. 3. this The doctrine of purgatorie prayer and sacrifice for the deade was a Tradition of the Apostles That which the Latines call Purgatorie they of the Greeke Church name Catharteâ—ion They were onely Scismaticorum sectatores followers of Scismaticks which denied it The seing Protestants doe ordinarily teach that prayer for the deade is not conteyned either expressely or deducebly in scriptures it must needs be by tradition for denyall of which tradition Aerius was condemned of Heresie and the vniuersall Church at that time by D. Feild taught prayer for the deade for hee telleth vs that Aerius in his opinion contemned the vniuersall Church of Christ and so must D. Feild confesse of himself and his fellowe Protestants if they deny this to be a Tradition as they haue denyed the Bookes of Machabees where this veritie is taught to be caconicall scriptures to gaynesay this primatiue and Catholick doctrine And from hence thus I argue againe by the Rule of S. Augustine allowed by D. Feild whatsoeuer the whole Church holdeth not Feild l. 4. c. 21. pag. 242. being decreed by the authoritie of Councells but hauing beene euer holden may rightly be thought to haue proceeded from Apostolicke authoritie But the Catholicke doctrine of prayer and sacrifice for the deade is such by the testimonie of these Protestants Therefore a tradition from the Apostles by these Protestants The Maior consisteth of the verie wordes of S. Augustine as they be translated and allowed by D. Feild in this maner Feild pag. 241. Hauing sett downe the kindes and sortes of traditions it remayneth to examine by what meanes wee may come to discern and by what rules wee may Iudge which are true and Indubitate traditions The first rule is deliuered by S. Augustine Quod vniuersa Aug. l. 4. cont Donatist cap. 23. tenet ecclesia nec concilijs institutum sed semper retentum est non nisi authoritate apostolica traditum rectissimè creditur Englished by D. Feild as in the Maior proposition where rectissimè creditur is moste rightly beleeued hee hath translated may rightly be thought The Minor proposition is proued before by these Protestants in teacheing this doctrine to haue beene the doctrine of the vniuersall Church resisted by Aerius and also that it was an Apostolicke tradition which all Protestants of England must needs graunt vnto by S. Augustines and D. Feilds first Rule before for by their proceedings they are so far from graunteing that this doctrine is defined by Councells and by that title to be embraced That they playnely teach in the Articles of their Religion the definition of a generall Councell in matters of faith not taken out of scriptures as they teach this is not is nothing worthe The Articl of Relig. art 21. wordes of their Article be these Things ordeined by generall Councells as necessarie to saluation haue neither strength nor authoritie vnlesse it may be declared that they be taken out of holy scripture Hitherto their subscribed article And that this is a thinge necessarie to saluation must needs also be yeelded vnto by these Protestants telling vs before both that Aerius was condemned of Heresie for denying it as also that Heresie is arror in some fundamentall point Couâ—ll sup which must needs be necessarie to saluation My next Argument shall be taken from the next Rule of D. Feild to knowe true traditions and my Maior proposition shall be his verie wordes thus next followeing The second Rule is whatsoeuer all or the Feild supr pag. 242. moste famous and renowned in all ages or at the leaste in diuers ages haue constantly deliuered as receaued from them that went before them no man contradicting or doubting of it may be thought to be an Apostolicall Tradition But the Catholicke doctrine of prayer for the deade praying to Saincts single life of the cleargie especially in the Latine Church and others in their proper place to be proued such by these Protestants are in this state Therefore by Protestants they be Apostolicke traditions The Maior is the very sayinge and sentence of D. Feild before and the Minor concerning prayer for the deade also before allowed by these Protestants the others are to be proued in their order this now sufficeth The first proposition for my next Argument shall be D. Feilds third and laste Rule to knowe true and indubitate traditions and is deliuered by him in these wordes The third Rule is the constant testimonie Feild supr l. 4. c. 21. pag. 242. of the pastors of an Apostolicke Church successiuely delyuered But prayer for the deade c. is so proued by such testimonie therefore an Apostolicke tradition The maior is D. Feild sentence And the Minor is before proued by these Protestants for if the vniuersall Church as before by them consented is this veritie not onely one Apostolicke Church sufficient for his Rule but all did consent vnto it otherwise it could not be said the doctrine of the vniuersall Church And of all Churches Apostolicke there can be no question with Protestants bur the Church of Rome euer taught thus and D. Field hath told vs before that Feild l. 4. c. 5. pag. 202. amongst Apostolicke Churches the Church of Rome is more specially to be obeyed reuerenced and respected Further thus I argue whatsoeuer thinges are either approued by these Protestants themselues for true and indubitate traditions or allowed by them that the primatiue Church and fathers receaued for such are to haue that allowance But the signe of the crosse mixture of water with wine in the Eucharist reuerence of holy Imadges and Relicks sacrifice and prayer for the deade vowes of chastitie and single life of
preists parsonall absolution from syn after confession Baptisme by priuate parsons in time of necessitie Confirmation profession of our faith to beleeue in the Father the Sonne holy Ghost ordination of Archbishops in their prouinces and Bishops in their dioces the Article of Christ discent to Hell the Apostles creede Baptisme of Infants the perpetuall virginitie of our blessed Ladie the celebrateing of our Lords day called Sonday for the sabbath in the old lawe the feastes of Pentecoste and Easter and their time when to be celebrated not answeareing to the Iewes and for denyall of which the quartadeciman Heresie was condemned and others are thus allowed by these Protestants to be true traditions or so esteemed in the primatiue Church by their testimonie Therefore they ought to haue allowance for true and indubitate Traditions The Maior is euident for against Protestants no better testimonie can be then from themselues and they haue graunted before that the primatiue Church is a true Rule in Religion and to be followed of vs. Now to proue the Minor I must ciâ—e these Protestants and if any of them in the Iudgment of some others in their Religion speake not allwaies to their likeinge or vnproperly as they thinke lett them try this combate with themselues it belongeth not to mee in this treatise First D. Couell and others teache That the signe of the crosse is Couell ag Burg. pag. 139. 124. 125. confer an apostolickall constitution and tradition And the Protestants against Puritans do not defend it by scripture The same D. Couell from the Couell ag Burg. pag. 122. auntient Fathers tell vs That the mixture of water with wine is an apostolicall tradition And as a generall Councell is of highest Iudgment by these men before so D. Willet writeth Willet Antilog pag. 169. thus the Greekes in a generall Councell held at Nyce confirmed and allowed the adoration of Imadges and it taught that Reuerence of Imadges is an Apostolicall tradition M. Middleton hath Concil Nyc 2. Middleton pap pag. 64. 45. 46. 51. thus testified S. Chrisostome taught it to be the Apostles ordinance to pray for the deade and confesseth it was a tradition in the primatiue Church receaued from the Fathers to pray for the deade and begg mercie of God for them The deade were prayed for in the publicke liturgies or Masses of Basile Chrisostome and â—piphanius The Greeke Gennad Schol. def 5. c. 3. Church so allowed by Protestants as before testifieth thus The doctrine of Purgatorie prayer and sacrifice for the deade was a Tradition of the Apostles M. Perkins Ormerod and others assure vs Perk. probl pag. 93. Ormer pict pag. â—7 Morton Apol. part 1. pag. 227. 228. Middleton pap pag. 134. Willet Antilog pag. 13. the auntient Fathers taught prayer to Saincts and D. Morton alledgeth how all antiquitie taught Inuocation of Saincts Then seing Protestants will not allowe it by scripture they must graunte it by Tradition M. Middleton telleth vs that the auntient Fathers so receaueinge it from them that went before them taught that vowes of chastitie and single life in Preists is to be obserued by tradition D. Willet graunteth that Vigiluntius was condemned for an Hereticke for deniall of reuerence to Relicks Then by tradition in the Iudgment of Protestants for they teache that it is not conteyned in scripture His Maiestie and the Protestant conference tell vs with Confer pag. 13. the Fathers and Apostolicke Churches that the particular and pâ—rsonall absolution from synne after confession is apostolicall and a verie godly ordinance And yet other Protestants there affirme that neither that nor others followeing are conteyned in scriptures D. Bilson Protestant Bishop of Winchester with consent Confer pag. 18. of Antiquitie teacheth That baptisme to be ministred by priuate persons in time of necessitie is an holy tradition His Maiestie and the saide Conference teach that Bishops be diuine ordinations Confer pag 35. 36. and confirmation is an apostolicall tradition How it ought by these men to be receaued Pag. 10. 11. for a sacrament shall be proued amonge other Sacraments hereafter M. Wotton writeth Wotton def of Perk. pag 465. 4â—6 that S. Basile did holde that the verie profession of our faith by which wee beleeue in the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost is a tradition D. Couell wittnesseth thus that it was an Couell ag the plea. of the Innoc. pag. 104. Barlowe Ser. Sept. 21. An. 1607. part 3. cap. 2. apostolicall tradition or ordination to ordayne Archibishopâ— in their prouinces as Bishops also in their diocesse to rule the Church And yet many English Protestants to be cited hereafter deny such things either directly or consequently to be conteyned in scriptures and yet as before doe make true discipline and Regiment so essentiall a thinge in Religion that in their doctrine it is a note of the true Churche The Protestant Puritans vtterly deny alsoe that Christs discent into Hell can be proued out of scripture yet their Protestant Bishop of Winchester D. Bilson Bilson suru pag. 664. affirmeth That the Article of Christâ— discent to hell and the Creede wherein it is conteyned is an Apostolicall tradition deliuered to the Church by the direction and agreement of the Apostles To which D. Feild hath also giuen testimonie before Feild pag. 238. 239. And affirmeth the same of other particulars remembred in the Minor proposition amonge which that doctrine of baptizing infants is denyed by many of his English Protestant Church either to be conteyned or to be proued by scripture yet D. Feild Feild pag. 239. writeth thus Baptisme of Infants is named a tradition because it is not expressely deliuered in scripture that the Apostles did Baptize Infants nor any expresse precept there founde that they should so doe Then if wee should graunte more authoritie and giue greater credit to this Doctor that in his Iudgment against his fellowe Protestants before hee coulde probably deduce this doctrine from scripture which they deny yet it is but his priuate deduction and Interpretation and perhaps some few others which as before by his graunte bindeth vs not to receaue it as the doctrine of baptizing infants doth Of the perpetuall virginitie of our blessed Ladie to be a tradition I haue entreated before And Doctor Feild addeth thus The fift kinde of traditions Feild supr 239. comprehendeth such obseruations as in particulare are not commaunded in scripture nor the necessitie of them from thence concludeth Of this forte many thinke the obseruation of the Lent fast to be the fast of the fourth and the sixt dayes of the weeke and some other The custome of standeing at prayer on the Lords day and betweene Easter and Whitsontide was generally receaued as deliuered by Apostolicke tradition and when some began to breake it it was confirmed by the Councell of Nyce And if Concil Nic. can 20. to stand at prayers at such times of the Lords daye Easter and
Whitsontide was generally receaued as a Tradition deliuered by the Apostles then the times themselues not being either commaunded or directly exemplified in scripture must also be allowed by tradition And yet the Sabboth day in the old lawe which was abrogated by this tradition of the Sonday the Lords day as hee nameth it was so expressely commaunded by scripture that in order it is the third of the ten cheife commaundements and one of the first table belongeing to the worshipp of God Therefore a Tradition so powerable as to giue a ceaseinge to the expresse writteÌ„ worde lawe and commaundement of God must needs be of equall power And the Christians feaste of Easter likewise crosseing with and euacuateing the Pascha of the lawe written and without scripture onely by the prerogatiue of Tradition cannot be inferior especially seeing as before the Quartadecâ—mans denyers thereof were condemned as Hereticks by the primatiue Church for that cause And the like reason is of the feast of Whitesontide in the Church of Christ receaued by the same Rule of Easter onely by vnwritten tradition yet clearely abolisheinge and takeinge away the written lawe and word of God in that behalf Further I argue thus whatsoeuer is not a perfect and compleate Rule and Square in matters and questions of Religion without the help and dyrection of vnwritten traditions cannot be termed an absolute Rule in this kinde But the scripture and written worde of God by these Protestants is such Therefore by them no absolute and perfect Rule in matters of faithe The Maior is euidently true in the light of nature otherwise one and the same thinge in the same respect might be absolute and not absolute perfect and not perfect and two Contradictories might be true which is vnpossible The Minor proposition is thus proued by D. Feilde who speakeing of traditions Feild l. 4. cap. 20. pag. 239. vnwritten and yet allowed by him hath these wordes The third kinde of tradition is that forme of Christian doctrine and explication of the seuerall partes thereof which the first Christians receauing of the same Apostles that deliuered to them the scriptures commended to posterities This may rightly be named a tradition for that wee neede a playne and distinct explication of many things which are somewhat obscurely conteyned in the scripture Which is sufficient proofe that tradition vnwritten is the cause why many things are beleeued by faith grownded vppon tradition not written which the scriptures could neuer warrant vs to beleeue For things obscurely handled and not playnely and distinctly explicated which as hee saith is by tradition cannot be the formall obiect of faith by any possibilitie for seeing true certayne and vndoubted Reuelation from God euen by Protestants is the formall cause of beleeueinge things obscurely conteyned or taught cannot haue this priuiledge And yet by D. Feilds wordes many thinges be in this state without the assistance of tradition and yet firmely to be beleeued Therefore not the obscuritie in scripture but to vse his wordes a playne and distinet explication of many thinges by tradition receaued by the first Christians from the Apostles commended to posterities is the formall cause and reason of beleeueinge such verities Now to drawe to an end in this question of traditions D. Feild to his fowre before acknowledged kindes of traditions The holy scriptures the Creede of the Apostles the forme Feild pag. 238. l. 4. of Christian doctrine and explication of the seuerall parts thereof which the first Christians receaueinge of the same Apostles that deliuered to them the scriptures commended to posterities and the continued Feild pag. 239. practise of such thinges as neither are conteyned in the scripture expressely nor the example of such practise expressely there deliuered thoughe the growndes reasons and causes of the necessitie of such practise be there conteyned and the benefitt or good that followeth of it hee addeth the fift kinde in these wordes The fift kinde of traditions comprehendeth Feild supr pag. 239. such obseruations as in particulare are not commaunded in scripture nor the necessitie of them from thence concluded though in generall without limitation of times and other circumstances such things be there commaunded Of this sorte many thinke the obseruation of the lent faste to be the faste of the fourthe and the sixt dayes of the weeke and some other This supposed as also the Feild pag. 242. same Protestant Doctors Rules before to know true traditions the consent and doctrine of the Churche the moste renowned for learninge the constant Testimonie of the pastors of an Apostolicke Church amonge which next to generall Feild pag. 202. Councells bynding and commaunding all the Church of Rome is especially to be obeyed reuerenced and respected as moste priuiledged from error yt must needs be euident by these Protestants that Traditions whether deliuered in scripture to be deduced from them or to be receaued without scripture are to be adiudged for the Romane Churche for that before is proued by them to be the true Church of Christ the Pope of Rome to be the supreame commaunding Ruler in it that the scriptures receaued by it are Canonicall and the vndowbted worde of God and all true and Iuridicall expositions and deductions from them are onely for the doctrine of the same Churche of Rome And so their other grounted Rules of generall Councells and Learned Fathers to be handled in the next chapters doe also teach vnto vs the same doctrines by these Protestants for by their Iudgment they may not nor can proceede in such bâ—sines but by the holy scriptures and true expositions and deductions from them allreadie proued by these Protestants for the present Roman Church Therefore I conclude this question with this Arguments following Whatsoeuer doctrines in Religion generall Councells the highest binding and commaunding Rule and authoritie ouer all Christians in the Iudgment of Protestants haue defined by the Bishops and Fathers assembled in them in matters of Religion by traditions written or vnwritten are to be receaued and embraced of all But all or the cheefest Articles in question betweene Catholicks and Protestants are directly concluded by the grounte of these Protestants by the Councells and Bishops in them assembled at Nyce the seconde the greate Laterane Florence and Constance Basile cited and allowed for generall Councells by the Protestant Bishop of Winchester D. Bilson D. Willet D. Couell M. Bils Middlet papist â—9 119. 120. 124. 125. Willet synop cont 1. q. 7. Liniban ap Parkes and others in such maner as the present Church of Rome now teacheth Therefore they ought so to be receaued and embraced of all Christians bothe propositions are graunted before by these Protestants or in these citations Therefore nothinge remayneth to be proued in this Argument And because these Protestants Parkes pag. 137. 180. Couell def of Hook pag. 21. Parkes ag lymb pag. 176. Willet Antil pag. 178. c. Abbot ag Hill pag 38. 48. 49. 51.