A TREATISE OF THE VNVVRITTEN WORD OF GOD commonly called TRADITIONS Written in Latin by the R. Father Iames Gordon Huntley of Scotland Doctour of Diuinity of the Society of Iesus And translated into English by I. L. of the same Society The second Part of the first Controuersy Permissu Superiorum M. DC XIV THE FIRST CHAPTER Of the true state of the Question HAVING already in the precedent Treatise spoken of the written Word of God and of all other things therunto belonging now it remayneth we speake a litle of the vnwritten word coÌ„monly called TraditioÌ„s But to the end that the state of this controuersy may more easily be vnderstood I will heere set downe foure things diligently to be considered in this matter we treate of The first is that by the vnwritten Word we only vnderstand that which is not written in the old or new Testament for of the vnwritten word of God in this sense is our whole Controuersy in this place Wherefore that obiection of our Aduersaries is both friuolous and nothing worth to wit that the word of God which we call the vnwriten word may be found extant eyther amonge the holy Fathers or in the books of the Councells or other Canons of the Church But this nothing belongeth vnto this purpose for it is sufficient for vs that this word of God is not written in any booke eyther of the old or new Testament 2. The second is that a thing may be coÌ„teined in the holy Scripture 2. wayes The one way is implicite that is to say in some generall principle from whence this other may be certaynly deduced and in this sense we acknowledge that the whole word of God is conteined in holy writ and not only in Scripture but also in the Apostles Creed yea euen in that one article I belieue the Catholike Church so that it be diligently examined and well vnderstood as S. Augustine very well noteth For so sayth Christ the whole Law and Prophets doe depend vpon two precepts of charity as in the same place S. Augustine noteth For seing that the holy Scripture teacheth that we are bound to belieue the Church in all things that it can neyther deceiue vs nor be deceiued as we will euidently proue in the next Controuersy in the 〈◊〉 Chapter it consequently also teacheth the whole and entire word of God seing that all that which is not expressed in the holy Scripture is conteined expresly in the doctrine of the Church the which the Scripture commendeth vnto vs as infallible as S. Augustine very well sayth and declareth in many places For euen as God the Father comprehended in these few words This is my wellbeloued Sonne heare him the whole word of God so Christ proposed vnto vs the whole word of God when he commaunded vs to heare the Church 3. And in this sense do the holy Fathers oftentymes say that all the points of fayth are conteined in the holy Scriptures to wit in that generall principle in the which they admonish vs to belieue the Church but many of the holy Fathers sayings are falsifyed corrupted by Martinê° KeÌ„nitius and some Caluinists as may be seene in Iudocus Ruesten in his first tome defending the Councell of Trent against Kemnitius 4. Secondly a thing may be conteined in expresse words in the holy Scriptures as that Christ is borne suffered and risen againe c. And in this sense we deny that the whole word of God is conteined in the Scriptures That obiection of our Aduersaries by this may easily be answered when they say that we affirme that Traditions are the vnwriten word of God and yet we goe about to proue theÌ„ by Scriptures For we do not proue euery particuler Tradition by expresse words of Scripture but we only deduce and gather them out of it and conuince in generall that there are Traditions 5. The third thing which is to be considered is that our Aduersaries being conuinced by truth doe acknowledge that many things were deliuered vnto vs by the Apostles besids those which are written But say they those were only externall rites and ceremonies seruing only for the ornament or discipline of the Church but nothing concerning doctrine of fayth was deliuered by the Apostles which they haue not set downe in writing So Caluin and some others which follow his opinion Wherfore it remayneth for vs to proue that not only external ceremonies but also those which belong vnto the doctrine of fayth were deliuered vnto vs by the Apostles and that they were neuer expressely set downe in writing 6. The fourth thing is that seing our Aduersaries cannot deny that which was obiected vnto them by Catholikes to wit that the Scripture in many places maketh expresse mentioÌ„ of the word of God preached deliuered and diuulged ouer the whole world as we haue already declared euen out of the holy Scriptures they are wont to answere that long since in the Apostles tyme this word of God was deliuered preached and not written but the Apostles afterwards set downe in writing all the preached word of God or at the least as much therof as was necessary vnto saluation The which solutioÌ„ albeit it be very weake and friuolous seing that it relyeth vpoÌ„ no sure ground yet notwithstanding that it may more fully be confuted we will declare hereafter that many of the chiefest points of faith were not expressely set downe in writing by the Apostles And thus much of the state of this Question CHAP. II. Out of the first and chiefest principles of faith it is clearly conuinced that there are Traditions THE first argument wherby we proue Traditions is taken out of some of the chiefest principles of faith For there are three chiefe and most necessary points of faith yea the thiefe grounds of our whole faith which are not to he found expressely in Scriptures 2. The first that there must needes be some Catalogue or Canon of the sacred Bookes aswell of the old as of the new Testament the which all Christians with an assured faith should imbrace as a most certaine and an vndoubted truth and this is a very necessary point of faith yea of it dependeth the authority of all the bookes of holy Scripture because by this Canon the sacred and true books of Scriptures are discerned and made knowne from all those which be Apochriphall especially because aswell in times past as in these our daies there hath byn so many and so great Controuersyes about the Canonicall and Apochriphall bookes of Scripture and such a Canon was altogeather necessary aswell in the auncient Church before Christ as in our present Church after Christes tyme the which also our Aduersaries themselues haue learned by experience For they haue also placed their new Canon of the bookes of holy Scripture in their Confession made at Rochell and in the later end of some of their Bibles and yet neyther in the tyme of the old Testament nor in the tyme of the
new Law was this Canō euer written downe in the Bibles themselues 2. I know our Aduersaries that they may escape this argument do runne to the inward instinct of the holy Ghost wherby say they we know what booke is Canonicall and what is not But this answere is refuted reiected before where we haue shewed that the holy Ghost doth not moue vs to belieue any thing with the Catholike faith which is not the word of God If therfore the holy Ghost moue vs to belieue that some bookes are Canonicall and some are not it is necessary that this be the word of God We aske therefore of them whether this is the written word of God or the vnwrittē if it be the written word in what Booke or Chapter is it to be foūd if it be no where to be found our Aduersaries must needes cōfesse that by the instinct of the holy Ghost they also belieue the vnwritten word of God or Traditions 3. The second principle of faith is that we must necessarily with an assured and firme faith belieue that all those Bookes eyther of the old or of the new Testament which we now retaine are safely deliuered vnto vs entyre and vncorrupted through so many handes so many ages so many vexations and persecutions of the Christians for otherwyse the whol credit and authority of those bookes will decay and perish But this is no where extant or written for neyther the Prophets or Apostles haue euer written that their bookes should neuer be falsified or corrupted by any yea it appeareth sufficiently by that which hath byn already said that they were falsified and corrupted in many bookes by the Iewes and Heretikes Let our Aduersaries therfore tell vs where it is written that this holy Scripture which we haue now is not corrupted or falsifyed 4. The third principle of fayth is the true sense of the letter For the true word of God consisteth rather in the true sense or meaning of the words then in the words themselues as we haue declared before But the true sense of the words that is to say in what sense or meaning the words are to be vnderstood eyther properly or figuratiuely cannot be had from the holy Scripture alone but also from the doctrine and Traditions of the Church as we haue sayd before in the fourth Chapter wherby it also followeth that the writtē word of God conteyneth in it the least part of the word of God to wit the bare letter only but the word of God preached and deliuered keepeth and professeth vnto vs the cheife part of the word of God that is to say the true natiue sense of the same 5. And this is that which S. Basil sayth that those who reiect the vnwriten points of fayth as vndiscreet persons do wrong and damnify the chiefe parts of the Gospell yea they euen as it were cōtract or bring the whole preaching of the Gospell to the bare name therof 6. Many of our Aduersaries who deale more sincerely with vs conuinced by these arguments do acknowledge that these grounds or principles of our faith are only to be had by Traditions without any written word of God as Ioannes Brentius and Martin Kemnitius who adde also that those Traditions which doe not repugne to the written word of God are to be admitted and receiued of all and those only are to be reiected which are opposit vnto the holy Scriptures 7. But whatsoeuer our Aduersaries do answere it is altogeather necessary that they confesse these three principles of our fayth do belong indeed to the very word of God it selfe They must also needs confesse these are not extant in playne and expresse tearmes in any booke either of the old or new Testament out of which necessarily followeth that the whole intire word of God is not conteyned expresly in the holy Scripture CHAP. III. Wherein it is proued out of other particuler poynts of fayth that there are Traditions THE second argument whereby we proue Apostolicall Traditions is taken out of other particuler poynts of fayth the which almost all our Aduersaryes belieue with vs albeit they be no where expressely conteyned in the Scriptures There are many poyntes of fayth of this sort wherof for example sake we will alledge some few But to the end we may vse our accustomed breuity we will rehearse only those which do also manifestly shew out of this opinion of our Aduersaries that nothing appertayneth to the doctrine of fayth which is not expresly conteyned in holy Scripture there are many greeuous errours and heresies in this our age arisen 2. The first point is that in God there are three persons really distinct among themselues and one only substance for this is no where extant in holy Scripture yea in it nothing is to be found expresly writen eyther of the substance or of the person in that signifycation wherein these words are vsed when we speake of the Blessed Trinity 3. This indeed the Caluinists to their great losse and domage haue sufficiently learned by experience fourty yeares agoe in Transiluania For when one Iohn Huniades whom they called Iohn the secōd King of Hūgary was then Gouernour in Trāsiluania a Coutry or Prouince of Hungary had ordained a publike dispuratiō betwixt the Cal◅inists and the Antitrinitarians that is to say those who oppugned the mystery of the Blessed Trinity and that according to the cōmon doctrine on both syds they should dispute only out of the holy Scriptures the Caluinists could neuer proue out of the Scriptures alone that there is eyther a substance or person in God neyther could they by the Scriptures only declare what is a person or what is a substance 4. Wherefore at the last this was the end of the disputatiō that almost all those which were present iudged that the Antitrinitarians got the victory and that the Caluinists were shamefully ouercome wherupon it came to passe that the sayd Prince of Transiluania of a Caluinist became an Antitrinitarian yea one of their cheife friends in so much that he tooke some publike Churches from the Caluinists and gaue them to the Antitrinitarians and he continued miserably in that wicked heresy euen till death which happened in the yeare 1571. the 14. of March 5. All which things are aboundātly declared by one Ioannes Sommerus Pirnensis in the funerall Oration which he made at his death wherein among other things he affirmeth that the cheife cause why this Prince left the Caluinists and became an Antitrinitarian was this because for sooth in the Scriptures he could fynd nothing of the Blessed Trinity and for that the Caluinists were forced to confesse that the words wherby the mystery of the Blessed Trinity is explicated are not extāt in the holy Scripture but because this funeral Oration is scarse any where to be found least some should thinke that I falsely coyned these things my selfe I will heare set downe his owne words For after he had most
belieue nothing which is not expresly in Scriptures And whereupon Beza himself in his booke which he wrote against the same Ochinus doth testify that Ochinus vsed this argument where Beza also manifestly acknowledgeth that Polygamy is not forbidden in holy Scriptures by any expresse Law The other argument saith Beza of Ochinus is that Polygamy is not forbidden by any expresse law to the contrary but I answere that there are not lawes written of all thinges Thus Beza 3. But afterward indeed Beza goeth about to proue that Poligamy is contrary to the Law of Nature but the same difficulty still remayneth For according to our Aduersaries doctrine all thinges necessary to saluation are expressed in holy Scriptures but the obseruatiō of all things belonging to the Law of Nature is altogeather necessary to saluation therefore the obseruation of these thinges is expressed in Scriptures or els truly many thinges necessary to saluation must be sought for out of the Scriptures Moreouer that Polygamy is vnlawfull is a point of faith but this as Beza confesseth is not expressely contayned in Scriptures therfore all the pointes of faith are not expressely contained in Scriptures 4. The first point of faith is that the Sacrament of Baptisme may only be giuen in water For this point is also very necessary for the Church least so great and worthy a Sacrament be prophaned contrary to the institution of Christ and yet our Aduersaries will neuer be able to proue this out of the Scriptures only who deny that the forsaid place of S. Iohn is to be vnderstood of true water as we haue said before in the second point For the examples of holy Scripture do proue indeed that water is the fit matter of Baptisme but they do not proue that there can be no other matter 5. When Beza did consider this well least that his foresayd principle that we must belieue nothing but Scripture might seeme to be called in question he was not ashamed to write that Baptisme might be giuen in any liquour and by this meanes it wil be true and lawfull Baptisme though it be giuen in milke wyne yea in Inke or any other filthy liquour Thus are our Aduersaryes forced to admit these absurdityes least they might be forced to depart from that their principle of belieuing only Scripture 6. Furthermore to the end that Beza might more easily perswade the ignorant common people to admit this his strange paradoxe addeth presently a very grieuous slaunder against the Catholike Doctors Let water be wanting saith Beza and yet the Baptisme of any cannot be deserred with edification nor must not be I truly would as well and as lawfully baptize in any other liquour as in water neyther are the most superstitious Deuines of any other opinion in these matters Thus far Beza But these thinges which he writeth are most false For there is no Catholike nor Scholasticall Doctor who hath euer eyther thought or written so yea the playne contrary is defined by the Catholike Church as a poynt of Fayth 7. The sixt poynt of fayth is that bread and wyne is only the necessary matter of the Blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist This poynt of faith is also very necessary for the Church least so great and so excellent a Sacrament should be prophaned yet our Aduersaries will neuer be able to proue it effectually out of Scripture only For by this word Bread any kind of meate is oftentymes signifyed in Scripture of wine it is farre more doubtfull For the Scripture maketh only mention of the Chalice and not of the liquor which was in the Chalice and Caluin himselfe acknowledgeth that those words of the fruite of the vyne were spoken before the institution of this Sacrament 8. The which when Beza easily preceaued heere also he went about to bring in another error least indeed he should be forced to forsake his former principle of belieuing only Scriptures For he was not afraid to write that he erred nothing from the institution of Christ who in the consecration of the Eucharist should vse insteed of the bread appointed for that purpose any other vsuall meate and insteed of the wyne any other ordinary kind of drinke and by this meanes one may consecrate the Eucharist eyther in cheese flesh fish or egges as also in milke water beare or vineger or any other liquor which hitherto was neuer heard of in Gods Church And yet for all this Beza is not ashamed to attribute this most absurd error of his to all the Scholasticall Doctors For of both these errors he treateth in the words before alledged because when he sayth the Scholasticall Doctors were of no other opinion he speaketh as well cōcerning the matter of the Eucharist as of the matter of Baptisme After this manner our Aduersaries do force so many and so great errors out of that their principle of belieuing only Scriptures wherof more might be alledged which for breuities sake we omit 9. But there is one thing I cannot let passe because therby we clearly conuince that the Traditions of the Church do not only contayne vnwritten points of fayth but that which is more euen in our Aduersaries iudgment they change and abolish such things as are expresly commaunded in Scriptures for euen in the Table of the Law of God which is sayd to be written by Gods owne hand in many and manyfest words the keeping of the Sabboth day is comaunded the which notwithstanding now all except a few Anabaptists do confesse to be abrogated by Ecclesiasticall Tradition only without any expresse testimony of Scripture The Anabaptists I say being also deceiued by that Common principle of our Aduersaries of blieuing only Scriptures they go about to bring the obseruation of the Sabboth day into vse and custome agayne and for this cause they are called Sabatharians but not so much the heresy as the madnesse of these men is condemned of all and namely of Luther in his booke against the Sabbatarians in the seauenth Tome CHAP. V. Wherin it is proued that there are Traditions by the testimonies of the holy Fathers THE third argument wherby we proue that all the poynts of our fayth are not set downe in writing by the Apostles is the authority of the aunciēt Fathers who affirme and teach this in many places The which places of the holy Fathers as well the Greeks as the Latins Iodocus Coccius hath very diligently gathered togeather in his booke intitled Thesaurus Catholicus and before him Bellarmine did the same But least we be longer then the order of Epitomes doth permit especially in a thing so manyfest it shall suffice vs to alledg one chiefe Doctor of the Greeke and another of the Latine Church 2. Among the Grecians S. Chrysostome is the most famous who doth not only affirme it but also manifestly proueth it out of holy Scripture For when he expoundeth those words of the later Epistle to the Thessalonians Therefore brethren stand
is neuer contrary to the antecedent The Apostle therefore speaketh of doctrine contrary to his and not absolutly of any other distinct doctrine 10. And in this sense the Fathers doe often say that S. Paul affirmed in this place that nothing was to be taught besids that which is in the holy Scripture For so S. Augustine speaketh in one place But in another he clearly explicateth himselfe by this word praeter to vnderstand contra because we must preach nothing contrary to the holy Scripture That this is the true sense and meaning of S. Augustine it is manifest by the words themselues wherby also he proueth that the word praeter in those words of the Apostle doth signify diuers but not contrary thinges For in this manner he writeth when he warneth his schollers to take heed of the opinions of the Manichaeans other heretikes because these are not only distinct but also contrary to those which the Apostles taught Let the admonition sayth he of the holy Apostle neuer depart from your hart If any shall Euangelize vnto you besids that which you haue receiued let him be an Anathema He doth not say more then you haue receaued but besides that which you haue receaued For if he should say that he should be preiudiciall to himselfe who coueteth to come to the Thessalonians that he might supply that which was wanting to their fayth Now he which supplieth addeth that which is lacking taketh not away that which was But he which ouerpasseth the rule of fayth doth not goe on in the way but departeth frō the way That therfore which our Lord sayth I haue yet many things to say vnto you but you cannot beare them now were to be added to those things which they knew and not to be ouerthrowen by those they had already learned Hitherto S. Augustine CHAP. X. Wherein other obiections of our Aduersaries against Traditions are resuted THE fourth argument is deduced out of those words of the Apocalyps which they also cite and alledge in their confessiō at Rochell If any man shall adde to these things God shall adde vpon him the plagues written in this booke But who doth not see that S. Iohn speaketh expresly of the booke of the Apocalyps only and not of the whole Scripture for he sayth I testify to euery one hearing the words of the Prophesy of this booke if any man sall adde to these things c. and in the 19. verse following If any man shall diminish of the words of the booke of this prophecy c. he speaketh therfore only of the propheticall words of the Apocalyps For it is manyfest otherwise out of Ecclesiasticall histories that S. Iohn wrote his Ghospell after the Apocalyps and consequently that he added many things besids the Apocalyps But let our Aduersaries take heed least they incurre those paynes which S. Iohn threatneth to those which adde or detract any thing from the Apocalyps seing that they so often and so bouldly wrest the prophesies of the Apocalyps to many strange senses against the Pope and the Catholike Church 2. Our Aduersaries alledge many other things but their arguments which be of lesse moment are taken out of those places of Scripture which commend vnto vs the great excellency of holy Scripture But all these are very easily confuted by that one ground which as we haue declared before euen our Aduersaries do admit to wit that to the end the holy Scripture be perfect in it selfe and sufficient to euerlasting saluation it is not necessary that it should expresly cōteyne al points of fayth but it is sufficiēt that all such poynts may be deduced by a good consequence out of it But all the Traditions of the Church which belong vnto fayth may be gathered as we haue sayd out of Scripture the which also we declare more at large in euery one of these controuersies Our Aduersaries therfore haue not reason to say that we teach the Scripture to be imperfect or insufficient For as concerning this sufficiency and perfectiō of Scripture they are forced at least to yield and subscribe vnto our opinion herein but these their arguments whereof they make great account we haue therfore alledged to the end all may know how badly they interpret the holy Scriptures and by how friuolous reason they are perswaded to forsake the Catholike fayth 3. But euen this sufficiency of Scripture which they pretēd they proue very foolishly by those wordes of the Apostle wherein he teacheth that the Scripture is very profitable as though forsooth euery thing which is profitable for obtayning some particuler end or purpose were also absolutely sufficient then the which nothing can be spoken more absurdly The head truely is not only profitable but also necessary that a man may liue but who I pray you will say that the head only without the rest of the body is sufficient for the lyfe of man But to our late Aduersaries to the end they may make this their discourse or reason the stronger say that in humane thinges not euery thing which is profitable is also sufficient but in diuine matters whatsoeuer is profitable is also sufficient whervnto Iunius like a fine young stripling addeth that this can be ouerthrowne by no sophistry But who doth not see that the Eucharist by the diuine vertue thereof is profitable to the obtayning of eternall saluation and yet notwithstanding without Baptisme it is not sufficiēt as also without faith and pennance the same may be sayd of Baptisme and of euery booke of Scripture Yea euen the Apostle doth not speake of the whole Scripture as our Aduersaries thinke he doth when he saith that euery Scripture is profitable but of euery particuler part thereof For how could he speake of a thing which was not then extant But as then the Ghospell of S. Iohn was not yet written nor the Apocalyps For these were after S. Pauls death written by S. Iohn hence it is that the Apostle S. Paul doth not say the whole Scripture but euen Scripture inspired by God is profitable For there is not one parte of Scripture which is not profitable vnto vs if it be well vnderstood Yea for all that notwithstanding euery one part precisely in it selfe abstracting from the rest of the Scripture as all do very well know is not sufficient 4 Finally it is also to be considered that all those places wherin the integrity perfection and vtility of the Scripture is commended vnto vs must needes be vnderstood not of the bare wordes only but of the same well and rightly vnderstood But this true vnderstanding of the words cannot otherwise be had then by Tradition and the vnwritten doctrine of the Church it selfe as we haue already declared Wherefore all those places which do commend vnto vs the holy Scriptures do also consequently cōmend vnto vs Traditions and the vnwritten Word of God seing that therein consisteth the principal part of
blasphemously spoken as the Antitrinitarians are wont to doe against the Blessed Trinity the which he calleth heere and there the Roman Idolatry these things he addeth of his Prince 6. But this our Prince saith he being instructed by God easily vnderstood what was the truth and with earnest desire imbraced it and with no lesse pleasure of mind defended it for being accustomed euen from his childhood to reade the holy Scriptures he made them very familiar vnto him presently he found that such things which were contrary to the phrase of Christ and his Apostles were in the ensuing ages by a wicked curiosity brought into the Church and that they are not at all to be numbred amongst those things which add any firmity or strength to the Author of our saluation especially seing that the Aduersaries themselues acknowledge that the words wherby these subtilties of this new opinion are explicated if not rather as I may well say more obscured are not to be found in the writings of the Apostles 7. And a little after Wherfore little regarding eyther the multitude of wranglers or the torments and paints which others had endured who first endeauored to breake this ice he manifestly condemned the falsity of the Trinity freely professing his owne opinon therein And after a few words For what hath he not done what assemblies and disputations hath he not ordayned and caused to be had about this matter both in Hangary and in Transiluania that the sense or meaning of the Scripture might the better be explicated by conferring those thinges togeather which were then said or spoken of where he would not only be present himselfe but also taking the place or office of the Iudge and vmpyre in the said disputations he very wisely and grauely confuted the great absurdities of that superstition warning often the Aduersaries that reiecting the fancies or fond expositions of men they should lesse impudenily and more sincerly carry themselues in the explication of the heauenly doctrine Thus farre Sommerus of the great care diligence of the Prince of Transiluania in defending the heresy of the Antitrinitarians 8. Moreouer it is also manifest that out of this opinion of our Aduersaries to wit that we must not belieue any thing which is not expressed in Scriptures this wicked heresy of the Antitrinitariās in these our dayes had her beginning For that Michael Seruetus who in our age was the first of them that by printed bookes presumed to oppugne the mystery of the Blessed Trinity doth plainely testify writing in this manner For the solution saith he of all things which may heere be alledged by the Philosophers for thus he calleth the Catholikes thou must obserue this rule which is an axiome among lawiers that those thinges which do not deserue any speciall note or marke are vnderstood and esteemed as things neglected vnlesse they be specially noted But I pray thee iudge whether this article of the Trinity deserue any speciall note or no seing that it is the chiefest and first ground of all our faith wherof the whole knowledge of God and Christ dependeth And whether it be expressely noted or no may be seene by reading ouer the Scriptures seing that there is not one word to be foūd of the Trinity in the whole Bible nor of the persons therof nor of the essence or vnity of the supposition nor of the vnity of nature in many distinct thinges and such like Thus farre Seruetus By these it euidently appeareth that all these monstrous strange opinions of latter Arrians who are also called Antitrinitarians do proceed from this one principle of our Aduersaries to wit that we must only belieue Scriptures and by this they are encreased But let vs now see other matters 9. The second point of faith is that Infants are to be baptized For our Aduersaries will neuer shew this in the holy Scriptures For that one place which doth clearly conuince this to wit vnlesse he be borne againe of water and the spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God they wrest and expound it in another sense For they will not haue this word water to signify the element of water but the holy Ghost so Caluin hence arose that wicked sect of the Anabaptistes who affirme now adayes that it is an vnlawfull and prophane thing to baptize Infants seing that there is no solide reason heereof extant in the Scriptures 10. For that wherunto Caluin and his followers do fly for refuge to wit that in the old Law Infantes were circūcised the Anabaptistes do easily confute both because cōcerning that there was an expresse precept of God but there was none of the baptisme of Infants and the similitude also betwixt circumcision and baptisme doth not hold in all thinges for otherwise women should not be baptized but only men 11. The third point of faith is that the Blessed Virgin Mary the mother of God remayned alwayes a Virgin euen after her childbyrth For this is extant no where in Scripture and yet Heluidius was condemned as an Heretike by the whole auncient Church because he presumed to deny this 12. When Bellarmine had alleadged this vnwrittē poynt of faith to proue that all such pointes of faith were not expresly set downe in holy writ Franciscus Innius to answere vnto this difficulty was forced to take and approue the condemned heresy of Heluidius For he denyeth that we ought to belieue as a point of faith the perpetuall Virginity of our B. Lady But the ancient Fathers had neuer condemned Heluidius as an Heretike vnlesse he had denyed a point of faith But in this manner are our Aduersaries forced to renew the old heresies of tymes past to the end they may defend this their paradoxe that we must only belieue Scriptures CHAP. IIII. Whether there are any pointes of faith to be alleadged which are no where extant in the Bible THE fourth point that our Aduersaries also belieue but without expresse Scripture for it is that Christians cannot lawfully haue more wyues at once for the Councell of Trent hath very well defined this to be a point of faith against the heresy of these tymes wherof we will speake more presently But yet our Aduersaries can neuer proue this out of Scriptures only abstracting from the authority of the Church albeit they also agree with vs in the beliefe heerof Yea the examples of holy Scripture do rather perswade the cōtrary For those most holy men Abraham Iacob Dauid and many others had more wyues at once yet neuer did God reprehend this in them albeit he often spake vnto them 2. When Bernardine Ochine one of Caluins schollers did consider this he was not afrayd to perswade both by word and writing that Polygamy was yet lawfull of whome and of his most wicked lyfe Beza writeth at large But Ochinus grounded only this his heresy in that principle of our Aduersaries before alledged to wit that we must
Diuell himself against Christ vsed this reason It is written God hath giuen his Angells charge of thee therfore cast thy selfe downe headlong Lastly all the arguments indeed which our Aduersaries at this tyme alleadge against vs out of Scriptures and all the errours which they haue inuēted do take their beginning and strength from their new illations and reasons and not out of the bare and playne words of Scripture as will manifestly appeare in euery one of the Controuersies 10. The reason also is manifest why these their collections and reasons are vncertaine and doubtfull For in nothing can one more easily or more often erre then in these illations The which may proceed of many causes eyther because the illation it selfe is bad and Sophisticall or because the place of Scripture from whence it is gathered is falsified by some false exposition therof or because the proposition which is assumed and adioyned to the wordes of Scripture is false and ambiguous or because one or more wordes in that collection are vsed doubtfully that is to say in one sense in the premises and in another in the conclusion or lastly because there hapneth some errour to be in the collection which maketh it weake Sophisticall and erroneous 11. Besides that there are so many and so contrary illations of diuers men that the authority of the Church is altogeather necessary in matters of faith that there may arise a certaine and an vndoubted faith of these matters of which sort Traditions are that is to say the doctrine of the whole Church 12. But when one belieueth such an illation with a diuine or Catholike faith he must needes know two thinges the one is that the expresse place of Scripture from whence this conclusion is deduced must certainly be well vnderstood by him which disputeth the other is that he who maketh such a deduction and collection can neyther deceiue others not be deceyued himselfe But none can know eyther of these without the Traditions of the Church seeing that otherwise there is none which may not be deceiued sometymes All collections therefore which produce or breed fayth in vs do most clearly conuince and shew the authority and necessity of Traditions CHAP. VII Wherein it is proued that there are Traditions by the absurdities which otherwise would follow THE fift argument wherby we proue that many things are to be belieued which are not expressed in holy Scriptures is taken out of the absurdities which do ensue of the contrary doctrine For hauing once admitted that nothing is to be belieued which is not expressed in Scripture all old heresies are renewed and a great vncertaynty and confusion of all things is brought into the Church of God yea euen the way to Atheisme is layd open because hauing once reiected despised the Tradition of the Church all the poynts of fayth from the Apostles tyme till now explicated and proued by the auncient Fathers against heretiks all those things also which were decreed and determined by all the generall Councells in times past against the said heretiks leese their chiefest strength and authority the which notwithstanding our Aduersaries do acknowledge themselues to receiue and belieue 2. Neyther do we know by an assured Catholike fayth whether there were euer any Fathers or Councells but by the Traditions of the Church But neyther do we know any other way but by fayth whether since the Apostles tyme till now there were any Catholikes or not because of those things which were done since the tyme and death of the Apostles there is nothing extant in holy Scripture seeing that all the bookes therof were written before the death of the Apostles But such things as haue byn donne since till now cannot otherwyse be knowne but by the Tradition of the Church 3. Neyther is it sufficient to say that we know these things by the Ecclesiasticall histories For that fayth which proceedeth of histories without the authority or Traditions of the Catholike Church is but an humaine fayth which oftentymes deceaueth others and may be deceiued it selfe and therfore these kind of histories cannot produce a diuine fayth in vs this experience it selfe doth clearly teach vs. For our Aduersaries do somtymes doubt whether S. Peter was euer at Rome or no because forsooth this is not to be found expresly in holy Scriptures wheras notwithstanding it is most assuredly proued and testified in many bookes both of the auncient Historiographers and holy Fathers Why may they not as lawfully call other matters in question which are notwithstanding expressely set downe in other auncient writers Our Aduersaries therfore do make all things very doubtfull and vncertayne whyles they will only belieue and admit the Scripture but now let vs answere their arguments CHAP. VIII Wherein the arguments of our Aduersaries taken out of the old Testament are confuted THE first argument wherby our Aduersaries oppugne Traditions and which they vse very often the which also as inuincible they haue added to the confession of their fayth they take out of those words of Deuteronomy Thou shalt not add any thing to the word which I speake vnto you nor shall you take any thing from it And againe that which I commaund thee do that only neyther add or diminish any thing from it By these places of Scriptures our Aduersaries do inferre that nothing is to be receiued as a poynt of fayth which is not expressely set downe in Scriptures 2. But this argument is erroneous and the weaknes thereof is very great for many causes First because in those words there is no mention made of the Scripture nor of the written word of God but only of the word preached and deliuered viua voce Thou shalt not add sayth the Scripture to the word that I speake vnto you he doth not say that I write vnto you Againe Do only sayth he that which I commaund thee he doth not say that which I write vnto thee 3. Moreouer in these words the holy Scripture doth not only speake of matters of sayth to be belieued but also of ceremonies and customes to be done and obserued but our Aduersaries themselues confesse that these customes may be added by the authority of the Church yea they haue ordeined themselues very many the which they chang euen yet when they please Caluin also acknowledgeth that many vnwritten customes were deliuered vnto vs by the Apostles 4. That also according to the phrase of Scripture is said to be added to the word of God which is contrary opposite vnit For Iosue did not transgresse this commaundement of Deuteronomy when he added his booke to the bookes of Moyses Nor did others transgresse it who added the bookes of the Iudges Ruth and of the Kinges which were not written by Moyses which are also to be belieued as contayning pointes of faith But in these bookes there is nothing contrary to that which Moyses wrote And the Hebrew text agreeth very well to this answere for in both
places of Deuteronomy this word Ghal is vsed which signifieth oftentines contrary or against so that the sense is do not add any thing contrary to the word which I commaund and againe yee shall not add any thing contrary to the word which I say vnto you For so is that particle Ghal taken in the 40. Psalme or according to the Hebrewes 41. in the 2. Psalme also the second verse And in the 14. of Numbers the 2. verse els where very often Euen as also in the new Testament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which answereth to the Hebrew Ghal signifieth also contrary or against when the Apostle writeth to the Corinthians that in vs you may learne one not to be puffed vp against another aboue that is writieÌ„ that is to say against the Scripture the which saith we must not be puffed vp in pryde as S. Chrysostome and after him Theophilactus others do note vpon that place The which place some bodliy alledge against Traditions wheras the Apostle in that place doth not speake of the whole word of God but of this one point that we must not be puffed vp in pryde as euen Caluin himselfe acknowledgeth 5. But to omit all such thinges as other Catholike Doctors haue very well and learnedly written of the proper and literall sense of these wordes yea that we may also graunt to our Aduersaries that this which they alledge is the true sense they erre very much in that they thinke that these wordes of Moyses belong vnto vs and that we are no lesse now bound and obliged by them then the Iewes were in tymes past For these wordes do no more appertaine vnto vs then those of the same booke of Deuteronomy Cursed be he that abideth not in the wordes of this Law and fulfilleth them not in worke From which wordes S. Paul manifestly teacheth that we are deliuered and freed by the grace of Christ Iesus But seing that in these wordes which they do heere alledge Moyses commaundeth that the ChildreÌ„ of Israel should obserue fulfill euery word which he had commaunded them for so it is expresly set downe Deuteronomy â—…2 the last verse in the Hebrew text and in all the Bibles of our Aduersaries and he presently addeth that nothing is to be added or detracted from all these he manifestly commaundeth the keeping of the whole Moysaicall Law and of all the Sacraments Sacrifices and Ceremonies of the old Testament For he doth not only commaund that nothing should be added but also that nothing is to be detracted of all those thinges by him commauÌ„ded Wherefore if our Aduersaries obiect against vs that we adde any thing against this precept we may more iustly obiect vnto them that they detract farre more then we add seing that they neyther obserue the Circumcision nor the legall Sacrifices nor other Ceremonies which are so often and so straitely commaunded in Deuteronomy It cannot truly be denyed but that this is to detract somewhat from those thinges which Moyses commaunded and therfore our Aduersaries must needes confesse that these are the wordes of the old Law and consequently to appertaine nothing vnto vs. Out of this which hath byn said it followeth that our Aduersaries do very indiscretly foolishly boast and bragge of those wordes of Moyses For in the exposition thereof they erre farre from the truth and a great deale more in the application when they go about to proue that we are also bound and obliged by them 6. Our Aduersaries take their second argument out of these wordes of Salomons prouerbs Euery word of God is fiery it is a shyeld of defence to those which hope in it do not add any thing to the wordes thereof and thou shalt be found and reprehended as a lyar I answere that this place maketh nothing against vs for in that place there is no mention made of Scripture only but of al the word of God And it is most true that nothing should be added to all the whole word of God the which is to be belieued with a Catholike faith as the true word of God For as we haue said before our faith relyeth only of the word of God but the Scripture only is not all the word of God because all Traditions also which contayne poynts of faith belong therunto as we haue sufficiently proued already But they add to the word of God are lyars who affirme that God sayd this or that which indeed he neuer spake And of this sort are those false Prophets of whome God by the Prophet Ieremy conplayneth saying They speake the vision of their hartes not from the mouth of our Lord againe I did not speake vnto them and they did prophesy This place also may very well be vnderstood of those who add any thing contrary to the word of God For in the Hebrew text there is set downe that particle Ghal which oftentymes signifieth contrary or against as we haue already declared in our answere to the first argument CHAP. IX Wherin is examined that place of S. Pauls Epistle to the Galathians the which our Aduersaries do obiect against Traditions THE third argument our Aduersaries take out of the first Chapter to the Galathians the which they haue also added to their confession of fayth as inuincible For they haue omitted their second argument as not strong inough for their purpose But thus they frame their argument The Apostle sayth twice an Anathema to those who teach any thing besids that which he hath taught therefore nothing is to be receiued or belieued but Scripture Our Aduersaries haue this place of the Apostle often in their mouthes wherefore it shal be examined more exactly We answere therfore that our Aduersaries do erre heere for two reasons first because our whole controuersy is of the written word of God but in these words there is no mention made of the writteÌ„ word or of Scripture but only of the word preached and deliuered viua voce to the Galathians by S. Paul And hence it is that S. Augustine farre otherwise then our Aduersaries disputing against the Donatists proueth by these words of the Apostle that we are bound to admit and belieue the Traditions of the Church as for exaÌ„ple that those who are once orderly and lawfully christened by Heretiks are not to be baptized againe And well truly for that which is viua voce deliuered is a Tradition and not Scripture Moreouer if the Scripture only conteyned expressely all the poynts of fayth the Apostle would rather haue proposed the Scripture as the rule of faith then his owne preaching seing that the Scripture is manifestly well knowne to all Nations but his owne preaching to the Galathians only But our Aduersaries vrge againe and say that all that which the Apostle preached to the Galathians was written eyther before that tyme or afterward by S. Paul and the other Apostles they say this but they proue it not For this is