containe in them all doctrine needfull to saluation whether it concerne faith or maners and acknowledge no Traditions for such as hee who beleeueth them not cannot be saued Before wee come to the Protestants reasons against Traditions obserue that we deuide Traditions into three sorts The first we tearmed Diuine because they were deliuered by our blessed Sauiour who is God The second Apostolicall as deliuered by the holy Apostles The third Ecclesiasticall instituted and deliuered by the Gouernours of the Church after the Apostles daies And of these three kindes of Traditions we make the same account as of the writings of the same Authors to wit we esteeme no lesse of our Sauiours Traditions than of the soure Gospels or any thing immediatly dictated from the holy Ghost Likewise asmuch honor credit do we giue vnto the Apostles doctrine vnwritten as writtē For incke paper brought no new holines nor gaue any force and vertue vnto either Gods on the Apostles words but they were of the same value and credit vttered by word of mouth as if they had bene written Here the question is principally of diuine Traditions which we hold to be necessarie to saluation to resolue determine many matters of greater difficultie For we deny not but that some such principall poynts of our Faith which the simple are bounde to beleeue vnder paine of damnation may bee gathered out of the holie Scriptures as for example that God is the Creator of the world Christ the Redeemer of the world the Holy Ghost the Sanctifier and other such like Articles of the Creede M. P. goeth about to prooue by these reasons following that the Scriptures containes all matter of beleefe necessary to saluation Testimonie * Deut. 4.2 Thou shalt not adde to the words that I command thee nor take any thing there from Therefore the written worde is sufficient for all doctrine pertaining to saluation If it be saide that this is spoken as well of the vn-written as written worde for there is no mention in the texte of the written worde then M. P. addeth that it must bee vnderstood of the written worde onely because these wordes are as a certaine preface set before a long Comentarie made vpon the written Law ANSWERE Let the words be set where you will they must not bee wrested beyond their proper signifycation The words cited signifie no more then that wee must not either by addition or subtraction change or peruert Gods commandements whether they be written or vnwritten Now to infer that because they areas a preface vnto MOSES Law that therfore nothing must be added vnto the same Law is extreame dotage Why then were the bookes of the Old Testament written afterward if God had forbidden any more to be written or taught besides that one booke of Deuteronomy Shall we thinke that none of the Prophets that liued and wrote many volumes after this had not read these words or that they either vnderstood them not or that vnderstanding them well did wilfullie transgresse against them one of these the Protestants must needes defend or else for very shame surcease the alleadging of this text for the all-sufficiencie of the written word M. P. His testimonie * Esa 8.2 ◠To the Law and testimonie if they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Here the Prophet teacheth saith M. P. What is to be done in cases of difficultly men must not runne to the Wizardes and Soothsayers but to the Lawe and to the Testimonie commending the written word as sufficient to resolue all doubts whatsoeuer ANSWERE By the Lawe and testimonie in that place the fiue bookes of MOSES are to bee vnderstood if that written Worde bee sufficient to resolue all doubts what-so-euer What neede wee then the Prophets what neede wee the Euangelists and the Epistles of the Apostles What Wizarde would haue reasoned in such sorte The Prophet willeth there that the Israelites who wanted wit to discerne whether it be better to flie vnto God for councell than vnto Wizardes and Sooth-sayers to see what is written in the Lawe of MOSES concerning that poynt of consulting-Wizards which is there plainely forbidden in diuerse places Now out of one particular case whereof there is expresse mention in the written worde to conclude that all doubts and scruples whatsoeuer are thereby to be decided is a most vnskilfull parte arguing as great want of light in him as was in those blinde Israelites 3. Testimonie * Iohn 20.31 These things were written that ye might beleue that IESVS is the CHRIST and in beleeuing might haue life euerlasting Here is set down the full end of the Gospell that is to bring men to faith and consequently to saluation to which the whole scripture alone is sufficient without Traditions ANSWERE Here are more faults than lines First the text is craftily mangled Things being put insteede of Miracles For S. IOHN sayeth Many other Miracles CHRIST did c. but these were written c. Secondly S. IOHN sayth not that for faith we shall be saued but beleeuing we should haue saluation in his name which hee clipped off thirdly remember to what faith S. IOHN ascribes the meanes of our saluation not to that whereby we applie vnto our selues Christs righteousnes but by which we beleeue IESVS to be CHRIST the MESSIAS of the Iewes and the Sonne of God which M. P. also concealed Now to the present matter S. IOHN saith that these miracles recorded in his Gospell were written that wee might beleeue IESVS to bee the Sonne of God and beleeuing haue saluation in his name c. Therefore the written word containes all doctrine necessarie to saluation ANSWERE S. IOHN speakes not a word of doctrine but of myracles and therefore to conclude sufficiencie of doctrine out of him is not to care what one sayeth But M. P. sore-seeing this sayeth it cannot be vnderstood of miracles onely for miracles without the doctrine of CHRIST can bring no man to life euerlasting True and therefore that texte speaking onely of myracles prooueth nothing for the sufficiencie of the written Worde CHRISTS miracles were sufficient to prooue him to bee the Sonne of GOD and their MESSIAS But that prooueth not Saincte IOHNS Gospel to containe al Doctrine needful to saluation For many other poynts of faith must be beleeued also And if it alone be sufficient what neede we the other three Gospelles the Actes of the Apostles or any of their Epistles or the same S. IOHNS Reuelations Finallie admit that S. IOHNS Gospell were all-sufficient yet should not Traditions be excluded for Christ sayeth in it in plaine tearmes * Ioh. 16. that he had much more to saye vnto his Apostles but they as then being not able to be are it he reserued that to be deliuered vnto them afterward of which high mysteries S. IOHN recordeth not much in his Gospell after Christs resurrection and so many of them must needes be deliuered by
giuen any credit vnto the Apostles doctrine vnlesse by S. PETER and the other Apostles it had bene first examined and approoued * Tertal li. 4. in M rc Hierom. ep 89. que est 11. inter ep Augustinâ— August lib 28. cont faâ—st c. 4 Againe when there arose a most dangerous question of Abrogating MOSES Lawe Was it left to euerie Christian to decide by the written Worde Or would many of the faithful beleeue S. PAVL that worthie Apostle in the matter Not so but vp they went to Ierusalem to heare what the Pillers of the Church would saye Where by the decree of the Apostles in counsell the controuersie was ended Which S. PAVL afterward deliuered in his Preaching commanding all to obserue and keepe the decree and ordinance of the Apostles * Act. 16. And if it would not be tedious I could in like maner shew how in like sort euery hundreth yeere after errors and heresies rising by misconstruction of the written Word they were confuted and rejected not by the written Worde onely but by the sentence and declaration of the Apostles Schollers and successors See Cardinall BELLARMINE * Tom. 1 lib 3. cap 6 I will onely recorde two noble examples of this recourse vnto Antiquitie for the true sense of Gods word The first out of the Ecclesiasticall Historie * Lib. 11. cap. 9 whereof Saint GREGORY NAZIANZEN and Saint BASIL two principall lights of the Greeke Church this is recorded They were both noble men brought vp together at Athens And afterwarde for thirteene yeeres space laying aside all profaine bookes imployed their studie wholie in the holy Scriptures The sense and true meaning whereof they sought not out of their owne Iudgement and presumption as the Protestants both doe and teach others to doe but out of their Predecessors writings and authoritie namelie of such as were knowen to haue receiued the rule of vnderstanding from the Tradition of the Apostles These be the verie wordes The other example shall be the principall pillar of the Latine Church S. AVGVSTINE who not only exhorteth aduiseth vs to follow the decree of the auncient Church if we will not be deceiued with the obscuritie of doubtful questions * Lib. cont Crescon cap. 33. but plainely affirmeth That he would not beleeue the Gospel if the authoritie of the Church did not mooue him vnto it * Cont. ep fund c. 5. Which words are not to be vnderstood as Caluin would haue them that S. AVGVSTINE had not bene at first a Christian if by the authoritie of the Church hee had not bene thereunto perswaded but that when he was a learned and Iudicious Doctor and did write against Heretikes euen then he would not beleeue these bookes of the Gospell to haue bene penned by diuine inspiration and no others and this to be the true sense of them vnlesse the Catholike Church famous then for antiquitie generallity and consent did tell him which and what they were So farre was he off from trusting to his owne skill and judgement in this matter which notwithstanding was most excellent This matter is so large that it requireth a whole question but being penned vp within the compasse of one objection I will not dwell any longer in it but here fold-vp this whole question of Traditions in the authorities of the auncient Fathers out of whom because I haue in answering M. P. and else-where as occasion serued cited alreadie many sentences I will here be briefe S. IGNATIVS the Apostles Scholler doth exhort all Christians * Euseb lib 30.36 To sticke fast vnto the Traditions of the Apostles some of which he committed to writing POLICARPVS by the authoritie of the Apostles words which he had receiued from their owne mouthes confirmed the faith full in trueth and ouerthrew the Heretikes * Ibid. lib 5 cap. 20. S. IRENEVS who imprinted in his heart Apostolicall Traditions receiued from POLICARP sayeth * If there should be a controuersie about any meane question ought wee not to runne vnto the most auncient Churches in the which the Apostles had conuersed and from them take that which is cleere and perspicuous to define the present question For what if the Apostles had not written any thing at all must we not haue followed the order of Traditions which they deliuered to them to whom they deliuered the Churches ORIGEN teacheth that the Church receiued from the Apostles by Tradition to baptize Infants * Rom. 6 ATHANASIVS sayeth e Lib. de decret Nâ—caeni conâ— We haue prooued this sentence to haue bene deliuered from hand to hand by Fathers to Fathers but ye O new Iewes and sonnes of Caiphas what Auncestors can ye shew of your opinion S. BASIL hath these words * De Spâ— Sanct. c. 2 We haue the doctrine that is kept and preached in the Church partly written and part we haue receiued by Tradition of the Apostles in mysterie both which be of the same force to godlinesse and no man opposeth against these who hath at the least but meane experience of the Lawes of the Church See GREGORY NAZIANZ Orat. 1. in Iulian. Because I haue cited alreadie some of the Latine Auncient Doctors Insteede of the rest I will recorde out of them in a worde or two how olde rotten Heretikes vsed alwaies to reject vnwritten Traditions and flie wholy vnto the written worde See the whole booke of TERTVLLIANS prescriptions against Heretikes which principally handleth this verie poynt The same doth IRENEVS witnesse of the Valentinians and Marcionis * Lib. 3. c. 2 The Arrians common song vnto the Catholikes was I will not admit to be read any words that are not written in the Scriptures as witnesseth S. HILARY in his booke against CONSTANTIVS the Emperour against whom he alleadgeth the preaching of the Apostles and the authoritie of the auncient Bishops expressed in his liuely colours S. AVGVSTINE some thousand two hundreth yeeres agoe recordeth the very forme of arguing which the Protestants vse now-a-daies in the person of Maximinus an Arrian in his first booke against him in the beginning If thou shalt saith this Heretike bring any thing out of the Scriptures which is common to all wee must needes heere thee but these wordes which are without the Scriptures are in no sorte to bee receiued of vs when as the Lorde himselfe hath admonished vs and said in vaine doe they worship me teaching commandements and precepts of men How S. AVGVSTINE opposed against them vnwritten Traditions hath ben afore declared The like doth S. BERNARD affirme of certaine Heretikes of his time called * Hom. 62 Cantica Apostolici So that most truely it may be concluded that euen as we Catholikes haue learned of the Apostles and auncient Fathers our noble progenitors to stand fast and hold the Traditions which we haue receiued by worde of mouth aswell as that which is written Euen so the Protestants haue receiued as it were from hand to hand of their
this wee must beleeue that there is nothing else which wee may beleeue ANSWERE By the Gospell there is vnderstood all our Christian doctrine written and vnwritten and not onelie the written worde of the foure Euangelists else wee should not beleeue the Actes of the Apostles or their Epistles no more than Traditions which Christian doctrine written and vnwritten we onely beleeue by diuine faith to all other Authors we giue such credit as their writings do deserue If anie man desire to see TERTVLLIANS judgement of Traditions let him read his booke of prescriptions against Heretikes where he auerreth that Traditions serue better than the Scriptures themselues to confute all Heresies Heretikes alwaies either not allowing all the bookes of Scripture or else peruerting the sense and meaning of the Scriptures And in his booke De Corona militis he formallie proposeth this question Whether Traditions vnwritten are to be admitted or no and answereth by manie instances that they must be receiued concluding thus For these and the like poynts if thou require law out of the Scriptures thou shalt finde none but Tradition is alleadged to be the Author of them Custome the confirmer and Faith the obseruer So that nothing is more certaine than that TERTVLLIAN thought vnwritten Traditions necessarie to be beleeued Come we now vnto his second testimonie out of S. IEROM * In cap. 23 Mat. who writing as he saith of an opinion that S. IOHN Baptist was killed because he foretold the comming of Christ the good-man would saye ZACHARIE S. IOHNS Father for the Scripture sheweth plainely why S. IOHN lost his head * Mat. 14 But S. IEROM there sayeth this Because it hath not authoritie from Scriptures may as easelie be contemned as approoued But of which particular M. P. shewing himselfe a doughtie Logician would inforce an vniuersall that sorsooth all may be contemned that is not proued by Scripture As if you would prooue no Protestant to bee skilfull in the art of true reasoning because M. P. behaues himselfe in it so vnskilfully But S. IEROM in the same place declareth why that might be as easely reprooued as allowed not hauing anie ground in the Scripture because saith he It is taken out of the dreames of some Apocryphall writings opposing Scripture to other improoued writings and not to approoued Traditions to which hee saith in his Dialogues against the Luciferians before the middle That the Church of God doth attribute the like authoritie as it doth vnto the written Law M. P. His third Author is S. AVGVSTINE * Lib. 2. de doct Chri. cap. 9. In those things which are plainely set downe in Scriptures are found all those poynts which containe faith and maners of liuing well ANSWERE All things necessarie to be beleeued of euerie simple Christian vnder paine of damnation that is the Articles of our Beleefe are contayned in the Scriptures but not the resolution of harder matters much lesse of all difficulties which the more learned must expressely beleeue if they will be saued which distinction S. AVGVSTINE else-where doth signifie * De peccatorū meritis cap. vlt. And is gathered out of manie other places of his workes as in that matter of rebaptizing them who became Catholikes after they had bene baptized by Heretikes He saith * Lib. 5. de bapt contra Donat. cap. 23. The Apostles truely haue commanded nothing hereof in their writings but that custome which was layed against S. CYPRIAN is to bee beleeued to haue flowed from an Apostolicall tradition as there be many things which the vniuersall Church holdeth and therefore are to be beleeued The same saith he of the custome of the Church in Baptizing infants * De genes ad litra lib. 10. cap. 23. And in his Epist 174. of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is not in the holy Scripture and yet neuerthelesse is defended to be vsed in the assertion of faith As also saieth he we neuer read in those bookes that the Father is vnbegotten and yet wee hold that he is so to be called * Lib. 3. cap 3. cont max Arianum And S. AVGVSTINE holdes that the holie Ghost is to be adored though it be not written in the word The like of the perpetuall Virginitie of our B. Ladie * Haeresi 4. out of which and many more such like we gather most manifestlie that S. AVGVSTINE thought many matters of faith not to be contayned in the written worde but to be taken out of the Churches treasurie of Traditions M. P. His last testimonie is taken out of Vincentius Lirinensis who sayth as he reporteth that the Canon of the Scripture is perfecte and fullie sufficient for all things ANSWERE I thinke that there is no such sentence to be found in him he saies by way of objection What neede we make recourse vnto the authoritie of the Ecclesiasticall vnderstanding if the Canon of the Scripture be perfect Hee affirmeth not that they be fullie sufficient to determine all controuersies in religion but throughout all his booke he prooues the cleane contrarie that no heresie can be certainelie confuted and suppressed by only Scriptures without we take with it the sense and interpretation of the Catholike Church Thus M. P. hauing ended with the Law Testimonie addeth in a postscript two other slender reasons vnto his former The first that Christ and his Apostles vsed alwaies to confirme their doctrine with the testimonies of Scriptures and not with Tradition ANSWERE Fist for our Sauiour CHRIST IESVS he out of his diuine wisdome deliuered his doctrine most commonly in his owne name But I saye vnto you And verie seldome confirmeth it with any testimonie out of the Law The Euangelists do often note how CHRIST fulfilled the old prophecies but neuer or very seldome seeke to confirme his doctrine by testimonies their owne they doe sometimes but to saye they neuer wrote any thinge out of Tradition proceedes of most grosse ignorance Where had Saint MATHEVV the adoring of the Sages S. IOHN Baptists preaching briefelie that was done before his owne conuersion but by Tradition S. MARK wrote the most part of his Gospell out of Tradition receiued from S. PETER as witnesseth EVSEBIVS * Lib. 2. hist cap. 14. S. LVLE testifyeth of himselfe that he wrote his whole Gospell * Cap. 1. as he had receiued it by Tradition from them who were eye-witnesses What desperate carelesnesse was it then to affirme that the Apostles neuer vsed Tradition to confirme any doctrine when some of them built not onely parcels but their whole Gospels vpon Traditions His other reason is that if we beleeue vnwritten Traditions were necessarie to saluation then we must aswell beleeue the writings of the auncient Fathers as the writings of the Apostles because Apostolicall Traditions are not else-where to be sound but in their bookes but that were absurde for they might erre ANSWERE That doth not follow for three causes First Apostolicall Traditions are aswel kept in
bookes of holy Scripture put together do contayne all necessary instruction Now then the argument followeth but some of those bookes of holy Scripture haue bene lost therefore some poynts of necessarie doctrine contayned in them are not extant in the written worde and consequently to be learned by Tradition M. P. answereth First supposing some of the bookes to be lost that all needfull doctrine which was in them is in some of the others preserued But why did he not solue the Argument proposed were then those bookes supersluous Doth the Holie Ghost set men to pen needelesse discourses which this answere supposeth Therefore he giues a second more shamefull that none be perished which is most contrary vnto the plaine Scriptures * 1. Paral. vlt. 2. Paral 9. as S. IOHN CHRYSOSTOM prooueth * Hom. 9. in Mat. E◠Hom. 7. in priorem ad Corinth where he hath these expresse words That many of the Propheticall bookes are lost may be prooued out of the historie of Paralipomeneon which they translate Cronicles Now as for M. P. gesses that some of them are yet extant but otherwise called some were but little rolles of Paper some profane and of Philosophie I holde them not worth the discussing beeing not much pertinent and avowed one in word onely without either any reason or authoritie M. P. His fourth objection of the Jewish Cabala is a meere dreame of his owne our Argument is this MOSES who was the Pen-man of the Olde Law committed not all to writing but deliuered certaine poynts needefull to saluation by Tradition nor any Law-maker that euer was in any Countrey comprehended al in letters but established many things by customes therefore not likelie that our Christian law should be all written That MOSES did not pen all thus we prooue It was as necessarie for women to be deliuered from Originall sinne as men Circumcision the remedie for men could not possible be applyed to women as euery one who knoweth what circumcision is can tell neither is there any other remedie prouided in the written law to deliuer women from that sinne Therefore some other remedie for them was deliuered by Tradition Item if the Childe were likely to die before the eight daie there was remedie for them as the most learned doe hold yet no where written in the Law Also many Gentils during that state of the Old Testament were saued as IOB and many such like according to the opinion of all the auncient Fathers yet in the Law or any other part of the Old Testament it is not written what they had to beleeue or how they should liue wherefore many things needefull to saluation were then deliuered by Tradition To that reason of his that God in his prouidence should not permit such a losse of any parte of the Scripture I answere that God permitteth much euill Againe no great losse in that according to our opinion who hold that Tradition might preserue what was then lost Now insteede of M. P. his fift reason for vs of milke and stronge meate wishing him a Messe of Pappe for his childish proposing of it I will set downe some authorities out of the written word in proofe of Traditions Our Sauiour said being at the point of his passiō * Ioh. 16.12 that he had many things to say vnto his Apostles but they could not as then beare them * Act. 10. Our Sauiour after his resurrection appeared often vnto his Disciples speaking with them of the kingdome of God of which little is written in any of the Euangelists * 1. Cor. 11 I commende you brethren that you remember me in all things and keepe the Traditions euen as I haue deliuered them to you * 1 Tim. 6. O TIMOTHY keepe the dispositum that is true which I deliuered thee to keepe * 2. Tim. 1 Hold fast by the holy ghost the good things committed vnto thee to keepe which was as S. CHRISOSTOM and THEOPHILACT expounde the true doctrine of CHRIST the true sence of holy Scriptures the right administration of the Sacramentes and gouernment of the Church To which alludeth that auncient holy Martir S. IRENEVS * Lib. 3. c. 4 saying that the Apostles layd vp in the Catholike Church as in a rich treasurie all things that belong to the trueth S. IOHN who was the last of the Apostles left aliue said * Epi. 3.13 that hee had many other things to write not idle or superfluous but would not commit them to inke and pen but referred them to be deliuered by word of mouth And to specifie for example sake some two or three poynts of greatest importance where is it written that our Sauiour the Sonne of God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of the same substance with his father Where is it written that the Holy Ghost proceedeth from the Sonne aswell as from the Father Where is it written that there is a Trinitie that is three persons reallie distincte in one and the very same substance And that there is in our Sauiour CHRIST IESVS no person of man but the substance of God man subsisting in the second person of the Trinitie Be not all and euerie of these principall articles of the Christian faith and most necessarie to be beleeued of the learned and yet not one of them in expresse tearmes written in any parte of the holie Bible Wherefore wee must either admit Traditions or leaue the highest mysteries of our Christian faith vnto the discretion and courtesie of euerie wrangler as shal be more declared in the argument following The sixt and last reason for Traditions Sundrie places of holy Scriptures be hard to be vnderstood others doubtfull whether they must be taken liberally or figuratiuely If then it be put to euery Christian to take his owne exposition euery seueral sect will coyne interpretations in fauour of their own opinions so shal the word of God ordayned only to teach vs the trueth be abused and made an Instrument to confirme all errors To auoide which inconuenience considerate men haue recourse vnto the Traditions and auncient Records of the Primitiue Church receiued from the Apostles and deliuered to the posteritie as the true copies of Gods word see the true Exposition and sense of it and thereby confute and reject all priuate and new glosses which agree not with those auncient and holy Comentaries So that for the vnderstanding of both difficult and doubtfull texts of Scripture Traditions are most necessarie M. P. His answere is that there is no such neede of them but in doubtfull places the Scripture it selfe is the best glosse If there be obserued first the analogie of faith which is the summe of religion gathered out of the cleerest places Secondly the circumstance of the place and the nature and signifycation of the wordes Thirdly the conference of place with place and concludeth that the Scripture is falsely tearmed the matter of strife it being not so of it selfe but by the
Because it is to long for an Epistle I reserue it to the booke it selfe for the points it handleth and will here briefly note out of it some such old reproued errors that the Protestants doe reuiue receiue and avowe as the very sinnewes of their Gospell Martin Luther the ring-leader of the newe pretended reformation layeth for the ground-worke of his Religion That man is iustified by only faith and in this he is applauded and followed of all Protestants and yet as testifieth the most sound witnes of antiquity Au de side operibus ca. 14. S. Augustine that only faith is sufficient to Saluation was an error sprong vp in the Apostles dayes against which the Catholike Epistles of S. Peter and S. Iames and S. Iohn were principally directed And the authour of that error was that infamous Sorcerer Simon Magus Cap. 20. as the blessed Martir Ireneus hath recorded in his first booke against heresies Test Socr. ib. 1. hist cap. 17. S. Hier. pref lib. cont Pela S. Aug. de fide cont Manich. Epiph. her 64. PERKIN Pag. 29. Aug. retra lib. 2 c 22. here 82. PERKIN Pag. 163. An other principall piller of Fryer Luthers Religion consisteth in Deniall of free will wherein he jumpeth with the old rotten heretike Manes of whome the Manicheans were named One Proclus an erronyous Origenist taught that sinne was not taken away in Baptisme but only couered as is recorded by that holy man and auncient Father Epiphanius M. PERKINS in the name of Church of England affirmeth in like manner the originall sinne remayneth still and raigneth in the regenerate albeit it is not imputed vnto them Iouinian was accounted a Monster by S. Augustine for defending honest Marriage to be of equall vertue and meritte with chaste Virginity and saith further that this heresie was so sottish fleshly that it could not deceiue any one learned Priest but only some few simple carnall women Yet this our English champion blusheth not to affirme that marriage is not only equall but better also in diuers respects then Virginity The same olde reprobate heretike barked also against approued feasts and fasting dayes so doe most of our Ministers at this time Vigilantius was sharpely reproued by Saint Hierome in a booke written against him and hath beene euer since vnto this day esteemed a wicked hereticke for denying prayer to Saintes and honour to be donne vnto their Relikes And yet what pointe of Doctrine is more currant among the Protestants then this In like sorte one Aerius to the Arrian heresie added this of his owne That we must not pray for the soules of our friendes departed Aug. ad q. vult heres 53. as S. Augustine hath registred And doe not all Protestants embrace and earnestly defend the same A common custome it was of the Arrians and of other more auncient heretikes to reject all Traditions and to rely only vppon the written word Lib. 3. c. 20 Lib 1. con Maximinu as testifieth S. Ireneus and S. Augustine Doe not ours the same rejecting all Traditions as Mans Inuention Xenaias a Barbarous Persian indeed yet in shew a counterfeited Christian is noted for one of the first among Christians that inueyed against the Images of Saintes and the worship donne by true Christians vnto them Niceph li. 10. cap. 27. as both Nicephorus and Cedrenus in compendio doe recorde The reprobate Iewes indeede before him and after euen vntill this day the miscreant Turkes enemies of all Christianity doe dwell still in the same error And yet is not this most vehemently auerred by our Protestants and all Caluinists although they cannot denie but that aboue 900. yeares agoe in the second generall Councell holden at Nice they are by the consent of the best and most learned of the world for euer accursed that doe denie reuerence and worshippe to be giuen vnto the Images of Saintes I will omitte sundrie other heades of the Protestants Religion by all approued antiquity reproued and condemned that I passe not the boundes of an Epistle and seeme ouer tedious vnto your Majestie Especially considering that these are sufficient to conuince that those points wherein the Protestants affirme the present Church of Rome to haue so farre degenerate from the auncient are the very essentiall partes of faith then maintayned by the Romans And the contrary opinions nothing else but wicked heresies of old inuented and obstinately helde against the same Roman See euen as they are nowe in our time and of old also condemned by the same Church in her most flourishing and best estate Wherefore your most excellent Majestie being resolute in that singular good opinion that no Church ought farther to depart from the Church of Rome then shee is departed from her selfe in her flourishing estate must needes recall the Church of England from such extrauagant opinions to joyne with the Roman church in the aforesaid articles which shee in her best time helde for partes of pure faith And in all others also which they cannot directly proue in a lawfull disputation before your Majestie to haue beene altered by her particularly naming the point of Doctrine the author of the chaunge the time and place where when he liued who followed him who resisted him and such other like circumstances which all be easely shewed in euery such reuolte or innouation because the vigilant care of the Pastors of Christes flocke haue bin alwaies so great as no such thinges could be vnknowne let slippe or vnrecorded Thus much for my first reason collected from the vntruth of the Protestants religion The second shall be grounded vpon the vngodlines of it where I will let passe that high point of impiety that they make God who is goodnes it selfe the author of all wicked actions donne in the world And will besides say nothing of that their blasphemie against our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST that he ouercome with the paynes of his passion vpon the Crosse did doubt if not dispaire of his owne saluation being vnwilling to touch any other pointes then such as are afterwardes discussed in this booke The triumphant Citizens of heauen who enjoy the presence of God and happiest life that can be imagined are by Protestants disdaynefullie termed Deadmen and esteemed neither to haue credit with God to obtaine any thing nor any care or compassion on men among whom they once liued and conuersed so kindly And as for the poore soules departed who in Purgatory fire pay deare for their former delightes and pleasures they depriue them of all humane succour by teaching the world to beleeue that there is no such matter Concerning vs Christians yet liuing on earth there is no lesse impyetie in their opinions For they teach that the best Christian is no better in effect then a whited Sepulchre being inwardly full of all wickednes and mischiefe and onlie by an outwarde imputation of Christes righteousnes vnto them are accepted of God for just To thinke that there is
that he when he commendeth grace denyeth free will Lib. 4. con Iul. c. 8. Much lesse would I say that which thou lyingly dost affirme me to say free will to be denied if grace be commended or grace to be denied if free will be commended Nowe in fewe wordes I will passe ouer the objections which he frameth in our names But misapplieth them First Obiection That man can doe good by nature as giue almes doe Iustice speake the truth c. And therefore will them without the helpe of grace This argument we vse to proue libertie of will in ciuill and morall matters euen in the corrupted state of man and it doth demonstrate it and M. PERKINS in his third cōclusion doth graunt it And his answere here is farre from the purpose for albeit saith he touching the substance of the worke it be good yet it faileth both in the beginning because it proceedes not from a pure hart and a faith vnfeigned and also in the end which is not the glory of God Answere It faileth neither in the one nor other for that almes may issue out of a true naturall compassion which is a sufficient good fountayne to make a worke morally good faith and grace to purge the hart are necessary only for good and meritorious workes Againe being done to relieue the poore mans necessity GOD his Creator and Master is thereby glorified And so albeit the man thought not of GOD in particuler yet GOD being the finall end of all good any good action of it selfe is directed towardes him when the man putteth no other contrary end thereunto 2. Obiection God hath commaunded all to beleeue and repent therefore they haue naturall free will by vertue whereof being helped by the spirit of God they can beleeue The force of the argument consisteth in this that GOD being a good Lord will not commaund any man to doe that which he is no way able to doe Ans M. PERKINS answereth in effect for his wordes be obscure that GOD commaundeth that which we be not able to performe but that which we should doe Then I hope he will admitte that he will enable vs by his grace to doe it or else how should we doe it God surely doth not bind vs by commaundement to any impossible thing he is no tyrant but telleth vs that his yoke is sweete and his burthen easie Mat. 11. And S. Iohn witnesseth that his commaundements are not heauy Ioh. 5. He was farre off from thinking that GOD would tie any man by lawe to doe that which he was altogether vnable to performe This in the end M. PERKINS himselfe approueth 3. Ob. If man haue no free wil to sin or not to sin then no man is to be punished for his sinnes because he sinneth by a necessitie not to be auoyded He answereth that the reason is not good for though man cannot but sinne yet is the fault in himselfe and therefore is to be punished Against which I say that this answere supposeth that which is false to wit that a man in sinne cannot choose but sinne For by the helpe of God who desireth all sinners conuersion 1. Pet. 3. and thereunto affordeth grace sufficient a sinner in a moment may call for grace and repent him and so choose whether he will sinne or no and consequently hath free wil to sin or not to sin And that example of a bankerupt is not to purpose for he cannot when he will satisfie his creditours who content not themselues with his repentance without repay of their money as God doth Nowe concerning the force of this argument heare Saint Augustines opinion De duab animab contr Manich. in these wordes Neither are wee here to search obscure books to learne that no man is worthy of disprayse or punishment which doeth not that which he cannot doe for saith he doe not shepheardes vpon the downes sing these thinges doe not poetes vpon the stages acte them Doe not the vnlearned in their assemblies and the learned in their libraries acknowledge them Doe not maisters in the scholes Prelats in the pulpits finally al mankind throughout the whole world confesse and teach this to wit that no man is to be punished because he did that which he could not choose but doe Should he not then according to S. Augustines censure be hissed out of all honest companie of men that denieth this so manifest a truth confessed by all Mankinde How grosse is this heresie that so hoodeth a man and hardneth him that be he learned yet he blusheth not to deny roundly that which is so euident in reason that euen naturall sence doth teach it vnto sheepheards God of his infinite mercie deliuer vs from this straunge light of the newe Gospell CHAPTER 2. OF ORIGINALL SINNE OVR CONSENTS M. PERKINS FIRST CONCLVSION Pag. 28. THEY say naturall corruption after Baptisme is abolissed and so say we but let vs see how farre forth it is abolissed In originall sinne are three thinges First the punishment which is the first and second death second guiltines which is the binding vp of the creature vnto punishment third the fault or the offending of God vnder which I comprehend our guiltines in Adams first offence as also the corruption of the hart which is a naturall inclination and pronesse to any thing that is euill or against the law of God For first we say that after Baptisme in the regenerate the punishment of Originall sinne is taken away Rom. 8.1 For there is no condemnation saith the Apostle to them that are in CHRIST IESVS For the second that is guiltines we further condescend and say that it is also taken away in them that are borne anewe For considering there is no condemnation to them there is nothing to binde them to punishment Yet this caueat must be remembred namely that the guiltines is remoued from the person regenerate but not from the sinne in the person But of this more hereafter Thirdly the guilt in Adams first offence is pardoned And touching the corruption of the hart I auouch two thinges First that the very power and strength whereby it raigneth in man is taken away in the regenerate Secondly that this corruption is abolished as also the fault of euerie actuall sinne past So farre forth as it is the fault and sinne of the man in whome it is In deede it remaines till death and it is sinne considered in it selfe so long as it remaines but it is not imputed to the person And in that respect is as though it were not it being pardoned Hitherto M. PER. Annotations vpon our Consent First we say not that the punishment of Originall sinne is in it or any part of it but rather a due correction and as it were an expulsion of it this is but a peccadilio but there lurketh a Serpent in that caueat that the guiltines of Originall sinne is remoued from the person regenerate but not from the sinne in the
Tradition vnwritten This place of S. IOHN M. P. patcheth vp with an other of S. PAVL * Gal. 1. ◠If we or an Angell from heauen preache vnto you any thing besides that which wee haue preached let him be accursed And to this effect he blames them that taught but a diuers doctrine to that which he had taught * 1. Tim. 1.3 ANSWERE Now wee must looke vnto this Gentle-mans singers There were three corruptions in the text of S. IOHN here is one but it is a soule one In steed of Preaching vnto them an other Gospell he puts preach vnto them any other thing when there is great difference betweene an other Gospell any other thing The Gospel comprehendeth the principal poynts of faith the whole worke of Gods building in vs which S. PAVL like a wise Architect * 1. Cor. 3 12. had layd in the Galathians others his fellow-work-men might build vpon it gold siluer and pretious stones with great merit to themselues and thankes from S. PAVL Mary if any should digge vp that blessed and onely foundation and would laye a new one him S. PAVL holdeth for accursed So that that falcification of the text is intollerable and yet when all is done nothing can be wringed out of it to prooue the written word to comprehend all doctrine needefull to saluation for S. PAVL speaketh there onely of his Gospell that is of his preaching vnto the Galathians and not one worde of any written Gospel No more doth he in that place to TIMOTHY And so it is nothing to purpose The fourth Testimonie * 2. Tim. 3.16 The whole Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach to improoue to correct and to instruct to righteousnesse that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect vnto euery good worke In these words are contayned saith M. P. two arguments to prooue the sufficiencie of Scripture The first that which is profitable to these foure vses to teach al necessarie truth is not in the text to confute errors to correct faults in maners to instruct all men in all dutie is M. P. his addition to the text that is sufficient to saluation But the Scriptures serue for all these vses c. ANSWERE This text of holy Scripture is so farre from yeelding our aduersaries two Arguments that it affoordeth not so much as any probable colour of halfe one good argument In searching out the true sence of holy Scriptures wee must obserue diligently the nature proper signifycation of the words as M. P. also noteth out of S. AVGVSTINE in his sixt objection of this question which if the Protestants did here performe they would make no such account of this text for S. PAVL saith only that all Scripture is profitable not sufficient to teach to reproue c. How are they then carried away with their owne partiall affections that cannot discerne betweene profitable and sufficient Good Timber is profitable to the buylding of an house but it is not sufficient without stones morter a Carpenter Seede serues well yea is also necessarie to bring forth corne but will it suffice of it selfe without manuring of the ground and seasonable weather And to fit our purpose more properlie good lawes are verie profitable yea most expedient for the good gouernment of the common-wealth But are they sufficient without good customes good gouernours and judges to see the same Laws customs rightly vnderstood and duely executed Euen so the holy Scripturs S. PAVL affirmeth are very profitable as contayning very good necessary matter both to teach reproue correct but he saith not they are sufficient or that they do containe all doctrine needfull for these foure ends And therefore to argue out of S. PAVL that they are sufficient for all those purposes when he saieth onely that they are profitable to them is plainely not to know or not to care what a man saith And to presse such an impertinent cauil so often and so vehemently as the Protestants do is nothing els but to bewray vnto the indifferent reader either their extreame ignorance or most audacious impudencie that thinke they can face out any matter be it neuer so impertinent The same answere I make vnto M. P. his second argument out of the same place that the holy Scriptures bee profitable to make the man of God absolute but not sufficient I say more-ouer that M. P. doth falsely English these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the whole Scriptures when it signifyeth all Scripture that is euerie booke of Scripture and is there put to verifie that the Old Testament only serues to instruct to saluation For in the words next before S. PAVL sheweth how that TIMOTHY from his infancie had bene trayned vp in the knowledge of the holy Scriptures which saith he can instruct thee to saluation And annexeth as the confirmation thereof the Text cited All Scripture inspired of God is profitable to teach c. Now in TIMOTHYS infancie no parte of the New Testament was written and therefore all Scripture which is here put to prooue that Scripture which TIMOTHY in his Infancie knew cannot but by vnreasonable wresting signifie more than all the bookes of the Olde Testament So that there are three soule faultes in this the Protestants Achilles The first in falsification of the text that it might seeme to bee spoken of the whole which is spoken of euerie part The second in applying that which is spoken of the Olde Testament vnto both the Olde and New The third in making that to be all-sufficient which S. PAVL affirmeth onely to be profitable And this is all they can saye out of the Scripture to prooue that the written worde containes all doctrine needefull to saluation Where-upon I make this invincible argument against them out of this their owne position Nothing is necessarie to be beleeued but that which is written in holy Scripture But in no place of Scripture is it written that the written worde containes all doctrine needefull to saluation as hath bene prooued Therefore it is not necessarie to saluation to beleeue the written worde to containe all doctrine needefull to saluation And by the same principle I might reject all testimonie of Antiquitie as needelesse if the Scriptures be so al-sufficient as they hold Yet let vs here what testimonie M. P. brings out of antiquitie in fauour of his cause TERTVLLIAN * De resur carnis saith Take from Heretikes the opinions which they defend with the Heathens that they may desende their questions by Scripture alone and they cannot stand ANSWERE Here Scripture alone is opposed as euerie one may see vnto the writings of Heathen Authors and not to the Traditions of the Apostles and therefore maketh nothing against them Againe saieth M. P. out of the same Author We neede no curiositie after IESVS CHRIST nor inquisition after the Gospel when we beleeue it we desire to beleeue nothing besides it for
the minde of the learned as in the auncient Fathers writings and therefore haue more credit than the Fathers writings Secondly they are commonly recorded of more than one of the Fathers and so haue firmer testimonie than any one of their writings Thirdly if there should be any Apostolical Tradition related but of one auncient Father yet it should be of more credit than any other thing of his owne inuention because that was registred by him as a thing of more estimation And againe some of the rest of those blessed and godly personages would haue reprooued it as they did all other false-hoods if it had not bene such indeed as it was tearmed Which when they did not they gaue a secrete approbation of it for such and so that hath the interpretatiue consent at least of the learned of that age and the following for Apostolicall Tradition But M. P. prooues the contrarie by S. PAVL who sayeth * Act. 26.22 That I continue to this daye witnessing both to small and great saying no other thing then that which the Prophets and MOSES did say should come Why make you here a full poynt let S. PAVL make an ende of his speech and tell vs for what poynts of doctrine hee alleageth MOSES and the Prophets Marrie to prooue that CHRIST should suffer death and rise againe and that hee should giue light to the Gentils For these and such like which were euidently fore-tolde in holy writ hee needed not to alleage any other proofe but when hee was to perswade them to abandon MOSES Lawe he then deliuered to them the decrees of the Apostles and taught them to keepe them * Act. 16. As also when hee instructed the Corinthians in the Sacrament of the Altar he beginneth with Tradition saying * 1. Cor. 12 I deliuer vnto you as I haue receiued from our Lord not in writing but by word of mouth And in the same Chapter putteth downe the contentious scripturist with the custome of the Church saying If any man lust to striue we haue no such custome so that out of S. PAVL wee learne to alleadge Scriptures when they be plaine for vs and when they beare not so cleare with vs to pleade Tradition and the custome of the Church Hitherto I haue confuted what M. P. brought against Traditions Nowe to that which he saith for them in our behalfe First saith he the Catholikes alleage * 2 Thes 2.15 Where the Apostle bids the Church to keepe the Ordinances which he taught them either by word of mouth or by Epistle Hence they gather that besides the written worde there bee vnwritten Traditions that are necessarie to be kept and obeyed M. Perkens ANSWERE It is likely that this Epistle to the Thessalonians was the first that euer PAVL wrote to anie Church and then some-things needefull to saluation might de deliuered by word of mouth but that was afterwardes written in some others of his Epistles REPLIE OBserue first that insteede of Traditions according to the Greeke and Latine word they translate * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ordinances euer flying the word Tradition where any thing is spoken in commendation of them But if any thing sound against them then thrust they in the word Tradition although the Greeke word beare it not See for this their corruption and many other a learned Treatise named The Discouerie of false translations penned by Maister GREGORIE MARTIN a man most singulerly conuersant in the Greeke and Hebrue tongues Secondlie is it not plaine dotage to auouch that this seconde Epistle to the Thessalonians was the first that euer hee wrote Surely if none of his other were written before it yet his firste to the same Church muste needes haue bene written before it But let vs giue the man leaue to dreame some-times To the poynt of the answere that all was written after in some other of his Epistles which before had bene deliuered by word of mouth How prooueth M. P. that the man hath such confidence in his owne worde that hee goeth not once about to prooue it Good Sir hold you not here that nothing is needefull to be beleeued which is not written in the word Shew vs then where it is written in the word that Saint PAVL wrote in his later Epistles that which he taught by word of mouth before or else by your owne rule it is not needefull to beleeue it But yet for a more full satisfaction of the indifferent reader I will set downe the opinions of some of the auncientest and best Interpreters of this place of the Apostle that we may see whether they thought that S. PAVL committed all to writing and left nothing by Tradition S. CHRYSOSTOME in his most learned and eloquent Comentaries vpon this text concludeth thus Hereupon it is manifest that the Apostles deliuered not all in their Epistles but many things also vnwritten and those things are aswell to be beleeued as the written OECVMENIVS and THEOPHILACTVS vpon that place teache the same S. BASIL * De spu cap. 27. speaketh thus I hold it Apostolicall to perseuer in Traditions not written for the Apostle sayeth I commend you that ye are mindfull of my precepts and do hold the Traditions euen as I deliuered them vnto you and then alleageth this text Hold the Traditions which you haue receiued of mee either by Word or Epistle S. IOHN DAMASCEN accordeth with the former saying * Lib. 4. De fide cap. 17 That the Apostles deliuered many things without writing S. PAVL doth testifie when he writeth Therefore brethren stand and hold the Traditions which haue bene taught you either by word of mouth or by Epistle These holy and judicious expositors of S. PAVL free from all partialitie gather out of this text of his that many things necessarie to be beleeued euen vntil their daies remained vnwritten and were religiouslie obserued by Tradition which throweth flat to the ground M. P. his false supposition fenced with neither reason nor authotie that S. PAVL put in writing afterward all that he had first taught by word of mouth Moreouer S. PAVL immediatly before his death in one of the last of his Epistles commandeth his deare disciple TIMOTHY * 2. Tim. 2. To commend vnto the faithfull that which he heard of him by many witnesses not that only which he should finde written in some of his Epistles or in the written Gospell The second Argument for Traditions is this to beleeue that there be so many bookes of holy Scripture and no more and that those be they which are commonly taken so to be is very necessarie to saluation now this is not to be found written in any place of holy Scripture but is receiued onely by Tradition wherefore it is necessarie to saluation to beleeue some Tradition M. P. answereth that the bookes of the Old and New Testament be Scripture is not beleeued on bare Tradition but by the bookes themselues on this maner Let the man who
is indued with the spirit of discerning reade the bookes and consider first the Author of them who is God then the matter contained which is diuine the maner of speech which is full of majestie in simple words Lastly the end aymed at which is Gods honor and by this meanes he shall discerne any parte of Scripture from the writings of men whatsoeuer REPLIE A Wise and deepe obseruation I warrant you and well-worthy a graue Author Let vs examine it briefely first he wil haue his man endued with the spirit of discerning Who shall endue him with that spirit M. P. seemeth to say that euery Sheepe of Christ hath his spirite But S. PAVL * 1. Cor. 12 teacheth plainely the contrarie that some certaine onely haue the judgement to discerne And touching this matter of discerning which bookes are Canonicall which are not Not the learnedst in the Primitiue Church would take vpon him to discerne which they were three hundred yeeres after CHRIST was left vndefined by the best learned whether the Catholike Epistles of S. IAMES and IVDE the second of S. PETER the second and third of S. IOHN and his Apocalips were Canonical or no as is confessed on all parts hath then euery Christian this spirite of discerning when the best Christians wanted it Who more prosound more skilfull to discerne than that subtile and sharpe Doctor S. AVGVSTINE and yet the Protestants wil not allow him the true spirit of discerning which bookes be Canonicall For he in diuers places of his workes * De doct Christ c. 8 18. de ciui dei 36. lib. cont ep gaudent 2 holdeth the bookes of the Machabees to be Canonical Scriptures and expressely prooueth the booke of Wisdome so to be * De prae dest Sancâ— 14. And yet our Protestants wil not admit them See therefore how foolish and vaine his first rule is Come to the second His second is that he who goeth about to discerne whether the booke be Canonicall or no must consider the Author who is God If he must at the first take God to be the Author of the booke what needes any further labour It must needes be Canonicall that hath God for the Author This mans wits were surelie from home when he discoursed thus and therefore it should be but follie to stand vpon his particularities let this one reason in generall serue to confute him all this maner put together serueth onely to helpe particuler men to discerne which bookes are Canonicall who may easely after their diligent inquirie erre and be deceiued in this poynt because euery man is a lyar * Rom. And if there be no more certain means to assure them of this which is the grounde of all their Religion then euery particular mans discretion and judgement then out of doubt their whole Religion is most vnwisely buylded vpon meane-mens inuentions and discretion who also for the most part doe neither vnderstand the language in which they were first penned nor the vsuall phrases of Scriptures translated that I say nothing of the figures parables prophecies and controuersies which seeme to be and many other difficulties and yet these men need not doubt hauing learned some halfe-dozen-lines of M. P. but that reading anie booke they shall be able presentlie to discerne whether it be Canonicall or no. A goodly mockerie Men were not so taught in the Primitiue Church but the most skilfull and wisest in discerning Canonicall bookes trusted not vnto their owne judgement but learned alwaies vpon Apostolicall Traditions So did CERAPION an auncient holy writer as EVSEBIVS reporteth reject certaine bookes set out in the Apostles names because they had not receiued from their Predecessors any such The like doeth CLEMENT of Alexandria * Cap. 11. and that famous ORIGEN * Cap. 1â— of the same booke who obserue the Ecclesiasticall Canon as he had learned and receiued by Tradition So doth he deliuer his opinion of the foure Euangelistes and other bookes of Canonicall Scripture and not relying on his owne wit which was excellent or learning which was singuler in all manner of languages and matters That S. AVGVSTINE was of the same minde may bee gathered out of these wordes of his * Lib. 35 cap. 6. Contra Faustum Of what booke can there be any assurance if the letters which the Church propagated by the Apostles and by such excellencie declared throughout all Nations doeth teach and holde to be the Apostles should be vncertaine whither they be the Apostles or no. So that hee maketh the declaration of the Church descended of the Apostles to be a sure pillar to rest vpon for the certaine knowledge of Canonicall Scripture and other spirits whatsoeuer if they follow not that rule to be rejected so far is he off from encourageing euerie sheepe of Christs sold to take that weightie matter vpon himselfe as M. P. doth And what can be more against the most prudent prouidence of the diuine wisedome than to permit euery one to be a judge of the bookes of Canonicall Scripture For if all those bookes and no others should passe currant for Canonicall which any Christian taking vpon him the spirit of discerning would censure to be such then awaie with all the Olde Testament because diuers esteemed it to proceed of some euill spirites as witnesses Freueus * Lib. 1. ca. 20.21 22. and Ephiphanius * Haeres 6.6 Yea not onely all the Old must be abrogated but all the New also because it hath many false-hoodes mixed with the truth as some presuming greatly of their spirit skill in discerning did teach so testifyeth S. AVGVSTINE * Lib. 32. cap. 2. Cont. Faust Some would haue had but one of the soure Gospells some fiue some sixe some seauen some rejected all S. PAVLS Epistles Many and those of the faithfull did not admit for Canonicall some of the other Apostles Epistles nor the Reuelations If then the diuine sore-sight of our Sauiour had not preuented this most soule inconueniencie by instituting a more certaine meanes of discerning and declaring which bookes were penned by inspiration of the holy Ghost which not then by leauing it vnto euery mans discretion he might be thought to haue had but slender care of our saluation which euey true Christian hart doth abhorre to thinke and therefore we must needes admit of this most holy and prouident Tradition of them from hand to hand as among the Protestants Brentius doth in his Prologemenis also Kemnitius handling the second kinde of Traditions in his examination of the councell of Trent albeit they reject all other Traditions besides this one The two next arguments for Traditions bee not well propounded by M. P. The third is to be framed thus Either all the bookes of holy Scripture conteine all needfull doctrine to saluation or some certaine of them without the rest not some of them without the rest for then the other should be supersluous which no man holdeth therefore all the
abuse of man REPLIE To begin with his latter words because I must stand vpon the former Is the Scripture falsely tearmed matter of strife because it is not so of his owne nature why then is CHRIST truely called the stone of offence or no to them that beleeue not S. PETER sayeth Yes * 1. Pet. 2. No sayeth M. P. because that commeth not of Christ but of themselues But good Sir Christ is truely tearmed a stone of offence and the Scripture matter of strife albeit there be no cause in them of those faults but because it so falleth out by the malice of men The question is not wherefore it is so called but whether it be so called or no truely That which truely is may bee so called truely But the Scripture truely is matter of great contention euery obstinate Heretike vnderstanding them according to his owne fantasie and therefore may truely be so tearmed although it bee not the cause of contention in it selfe but written to take away all contention But to the capitall matter these three rules gathered out of Saint AVGVSTINE be good directions whereby sober and sound wits may much profite in studie of diuinitie if they neglect not other ordinarie helpes of good instructiors and learned Comentaries But to affirme that euerie Christian may by these meanes be inabled to iudge which is the true sense of any doubtfull or hard text is extreame rashnesse and meere folly S. AVGVSTINE himselfe well conuersant in these rules indued with a most happie wit and yet much bettered with the excellent knowledge of all the liberall Sciences yet he hauing most diligently studied the Holie Scriptures for more than thirtie yeares with the helpe also of the best Comentaries he could get and counsell of the most excusit yet he ingeniouslie confesseth That there were more places of Scripture that after all his studie he vnderstood not then which he did vnderstand * Ep. 119. cap. 21. And shall euery simple man furnished only with M. P. his three rules of not twise three lynes be able to dissolue any difficultie in them whatsoeuer Why doe the Lutherans to omit all former Heretiks vnderstand them in one sort the Caluenists after an other The Anabaptists a third way and so of other sects And in our owne Countrey how commeth it to passe that the Protestants finde one thing in the holy Scriptures the Puritans almost the cleane contrarie Why I say is there so great bitter and endlesse contention among brothers of the same spirit about the sense and meaning of Gods word If euery one might by the aide of those triuiall notes readily disclose all difficulties and assuredly boult out the certaine trueth of them It cannot be but most euident to men of any iudgement that the Scripture it selfe can neuer end any doubtful controuersie without there be admitted some certaine Iudge to declare what is the true meaning of it And it cannot but redound to the dishonour of our blessed Sauiour to say that he hath left a matter of such importance at randome and hath not prouided for his seruants an assured meane to attaine to the true vnderstanding of it If in matters of Temporal justice it should be permitted to euery contentious smatterer in the Lawe to expound and conster the groundes of the Lawe and statutes as it should seeme fittest in his wisedome and not be bounde to stande to the sentence and declaration of the Iudge what iniquitie should not be Lawe or when should there be any ende of any hard matter one Lawyer defending one part an other the other One counseller assuring on his certaine knowledge one partie to haue the right an other as certainely auerring not that but the contrarie to be Law both alleadging for their warrant some texts of Law What end and pacification of the parties could be deuised vnlesse the decision of the controuersie be committed vnto the definitiue sentence of some who should declare whether counsellor had argued justly and according to the true meaning of the Lawe none at all but bloudy debate and perpetuall conflict each persuing to get or keepe by force of armes that which his learned counsell auouched to be his owne To auoyde then such garboyles and intestiue contention there was neuer yet any Law-maker so simple but appoynted some gouernour and Iudge who should see the due obseruation of his Lawes and determine all doubts that might arise about the letter and exposition of the Law who is therefore called the quicke and liuely lawe and shall we Christians thinke that our diuine Law-maker who in wisdome care and prouidence surmounted all others more than the heauens do the earth hath left his golden lawes at randome to be interpreted as it should seeme best vnto euerie one pretending some hidden knowledge from we know not what spirit no no It cannot be once imagined without too too great derogation vnto the soueraigne prudence of the Sonne of God In the Olde Testament which was but a state of bondage and as it were an introduction to the Newe yet was there one appoynted vnto whome they were commanded to repaire for the resolution of all doubtfull cases concerning the Lawe yea and bound were they vnder paine of death to stande to his determination and shall wee bee so simple as to suffer our selues to bee perswaded that in the glorious state of the Gospell plotted and framed by the wisdome of God himselfe worse order should bee taken for this high poynte of the true vnderstanding of the Holy Gospel it self being the life and soule of all the rest Giue mee leaue gentle Reader to stay some-what longer in this matter because there is nothing of more importance and it is not handled any where else in all this Booke Considder then with your selfe that our Coelestiall Law-maker gaue his Lawe not written in Inke and Paper but in the hearts of his moste faithfull subjectes endowīng them with the blessed spirite of trueth * Ierem. 31 2 Cor 3. and with a moste diligent care of instructing others * Ioh. 16. that all their posteritie might learne of them all the poynts of Christian doctrine and giue credit to them aswell for the written as vnwritten worde and more for the true meaning of the worde than for the word it selfe These and their true successors be liuely Oracles of the true and liuing God then must wee consult in all doubtfull questions of Religion and submit our selues wholy to their decree S. PAVL that vessell of election may serue vs for a singuler modell and patterne of the whole who hauing receiued the true knowledge of the Gospel frō God yet went vp to Ierusalem with BARNABY to conferre with the chiefe Apostles the Gospel which he preached least perhaps he might runne in vaine and had runne as in expresse wordes he witnesseth himselfe * Gal. 2 Vpon which fact and words of S. PAVL the auncient Fathers do gather that the faithful would not haue
S. AVGVSTINE of set purpose confuted this error in sundrie places of his learned workes speciallie in his Treatise De virginitie in these chapters 13. 23. 24. 25. Where he accounteth him no Christian that doeth contradict CHRIST promising the kingdome of heauen to Eunuchs * Mat 19 And in the 25. Chapter more vehemently exclayming O impious blindnesse why doest thou cauill and seeke shifts why doest thou promise temporal commoditie onely to the chaste and contynent when God sayth * Esai 16. I will giue them an euerlasting name And if thou wouldest perhaps take this euerlasting for a thing of long continuance I adde inculcate and often repeale that it shall neuer haue end What wouldest thou more This eternall name whatsoeuer it be signifyeth a certaine peculiar and excellent glorie which shall not be common to many albeit they be placed in the same kingdome c. Which in the 29. Chapter he confirmeth out of that place of the Apocalips cited aboue in these wordes The rest of the faithfull shall see you and not enuie your estate but ioye in it and so be partaker of that in you which they haue not in themselues For the new song which is proper vnto you they cannot sing but shall heare it and bee delighted with your so excellent a blessednesse but you because you shal both sing and heare it shall more happilie reioyce and raigne more pleasantly Which may be also confirmed out of the Apostles in the same place where he assureth that the single life is better for the seruice of God saying that a woman vnmarried and a Virgin thinke of the things which belong vnto our Lord how she may please God and be holy both in body and spirite And our blessed Sauiour teacheth * Mat. 19 That some become Eunuches for the kingdome of heauen which to bee taken there properlie for the rewarde in heauen Saint AVGVSTINE with the rest of the Fathers teacheth * De virginit cap. 23. What could be spoken more truely or more perspicuouslie CHRIST sayth The trueth sayeth the Wisdome of God affirmeth them to geld themselues for the kingdome of heauen who doe of a godlie determination refrayne from marriage And contrarilie humane vanitie doth contende by impious temerity that they who do so do it to auoyde the necessarie troubles of Matrimonie and that in the kingdome of heauen they shall haue no more than other men Secondly al the Protestants doctrine for marriage and against Vowes is notably confuted by S. PAVL * Tim. 5 where he sayeth That there were then certaine Widdowes who when they waxed wanton against CHRIST would marrie hauing damnation sayeth hee because they made voyde and cast awaie their first faith which was as Saint AVGVSTINE * De sanct virg ca. 23. and the reste of the Fathers expounde it they had Vowed continencie but would not performe it Now these young Widdowes if the Protestants doctrine were true not hauing the gift of continencie did verie well to marrie and were in no sorte bounde to keepe their Vowes which was not in their power But the Apostle doeth not acquit them of their Vowe but teacheth that they were bounde to keepe it in that hee pronounceth damnation to them if they marrie Thirdlie the example of our heauenly Sauiour who would neuer marrie and of the blessed Virgin S. MARY who * Aug cap. 44. de uirg Bed 1. Luc Vowed perpetuall virginity And of the glorious Apostles as who S. IEROM witnesseth * Cle. Alex lib. 3. stom Lib. 1. cont Iouin In apol 2. ad Aut. Tertul. ap 2. cap. 9 were in parte Virgins and all after their following of Christ abstayned from the companie of their Wiues And of the beste Christians in the purest antiquitie who as IVSTINIVS one of the auncientest Greeke authors among Christians And TERTVLLIAN his peere among the Latines do testifie * did liue perpetuall Virgins Out of these examples wee frame this Argument Our Captaines and ring-leaders who knew well which was the beste way and whose examples wee are to followe as neere as wee can Vowing Virginitie wee must needes esteeme that state for more perfect speciallie when as the single man careth onely how to please God that to be holie in bodie and minde as the Apostle writes when as the married are choked with cares of this worlde And vnlesse a man had made a league with hell or were as blinde as a Beetle howe can hee euer perswade himselfe that to wallow in fleshlie pleasure and satisfying of the beastly appetites is as grateful to God as to conquere and subdue them by Fasting and Prayer Finally if S. PAVL giue counsell to the married to conteyne during the time of Prayer 1. Cor. 7 Priestes and religious that must alwaies be in a readinesse to minister the Sacraments and to thinke vpon such things as belong vnto our Lord are therefore vpon a great consideration bounde to perpetuall chastitie We will close vp this poynt with some sentences taken out of the auncient Fathers in prayse of Virginitie which M. P. in all this question vouchsafeth scarce once to name as though Virgins and Virginitie were no English wordes or not as playne as continencie S. CIPRIAN De habitu Virginum Intitleth Virgins to be the most noble and glorious parson of Christs flocke and addeth that they shall receiue of God the highest rewarde and greatest recompence S. CHRYSOSTOME * Lib. 3. cont vitup vit necess syteth Virginitie to be the top of perfection and the highest typ of vertue And ATHANASIVS De virginitate in the ende bursteth out into these words O virginitie a treasure that wasteth not a garland that wythereth not the Temple of God the Palace of the Holy Ghost a pretious stone whose price is vnknowen to the vulgar the joye of the Prophets the glorie of the Apostles the life of Angels the Crowne of Saints S. AMBROSE Lib. 1. de Virginibus paulo post init Virginitie is a principall vertue and not therefore commendable that it is found in Marters but because it maketh Marters Who can with humaine wit comprehend it which nature doeth not holde within her Lawes it hath fetched out of Heauen that it might imitate on Earth neither vnfitly hath it sought a manner of life in heauen which hath founde a spouse for her in heauen This surmounting the clouds the starres and Angels hath found the word of God in the bosome of his Father c. See who list to read more to this purpose the rest of the Fathers in their workes of Virginitie of which most of them haue written And S. IEROM who is behinde none of the rest in his bookes against Iouinian and Heluidius all which doe most diligently exhort to Vowe Virginitie doe teach how to keepe it and most vehemently inveigh against all them that doe breake it And if any bee so madde as to credite rather our fleshlie ministers than all that honorable and holy senate of