that is the Pope and Popish Prelates whereas the Scriptures are written but with inke and paper These traditions they make of three sorts e D. Bysb contra Pâ—rk de Trad. 1. Diuine deliuered by Christ himselfe 2. Apostolicall deliuered by the Apostles 3. Ecclesiasticall deliuered by the Church 1 Diuine 1. Concerning diuine traditions if they bee truely such we most reuerently and religiously receiue them but wee acknowledge none for such but onely those doctrines of faith of Gods worship which are either expresly or by necessary coÌ„sequence contained in the old new TestameÌ„t For although we know and acknowledge that f Bulling de ver Dei the substance of the old Testament was deliuered among the Patriarches from hand to hand by tradition from Adam to Moses and of the new till it was penned by the Apostles and Euangelists g D. Abbot cont Bysh de Trad. as some thinke for eight as others for twenty as others for fourescore yeares yet wee teach that when God had taken the custody of his owne tradition to himselfe by selecting and inspiring choise vessells of grace to commit them to writing least the streames of truth should haue beene polluted by running through the muddy channells of mens mouths then the Church was bound to receiue nothing for diuine truth but what is contained in the Scriptures or necessarily deduced therefrom and firmely grounded thereupon As when God had conueighed the whole light of the world h Gen. 1.3 which before was dispersed in the first dayes creation into the body of the Sunne i v. 14. c. created the fourth day then he would haue the Moone and Starres to deriue their light from thence and the whole earth to be therewith enlightened so though in his first plantation of his Church God did for a time continue the knowledge of his truth by immediate reuelation thereof vnto some chosen men which might deliuer it to his Church from hand to hand yet now since he hath conueighed the whole light of diuine truth into the Canon of the Scripture hee will haue all the Pastors and members of the Church to deriue their light of sauing knowledge and true faith from thence onely so that the doctrine of the Scriptures is now the onely diuine Tradition 2. Touching Apostolicall Traditions wee acknowledge them likewise for diuine if they vnderstand thereby 2 Apost Trad. that diuine doctrine which the Apostles first preached then wrot in the Scriptures as the pillar and foundation of our faith of which S. Paul speakes a Cor. 11.23 Accepi a Domino quod tradidi vobis I haue receiued of the Lord that which I haue also deliuered vnto you c. b Gal. 1.11 12. for the Gospell which was preached of me I receiued it not of man nor was taught it by man but by the reuelation of Iesus Christ And this is the holy and diuine Tradition which c Iren. li. 3. c. 1. Ireneus d Cypr. Epist 74. c. Script est Cyprian and other auncient Fathers speake of contained in the Euangelists Apostolicall Epistles and Acts of the Apostles all which are written Scriptures of the new Testament This diuine and Apostolicall Tradition we call with Tertullian The rule of truth 1 Regula veritatis Tertul. 2 Doctrinae Cypr. 3 Rectitudinis Basil 4 CredendoruÌ„ agendorum Dyonis Carthus and with Cyprian The rule of doctrine and with Basill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The rule of right or straight rule of perfection and with their owne Carthusian The rule of faith and manners or of all things to be beleeued and practised for wee constantly auerre with Cyril e Cyril Catech. Hierosol That the securitie of our faith ariseth from the euidence and demonstration of the diuine Scripture so that no man presume aboue that which is written 1. Cor. 4.6 Also we reuerently receiue such Apostolicall Traditions as haue their ground in Scripture though not expresly f Act. 20.7 as the celebration of the Sabboth on the first day of the week g Apoc. 1.10 the Baptisme of Infants c. 3 Eccles Trad. 3. Touching Ecclesiasticall Traditions wee receiue for such First those doctrines of faith which the ancient Primitiue Counsailes haue determined against Haeretikes hauing their ground in Scripture as that there is a Trinitie of persons in the vnitie of the diuine essence and that the Sunne is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is consubstantiall and coaequall with the Father c. yet we dare not say with daring h Enchiâ— controv c. 1. Costerius That the first foure generall Counsailes are to bee receiued as we receiue the foure Gospells Secondly those rules which the Primitiue Church hath set downe for order and comelinesse in the seruice of God yea a Perk. de Trad. we acknowledge that the present Church hath power to make Canons to that purpose so they bee consonant to the generall Canons of the Scripture namely 1. That they tend to b 1 Cor. 14.26.40 decency and order 2. To aedification 3. That they be free from superstition 4. That the Church be not ouerburthened with the multitude of them Trad. Papist But if by the Churches Traditions they vnderstand the Canons of their latter Counsailes which were but conuenticles or confaederacies against Christ and his truth for the maintenance of Papall Hierarchy and wherein all the Bishops were the Popes sworne seruants and directed by him as by an Oracle what to doe and decree or the decrees of their Popes some of which haue beene Idolatrous some haereticall and some superstitious or if vnder that name they would thrust vpon vs euery Fryers dreame rotten reliques base costome and idle ceremony of the Romish Church then we reiect their vnwritten Traditions as sandy foundations to build our faith vpon and means to lead vs into a sea of errors and vncertaineties wherein there is neither banke nor bottome And such Traditions as these bee the sandy foundations whereon they build many articles of their Romish Creed namely priuate Masses halfe Communions Transubstantiation adoration of the host of Images and reliques Innocation of Saints and Angells Purgatory and the Popes transcendent authoritie in things Ecclesiastical and temporall For c Andrad in Orthodox Explicat Conc. Trident. li. 2. one of their owne plainly confesseth That many points of their Romish faith would reele and totter if they were not supported by Traditions And this is the reason why they refuse their triall by the Scriptures and thinke d Conference betweene Dr. Feately and M. Fisher. Christ and his Apostles both incompetent Iudges and partiall witnesses for the decision of their cause Yea Bellarmine their great Goliah saith peremptorily a Bell. li. 4. de ver dei non scripto c. 12. That it was not the proper end of the Scriptures to bee rule of our faith and that they are at the best but Regula partialis non
hony of spirituall consolation which doth comfort the soules of Gods Saints in their spirituall Warfarre more than the hony that f 1 Sam. 14.27 Ionathan tasted comforted his fainting Spirits in his warfare against the Philistims for Gods word is sweeter to the soules of his children than the g Psal 19.10 hony and hony combe 3. The oyle of denotion for this rocke poures vs out h Ioh. 29.6 riuers of oyle to supply our hard hearts and stiffe knees that our soules and bodies may be flexible to the will of God 3. Protectionis 3. The rocke that shelters vs from the tempests of temptation and floudes of affliction and persecution i Psal 104.18 as the stonie rockes are a refuge for the conies for whither should we flye in all these for shelter but to Christ and his word The Prophet Esay saith of Christ k Esa 32.11 This man shall be an hiding place from the wind and a couer from the tempest as riuers of Water in a dry place or as the shadow of a great rocke in a weary land And Dauid of his word a Psal 56.10 In thy word will I reioyce in thy word will I comfort me 4. Salutis 4. The rocke wherein wee may repose vs for rest and safety as the b Cant. 2 14. Doues in the clefts of the rocke or as Moyses did c Exod. 33.22 v. 23. who was put by God into the cleft of the rocke in Horeb and couered with his hand while his glory passed by and in this rocke we may hehold with Moses not onely posteriora dei 5. Contemplat the backe-parts of God that is his wondrous workes and the acts of his power and iustice but anteriora dei the foreparts of God that is the face of his mercy and d Psal 4.6 light of his countenance and that in him which is the e Heb. 1.3 expresse character of his fathers substance or image of his person namely Christ Iesus And with f 1 Reg. 19.11 1â— Elias standing in the caue of the rocke in Horeb wee may behold God himselfe passing by vs not onely in a strong wind violent earthquake and consuming fire of iustice by the threatnings of the law but in a soft still voice of mercy by the promises of the Gospell Seeing therefore Christ and his holy word is the onely rocke First of our regeneration without which we lye g Eph. 2.1 dead in sinnes and trespasses Secondly of our spirituall nourishment and consolation without which wee can neuer grow to a h c. 42 3. perfect man in Christ Iesus Thirdly of our supportation without which wee fall to ruine Fourthly of our shelter and protection without which wee lye open to the stormes of all miseries temptations afflictions and persecutions Fifthly of our diuine contemplation wherein we may see God and his Sacred mysteries by the eye of faith i Cor 2.14 which can nor bee discerned by the eye of reason and without which we are k Apoc. 3.17 miserable and wretched poore and blind and naked let vs build our faith and obedience on this blessed rocke which is immooueable and cannot be shaken and then we shall haue a l Heb. 12.28 kingdome that cannot be shaken that is of aeternall glory in heauen All that build not on this rocke are foolish builders and build vpon the sand or superficies of the earth without a foundation By the sand is here meant 2 Super arenam aedificare m Faber Stap. in Loc. 1. Aliud a petra fundamentum that is any other foundation of our spirituall building besides Christ and his Sacred word namely mens traditions or our owne opinions or false miracles or lying legends or the worlds baites or the diuells suggestions c. all which are fitly compared vnto sand 1. Rat. Simil. for their worthlesnesse for sand is of small or no value 2. their fruitlesnesse for sand is barraine 3. their discohaerent incongruity for yee cannot make a rope of sand the parts whereof will not hang together 4. their inconstant instabilitie floating like a quicke sand Euery Haeretike therefore as a Hilar. in Loc Hilary saith builds vpon the sand because Haereticall doctrines had no firmer ground than mens fancies and haue no cohaerence either with the truth or among themselues Therefore b Iren. li. 1. c. 13. Ireneus compares haeretikes to men labouring of a frenzie Quia vmbras pro rebus sectuntur They pursue their owne shaddowes and feede themselues with their owne fancies And c Beda in Loc. Beda saith That euery sinner builds on the sand because sinne hath no foundation to stay it selfe vpon nor any reall entity or subsistence in it selfe for it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a meere irregularitie or deflexion from the lawe of God Applicat Now there be amongst vs foure sorts of men that build vpon the sand 1 Papists First Superstitious Papists secondly Prophane Belials thirdly Greedy Mammonists fourthly Masqued Hypocrites First Superstitious Papists though they would bee accounted the onely true Church and that none built vpon the rocke of truth but they build their faith vpon sandy foundations I will not meddle with those sandy foundations whereon they build the hope of their saluation namely their owne merits and satisfactions the merits and intercessions of Saints and Angells and the Popes indulgences whereby he exhausteth the Churches treasurie as they tearme it to fill his owne coffers but will only speake of those whereon as maine foundations they build their faith forsaking the sole immooueable rocke on which they should build it namely Christ and his Sacred truth recorded in the Scriptures Papist Fidei fundamenta tria And these are three 1. the Churches traditions 2. the Churches authority 3. the Popes infallibility yet these three meete in one center and are deuolued by them into one and the same ground or principle of their faith for they make the Popes mouth the Delphos that deliuers to the present Church the Oracles of the auncient Churches traditions And their Canon Law set foorth vnder Gregorie the 13. saith a D 40. Si Papa That men doe with such reuerence respect the Apostolicall sea of Rome that they rather desire to know the institutions of Christian Religion from the Popes mouth than from the holy Scriptures But let vs consider these sandie foundations of their faith seuerally 1 Tradit 1. For Traditions their councell of Trent made a carnall decree b Hist Conc. Trid at the time of a Carnouall that c Sess 4 Decr 1. they should be receiued with the same reuerence and affection wherwith we receiue the Sacred Scriptures yea d Costeri Lâ—â—chirid c. 10. Costerius a Iesuite goes farther and will haue them receiued with more reuerence because they are the epistle of the King of heauen written with his owne finger in the heart of the Church
totalis that is a peece of a rule but not the whole entire rule of faith And b Enbhir c. 1. descript Costerius affirmes that they were not writteÌ„ to that end that they should prescribe vnto vs an absolute and exact rule of faith and administration of Sacraments and other things necessary in the Christian Common-weale but occasionally to confute Iewes and Haeretikes and to take away cerâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 which then arose in the Church and to comfort some that were weake and vnstable in the faith c. as if the Christian Church then vpon those occasions had some neede of the Scriptures but now no need at all Thus basely if I may not say blasphemously doe they thinke speake and write of the Sacred Scriptures And when we confute their errors out of the Scriptures then with the Valentinians of old they fall to accuse the Scriptures themselues c Iren. li. 3. contra bar c. 2. Quasi non recte habeant nec sint ex authoritate c. as if they were ill translated or obscure or imperfect without Traditions or of no authority in themselues without the authoritie of the Church 2 Authoritas Eccles Therefore they make the Churches authority another maine foundation of their faith as if it were greater than the authority of scripture yea as if without that scripture were no scripture because the Church gaue testimony to the scriptures that they were diuinely inspired made them Canonicall therefore say they both the diuine and Canonicall authority of the scriptures relyes vpon the Churches authority But let me aske them that so say was Iohn Baptists authority greater than Christs because he gaue testimony vnto him d 1 Ioh 29. Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sins of the world oâ— doth the Herald that proclaimes the Kings title and authority giue him his title and authority or is the gold which the goldsmith toucheth therefore good because he vpon trial therof by his touchstone declares it to be so was it not so before his tryall would it not haue been so if he had neuer tryed it yes vndoubtedly Dilemma When the Church did first declare the scriptures to bee the word of God either they were so before this declaration of the Church or not if not then the Church erred in declaring them to be so which were blasphemy and flat Atheisme to auerre if they were so then they receiued no diuine authority from the Churches testimony I know a Iesuit would thinke to winde himselfe out of this dilemma with a Bellarm. li. 2. de author Conc. c. 12. Bellarmins distinction of in se quoad nos saying that the scriptures are of diuine authority in themselues but could not be so acknowledged of vs without the Churches testimony but this distinction will not serue the turne for if they bee so in themselues they would be so if we neuer acknowledged or receiued them for such as the Scriptures of the new Testament are diuine euen among the Iewes and Turks though they would neuer acknowledge them to be so and if they bee so in themselues why should they not be so vnto vs why should we not receiue the sacred Scriptures as diuine for the diuine authority which they haue in themselues without the Churches authoritie Indeed the Churches authority or testimony may bring Infidells or Haeretikes to heare the word that they may be conuerted b Ioh. 1.41.45 as Andrew brought Peter or Philip Nathaniel vnto Christ or as the woman of Samaria brought the citizens of Samaria to heare Christ with her testimony of him c c. 4 39. Come see a man which hath told me all that euer J did Is not he the Christ And in this sense is that S. Aug. saith d Aug. cont epist fundamenti c. 5 I should not haue beleeued the Gospell if the authority of the Church had not mooued me thereunto but when they haue heard it they are conuerted and beleeue not for the Churches testimony but by the diuine authority and coelestiall efficacy of the word it selfe which is e Rom. 1.16 The power of God vnto saluation to eueryone that beleeueth as the Samaritans said to the woman f Ioh. 4.2 Now we beleeue not because of thy words for wee haue heard him our selues and know that this is indeed the Christ the Sauiour of the world 3. Jnfallibilitas Papae The third sandy foundation of the Romish faith is the Popes infallibility which I doe not falsely impose vpon them as a generall ground of their faith though some of their owne learned men hold the contrary because their grand champion Bellarmine auerres and prooues that it is g Bellarm. de Rom. Pom. li. 4. c. 2. Communissima opinio fere omnium Catholicorum that is the most common and generall tenet of all those of the Church of Rome whom he calls Catholikes For although the Papists brag much of their Catholike Church that it can teach nothing but Catholike truth and is not subiect vnto error because Christ said of his true Church built vpon him and the rocke of his diuine truth a Mat. 16.11 That the gates of hell should not preuaile against it which they falsely apply to the Church of Rome b Rom. â— 8 whose faith was indeed once famous through the world though now the c Esa 21 22. faithfull city be become an harlot her gold mixed with drosse and her wine with water yet aske them what they meane by that Church that cannot erre they will tell you they meane thereby the Pope the head of the Church and Saint Peters successor d Luc. 22.32 for whose faith Christ prayed that it should not faile So Bellarmine affirmeth That the common opinion of Romish Catholikes is e Bellar. ibid. Ipsam infallibilitatem non esse in coetu Conciliorum vt in concilio Episcoporum sed in solo Pontifice that the infallibilitie rests not in the assembly of Counsailes nor in the counsell of Bishops but in the Pope alone for they hold that any member or Pastor of their Church is subiect vnto error yea all the Bishops and Pastors of the Church assembled in a generall Counsaile if the Pope confirme not their Canons onely the Pope cannot erre when he defines a matter of faith Ex Cathedra that is by his Papall authority as if the Popes chayre were made of Irish wood to which no cobweb of errour could possibly cleaue And therefore all must be Haeretikes that be not within his pale scripture must be no scripture without his allowance and Kings no Kings if he please to kick their crowns of their heads with his holinesse foot or to bellow out excommunications and depositions against them with his Papall Bull. Yea hee may make new articles of faith as Pius quartus did adde twelue articles to the Nicene Creed in a Bull of his sent out about the time of her Tridentine conuenticle entitled
that the Church of Rome as now it is is the onely true auncient Catholike Church and the Protestants are haeretikes and their Church sprung vp but lately since Luthers dayes Thirdly they teach their disciples that the Scriptures are obscure and dangerous for lay-men and silly women to meddle withall because the reading and misunderstanding of the Scriptures hath bred many haeresies and therefore it is enough for them to relye vpon the definitions of their mother the Romish Church and directions of their ghostly Fathers without any further search or inquiry thus thieues put out the candle that should discouer them Fourthly they tell them that it is haeresie for a lay-man to dispute in points of faith neither must they reade any bookes written against the Romish Religion or any part thereof nor conferre with any Protestant minister or other able to defend his religion but in all doubts repaire to their ghostly fathers for resolution Fiftly they extoll deuout ignorance and implicite faith to the skies and tell them that such ignorantly deuout soules shall haue the benefit of other mens knowledge So they canonize the Colliars faith and make it their seduced disciples Creed to beleeue as the Church beleeues Now when silly ignorant soules haue deepely drunke in these principles what maruaile is it if they bee easily peruerted and hardly conuerted when their seducing teachers haue thus hedged in their eyes eares and hearts that they should not heare nor vnderstand Hortatio Wherefore seeing these a Mat 7.15 Wolues in sheepes cloathing who like the wolues of Africa faine the voice of sheepeheards to deuoure the flocke be so busie to infect our flocks with Popery let vs be as vigilant to continue them in the truth Now if euer S. Bern. exhortation is to be put in practise b Ber. li. 3 de consid c. 10 Danda est opera vt increduli conuertantur conuersi non auertantur auersi reuertantur c. We that are Ministers of the word must sedulously endeauour that those which do not rightly beleeue may be conuerted and those that are turned out of the way may returne into the right way againe and those that are conuerted may not be turned away and those that are peruerse may be directed into the paths of righteousnesse and those that are subuerted may bee recalled into the wayes of truth and that the subuerters themselues should haue their errors conuinced by the euidence of truth that either themselues may be reclaimed or they may loose all power and authority to subuert others 1 Ad epist Let me therefore beseech you Reuerend Fathers in the bowells of Christ Iesus who am vnworthy to counsaile you that as yee are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishops or ouerseers in name c Act. 20.28 so ye would indeed in these dangerous dayes with a most vigilant eye ouersee the flocke of Christ committed to your seuerall charges which Christ hath purchased with his owne blood Ye sit at the sterne of this ship of the English Church and are skilfull in your compasse O let not these disastrous winds carry it the contrary way but guide it still as ye haue done in the way of truth to the hauen of hapines Ye are the d Mar. 13.34 porters of this house fold of Christ and haue the keyes of iurisdiction in your hands to let in and out O watch therefore that these e Ioh. 10.2 thieues and robbers breake not in and steale away the sheepe of Christ from his fold whose soules are most f Psal 116.15 deare and pretious in his sight And see that euery Archippus vnder you in your seuerall Diocaeses doe both by preaching and catechizing according to his Maiesties late pious and most Christian directions g Col. 4.17 take heed to the ministery that he hath receiued in the Lord that he fulfill it 2. Ad Mag. And let all religious Magistrates in their places seeke with godly a 2 Pa◠35.5 Josiah to purge Gods house where it is polluted either with error or sinne and with zealous b Neh. 4.1 9. Nehemiah endeauour to reaedifie the ruine of Gods Ierusalem and to defend this building against all malicious Tobiahs and Sanballats that seeke to hinder it 3 Ad priuatos And let all priuate men take heed that these wily Serpents creepe not into their bosomes by their subtle insinuations but let thē hold fast the truth that they haue receiued in the Lord and if any though an c Gal. 1.16 angell from heauen bring them any other doctrine let them hold him accursed d Cypr. de vnit Eccl. sect 1. Nutet enim necesse est vagetur spiritu erroris arreptus velut puluis ventiletur qui salutaris viae non tenet veritatem for he must needs totter and wander and being driuen with the spirit of error be carryed away as e Psal 1.4 dust or chaffe which the wind scatters away from the face of the earth that doth not keepe the truth of that way that leades to saluation f Eph. 4.14 Be not therefore like children wauering and carryed away with euery wind of vaine doctrine but follow the truth in loue and in all things growe vp to him that is the head namely Christ Iesus ◠Tent. persecut 3. The third sort of temptations wherewith the Church is assaulted is affliction and persecution compared to the blustering Northwinds and violent flouds which beat vpon this house for the true Church is like g Gen. 7.18 8.4 Noahs arke still floating on the waters of trouble till shee come to rest on Ararat the Mount of God for h Act. 14.22 through many tribulations we must enter into Gods kingdome i 2 Tim 3.12 And all that will liue godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution for k Aug in Ps 31. though God had one sonne without sinne yet he hath none without affliction A Christians life is like a nauigation in a tempestuous sea the harbor whence we launch is our mothers wombe the port whereto we are bound is the hauen of heauen but the interim betweene the whole time of our sayling in the troublesome sea of this world is full of tempests full of Pyrats So that Reuerend Luther said truely Qui non est crucianus non est Christianus no crosse no Christian consonant to that of the Apostle l Heb. 12.5 If ye bee without chastisement whereof all are partakers then are ye bastards and not sonnes And concerning the Churches persecutions that of Homer concerning Troy may most truely bee spoken of the true Church Militant a Homer Iliad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 She hath but a little breathing time from her continuall warfare for these two contrary armies Israel and Amalech are alwayes fighting b Ex 17. vlt. God will haue warre with mysticall Amalech .i. the Church malignant from generation to generation c Ser. 92. de