Christ's Miracles are not written yet there are enough recorded to confirm our Faith so St. John assures us These are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christs the Son of God and that believing ye might have life through his name And methinks since the Evangelists have written as St. Chrysostom doth express and affirm 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so many of Christ's Miracles as are a sufficient ground of Faith such a Faith as will undoubtedly save us we need not run to Traditions for more But however though the Evangelists have omitted such and such of our Saviour's Miracles yet that is no proof that they have also omitted such and such material Doctrines of his that are necessary to Faith Manners and Salvation which must therefore be supplied as the Roman Church pretends by such and such unwritten Traditions But yet 3. There are some other Scriptures urged by our Adversaries which they hope and make poor ignorant souls believe will infallibly doe their work such Texts wherein Traditions are not onely mentioned but in express terms recommended and enjoyned too That of St. Paul is one Stand fast and hold the traditions which ye have been taught whether by word or our epistle The observation of Traditions is that which St. Paul doth here require and elsewhere commend too I praise you brethren that ye keep 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the traditions as I delivered them to you Hoc loco se armant Papistae ad tuendas suas Traditiones saith Calvin The Papists arm themselves with this Text to defend their Traditions So doth Cornelius à Lapide who saith but without a warrant Hinc manifestè sequitur non omnia quae fidem mores spectant esse scripta sed multa vivâ voce tradidisse Paulum Apostolos 'T is evident from hence that all things which concern Faith and Manners were not written but that St. Paul and other Apostles did deliver many things by word of mouth And thus Estius observes out of Theophylact whose words are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 'T is clear from this Text that St. Paul and other Apostles delivered many things which they committed not to writing and thence Estius doth thus infer Locus hic palà m facit pro Traditionibus non scriptis iisque necessariò tenendis This place is a clear Evidence for unwritten Traditions and proves it necessary to observe them In answer to this Text we shall enquire into these three things 1. We shall enquire what Traditions St. Paul here means what their nature was whether they concerned matters of Faith and any such Points as are necessary to Salvation or whether they respected such things onely as concerned Order and Decency the exteriour Discipline and Government of the Church Let us view the words again and consider what St. Chrysostom thinks concerning them I praise you brethren that ye remember me in all things and keep the traditions c. Here St. Chrysostom puts this Question 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What all things doth the Apostle mean He answers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 St. Paul's discourse had been about not wearing of long hair and not being covered in the Church and for their observation of his Traditions in these matters onely doth he now commend them So thinks St. Chrysostom and learned Grotius is of the same mind too who tells us Hîc significat Praecepta quaedam pertinentia ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 St. Paul by his Traditions doth here mean nothing else but certain Rules which he had formerly delivered to the Corinthians concerning Decency and Order And if these be the Traditions in the Text pray who gainsayeth them Not the Church of England no nor the Calvinists neither for doth not Calvin himself thus acknowledg Ego autem non nego quin aliquae fuerint Apostolorum Traditiones non scriptae sed non concedo fuisse Doctrinae partes nee de rebus ad Salutem necessariis Quid igitur quae pertinerent ad Ordinem Politiam I deny not but that there were some Apostolical Traditions unwritten but I do not grant them to be matters of Doctrine and necessary to Salvation But what were they then why such as concerned Order and Government And the truth is that these Traditions mentioned by St. Paul in the forenamed Texts were any other the Romanists can never prove and consequently gain no Advantage from them 2. We shall enquire whether these Traditions mentioned by St. Paul as delivered by word of mouth might not afterwards be written 'T is sure that the Traditions in the Text if as St. Chrysostom and Grotius have conjectured they were onely such as concerned Order and Decency and particularly about wearing of Hair and uncovering the Head in holy Assemblies they are recorded and that in the self-same Chapter too And 't is very possible that whatsoever in any other place St. Paul styles a Tradition might afterwards be written notwithstanding I remember Grotius tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est id quod docetur Whatsoever is taught whether by word or writing is called a Tradition 'T is used in both senses by the ancient Fathers yea and by the Apostles too Thus St. Cyprian Vnde est ista Traditio utrúmne de Dominica Evangelica Authoritate descendens an de Apostolorum Mandatis atque Epistolis veniens Whence is that Tradition comes it from the Authority of our Lord and his Gospel or from the Commands and Epistles of his Apostles 'T is evident by this expression that St. Cyprian acknowledgeth that though this or that be written yet it may be styled a Tradition notwithstanding So he farther explains himself a little after Si ergò aut in Evangelio praecipitur aut in Apostolorum Epistolis aut Actibus continetur observetur etiam haec sancta Traditio Let this holy Tradition also be observed if it be commanded in the Gospel or contained in the Epistles or Acts of the Apostles And that the self-same Truths which St. Paul and other Apostles preached to the world were afterwards written either by themselves or some body else is evident from that expression of Irenaeus Matthaeus in Hebraeis ipsorum linguâ scripturam edidit Evangelii cùm Petrus Paulus Romae evangelizarent fundarent Ecclesiam Post verò horum discessum Marcus discipulus Interpres Petri Ipse quae à Petro annunciata erant per scripta nobis tradidit Lucas autem sectator Pauli quod ab illo praedicabatur Evangelium in libro condidit The same thing is thus attested by Eusebius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. St. Matthew wrote his Gospel amongst the Jews in their own language whilst St. Peter and St. Paul preached and founded a Church at Rome And after their departure St. Mark who was the Disciple and Interpreter of St. Peter delivered in writing the things which St. Peter had preached St. Luke also who was the follower of St. Paul compiled in a Book
No man shall be admitted to accuse a Bishop till first his quality be duely examined nor shall every fellow be suffered to exhibit Articles against the Governours of the Church And as every man might not accuse a Bishop so whosoever wrongfully did it though it were but a Bishop elect and yet to be ordained he was severely punished 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let his Penalty be a long Excommunication So saith the Canon-Law So then since there is an Indictment of no less Crimes then Atheism and Heresie drawn up and exhibited against several Bishops and those of the Roman See too who claim a Superiority over all Bishops besides as being the onely Successours of the Prime Apostle and the immediate Vicars of Christ 't is of a considerable Concern that what is thus alledged against them be well proved too And here that Pope Marcellinus offered Incense to Idols might be proved with ease and evidence enough but because he did it barely for fear of Diocletian and afterwards repented and became a Martyr we pass him by Rhenanus saith of Pope Zephyrinus Episcopus Romanus Montanizat The Bishop of Rome embraceth the Heresie of Montanus So Tertullian who was too much of the same Opinion witnesseth too That Pope Honorius the First was a Monothelite and denied the distinction of two Wills in Christ we have the Testimonies of Pope Agatho Leo the Second Adrian the Second besides the Evidence of the Sixth General Council wherein he was publickly condemned for an Heretick That Pope Liberius and his Antipope Felix were Arrians is testified by Athanasius and St. Hierom too Nor need we be ashamed to produce the Testimony of Calvin and Erasmus who do both affirm that Pope John the Twenty second denied the Immortality of the Soul And what if we mention that Expression of Picus Mirandula Alium meminimus Pontificem qui nullum Deum credens c. We remember another Pope who believing that there is no God c. But that of the Council of Basil must not be forgot which having voted a General Council to be above the Pope could not possibly give a better Reason for it then this Multi Pontifices in Errores Haereses lapsi esse leguntur c. 'T is recorded that many Popes have fell into Errours and Heresies c. And the truth is there is no Pope who stifly maintains those Doctrines which assert the worshipping of Angels Saints Images Reliques a Morsel of Bread or a Consecrated Wafer but is a down-right Heretick and since he is so we cannot so far betray our own Reason as to rest satisfied and be convinced that such and such Doctrines which have no Countenance in Scripture are Apostolical by the Testimony of any Roman Bishop who notwithstanding the Pretence of his Infallibility is proved to be obnoxious to gross Errours even Heresie and Atheism it self as well as other men But III. The Champions of the Roman Faith do endeavour to justifie their unwritten Traditions by the Testimonies of the Fathers who are produced as Witnesses which seem in their account to speak a great deal for them Thus Bellarmine cites Ignatius who is an early and substantial Witness indeed as being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Coetane Collegue and Scholar of the very Apostles themselves and of him Eusebius thus records 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He exhorted the Christians to stick fast to the Traditions of the Apostles and that they might be preserved incorrupt not long before his Martyrdom he judged it necessary that they should be written This Testimony is clear for traditions and so is that of Dionysius the Areopagite too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The first Founders of the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy the Apostles delivered to us Heavenly Mysteries by Instructions written and unwritten according to the Sacred Laws And thus great St. Basil too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To persevere in unwritten Traditions I think 't is Apostolical And so Tertullian also mentions several particular Observations quas sine ullo Scripturae Instrumento solius Traditionis titulo exinde Consuetudinis patrocinio vindicamus c. which the Church practised and defended without the Authority of any Scripture upon the bare credit of Tradition and the Patronage of Custom c. Now this being Argumentum Achilleum one of the strongest Arguments which the Romish Church can possibly urge for their Traditions we shall give an Answer to it in some distinct Particulars 1. Whatever Traditions are expresly and dogmatically delivered by the Vniversality of the ancient Fathers we do readily embrace own and defend That Expression of St. Basil the Great we do willingly close with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Old Doctrines are to be reverenced and for as it were their hoary Antiquity they deserve a Veneration But withall those Doctrines that may justly challenge a respect for their Age must be such as were generally received believed and practised according to that Rule which Vincentius Lyrinensis gives us Id teneamus quod semper quod ubique quod ab omnibus creditum est Let us hold that which hath been believed at all times in all places and by all Christians And for this St. Austine gives this Reason Illa quae non sunt scripta sed tradita custodimus quae quidem toto terrarum orbe observantur dantur intelligi vel ab ipsis Apostolis vel plenariis Conciliis quorum est in Ecclesia saluberrima Authoritas commendata atque statuta retineri sicuti quòd Domini Passio Resurrectio Ascensio in Coelum adventus de Coelo Spiritûs Sancti anniversariâ Solennitate celebrantur siquid aliud tale occurrerit quod servatur ab universa quácunque se diffundit Ecclesia This Expression commends the belief and practice of those Traditions supposing them to be the Institutions either of the Apostles themselves or ancient General Councils which were unanimously observed by the universal Church But now that such and such traditional Doctrines and Vsages were indeed generally received by the whole Christian Church we must have clear Proofs from credible Witnesses that have given Testimony thereunto throughout all the respective Centuries and Ages of the Church This is no more then was urged long since by Gregory Nyssene for the Ratification and full Establishment of all such Vsages and Doctrines as pretend to Antiquity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For this and nothing lesse is sufficient for the Proof of our Assertion that we have a Tradition derived to us from the Fathers as it were a certain Inheritance descending by entail from the Apostles by those Saints who were all along their Successours And this is the onely thing which we demand from the Roman Church being ready to acknowledge the Truth of all Doctrines and the Equity of all Practices which the Vniversality of the Fathers have left upon Record as things believed and done in the first and purest Ages of the Church And thus to doe
even in that Age that framed Epistles in the Apostles names and ascribed their false Doctrines unto them The same trick several Hereticks used in succeeding Ages Clemens Alexandrinus tells us that Basilides one of those Hereticks who were justly styled Borboritae Coenosi though he broached most detestable Doctrines yet had the Impudence to affirm that he learnt them from Glaucias whom he pretended to be the Interpreter of St. Peter 'T is also recorded that Marcion in the Second Age of the Church who was justly styled by Polycarp Primogenitus Diaboli the First-born of the Devil though he affirmed a Plurality of Gods though he denied that our Blessed Saviour was as Ignatius expresseth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though he denied the Verity of Christ's Humane nature and consequently the Reality of his Sufferings yet he had the face to brag that he received these abominable Doctrines from the Disciples of St. Matthias And certainly if such damnable Heresies were broached thus early and pretended to be received from Apostolicall Tradition we have no cause so easily to comply with such and such Doctrines of the Romish Church which have no warrant in the Written Word barely because they assert them to be of Divine Originall But since an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will not doe since bare Affirmations in matters of such great Concern will not be accepted the Champions of the Roman Religion find themselves necessitated to produce some Proofs which they pretend to be Great ones too And amongst them all I meet with none that offers more fair then Bellarmine whose Pretensions are so plausible that if he prove an honest man and make good his word this whole Dispute will be over and I dare engage that the Reformed Churches will pay the self-same Respect to Traditions which the Pope and his Council of Trent do give them For thus he tells us Traditiones eas tantùm recipimus pro Apostolicis quas firmis Testimoniis Antiquorum probare possumus esse Apostolicas We receive no Traditions for Apostolicall but such alone which by the firm Testimonies of the Ancients we can prove to be such indeed The Testimonies urged by Bellarmine and other Catholicks in behalf of their Traditions are drawn from Scriptures Popes Councils and Fathers each of which we shall examine I. The Champions of the Roman Faith do pretend to prove their Traditions by several Texts of the Written Word the chief whereof are these 1. That Expression of our Blessed Saviour to his Apostles recorded by the Evangelist is one I have yet many things to say unto you but ye cannot bear them now Hence Bellarmine argueth thus Constat Dominum multa dixisse quae non sunt scripta 'T is evident that our Lord spake many things that are not written But it will be no injury to Bellarmine's reputation if we do not count him infallible since he was and would be no more then a Cardinall having begged of God as some say that he might never be Pope lest perhaps he might probably be damned too being it seems of the same mind with Marcellus the Second who said Non video quomodo qui altum hunc locum tenet salvari possit I do not see how the man that holds this high place can possibly be saved But let us view his Argument Christ said I have yet many things to say unto you but ye cannot bear them now What then The Cardinall thus infers 'T is evident that our Lord spake many things which are not written MethinKs this Consequence is not necessary nor can be proved from this Text at least I have yet many things to say unto you but ye cannot bear them now All that can be gathered from this Text is onely this That our Lord did not speak at this time several matters which he had to say to his Apostles because they were not then fit to receive them Yea but the Cardinall farther adds Illa quae promittebat Dominus se dicturum dixit haud dubiè post Resurrectionem suam Those things which our Lord promised that he himself would say without all doubt he did say after his Resurrection and that St. Luke doth testifie thus He shewed himself alive to his Apostles after his passion by many infallible proofs being seen of them forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God Whether these things which our Blessed Saviour delivered to his Apostles were afterwards recorded by them or not can neither be proved nor denied by any solid and certain Arguments except it can first be infallibly known what his several Discourses were St. Chrysostom tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ at his several Apparitions to his Disciples after his Resurrection spake words that savoured not of man but of the Spirit But whether any of these words were written this general expression of St. Chrysostome's leaves us uncertain still But mark another The Text saith He gave commandments to the Apostles But what Commands might they be were any of them written or were they all afterwards delivered to the Church by Tradition What the great one was St. Chrysostom tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Go and teach all nations c. and that to be sure is found upon Record But the Truth is that expression of Grotius is undeniable Multa dedit Praecepta quae hîc reticentur Christ gave the Apostles many Commands which the Evangelist in that place hath not set down but can the Romanists make it out that no Evangelist no Apostle hath set them down elsewhere I grant indeed that if Lorinus have guessed right at the Subject matter of our Saviour's private discourses with his Apostles after his Resurrection there is little or nothing of it in our Bibles for concerning Christ's talk with his Disciples this man as becomes a Jesuit indeed giveth us his Opinion thus Exposuit Authoritatem summi Pastoris Hierarchiam totam Ecclesiasticam formas ritúsque Sacramentorum ac inprimis Sacrificii Missae cultum Invocationem Sanctorum Dies festos c. He declared the Authority of the Pope the whole Hierarchy of the Church the forms and rites of the Sacraments and especially the Sacrifice of the Masse Invocation of Saints the Observation of Holy-days c. 'T is well guessed bold Jesuite but are these indeed the Doctrines which our Blessed Saviour as Bellarmine saith promised to teach his Apostles after his Resurrection are these indeed the Lessons of which Christ said to his Disciples Ye cannot bear them now The truth is neither Christ himself nor any of his Apostles could have born such Lessons at any time whatever But certain it is those Doctrines which the Apostles could not have well born before Christ's Passion and were therefore adjourned till after his Resurrection were and must needs be of another nature indeed what they were in particular cannot certainly be known Thus St. Austine Quaenam ista sunt quae Ipse
that Gospel which St. Paul had published So Irenaeus saith again Evangelium quod quidem tunc praeconiaverunt postea per voluntatem Dei in Scripturis nobis tradiderunt That Gospel which the Apostles had then preached they did afterwards deliver to us in the Scriptures and that by the will pleasure and command of God And doubtless St. Paul intimates as much in that expression of his Hold the traditions which ye have been taught whether by word or our epistle What he had formerly taught them by word of mouth and what he had already delivered in his former Epistle is here equally called a Tradition For the truth is the Substance of St. Paul's Sermons and Epistles the Subject matter of his Preaching and his Writing was all one This seems clear from that expression of his To write the same things to you to me indeed is not grievous but for you it is safe What same things doth he mean St. Hierom tells us Eadem repetere quae praesens dixeram To repeat the same things with my Pen which I delivered with my Tongue when I was present with you And thus did other Apostles and Evangelists too what they spake at one time that they wrote at another Thus dealt St. Luke with his dear friend Theophilus whom he first instructed by word of mouth but afterwards by writing So Theophylact tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I formerly catechized thee without writing but now by giving thee a written Gospel But what doth this written Gospel contain new lessons or old ones did St. Luke speak one thing and write another No the reason why he wrote Theophylact gives us thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I do by writing strengthen and secure thy mind lest it should forget what things had been formerly delivered by word of mouth So he tells us again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have therefore written thee a Gospel that thou mayest the more firmly remember and keep the things which thou hast been taught by word of mouth And that St. Paul dealt thus with the Churches to whom he preached and wrote we have ground enough to believe 't is more then probable that the self-same Traditions in all necessary points of Faith which he taught them by word of mouth at one time he also penned at another Methinks we may very rationally collect this from what St. Chrysostom saith concerning that speech of St. Paul ye keep the traditions as I delivered them to you Hence that Father thus infers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Therefore at that time St. Paul delivered them many things without writing We grant it but withall we must observe St. Chrysostom's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then at that time an expression doubtless that hath little of savour in it if he doth not mean that what St. Paul did thus deliver by orall Tradition at one time he also wrote at another And although the Epistles of St. Paul being written to particular Churches or Persons upon particular matters in answer to such and such particular Questions and against such and such particular Opinions and Heresies he had not a fair occasion in every or perhaps in any one single Epistle to give an account of every thing relating to Christ and his Religion yet we do affirm that if we take all his Epistles collectively and together we shall find that the whole Summe of that Gospel which St. Paul preached to the world by word of mouth is so fully delivered in them that whosoever shall believe the Truths and perform the Duties contained in them though he know no Scripture besides shall certainly be saved Nor indeed was it necessary that St. Paul should undertake to set down the whole Doctrine of Christ in every or any one of his short Epistles since it was sometimes his command and might always be his just expectation that that Epistle which he wrote to one Church should be communicated to others also for their farther Information too And certainly if all the necessary Points and substantial Parts of that Religion which St. Paul preached to the world by word of mouth were afterwards recorded either by himself in his own Epistles or as Eusebius and Irenaeus testifie by St. Luke in his Gospel the Roman Church will never be able to justifie their unwritten Traditions those at least which they urge as necessary from any one Instance or Expression of St. Paul But 3. We shall enquire whether the Traditions now contended for in the Roman Church be the same or of a like nature with those the observation whereof St. Paul requires from the Thessalonians and commends in the Church of Corinth This Consideration is of great concern for if the Traditions of the Roman Church be of another kind if they shall prove to be the late and new Inventions of men not so much as thought of in the Apostles days the whole case is so altered that I do not see how it is possible for them to find the least Countenance from St. Paul For all that St. Paul doth either require or commend in this matter is the observation of those Traditions onely which he himself who was guided by God's infallible Spirit had delivered to such and such Churches they are his own words Ye keep the traditions as I delivered them and again Hold the traditions which ye have been taught by word or our epistle Here St. Hierom notes Quando sua vult teneri non vult extranea superaddi Whereas St. Paul commands them to observe his Traditions he doth in effect forbid them to introduce strange ones of their own Now whatever Traditions the Church of Rome pretends to have been delivered by St. Paul to the Churches of Christ without being written are of these two kinds 1. 'T is pretended that St. Paul and other Apostles too delivered some unwritten Traditions that concerned necessary Points of Faith Worship Manners and Rules of Righteousness Thus he tells the Corinthians I delivered unto you that which I also received how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures c. and again I received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread c. 'T is evident from these Texts that these Traditions which St. Paul delivered to the Church concerning matters of Faith and Worship he received from God and found them suitable to the written Word Now let us consider whether the present Traditions of the Roman Church about matters of Faith and Divine Service be such too if they are we oppose them not They tell us that the Observation of the Lord's day is an Apostolicall Tradition we contradict it not because we find ground for it in the written Word we also find it mentioned by the Primitive and early Fathers Ignatius if yet that Epistle of his be not corrupted tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Jewish Preparation
to the very written Oracles of God yet 't is clear enough that himself Baronius and others of the Roman Faith do use the Authority of these forged Epistles to countenance several Doctrines and Practices wherein the Reformed Church and theirs differ And yet for all this there are several learned Writers of the Roman Church who cannot but acknowledge that such and such Epistles Constitution Recognitions fathered upon their Primitive and Martyred Bishops are shrewdly suspected yea and clearly proved too to be false and counterfeit Thus Lorinus Verborum Domini liber tam est Apocryphus quà m in quibus memorantur Clementis Recognitiones The Book of our Lord's Words is as Apocryphall as the Recognitions of Clemens wherein that Book is mentioned He tells us indeed Clementis Constitutiones paulò majoris sunt fidei the Constitutions of Clemens are of a little more Credit But are these unquestionable no that he denieth Clementis libri Constitutionum non sunt usquequaque indubitatae Authoritatis The Constitutions of Clemens are not of an Authority that is undoubted altogether And what else can we think of those Decretal Epistles that are ascribed to Zephyrinus which contain things foolish ridiculous and false as that the Consecration of the Holy Cup must be in a vessel of Glasse onely that a Bishop must be accused before twelve Judges and that Evidence against him must be made by seventy two Witnesses How contrary is this not onely to Scripture but to those very Canons which are ascribed to the Apostles whereof this is one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And to the same purpose the Council of Nice too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These Canons according to the Rules of St. Paul require the Testimony two or three Witnesses onely even against a Bishop whereas the pretended Decree of Zephyrinus demands seventy two and that with an Appeal to Rome which is enough to prove it false and forged Such a counterfeit Epistle too was the second of those two fathered upon Pontianus which begins thus Pontianus Sanctae Vniversalis Ecclesiae Episcopus Pontianus the Bishop of the Holy and Vniversal Church This Title in those early days unknown to the World being as yet not claimed nor assumed by any Roman Bishop but afterwards denied and decried by Gregory the Great gives us a fair and clear Evidence that this Epistle is counterfeit and written by some other hand as well as those of Fabianus Stephanus and some other succeeding Bishops with a design to pretend something of Antiquity for the defence of those unwarrantable Doctrines and Practices of the present Roman Church for which they can produce no fair and clear Evidence from the genuine and acknowledged writings of the most ancient Fathers And as for the Decrees Constitutions and Canons of the Bishops of Rome which have sate in that Chair since the time of Sylvester what security have we but that these also may have been changed corrupted and falsified according as the exigence of the Roman Church hath so required Bellarmine tells us that Pope Leo complained that whilst he himself was yet alive the Graecians had corrupted his Epistle to Flavianus and why might not the Latines for their own ends doe as much What reason have we to give credit to such and such Papal Decretals when Bellarmine himself being pressed with a Canon of Zacharias that made against him had little to say but this Zachariae Canon mihi valde suspectus est This Canon of Zacharias I do very much suspect And the truth is we are so much of his mind and have so much cause to be jealous that many Canons and Constitutions ascribed to such and such Bishops of Rome were indeed none of theirs but onely forged and counterfeited that we cannot upon their Authority admit those Doctrines and Practices for which we can find no warrant in the written Word of God But 2. The Testimony of Roman Bishops in the Cause of Traditions is not firm and sure because the Pope at least in matters of this nature notwithstanding their Pretence of his being Infallible may possibly be deceived himself and if so he may deceive us too 'T is the free Concession of Bellarmine and that as he saith wherein all Catholicks do agree Posse Pontificem etiam ut Pontificem cum suo coetu Consiliariorum vel cum Generali Concilio errare in Controversiis facti particularibus quae ex Informatione TestimoniÃsque hominum pendent That the Pope considered as Pope with his private or General Council may erre in particular matters of Fact which depend upon the Information and Testimonies of other men And that seems to be the Case in hand the business of Traditions is a matter of Fact and the whole Controversie under our present Disquisition is onely this Whether Christ delivered to his Apostles the Apostles to the Primitive Bishops they to their immediate Successours and so from Age to Age such and such particular Doctrines and Practices as are now contended for by the Roman Church So that the whole Question in hand being concerned about matters of Fact wherein they themselves acknowledge the Fallibility of the Pope we have little Reason to acquiesce in his Determinations and to be so well satisfied with his Testimony as to think our selves obliged thereby to believe and doe those things which the Scriptures do neither assert nor command But what if the Pope may erre in considerable Points of Faith too and become an Heretick are we obliged to believe his Testimony even then too Photius tells us that by the Canon-Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hereticks might not in any Judicature be admitted to bear witness against any Orthodox Christian within the Church And certainly if Heresie be a Crime of that nature as that it hath been thought enough to exclude or evacuate any man's Evidence in Civil Causes we shall have but little reason to admit any person that is as liable to Heresie as other men as an infallible Witnesse in matters of Spiritual and Sacred Concern And that several Bishops of Rome have been not onely shrewdly suspected but publickly accused and condemned too and that of the foulest Heresies 't is not to be denied by any man whose brow is not made of Brass 'T is recorded by several Authours and those of good name and credit that some Roman Bishops have been Monothelites some Montanists some Eutychians some Arrians yea and some downright Atheists too But the Charge being heavy against them and the Honour of the Roman See lying at stake and the Pope's Infallibility also being herein somewhat concerned we must enquire into the Witnesses and see that they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as deserve to be believed For so justly tender is the Christian Church of the reputation of her Bishops that she will not admit all persons whatsoever to bring in Evidence against them No the sixth Canon of the Second General Council forbids it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
we have a great Encouragement from that Expression of Tertullian Constat omnem Doctrinam quae cum Ecclesiis Apostolicis Matricibus Originalibus Fidei conspiret veritati deputandam id sine dubio tenentem quod Ecclesiae ad Apostolis Apostoli à Christo Christus à Deo accepit c. 'T is manifest that every Doctrine which agreeth with the Apostolick Churches which were the Wombs and Originals of Faith must be esteemed a Truth as holding that which those Churches received from the Apostles the Apostles from Christ and Christ from God So that whatsoever Traditions the Church of Rome can prove to be Apostolical by an unanimous Consent of all the ancient learned and holy Bishops and Doctours who from Age to Age have governed and taught the Church though such Traditions are no-where recorded in the written Word yet being obliged by the universal Testimony of all Antiquity to esteem them Apostolical Institutions and consequently no-way repugnant to Holy Writ we shall most readily receive and practise them upon the very first Conviction For so great a respect hath the Church of England for all her pious Forefathers in Christ that she doth most chearfully follow their Example in every thing that is convenient and laudable and doth pay to venerable Antiquity all that imaginable Reverence which is consistent with that inviolable Rule she walks by which is the written Word of God But 2. Although we are thus ready to embrace all those Doctrines and Practices which can be recommended to us by the general Consent and Approbation of Antiquity yet the Testimonies of such and such particular Fathers which the Romanists produce for the justification of their unwritten Traditions we cannot think our selves obliged to accept nor is it safe to comply with them in all Points whatsoever 'T is the great Prerogative of the Scripture alone to deserve and require our Assent to every thing that is there delivered by every particular Prophet Evangelist and Apostle When once we do but clearly understand the meaning of Divine Revelations and comprehend what such and such a Text doth import there is no room for any farther Scrutiny or Examination but all our business is to believe and practise Thus stands the case with the Word of God every line whereof is of unquestionable Authority but as for the Writings of men how holy or learned soever but not infallibly guided by God's unerring and holy Spirit we have ground enough in all Points and matters of Controversie which the Scriptures do not clearly determine to pause a while suspend our faith and not immediately to give too quick an Assent to such and such Assertions till we have taken mature Advice and deliberately considered what is the matter of such and such Propositions that relate to the Worship of God Points of Faith or other Concerns of the Church as well as who it is that recommends them And for this we have several Reasons 1. That the whole Church of God in after-Ages should without all farther Examination give an immediate Assent to all Propositions Principles Conclusions Doctrines or Practices which are laid down recorded or recommended in the Works of such and such ancient Fathers is a thing which those Fathers themselves did never doe or expect The truth is to give a firm and quick Credit to every thing which such or such a person hath said were an instance of such a Respect as the best of men cannot deserve nor did the best of the Fathers ever require or shew We are in this to imitate St. Austine who told St. Hierom thus Alios Scriptores praeter Canonicos ità lego ut quantâlibet Sanctitate Doctrinâve praepolleant non ideo verum putem quia Ipsi ità senserunt sed quia mihi vel per illos Authores Canonicos vel probabili ratione quà d à vero non abhorreat persuadere potuerunt When I reade any Authours that are not Canonicall how holy or learned soever I do not presently grant this or that to be a truth barely because those Authours thought so c. And as he reserved to himself this liberty of dissent when he found just cause from other mens Writings so did he as willingly allow the same liberty to all other persons who should become the Readers of his So he tells his friend Fortunatianus Talis ego sum in Scriptis aliorum tales volo esse Intellectores meorum Such am I in other mens Works and such would I have other men be in mine But how is that he tells us Neminem velim sic amplecti omnia mea ut me sequatur nisi in iis quibus me non errare perspexerit I would have no man so to credit what I write as immediately to comply with my Judgment except it be in those things onely wherein he perceives me to be in the right 'T is a Golden Rule which he elsewhere gives us Audi dicit Dominus non dicit Donatus aut Rogatus aut Vincentius aut Hilarius aut Ambrosius aut Augustinus sed dicit Dominus Hear and believe not every thing which such and such a man saith but what God saith So then though perhaps we may dissent in some particular matters not determined in the written Word from such and such particular Fathers though we have entred our Dislike and do solemnly protest against some Expressions that have unwarily dropped from some of their Pens yet since these good men have declared themselves to be no-way injured or affronted thereby we do not need or if we did we should not matter a Pardon from his Holiness who wants indeed some better Evidences to confirm the Validity of his Indulgencies and make them saleable in English Markets But 2. To comply with every thing that such and such a Father hath asserted and to receive all their Testimonies indifferently as undoubted Truths is a thing so gross and irrational that even our Adversaries of Rome themselves will not doe it 'T is indeed very usual with them to exclaim against us as persons that have no Reverence for Antiquity but reject the Fathers and tread them under foot but the truth is if it be a fault to dissent from ancient Writers in any thing whatever if our refusal to subscribe to their Opinions in all matters of Controversie may be interpreted as a Contempt done to those excellent Persons from whom in some things we disagree then do we retort this Argument upon our Adversaries and having a just ground of Recrimination we do tell and can easily prove to the world that if this be indeed our Crime it is certainly theirs too That the Church of Rome doth give an universal Assent to whatsoever all the Fathers have written will not be imagined by any person who considers what the Jesuits and other Doctours who well understood the Sense of that Church and durst not openly contradict it have left upon Record I remember that expression of Bellarmine who being urged
Titulus the Title of his whole Book which comprehends the summe of all his following Discourse and sheweth that his design was to treat of nothing else but Christ is the acknowledgement of Erasmus who denieth St. Matthew's Title so to be and doe And what is the Subject Matter of St. Luke's Gospel himself acquaints his friend Theophilus The former Treatise have I made of all that Jesus began both to doe and teach Partitus est omnem Christi Vitam in Facta Doctrinam saith Erasmus St. Luke doth here divide the whole Life of Christ into the Miracles which he wrought and the Sermons which he preached and tells Theophilus that these two were the great Contents of his former Book Thus Grotius Haec verba brevem Evangelii descriptionem continent These words contain a short description of St. Luke's whole Gospel and shew that Christ is the Subject of it And as for the Acts of the Apostles Quid aliud est quà m Evangelii pars saith Erasmus What is it else but a part of the Gospel What contains it but an History of what the Apostles did and suffered upon the Account of Christ And what Saint John our fourth Evangelist treats of the very first line of his Gospel tells us In the beginning was the Word 'T is but one Word that makes up his whole Book and that Word is Christ So then 't is clear enough that Christ is the onely Subject of all four Gospels but what do the Epistles treat of St. Matthew Mark Luke and John do write of Jesus but what doth St. Paul doe 'T is sure that no Apostle preached no Apostle wrote so much as he but what 's his Subject The Text answers He preached Jesus himself confirms it We preach not our selves but Christ And as he preached so he wrote too 't is easily seen that in all his Epistles there are but few Passages to be found that do not one way or other relate to Christ So that upon the whole matter we may safely say as Maldonate doth Tota Scriptura Christum loquitur The whole Scripture speaks of Christ So Cornetius à Lapide too Tota Scriptura pro Argumento suo habet Christum tota circa Christum versatur All the Bible the Old Testament and the New Moses and the Prophets the Evangelists and the Apostles do all treat of Christ as Christ is the Authour of all Scriptures so is he their great Subject matter too And if so we may well conclude that the whole Bible is what the Text styles it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word of Christ And since 't is so these Inferences will undeniably follow I. That the Scriptures have in them more of Excellence Wisedom Purity and Holiness then any or all other Writings whatsoever Indeed there may be and certainly is somewhat of worth in many other books besides 't is possible sometimes to find Gold among rubbish and a Jewel may lie upon a dunghill That there are many things of great use in Humane nay in Heathenish Authours no sober person that reads and understands them will deny So excellent are the Writings of Plato that I find him styled alter Moses a second Moses and the Ancients commonly surname him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato the Divine Such are the Morals of Plutarch a man styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Venus of all Philosophy that it was judged the fittest book to be preserved if all books were to be burnt but one Nay so choise an Authour is that very Poet Homer that Dionysius calleth him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most Divine And methinks that little Poem of Pythagoras deserves its name and those few lines of his are justly styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verses of Gold What great use may be made of Heathenish Moralists Historians and Poets we learn from those great Examples and learned men the Primitive Fathers Justine Martyr Clemens Alexandrinus Origen Epiphanius c. and amongst the Latins Tertullian Austine Hierom Cyprian Lactantius and many others who overthrew the Idolatry of the Gentiles and convinced the Nations of their abominable Superstitions and Practices by the clear Testimonies of their own Writers And in so doing these great Luminaries of the Christian Church did but follow the Example of St. Paul who to convince Pagans and Infidels took Arguments from their own Authours and translated some Verses of Callimachus Epimenides Menander and Aratus into the Word of God and thereby made them sacred And doubtless there is a great truth in that expression of Scultetus Fructuosè ancillantur Sacris c. The Testimonies of Humane Authours do contribute a great deal towards the Confirmation of many Truths and the better understanding of the Oracles of God And if there be such a worth in the writings of other Authours who were but Men what value shall we set upon the Scripture which is the undoubted Word of God If the Laws of Solon be choise what is the Law of Moses If the Ethicks of Aristotle Epictetus Hierocles Cicero Seneca and many others be excellent what then are the Proverbs of Solomon If the Discourses of Plato be Heavenly what then are the Sermons of Christ Nay if the Epistles of St. Austine St. Hierom St. Bernard and other Fathers be even Divine what are St. Paul's then Remember other Writings are but the Writings of Men but these are God's other Books at best contain but the word of such and such a Saint whereas our Bible contains 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word of Christ II. That every man stands obliged readily and firmly to believe whatever the Scriptures contain and assert to be a Truth I remember St. Paul demands of Agrippa Believest thou the Prophets and our Blessed Saviour himself demands of Martha Believest thou this Certainly were not man grown strangely sottish such demands as these would have no place and yet methinks 't is a stranger Question which Christ put to the Jews How shall ye believe my words But what should hinder Is it possible for man to pretend any reason why the words of Christ should be so much as once suspected So great is his Authority so unquestionable is his Veracity that his bare affirmation is a sure ground of Faith Thus the Evangelist The man believed the word But what moved him so to doe the Text answers and assigns this Reason of his faith The man believed the word that Jesus had spoken And such is every word which our Bibles contain 't is the Word of Jesus and upon that score if we are the Disciples of Jesus we stand obliged to doe what his other Disciples formerly did They believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said The truth is the whole Scripture is nothing else but a Systeme of Words and Sentences which Jesus hath said and caused to be written and if so there is not a Verse there is not a Line to be found but requires and
deserves our Faith See this especially in three Particulars 1. Since the whole Scripture is undoubtedly the Word of Christ we are obliged to believe it in all the matter of History which is contained therein There are indeed such and such Historicall Narrations found in the Prophets Evangelists and Apostles so strange and miraculous that were they found in any Book besides we might perhaps without any blame suspect the Writers Faith and warrantably suspend our own Did we reade in Herodotus what we reade in Moses that this glorious fabrick of Heaven and Earth was created without any more adoe then onely this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And God said Let there be this and that where is the man that barely upon such an Authority would believe it Had Plutarch written the Life of Moses as he did the Lives of Greeks and Romans had he recorded the wonderfull Works of God in Egypt at the Red Sea and in the Wilderness had he told us of a Rod that became a Serpent of Waters that were consolidated into a Wall of Rocks that were rarefied and melted into Wells of Bread dropped down from Heaven the Tast whereof was gratefull to the various Palates of every one that ate it or had Ovid told us and onely he or some other Authour like him that the whole World was once drowned with water and shall one day be burnt with fire that a Woman was turned into Salt that a King became a Beast and fed on grass like an Oxe had he told us that the Chariot of the Sun that wheels round the world with so strong and quick a Motion stood still at one time and went back at another or had some Humane Authour who is of the greatest Credit told us what the Prophet Daniel peremptorily doth namely that a man was cast into a Den of hungry Lions and yet remained untouched that three persons were thrown into a flaming Furnace that was heated seven times more then ordinary on purpose to consume them and yet remained not onely unburnt but even unsindged too or had any such Writer told us what the Evangelist doth The blind receive their sight the lame walk the lepers are cleansed the deaf hear the dead are raised up Such stories as these had they been delivered by any humane and vulgar Authour must needs have exceeded all the faith of the most credulous person which the whole World affords But although these Stories to carnall Reason may seem very strange and improbable though the matter of fact be in it self so hard and difficult that it doth rather discourage then induce us to believe them yet since we find these things expresly and clearly delivered in our most holy Writ since we find them strongly attested by Prophets Evangelists and Apostles we cannot with any shew of Reason without a great deal of guilt and sin not onely deny our Assent but even so much as suspend our Faith and that because the whole Scripture which contains these historicall Narrations how strange soever is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word of Christ that Christ who did not will not can not lie 2. Since the whole Scripture is undoubtedly the Word of Christ we are obliged to believe it in all the Promises which it contains What those Promises are St. Peter tells us Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises The Promises of God are exceeding great in their number and exceeding precious in their nature too there is not any one amongst them but is of more reall value then the whole world besides so many so sweet so excellent are they that a poor humble soul who hath the greatest Interest in them scarce knoweth how to believe them as if they were too good to be true That an offended God upon the shedding of a few penitentiall Tears upon a little Humiliation Contrition and Reformation which cannot possibly make the least Satisfaction for those frequent Injuries which man hath done him should ever be so gracious as to promise him that signal and inestimable Blessing even the full Remission of all those Transgressions which would otherwise have certainly damned him for ever That upon the Submission of a Sinner God Almighty should promise to advance that Rebell to a Throne whom he might have justly laid in that infernall Gaol to be wrapped up in flames and chains of darkness and that for ever That upon some few Acts of such and such an inconsiderable service which adds nothing to the ever-blessed Majesty of Heaven the Great God should promise no less a Reward then an immortall Crown of Glory Certainly were such Promises as these reported by some mere man like our selves nay more were they delivered to us barely by an Angel from Heaven they would not easily be believed For when some dejected and contrite Soul doth seriously consider with it self the dreadfull nature of its Sin the worthlesness of its Repentance the manifold imperfections and small value even of its highest Services it can hardly enter into its head that the one should so easily be forgiven and the other so highly rewarded But although the Sinner from the sad apprehension of his own Guilt and his great Vnworthiness of those unvaluable Privileges which are the Subject matter of the grand Promises of the Gospell may find in himself just cause to fear their Performance yet when he seriously considers whose Promises they are and where they stand recorded he hath far greater reason to conclude their full Accomplishment St. Paul tels us He that hath promised is faithfull and again All the promises of God in Christ are Yea and Amen True it is Man is but a poor Worm a Sinner a Rebel unworthy to share in those glorious Promises that stand recorded in our Bibles but what then shall we take occasions from the Demerits of Man to suspect and question the Truth and Faithfulness of God We must acknowledge that Promises of Pardon Life eternal Blisse and Glory are such mighty things as pass our Vnderstanding but must they therefore exceed our Faith Methinks it should be as easie for us to believe them as it is to reade them Certainly if there be nothing too great for God to promise there is nothing too hard for God to doe whatever good words his Mercy hath made him speak his Power and his Truth confirms and for all this we have the Great Charter of Heaven a sure word of Prophecy even that blessed Security which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word of Christ But 3. Since the whole Scripture is undoubtedly the Word of Christ we are obliged to believe it in all the Threatnings which it contains That the various Menaces recorded in Holy Writ are indeed most dreadfull things whosoever doth but reade them must presently acknowledg The Prophet tells us The soul that sinneth it shall die What a sad condition then is the incorrigible Sinner in The Psalmist tells us The wicked shall be