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 was the day of Christ's Passion their Sabbath of his Buriall and our Lord's day
of his Resurrection 'T is mentioned by Tertullian who saith Die Dominico jejunium nefas ducimus To fast on the Lord's day we count it sin 'T is mentioned by Nazianzene who styles it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 'T is from the great Probabilities given us in the written Word and the pregnant Testimonies of Antiquity that the Reformed Church doth observe this Tradition which concerns the Lord's day with greater strictness then the Roman They tell us again that the Baptism of Infants is an Apostolicall Tradition we are so far from contradicting them that we do not onely practise it our selves but maintain it against all Opposers because 't is mightily countenanced in Sacred Writ and commended to us by all Antiquity I remember Dionysius the Areopagite if he that goeth under that name be indeed the man tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Children who were yet uncapable to understand the Mysteries of the Gospel were made partakers of Divine Regeneration and saith that the Church observed this Practice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being taught so to doe by ancient Tradition Accordingly Nazianzene thus adviseth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Hast thou an Infant let him be sanctified from his Infancy And so St. Cyprian and other Bishops give their Judgments Prohiberi non debet Infans qui recèns natus c. The Infant that is but newly born must not be debarred from Baptism Whoever denied this was condemned by the Church and accordingly the Council of Carthage which consisted of two hundred and seventeen Fathers passed this Sentence upon him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whosoever denieth that little Children newly dropped from their Mothers Womb ought to be baptized let him be Accursed These and the like Authorities do induce us to believe that the Baptism of Infants though no-where in plain terms commanded in Scripture is yet a Divine Tradition and upon that well-grounded Confidence our Church doth as constantly practise and as strongly defend it as ever theirs did or can do They tell us again that the Institution of our Christian Festivals and the observation of Lent are Apostolicall Traditions Well though they will find it a difficult task to prove them such though the first Institution of Lent is by some ascribed to Telesphorus and though about the observation thereof there was and that very early too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doubts and various opinions as Irenaeus and Eusebius tell us yet because our Christian Fasts and Festivals are very suitable to Scripture-Rules and were observed as great helps to and expressions of their Devotion and Piety by our religious Ancestours and indeed the Universality of the Christian Church we do readily embrace and practise both But when our Adversaries press upon us under the notion of Apostolicall Traditions many things of Faith and Worship defined in their late Conventicle of Trent though altogether unknown to the first and purest Ages of the Christian Church and contrary to the written Words we find reason to lie under the Anathema's and Excommunication of the Roman Church rather then to comply witâ— it in those Doctrines and Practices of theirs whicâ— are so exceeding far from being Apostolicalâ—â— They tell us indeed that their Veneration 〈◊〉 Saints is practised juxta Catholicae Apostolicae Ecclesiae usum à primaevis Christianae Religionis temporibus receptum according to the use of the Catholick and Apostolick Church and was received from the beginning of the Christian Faith whereas the Invocation of Saints now practised in the Roman Church is not mentioned by any of the Fathers till above two hundred years after Christ and consequently cannot be imagined to be an Apostolical Tradition And as for the Roman Custom of Praying for the dead by the Practice whereof in former Ages they would fain establish their Doctrine of Purgatory and that especially to keep up the credit of their dear Indulgences though we find this excess of groundless and uselesse Charity used in the Christian Church and that somewhat early too though St. Cyprian in the third Century mentions Oblatio pro Dormitione Deprecatio nomine defunctorum though Tertullian in the same Century mentions Oblationes pro defunctis nay more though Dionysius the Areopagite who if he be the man lived in the first Century tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The holy Priest makes an holy Prayer for or over the dead yet none of all these do assert this Practice to have had its Originall from any Divine or Apostolicall Tradition as the Roman Church contends Tertullian indeed concerning this and some other Practices used in his time confesseth thus Si legem expostules Scripturarum nullam invenies If you require a Scripture-command for this and that there is none to be found upon which score he ascribes these things to Tradition but whence that Tradition took its rise he doth not tell us But the truth is St. Chrysostom doth who in the behalf of persons deceased in the Guilt of sin exhorts his hearers thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let us assist and succour them to our utmost power But what can surviving persons doe for the relief of departed Sinners he answers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let us both pray for them our selves and beseech others to doe so too And that the Dead should be particularly remembred in the Prayers of the Church at the celebration of the Lord's Supper he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was ordained by the Apostles and that not in vain And that this Practice spred and continued in the Church after St. Chrysostom's time is evident from that expression of St. Austine Non parva est universae Ecclesia Authoritas quae in hac consuetudine claret ubi in precibus Sacerdotis quae Domino Deo ad ejus Altare funduntur locum suum habet etiam commendatio Mortuorum 'T is clear indeed from these words that to remember the dead in their most solemn Prayers at the celebration of the Eucharist was grown in St. Austine's time the generall Custom of the Church but that this Custom had its Originall from the Apostles he doth not say Nor indeed could this be the Institution of the Apostles that there should be a particular Commemoration of the dead and a solemn form of Prayer put up to God on their behalf at the administration of the Lord's Supper if that Observation be true which Chemnitius ascribes to St. Hierom St. Gregory and others in these words Apostolos ad solam Orationem Dominicam celebrâsse actionem Mysteriorum Divinorum If this be so that the Apostles themselves used no other Prayer but the Lord 's alone at their Celebration of the Eucharist how can it be imagined that those solemn Supplications which in after-times were made for the dead at the Altar should be of
not the Bishop not their Ministers onely but the common people even all that professed the Faith of Christ too The first thing considerable in the Text and which alone I shall here handle is the Matter or Object of that Study whereunto St. Paul doth here invite the Colossians and all Christians whatsoever and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word of Christ the Law and the Gospel Moses and the Prophets the Evangelists and the Apostles the Old Testament and the New Now that whatsoever is contained in any of these most certainly is and may therefore most justly be styled The Word of Christ is evident upon a twofold ground 1. Christ is the Efficient Cause of all the Scripture each of the Testaments hath him for its Authour See this distinctly in three Particulars First Christ is the Great and undoubted Authour of the Law The Evangelist indeed tells us The Law was given by Moses but how that was Origen tells us who thus distinguisheth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We understand that the Law was given by Moses but not from him Doubtless Origen means the same thing which Erasmus thus expresseth Moses Legis Author non fuit Moses was not the Authour of that Law no Castalio tells us Quòd Lex data est Divini fuit Beneficii The giving of the Law was from the Kindness of God As for Moses 't is said he received the lively Oracles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith St. Chrysostom he received the Law from another and so proved not the Legislator to establish and make the Law but a Minister an Herauld a Scribe to receive proclaim and write it So that Ebion that pestilent Heretick had no reason to think Moses who is said to have given the Law to be upon that score a greater man then Christ But although the first Promulgation and Delivery of the Law upon Mount Sinai cannot possibly be ascribed unto Moses yet it seems very clearly to be attributed unto Angels Thus St. Paul For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast c. What word was that Theophylact tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Apostle means either the Decalogue or generally all Commands dispensed by Angels under the Old Testament Thus St. Chrysostom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Decalogue the Commandments Lex Mosis the Law of Moses so Grotius And of this Law the Apostle doth elsewhere thus affirm 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was ordained by Angels How so Ministerio Angelorum by the Ministery of Angels so Clarius 'T is the observation of Grotius that the Law was pronounced by some one of the Angels others attending round about him And that the Law was indeed delivered by some one single Angel we learn from that of St. Stephen This is that Moses who was in the church in the wilderness with the angel that spake to him in the mount Sina 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the Angel the expression imports that it was some one particular Angel who pronounced the Law But what and who this Angel was 't is somewhat uncertain Grotius saith it was unus ex praecipuis Angelis one of the chiefest Angels it was such an Angel as was counted worthy to represent the person and bear the name of God So Moses tells us God spake all these words And as Moses gives him this glorious Title so doth this Angel himself assume and own it I am the Lord thy God c. And that he was so indeed the people believed The Lord our God hath shewed us his glory and we have heard his voice we have seen this day that God doth talk with man c. From these expressions several Interpreters do gather that this Angel who delivered the Law was the Second Person in the Trinity whose various Appearances under the Old Testament were nothing else but as St. Austine calls them Symbola Praeludia Incarnationis the Symbols Tokens and Essays of his Incarnation This is that which Nazianzene confidently affirms Filium Dei in Monte Sina cum Mose locutum esse scimus That the Son of God upon Mount Sina did discourse with Moses is a thing that we know And to this purpose doth St. Chrysostom expound that passage of St. Stephen He was in the wilderness with the angel What Angel means he St. Chrysostom answers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 'T is the Son of God whom he calleth an Angel and again a little after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the expression sheweth that the Angel who appeared to Moses was the Angel of the great Counsel and who is that Dionysius the Areopagite answers thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jesus himself And indeed that it was some Person of the Blessed Trinity that delivered the Law was the Opinion not onely of Philo the Jew but of St. Cyprian Justine Martyr Tertullian and some other Fathers of the Christian Church who affirmed with one consent revera fuisse Deum that it was God indeed But let us admit the Opinion of these learned and pious men to be a mistake and that of St. Dionysius to be a Truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Scriptures teach us that the Divine Law was handed to us by Angels so Josephus too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our most excellent Doctrines and most holy Precepts were delivered to us by Angels Well suppose it be certain that Angels properly so called had to doe with the delivery of the Law yet this doth no way hinder but that Christ may be and surely is the Legislatour still for whatever this Angel whoever he was delivered upon Mount Sina was the Dictate of God So the same Authours tell us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Law was given by God so Dionysius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Law was delivered by Angels who had learn'd and received it from God so Josephus And what Person of the Godhead it was Saint Austine thus informs us Quemadmodum Verbum Dei quod est Christus loquitur in Propheta sic in Angelo loquitur As the Word of God which is Christ speaks in a Prophet so doth he speak in an Angel too I remember Caelius Rhodiginus tells us that the Law-givers of the Nations were very ambitious to make their Subjects believe that all the Laws which they established were derived from some Deity or other Thus Trismegistus fathered his Laws upon Mercury Draco and Solon theirs upon Minerva Zamolxis his upon Vesta Plato his upon Jupiter and Apollo Numa his upon Egeria c. Now that Divine Honour which they sought for their Laws ours hath which undoubtedly is the Law of a God or as my Text words it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word of Christ that Glorious Law-giver with whom those of this World whom Seneca mentions for the wisest Solon Lycurgus Zaleucus Charondas c. are not once to be named Secondly All the Prophecies of the Old Testament have Christ for their
Authour too 'T is certain that those Holy men who delivered the Prophecies of the Old Testament to the Jewish Church were inspired from Heaven and hence it is that the Scripture styles a Prophet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man of God i. e. a man commissioned authorized and informed by God St. Peter tells us No prophecie of the Scripture is of any private interpretation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of private incitation so our learned Hammond renders it the expression imports that the Prophets were not suae mentis sed Divini Consilii Interpretes as Cameron words it they did not reveal their own minds but God's Thus St. Paul God spake by the Prophets they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men carried acted and taught by God And what Person of the Trinity it was that inspired these Prophets St. Peter tells us Holy men spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost Thus Ezekiel The Spirit of the Lord fell upon me and said unto me Speak Thus saith the Lord c. There was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Cameron the Spirit of God did invade seise and enter the Prophets of old and upon that score those Messages which they delivered and left upon record are commonly styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Holy Writings or as Dionysius calleth them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Discourses Sermons or Words of God And as the Prophecies of these Holy men with a respect to the whole Trinity are indeed the Word of God so likewise with a more particular Appropriation to the Second Person they may be justly styled according to the expression in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word of Christ For that this Blessed Spirit by whom these Prophets were infallibly taught and guided in all their Messages is indeed the Spirit of Christ 't is an Article of our Christian Faith delivered to us both in the Nicene and Athanasian Creeds For although the Title that was expresly given the Spirit by the ancient Fathers of the Greek Church in the Creeds of Nicaea and Constantinople were onely this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spirit that proceeds from the Father yet that it was their constant belief that the Spirit did also proceed from the Son our excellent Bishop Pearson hath undeniably evinced from several expressions of Epiphanius who thus affirms 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Spirit of God is the Spirit of the Father and the Spirit of the Son too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is from the Father and from the Son and that doubtless not onely as he was anciently termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 receiving from the Father and the Son but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proceeding too And this Procession of the Spirit from the Son though the Scripture doth no-where deliver in expresse and open terms yet it doth virtually contain and justly warrant it For as he is styled the Spirit of the Father so is he as plainly styled the Spirit of the Son too so St. Paul God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son And as he is styled the Spirit of God so is he styled the Spirit of Christ too thus the same St. Paul If any man have not the Spirit of Christ c. So then 't is evident that this Blessed Spirit by whom the Prophets of old were inspired and acted is indeed the Spirit of Christ So much St. Peter doth yet farther assure us The Spirit of Christ which was in the Prophets c. And methinks if that Holy Spirit by whose immediate Inspiration all the Prophets did speak and write were and is the Spirit of Christ we may easily grant that every Truth which these Prophets by the Guidance of this Spirit have delivered and left upon record is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word of Christ Thirdly The New Testament hath Christ for its Authour too 'T is often styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Gospel of Christ St. Paul calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Gospel of the Son and well he may for all the Sermons recorded by the four Evangelists are the Sermons of this Son all the mighty works registred in these severall Gospels are the Miracles of this Son all the Promises that are anywhere delivered by St. Matthew Mark Luke or John are the Promises of this Son and whatever Truth we find mentioned by any one or all the Evangelists 't is the Doctrine of this Son Thus St. Paul God hath spoken to us by his Son c. Under the Law God spake by Angels and Prophets that were his Servants but under and in the Gospel he hath spoke more immediately by Christ Who is his Son And as the main Passages recorded by the four Evangelists were thus immediately delivered by Christ in his own Person so likewise those holy men who were Amanuenses Dei the Secretaries and Pen-men of the Spirit to write what our Saviour did and preached and so to transmit his Truths his Commands and his Miracles to all succeeding Ages were provided and raised by Christ too So that Text informs us He gave some Apostles and some Evangelists c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He gave c. but who is that Idem ipse Christus so Estius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so St. Chrysostom 't is Christ 't is the Son that gave But what did he give 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apostles such as St. Paul Silas Barnabas c. to preach the Gospel and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Evangelists 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so St. Chrysostom he gave St. Matthew and others to write the Gospel and by so doing to convey it sincere pure and incorrupt to all Generations And this doth Saint Paul acknowledge By Christ we have received Grace and Apostleship hence doth St. Peter style himself thus Peter an Apostle of Jesus Christ c. Christ himself was known by the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Apostle of his Father but St. Peter and St. Paul were His. And as these Apostles received their severall Commissions from Christ so were they careful to preach those very Doctrines which Christ himself had taught them Thus St. Paul I have received of the Lord that which I delivered unto you Non confinxi pro Ingenio meo c. saith Cameron St. Paul did not invent but receive what Truths he preached and wrote they were not the Issues of his own Brain but the Revelations and Dictates of Christ And if so if the Evangelists and Apostles who preached and penned the whole New Testament were not onely raised by Christ but infallibly taught by his Spirit too we may conclude that this holy Gospell which was published and registred by these inspired Persons is indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word of Christ But 2. The Scriptures are and may be justly styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word of Christ not onely as he is the Authour of the whole but also as he is
means be intreated to sit down so saith the Historian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Bishop even begged of him to sit down and ease himself upon a Royal Throne that was there placed purposely for him but he would by no means use it But what was his reason why would he not sit did he chuse to stand barely out of courtesie and complement to the Bishop or the whole Assembly did he stand barely to evidence his Humility and Condescension towards his People No himself gives us another reason for it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To stand whilst we hear the Oracles of God is no more then what Religion it self commands us Such was the Judgment and such was the Practice of this renowned and glorious Emperour And yet lest this expression of Reverence towards the Word of God should prove too short some higher ones have been used I remember what Cornelius à Lapide saith of Charles Borromaeus Bishop of Milan Sacram Scripturam ultimis vitae suae annis non nisi nudo capite flexis genibus venerabundus lectitavit he read not the Holy Scripture no not in his Old age but with a bare head and a bended knee Such hath been the Devotion of Saints in former Ages and other Churches but how stands the case with us this day What high Esteem what inward Veneration have we for God's Holy Word Alas 't is but sad to consider that the generality of Christians do commonly reade and hear the Word with lesse regard then the profane Sinner reads his Romance or Play-book We hear the Sermon as if it were but an ordinary Discourse trivial in it self and of no great Concern to us 'T is certain that the looseness of our deportment and carriage in the House of God where the Scriptures are solemnly read and preached is an infallible Symptom of our great Irreverence and doth most surely betray the cursed Indifference and Slightness of our spirits But let us remember what our Saviour himself commands us Take heed how ye hear 'T is impossible to hear with too much Caution we cannot reade with too great Reverence and amongst many Reasons this is one That blessed Word which we reade and hear is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word of Christ V. Since the whole Scripture is undoubtedly the Word of Christ let us consider how much to blame the Roman Church is in equalling their Traditions to it yea and in preferring them before it too That the Roman Church should endeavour by all possible means to keep up and vigorously assert the Credit of their Traditions we cannot wonder because they have no other way to maintain several Doctrines of theirs which they are loath to part with and yet can never prove them by the Written Word Their Doctrines of Indulgences and Purgatory are so advantageous to them that Chemnitius hath adventured to say Coelum potiùs quà m Purgatorium sibi eripi paterentur They would rather part with Heaven then with Purgatory And since this Doctrine is so dear to them who can blame them for magnifying those Traditions of theirs by which alone this and several other gainful Doctrines of their Church are countenanced and supported What a great Esteem they have for their Traditions we learn from their own Authours Methinks Cornelius à Lapide ventures somewhat high when he tells us Lex Tradita aequè obligat atque Lex Scripta The Traditional Law doth oblige as much as the Written That of Aquinas saith the same Traditiones Religione unà cum Scripturis sunt tenendae Traditions are to be observed with the self-same Veneration as the Scriptures themselves But what need I mention particular persons when the Conventicle of Trent which being approved by the Pope is owned by them as the Representative Body of their whole Church hath proclaimed their Determination in this matter to all the World by this Expression Traditiones ac Scripturas ipsas pari pietatis affectu reverentiâ suscipit ac veneratur SS Synodus Tridentina The Holy Council of Trent doth receive and reverence such and such Traditions with the self-same Respect and Devotion which it hath for the Scriptures themselves This Expression of those few Romish Bishops that were now convened at Trent sounds somewhat high and yet methinks Bellarmine as if he were above the Council and willing to shew himself rather Pope then Cardinal outgoeth the Canon of Trent and braves it thus Quaedam sunt Traditiones majores quoad Obligationem quà m quaedam Scripturae There are some Traditions that lay upon us a greater Obligation then some parts of the Written Word It were worth the while to enquire a little what those Traditions should be that are more binding then Scripture it self We cannot reasonably imagine that such a man as Bellarmine that Illustrissimus Cardinalis should be so fond of any Traditions that are merely Ecclesiasticall as to tell the world that the Church or any Member thereof stands more obliged by these then by such and such Texts of Law or Gospell No 't is the ingenuous Confession of this Illustrious Cardinall that Ecclesiasticall Traditions are nothing else but Consuetudines quaedam antiquae vel à Praelatis vel à Populo inchoatae quae paulatim tacito Consensu populorum vim Legis obtinuerunt certain ancient Customes begun either by the Prelates or the People which by degrees through the People's tacit Consent obtained the force of Laws And certainly that such Traditions as are acknowledged to be from men whether the Laiety or the Clergy Councils or Popes should ever be thought more binding then such and such Portions of Scripture which the whole Christian Church doth own and confess to be the infallible Word of God should not easily be affirmed We must therefore grant that those Traditions which Bellarmine asserts to be more obliging then some Portions of Scripture must be of at least an equall Authority with the written Word which cannot be maintained without plain and equall Proofs that such Traditions are Divine or Apostolicall That our Blessed Saviour and his Apostles might doe many Miracles that are not written we are not afraid to grant That our Blessed Saviour and his Apostles might preach many Sermons and deliver several Discourses which are not upon Record we are not unwilling to acknowledg There might indeed be severall Sayings of our Lord 's omitted by the Evangelists as well as that mentioned by St. Paul Remember the words of our Lord Jesus how he said It is more blessed to give then to receive Lorinus observes Non exstat in Evangeliis ista Sententia sed Apostolorum one circumferebatur This Sentence of our Blessed Saviour's is nowhere recorded in the Gospel but was delivered by his Apostles by orall Tradition And perhaps that other Sentence ascribed to Christ though nowhere written in our Bibles might notwithstanding be his too Nunquam laeti sitis nisi cùm fratrem vestrum videritis in Charitate
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