of the 7. booke of the Apostles constitutions saith that The Church of Ecclesia Rom na quae Apostolita vtens potestate su gula pro conâ—â—tione temâ—oâ—um in melius mutat Quartae fertae 〈◊〉 quod diu mansit in Ecclesia nunc quod est doleâ—â—uÌ„ at que lugenduÌ„ cum alijs optimis matoruÌ„ institutu in desuetudinem abijt Gregor de Vateâ— Tom 4 disp 6. qa 8. puncto 5. sect 10. Et certè quaedaÌ„ posterioribus temporibus rectiut â—onstituâ—a esse in ecâ—lesia quaÌ„ initio se haberent Id confirmat authoriâ—ate Ambâ—osij Thomae Waldensis Tomo 2. de Sacrament cap. 94. Rome chalenging to her selfe Apostolicall authority can change and alter every thing to better according to the condition of the times yet there complaineth that a custome of the ancient Church to fast on wednesdayes and many other very good Lawes were abolished Gregory of Valence in the fourth Tome of his Commentaries and the sixth Disputation maketh no difficulty to affirme that Many things in these latter times are better ordained in the Church then they were in the beginning that is to say from the Apostles time The sacred Scripture in the 18. and 20. of Leuiticus layeth downe certaine degrees of consanguinity alliance which hinder mariage whereof the most remoued is the mariage of the Vncle with the Neece or the Aunt with the Nephew which are mariages forbidden and declared incestuous by the word of God which permitteth mariages in other degrees De la permission d'espouser les 2. soeurs voyez Almain au li. de la puissance Eccl. larque more remoued But the Pope vsurpeth power to himselfe in giuing liberty to mariages forbidden in the Scripture yea extending so far as to a toleration of marying two sisters as also hee permitteth the Vncle to mary the Neece On the otherside he forbiddeth mariages in more remote degrees and which God permitteth in his holy word as mariages betweene the issues of cosen germanes and betweene cosen germanes remoued Whereupon the Councell of Trent in the 24. Session at the 3. Canon denounceth an Anathema against al those that shall say that the church of Rome cannot forbid mariage in degrees allowed by the word of God and cannot dispense in degrees forbidden Thus runneth the Si quis dixerit cos tantuÌ„ consanguini tâ—tâ—â—t affinitatis gradus qui â—â—uâ—â—ico exprimuâ—tur posse impedire matrimonium contrahendum dirimere contractum nec posse Ecclesiâ— in nonnullu illoruÌ„ dispensare aut censtituere vt plures impediant dirimant Anathema sit Canon If any man saith that there are no more degrees of consanguinity and alliance then what are expressed in Leuiticus that can hinder from contracting of mariage or separate that which is contracted and that the Church cannot dispence in some of these degrees nor ordaine that many other degrees hinder or separate the mariage let him bee an Anathema This Councell curseth those which say that the Church of Rome cannot alter Gods ordinance nor dispense with that which God hath forbidden in his holy Word It is true that in the same Session this Councell giveth an exception in these In secundo gradu â—unquaÌ„ dispensetur nisi inter magnos Prinâ—ipes et ob publiâ—aÌ„â—ausam words Let no dispensation be giuen in the second degree vnlesse betweene great Princes and for publicke cause For the lawes of the Church of Rome open or shut according to the quality and riches of the persons Now it were good to know whether to marry a wiues sister or his â—eece or cosen a dispensation were ever asked of Saint Peter and whether hee gaue dispensation to the rich and sent the poore away According to this power that the Pope arrogateth to himselfe to dispense against Gods commandement contained in the Scriptures â—hee dispenseth with persons concerning their oaths and vowes he dispenseth with subjects and officers of a King for keeping the fidelitie sworne to their Soveraigne Prince Hee separateth marriages lawfully contracted under the shadow of Religion against the Lords commandement speaking of the dissolution of Marriages Math. 19. 6. What God hath joyned together let no man put assunder For the same that Tolet speaketh of the Apostles may bee spoken of Iesus Christ that all that hee hath institutâ—d is not Lib 1. instâ—t Sâ—câ—rd c. 68. Iure divino He exempteth children from obedience to their parents contrary to the Law of God when they are cast into Monastâ—ries against the willes of their fathers and mothers He suffereth whoredome yea in Rome it selfe and there establisheth Brothell-houses against the Law of God He hath forbidden the publike Service in â— knowne tongue appoynted Masses without Communicants and ordained Image-service against the expresse commandements of Iesus Christ and the Apostle Saint Paul and against the practise of the primitiue Church yea against the very Law of God as wee will shew in fit place These things and many more the like doe explaine that the question betweene vs and our adversaries is not alone whether the Apostles haue taught Traditions by mouth which they would not haue to bee set downe in writing and whether besides the Scripture there ought also Apostolicall Traditions to bee received For the principall poynt of difference is touching the Traditions which our Adversaries confesse not to haue beene written nor taught by the mouth of the Apostles and which haue beene long since introduced And touching the Popes power to add to the Creed and to establish new articles of faith Yea especially and above all touching an arrogance without example wherein the Pope and Church of Rome attribute to themselues the power of annulling Gods commandements and of the Apostles contained in holy Scriptures and to alter the institution of our Lord and to judge as Cardinall Perron speaketh that such and such commandements of our Lord are dispensable These kind of Traditions ought to bee called after the Italian word Tradimenti treasons or conspiracies against God CHAP. VII Passages extracted out of the Writings of our adversaries which proue that in the Church of Rome Traditions are without comparison more esteemed and respected then the holy Scripture and the Scripture reviled and charged with iniuries Iesuite Regourds boldnesse to blemish and defame the Scripture THe Councell of Trent in the fourth Session seemeth contented to equall Tradition with the Scripture ordaining that the one and the other be received and honoured with like affection of pietie reverence But this Councell doth now as customarily it doth propose its doctrine in doubtfull termes involving it selfe in darknesse and obsuritie For whosoever is never so little versed in the writings of our adversaries or hath exactly considered the practise and customes of the Romish Church shall easily discover that the holy Scripture is of no comparison with the value and account of Tradition which is exalted with praises and magnificall titles as also most carefully observed whilst the Scripture
proposed to the Councell and when these were afterwards to be read in full Councell the Fathers gaue their suffrage by the word Placet without scruple or difficultie therein receiving the said Decree as a Law already ratified by the Popes Legats Before the fourth Session was held where in was established the Decree touching Traditions some selected Doctors were assembled to frame this Dectee which was for a long space debated Some interposing that it was necessary a Decree should be made wherein it should be declared that all the Catholike doctrine is founded upon Tradition in regard that the Scripture it selfe is not to bee beleeved but by the leaue and meanes of Tradition that ministreth authoritie unto it Vincent Lunel a Cordelier was of opinion to make a Decree of the authoritie of the Church before Traditions should bee mentioned because these are grounded upon the authoritie of the Church and the Church is that which afforâ—eth all authoritie to the Scriptures To which opinion the Legats would not condiscend fearing that heereby the memory of the Councels of Constance and Basill should be revived which haue adjudged and definitiuely determined that the soveraigne authoritie of the Church abideth in the Councell and not in the Pope and that the Pope is subject to the Councell and that to enter into dispute hereon were to signifie that it is not yet knowne who should be Iudge But Anthony Mariner the Carmelite a sage and learned man was of opinion that nothing at all should be spoken of Traditions alleaging that without all doubt God under the old Testament had commanded Moyses to write his Booke of the Law charging the Kings to reade it carefully and to put a copy of it into the Arke of the Covenant but saith that under the new Testament the Scripture is not necessary in respect that Iesus Christ hath written his doctrine in mens hearts without need either of Tables Arke or Booke Hee further saith that if there were no Scripture at all yet the Church should loose nothing of her perfection It is true that God hath not forbidden his Apostles to write but so also is it certaine that they haue not written by his commaundement and it is an abuse to say that God hath commaunded them to write one part of the doctrine and forbidden them to write the other Againe he presseth that if any man he of a contrary opinion he should haue too maine difficulties to vnfold the one to declare the things forbidden to be written the other to tell us who hath made those men that came after the Apostles so adventurous and bold to commit to writing that which God had forbidden his Apostles to write Lastly he sayth that if any man avowed it to bee chance and without expresse commandement from God that some things haue been written and others not hee should accuse the providence of God in taking no care of so important a matter and should call into doubt the assistance of the holy Spirit that hath instructed the Apostles to write For these reasons was he of opinion to make no comparison of Traditions with the Scripture since by this meane also they might passe over the Scripture But Cardinall Poole an English man and third Legat did utterly renounce this opinion Yet for alâ— that there was a decree framed wherein without mentioning the authoritie of the Church or that Traditions are aboue the Scripture it is averred that simply the Scripture and Traditions ought to be received with equall pietie and reverence Which is a perpetuall rule that the Councell hath observed to devise emptie Decrees not expressing the moity of the church of Romes opinion and that in ambiguous words to the end that upon all occasions they may make Interpretations fit for their owne turnes CHAP. V. That our Adversaries say there are doctrines and articles of Christian Faith yea in the very essentiall things which the Apostles haue neither taught by mouth nor writing OVr Adversaries are not contented to accuse the Scripture alone of imperfection but they finde also a deficiency in the Aposties preacaing and say that they haue not taught all by word of mouth So as by their account the holy Scripture and Apostolique Traditions coupled together make no an entire body of the Christian doctrine They also freely conâ—â—sse that the Popes haue added from age to age divers Traditions according as they haue thought them necessary and that not only â—â— things of lesse importance but also in matters essentiall to the Christian faith Bellarmine in his 4. Booke of the § Est aut eÌ„ Prior partitio Traditionum est in diviâ—as Apostoâ—â—â—as Ecclesiastiâ—as Vnwritten word of God chap. 2. calleth some Traditions Divine which Iesus Christ hath taught by mouth haue not been set downe in writing Others he calleth Apostolique which the Apostles haue taught by word of mouth and never wrote them And the last hee calleth Ecclesiasticall which hee Ecclesiastica Traditiones proprie dicuntur consuetudines quaedâ— antiqua veâ— a Praesulibus vel á 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 paularim tacito consensa populorum vâ—m legis obtinuerunt Ideâ— habâ—t Saâ—meron Tom. 13. Disp 8. saith are introduced from ancient customes by the Prelates or by the people and creepingly by the silent and vnquestioning agreement of the people haue gayned as it were strength of law In which distinction hee clearely acknowledgeth that the Traditions which he stileth Apostolique are not Divine and that Ecclesiasticall are neither Divine nor Apostolicall Whence it is manifest with what subtiltie our adversaries commonly attribute the title of Apostolicall to all Traditions indifferently as if they were all derived from the Apostles and how falsely they comprehend Traditions under the title of The vnwritten word of God when as by their owne confessions a great part of these Traditions is not the Word of God For Traditions that are not divine are necessarily humane And this is evidently seene in the Prayer Bookes for certaine houres and the duties wherwith they charge the people unto whom they first commit Gods ten Commandements and then the commandements of the Church which is an argument of their confession that the commandements of the Church are not Gods commandements In this interim the Councell of Sess 4 Trent at the before recited place maketh no difference betweene Traditions avouching that theâ— are all received with like affectioâ— of pietie and reverence as the holâ— Scripture equalleth those Ecclesiasticall Traditions brought in bâ— the Popes at severall times to thâ—â— ten commandements of the divine Law and to the Doctrine of the Gospel written in the New Testament The same Cardinall disputing against Barkley touching the Popes power to depose Kings and cause them to bee killed as also concerning his authoritie over all the Temporaltie of the world not finding either in Scripture or in ancienâ— History of the Church any passage or example to countenance and underprop so abhominable a Bellarm. in Barkl cap. 3 Non
defaults are therein found and giueth God thankes for it to the end that men finding no stedinesse or certainty in the Scripture may subiect themselues to the tyrannie of the Church that is to say of the Pope and there to find instruction these are his words The prouidence Demonstr 2. § 5. p. 128. of God to constraine vs yet more powerfully to vndergoe the yoke of the Church with humility and simplicity permitteth that there bee not only some alteration in certaine parcels of the Scripture and in some copie but the more the bookes of the Scripture are dispersed the more they shall alter and perish by tract of time whether they be in originall tongues or translations Without doubt hee that reioyceth at the deprauations which he imagineth to bee in Scripture and at the losse of some bookes and prayseth thererein the prouidence of God would much more solace himselfe and reioyce if all the Scripture were abolished For to what purpose serveth it if Tradition of the Church of Rome bee a perfect rule more certaine and of more authority then the holy Scripture and if the Pope iudge soueraignly and infallibly of all the points of faith for hee hath forbidden the people to reade the Scripture as a booke not onely unnecessary but also dangerous and that which hath made a great breach in the Popedome The same Iesuite pleaseth himselfe with this conceit of his inculcating it with often repetition As in the third Demonstration when he hath said that a man cannot assure himselfe of the sense of the Greeke Testament because it first was written without accents and distinctions whereon depends the sense hee addeth It is a worke of the providence of God to stoope our mindes and inclinations to the soveraigntie of the Church that is to say of the Pope who by consequence hath more authoritie then the Apostle S. Paul speaking to the Corinthians not that wee have dominion over your faith 2. Cor. 1. 24. But may not wee affirme it with more probability to be a worke of Gods providence that hee hath suffered so many schismes and heresies so much simony uncleannesse of life and crueltie to haue infected the seat of Rome whereby to referre us to the Scripture to make vs forsake those wicked guides and to subject us to his holy word and that God by his providence hath permitted that the Popes themselues haue confessed their owne errours And lastly that the Popes sycophants haue recorded unto us their crimes and heresies as I haue proved in my first Booke In short to bee throughly informed with what spirit this Iesuite is lead it is but to reade the same that hee hath written in his third Demonstration pag. 190. They cause them saith he to renounce the Church pretending that it consisteth of men that are faultie and lyers vnder a faire semblance of Scripture and vnder a plausible promise to governe all by the word of God But the truth is they depute a bleare-eyed Leah vnto them in lieu of a faire Rachel and submit faith to the soveraigne command of the will of Ministers who put into their hand a Scripture that is humane erronious mutable subject to correction c. This miserable Iesuite wil one day render an account to God of so damnable a speech wherein hee compareth the holy Scripture to bleare-eyed Leah and the Church of Rome to beautifull Rachel It is very false that wee renounce the Church but yet we maintaine that it ought to be subject to the Scripture and we renounce the doctrine of those who say that the Scripture is subject to the Church of Rome for God cannot be subject to men As for the soveraigne power of the Ministers function that might well bee retorted upon us for a reproach if wee boasted amongst us that they cannot erre that they haue power to change Gods commandements conteined in the holy Scriptures to adde to the Creed and to make new articles of faith or if we should stile our selues Iudges infallible and soveraigne of the poynts of faith Wee leaue these usurpations and proud titles to the Pope by the which hee exalteth himselfe aboue God Onely wee exhort the people to beleeue the Word of God contained in holy Scriptures wherein if wee finde any obscure passages wee take not upon us to bee Iudges of the sense and to determine it with authoritie It is enough that as much as therein is perspicuous and plaine not needing the helpe of an Interpreter is sufficient for our salvation And to contest much about Translations wee busie not our selues for the Translation approved by the Church of Rome fufficeth us discovering clearely therin the very condemnation of Papistry All Translations agree in the matters necessary to salvation and the originall texts both Hebrew and Greeke are at this day familiar and agreeing to our Translation Of these things haue I treated at large in my first Booke of The Iudge of Controversies and haue discussed all the slender objections wherein our Adversaries doe side with Pagans and Infidels and endeavour to extenuate the firmnesse and authoritie of the Scripture which Saint Paul calleth The divine Oracles Rom. 3. 2. and The Scripture diuinely inspired 1. Tim. 3. 16. which I say Iesus Christ himselfe hath uttered holding vp his owne vocation by the testimony of the Prophets and by it hath repelled the temptation of the Deuill Math. 4. Yea S. Paul saith that the Scripture can make a man wise to saluation and is most proper for mans accomplishment in euery good worke without it wee haue not meanes to know that God will haue but one Church in the world And when our aduersaries haue wretchedly reuiled it yet are they afterwards constrained to returne vnto it and to beg of it though with an ill stomacke some clauses of Text to found their Church vpon the Scriptures authority without it Christianity had beene long since abolished The diuine efficacy of it is manifest in this that the Pope hath suppressed it so as the people may not see it yet when God is pleased to lay it open to the peoples view and that it be translated into vulgar tongues Papistry doth immediatly vanish in many Prouinces Yea if Emperours and Kings had not hastened to succour vsing both fire and sword and the rigour of Inquisitions without doubt Papistry had beene vtterly extinguished Wherefore it is no maruell if the Pope by his scouts labour to blemish the Scripture rendring it doubtfull and without authority which vngodly instruments at this day borrow the weapons of Pagans who to restore Paganisme and ruine Christianity haue had no surer course then to difsame the holy Scripture Loe whither Satan strives to leade vs Hee striues to shake the only foundation of Christian religion to the end that the people distasting the Scripture may for their faith and saluation relye vpon the conductors of the Romish church wherein haue liued multitudes of Popes notorious heretickes and so iudged by the