may catch hold and graspe the hand which these men stretch forth to them to be conductours of their blindnesse Yet let us briefly observe what this succession of the Church of Rome may signifie or bee they bring us clauses of ancient Authours reporting the Bishop of Rome to be Saint Peters Successor and shew a Nomenclature of the Bishops from Saint Peter to this day but we finde that the ancients make such another Catalogue of the Bishops of Ierusalem and of Antioch whose succession is of greater antiquity then that of the Bishops of Rome The Bishops of Alexandria likewise draw out their succession from Saint Peter But our Adversaries will not have this succession to be esteemed for say they those Churches are hereticall and yet the same Churches also call the Church of Rome hereticall and schismaticall Herein then lieth the point of difficulty the ancients reckon up the Successours of Saint Peter and other Apostles in Iernsalem in Antioch at Rome and at Alexandria but they meane not they should bee Successours of the Apostles in the Apostleship they meane onely in the governement of such and such a particular Church planted by one of the Apostles So putting the case that Saint Peter founded the Church of Rome and was there Bishop which neverthelesse is doubtfull and mistrusted I will also agree that the Bishops of Rome of the first ages have beene Successours to Saint Peter but in the Bishopricke of the Church of the city of Rome onely In the same manner as Simon was Successame manner to Saint Iames the Apostle in the Bishopricke of Ierusalem and Timothy Successour to Saint Paul in the Bishopricke of Ephesus but not in his Apostleship Our Adversaries profit nothing by their allegations if they prove not first by testimonies both divine and irrefragable that God hath ordained Saint Peter to have a Successour in his Apostleship and that the Bishop of Rome was Successour to Saint Peter in the dignity of the head of the universall Church For ought not this succession to have come from God Did God establish a supreame and successive head over the Church of all the world without making any mention of it in his word And did Saint Peter himselfe forget to speake of this succession from whence we have two long Epistles See then whereupon we stand and how our Adversaries are taken All their Religion is founded upon this Tradition to wit that the Pope hath beene ordained from God to bee the Successour of Saint Peter in the charge of head of the universall Church hereunto they bend their force this is the scope of all the controversies And yet concerning this Tradition they cannot produce one poore divine truth nor one single word out of the word of God yea when it commeth to humane testimonies it is apparant that they are contrary to this Monarchicall succession of the Pope of Rome In one thing our Adversaries finde themselves much incumbred We demand of them when they speake of a succession whether they understand it of persons without succession of doctrine or of a succession of persons in the same doctrine If they understand a succession of persons sitting in the same chaire without succession of doctrine this succession is impious serving for a title of succession to make warre against God Hee that corrupteth the Doctrine of his Predecessors succeedeth them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as sicknesse succeedeth health and darknesse light so Gregory of Nazianzene speaketh in his Oration upon Athanasius To have the same Doctrine saith he is to have the same Seat but to have a contrary Doctrine is to have a contrary Seat one hath the name the other hath the truth of the succession c. Vnlesse a man will call it succession when the maladie succeedeth health and darknesse the light But if our Adversaries speaking of succession understand it of persons not only in the same Chaire but also in the same Doctrine this succession is excellent and a singular ornament in a Church no man can erre in adhering to such a succession for it carrieth conformity of Doctrine with the Apostles and before this succession can bee knowne it is behovefull to be instructed in the writings of the Apostles and in their Doctrine Such a succession is that whereof Iren. lib. 4. cap. 43. Eâ— quâ— in Ecclesia sunt Presbyteru obedire oportet his qui successioneÌ„ habent ab Apostolus qui cum Episcopatus successione charisâ—a veritatis certuÌ„ secunduÌ„ placituÌ„ Patris acceperunt Irenaeus speaketh saying That wee ought to obey Priests who are in the Church who have the succession of the Apostles and with the succession of the Bishopricke have received the certaine talent of the truth Not acknowledging succession in the Bishopricke without succession in the truth of the Doctrine And Tertullian speaking of the Heretikes Their Doctrine Tertull. de praescr c. 21 Iâ—sa eoruÌ„ doctrina cum Apostolica comparata ex diversitate contrariâ—tate doctrina pronuntiabit neque Apostoli â—licâ—ius auctoru esse neque Apostolicâ— being compared with that of the Apostles by the diversity and contrariety therein will plainely demonstrate that it hath not any Apostle for Authour nor any one that is Apostolicall Snatching this specious title of Apostolike succession from those who taught otherwise then the Apostles had done It is no small abuse when wee would know whether a Religion bee true or no to give us a list of Bishops in painting and pictures without knowing whether the latter doe teach as the first pinning religion unto the Chaires to the end to suppresse the true rules and institutions as also to divert the people from reading of the holy Scripture for feare lest they should apprehend the conformity in Doctrine with the Apostles which is the true succession We must note by the way that in the time of Irenaeus and Tertullian who wrote about six score yeeres after the Apostles it was easie to shew the succession Then I meane when the Churches wherein the Apostles had taught did hold one and the same faith I say when the succession was of no great length and the memory of the Apostles and their disciples preaching was fresh and familiar But now that the Churches which were planted by the Apostles are divided into contrary Sects and separated from communion and that the confusions abounding in space of some fifteene hundred yeeres have throwne downe so many Chaires and reared up others and that particularly the Bishopricke of Rome is turned into a temporall Monarchy and the Pope of a Bishop is become a temporall Prince this successive derivation of Chaires in the East and West is impossible considering that the entayle of this succession hath beene thousands of times cut off so that it is a meere imposture to enter into this lea of Histories and confusions to the end to examine the Traditions in stead of addressing our selves to the word of God CHAP. XVI That the Pharisees and ancient
universall Councels most ancient of greatest authority and which Pope Gregory the first equalleth to the foure Evangelists Pope Gelasius speakes the same for in his Tome of the Bond of an Anathema disputing against one of the foure first Councells to wit against that of Chalcedon where there were sixe hundred and thirty Bishops he urgeth thus The Apostolicall Seat alone dissanulleth that which a Synodall Assembly Quod refutauit sedes Apostolica habere non potuit firmitatem sola rescindâ— qd prater ordineÌ„ congregatio Synodica pisâ— taverit vsurpandum though to haue vsurped against order The subject of his choler against this so famous and honourable assembly was for that in this Councell is framed a Canon ordaining that the Bishop of Constantinople should be equall to the Bishop of Rome in all things and that hee should haue the same preheminences CHAP. XI Of what sort how weake and how vncertaine the foundations are wheron Traditions of the Romish Church are built and of the three maximes that serue for their defence and prop. THe Traditions of the Church of Rome are of so great a number that a meere Catalogue of them would furnish out a large volume The whole rabble of them hath these three maximes for their foundation 1. That the Pope is Successor to St. Peter in the charge of Head of the universall Church 2. Secondly that the Pope cannot erre in the faith 3. That the Apostles haue not set downe in writing all that they did teach by word of mouth Hee that will comprehend the nature of these maximes shall know that they evert the Christian faith and consume all Religion into smoke for if the Maximes wheron all Papistry is founded and all the body of Romish Traditions bee imaginary maximes and purely humane not to giue a worse phrase it is impossible that the Religion which is built thereupon can haue the least tittle of assurance 1. The first maxime that layeth downe the Pope to bee Saint Peters Successor in the charge of Head of the vniversall Church is destitute of all testimony of Gods Word and our Adversaries to vphold it produce nothing but humane testimonies Whence it followeth that it is not an Article of the Christian Faith and that it cannot be beleeved for a certaintie of faith for the Christian faith is grounded upon the Word of God Faith commeth by â—earing and hearing by the Word of God Rom. 10. 17. But the Church of Rome giveth his maxime not onely for an Arâ—cle of Faith but also for a founâ—ation of all the other Articles of â—aith and of the whole Religion For in the Church of Rome the Popes authoritie is planted to be a Foundation of the Church and of all the doctrine of salvation to the very subjecting of the Scripture that is to say the word of God to his authoritie and to cause that the authoritie of the Scripture depend vpon the opinion of the Church of Rome and all this by vertue of that pretended Succession to St. Peter Briefly our Adversaries make all Christian Religion to hang vpon this poynt as Bellarmine acknowledgeth at the entrance of the Preface in his Books of the Pope speaking thus To say in a word when mention is made of the Etenim de qua re agitur cum de primatu Pontificis agitur breutssime dicam de summa rei christianae â—â— entâ— quaeritur aebeatne Ecelesia diutius consistere an vero dissolui concidere Observ andic est tertia licet force no sit de â—ure diuno RomanisÌ„ PontificeÌ„ ut Romanum Pentificem Petro succecere tamen â—â— ad fidem Catholicam pertinere NoÌ„ enim est idem alsquid esse de fide et esse de ture divine Nec enim de oure divine fuit â—â— Paulus hâ—beret penulaÌ„ est tamen â—â—â— ipsum de fide 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 penulam Etsi autem Romanum Pontificem sucâ—edere Petro noÌ„ habeatur expresse in scripturis c. Popes supremacy the summe of all Christianitie is at stake for the question is whether the Church ought to subsist any longer or whether it must bee dissolved and fall Thereunto doe all the Controversies referre and all the Traditions ayme at the profit and greatnesse of the Pope yet the same Cardinall at the 12. chap. of the second Booke of the Pope acknowledgeth that the Scripture maketh no mention of the Popes succession in the place of Saint Peter and that this poyut is not jure divino Neverthelesse hee affiemeth that this succession though it bee not jure divino leaueth not to appertaine to the Catholick faith In the same manner as the Catholicke faith beleeueth that Saint Paul had a Friers weed though that were not jure divine and that God had not commanded any thing to that purpose Hence it is manifest that all the diuine doctrine is founded vpon a plaine humane Tradition to weet a Tradition vnwritten That God hath ordained the Pope of Rome for Successour in the Primacy of Saint Peter Thus you see Tradition grounded vpon tradition that is vpon it selfe and this infinite Masse of traditions is founded vpon a Traditions that is no more jure diuino then Saint Pauls weed whereof never was any diuine Testimony extant I will not at this time enter into proofes of the falsity of this matter which wee haue handled in diuers places especially in my booke that went before and shewed the vntruths by aboundance of reason and authority drawne from antiquity I say but this that the ancient Bishops of Rome were called Successours of Saint Peter in the Bishopricke only of the Citie of Rome but not in the Apostleship nor in the goverment of the vniuersall Church Iust as the Bishops of Ierusalem were called Successors of Saint Iames and those of Antioch of Saint Peter and those of Ephesus of Saint Paul and of Saint Iohn not in the Apostl ship but in the Bishopricke of thâ— townes wherein these Apostles had planted the Church Our adversaries produce not any example or passage of the ancient Church whereby it may appeare that ever the Bishops of Rome attributed any authority to themselues over the Churches that are out of the Romane Empire I say also that when the Bishop of Rome was heretofoâ—e Successor to Saint Peter in place of head of the Church so it was that the heresies which infected this seat as our adversaries themselues doe confesse and the Popes complaine of it and the Schismes which haue rent it there hauing beene two Popes at once sometimes three at the same instant prosecuting one the other to extremity and calling one the other Antichrist did long since breake the chaine of this succession In which Schismes ordinarily the most vicious and most cunning caried it and hee excluded his adversary who had the favour of those Emperours and Kings on whom the fortune of warre did smile This continued straine of succession not being possibly knowen but by the multitude of Histories and Authors both
Milan which is neere Rome they fasted not on Saturdayes as Saint Augustine testifieth in his 118. Epistle Thirdly single life of Priests and 3. Single life of Priests Bishops cannot be an Apostolicall Tradition because it was not practised at the time of the Apostles nor many ages after them But having spoken of this elsewhere at large I will content my selfe for the present with the testimony of the two most famous Cardinals of this age Barronius and Perron Baronius in the 58. yeere of his Annales Bar. Ann. 58 §. 14. acknowledgeth that married men were received to the function of Bishop at the Apostles time whereof hee alledgeth divers causes and namely amongst the rest the scarcity of unmarried men especially in Crete And Perron affirmeth Du Perron cōtre le Roy de la grand ' Bretagne pag. 312. A cause respondrens nous de la rareté des personnes marices lors de la naissance de l'Eglise c. Mais depuis comme l'Emperour Constantin c. that this permission lasted untill the time of Constantine that is to say during the three first ages But if he would have confessed the whole truth he had acknowledged that Greeke Churches never was any time when Priests were not married yea they so continue to this very day And the 13. Canon of the sixt generall Councel called at the Imperial Palace of Constantinople doth formally condemne the Church of Rome upon this subject Estius Doctor and Professor at Doway in his Commentary upon this passage of the Apostle 1 Tim. 3. Let the Bishop Fatendum est Avestolum permittere vt in Episcopum eligatur qui habeat verum id pro tēpore propter paucitatem eorla qui et coelibes essent ad Episcopatum idonei be husband of one wife speaketh thus We must confesse that the Apostle suffereth us to chuse a Bishop that is married to one wife but he teacheth this according to the time because of the fewnesse of unmaried men and of such as were fit for the function of a Bishop Therefore this Tradition claimeth not the Apostles to bee the Authours of it and consequently is not Apostolicall nor hath it beene received at all times and in all places I have insisted hereupon not that wee should have need of the authority of the ancients to fight against Romish Traditions for refutation whereof the word of God is sufficient and is only that which ought to judge us but to shew that our Adversaries supposing to establish their Traditions doe plainely destroy them and doe giue such notes whereby they draw their owne inditement and conviction Neverthelesse it is not without craft that they will have Traditions to bee examined by this touchstone to wit whether they have beene universally received at all times For they know that of those who would examine their Traditions by this way scarce one amongst a thousand can attaine to the head of them and that the people can inform themselves nothing at all therein for this examination cannot bee made but by the reading of all the Greeke and Latine Fathers and of all the Ecclesiasticall histories since the continuation of sixteene hundred yeeres All the bookes to this purpose would fill a spacious roome and are no more then sealed letters to the people yea amongst the Clergie not one of a hundred will bee found that hath but ordinary knowledge therein By this meanes our Adversaries contrive the matter that when their Traditions come to be examined a way must bee undertaken that is endlesse wherein the people walke blindefold and are constrained to repaire to the testimony of such men as preach these Traditions and live by them truly if by these directions men expect to arrive at the knowledge of salvation I know not who can be saved The which most cleerely appeareth in this that the holy Scripture being the short and sure means to examiue Traditions they sequester it farre from the peoples eyes and divert them from reading therof appointing them to books wherein they are neither comprehensive nor capable It appeareth likewise in the examination of Traditions by the history of every age wherein ordinarily they commence with the last age and so walke retrograde in the calculation of their times to the end they may arrive as late as possibly they can at the Apostles time and their writings CHAP. XV. The second marke set by our Adversaries to distinguish the good Traditions from the bad to wit Succession To discerne the good Traditions from the bad our Adversaries agree that those ought to be held for divine and Apostolicall which are received by the Churches that derive their succession from the Apostles This marke hath no more certainty then the former and maketh as much against our Adversaries The doubtfulnesse of it is manifest in this that the Churches of Antioch of Alexandria of Ephesus of Thessalonica of Candia c. which are contrary to the Romish Church and more ancient doe boast themselves to bee of equall succession and one part of them challengeth a succession from Saint Peter yea before the Churches of Alexandria and Antioch did suffer any interruption by the persecutions of the Mahumetans they were often in discord with the Church of Rome and were not in any wise subject unto it and more particularly the Church of Thessalonica founded upon Saint Paul and the Church of Candia where Saint Paul established Titus from whom descended the Bishops of Candia keepe a succession from the Apostles which never was interrupted and hath continued since the time of Christ who speaking from heaven sent the Apostle Saint Paul yet notwithstanding these Churches are separated from a communion with the Church of Rome and the Pope holdeth them for Schismatickes and Heretikes As for the Bishop of Rome so many schismes dividing and so many heresies tainting his Seat as our Adversaries themselves confesse and we have elsewhere proved have long since broken the ranke of this imaginary succession Also the uncertainty of this succession betrayeth it selfe in that it is a meere tradition so as if the service of Images or the Communion under one kinde be founded upon succession behold then Traditions founded upon a Tradition and this Tradition founded upon humane histories which may mistake yea often doe jarre and disagree wherefore this is an uncertainty founded upon another uncertainty as atomes and motes carried upon the aire But how shall a Mechanicke or a woman know this succession How shall they be assured that the second Bishop of Rome hath beleeved in the points of Religion as the first the third as the second the fourth as the third and so for sixteene hundred yeeres though there never might have happened any alteration Who doth not perceive that these men by a palpable falshood invent projects wherof they know that the knowledge is impossible and wherein the search is a labour in vaine to the end that the ignorant finding themselves muffled up in darknesse
the great Whore the signification of the seuen stars and the Sense or exposition of the dreames are called Sacraments Apoc. 3. 1. and 17. 7. Dan. 2. 18. Touching the Holy Supper which wee call Sacrament herein wee follow the custome and by the word we vnderstand no other thing but that which Iesus Christ calleth a memoriall or commemoration saying Doe this in remembrance of me CHAP. XXI A proofe of the sufficiency and perfection of the Scriptures by the Testimony of God himselfe speaking in the Scriptures WEe haue offered to your vnderstandings both the novelty and falshood of Romish Traditions and have proued that they are neither Diuine nor Apostolicall It is therefore to be concluded that we ought entirely to adhere to the word of God contained in the Holy Scriptures for in two wayes when the one is blocked vp there remaineth but the other that is passable Our aduersaries themselues aide vs in this point The Popes hauing made so many decrees and decretals and extravagants yet they dare not call these decrees the word of God Yea they produce no other booke then the Scripture that beareth this title of the word of God or of the Testament or Couenant of God This single proose may suffice vnlesse we would embrace the word of men for a rule of faith Our aduersaries againe tell vs that the Holy Scripture cannot testifie of it selfe and when it is â—aile ' Iesuite 〈◊〉 1. traittâ— de son Catechisme Bellarm. lib. 4 de Verbo Dei cap. 4. § Quartâ— called Holy and Divine It is â— more to be credited then Titus Livius or Mahumets Alcoran But let them know that this is Gods true Prerogative to be Iudge and witnesse in her cause who being the party offended will not forget at the last day to be Iudge of those that have offended him Hearken to that of Iesus Christ speaking at the 8. of S. Iohn 14. Though I beare record of my selfe yet my record is true and worthy to be beleeued For God is not therefore to bee the lesse beleued because there are so many incredulous and vnbeleeuing and the perversity of man shall neuer despoile God of his right It is a non sequitur and an vnjust inference that because of the malice and depravednes of man the dominion of God should suffer dimunition Therefore wee will not feare to alledge the Scripture for proofe of the perfection of the Scripture Wee know that the authenticke Testimony which God giueth to his word can be no way taxed or iustly suspected The Apostle Saint Paul in the 2. to Tim 3. 15. speaketh thus to his disciple Timothy From thine in fancie thou hast knowne the holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise vnto saluation through faith which is in Christ Iesus Now what need we seeke any further then to bee so instructed as that wee may be able to attaine vnto saluation by our beleefe in Iesus Christ To shifâ— off this passage of Saint Paul to Timothy our aduersaries tell vs that Saint Paul speaketh not in that place but onely of the bookes of the old Testament and yet at that time the greatest part of the new was written But I am contented to grâ—â—t what they say for it maketh against them being assured that if the sole bookes of the old Testament can make a man wise to saluation much more and with stronger râ—ason shall the old and the new coupled together make vs wise to saluation The Holy Scripture neuer saith that vnwritten Traditions can make vs wise to saluation The Apostle had neuer sayd that the Scripture can make vs wise to salvation if it instructed vs but by halfes and if it were needfull for vs to seeke the other part of our instruction in another word that is vnwritten Where they say that Timothy could not learne out of the olde Testament the immortality of the soule nor Paradise nor the resurrection c. It hath bin formerly confuted Of the resurrection of Iesus Christ and of his death the Prophets speakâ— most clearely and all the sacrifices lead thereunto And when these things were lesse plainely and expressely set downe yet God required not of our forefathers before the comming of Christ a greater knowledge then that which was reuealed vnto them There are those who play the Sophisters vpon this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vsed by the Apostle and doe render it to instruct and not to make wise Wherein their owne Bible â—â—sâ— lâ— 18. an Grâ—c Phanâ—â—â—ni lâ—xâ—con 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 teacheth the contrary for at the 19. Psal 7. There is in the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the vulgar translation Sapientiam praestans parvâ—lis that is to say giuing wisedome to the simple And at the 119. Psal 98. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where Pagnin rendreth it tu me sâ—pientiâ—rem reddidisti inimicis meis Thou hast made mee wiser then minâ— enemies But vpon the point it commeth all to one for it sufficeth vs to bee instructed to saluation Saint Paul speaketh not of any curtal'd or halfe instrâ—ction Hee is instructed to salvation who hath sufficient instruction to bee saved and whosoever is not wise to salvation is not instructed to salvation so are they one and the same thing But if the Scripture could make Timothy wise to salvation why should it not be as well sufficient to make others wise to salvation For if any man profit therein lessen then Timothy the reason is not because it is more perfect for one then for another but because one bringeth to it more light of spirit more affection and more attention then another and because God conferreth his knowledge more abundantly upon those that feare him and humbly crave the gist of understanding 2. The Apostle Saint Paul at 1 Cor. 4. 6. limiting the power of the Pastors of the Church saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let no man thinke above that which is written there it is above that which is written and not above that which I have written And whosoever imputeth to Beza that he translated it above that which I Iehan Iaubert pa. 306. have written is a detracting Calumniator 3. The same Apostle at Act. 26. 22. protesteth Hee never taught any thing save onely such things as the Prophets and Moses had foretold should come to passe He then confined his preaching to the Scriptures And he shall be a good Minister of Christ who after the example of Saint Paul shall bee able to say that hee never taught any thing except those things which Moses and the Prophets and Apostles disciples of the Prophets have taught If it be moreover objected that Saint Paul being restrained to the writings of the Prophets it shall follow that the writings of the Apostles who have written since the Prophets are unprofitable I will answere that the Apostles have written the same things that the Prophets have written for as much as concerneth the substance of salvation but they have
Councels which the Church of Rome hath approued and by the Popes favorites themselues Wherein also you may perceiue to the number of three and twentie Schismes and many contrary Popes at the same time mutualy entitling themselues Antichrists Yea wherein haue liued many infamous Popes Necromancers Adulterers Murtherers aduanced to the Popedome by whores by Simony and by violence Such as take vpon them the title of God causing themselues to bee adored and Kings to kisse their feete and the Scripture to bee prostrate before them when they enter into the Councels such as vante they cannot erre that they can make another Creed can change Gods ordinances can transport soules out of Purgatory into Paradise and ranke whom they please in the Catalogue of Saints by canonizing them vnder colour whereof they exercise an abhominable commerce and trafficke by Dispensations Absolutions Indulgences Annates Licences and Benefices So as from a poore Bishop of a Citie who was no way eminent but in martyrdomes the Pope is become a puissant temporall Monarch surpassing in riches the greatest Monarchs of the earth To effect so great an alteration it was needfull that Religion should bee changed for the purity and plainnesse of christianity regulated by the Scriptures could not serue to build vp so great an Empire These things haue I amply handled in my first Booke wherein I maintaine the Authoritie of the Scripture Which work went then forth almost the very day that lesuite Regourds Booke against the Authoritie and Perfection of the Scripture was published These two Bookes if any man will compare together shall finde that I answere all that hee pleadeth against the authoritie of the Scripture and that Regourds Booke satisfieth nothing of all that I propose in mine Before that he published his book a Challenge was brought to the Pastors of this Church of Sedan to enter into conference dispute with some Doctors amongst whoÌ„ was Iesuite Regourd wherein they threatned us Wee accepted the Conference the place and day were assigned with all accommodations that after so many Defiances every mans honour should oblige him not to recant Neverthelesse hee durst not appeare and for two severall times failed at the day appoynted But his humour serving him at last to dispute and being thirstie of reputation hee went some where else to discharge his choler and in Conference seiseth upon Monsieur Mestrezat where he received all sort of disgrace so farre forth as his friends were faine to make use of superiour power to draw him from the combate and to hinder the Conference from Printing for it could not be seene but to his dishonour and that in a place where all things were favourable unto him and where the language of Truth is very new and strange And so retired this wittie Doctor as well contented as satisfied being not so wisely advised but to make trophies and signes of victory considering there were so many witnesses CHAP. VIII A Proofe of the same by the practise of the Primitiue Church WEe haue proved by many passages of our Adversaries that in the Church of Rome Traditions are much more esteemed and of greater authority then the Scripture which they so much under-value and charge with a thousand reproaches and that by injustice and most fraudulently the Councell of Trent seemes to make them equall Now are we to proue the same by the practise and maximes of the Church of Rome I. In the first place when our adversaries ground the authority of the Scripture upon tradition of the Church and would haue the Scripture received and beleeved because the Church doth so ordaine it It is evident that they preferre Tradition before Scripture for they make Scripture to depend upon Tradition esteeme Tradition of the Church more worthy of belife then Scripture and beleeue not the Scripture but because the Church of Rome hath so commanded it II. Let vs looke vpon experience and wee shall informe our selues that in the Church of Rome the people is a thousand fold more carefully instructed in Tradition then in the doctrine of salvation contained in holy Scriptures The most ignorant know the meaning of Lent and the foure Seasons they are instructed in the difference of meats they are skilled in Festivall dayes and Eues they goe in Pilgrimage visite the Reliques gaine Pardons purchase Masses Obits and Suffrages for the dead speake of Purgatory mumble over their Chaplet or Beads and their Rosary or our Ladies Psalter and discourse of the Popes succession in Saint Peters Chaire but they are ignorant in the holy Scripture accounting it modestie and humility not to enquire much after it Aske them upon the doctrine of our Redemption in Iesus Christ upon Iustification by faith vpon our free Adoption upon the correspondencie betweene the Law and the Gospell upon the difference between the old and new Testament upon the causes wherefore it was necessary that our Redeemer should bee God and man in the vnitie of person vpon the ends of their Resurrection and Ascension upon the Doctrine of faith and good works which are the poynts wherein consisteth the essence of Christian Religion and you shall finde them as mute as fishes and altogether uninstructed III. Baptisme is a divine Institution but Confirmation such as is practised in the Church of Rome and confection of the Crisome are humane Inventions Yet are they much more honoured then Baptisme for in the Church of Rome a woman yea a Pagan and Iew may baptize and giue that which they haue not and Confirmation is not administred nor Crisome consecrated but by the Bishop with great solemnitie IV. God hath commanded St. Peter and the other Apoâ—â—les to preach the Gospell but gaue them no command to giue Indulgences nor to canonize Saints nor to release soules out of Purgatory nor to consecrate their Agnus Dei and their blessed Beads The first poynt is a commandement of God the other things are humane Traditions which the Pope doth performe with preparation and solemnitie but hee preacheth not the Gospell esteeming the labour of preaching as a thing vnworthy of his greatnesse Insomuch as the Popes are industrious observers of their owne Traditions and adore their owne proper Inventions but dispense with the Lords commandements V. Hence commeth it to passe that the sinnes committed against Gods Law are held to be light in comparison of those committed against the Traditions Decrees and Canons of the Pontifies The inferiour Priests giue absolution of thest of lying and of whoredome which are sinnes against the Law of God but there are cases reserved wherein no man in France can giue absolution but at the poynt of death and they are specified in the Bull De Coena Domini which the Pope thundereth euery yeere on Maunday Thursday before the Paschall The sinnes that are most enormous and whereof no man but the Pope maketh absolution are not murther parricide incest sodomy and perjury but to appeale from the Pope to a future Councell to withdraw Tythes from
Pag. 1009. Et quat aux auteris plus proches du siecle Apostouque encore qu'il ne s'y trouue pas de vestages de vesta coustume c. Pag. 994. Quelques particuliers 〈◊〉 que les ames des fideles 〈◊〉 point la visin is Diâ—â— avant is augament final c. L'Eglise n'avcit point incore prononce la decisian la dessus is due to be the best versed in the study of the Father's confesfeth freely that in the Authors neerest approching to the Apostles time there appeareth no trace of this custome of invoking Saints Yea he acknowledgeth that then when S. Augustine wrote which was some 420. yeeres after the birth of our Saviour the doctrine of those which hold that the Saints know not the occurrences of things acted here below was not condemned and that the Church had not yet made a decision thereupon and indeed all that our Adversaries alledge out of the Fathers of the three first ages and more then halfe the fourth upon this question are passages ser ving to prove that the Saints pray for us which is a point that willingly wee condiscend unto but not to prove it behovefull for us to invoke the Saints nor to allow them a religious service The approbation of the bookes 3. Maccabees of Maccabees amongst other books Divine and Canonicall is inserted by our Adversaries in their unwritten Traditions Yet this is not a Tradition received from the beginning by all the Catholike Le Concile de Laodiceâ— Can. 58. Melâ—â—â—â— aâ—â—gué pur Eusebe â—â— 5. libâ—â—â— foni histoirà chap. 24. Origene surâ—â—s primier Ps 〈◊〉 par Eâ—seb lib. 6 cap. 24 Tertull â—â— 4 liure de ses Carmes Eujebe Chron. Olymp. 116. 〈◊〉 Cateeltesi quarta Athanas Epost 39. Synops Na-Zianz Caâ—â—â—n Epiph. de mensuris et ponderibus Hilar. prologo Psalmorum Church the Councell of Laodicea rejecteth them and Meliton Bishop of Sardius neere the time of the Apostles and Origen and Tertullian and Eusebius and Athanasius and Cyril of Ierusalem and Hilarie and Gregorie of Nazianzene and Amphilochius Bishop of Iconia and Epiphanius Bishop of Salamine and Philustreus Bishop of Bresse and Saint Ierome in Prologâ— Galeato and in his Preface upon the Bookes of Salomon and Ruffin upon the Lords Prayer all of these were persons remarkeable in the third and fourth ageâ— Yea and Pope Gregorie the 1. who wrote neere upon the end of the fifth age in the 19. of his Morals Chap. the 17 as we have proved elsewhere in amplemanner wherefore this is no Tradition received wholly and at all times by the Church universall By this very Plea the Romish 4. Indulgences Indulgences ought to be rejected the which Indulgences I understand to bee a Tradtion wherewith the Pope heapeth up the superfluity of the satisfactions of Iesus Christ and the Saints to the treasure of the Church and convertech them to payment for others by his Indulgences which he hoardeth in certaine Churches of Rome and causeth that the people from all parts repaire thither to purchase pardons I say that these Indulgences are new and that neither the Apostles nor their disciples did convert the superaboundance of the sufferings of Abrabam or of Saint Iohn the Baptist or of the Virgine Mary to payment for others and kept no treasury to hold the superabounding satisfactions of the Saints and gave no pardons of one or two hundred thousand yeeres as the Pope doth and that these Indulgences have beene altogether unknowne in the first ages of the Christian Church by the plaine confession of our Adversaries Cardinall Cajetan in the 2. Chap. of his Treatise of Indulgences hath these words * De ertu IndulgentiaruÌ„ si certituâ—â— habert posset veritati indà ganda opem ferret Verum quia nulla sacra Scriptura nulla priscoruÌ„ Doctoâ—uÌ„ GraecoruÌ„ aut Lâ—â—inoruÌ„ au 〈◊〉 asscripra hane ad nostraÌ„ deduxit notitiam sed hee solum a treemtis ennâ— scriprurae coÌ„mendatuÌ„ de ve tustus Paâ—â—tbus c. Gabrtel Biel Lect. 57. Decendum quod ante tempora B. Gregorij modicus vel â—ullus fuit vsus Indulgentiarum Nuâ—â—â— autem crebrescit 〈◊〉 vsuâ— quiae sine dubiâ— Ecclesia habens spiritaÌ„ sponsi sut Christi et idcirco non errans c. Navan us Coment de Iobel â—t Indutg pag. 545 Quate autent apud antâ—qâ—os tam rara apud recentiores taÌ„ frequens sit Indulgentiarum mentio docuit ille vit sanctissimus c. Iâ—hannis Roffensis c◠〈◊〉 ea de re verboruÌ„ summa est Quod non certo constat à 〈◊〉 primuÌ„ tradi coeperint c. Quod multa aâ— Evangelijs â—t alijs scripturu nuÌ„c sunt â—xcusa â—ucuâ—â—ntius intellectu perspicacius quaÌ„ fuerunt olim Quod nemo â—â— dubitat orthodoxus an Purgatâ—rium sit de quo tameÌ„ apud priscos illos nulla vel quaÌ„ rarissima fiebat mentio Quod non fuit tam necessaria siue Purgatâ—rij siue Indulgâ—tiâ—rum fides explicita in â—rimitiua ecâ—lesia atque â—unc est c. Anton. Sum. â—â— S. Theolog. art 1. tit 10. 3. de Indul. l. 202. Veâ—tijs ann â—82 5. bridgeent of Cup. If we could have any certainty concerning the originall of Indulgences it would helpe as much in the disquisition of the truth but we have not by writing any authority either of the holy Scripture or of ancient Doctors Greeke or Latine that affordeth us the least knowledge thereof Gabriel Biel Lect. 57. upon the Canon of the Masse We must confesse that before the time of Gregory that is to say in the six first ages the use of Indulgences was very little or none at all but now the practice of them is growne frequent for without doubt the Churoh hath the Spirit of Christ her Spouse and therefore erreth not Navarrus the Popes Penitentiary What is the cause that among the ancients so little mention is made of Indulgences and among it the moderne they are in such use Iohn of Rochester most holy and reverend for his dignity of Bishop and Cardinall hath taught us the reason saying that The explicite faith whether it bee of Purgatory or of Indulgences was not so necessary in the Primitive Church as now And a little after Whil st there was no heed taken to Purgatory no man enquired after Romish Indulgences because thereupon dependeth the properâ—y and worth of them Antonine Archbishop of Florence whom the Pope canonized for a Saint speaketh to the same purpose Touching Indulgences we have nothing expresly recited in holy Scripture although the saying of the Apostle be alledged upon this subject 1 Cor. If I have pardoned any thing I have done it for your sake in the person of Christ Nor are found at all in the writings of the ancient Doctors but of the moderne It is therefore no small abuse to place Indulgences amongst Apostolike Traditions Of the same ranke is that Tradition which excludeth the people from the communion of the Cup it
with the fire of the last judgement Particularly Chrysostome was of opinion that the Soules could not bee tormented without the bodies as hee speaketh in his 39. Homily upon the 1. to the Corintbians And in the same passage where his 3. Homily upon the Epâ—stle to the Philippians is objected to vs hee supposeth that the dead which are comforted by lamentations and prayers are not the faithfull but the infidells So as this passage maketh altogether against the Church of Rome Though Saint Augustine be punctuall and excellent in this subject as we have seene yet they would make him an advocate to plead for unwritten Traditions in matter concerning the faith This holy Father hath beleeved and we with him that the necessary Doctrines which concerne faith and maners are sufficiently contained in the holy Scriptures And for some certaine Customes Ceremonies and outward observations because they are generally received he beleeveth they are derived from ancient unwritten Tradition It becommeth none to gainesay this but frantickes or such as are given to a contradicting humour and are enemies to the peace Good reason for it To give you some instance Aug. ad Ianuar Epist 118. Illa qua non scripta sed tradita custodimus quae quidem toto terrarum orbe servantur dantur intelligi vel ab ipsis Apostolu vel pleparijs Concilijs quoruÌ„ est in Ecclesia saluberrima authoritas commendata atque statuta retine 1. Sicut quod Domini passio et resurrectio ascensio in coelu et adveÌ„tus de coelo Spiritus Sancti anniversaria solemnitate celebraâ—ur It is not commanded in the Scripture to celebrate annually the day of our Saviours Nativity nor of the Paschall nor of the Lords Resurrection nor of Pentecost which is the day whereoâ— the holy Ghost descended upon the Apostles For Saint Augustine in his 118. Epistle bringeth these examples where he saith To stirre up dissentions hereupon for matters in their owne nature not necessary to salvation but authorized by the generall custome of so many ages should be according to my judgment according to the truth a despightfull perversenesse yea a symptome of distraction confounding all concord and quietnesse In like manner doth the Scripture give no charge touching the precise houre of administring the holy Supper Iesus Christ occasionally performed it after Supper to place and substitute the holy Eucharist immediatly to the Paschal Lambe But it appeareth by the History of the Acts that the Apostles were not obliged to this houre and since that time the generall custome was to celebrate it in the morning I say for a man hereupon to separate himselfe from the Communion of the Church and to make a schisme or trouble the peace of the Church in a matter that concerneth not the Doctrine of faith nor is necessary to salvation What is it but stubborne arrogance It is most necessary not to molest the Church for matters not necessary in their owne nature If the mischiefe bee not great for as much as concerneth the Doctrine yet is it of no small importance for what concerneth the manners and the many inconveniences that ensue thereon This is the same that Saint Augustine teacheth in his 118 Epistle to Ianuarius where he argueth the case whether they bee well advised who appoint that on Thursday before the Paschal the holy Supper be twice solemnized that is to say in the morning after evening repast His answer is If Quid horum sit facienuÌ„ si divina Scriptura praescribit authoritas non sit dubitanduÌ„ quin ita facere debeamus vt legimus c. Sioniliter etiam si quid horum totaÌ„ per orbeÌ„ frequentat Ecclesia NaÌ„ hoc quin ita faciendum sit disputare insolentissima insania est the authority of the holy Scripture prescribe what is to be done wee are not to doubt but that wee ought to doe as wee reade c. As also if there bee any thing that the universall Church doth practise thorowout the world For to dispute whether this should bee done or no is a meere lunacie But in other matters as that concerning the houre of the holy Supper which doe vary according to the places he alloweth that every man should follow the custome of his countrey He speaketh of the same otherwhere As in the second booke of QuaÌ„ consuâ—tudineÌ„ credo ex Apostolica traditione vinienteÌ„ sicut multa noÌ„ inveniuntur in literis eorum neque in Concilijs posterioru Et tameÌ„ quia per vniversame custodiuntu Ecclesiam non nisi ab ipsis tradita commendata creduntur Quod vniversa tenet Ecclesia nec Concilijc institutu sed semper retentuÌ„ est no nist auctoritate Apostolica institutuÌ„ rectissimè creditur Apostolis qui deÌ„ nihil exinde praecepâ— king â—t sed contudo alia 〈◊〉 oppnetur Cypriaâ—ab eorum â—ditione ordium â—mpsisse creâ—nda est Si-â—t sunt mul-â—t quae vniâ—ersa tenet Ecclesia at obâ—oc abd Apotolis praecepâ—a bene creduntur quanquaÌ„ scripta non reportantur Baptisme against the Donatists the seventh Chapter Which Custome not to rebaptize Heretickes I beleeve to bee derived from Apostolicall Tradition as many things are not found written in their bookes nor the Councels of posterity after them Neverthelesse because they are kept by the Catholike Church it is beleeved that they were delivered by none but them And in his fourth booke chap. 24. That which the universall Church doth keepe and hath not beene instituted by Councels but hath alwayes beâ—ne preserved is justly beleeved to have beene given for no other Tradition but Apostolicall And in his fifth booke chap. 23. The Apostles have commanded nothing to that purpose speaking of the re-baptizing of Hereticks but we must beleeve that the other Custome which was opposed against Cyprian tooke beginning from their Tradition As there are many things which the universall Church observeth and therefore are beleeved to be instiâ—uted by the Apostles although they appeare not in writing In this Tract he speaketh concerning the Custome of not re-baptizing those who have beene baptized by Heretickes which is no point necessary to salvation For how many men are saved that never heard discourse of this question If a man once baptized bee re-baptized the second time although his second Baptisme be superfluous yet neverthelesse the fault not being in him that is rebaptized he shall not be therefore debarred from salvation Or if the Baptisme of Heretikes be unlawfull yet hee that is converted from heresie to the true faith having received no other Baptisme shall not be deprived of salvation because it happeneth not by his default It is not the privation but the neglect and contempt of Baptisme that impeacheth mans salvation Saint Cyprian and his Predecessour Agrippine and with them all the Bishops of Africke have in this point beene of a contrary opinion to the Romish Church and by expresse Councels have condemned the Doctrine held in that Church Would our
adversaries therefore exclude Saint Cyprian and his companions from salvation Or doe they beleeve that hee failed in something necessary to salvation Indeed Saint Augustine in the same chapter of his second booke against the Donatists affirmeth NonduÌ„ nat diligenter illa ptismi astio peractata that This question of Baptisme was not yet well dicussed and explained in Saint Cyprians time But it is not credible that the Christian Church at that time should be unresolved upon any point necessary to salvation This is above all to be confidered ug lib. 1. â— Baptismo â—ntra Doatistas I am â— videar huâ—anis arguâ—entis id aâ—re c. ex â—vangelio â—rofero certa â—ocumenta â—ide et lib. 2 a. 14. Et li. â—ca 7. Et li. â— ca. 4. et 23. â—cripturaris â—anctis testimonijs no soâ—â—â— collâ—giâ—â— sed planè 〈◊〉 that Saint Augustine himselfe who telleth us that the Apostles wrote nothing as touching this matter and that this Custome commeth by Tradition doth not sticke to handle this question by the Scriptures and bringeth many passages from thence which he affirmeth to be certaine and the proofes to be cleere Whence it appeareth that by the things unwritten hee understandeth matters which are not in expresse termes in the Scripture but are deduced from thence by good consequence These things serve for the cleering of a passage in the same Father at chap. 33. of his first booke against Cresconius where speaking of the reâ—baptization of Hereticks hee hath it thus Although there bee no certaine example vouched for this out of the Scriptures yet herein we preserve the authority of the sacred word when wee doe that which pleaseth the Church universal For he speaketh of a point not necessary to salvation and of a Custome but not of a Doctrine of faith The which Custome neverthelesse he groundeth upon the Scripture The same answeres may serve to resolve all other passages produced out of the ancients For by these Traditions whether they understand the holy Scriptures themselves and the Doctrine of the Gospel or whether they understand Doctrines not contained in the Scriptures in expresse terms but drawne from thence by consequence or that they understand Customes Ceremonies and Laws of Ecclesiasticall policie allowed by the universall Church wee willingly embrace all these Traditions For though we place this last sort of Traditions farre below the two first yet no Ceremonie can be brought unto us nor Law of Ecclesiasticall policie which hath beene generally received by the universall Church of the first ages but we also doe approve of them CHAP. XXVI Three ancient Customes which wee are blamed to have forsaken THere are three Customes and ancient observations which are cast upon us for a reproach that we have left them that is to say the signe of the Crosse in the forehead prayer for the dead and Lent Our answere is that these are Customes which have not alwaies been and which the Apostles have not observed and lastly which were diversly practised in divers Churches and in divers ages so as if wee were to chuse what age and what Church we ought to adhere unto we should find our selves much puzled The best is the Church of Rome hath changed these Customes and under a shadow of keeping the words hath wholly perverted the thing it selfe having turned the signe of the Crosse August de verb. Domini Serm. 8. Ne de cruce Christi erubescat in froÌ„te illam figat vbi sedes puderis which was but a marke of the Christian profession into superstition and idolatry into conjuration preservatives and spels to repulse the Devils temptations not onely of men Efficit super ea crucis signaculum vt per crucis virtuteÌ„ omnes comitatus diabolieae malignitatis effugiâ—â—ne contra â—â—â—cerdotem vel sacrificiuÌ„ aliquo modo prevaleat N adiouste que l'encens sert aussi à chasser les diables but of Iesus Christ For In the Masse they make signes of the Crosse by a prescribed number not onely upon the Bread not confecrated but also upon the consecrated Hoste for feare lest the assaults of the Devill should prevaile against it as Pope Innocent the third doth teach in his 2. booke of the mysteries of the Masse chap. 58. It is the same concerning prayer for the dead whereof the first mention is found to be some two hundred yeeres after the birth of our Saviour which was made for the Saints Apostles Prophets Martyrs and for the faithfull to the and they might bee raised at a better houre then the rest or bee the more lightly scalded with the fire â—â— the last judgement and after â—ome refreshment in the sleepe of â—eace they might rise joyfully to â—verlasting Salvation But the Pope â—ath changed these into prayers for â—ormented soules in Purgatory â—king this occasion to eclipse the â—erfection of the benefit of Iesus Christ Whose blood purgeth us â—rom all sinne 1. Iohn 7. and so to â—ake a trade and trafficke whereby â—o heape up riches innumerable The same abuse is crept into â—ent which the Pope maketh use â—f to advance his Empire usuring thereby the power to modeâ—ate the Bellies Kitchens Markets â—nd Tables to give dispensations â—nd to change fasting into a diffeâ—ence of meats and an exercise of â—umility in matter of Merite and of satisfaction as well for him that fasteth as for another And wheras heeretofore this abstinence was free and every man did fast before the Paschal as many dayes as hee thought good and that these reglements were made by ordinances of the Bishops in every Church the Pope hath thereto imposed a precise necessity unlesse a dispensation bee obtained from him or his Ministers And lastly he hath drawne to himselfe a power that hee had not formerly but only in the Bishopricke of Rome which was a particular Church This is our beliefe that the things necessary to salvation ought not to bee abolished by reason of the abuses which are and may bee thrust into them but we must take away the abuse and returne to the fountaine which is the word of God But as for things not necessary nor perpetuall nor observed from the beginning and without which the Christian faith may â—ubsist in its integrity when corruption is infused amongst them and the use is transformed into abuse and idolatry or tyranny or superstition it is prudently done to shave off the occasions of abuse and firmely to shut this gate against the Devill CHAP. XXVII That the Traditions of the Romisâ— Church of this time have nothing in common with the unwritten Traditions mentioned by the Fathers IT appeareth how weake and how little to the purpose all is which our adversaries doe produce in the behalfe of the antiquity of their Traditions For the unwritten Traditions which they have recited are not Doctrines oâ— the Christian faith that adde anything to the Doctrine of salvation contained in the Scriptures as â— have prooved but customes and ceremonies and observations