be supplied by unwritten traditioÌ„s do not those crosse the perfectioÌ„ of scripture Pull your considering-cap closer to your cockscombe and thinke better upon it This discovereth his shrinking at the first encounter that by his own confession he is good man no body but a shadow but a very phantasticall Adversary For such Traditions are defended by him as crosse both the veritie and perfection of the sacred Scriptures 1. The verity The denyall of the cup to the Laity crosseth this institution k Math. 26. 27. Drinke ye all of this The Councell of Constance took away this l Concil Constan Sess 13. non obstante mandato although Christ the Apostles and the Primitive Church used it Of this nature is the Popes deposing of Kings and his Dispensations contrary to Gods Law 2. The perfection of Scripture is crossed by adding of many bookes which were never inspired by God unto the Canon of Scripture and of many articles of faith unto the faith at once delivered by the Apostles Of this nature is Pius Quartus his new Creed and many points of Religion with you which are prater legem and so crosse the perfection of Scripture although they are not contra legem and so crosse the verity of it These Law-makers are worse then Law-breakers for men actually breake Gods Lawes because of their weakenesse and the hardnesse of Gods Lawes to doe them but these men make new lawes as if Gods Lawes were but foolish and they wiser then God to know what is meet But they crosse not the perfection or truth of Scripture because Reply pag. 116. they helpe us to finde out the true sense in the obscure and controverted letter â— This is neither true nor to the purpose It is nothing to the purpose because the Question is not whether unwritten Traditions be a good help to expound Scripture but whether they are to be accounted as Scripture and as part of Gods Law It is not true 1. Because the Scripture is not an obscure and controverted letter in doctrinall things m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost hom 3. in 2. Thess All those things which are necessary are manifest in them saith S. Chrysostome n In eis quae apertè in Scriptura posita sunt inveniuntur illa omnia quâ— ad fidem c. August de doctrina Christi l. 2. c. 9â— And in those things which are laid downe plainly in Scripture all those things saith S. Augustine are found which appertaine to faith and direction of life 2. Although the Scripture were obscure yet Popish Traditions cannot helpe to finde out the true sense unlesse we should say o Exod. 20. l. Thou shalt not worship an image The sense is Thou shalt worship images p Math. â—â— â—â— Drinke yee all of this That is All shall not drinke of it q Heb. 13. 4. Mariâ—ge is honourable among all It is not honourable among all These are your cursed glosses which corrupt the text and crosse the sense and meaning intended by the Holy Ghost 3. Although the Scripture were obscure and your Traditions did helpe to finde out the sense yet they doe crosse the perfection of Scripture because they are accounted not onely helpes for the interpretations of Gods written Law but even additions to the written Law Interpretation is for things obscure addition is for things imperfect What then will you call your Traditions additions to the Scripture or helpes for the interpretation of it If they be additions then they crosse the perfection of it for that which is perfect needeth no addition If they be helpes for the interpretation only then you shrinke from the Question from the matter delivered as the word of God to the manner of deliverie or of expounding the same Howsoever the Iesuites argument is most false That which helpeth to expound Scripture cannot crosse the perfection of the same Why goodman noddie Doe not all the Arts Tongues Fathers Commentaries helpe to expound Scripture And yet whosoever shall say that all these are the word of God he denyeth the perfection of the Bible We use commentaries upon Aristotles text but he that bringeth the commentarie into the text thereby to supply the defects of it denyeth the perfection of the text Doe not you deale so with the Scripture making unwritten Traditions a part of Gods word that so you may supply the defects of the written word making every idle interpretation as * pag. 124. Reply authenticall as S. Iohns Gospell Doe you not hereby crosse the perfection of the written word So S. Basil telleth us that * Basil de Spirit sanct c pro If unwritten Traditions be neglected the Gospell will incurre no small detriment So we tell you that if Arts Tongues Fathers Councels Commentaries and the like helpes be neglected the Gospell will incurre no small detriment We yeeld to the pen man of that Booke although it was not Basil but a counterfeit that if all unwritten Traditions be neglected if the testimony lyturgie and doxologies of which the author specially speaketh if the customes constitutions orders and ceremonies of the Church handmaides of the Gospell excellent in their use be slighted of all and every man left to himselfe to doe as he list in the manner of Gods service doubtlesse the Gospell will incurre no small detriment and if nothing be received into the Church but what is totidem verbis written in the Scriptures I wonder what kinde of Church we should have Popish Traditions are of another nature they crosse the truth and the perfection of Scripture if we admit such the Gospell will incurre no small detriment And though the Authour of that Booke would have Tradition respected yet hee would not have them accounted Gospell for in the words alledged he distinguisheth them from the Gospell You make no difference betweene unwritten Traditions and the Gospell you give them the same * Sect. 3. nature and quality the same * credite and authority with the Gospell If wee reject such Traditions the Gospell will incurre no detriment And S. Augustine saith * Sect. 4. Then doe wee hold the truth of Scripture when wee doe that that pleaseth the Vniversall Church Where S. Augustine saith so we may goe seeke Reply pag. 116 for the Iesuite citeth not the place but I thinke the place is this Augustin contra Crescon l. 1. c. 33. In this thing wee doe holde the truth of the Scripture when wee doe that which now pleaseth the Vniversall Church The thing is the point of rebaptization in which the Church held the truth of Scripture and determined this point by the authority of Scripture and not of unwritten Traditions so that S. Augustine might truely affirme this He speaketh not of unwritten Traditions they are a thing not pleasing to the universall Church therefore no man can hold the truth of Scripture nor please the universall Church if he hold with unwritten Traditions 9. And now
Scripture and in the Fathers And the generall sense of Traditio with the Latines of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the Greeke of Cabbala or Masoreth with the Hebrewes is the same namely a Delivery or any thing delivered aswell by l â— Thâ—â— â— 15. Epistle as by word of mouth The word Tradition is taken aswell for the manner of delivery which is Traditio activa as for the matter delivered which is Traditio passiva And therefore lest the Iesuite who is well skill'd in the practise of equivocation should equivocate with the word Tradition and so prove Quid pro Quo the manner of deliverie for the matter delivered the Answere sheweth him That wee admit modum tradendi the Answer manner of delivery Wee willingly acknowledge that the word of God which by some of the Apostles was set downe in writing was both by themselves and others of their fellow-labourers delivered by word of mouth and that the Church in succeeding ages was bound not onely to preserve those sacred writings coÌ„mitted to her trust but also to deliver unto her children vivâ voce the forme of wholesome words contained therin Here he might have seene that we admit modum tradâ—ndi the manner of delivery both by the Apostles and by the Church 1. We beleive the preaching of the Apostles to be the undoubted word of God aswell as their writing so that it is m Ridiculum est quod nemini est dubium probare Mare Tul pro Quint. a ridiculous thing in the Iesuite to prove that which no man doubteth He alledgeth the Fathers as * Iren. pag. 118 Irenaeus * Euscb pag. 120. Eusebius many more to prove that the Apostles preached before they wrote that their preaching is to be beleived was effectual to save soulâ—s aswell as their writing In this he shrinketh from the Question which is not whether the Apostles preached before they wrote whether their preaching is to be beleived but thâ—â— he should frame the QuestioÌ„ whether the Apostles in their preaching delivered such points of faith or doctrines of salvation as are not contained in the Scriptures 2. As the preaching of the Apostles is called a Tradition so is their delivery of the Scriptures of divers doctrines contained in them called a Tradition being delivered unto the Church by writing n Traditum est nobis quod sit unus Deus una spes una sides c. August de baptism l. 5. c. â—6 It is dell vered unto us saith S. August in that there is one God one hope one faith c. As this kinde of Tradition commeth not within the compasse of this controversie so these Fathers * Irenaeus pag. 125. Irâ—naus * Euseb pag. 109. 120 Eusebius and sundry others are impertinently produced by the Iesuites who ascribe the word Tradition unto Scripture and unto written Doctrines In this the Iesuite shrinketh againe from the Question which is not whether the Scripture may be called a Traâ—â—tion but whether all things necessary for our salvation be written in this Tradition Unto these two I may adde a third kinde of active Tradition that is the delivery by action or conversation which I may call a Practicall Tradition S. Chrysostome expounding these words b 2. Thess 3. 6. Withdraw your selves from every brother that walketh disorderly and not after the Tradition which he received of no. giveth this sense of them p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost in 2. Thes c. 3. He meaneth the Tradition which is according unto workes This kind of Tradition belongeth not to our purpose and to little purpose doth the Iesuite bring in * Iuseb pag. 162. Eusebius who calleth the practise of the Apostles a Tradition In this againe the Iesuite shrinketh from the Question which is not whether the practise of the Apostles may be called a Tradition but whether in their practise of Piety they observed any holy duties necessary for our salvation which are not contained in the Scriptures either expressely or by consequence We likewise admit the active Tradition of the Church as 1. Her preserving and delivery of the written word unto her children in succeeding ages not as the meanes whereby the Scripture is made canonical yet as one good meanes though not as the onely meanes whereby a man may bee perswaded that it is canonicall And the graunting of this is a sufficient answer to a deale of confused stuffe alledged by the Iesuite in his 4. Section 2. Her delivery vivâ voce of the forme of wholesome words and of such Doctrines as are either expressely contained in the Scriptures or by sound inference may be deduced from them S. q Basil de Fide Basil was sparing to use such words as are not contained in Scripture but the Pontificall Romanists spare not to bring in such doctrines as are not contained in it For words we say with Hilarie words r Nomen nihâ—â— habeteriminiâ— quod non perturbat sensum religionis Hilar de Synod cont Arian are not to be blamed which disturbe not the sense of Religion All things are not delivered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verbatim in the Scriptures I reade not the words Essence Persons Vnbegotten Coessentiall yet we doe lawfully use them All Doctrines are not formally laide downe in them the Apostles Creed is not totidem verbis written in them yet they containe grounds principles by which all doctrines may be tryed and from which all divine conclusions may be drawne And those conclusions which by sound inference are gathered out of the Scriptures by the opinion of Å¿ Greg Nazian l. 5. de Theolog Gregorie Nazian are all one with the Scripture And to this t Stapleton relect fidei controv 5. q. 5. ar 1 Stapleton consenteth By this kinde of Tradition wee are taught many points of saith as these Fathers prove which the Iesuite alledgeth abundantly and impertinently By * Athanas pag. 140. Athanasius and * Epiph pag. 145. Epiphanius That the Father is unbegotten By * Athanas pag. 140. Athanasius and * August pag. 155. Augustine That the Son is consubstantiall with the Father By * Basil pag. 150. Basil and * Aug. pag. 119 Augustine That the holy Ghost is to be adored By * Origen pag. 126. Origen and * August pag. 118. 119. 126 Augustine That Children must be baptized By Augustine That the baptised by Heretickes must not be rebaptised He alone is alledged for this point but yet for want of company he is so * Augustin pag. 116. 116. 146. 148. Ideâ—â— pag. 118. 147 Idem pag. 119. 148. pag. 11â— oft brought in still singing the same song that the musick must needes be tedious to the hearer and the quotations troublesome to the reader The Iesuite againe shrinketh from the state of the Question in alledging these Fathers as Patrons of a Tradition which we defend The Question
good man Wiseakers wherein doth the most reverend Primate shrinke Wherein hath hee stated the Question amisse Doth not he directly oppose Popish Traditions which crosse either the verity or the perfection of Scripture Confesse this or else deny this article of unwritten Traditions All your exceptions proove frivolous and ridiculous You are like an unskilfull Pilot that maketh ship-wrack before he can get out of the haven You deale with your Adversary as Pericles did in his disputations with Thucidides r Plutarch in vitâ Pericl boasting that he gave the foyle when he received the foyle And as in this Section we finde that which Iosephus found in Å¿ Ioseph l. 1. cont Apion Apions writings an heape of untruths So I doubt not but that we shall finde the like dealing in your next Section wherein we are to examine SECT II. VVhether Christ and his Apostles delivered unto the Church many things which are not written 1. a Aristotâ—l de reprehens sophist ARistotle compareth sophisticall disputers unto weake persons who stuffe up themselves to seeme greater The Iesuite is such a one he stuffeth up his three ensuing Sections with a deale of bombaste that so his Replye may seeme greater They beare the title of a Reply to the Answer and yet the Answerer doth not once speake in them I might therefore passe them over as impertinently written but I wil be content to run the wildgoose chase and to pursue this gagler by his hissing who thus beginnes to keake Christ commaunded that the * Math. 23. 3. Scribes and Pharisees Reply pag. 117. should be obeyed in their doctrine for the authority of Moyses chayre much more will he have his Church to be obeyed in her holy Lawes In the same Chapter Christ saith b Vers 19. The altar sanctifyeth the gift Yet it doth not sanctify every gift as doggs flesh or swines flesh but onely such gifts as are fit for the Altar Children must obey their c Col. 3. 20. Parents in all things Yet not in unlawfull things so must the Chayre the Church be obeyed in all holy Lawes Wee must obey them that sit in Moses chayre but who sit therein d Qui ea quae in lege habentur docent Theophâ—l in Mat. 23. They that teach those things which the Law teacheth them saith Theophilact e Perinde est ac si dicat omnia quae lex Moses vobis dixeâ—int Scribis Pharisaeis recitanâ—bâ—s Maldoâ—â—â— in Mat. 23. It is all one saith Maldonate as if he should say obey all things which Moses and the Law doe teach being recited by the Scribes and Pharisees And S. Augustine saith f Sua verò si vellent docere nolite audire Aug. tract 46. in Ioh. If they will teach things of their owne heare them not Prove then your Traditions to bee taught in the Law and that they are not of your owne but from God and wee will obey them You stretch this obedience as shooemakers doe their leather untill it cracke The caveat which Christ gave unto his Disciples g Matth. 16. 12 Take heed of the leaven of the doctrine of the Pharisees is entred in sacred writ for our instruction You erre in Traditions as much as ever did the Pharisees Moses Chayre is fallen the Popes is a falling as you paint h Lernaus in introduct in arâ—â—â— Iesuit The Pope in his Chayre ready to fall and the Iesuites bearing it up with their shoulders You have lost not onely the power of binding and unbinding but likewise your discretion with it for no man of discretion would say as you doe That the Church can binde and unbinde at her discretion To prove this he alledgeth the text * Luk. 21. 15. Christ bestowed upon his Church os sapientiam a mouth to utter and wisedome to declare all his will and counsell in so much that whatsoever shee saith must not be doubted This seemeth to bee a gift peculiar to the Apostles to whom Christ gave wisedome without study or labour not onely to stoppe the mouthes of their Adversaries but also to penne Lawes for his Church rather then an inheritance conveyed by succession unto the Church her wisedome is not to make new Lawes but to keepe the Lawes which GOD hath made not to bee wise above that i 1. Cor. 4. 6. which is written But to be k 2. Tim. 3. 15. made wise by the Scripture Suppose it were a promise made to the Church for ever yet it is no such warrant for her infallible truth but that her doctrine may bee inquired into and examined by the Scriptures l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c Chrysost hom 13. in 2. Cor. It is an absurd thing saith S. Chrysostome not to beleeve others in receiving of money but to reckon it after them and yet in greater things to receive other mens doctrines and not to trye them Are your wordes more authenticall then S. Paules m Si ipse taliâ— ac tantus Apostolus authoritatem dictorum suorum sufficere non posse credit nisi doceat in Lege Prophetis scriptâ— esse quae dicit quanto magiâ— nos minimi hoc observaâ—e debemus Origenâ— in Rom. c. 3. If he such and so great an Apostle did not thinke his words to have authority enough unlesse hee could teach that those things which he said were written in the Law and the Prophets how much more ought wee who are the least to observe the same course saith Origen And what if the doctrine taught cannot bee prooved by the Scripture must it be obeyed I reade the contrary in Cyrill n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Cyrill Hieros Catech. 4â— de Spiâ— Sanct. Beleeve not mee unlesse I can bring a demonstration out of the Scripture In S. Augustine o Nec ipsis Catholicis Episcopiâ— consâ—ntiendum est sicuti forte falluntur ut contra â—anonicaâ— Dei scripturas aliquid sentiant Aug. de unitat Eccles c. 10. Beleeve not the Catholicke Bishoppes themselves who may sometimes bee deceived teaching things contrary to the holy Scriptures of GOD. And in the imperfect worke upon Matthew p Nec ipsis Ecclesiâ—s credendum est nisi ea dicant quae convenientia sunt Scriptura Author imperfect Oper. in Matth hom 49. Beleeve not the Churches themselves unlesse they teach these things which doe agree witb the Scriptures So that a Bishop Bishops or the Churches must not be beleived unlesse they can proove their doctrine by the Scripture But if the Church say it then the Iesuite will sweare it Because it is the Lords decree * Luke 10. 16. Hee that heareth you heareth mee and hee that despiseth you despiseth mee Take heed you be not forsworne for Gerson telleth you that this is spoken of the q Gerson de vitâ spirituali lect 2 Apostles And Driedo addeth his reason r Ecclesia primitiva propter collegium Apostolorum majoris erat
coâ—sen Euan l. 1. c. ult They were commanded to write saith S. Augustine g Iren. l. 3. c. 1. They wrote the Scriptures by the will of God saith Irenaus h Christus voluit scribi Euangelium Tâ—eoph praefat in Mat. Christ would have them to write the Gospell saith Theophylast And is not his will a sufficient command Inspiration i 2. Tim. 3. 16. 2 Pet. 1. 21. whereby they wrote the Scriptures is an internall command Hee sent them to preach his faith and to teach all nations Doth this exclude writing May not a man preach teach by writing The Apostles did k Rom 16 26. preach they did l 2. Thess 2. 15. 2. Tim. 3. 17 teach by their Epistles Clemens Alexandrinus Reply pag. 117 in this spake truly m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex. Strom. l. 1. Preaching is truly an Angelâ—call Scieâ—câ— in some sort and very profitable both wayes whether it â—â— by the hand or by the tongue Tertullian telleth us how the Apostles preached n Tum vivâ quod aiunt voce tum per Epistolas postea Tertul de praescrip c. 21 Aswell by word of mouth as they say as afterwards by Epistles So that preaching and teaching may be diverse wayes by writing as the Apostles preach by their Epistles by practise as Christ preached in his actions which are all for our instruction and not onely by word of mouth Wee have a commandement to heare his holy word and faith commeth by hearing but none can shew I trow where we are obliged to reade or where any commandement is given to propound the word of God to be read 3. It seemeth the Iesuite is more skilfull in Machiavel then in the Bible for if he had ever read it over and remembred Reply pag. 119 what he read he would never avouch this so confidently when as he may reade o Hab. 2. 2. He that runneth may reade it p Ioh 5. 39. Search the Scriptures q Luc. 10. 26. How readest thou r Rom. 15. 4. Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning Å¿ 2. Cor. â— 13 We write no other things unto you then what you read t Col. 3. 16 Lâ—t the word of God dwâ—ll plentifully in you Upon which place S. Chrysostome observeth this u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chry in Col. c. 3 ho. 9. Harken as many as are and are married have children hâ—w he commaundeth them specially to know the Scriptures Timothy himselfe is commanded to reade and to x 1. Tim. 4. 13. Attend upon reading Neither doth hearing of the word exclude reading of the same seeing it may be heard by reading aswell as by preaching y Revel 1 3. Blessed are they that reade and they that heare z Luc. 16. 29. Moses and the Prophets must be heard They are dead but yet when their writings are read then they are heard Certaine it is that the Primitive Church did abound in Reply pag. 118 faith and godlinesse for many yeares before the writings of the new Testament were perfected even by the meanes of unwritten doctrine 4. This is as certaine as all the rest It was not many yeares before the New Testament was perfected before it was perfected the Church had those Bookes of it which were first penned before any were penned the Church had the Olde Testament which Christ commaunded should be a Ioh. 5. 39. searched And the Bereans were commended for b Act. 17. 11. searching into it The Primitive Church did not continue in faith and godlinesse by the meanes of unwritten doctrine for the doctrine taught by the Apostles was first written in the c Rom. 16. 26. Old Testament and after in the New although it may be said to be unwritten in regard of the manner of delivery of it by the Apostles at the first vivâ voce Howsoever the Primitive Church did yet the Church in succeeding ages stood in need of a written word Children at first are taught many things without bookes yet afterwards they stand in need of bookes for their better learning The Primitive Church might doe well enough without Scripture during the life of the Apostles whose preaching was as infallible as their writing yet the Church in succeeding ages could not doe so well without Scripture because no man living since the Apostles had hath or ever shall have the same gifts power authority to deliver points of faith whose words shall be Gospel as the Apostles had And because writing is the best means to preserve doctrine delivered by word of mouth d Respectâ— nostri commodius utilius per Scripturam corleâ—â—em doctrinam à corruptione oblivione interitu conservari quam absque Scriptuâ—â— Gretzer de sens Bellarâ— l. 4. â— 4. The heavenly doctrine saith Gretzer in respect of us is better preserved from corruption oblivion and decay by writing then without writing S. Chrysostome teacheth us this 1. That the singular gifts which the Apostles had might well serve for these times instead of Scripture 2. That the after-times stood in need of Scripture And then hee concludeth e Extremae esse omninò dementiae post quam co redacti sumus ut Scriptis indigeamus â—e secundo quidem hoc remedio ad salntem nostram uti item magni esse criminis per illud auxilium nolle proficere sed quasi fruâ—â—â—à ac vanè posita scripta despicere chrysost hom 1. in Mat. It is the extremity of madnesse now that wee stand in need of Scripture not to use this excellent helpe for our salvation and that it is the greatest fault that can be not to profite by that helpe but to despise it as written in vaine and to no purpose This fit of frensie hath intoxicated the Iesuites braine hee hath accounted the Scripture needlesse and written in vaine Possevine hath written a whole Chapter f Possev Bibliothec select l. 2 c. 16. De necessitate Scripturarum S. Iude thought it needfull g Iude vers 3 To write to the Saints h Luke 1. 3. It seemed good to S. Luke to write his Gospell to prevent false rumours And S. Paul thought it i Philip. 3. 1. The surest way for the Philippians to write unto them If it were needefull good and the surest way then it is now more needefull to have the written word of the Apostles to prevent your false Traditions fathered upon them And * Iren. l. 2. c. â— Irenaeus doth witnesse that in his dayes many nations lived Christianly without the use of the written word onely by the guide of Apostolicall Traditions Sir I must tell you that if you goe on to alleadge the Fathers as you beginne you will gaine little credite by it In your first testimony you cite a counterfeite In your second you omit the place In your third Reply which is this you mistake the * l. 2. c. 3.
for l. 3. c. 4. place I subscribe to what Irenaeus saith And I beleeve that by Apostolicall Tradition that is the preaching of the word many nations were converted to the faith of Christ not by unwritten doctrines but by delivering written doctrines in an unwritten manner Irenaeus sheweth k Iren. l. 3. c. 1. First that the Apostles preached the Gospell and that afterward they delivered the same unto us in writing The same things the Pastours of the Church who might have the written word although the persons taught had it not delivered unto the People Irenaeus sheweth what those things were which were l Iren. l. 3. c. 4. written in their hearts without inke or letters They did beleive m In unum Deum sabricatorem coeli terrae omnium quae in eis sunt per Christâ—â—â— Iesum Dei filium c. Iren. ibid. In one God maker of heaven and of earth and of all things in them by Iesus Christ the Sonne of God c. These were the Traditions which they beleived and if any would have taught them otherwise they * Iren. ibid. would have stopped their eares as Irenaeus sheweth and have fled from them as they would from you and from your unwritten Traditions * Iren. l. 3. c. 4. Irenaus demandeth How should we dâ—e if the Apostles had written nothing at all' must wee not then follow the rule Reply pag. 118. of Tradition delivered unto them to whom the Apostles committed the charge of the Churches 5. We reject not this kinde of Tradition which is the succession of true doctrine in the Church And what shall we doe seeing the Apostles have written Is it not our dutie to follow the rule of Tradition delivered in their writings and not onely to take that course now that the Apostles have written which Irenaeus prescribeth if the Apostles had not written What if the Scripture should be consumed so that not one Reply Coppie thereof should be extant which is possible And what if a man had lost the true sense and meaâ—ing of the Scripture how shall he finde it out must he not as Irenaeus saith Follow the order of Tradition delivered by the Apostles unto those unto whom they committed the Churches The 1. hypothesis is absurd and impossible The Sunne may aswell be pulled out of the heavens and the skyes fall as the Scripture perish n Staplet coâ—t Whiâ—ak de authorit Script l. â— c. 1. s â— If it should GOD himselfe must faile in his providence saith Stapleton The 2. hypothesis is possible A man may lâ—se tâ—e true meaning of the Scripture and the order of Tradition delivered by the Apostles is one but not the onely meanes to finde it out and how shall a man finde out this order of Tradition in the originall of it better then by the Scripture it selfe So that when all is done the Scripture is the best interpreter of it selfe o Legitima sine periculo est expositio scripturae secundum ipsas scripturas Iren. l. 4. c 63. The exposition of Scripture according to the Scriptures themselves is the most surest saith Irenaeus The Apostles have written their writings are preserved the true meaning of them is well knowne Yet we reject not this meanes but doe follow the order of Tradition delivered by the Apostles as long as wee follow their writings for both by preaching and by writing they taught the same Popish Traditions are not of this order they were never taught by the Apostles nor by them to whom the Apostles committed the care of the Churches but onely of old by Heretickes and of late by an Anti christian faction Moreover S. Augustine teacheth us that there be many Reply pag. 118 points of faith for which wee have no written word * Aug. epist 128 In those things of which the holy Scripture saith nothing what course are wee to holde that which is used by the Church throughout all the world is to bee observed saith S. Augustine and it would be insolent madnesse to dispute against the same 6. The Iesuite mistaketh both the * Epist 128 for 118. place the point S. Augustine speaketh not of points of faith at all but onely of some rituall points or customes then in use as of the use of holy dayes of receiving the Eucharist fasting and the like These come not within the compasse of this controversie And as it is madnesse to dispute against these things so it is litle better in him then madnesse to dispute about these things and to call these things points of faith For * Aug. de bap cont Donatist l. 4. c. 24. whatsoever the Church universall doth holde if it Reply be not found or dained by some Councell but hath been alwayes in use it is most justly beleeved to bee a Tradition of none other but of the very Apostles themselves S. Augustine treateth in this place of the Baptisme of Children and calleth it Traditum apostolicâ autheritate A thing delivered by Apostolicall authoritie or an Apostolicall Tradition And are not written doctrines delivered by Apostolicall authority S. Augustine did not account Baptisme of Children to be an unwritten Tradition as appeareth by the arguments taken out of the Scriptures which he useth wee neede not goe farther then this Chapter to finde one p Si quisquam hac in re authoritatem quaerat divinam c veraciter conjicere possumus quid valeat in parvulis baptismi Sacramentum ex circumcisione carnis quam prior populus accepit Augus ibidem If any man saith he desire divine authority in this point we may truely conjecture how powerfull in Children the Sacrament of Baptisme is by the circumcision of the flesh which the Iewes received And this is accounted by q Bellarm. l. 1. de Baptism c. 1 Bellarmine a strong argument to confirme this point In the next testimony S. Augustine writing of the custome or practise of not rebaptising those that have been baptised by Heretickes so that they have beene baptised in the name of the Trinity saith r Quam consueâ—â—dinem credo ex Apostolicâ— Traditione venientem Aug de baptism cont Donat. l. 2. c. 7. Which custome I beleeve came from Apostolicall Tradition * Aug. ibid Even as many other things are not found in the writings of the Apostles nor in the Councels of following ages yet because they are held by the whole Church they are beleeved to have beene delivered and commended by the said Apostles It is a weake argument drawne from custome to Articles of faith from practise to the doctrine of the Sacraments Wee read nothing for point of practise whether those that have beene baptized by Heretickes have beene rebaptized or no Yet the doctrine in this point is sufficiently taught in Scripture We beleeve it Å¿ Propter folidissima manifestâ—ssrâ—â— scripturarum fundamentâ— et testimonia Tiâ—â—â—aâ— defens Triden ad articul de
fabulous Novelties then Epiphanius especially in Genealogies into which it is probable he was misledde thorough his over-much love of historicall Traditions He taketh upon him to tell who was * Heracles and Astaroth Melchizedecks Father and Mother and who were the wives of * Sanue Asura Barthenoâ— Cain Seth and Noah These were some of his fabulous Novelties grounded upon Tradition without any authority of Scripture for which he deserveth to be censured We are willing rather to cover then to discover the nakednesse of this Father and therefore favourably interpret his words that The Traditions of the Apostles that is their preaching and The succession of true doctrine both which are the same with the Scriptures are the limites of the Church and the boundes of our faith This is consonant with the doctrine of other Fathers m â—criptura est murns adamantinus circum vallenâ—â—eclefiam Chrysoft l. 4. de Sacerdot The Scripture sayth Chrysostome is an adamantine wall environing the Church The Church saith Hierome n Ecclesia non egressa est de fiâ—â—bus suis id est de Scripturis sanctis Hieroâ— l â— c. â— in Mich. is not gone out of her bounds that is out of the holy Scriptures Irenaeus telleth us first that * Iren l. 3. c. 2. Heretickes cannot possibly be convinced by onely Scripture 5. I tell you that you belye this Father this is all that hee saith When Heretickes are convinced by the Scriptures Reply they beginne to accuse the Scriptures Heresie hath alwayes an obstinacie joyned with it this obstinacie and not the insufficiencie of Scripture made the Heretickes not submit unto it S. Steven convinced the Iewes by the Scriptures and so did S. Paul the Athenians yet malice made the Iewes to o Act. 7. 34. Gnash with their teeth at the one and obstinacie caused the Athenians to p Act. 17. 18. rayle upon the other The Scripture is sufficient to convince the whole rabblement of Iesuites although they doe as those Heretickes did accuse it of insufficiencie when as they are convicted by it If the Scripture be not sufficient to convince Heretickes because they raile upon it by the same reason they cannot be convinced by Tradition for Irenaeus sheweth that they did * Iren ibidem likewise oppose Tradition And that they would neither yeeld to Tradition nor to Scripture Irenaus had a better opinion of Scripture then the Romanists have he spent three Bookes in his arguments taken from Scripture against the Heretickes and not three Chapters in his arguments taken from Tradition Erasmus therefore well observeth it q Solis Scripturarum praesidiis pugâ—âsse Iâ—enâ—um adversus catervam Hâ—reticorum Erasâ—â— in Epist ad Triden Epist Iren. praeâ—â—â—â— That Irenaent fought against the roote of Heretickes onely with the strength of Scripture Afterwards reckoning up the Bishoppes of Rome from S. Peter to Elentherius who sate in his time thereby to shewe that there was in the Church a continuall and orderly succession of Bishoppes by whome divine and Apostolicall Traditions were truely preserved There was doeth not proove that there is Reply Rome was once t Rom. 1. 8. famous for her faith but now her obstinacie and apostasie whereof shee was Å¿ Rom. 11. 21. forewarned is manifest and apparent I graunt that from the dayes of S. Peter untill the time of Eleutherius or Iranaeus the Church of Rome preserved Traditions But not such Traditions as are now observed in that Church that Church then was as ignorant of these late inventions as this now Church is wide from those Traditions In his second Chapter hee hath these golden Reply words they are in his fourth Chapter Seeing that these demonstrations are so great wee must not seeke for that truth amongst others which we may easily finde out in the Church By others he meaneth the Valentinians the Marcionists and those Heretickes against whom he disputeth amongst these we must not seeke for the truth Where then In the Church Must we not therefore seeke it in the Scriptures This is to extract drosse out of Irenaeus his gold Is the Church without Scripture And if we finde truth in the Church can we not therefore finde it in the Scripture * Iren ibidem Seeing that the Apostles have laid up fully in her as in a Reply rich store-house all whatsoever belongeth to the truth The preaching and writings of the Apostles which are the same for substance of doctrine are the endlesse treasure laide up in the Church as in a rich store-house These are * Iren. ibidem The things of the Church which wee must love this is the Tradition of truth which wee must lay hould of Namely of the truth preached by the Apostles delivered unto the Church in the Scripture and preserved in the Church this kinde of Tradition Irenaeus commenmendeth by this kinde of Tradition hee condemned the Heretickes and this kinde of Tradition is not of unwritten but of written doctrines even of such doctrines as were coÌ„tradicted by those Hereticks who erred in points of written doctrines * Iren ibidem What if there were a controversie in some small point it selfe must wee not make recourse unto those most auncient Churches and receive from them what wee holde to be certaine and undoubted Not onely in small but even in the greatest Controversies wee collect the testimonies of antiquity wee enquire what the Primitive Church hath taught even as we doe in this great Controversie of unwritten Traditions and we finde that the Primitive Church taught as we teach and therefore we holde it as certaine and undoubted that unwritten Traditions are to bee rejected But the last wordes of Irenaeus * This is answered Sect. â— D. â— What if the Apostles had not left us the Scriptures â—â—written should wee not then bee obliged to follow the rule of Tradition delivered by them unto those with whom they left the Churches in charge These sayth the Iesuite put us in minde of tâ—at I dare say which never came into Irenaeus his minde That the Apostles delivered some things onely to certaine persons which they would not have layde open unto all by writing This is to corrupt Irenaus to sophisticate his golden wordes and to turne them into drosse there is nothing in Irenaeus sounding like unto this but I see as the foole thinketh so the bell tincketh If the Apostles had not written then there had beene unwritten doctrines and now seeing the Apostles have written must there needes be still unwritten doctrines Irenaeus never knew other doctrine delivered by the rule of Tradition then is contained in the Scriptures So Paul to Timothy * â— Tim. 2. 1. Thou therefore my sonne bee Reply p. 1â—5 strong in the grace that is in Christ Iesus and the things that thou hast heard of mee by many witnesses the same commit thou to faithfull men who shal be able to teach others also Here
the Apostle delivered some mysteries unto Timothy willing him to open them not to all by writing but to choyse men who might teach them by word of mouth unto others 6. To the same purpose did the Hereticks of old alledge this text and were condemned by the Church for it as Tertullian t Tertul. de praescript c. 25. beareth witnesse Timothy heard Paul's doctrine both by his preaching and by his writing The many witnesses of his doctrine were u Act. 26. 11. Moses and the Prophets as he testifieth of himselfe and sundry r Anselm Bruno Aquinas Interpreters so expound this place The same doctrine he would have Timothy to teach unto faithfull men not because they were such mysteries as were unfit to be opened unto all by writing but because they were not fit being holy things to be opened by all by speaking as by the ignorant and prophane persons unto such saith the Lord y Psal 50. 1â— What hast thou to doe to take my worde in thy mouth seeing thou haâ—est to be reformed Paul before having shewed that there is required in a Teacher both ability to teach and z 1. Tim. c. 3. faithfulnesse in teaching and now Timothy himselfe being an Over-seer of Gods Church he therefore exhorteth him to make choyse of such men as were fit for the Ministerie who were to be teachers of others and unto these to teach the same doctrine which he taught him that so they might be faithfull teachers of others It cannot then le denyed but that many commandements Reply p. 125. and holy mysteries are preserved in this store-house of the Church without writing 7. Here the Iesuite equivocateth in the words commandements and mysteries as appeareth by the instances which he alledgeth of which some are points of faith as that the Father is unbegotten The Sonne is consubstantiall with the Father c. which are taught us sufficiently by the Scripture although they be not written verbatim in the Scripture Some are not points of faith as The Lenten Fast The celebrating of Easter day upon a Sunday c. And such commandements may be preserved in the Church without writing And first he beginneth with the point of rebaptization Such is the rebaptizing of those that have beene baptized Reply pag. 126 by Heretickes as witnesseth S. Augustine * August cont Crescen l. 1. c. 33. Although no example heereof is brought out of holy Scriptures yet doe wee follow the truth of the same holy Scriptures in this point whilst wee doe that which now pleaseth the whole Church which the authoritie of Scriptures doth commend 8. The doctrine of rebaptizing is a point which the authority of Scripture doth commend Many texts of Scripture are alledged for the proofe of this point in an Index in some of your owne a Index Bibl. Sixt. Ephes 4. 5 Heb. 6. 6 10. 16. Gen 17. 14 1. Cor 10. 2. Bibles S. Augustine deemed this point rather to be an obscure Question then a point of faith b Quaestionis hujus obâ—curitas prioribus Ecelesiae temporibus ante schisma Donati magnos viros magnâ— charitate praeditos Patres Episcopos inter se compulit salvâ paâ—â— discepâ—â—re Aug. l. 1. de Bapt con Donat. c. 7 The obscurity of this Question in the former times of the Church even before the Schisme of Donatus caused great men and men abundant in charitie even Fathers and Bishops to differ among themselves the bond of peace not being broken saith S. Augustine Howsoever we distinguish betweene the precept and the practise betweene the doctrine and example of the doctrine It is evident that S. Augustine speaketh of the practise or example Although no example hereof is brought out of holy Scripture c. And though we finde not the example of this doctrine whether those have beene rebaptized who were first baptized by the Heretickes as we reade not whether those that have beene baptized by murderers and adulterers have beene baptized againe or no yet the precept or doctrine may be and is sufficiently declared in many places of Scripture by sound inference although it be not expressely written Those that have beene baptized by Heretickes shall not be baptized againe The next testimony concerneth the same point * Aug. 〈…〉 de Bapt. cont Donat c. 1â— The Apostles commaunded nothing hereof yet the Reply custome which was herein opposed against Cyprian is to bee believed to proceede from their Tradition even as many things bee which the Church handleth and are therefore well beleeved to bee commaunded of the Apostles although they be not written And unto it we returne the same aunswer that the Apostles commaunded nothing hereof in expresse words and that the Scripture doth not afford one example of this point but it doth not follow therefore it is an unwritten doctrine Cyprian was one of the Fathers and Bishoppes of the Church who held that they were to be rebaptized S. Augustine dissented from his opinion and yet both consented to have this Question determined by the Scriptures c Vnde est haec Traditio c. Cyprian Epist 74. ad Pomp. Whence is this Tradition saith Cyprian Is it from the divine authoritie of the Gospell or from the commandement and Epistles of the Apostles d Bellarm. l. 4. de verbo Dei c. 8. Bellarmine confesseth that here Cyprian speaketh of the Scripture and so doth S. Augustine commending Cyprian e Quod autem nâ—â— admonet ut ad fonâ—â—m recurramus id optimum est Aug l. 5. de Bapt. cont Donat. c. 16. Because he would have recourse in this unto the fountaine c. for that is the best course And by this authority drawne out of the fountaine f Ephes 4. 5â— There is one Lord one Faith one Baptisme hee confuteth his opinion And not onely by one but g Adjunctis Scripturaâ—m testimonijs ostendimus Aug. l. 6. c. 1. Wee prove it by testimonies of Scripture heaped together saith S. Augustine And in the Chapter alleadged by the Iesuite thus he writeth h Contra mandatum est quod veniâ—ntes ab Haereticis si jam ab illis Baptismum Christi acceperint baptiâ—antur quia Scripturarum sanctarum testimonijs non solum ostenditur sed planè ostenditur mulâ—os Pseudo-Christianos quamvis non habeant â—andem charitatem cum sanctis sine quâ nihil prosunt quaecunque sancta habere potuerint Baptismum tamen â—omâ—uâ—â—â— habere cum â—anctiâ— Aug. l. 5. c. â—3 It is contrary to the commandement that those should bee rebaptized which returne from the Heretickes if they haue the Baptisme of Christ because it is not onely proved but plainely proved by the testimonies of holy Scripture that many false Christians may have the same baptisme with them although they have not the same charitie with the Saints without which the holy things which they have cannot profite them By this clause If they have the baptisme of Christ he
excludeth the Baptisme of those Heretickes which did not baptize in the name of the Trinity but of the rest thus he disputeth The Baptisme of CHRIST is not to bee reiterated but the Baptisme of Heretickes is the Baptisme of CHRIST The Assumption hee prooveth by this medium By the testimonies of Scripture it is plainly prooved that they have the same Baptisme with the Saints Thus S. Augustine determineth this point by the Scriptures Such is the Fast of Lent Reply 9. Fasting is a Christian duety needfull for our salvation such is not the Fast of Lent The i On Mat. 1. Rhemists doe account it to be a written doctrine grounded upon Scriture Hosius the Cardinall reckoneth it among k Hosius in confess Petrocovien c. 4. de caeremonijs the Traditions of the Church The Iesuite is of opinion that it is a Tradition of the Apostles and for this he citeth S. Hierome saying * Hieron epist ad Marcel Wee faste one Lent by Apostolicall Tradition This he calleth Apostolicall not because it came from the Apostles but because it had gained some space of time for the observing of it in the Church for S. Augustine ascribeth the invention of it l Aug. epist 119. unto the Church And though it were an unwritten Tradition comming from the Apostles yet S. Hierome did not thinke it to be a doctrinall Tradition for m Doctrinâ— Ecclesiae quae est domus Dei in librorum repe ritur plenitudine divinorum Hierom. in Epist 155. ad Paulam Vrbicam The doctrine of the Church which is the house of God is found in the fullnesse of the divine bookes saith S. Hierome It must needs be then a rituall Tradition and such are impertinent to this Question Such also is the commemoration and prayer for the dead Reply pag. 126. in the sacrifice of the Masse witnesse S. Chrysostome * Chrysost hom 3. in Phi It was not in vaine ordained by the Apostles that in the celebration of the venerable mysteries a remembrance should bee made of the deceased They knew well that great comfort and profit did from hence arise unto the dead 10. The private conceit of every Doctor is not the publicke tenent of the Church especially in this point of prayer for the dead in which as most of the Fathers differed among themselves so S. Chrysostome dissented from the most of them It was his opinion That wicked livers that such as were not and would not bee baptized might bee prayed for that such as were in hell might receive some benefite by the prayers of the living Concerning such writing upon the same Chapter he saith n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c Chrysost in Philip Hom. 3. Let us weepe for such let us succour them according to our power let us finde out some helpe for them little indeede but yet such as may releive them How and after what manner By praying for them Châ—ysostome deserveth to be censured for this for Gregory in his Morals saith o Greg. Moral in Iob l. 34. c. 16 We may aswell pray for the Devill and his Angells as for such and it is the generall tenent of the Romane Doctours that onely those are holpen by the prayers of the living who dye in the state of grace and being dead goe into Purgatory and not unto Hell For thy full satisfaction in this point reade the Article of prayer for the dead which is most learnedly handled by the most reverend Primate unto which I will adde this wee distinguish the point it selfe of praying for the dead from the practise of praying for them at any set time and namely at the time of celebrating the divine Mysteries this is but a custome or p Epiphan in fine Panarij ordinance of the Church by the judgment of Epiphanius of this S. Chrysostome speaketh and such things are as impertinently objected by the Iesuite as this is falsely affirmed by S. Chrysostome Such also is the custome of baptizing Infants before they doe actually beleeve for S. Augustine sayth Reply pag. 126 * Aug. de Genes ad lit l. 10. c. 23. The custome of the Church in baptizing of Infants were not at all to bee beleeved unlesse it were an Apostolicall Tradition And Origen saith * Orig. in Rom. c. 6. The Church received from the Apostles this Tradition to conferre baptisme even unto children 11. None but an Anabaptist would hold this opinion that the baptisme of Children is not warranted by Scripture If he had learned the Catechisme of Trent or if he had read Bellarmines first Booke and eight Chapter de Baptismo hee would not have inserted this into his catalogue of unwritten Traditions That which he produceth out of S. Augustine overthroweth all that which he with so much toile in this and in the former Section hath laboured for to build for if This or that is not to be beleeved unlesse it be an Apostolicall Tradition how then can Ecclesiasticall Traditions be beleeved or how can they be of the same credit and authority with the written word We distinguish betweene the doctrine and the practise in the Sacrament of Baptisme and likewise betweene doctrines expressely written in the Scriptures and by sound inference deduced from them S. Augustine proveth the doctrine by diverse texts of holy Scripture by this q August de peceat merit l. 1. c. 27. He that hath the Sonne hath life By that r Idem de verbis Apostol Serm. 8. He shall save his people from their sinnes And by the Å¿ Idem de Bapt. cont Donat. l. 4. c. 24. Circumcision of Infants As for the custome or practise whereof S. Augustine speaketh we read not of any Children baptised neither doe we read that any Apostles that any old men or widdowes or virgins were baptised but yet the generall precept and practise of baptising the Species under which these Individualls are contained is a sufficient warrant for their baptisme And this custome is to be beleeved * Nec omnino â—redenda est nisi Apostolica osse Traditio esses for esse is crept into the text in S. Augustin to be an Apostolicall Tradition that is a practise according to the written word which is the Tradition of the Apostles In the same sense Origen calleth it a Tradition received from the Apostles He proveth it by this text t Origen Hom. 14. in Luc. Vnlesse a man be borne againe of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God Stupleton teacheth the same that we teach concerning this and sundry other points of faith that u Principia in Scripturâ— aperte posita quae plurimorum alioâ—um articulorum â—unt â—ontes seminaria ut de duabns â—atuâ—s una persona in Christo de necessitate baptizandi parvulâ—â— c. de aâ—is multis dogmatihus non aperte Scriptis â—de tamen firmiter deductis Stapleton Relect Princip fidei Contâ—
which I will breifly repeat By the Majesty of the Speaker by the titles of the Bookes by the power of the doctrine in the conscience by the simplicity and purity of the stile by the truth of the predictions by the agreement in all things though written by sundry persons in sundry places and at sundry times by the perfection of it and by the testimony which our Saviour giveth unto the i Luc. 24. 27. old Testament k 2. Pet. â— 16. S. Peter to the Epistles of S. Paul and S. Paul to the whole l 2. Tim. 3. 17. Scripture By all these it is more then probable and credible that the Scripture is the word of God These are sufficient arguments to beget an acquired faith in any man if the m 2. Cor. 4. 4. God of this world hath not blinded his eyes so that he cannot n Psal 119. 1â— see the wonderfull things contained in the Law The naturall man is blinde and o 1. Cor. 2. 14. perceiveth not the things of God by his active understanding neither can he conceive them by his passive understanding although they be most evidently revealed and therefore God worketh in his owne an infused faith and openeth their eyes that they may see and beleeve this truth There is p In Scripturis est Sol justitiae August in Psal 80. in the Scriptures the Sunne of righteousnesse as S. Augustine saith a blinde man cannot see this Sunne no more then a blinde man can see the Sunne in the Heavens as therefore the eye of the body must be light that it may see the Sunne so must the eye of the soule be spiritually illuminated that it may see this Sunne of righteousnesse This is wrought outwardly by the word which q Psal 19. 8. giveth light unto the eyes and inwardly by the spirit which r 1. Cor. 2. 11. onely knoweth the things of God and worketh this by Å¿ Origen de Principijs l. 4. c. 1. working upon the spirit and the understanding as Ovigen sayth And when the heart is purified that a man doth the will of GOD then he shall t Ioh. 7. 17. knowe whether the doctrine bee of GOD or no. And as a friend knoweth the voyce of his friend so the spouse of CHRIST and the sheepe of CHRIST know his u Cant. â— â— Ioh. 10. 4. voyce These are the meanes by which wee know the Scriptures to be the Word of GOD by which we know what bookes are canonicall and which are counterfeit And for the manifestation of this truth we doe likewise allow the testimony of the Church these cautions remembred 1. The testimony of the Church is one but not the onely meanes He that knoweth the Sunne to bee the Sunne onely because he is told so and hee that knoweth his horse to be his horse onely because the hostler telleth him so is as wise a man as he that knoweth not the Scripture to be the Scripture but onely because holy Church telleth him so I will demaund one thing of this Iesuite if a man deny the Scripture will he not convince him by the authority of the Church which testifieth for the Scripture And if he deny the testimony of the Church will he not convince him by the authority of the Scripture which testifieth for the Church Thus is he forced to daunce in a circle and in the end to bring all conclusions to be proved by the Scripture We rather hold that the Scripture is the onely meanes to know the Church by then that the Church is the onely meanes whereby to know the Scripture So saith the Authour of the imperfect Worke upon Matthew x Anteâ— multis modis â—stendebaâ—ur quae esset ecâ—lesia Christ quae gentilitas nunâ— autem nullo modo cognos cituâ— volentibus cogâ—oscere quae sit ecclesia Christâ— nisi tantummodò per Scripturas Hom. 49. In former times there were many wayes whereby to know which was the Church of Christ and which was Gentilisme but now if a man would know which is the Church of Christ the Scripture is the onely meanes whereby to know it And S. Augustine sheweth us where we must seeke for the Church y In prâ—scripto legis in Pro phetarum praedictis in Psal morum â—antibuâ— in ipsius pastoris vocibus in Evargelistarum praedicationibus laboribus hoc est in omnibus canonicis sanctorum librorum authoritaâ—ibus Aug. de unitat Eccles c. 16 In the prescript of the Law in the predictions of the Prophets in the Psalmes in the words of the Pastour himselfe in the Sermons and labours of the Apostles that is in the canonicall authority of the holy Bible 2. The authority of the Church is a meanes to declare which is the canonicall Scripture but not to make the Scripture canonicall as he that declareth Ignatius to be canonized for a Saint doth not thereby canonize him it is a good argument not à priori but à posteriori as when the Gold-smith declareth the Gold to be good But the Romanists speake most disgracefully of the Scripture z Scripturas valere quantum fabulae Aesopi si destituantur authoritate Ecclesiae Heâ—man apud Breut in Prolegom That the Scriptures are no better then Aesopes fables if they want the authority of the Church And without the authority of the Church a Se non plus fidei adhibiturum quam Tito Livio Gul. Bailius Catech. contr tract 1. q 12 They will beleeve them no more then Titus Livie Thus I have made good my promise and have runne the wilde goose chase after this Gagler in these three Sections who at last seeing his fault that all this while he hath answered nothing that hath beene objected confesseth That it is time for him to examine the Scripture which is produced against unwritten Traditions In reexamining of what he hath examined it shal be made manifest that SECT V. The Iesuite useth most silly shifts in answering the Scripture which is produced against unwritten Traditions THe three observations gathered by the Iesuite in the beginning of this Section are already answered and therefore I neede not actum agere yet I wil be content to give them a touching answer First the Traditions which we maintaine Reply p. 127. cannot be said to be precepts or commaundements of men but of God himselfe forasmuch as they proceede immediatly from Christ and his Apostles 1. Are your Ecclesiasticall Traditions immediately from Christ and his Apostles Your solemne baptizing of Bells Your Friday faste and the like can you proove thier originall to be immediatly from Christ and his Apostles Secondly that the like our Traditions are not any Reply pag. 128. way contrary or repugnant to the truth of holy Scripture 2. There is neither sense nor truth in this observation The likâ— our Traditions are not is none sense not contrary to the truth of holy Scripture is contrary to the truth That it is a
were not more repugnant to the Law of GOD then Popish are yeâ— even to every commandement That title given to the Pope 〈◊〉 Dâ—â—â—â—oster Papa The Lord 〈◊〉 God the Pope is repugnant to the 1. That Images are to be worshipped iâ— repugnant to the 2. That unwritten Traditions doe supply the defâ—ct of the written word is adiâ—â—â—on our to it and repugnant to the 3. That a Saints day is more duely to be observed then the Lords 〈◊〉 iâ— repugnant to the 4. That a man may give his goods unto the Church and let his parents starve â—â— repugnant to they That â—n some â—ases the subject may kill his King is repugnant to the 6. That the Stewes may be permitted and Preists allowed their Concubines is repugnant to the 7. That religious persons may enâ—ise and steale such children from their parents as wil be fit for their turne is repugnant to the 8. The doctrine of Aequivocation is repugnant to the 9. And that lust without consent is no sinne is repugnant to the last Can these be repugnant to the Scriptures and be Traditions deduced by sound inference from the Scriptures This the Iesuite affirmeth of them his reason is The Scripture commaundeth us to obey the Church and Reply pag. 130. the holy Ghost teacheth the Church all truth and Christ is present with his Church unto the worlds â—nd and hee that heareth the Church heareth God and the Scripture commâ—ndeth Traditions and commaundeth us to holde fast what the Apostles have delivered withâ—â—â— writing And the Church in all ages hath taught unwritten Traditions c. This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his â—â—ckow song and all these texts of Scripture we have already * Sect. â— answered This is a budget wide enough to holde all the trash of Romish Traditions it is his gladius Delphicus which serveth for all uses If this argument be found there needeth no more Scripture then this Obey the Church This giveth you power quidâ—â—bâ—â— addendâ— to say what you list and it will beare you out But it is a false argument consisting of quatuor termini for the Scripture speaketh of one Church and the Iesuite of an other the Scripture commendeth written Traditions and the Iesuite is all for unwritten Traditions The holy Scriptures not onely are able to make us * â— Tim. 3. wise Answer unto salvation which they should not be able to doe if they did not containe all things necessary to salvation but also by 〈…〉 of God that is the * 1. Tim. 6. 11. Minister of Gods word 〈◊〉 whom i◠〈◊〉 to * Act. 20. 27. declare all the counsell of God may bee perfectly instructed to every good worke which could not be if the Scripture did not containe all the counsell of GOD which was sit for him to learne or if there were any other word of GOD which he were bound to teach that should not bee contuined within the limites of the Books of GOD. Thus saith the Answerer The Iesuite would willingly writ he himselfe out of these words he windeth and turneth himselfe every way like an Eele that is taken he snatcheth and catcheth like a man ready to be drowned yâ—t every thing that commeth in his way His first shift is this There is no such saying in the Apostles writings as this Reply pag. 131. The Scriptures are able to make us wise unto salvation He saith indeed that they are able to make Timothy wise unâ—o salvation â—t lessâ— he will say thâ—â— whatsoever S. Paul affirmeth of Timothy may be applyed unto us all which is most absurd For who will say that the Apostle * 1. Tim. 5. 23. forbidding Timothy to drinke water doth thereby forbid us all in like manner 6. There is not the least word in Scripture spoken of the Church of the Apostles and of Traditions but our Adversaries doe apply it generally unto themselves onely this because it concerneth the power of the Scriptures must be peculiar unto Timothy and not applyed unto all But evill should not the Scriptures be as able to make us at Timothy wise into Salvation either it must be because hee had better meanes to be made wise then wee have or because having the same meanes he was more to 〈◊〉 of this wisedome Not the first if it be true which the Iesuite observeth That Timothy 〈◊〉 onely the old Testament 〈◊〉 wee have both the old and the h 1. Cor. 2. 14. Psal 119 18. new Nor the second because the understanding is alike corrupted in all 〈◊〉 it is not â— capable of this saving wisedome untill GOD ◠〈…〉 it And this 〈◊〉 of his absure instance of Timothyes not drinking 〈◊〉 which declareth his braines to be as weake us Timothyes stomack because all stomackâ— arâ— not â—ike weake but all menâ— understandings untill they are sanctified are alike wicked and uncapable of holy things What therefore S. Paul here affirmeth of Timothy may be applyed unto all and it is applyed unto all by Chrysostome on this text saying Verily the Apostle speaking this of Timothy â—â—th thâ—râ—py admonish all men His second shift is this Though we should graunt this that the Scriptures are Reply pag. 1â—1 able to make us wise unto salvation yet is doth not follow from thence that they containe Expressely all things necessary to Salvation 7. Expressely is an expresse lye an addition of his own for the Answerers inference is this Therefore they containe all things necessary for Salvation Now things are contained in Scripture not onely expressely but like wise by inference His third shift is this It is confessed the cheifest of our Aduersaries that the Reply pag. 131 Apostle in that place meaneth none other but the old Testaâ—ent onely as himselfe declareth plaint enough Thou hast learned the holy Scriptures of a child which are able to make thee wise And the new Testament was not written when Timothy was a childe And will our Answerer graunt that the old Testament alone containeth all things necessary to Salvation then consequently the new Testament iâ—â—â—â—dâ—lesse 8. It is the better for our cause if the Apostle hâ—â—re speaketh onely of the old testament that it is able to make in wise unto Salvation for then both old and new being joyned together must needs containe all thing 〈…〉 Salvation It is confessed that when Timothy was a childe he learned onely the old Testament and then the new was not written but 〈◊〉 when Paul wrote this â— d 1. Thrâ— 4. 6. Epistle unto him he was a 〈◊〉 he was Bishop of Ephesus this Epistle was write him a little before S. Paule death and then all the new Testament was written but onely that which 〈◊〉 added If I should say of an old Iudge that he hath knowne 〈◊〉 of a young Student this doth not exclude his knowledge of such laweâ— as were made in after times so S. Pauls speech of Timothy that he knew the Scriptures of a child doth
therefore though they be glorious things in your eyes they are not holy That of Origen which the Iesuite alledgeth concerning the baptising of Children that it is a Tradition from the Apostles is * Sect. 4. divis 11. formerly answered Hippolytus the Martyr in his third Homily against the Heresie of Noetus There is one God whom we doe not otherwise Answer acknowledge but out of the holy Scriptures For as hee that would professe the wisedome of this world cannot otherwise attaine hereunto unlesse he reade the doctrine of the Philosophers sâ— whosoever of us will exercise piety towards God cannot learne this elsewhere but out of the holy Scriptures c. All this runneth upon the same straine with that which Reply pag. 13â— you even now produced out of Origen and therefore as you repeate the same so wee returne you the same Answer And withall wee desire you with this holy Martyr to understand whatsoever the Scriptures doe teach For they teach you to holde such Traditions as the Apostles gave whether by writing or by word They teach you to hearken unto the Church 4. Hippolytus here taketh the same oath with Origen both give their verdict against unwritteÌ„ Traditions This is the same strain upon which they run His answer unto that of Origen is already confuted if this be the same as indeed it is no wiser then the former but threed-bare and worne out at the elbowes I need not againe confute it It cannot fit with the wordes of this holy Martyr for as it were ridiculous to say The wisdome of this world may be attained unto by reading the doctrin of the Philosophers then to interpret this Not immediatly by reading their writings but mediatly by going to the living Philosophers So it is as absurd to say Our piety towards God may be learned out of the holy Scripture then to interpret this not immediatly out of the Scriptures themselves but mediatly by going to the Church Yea it is more absurd because the writings of the Philosophers are not so wel able to make a man wise for the world as the Scriptures are to make a man wise unto salvatioÌ„ The scriptures teach us to â—â—ld such traditioÌ„s as the Apostles gave but they taught the same doctrines both by Scripture and by word of mouth This maketh nothing for Popish Traditions such the Apostles never gave by writing or by word of mouth They teach us to hearken unto the Church when the doctrine of the Church is consonant with the doctrine of the Scriptures and not to hearken unto the Church when it teaâ—heth otherwise Å¿ Ien â—3 16. Thus saith the Lord of hostes Hearken not unto the words of the Prophets that prophesiâ— unto you and teach you vanity they speak the vision of their owne heart and not out of the mouth of the Lord. Athanasius in his â—ratian against the Gentiles The holy â— Answer Scriptures given by inspiration of God are of themselves sufficient for the discovery of Truth 5. This is an evident testimony directly opposite to the position of our Adversaries which they have learned from condemned Heretickes t Iren. l. 3. c. 2. That truth canâ—ot be found out of the Scriptures by them that are ignorant of Traditions And yet the Iesuite painteth this likewise with false colours answering First the Scriptures discover this truth That wee must Reply p. 139. â—old fast unwritten Traditions We have oft discovered this to be an untruth and for the better discovery of it wee will observe one thing more from the force of the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Athanasius useth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth not a mediate sufficiency as if the Scriptures were sufficient for the discovery of truth because they send us to the Church nor such a sufficiencie as needeth any other helpe as if the Scriptures were sufficient for the discovery of truth by having the helpe of unwritten Traditions joyned with them but as Lambine in his notes upon Aristotles Ethickes observeth u Plurâ—bus verâ—â—is haec vox 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cui nulla respondet Latina est de claranda Est autem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is qui â—â—s bonis contentur satisque copiosè instructus est quique nullas externas opes desiderat Lamb. in Arislot Ethic. â—â— c. 7. This word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be expressed by more words for there is no one Latin word that can fully declare it He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is conâ—ent with his owne store and is furnished with enough and with abundant and desiteth no other helpâ— It is such a selfâ—-sufficienciâ— as is in the heavenly Kingdome of which Theophylact saith x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophyl in Ioh. 18. It is sufficient and needeth nothing Such then is the fulnesse and the selfe-sufficiencie of the holy Scripture that it hath store in it selfe it is fully furnished yea so abundantly that it needeth not the helpe of unwritten Traditions to discover any truth Athanasius here speaketh not of all Truth but of Two speciall Reply p. 130. points of faith onely to wit That Idols are not Gods and that Christ is the onely true God concerning which two articles he wrote thâ—se two bookes to Maearius And for the discovery of those two points the holy Father saith that the Scriptures are sufficient As in these two bookes to Macariâ—s he wrote of these two points and also of many other points for in the first he wrote of the deity of the Father of the immortality of the soule c. And in the second of Christs manhood his incarnation death resurrection c. So here he speaketh not onely of those two points but of all truth in generall that The Scriptures are sufficient for the discovery of truth And therefore in his Tractate of Christs incarâ—ation he taxeth them of great iâ—â—destiâ— which speakâ— the â—hings which are noâ— written Athanasius in that plaâ—e maketh mention not onely of the Reply p. 13â— holy Scriptures but also of the bookes of holy Fathers and to both doth he attribute this sufficiency forasmuch as a man by reading of those bookes may discover the true sense and meaning of the Scripture This is not the true sense and meaning of this Father In the words following though hee maketh mention of the bookes of the Fathers yet he never inteÌ„ded to impart any part of this sufficiency unto them or to make them equall with Scripture as you doe with Traditions but he declareth that they are good coÌ„menâ—aries or helpes for the understanding of the holy Scriptures His words are these There are also many bookes of the holy Fathers in which if a â—an imploy himselfe he may in some sort aâ—taine unto the interpretution of the Scripture It is one thing to say that by reading of the bookes of the Fathers a man may in some sort attain unto the interpretation of Scripture
contradict any of these For if we goe about to reject such customes as are not delivered by writing accounting them to be of little force we shall unawares daâ—â—age the Gospell very much and bring the preaching thereof unto a bare name of words Neither are we content with such things onely as the Apostles or the Gospell doth expresse but we say many things both before consecration and after of great avayle for that Mysterie which we have received by Tradition without writing What a Bull-head is this to confound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Constitutions and Doctrines as if they were the same whereas they differ very much S. Basil in the subsequent words distinguisheth them saying h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem ibid. Constitution is one thing Doctrin is another thing Constitutions are the ritâ—â— customes decrees or ceremonies of the Church so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is translated a i Luc. â— 1. dâ—creâ— and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 k â—phes â— 15â— ordinances Doctrines are the points of salvation perpetuall and not changeable as the Ceremonies are And in the very words alleadged S. Basil distinguisheth them for he saith not Vnwritten Traditions are Gospell but If we reject them and account them of no force we may daâ—â—age the Gospell and bring Preaching to a bare name We should soone see this if there were no Ecclesiasticall orders What kinde of prayers or preaching or administration of the Sacraments would there be if every man might be his own carver in these things Surely there would be a Babell of confusion Quot capita tot placita The Iesuite in favour of his cause corruptly translath S. Basil in this manner * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The Doctrines and Institutions which are preached in the Church some of them wee have out of the written word and some out of the Tradition of the Apostles Whereas S. Basil is thus to be translated The Institutions and Doctrines which are preserved in the Church these that is the Doctrines wee have out of the written word those that is the Institutions we have by the Tradition of the Apostles So that the doctrine of S. Basâ—l in this differeth nothing from our doctrine That the unwritten things which come by Tradition are the rites ceremonies or institutions which are preserved in the Church of which sort he reckoneth these Signeing with the crosse praying towards the East standing in prayer betweene Easter and Pentecost thriâ—e dipping of the party baptised a certaine forme of prayer both before and after consecration These we confesse are not written but they all are Rituall Traditions and belong not to our controversie The Doctrines of which we dispute are taken out of the written word this is the doctrine of S. Baâ—il to which wee suâ—scribe There is one thing in that of S. Baâ—il which he uttered unadvisedly That both the Institutions and Doctrines had equall force unto Godlinesse But we must consider that S. Baâ—il being in the heat of disputation in defence of these orders of the Church spake thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but after being in more coole blood he speaketh like himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for having shewed that some things are given by word of mouth he sheweth that those were not necessary things saying l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Idem in Râ—â—ul coâ—tract can 1. Concerning thâ—se things which are given without writings the Apostle Paul hath given â—â— this rule All things are lawfull but all things are not expedient We deny not the lawfull use of Ecclesiasticall ordinances but that they should be so expedient as to be of equall force unto Godlinesse with the writen Doctrines this is denyed not onely by us but even by the wisest Papists themselves And in the practise of the Roman Church many of the unwritten constitutions of which Basil speaketh are not observed as m Durand de ritib. Eccl. l. 1. cap. 3. praying standing to the East and n Catech Rom. de Baptis The thrise dipping of the party baptised This omission o Bellat de verbo non script l. 4. c. 7. Bellarâ—â—â—â— excuseth by distinguishing the observation of them from the first Institution of them And if they be not necessary for our observation how can they be of equall force unto Godlinesse At last S. Baâ—il concludeth thus * Idem ibid The day would fayle Reply p. 144. me if I should take upon me to number up all the unwritten mysteries of the Church I ommit the rest Onely I demaâ—nd in what written word have we the very profession of our faith to belâ—eve in the Father and the Sonne and the Holy Ghost As for the rest we have answered And for the profession of our faith we professe this faith that all the points of faith contained in the Creed are taught us in the Scriptures It is the confession of the Iesuite in another * Pag. 146. place As for example the Creed the Scripture declareth plaine enough Vnto whose confession I might adde that of Cyrill p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Cyril Catech. 5â— The choyse things of the whole Scripture being knit together make up the forme of our creed And that of S. Augustine q Aug. l. 1. ad Catechum de Symbol The words of the Symbolâ— are seatteâ—ed in the Scriptures and from them collected into one So that by the profession of our faith S. Baâ—â—l doth not meane the Articles of faith contained in the Creed but that profession or manner of reciteing it which the Church required of those that were baptised when they came to the yeares of discretion as we require in confirmation or else the whole frame Syntaxe and forme of words as they are kâ—it together in the Creed And this we confesse is not written verâ—atim altogether in any one part of Scripture but it is taken out of diverse parts of Scripture and collected into one forme of words Clement of Alexandria upon the words of the Apostle to Reply pag. 144 the Romans c. 1. I deâ—ire to see you that I may impart unto you some spirituall gift for your confirmation * Clem Alex Stro l. 5. Such gifts aâ— these saith Clement could not be published openly by writing being a Tradition which he desired to deliver unto them being present and not by Epistle 11. What spirituall gift S. Paul meaneth he declareth in the next verse r Rom. 1. 12. That is that I may be comforted together with you by our mutuall faith Comfort was that spirituall gift which he desired to impart unto them and to receive from them and this could not be done so well by writing as by mutuall speech and conference It was not to teach any unknowne unwritten doctrine unto them for that he might have delivered unto Phebe the bearer of his Epistle and she unto them Yea Paul professeth of them that they were
with the Iesuite In Theodoret we meet with these kinde of speeches * Theodor. dialog 1. By the Answer Scripture alone am I perswaded * Idem in Genes q 45. we ought not to seeke those things which are passed in silence but rest in the things which are written Vnwritten Traditions are not passed in silence by the Reply pag. 145. Scripture neither â—ought you to gainsay them if you wil be perswaded by the Scripture And truely we may not doubt of the meaning of Theodoret if wee note well what hee recordeth in his Historie to wit that the Fathers of the Nicen Councell condemned the Arians by unwritten Tradition 15. As unwritten Traditions are not Scripture so they are not contained in Scripture I confesse the Scripture doth not passe them in silence no more then it doth Iudaâ— but it is to condemne them The Scripture doth containe some Traditions such are written Traditions and such was the Tradition established in the Councell of Nice against which the Arians disputed This Iesuite hath gathered his basket of scraps from Bellarmines full table out of whom hee might have learned to cite the place aswell as the words The words are these * Theodor. l. 1. c. 1. By unwritten words yet some bookes reade it by written words pioâ—sly understood they were condemned It is not materiall how we reade it either by written words or by unwritten words for our Question is not of unwritten words but of unwritten Doctrines The unwritten words were Coessentiall or Consubstantiall which words though they are not written letter for letter in Scripture yet the Doctrine signified by those words is written in other words as we have oft showed and once more will make it appeare Athanasius was one of the Nicâ—nâ— Councell and the wordes cited out of Theodoret are taken out of * Athanas in Epistol ad Afros Athanasius and yet the Iesuite hath * pag 119. formerly declared unto us the judgement of this holy Father That the Scriptures are sufficient for the discovery of this truth that Christ is God So that by the opinion of this holy Father the Arians might be condemned by Scripture aswell as by unwritten words the wordes being unwritten and yet the doctrine written Theodoret in the same Chapter cited by the Iesuite addeth this out of Athanasiâ—â— that they of that famous Councell Gathered testimonies out of the Scriptures and by them condemned the Arians Adde unto this the grave oration which the great learned Emperour Consâ—antine made in that Councel in which he concludeth with this exhortation unto which they all yeelded * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodor. l. 1. c 7. Let us resolve the things in question by the divine Scriptures In those things saith S. * August de doct Christian l. â— c. 9. Reply pag. 146. Augustine which are plainely laid downâ— in the Scriptures all those things are found which appertâ—ine to faith and direction of life Can you inferre therefore that Traditions are not necessary Answer and may you not inferre also that therefore your Doctrines deduced by sound inferences are as needlesse S. Augustine speaketh in this place not of all and every point in particular but onely of such points as are generally necessary for every one to know as the Creed the ten Commandements and the like 16. Vnwritten Traditions and sound inferences differ as much as truth and errour sound Inferences are plainly though not expressely word for word contained in the Scriptures but for unwritten Traditions there is neither plaine nor expresse warrant in them You declare S. Augustines meaning contrary to his minde hee speaketh of all things you of some things appertaining to all persons hee speaketh of the Scripture that in some places it is plaine in other places obscure you of points of faith which are necessary for some but noâ— for every one to know he saith in the plaine places all things that appertaine to faith are lâ—ide downe you say all plaine points of faith are laide downe in Scripture Is there not a plaine difference betweene your interpretation and S. Augustines text Wee know that there are some things necessary some things not necessary to be knowne Whosoever will be saved saith Athanasius in his Creed which is sung in your Church it is necessary that he holde the Cutholicks faith Other things there are which are not necessary y Athanas ad Scrap We must know that God iâ— and that be is a rewarder but how wee neede not know saith the same Father And S. Augustine writing of the Question how the soule becommeth tainted with originalâ— sinne saith z Credo etiâ—m divinorum â—loqâ—oruâ— clarisâ—imâ— authoritâ—â— esset si â—oâ—o illâ—â— sine dispendio promissâ— salutiâ— ignorare â—on possâ—â— August l. â— de peccat merit c. ultimo I beleeve that the Scripturâ—â— would â—ikewise declare this plainely if it were a thing of which a man could not be ignorant without the lesse of salvaâ—iâ—â— But this doctrine was never knowne to S. Augustine neither doe wee receive it That there should bee paints of faith which are necessary for all and those should bee contained in the Scriptures and that there are points of faith not necessary for all but onely for some and those should not bee laide downe in the Scripture a â—phes 4. 5 There is one Lord one faith one baptisme As one Lord of Priest and people and one baptisme for all so but one faith for all even an * Verse 1â— unity of faith for Pasters Teachers and for the Saints How can this faith be Catholicke if the same faith be not necessary for all his onely answer must be this That unwritten Traditions are no part of the Catholicke faith that they are not generally necessary for all to know if they were they would bee found among those things which are plainly laid downe in Scripture b Vna fideâ— quia unum idem creditur à â—unctis fidelibus unde catholicadiâ—tur Aquin. in Ephes 4. There is one faith saith Aquinas because one and the same thing is beleeved of all the faithfull and therefore it is â—alled Catholickâ— There is no specificall but only a graduall difference betweene the faith and knowledge required of the Priest and of the people and the Scripture maketh both the man of God and a godly man perfect and thoroughly furnished to every good worke This answer of the Iesuite is not unlike that answer made by a Chaplia of Bâ—shop Bâ—â—ners unto the Martyr Haâ—kes c Fox his Acts. pag. 1586. That the Scriptures are sufficient for salvation but not for instruction And I answere as the Martyr did God send â—e the salvation and you the instruction If in the things plainely laide downe in Scripture all things are found which are generally necessary for every one to know why then doe you teach That it is not found in Sâ—ripture that the * pag.
4. c. 8. He speaketh of the Scripture And S. Augustin approveth of his admonition h Aug. de bapt cont Donat. l. 5. c. 26. That which Cyprian admonisheth us That we should have recourse to the fountaine to wit to the Apostolicall Tradition that is best and ought to be done So that in S. Augustines judgment this point may be determined by the Scriptures He accounted the testimonie of the Church one good meanes but the testimony of the Scripture the best meanes to judge it by The 10th is this * Aug. in Psal 57. The truth surely harboureth in the belly Reply p. 148. of the Church The truth is while Christ is the head and husband of the Church truth must needs harbour in the belly of that Church but if Antichrist become the head husband of a Church truth cannot harbour in the belly of that Church The man of sinne the Sonne of perdition doth set as God in the Roman Church which was once â— The â— Thes 1. 4. temple of God He equalizeth all his Decrees and his Cathedrall voyce with the voyce of God sounding in the Scriptures She was along while like a woman sicke of a timpany or some swelling disease and at length brought forth a monster k Nec Deus es nec homo quasi nevter es inter utruâ—que Clemen proem in Glos Neither God nor man but a nevter betweene both And this monster is the Father of this monstrous doctrine of unwritten Traditions The 11th followeth * Aug. epist 56 The whole height of authority and light of reason for the reparation of mankinde consisteth Reply only in the saving name of Christ in his one onely Church As we give unto God the things which are Gods so to the Church the power belonging to her that is the supreame power and absolute authority unto Godâ— and under God a subordinate power and ministeriall authoritâ—â— unto the Church And this is all which S. Augustinâ— meaneth He addeth the 12th * Aug cont Fausâ— Manich l. 11. c. 2. Thou seest of how great forcâ— in Reply p. 149. thâ—â— matter the authoritie of the Catholicke Church is which by the orderly succession of Bishops from the most assured soaâ—â— of the Apostles unto these our dayes and by the consent of so many nations and people is confirmed As in all things wee give due respect unto the authoritie of the Catholicke Church so likewise we doe in this point of which S. Augustine speaketh which is of the truth of holy Scripture that it is the word of God We confesse the authority of the Catholicke Church is of great fâ—rce to confirme our faith in beleeving which is the Scripture and what is the true meaning of it yet her authority extendeth not it selfe so farre as to adde unwritten Traditions to the Scripture or to give any other interpretation of the Scriptures then is contained in them Her authority is one meanes but noâ— the onely meanes to confirme this point for in the same place S. Augustine sheweth that there are other meanes likewise as Searching into other copies of the Scripture and comparing the copies with the originall And yet this is nothing to the Roman Church it is not the Catholicke Church in it there is no orderly successioâ— if there be it is not from the most assured seats of the Apostles but from a doubtfull seat of an Apostle in it the consent of nations and people is not to be heard but onely the voyce of the Pope is to be regarded And to make up his Bakers douzen hee concludeth with this * Aug. cont Iul Pelag. l. 2. cap. 1. It is necessary that all Christian people preferre the judgment Reply pag. 149 and testimonies of holy Fathers before your Novelties and choose rather to adheare unto them then unto you I should but slander you with an action of truth if I should say Popery is a Novelty Vnwritten Traditions are novelties We have ever preferred the testimonies and judgements of holy Fathers before such Novelties and if wee will adheare unto them we cannot adheare unto unwritten Traditions You preferre Novelties before the judgements and testimonies of the holy Fathers The Popes Cathedrall voyce is preferred before the judgements and testimonies of all Councels and holy Fathers and this is a Noveltie never heard of untill it was hatcht of late noâ— much aboue an 100. yeares since in the Lateran Councell l Melch Canus Ioc theolog l. â— c. 5. In generall Councels saith a flatterer of the Pope matters are not to be judged by the number of suffrages but by the weight Pondus autem dat summi Pontific is authoritas but the authority of the Pope maketh up the weight So that among the Fathers and in Councells hee hath not onely a negative voyce to stop that which they conclude but even a divine voyce farre transcendent aboue them all As Pharaohs leane kine eat up the fat so hath he eaten up the authoritie of Church and Fathers And as Iacke Cadâ— would have all written law banished that the law might proceede out of his mouth even so dealeth the Pope Thus we have sifted your â—eapâ— and finde it but chaffe and cast up your number and finde it nothing but cyphers The testimonies are weapons whereby Heretickes and Schismaticks such as deny the true doctrine of the Church may be wounded and put to flight but unto us who defend S. Augustines doctrine they are defensive and not offensive And if dropping of testimonies out of S. Augustine might beare away the bell I dare hazard the game upon it to drop three for one but I dare not take that liberty unto my selfe as the Iesuite doth to be both Respondent and Opponent least I should be censured for gresling from the right rule of answering wherefore I tie my selfe to answer those testimonies which follow * Chrysol ser â—5 S. Peter Chrysologus A Christian minde knoweth not Reply p. 149. how to dispute against such things as are strengthned by the Tradition of the Fathers 21. The same Christian minde is in us for we dispute not against such things Chrysologus his sermon was upon that text of S. Iohn * Ioh. â— 1. There was a Feast of the Iewes This gave him occasion to discourse of holy dayes and specially of such fistivall dayes as were strengthned by the tradition of the Fathers and long continuance These we account as ordinances of the Church and give that respect unto them as is due but we dare not give them that authoritie which belongeth to the word of God as to be points of Reply p. 149. faith or necessary doctrines S. Leo affirmeth * Leo serm â— Thâ—t true learning doth acknowledge and piety doth embrace that which Tradition hath long since dâ—creed and custome hath established * Leo de Iejun Pentecost Neither is it to bee doubted but whatsoever is observed by the
upon the Christians your selves are guilty of these things and yet lay them to our charge This Domineering is in the first cheifest place the Church of Rome challengeth this priâ—acie principalitie above all places The judgement of Heaven and earth namely the Tradition of the Apostles which is contained in the Scripture the doctrine of the Fathers must yâ—eld to her opinion This deformed Church not unlike a toad-stoole all head no body for the r Hervaeâ— de potest Papâ— c. 23. Pope saith Harvie virtually is the whole Church is so swollen up with arrogancy that whatsoever interpretation he giveth of Scripture though it crosse the sense which the Fathers gave yet it must be beleeved if wee will beleeve Å¿ Cusan epist 7. Cusanus And whosoever is absolved by the Pope from Gods Law he is safe enough with God if we will credite t Bodin de Rep. â— 1. c. â— Bodin The touling of Bells the sight of reliques the forgivenes of sins Masses for the dead are some of the rotten wares solde by these soule-marchants Is not this to sell the Inventions of upsâ—arts And from your Charity good Lord deliver us Thus gentle Reader thou hast heard the verdict of the Iurie the senselesse exceptions which the Iesuite hath taken against them all that he can say for himselfe answered and confuted now take upon thee the office of a Iudge consider consult give thy sentence as God shall direct thee SECT VII Of the originall of unwritten Traditions 1. THE contrariety or diversity of any Doctrine froÌ„ the Doctrine of the Apostles is sufficient as a Tertul. pâ—aescript advers haereâ— c. 12. Tertuslian held for the confutation of it We have shewed that the Doctrine of unwritten Traditions doth either crosse the verity of the Scriptures and so they are contra legem or else they crosse the perfâ—ction of them and so are prater legem To find out the original of all Heresies is as difficult a thing as to find out the head of Nilus Hic labor hoc opus est and yet for the more full discoverie of the falshood of this Doctrine unto your Fatherhood the originall of it is thus found out If now is bee demanded in what Popes dayes the contrary Doctrine was brought in among Christians I answere that if S. Peter were ever Pope in his dayes it was that some Seducers first laboured to bring in will worship into the Church against whom S. Paul opposing himselfe Coloss 2. counteth it a sufficient argument to condemne all such inventions that they were the commandements and doctrines of men You tell us a tale of a tub for the Traditions which wee Reply pag. 15â— â—aintâ—ine are not commandements and doctrines of men but delivered unto the Church by the Apostles 2. This is a tale of a tub that you defend no Traditions but such as were delivered by the Apostles unto the Church Will you be content to renounce all your Ecclesiasticall Traditions only to cleave unto Apostolicall Traditions The Scriptures tell tales of your Traditions and we have discovered them to be no better then Aesopes fables or tales of Robin Hood The Apostles words are these * Coloss 2. â— Beware lest any man deceive Reply p. 15â— you by Philosophie according to the Tradition of men according to the elements of this world and not according unto Christ In this place he treateth â—ot of any Traditions which â—e different from the Scriptures but of the observation of the Ceremoniall law which he tearmeth the Tradition of men because it was now expired by the comming of Christ By Philosophiâ— hee doth not meanâ— the Philosophicall Sciences of the Schooles but the doctrine of such as were accounted Sages and wise among the Hebrewes The elâ—ments are not the foure elements but the weake elements of the Iewish Religion He speaketh this saith S. * Hieron Epist ad Algas q. 10. Hiernme against certaine of the Iewes who desired to bring in Iewish Ceremonies And again He swâ—lleth with pride who endeavoureth to bring in Iewish Traditions And thus he presenteth uâ— with a masse of Iewish Traditions Here is a great cry but little wooll much a doe to little pâ—â—pose about Philosophie and the four â— Elements with this Foolosopher The sum of all is this That here the Apostle speaketh of the câ—râ—moniall law I confesse that the Apostle seâ—keth to weane the Colossians from the ceremoniall law and to win them unto Christ In presenting you with a messe of Iewish Traditions we serve you with your owne souce for this messe of Iewish Ceremonies is served up and observed in your Church you have digged Moseâ— out of his grave and a great part of your Religion as a late b Reynolds against Hart. pag. 567. Writer well observeth consisteth in Iewish Ceremonies But this is not the principall thing against which the Apostle disputeth Bellarmine denyeth your exposition saying c Bellar. de verbo Dei l. 4. c. 10. In those places of the new Testament which condemne Traditions they were such Traditionâ— aâ— were contrary to the written word The Apostle hore condâ—mneth Traditions and you say They are not such as were different from the Scripture Bellarmine giveth his reason Because they are never called Traditions of Moses or of the Prophets but Traditions of men you â—ee they are called Traditions of men and yet say they were so called Because the ceremonies were now expired by the comming of Christ Bellarminâ— and this Iesuits doe both cite this place of Hiâ—româ— the one to prove that those Traditions were contrary the other to prove that They differed not from the Scripture And thus the Cardinall and the Iesuâ—te differ in their opinions and agree like Harp and Harrow I approve of Bellarminâ—s reason Traditions of men cannot bee said to bee Traditions of God and though the Ceremoniall law was abolished by the comming of Christ yet it is not therefore to bee called a Traditioâ— of men And if that bee true which the Iesuite * pag. 159. observeth out of our English Translations Thâ—◠〈◊〉 use the word Tradition onely where the Scripture speaketh of certaine Traditions of the Iewes partly frivolous partly repugnant to the Law of God Then the Traditions heere spoken of must needes bee not onely different but also repagâ—â—â—â— to the Law of God for in this place all our Traâ—llations have the word Tradition That the Apostle here speaketh of Traditions different from the Scriptures this doth evidently appeare by the particular Traditions which he condemneth as d Verse 18. 19. worshipping of Angels And touch not tuste not handle not These are Popish Traditions they worship Angels in praying to them and some of them must not touch fine liâ—â—en not tâ—ste flesh not handle money These are Traditions of men not different from the Scriptures And if you had not stinted us to shew In what Popes dayes unwritten Traditions were brought in
among Christians wee could easily have shewed not onely the Grandfathers of this Doctrine to be Heretickes among the Christians but also that the Sâ—ducers among the Iewes were the great grand Fathers of it In a booke of theirs called Pirke Aboth Capitula Patrum we reade thus God gaue by Moses not onely the written Law but also an unwritten Law And e Peres de Tradit eccles part 2. asseâ— 1. Peresius citeth this out of Rabbi Moyses That God gave unto Moyses severall Doctrines by word of mouth besides the written Law which Moyses delivered to Ioshua Ioshua to the 70. Elders the 70. Elders to the Prophets and the Prophets to the chiefe of the Synagogues These Traditions the Apostles condemned as f Iâ—en l. 4. e. 25. Irenâ—uâ— declareth Not the Law of Moyses but the Traditions of the Elders corrupting the Law of Moyses were condemned by them These were condemned by the Prophets g Isaâ— 29. 13. As Doctrines â—f men even then when the Ceremoniall Law was of force And these were received in the dayes of S. Peter not from the Law of Moyses but h 1. Pet. 1. 18 By the Tradition of the Fathers namely those Seducers among the Hebrowes Neither doth S. Hicroâ—â— in that Epistle cite this tâ—xt at all therfore his words are here impertinently alledged Shortly after them started up other Heretickes who taught Answer that * Iren. l. 3. c. 2. the truth could not bee found out of the Scriptures by those to whom Tradition was unknowne for as much as it was not delivered by writing but by word of mouth for which cause S. Paul also should say we speake wisedome among them that be perfect This sticketh so close unto the Iesuite that with all his idle shifts he cannot shake it off â—â— He answereth ex concessis Those Heretickes were so Reply pag. 153 madde as to say that they were wiser then the Apostles themselves c. How then can they have any part with us who adâ—it all Apostolicall Doctrine 3. Are you not likewise tolde that All of them did not breake forth into that open impiety Some of them and not all of them were so madde as to say They were wiser then the Apostles And you may bee stareing though not starke madde Doe you admit all Apostolicall Doctrine Why then doe you not admit the Communion sub utrâ◠specie The inconstant Councell of Constance saw good reason to take away the Cup and to make it a dry Feast although as the i Concil Constan Sess 13. Councell confesseth Christ appointed it and the Primitive Church used it This declareth that you are as badd as the worst and as madde as the maddest Heretickes that ever were How could you doe this to make a new law contrary to the law given by Christ observed by the Apostles and by the Primitive Church if in this point ye did not thinke your selves wiser then the Primitive Church then the Apostles yea then Christ himselfe Cardinall Hosius breaketh forth into this impietie k Hosius Confess Petricoviâ—â—sâ— de Tradit 9â— That the Church which now is hath more revealed unto it then was revealed unto the Apostles And thus The same mysterie of iniquity which wrought in the fore-runners of Antichrist thâ—â— is discovered in his ministers now His second shift is to put the Hereticke upon us You are in the same predicament with those Heretickes in denying unwritten Tradition Whatsoever can be proved to have beene delivered by the Apostles either by writing or by word of mouth we deny it not we willingly receive what soever is truly an Apostolical TraditioÌ„ But 〈…〉 nomine it is you that are in the same predicaâ—â—â—â— for we can evidently prove it and our l Concil Constan ses 13. Bellarm. l. 4. de Sacram. Lucharist c. â—4 Adversaries confesse it that the Church received this written Tradition froÌ„ the Apostles and did likewise observe it to administer the Cup in the Supper of the Lord this Apostolicall Tradition delivered both by writing by word of mouth is litle couÌ„ted of by you and therefore you may take up your standing among those Heretickes and enter your name in Catalogâ— Hareticorum His last shift is this This holy Father Irâ—nâ—us was accustomed Reply pag. 153 to urge the Hereâ—â—ckes with the Tradition of the Apostles which is preserved in the Churches by the succession of Priests And if he were now alive he would as earnestly â—rge you with the same looly Traditions With what weapons Irenaus fought against the Heretickes we have * Sect. 4. Div. 5 already shewed Traditions are either written or unwritten unwritten Traditions were the hereticks plea they spake disgracefully of the scriptures that they were obscure might be diver sly interpreted could not be understood without Traditions and that Traditions were before them the same spirit possesseth our Adversaryes as if those Heretickes by some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were transformed into them Against these Heretickes Irenâ—â—â— fought first by the Scriptures then when they appealed unto Traditions he fought against them by the Tradition of the Apostles preserved in the Churches If Irenâ—us were alive he needed not â—rge iâ— against us wee urge it against you wee are now upon triall by it we say that we follow the Tradition of the Apostles preserved in the Churches that is the succession of true doctrine in the Churches as it is contained in the Scriptures But what is this to Popish Traditions They are not from the Apostles they are not contained in the Scriptures nor preserved in the Churches but onely maintained contrary to the Scriptures and the Tradition of the Churches as they were of old by Hereticks so in latter times by an Antichristian faction They confessed indeed as witnesseth Tertullian * Tertul. de prâ—scripâ— c. 25. that the Apostles Answeâ— were ignorant of nothing and differed not among themselves in their preaching but they say they revealed not all things unto all men some things they delivered openly to all some things secretly and to a few Because that Paul useth this spâ—â—ch unto Timothy O Timothy keepe that which is committed to thy trust And againe That good thing which was committed unto thee keepe I confesse in one thing our Adversaries are not like thâ—se Heretickâ—s they confâ—ssed that the Apostles were ignorant of nothing but our Adversaries hold this That there is more revealed unto the Church which now is then was revealed unto the Apostles as we have heard from Hosius the Cardinall Setting aside that part of the testimonie in all things elfe they are as like those Heretickes as if they had beene spit out of their mouth and therefore lest their agreement should be discovered the Iesuite in his wisedome thought it the best way not to lay downe these words of the Answerer but onely to returne a blind answere unto them It is confessed that Tertullian was a maintainer of unwritten Reply pag.
present themselves Folly is so â—eâ—pely rooted in him that though he were brayed in a morter his foolishnesse will not depart from him As for bâ—aggs they are essentiall to him and therefore confute him never so evidently by the Scriptures and by the Fathers yet a man may aswell make a scould lâ—ave rayling as make him leave his bragging I will not actum agere answere that againe which hath beene already three or foure times answered yet that the Reader may see that I have not lefâ— one testimonie it selfe unanswered the margine * Ignatius sect 2. the lasâ— testimonâ— Terâ—ul sect 6. Divis â— Eureb sect 6. Divil 12. doth direct him where hee shall finde these testimonies taken out of Ignaâ—ius Tertullian Eusebius Epiphanius Basil Chrysostome and Augustine already answered Epiph. sect 2. Divis 11. Basil sect 6. Divis 10. Chrys sect 3. Divil 2. August sect 4â— Divis 8. The pleading is ended and the verdict is given against you conclusum est in causâ all your witnesses come too late and your testimonies a day after the fayre but because we are willing to give you a full hearing you shall have your witnesses examined The Fathers of the Councell of Gangers doe pleade our cause as if they had beene fie'd to that end * Conc. Gang. can ult We desire that all Reply p. 164. things delivered by the Scriptures and Ecclesiasticall Traditions by Apostolicall Traditions it is in the Greeke be observed in the Church 2. The Eustathians against whom this Councell proceeded erred both in point of Doctrine and in Ceremonies in doctrine absolutely condemning the Christian duty of fasting and the honourable state of marriage in all men in ceremonies they allowed not the received kinde of apparel but would have a strange kinde brought into the Church Against the first their errors in doctrine these Fathers pleaded the Scripture against the latter their error in Ceremonies they alleadged the Tradition of the Apostles And therefore desired that All things should be observed in the Church which were delivered by the Scriptures and by Apostolicall Tradition You have need to fee these Fathers again for this which they have pleaded is nothing for you Some Protestants tell us that in these sayings the Fathers Reply pag. 165 doe not speake of points belonging unto faith 3. It seemeth you answer without taking out the copie of our Answer What we have answered we have will ever make it good that in many places where the Fathers speake only of rituall Traditions you alleadge them as patrons of doctrinall Traditions unwritten Wee say not in all those places they speake not of points of faith in some they doe in some places they doe not And here againe he bringeth in the same witnesses to bee reexamined as Basil concerning the worshipping of the Holy Ghost Augustine for rebaptization Tertullian touching prayer for the dead Epiphanius about single lift Chrysostome Augustine and Epiphanius about prayer for the dead those points saith he they accounted necessary and unwritten Traditions S. Basil being duely sworne testifieth this that the worship which is due unto the holy Ghost is taught in Scripture but for the use of this syllable Cum in this forme of words Glory be to the Father and to the Sonne cum spiritu sancto with the holy Ghost this forme of words hee confesseth is not written but that it may be defended by Tradition S. Augustine confesseth the same concerning the point of Rebaptization that although this forme of words Those that returne from the Heretickes shall not bee rebaptiâ—ed be not written yet from most certaine grounds of Scripture he concludeth the same And no Protestant saith this is not an article of faith Tertullian is onely an advocate for Rituall Traditions unwritten And the anniversary oblation or yearely prayer for the dead at such and such times is not to be reckoned among the points of faith but among the Customes or ordinances of the Church Epiphanius saith that the obligation to abstaine from marriage is such in those that have so vowed that it is a finne to marry after single lifâ— is vowed The Popish practise declareth it to be no sinne else how could a Cromer de rebus Polon lib. 4. Benedict the 9th dispense with Casimirus the heyre of Polonia to marry after his vow It is the Popes dispensation which is above law which maketh it lawfull This is a case of Conscience as we hold which may be determined though it be not expressely written by sure and certaine principles of the Scripture in this manner If the vow be solemnely made and the party by any meanes be able to keepe it it is unlawfull to marry although the Pope would dispense with it but if not we say with Epiphanius b Epiph. haer 61 It is better to marry after the vow at length to returne home to the Church though he be laâ—e then alwayes to be wounded with inward darts And wherein doth this differ from the Scriptures conclusion c 1. Cor. 7. 9. It is better to marry then to burne S. Chrysostomes saying that the Apostles have not delivered all things by writing cannot prove that they did not deliver all their doctrines or all necessary things by writing because all things which the Apostles delivered were not doctrines nor things necessary And yet the Iesuite to helpe his lame dogge over the stile corruptly readeth S. Chrysostomes words in stead of All things he readeth All their doctrine saying the Apostles have not delivered all their doctrine by writing Epiphanius and Augustine are in the like manner to bee answered they say the Apostles delivered many things without writing Hence the Iesuite inferreth that they delivered many points of faith or doctrines of salvation without writing I may aswell inferre the Iesuite is an animal ergo an asse But Chrysostome Augustine and Epiphanius saith he tell us in particular that the Custome of the Church in praying for the dead is a Tradition given by the Apostles unto the Church without writing If it bee a Tradition given without writing how then can you make good this part of your Challenge For the confirmation of all the points of our Religion of which prayer for the dead is one I will produce good and certaine grounds out of the holy Scriptures if the Fathers authority will not suffice If you can bring no Scripture for this point then you must eat these words if you doe produce Scripture then it was not given without writing Qui benè distinguit benè docet here wee must needs distinguish the point it selfe of praying for the dead from the Custome of the Church in praying for them at set times this custome we must distinguish from the reasons of it as they are given by these three Fathers their reasons we must distinguish from the reasons given by our Adversaries The point it selfe how we may pray for them is grounded on d 2. Tim. 1. 1â—
c. 2. of Carthage declareth the single life of Priests to bee a thing necessarie and an Apostolicall Tradition 6. His assertion and this instance hang together like pibles in an halter necessary doctrines or points of faith are perpetually the same but Priests abstayning from marriage hath not beene perpetually so from the beginning it was not so I could alledge inâ—inite testimonies of antiquitie to proove that the Priests in the Primitive Church were allowed to marry our adversaryes n Alphons de Castro l. 13 advers haeres confesse the same Howsoever some of them alledge Scripture to prove it and others Apostolicall Tradition yet the most of them according to the doctrine of the Councell of o Conc. Trid. â— 24. Trent account it to be onely an ordinance or institution of the Church so * Scotus in 4. Sent. dist 36. Aquin. 2. â—dae q. 88. ar 11. Cusan epist â—â— de usu coÌ„mun Panorm extra de Clericis conjug cap. Cùm olim Peres de Tradit part 3 tia consider de voto contined art 4. Scotus Aquinas Cusaâ—us Bellarmine Panormitane Peresius with many others And in regard of the great inconveniences which come thorough the single life of Priests the two latter as Panormitane a great Canonist and Peresius a great Bishop thinke it necessary that this custome were altered Bernard saith truely p Bernard in Cant. serm 66. Take away honourable marriage out of the Church and the unpolluted bed and doe you not fill the Church with fornicators incestuous persons uncleane effeminate and Sodomiticall persons As for Eâ—sebius he did not thinke that single life was a vertue in a Priest or that it was necessary for his salvation no more then S. Paul did thinke it necessary for every man in saying q 1. Cor. 7. 1. It is good for a man not to touch a woman And againe r Ibid. vers 26. It is good for the present necessity This is S. Pauls meaning it is good in regard of the troubles and cares which accompany marriage not in regard of any commandement from the Lord. Eusebius speaketh to the same purpose first he commendeth that supernaturall state or manner of life which is like unto that of the Angels in Heaven who neither marry nor are given in marriage have no cares of the world no children no possessions this manner of life hee commendeth very much Then concerning Priests he saith not that this state or manner of life is necessary but that for the avoyding of cares and troubles of the world this manner of life is necessary This is all that caâ— be gathered out of that passage of Euscbius And this is no more then the Scripture teacheth us Å¿ Maâ—th 19. 12. 1. Cor. 7. 7. He that can receive it let him receive it And S. Paul would have all men â— to bee unmarried and as himselfe was if they have that gift of God The Councell of Carthage requireth Priests 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to observe chastity temperance or sobrietie What is this for single life These vertues are required of them in the Scripture and may better be observed in marriage then in a single life Behold how the Iesuite corrupteth antiquity â—hat he may have some shew of defence for this corrupt Tradition which is no Apostolicall but a Papisticall or a u 1. Tim. 4. 3. Diabolicall Tradition It crosseth the truth of the Scripture x 1. Cor. 7. 2 To avoyde fornication let every man have his wife And y Heb. 13. 4. marriage is honourable among all men How can it be an Apostolicall Tradition when some of the Apostles were z Math. â— 14. marryed and put not off their wives after they were a 1. Cor. 9. 5. called to the office The Iesuite seemeth to confesse * pag. 158. that a Bishop may bee husband of one wife Marriage is so precious saith b Chrysost hâ—m â— in Tit. Chrysostome that it hindereth no mans promotion to the Episcopall chayre Our Adversaryes teach the contrary and hold it to bee c Coster enchirid art de coe libat A greater sinne for a Priest to marry then to commit fornication And thus ex unguâ— leonem by the print of Herculâ—s foot you may judge of his whole body by this one Tradition you may judge of the rest and so see how like the Traditions of the now Romanâ— Church are unto those things which the Apostles delivered unto the Primitive Church 7. The Iesuite finding no helpe from the Fathers flyeth for succour unto the writings of Cardinall Pervon from whom hee borroweth these sixe observations following 1. When the Fathers speake of the sufficiencie of Scriptures Reply p. 167. in one point our Adversaries extend it unto all points of faith The Fathers disputing against particular errors doe oft use such a medium to confute them as may serve to confute all other errors Tertullian his generall proposition Whatsoever is not written is accursed with a woe extendeth it selfe not onely against Hermogenes his error but likewise against all unwritten Doctrines The same I may say of S. Ambrose his argument against light talke in Church-men The things which we finde not in Scripture are not to be used This not onely condemneth that one thing but likewise all points of faith which are not found in Scripture In these two as in many others although the conclusion bee particular yet the proposition is generall and declareth the sufficiencie of Scripture in all points of faith 2. When the Fathers speake of a mediate sufficiencie of the Reply pag. 167 Scripture being attended upon by Tradition which uttereth that by retayle which the Scripture propoundeth in grosse and serveth as a kâ—y or as an interpreter of the same they apply it to an immediate sufficiencie 8. A mediate and an immediate sufficiencie is a grosse distinction to proceed from a learned Cardinall for a mediate sufficiencie is meerely an insufficiencie Athanasius hath taught us that the Scriptures have a selfe-sufficiencie for the discoverie of truth If any part of this sufficiencie be given unto Traditions where is the selfe-sufficiencie This pedlar-like phrase of uttering by retayle what is propounded in Scripture in grosse befitteth not the mouth of so great a Cardinall ye are like them of whom S. Paul speaketh that make d 2. Cor. 2. 17. merchandise of the word of God uttering by retaile that which is not in the Scriptures The Tradition of the Church which serveth for a key to open the meaning of the Scriptures is to be received this concerneth the manner of teaching not the matter taught but when men will open the wrong doore with this key will utter by retaile rotten warâ—s if any in stead of bread will give a stone in stead of fish will give a serpent in stead of the sincere milke of the word will teach bloody doctrin this is damnable and of this the Church of Rome is guiltie 3. When the
this our Adversaryes enlarge unto all articles of faith As in that of S. Hierome which the Iesuite addeth in the margine That God was borne of a virgin we beleeve because we read it that Mary did marry after she was delivered we beleeve not because we read it not 11. The Fathers provoke their Adversaries unto Scripture only not only in doubtful questions not determined but likewise in points of faith determined by the Church out of the Scriptures The first Councell of Nice determined this point That the Sonne is consubstantiall with the Father and yet about an 100. yeares after S. Augustine disputing against Maximinus the Arian about the same point provoketh k August cont Maxim l. 3. c. 14 him unto Scripture onely The Iesuit's instance of the perpetuall virginity of the blessed Virgin cannot agree with the observation of the Cardinall If it was a question not determined in the Church when S. Hierome wrote against Helvidius why then doth the Iesuite insert it into his * ag 126. Catalogue of unwritten Traditions For as Iulius Rugerius once one of the Popes Protonotaries observeth l Iâ—l Ruger de lib. Canoniâ—is A Tradition is of no force if it have not beene beleeved even from the times of the Apostles 6. When the Fathers cry out upon the abominable impostures Reply p. 169. of the Heretickes who â—athered upon the Apostles execrable Traditions our Adversaries make use of this against such Catholicke and Apostolicke Traditions as the universall Church in all ages and thoroughout all nations hath evermore observed 12. We admit all Catholicke and Apostolicke Traditions and yeeld to the doctrine of the Catholicke Church if by the Catholicke Church he doe not meane the Roman Catholicke Church The Traditions of that Church are as execrable and abominable as those Traditions which were invented by those Hereticks and we have just cause as the Fathers did to cry ouâ— against such Traditions These are the fraudulent inventions by which these Tradition-mongers seeke to avoyde the verdict which the Fathers have given against unwritten Doctrines whose fraud and craftinesse do â—like wise appeare in alleadging the testimonies of the Fathers for unwritten Traditions for as wee have discovered in the stateing of this Question wheresoâ—ver the Fathers use the word Tradition meaning thereby eiâ—her the manner of delivery or the matter delivered eithâ—r Rituall Traditions unwritten or Doctrinâ—ll Traditions written all those places without any respect to thâ— sense most senselesly and deceitfully they produce for their unwritten Traditions When the Fathers use the word Tradition for the delivery of the written word in writing by the Apostles or for their delivery of the same things which are in the word by preaching or by practise or for the Churches delivery of the written word or of written doctrines either expressely written or by consequence deduced or delivered in an unwritten forme of words or for the succession of true doctrine in the Church or for unwritten rites and ordinances used by the Church all such places they alleadge against us for their papisticall Traditions We confesse that which followeth in his Reply That Reply pag. 170. the condition of being written or not written belongeth nothing at all unto the nature of a precept but onely unto the manner of delivery and therefore if once we be assured it was delivered we must not doubt of it This is the true state of the Question whether the Apostles did deliver such things or no Prove this that the Apostles did deliver such doctrines as are not contained in the Scriptures that your unwritten doctrines are the same and we will make no doubt of them To prove this the Iesuite propâ—undeth three rules whereby we may be certainely assured of this 1. By the testimonie of the Church vivâ voce 2. By the dayly and constant practise of the Church 3. By the written attestation of the Saints and holy Doctours His 1. rule is thus squared Seeing our Adversaryes have Reply pag. 170 no other warrant for the written word but the continuall testimonie of the Church thoroughout all ages having the same authoritie for the unwritten word why doe they not embrace the same 13. If we had as good authority for the one as we have for the other we would embrace it for the written word we have more sure grounds then the testimonie of the Church as we have * Sect. 4. Div. 16 shewed but for unwritten Traditions we have not so much as the continuall testimony of the Church throroughout all ages Produce if you can the continuall testimony of the Church thoroughout all ages for adoring of Images for denying the Cuppe and the Scriptures unto the common people and marriage unto Priests To prove unwritten Traditions by the testimonie of the Church is to prove idem per idem for they account the testimonie of the Church an unwritten Tradition This is to prove obscurum per obscurius because it is a most diâ—â—icult thing to finde out the continuall testimonie of the Church thorough all ages Howsoever we put it to the tryall of the Church exceptis semper excipiendis 1. That it be the testimony of the truly Catholicke Church not of the Roman Catholicke Church whose fame is crackt and â—he is â—mficti praviâ— tenax the case is her owne and shee must not be a witnesse in her owne cause m Aug epist 9. If one false thing bee found in the Scriptures saith S. Augustine what authoritie can there be in them In the Roman Church there is at the least one false Tradition which is not from the Apostles as the taking away of the Cuppe and then what authority can there be in her testimony 2. The testimony of the Church must be beleeved the Iesuite might spare his labour in proving it but it cannot beget that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 full assurance which the Scripture doth so that I may easily answer his question What deposition of witnesses I pray Reply p. 170. you can be more certaine and authenticall then tho voyce of the whole Church Why the voyce of the Scripture is a more â—ure word holy men may be deceived in some things and their aâ—â—irmation maketh a thing probable but the Scripture is infallible so certaine as non potest â—ubesse falsam the Scriptures affirmation is a most certaine demonstration And now having made our exceptions let us heare the continuall testimony of the Church The voyce of the Church is an uniforme consent and agreement of six or seven Reply p. 170. thousand Chayres and Episcopall Successions derived without any interruption from the Apostles and their successours and of many millions of subordinate Churches â—hâ—rough the which as thorough so many câ—nduit pipes ordained assisted and authorized by the holy Ghost for this effect the Traditions of the Apostles have with a great uniformity sliden and â—â—owen through all ages unto us This is not the voâ—ce of Iacob but
custome of that Church what the remedy was so if we should aske you what the practise of the primitive times in all those Churches was If you have no better rule then the practise it selfe in many things you may answer ignoramus It is likewise improbable that the custome and practise of so many Churches being not written though it were never so apparant and common to themselves should with such an uniformitie descend downe unto us What is more common and usuall in dayly practise then speech language Yet all languages are corrupted and have lost their originall puritie notwithstanding the common use of them and the purity of the ancient languages as of the Hebrew and the Greeke is best preserved by the writings of the old and new Testament Traditions were in use from Adam unto Moses and those Traditions might have beene seene in the dayly practise of the Church yet the Lord seeing this was not a sufficient meanes to preserve the purity of those Traditions gave a more ordinary helpe of extraordinary meanes as of Dreames Visions and Râ—velations and as these extraordinary mâ—anes failed so the Lord perfected the Canon of Scripture as the best meanes to preserve the puritie of doctrine And when these meanes failed saith S. Chrysostome Å¿ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost hom c. in Math. It was necessary that there should be Scriptures and written tables and such admonition aâ— is according unto them Were those things sâ—amped in the practise and written in the heart of many men or of one If of many hardly could there be an uniforme consent for so many men so many mindes if of one then when this one dyeth the Church must needes lose a great part of her necessary Doctrine And thus it appeareth that neither mâ—morie nor practise without writing is sufficient but that writing is the surest and the onely sufficient meanes to preserve from time to time and at all times the purity of Doctrine in the Church from oblivion alteration and decay Wherefore God gave this commandement unto Moses t Erod 17. 24. Write this for a remembrance in a booke And to the Prophet Isaiah u Isa 30. 8. Write it before them in a table and note it in a booke that it may be for the last day for ever and ever In perpetuam rei memoriam The Iesuite likewise foreseeing this addeth his 3d. rule in these words God hath ordained that from age to age the said Rituall Reply pag. 17â— or practicall Traditions should be corrâ—borated by the written attestation of the Saints and holy Doctours whose uniforme relation in matters universally practised by the Church of their times whereof they were eye witnesses themselves is a warrant of it selfe infallible 15. I his rule is lyable to more exceptions then the former It is impertinent because he pleadeth the written attestation of the Doctourâ— for Rituall Traditions whereas hee should plead for unwritten Doctrinall Traditions It is improbable that God hath ordained the Doctours of the Church to write those things which he would not have his Apostles to write It is false 1. Because all the Saints and holy Doctourâ— have not given a written attestation for unwritten Traditions 2. An uniform-relation is not found among them that have written of Rituall Traditions 3. All rituall Traditions have not beene universally practised by the Church 4. If all this were tâ—â—e yet this is not a warrant of it selfe infallible An humane testimony is fallible and cannot beget faith for * Rom. 10 17. Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God The testimony of the Doctours is but the word of man and as men they might erre The Apostles could not erre in their delivery yet the choyse men to whom those supposed Traditions were delivered might erre in not understanding the Apostles aright or in not remembring those things which they heard and understood if they to whom those things were delivered by the Apostles immediately did not erre in their relateing of the same things unto others yet those relators after them might erre in processe of time and so at length false Traditions might bee fathered upon the Apostles Yea they did erre in relateing false Traditions What say you to Irenaus his Tradition that Christ lived 50. yeares And to Clemens Alexandrinus that hee preached but one yeare Their warrant therefore is not of it selfe infallible who were themselves fallible and sometimes deceived by their owne errours or by false relators It is likewise an impossible rule to be knowne because some Saints and Doctours did not write all that did write we have not all that wee have is not truely from them many counterfeit things have beene fathered on them and many true things corrupted in them all that are truely theirs doe not declare the universall practise in every age all that declare the universall practise doe not declare any practise of many Popish Traditions which are observed in this age All of them he cannot name if hee can name them yet he never saw them if he saw them yet he never read them These things we write not to contemne the testimonie of the Church nor her practise nor the writings of the Fathers for both the testimonie and the practise of the Church and the writings of the Fathers plead for our cause but to give that honour unto the Scripture which is due to shew the shortest and easiest way to enâ— thiâ— and all other Controversies and to manifest to the world the thrasonicall bragges and great boastings of thousands and millions of this bankrupâ— Iesuiticall merchant wâ—o answereth an objection and objecteth one thing moâ—e and so concludeth with a curse He fâ—ameth his objection and answere in this manner How idle and ridiculous an objection iâ— it to say that if Reply pag. 171 way be given unto Apostolicall Traditions unwritten there is nothing so â—bsurd but may be broght in by this gate As though iâ— lay in the power of any whosoever to make a new invention to mount vp against the current of Antiquitie to gaine the attestation of all the ages of the Church The like argument may be urged against the writings of the Apostles for why may not false Scripture he invented but only because it is impossible for the like frand to recâ—ile back through former ages 16. We dispute not against Traditions meerely because they are not written but because they are not from the Apostles yet are preteÌ„ded by you to be froÌ„ the Apostles If we give way unto such there is nothing so absurd but it may enter in at this wide gate which leadeth to perdition â—f this do â—rin be sound in the general whatsoever the Râ—maÌ„ Church saith is an Apostolicall TraditioÌ„ is so indeed then any particular evill may enter thereby This is a budget wide enough to hold all the devillish devises that can be as deposing of Kings adoring of Images forbidding of marriage unto Priests
Luther by the Scriptures that we might shew our wit and learning this combustion which wee greive to see is stirred up By this wee may see why they flye from Scripture even as the dog flyeth from the whip wherewith he is beaten The Scripture is no freind of theirs and therefore they will not be freinds with it but speake evill of it as of an inky Gospell a leaden rule a nose of wane a dumbe Iudge and an imperfict Law And they have invented this Doctrine of unwritten Traditions as a Sanctuary to slye unto which they call c Salutis castrum propugnaculum Lindan de optim gener in terpret The towre and fort of salvation d Andrad orthodox explicat l. 2. The maine pillar of Religion * pag. 169. And upon it saith the Lesuite in this his hotch-potch doth podge the whole frame of all differences controversies in Religion which now adayes are disputed betwixt Protestants and Catholickes Seeing then this is his Master-piece in which he fighteth Tanquam pro focis aris let him shew his skill and reading Hee giveth good testimony of his vaine skil and reading If I may use his owne words who hath read no more then his †A. Andradius B. Bellarmine C. Coccius A. B. C. And such a fibolist by whole sale I never read yet this impudent Iesuite compareth him whose learning his learned Adversaryes doe acknowledge unto * pag. 151. Esopes Iacdaw trimmed with the gay feathers of other birds but now remaining in his doublet and hose Whenas he fluttereth in others feathers having of his owne not so much as one feather or a fig-leafe to cover his nakednesse but onely a robe of lyes of raylings of malice and of impudencie e Quem veritate non potest vincere lacerat convitijâ— Ambros in Psal 118 In truth hee cannot overcome him yet by raylings hee would wound him It is no marvaile that he should slaunder and belye him that standeth for the perfection of Gods written word seeing he slandereth and belyeth the written word it selfe with imperfection A whipp is fitter for a foole then an answer for his follye f An non justius os loquens talia fustibus tunderetur quam rationibus refelleretur Bernard epist 190. A cudgell is more fit to stoppe then reasons are to confute a mouth that speaketh such things I might refuse to aunswere his foolish Reply as g Ierem. â—8 11. Ieremie did to Hannaniah but then the Philistims will vaunt that none dare meete with their Goliah and therefore I who am but the least in the Campe of Israel will grapple with him and by GODS assistance leave him groveling on the ground 2. Sir Wiseakers in his haulting simile taxeth the pag. 115. most reverend Primate for frameing of the Question A witlesse cavill Is it not the part of an Answerer to lay downe the state of the Question that the truth may bee the better discovered If the Iesuite had stated the Question better or if hee had shewed wherein his Answerer had framed the Question amisse he had not spoken non-sense but to doe neither the one nor the other this Declareth how idlely his Answer wil be shaped It is his policie Dolosus versatur in generalibus to dispute at randoâ— and not to state the Question at all lest the truth should bee discovered h Vanitas potest plus clamare quam veritas August de Civit. Dei l. 5 c 27. Vanitie saith S. Augustine may out-cry the truth So doth the Iesuite crying out of vanitie and of grosse vanitie in the most reverend Primate when he himselfe most vainely triumpheth as Victor That unwritten Traditions are embraced by the Catholicke Church as the undoubted Word of God this is one of his vaine flourishes this is no better then petitio principij a vaine begging of the Question 3. Hee can doe little that cannot belye his Adversarie This the Iesuite hath done first perswading the Reader to beleive that the Answerer engaged himselfe to tell When unwritten Traditions first beganne The most reverend Primate hath shewed their * pag. 40. Originall although hee sheweth that it is a * pag. 2. 3. vaine and a foolish demaund Tell us when those Iewish Traditions which the Scripture condemneth beganne and who was the Authour of them and then wee will doe the same for Popish Traditions This is as true as the next that the Answerer hath not produced so much as one onely Authoritie out of the Fathers against unwritten Traditions Not one onely why Is it because hee hath produced many more then one And those so direct so cleare so evident against them as that the Iesuite could not invent any false glosse to obscure them In answering many testimonyes of the Fathers hee hath made use of that Counsell which the Divines of Doway gave i Commodum ijs sensum affingamus dum oppoâ—untur nobis in disputationibus Index Enpurg Bolg Let us invent some commodious sense for the Fathers when as they are objected against us in disputations But many others he hath answered onely with a noli me tangere dealing with them as Antony the unskilfull Oratour did with troublesome points k Mar Tul. l 2. de Orat. passing them over in silence It will not be unseasonable here to give a taste of them Can there be a more direct testimonie then that of S. Basil * Basil pag. 11. l. Every word and action ought to be confirmed by the testimony of holy Scripture And againe * pag. 38. ctm. Neither reject nor adde any thing thereunto for it whatsoever is not of faith be sinne as the Apostle saith and faith is by hearing and hearing by the word of God then whatsoever is without the holy Scripture being not of faith must needes bee sinne Gregorie Nyssen saith * Greg. Nyss pag. 39. ct o. Forasmuch as this is upholden with no testimony of Scripture as false wee will reject it Unto these I might adde that of S. Benedict * Benedict pag. 42. n. The Abbot ought to teach nothing that is without the precept of the Lord. That of S. Anthony * Anthon. pag. 43. 0. The Scriptures are sufficient for Doctrine And that of S. Basil * Basil pag. 43. p. It is necessary that every one should learne out of the holy Scriptures that which is for his use both for his full settlement in godlinesse and that hee may not bee accustomed unto humane Traditions These are direct testimonyes and unto those the Iesuite answereth nothing but mumme never expect truth from a Iesuite in defending of his Religion for as it is compounded of lyes so it is maintained by lying What Traditions doe you admit Reply 4. If he had eyes to see he might see that All Traditions are not promiscuously strucke at by our Religion Wee cavill not at the use of the word Tradition we finde it both in
is not whether the preaching of the Church be a Tradition or whether in delivery of Doctrines to her hearers shee may use such words as are not written and deliver such Doctrines as are by sound inference deduced from the Scriptures but the Question is whether the Church may deliver such doctrines unto her hearers as are neither expressely contained in the Scriptures nor by sound inference deduced from them All this saith the Iesuite is no more but that you admit the written word but our Question is of the unwritten word Is not he a silly Logician that cannot distinguish betweene modum tradendi and doctrinam traditam These five wayes The Apostles preaching Their writing their pious practise The Churches delivery of the written volume her preaching out of the same coÌ„cerne only the manner of delivery And if by admitting these we admit no more but the written word what then becometh of your unwritten word It must needs be a questioÌ„ de non ente 2ly The most reverend Primate sheweth him what passive Answer Traditions we admit We speake of doctrine delivered as the word of God that is of points of religion revealed to the Prophets and Apostles for the perpetuall information of Gods people Not of rites and ceremonies other ordinances which are left to the disposition of the Church and consequently bee not of divine but of positive and humane right The Question is not of rituall but of doctrinall Traditions not of points of historie or genealogies but of more weighty matters in observing of which a mans life and death consisteth not of indifferent actions but of morall such as have vice or virtue good or evill in them These ceremonies of the Church are called Traditions in the vulgar Latine Translation of that text muâ—â—bit Traditiones u Act. 6. 14. Hee shall change the Traditions All these are at the disposition of the Church by that golden rule or Canon of Canons x 1. Cor. 14. 40. Let all things bee done decently and by order These we admit 1. As mutable not as everlasting that belongeth to the y Rev. 14. 6. Gospell 2. As indifferent not as necessary God onely is such a z Iam 4. 12. Law-giver 3. As particular customes of force only in some places like the law of Gabal kinde not as generall to bind all a Vna in his salubeâ—rima regula tenenda est ut quae non sunt contra fidem neque contra bonos more 's habent aliquid ad exhortationem melioris vitae ubicunque institui videmus vel instituta cognoscimus non solùm non improbemus sed etiam laudando imitando secteâ—â—â—â— August epist 119. In these things saith S. Augustine one wholesome rule is to be observed those things which are not contrary to faith nor to a godly life have any encitement to a better life wheresoever wee see them appointed or know them to be appointed let us not only not disallow them but by our commendation and imitation of them allow them We read of the Iewes that they had their Synagogues their pulpits The primitive Church had and our Church hath diverse ceremonies ordinances yet the Scripture doth not directly containe them Doe wee hereby make the Scripture imperfect I may aswell say that man is imperfect that wanteth gay clothes for these are not of the substance of religion but are outward accidents for the comelines of the Church The Iesuite here yeeldeth unto this That the ceremonies ordinances of the Church pag. 116. are grounded only upon positive humane right But forgetting himselfe he saith * pag 135. This distinction of rituall and doctrinall Traditions serveth to no purpose but by his leave we can make very good use of it 1. It serveth for the true stateing of the Question which is only about doctrinall Traditions 2. It evidently declareth that the Iesuite stateth the question most falsly of rituall Traditions saying * pag. 169. Those articles which are reserved unto sole Tradition are rituall points And yet hee inserteth doctrinall points into his Catalogue of unwritten Traditions as that * pag. 126. The Father is unbegotten the Sonnes consubstantialitie with the Father the baptisme of children c. Is not this a manifest contradictioÌ„ 3. It sheweth that he shrinketh froÌ„ the question in alledging a number of Fathers who only speak of rituall Traditions as of holy-dayes fasting-dayes the like as * August pag. 118. 147. Augustine * Epiphan pag 1â—0 Epiphanius * Chrysost p 1â—0 Cbrysostome * Theophilact pag. 120. Theophilact * Tertul. pag. 137. Tertullian * Basil pag. 1â—â— Basil * Chrysost Chrysologus * Leo pag 149 Leo many others And yet he that speaketh nothing to the purpose taketh upon him to teach the Answerer to Speak to the purpose whether the Apostles preached no more then they laid down in writing And whether tradendi modus the manner of delivery of such things without writing made them to be of lesse authority then that which they coÌ„mitted to writing 5. All this is nothing to the purpose If by no more he meanes no more words he may be beg'd for a fool for asking such a questioÌ„ He is told that some of the apostlâ—s wrote that al preached We have but 8 writers of the new Testament Reply p. 115. there were at the least 80. Preachers of it This Iesuite hath a tricke to preach printed sermons in which he will preach no more words then are written but it was not so with the Apostles their Sermons were large Epistles and their Epistles are contracted Sermons If he mean no more rituall points this is nothing to the purpose hee frameth the Question falsly concerning those It is as litle to the purpose if hoe meane no more doctrines for they might be written formerly by the Prophets although they were not written by the Apostles And we defend the perfection of the whole Canon of Scripture and not of any part thereof Yet for his instruction we tell him all that was necessary for the Church to know was inspired all that was preached was written b 1. Epist Ioh. c. 1. vers 1. 3. 4. Those things which the Apostles saw and heard they declared and those things they wrote c Quod quidem praeconiaverunt poâ—â—â—à per Dei voluntatem in scripturis nobiâ—â—â—adiderunt Iren. l. 3. c. 1. What they first preached the same afterwards by the will of God they delivered unto us in the Scriptures saith Irenaus And if they be not what Authority can they have Wee give a due respect unto any thing which the Apostles have delivered either vivâ voce or by writing but for Popish Traditions we respect them not because they were never delivered by the Apostles They are of a later invention they are the commaundements of men condemned by the Scriptures And
gratiae majorisque authoritatis quam Ecclesia quae nunc est Driedo de Eccles dogm l. 4. c. 4. Because the Primitive Church by reason of the college of the Apostles had more grace and more authoritie then the Church which now is but be it spoken of the Church that now is as long as the Church heareth Christ and delivereth nothing but his embassage hearing her we heare Christ but if once she speake of her owne head and goe beyond beside or contrary to her commission if wee heare her wee heare not Christ Did the Iewes heare Christ when they heard Iudas with his Quid dabitis If our teachers become Arians Nestorians or Pelagians must wee heare them No If it be Paul himselfe more If it bee an Å¿ Gal. 1. 8. Angell from heaven shall teach other doctrine then is contayned in the Scriptures let him be accursed Hee is rather to bee accursed and accounted as an Reply pag. 117 * Matt. 18. 17. Insidell who wilfully refuseth to hearken to the Church In that Text our Saviour speaketh not of matters of faith but of fact as of the meanes of ending strife betweene party and party And as it is in inferiour Courts they may heare and judge some things as Batteryes Blood-sheddes and the like but may not judge of Felony Treason and the like So it is with the Church shee may heare and determine in matters of fact as to compose strife and he that will not in such a case hearken unto her let him be no better then an Infidell but if she take too much upon her as that God must say whatsoever she saith that all her wordes are Gospell * pag. 124. as sure as S. Iohns Gospell and if she dare adde unwritten Traditions to Gods written Law the point of greatest consequence and the cheifest Article of the Romane faith she extendeth her authority beyond her power and in such a case none but wittalls will listen unto her But the Church is * 1. Tim. 3. 5. it is vers 15. the foundation Reply pag. 117. pillar of truth To speake properly t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys in 1â— Tim. hom 11. Truth is the foundation and pillar of the Church as S. Chrysostome saith And the Replyer oft a lyer now telleth truth This title doth properly belong unto God himselfe Then it is improperly given unto the Church but the question is in what respect whether in regard of her nature or of her dutie In regard of her nature saith the Iesuite Because shee is indued from above with the Spirit of truth which never faileth to teach her all truth I may safely grant this yet deny unwritten verities because they are not truth but very lyes never received from the spirit of truth nor taught by the Church unto her followers This title is given unto the Church rather in regard of her dutie for as the Magistrate is said to be u Rom. 13. 3. A terror not to the good but to the evill Not because he is alwayes so but because he ought to be so so this title is given to the Church not in regard of her infallible nature which never faileth but in regard of her office and dutie which is to upholde the truth and to preserve the truth in which she may sometimes faile The Apostle calleth the Church of Ephesus where hee left x 1. Tim. 1. 36 Timothy and where Timothy was resident when S. Paul wrote unto him the ground and pillar of truth yet that which S. Paul y Act. 20. 19 feared is come unto it it is not now the pillar of truth but is fallen froÌ„ the truth So is the Church of Rome fallen from the truth into many errors of which this doctrine of unwritten Traditions is not the least 2. Thus much I have well considered and the more I consider I see the more dunsery and the lesse divinitie In his ensuing observations he laboureth to tread downe the authority of Scripture even as in his precedent observations hee laboured to make the authority of the Church to mount up unto heaven The first is this Christ never Reply p. 117. wrete any his doctrine himselfe As he spake by the mouth of all his Prophets and Apostles so he wrote by their hands S. Pauls Epistle written by z Rom. 16. 22. Tertius unto the Romans is accounted part of Pauls writings aswell as the Epistle to Philemon which was written with a Vers 19. his owne hands so the Scripture may bee said to be written by Christ being written by the Apostles and Prophets who were his hands S. Augustine will teach him to speake b Nequaquam dicendum est quod Christus non scripserit quandoquidem memora ejus id operata sunt quod dictante capite cognoverunt quicquid enim ille de dictis sactis suis nos le gere voluit hoc scribendum illis tanquam suis manibus imperavit Aug. de consens Evang l. 1. c. ult Say not by any meanes that Christ hath not written because his hands wrote that which the head did dictate unto them and whatsoâ—ver he would have us to reade touching his words or workes that he commanded them to write as it were with his owne hands c Haee ille doctè eleganter c. Tanto magis dicen dum est Christum scripsesse per Iuangelicrum Scriptores ut per manus suas quanto illi ne verbum unum aut iotâ— unum de suo spiritu Evangelio addiderunt Saâ—mer Proleg 26. Tom. 1. These things saith Salmeron S. Augustine spake learnedly and eloquently And he addeth this reason By so much the rather we must say that Christ himselfe wrote by the writers of the Gospell as by his owne hands in as much as they added not one word it selfe nor the least letter of â—heir owne to the Gospell Gregorie de Valentia saith d Planâ— instar calami cum usurpatur à Scriptore quo illud Davidis spectat lingua mea calamus scribae velociter scribentis nec enim alium hoc loco scribam significat praeter ipsum Deum Greg. de Val. Annal. fid l. 8. c. 5. They wrote even as the pen which the writer useth unto which David alludeth Psal 45. 2. my tongue is the penne of a ready writer he meaneth here no other writer but God Neither is it any thing materiall whether we say Christ wrote it himselfe or the Apostles wrote it as long as we are sure they had Christs commandement for the writing of it But this the Iesuite denyeth Wee doe not reade that ever he gave commandement to his Disciples to commit any part thereof unto writing S. Iohn was eleven times e Revel c. 1. 11. 19. c. 2. 1. 8. 1â— c. 3. 1. 7. 14. c 14. 13 c. 19. 9. c. 21. 5. coÌ„manded to write Is the Revelation of Iesus Christ no part of his doctrine f Aug. de
of the Lord that which I delivered unto you And againe * The rest will I set in order when I come 11. What a Sr Iohn is this to commit such an Argument unto paper and inke There must bee unwritten Traditions because S. Iohn would not commit all to paper and inke Who ever held that all written doctrines were contained in the 2d. Epistle of S. Iohn I hope there were more Apostles then S. Iohn and Apostles that wrote more then S. Iohn It were a ridiculous thing in mee if I should argue thus No Iesuite ever had any will to handle the Question of Freewill because this Iesuite had no will unto it What then may wee thinke of this William Summers for his wise argument concerning S. Iohn S. Paul handleth two things in that Chapter Prayer and the Eucharist And unto those some things are accidentall as time place gesture vesture as to pray with faces covered or uncovered and some things are essentiall as the matter and forme of those duties The first of these belong not to this Controversie and therefore the Iesuite shrinketh from the Question in alledgeing these Fathers * Epiph. haeres 61. Epiphanius * Basil de Sp. Sanct. l. 1. c. 29. Basill * Chrysost in cor 11. Chrysostome and * Theoph. in 1 Cor. 11. Theophilact who treate not of doctrinall and essentiall things but of things rituall and accidentall Epiphanius first writeth of those things which the Church holdeth as points of faith concerning these we have spoken saith he Then he proceedeth on to reckon up sundry ecclesiasticall rites or Institutions as Monks Exorcists fasting dayes holy dayes and the like concerning which hee saith a Epiph. ibid. All these cannot be taken out of the Scripture Basils drift in that Booke if hee bee the Author of it is to defend a forme of words or of Syllables used by the Church as whether it were better to say Glory be to the Father and to the Sonne with the Holy Ghost or Glory be to the Father and to the Sonne in the Holy Ghost His whole disputation is about the Syllable cum and that this forme of words may be admitted he proveth because many other things as formes of words and rituall Traditions are admitted although they be not written Theophylact saith It is manifest that the Apostles have not delivered all things in writing And Chrysostome saith They delivered many things without writing But withall he sheweth what those things were b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost ibidem Of other things of no great moment Salmeron calleth them minutiora diminitive things these are his words c Non enim dignum erat ut minutiora haec quae cultum divinum exornant quae temporâ—â— progressu erant vel augenda vel minuenda vel mutanda iâ— melius in Sacris literis ponerentur Salmeron disput 3. in 2. Thes â— It was not meete that these diminitive things which are ornaments for divine worship and in time were either to be increased or diminished or altered to the better should be layde downe in writing The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Apostle d Verse 34. useth importeth the same being commonly used as here so in other * 1. Cor. 16. â—â— 1. Tit. 5. places when Ecclesiasticall orders are spoken of and not in relation unto divine doctrines The essentiall things which appertaine unto these two divine dutâ—es they may be written Although this be S. Pauls first Epistle to the Corinthians either by other Pen-men of Scripture as diverse Sermons of the Apostles are penned by S. Luke or by himselfe in other of his Epistles or else in the same in which hee writeth that which he * Verse 23. delivered even all the essentiall things belonging unto the Sacrament of the Supper of the Lord. Reply pag. 1â—â— Eusebius relateth of Egesippus that * Euseb l 4. c. â— he wrote five bookes of such unwritten Traditions as the Apostles lest unto the Church 12. These are the words of Eusebius f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Euseb ibidem In five bâ—okes he wrote an infallible deliverie of the Apostles preaching The bookes are not extant to see what they containe but they seeme to be a divine history rather historicall then dogmatical by Eusebius his citing theÌ„ alwayes in point of g Euseb l. 2. c. 22 l. 3. c. 12 history and by this testimony which S. Hierome giveth of them Hegesippus who lived neare to the Apostles times knitting together all the stories of the Acts of the Church Hegesippus vicinus Apostolorum tempo rum omnes à passione Domini usque ad suam aetatem Ecclesiasticorum actuum texens historias multaque ad utilitatem legentium pertinentia hinc inde congregam quinque libros composuit Hieron in Catalog from the passion of our Lord untill his owne dayes and gathering together in one many things profitable to be read he composed five bookes of them Eusebius saith not that they contained unwritten Traditions there is neither the word Traditions nor unwritten in his words but an Infallible Tradition or deliverie of the Apostles preaching And if an infallible deliverie of the Apostles preaching must needes be of unwritten Traditions then the Acts of the Apostles penned by S. Luke is of unwritten Traditions because it is an infallible delivery of the Apostles preaching A strong lye it is that unwritten Traditions are strongly confirmed by Eusebius either in that or in the next testimony alledged by the Iesuite S. Ignatius was accustomed * Euseb l. 3 c. 30 to exhort all men to adhere unto apostolical Traditions the which Reply pag. 120 saith Eusebius this Father affirmed that formore assurance he had left them in wâ—iting This testimony is most grossely corrupted by the Iesuit Eusebius relateth it in these words Ignatius exhorted to hold fast i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb ibidem The Tradition of the Apostles which for more assurance he thought fit to bee practised or expressed in practise even as hee testified by writing Heere is no mention of Traditions but onely of the Tradition of the Apostles and the doctrine delivered in Scripture is their Tradition Heere is not a word of writing unwritten Traditions as if Ignatius had written a booke of them which is a dreame of this Ignatian brat but that Ignatius testified by writing that hee thought it necessary that the Tradition of the Apostles that is their doctrine should be expressed in practise So the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken for expressing by action not by writing As Ignatius did so doe we exhort men by word of mouth to hold fast the Tradition or the doctrine of the Apostles and likewise by writing testifie the same unto them that for more assurance they expresse the same in life and conversation Thus have we runne one course of the wilde-goose chase following this Gaggler thorough the
Scriptures and the Fathers and finde this for truth that Christ and his Apostles taught no unwritten Traditions If they did so what is this to the purpose unlesse the Iesuite can proove that the unwritten Traditions of the Romane Church are the same which Christ and his Apostles delivered They pretend that they are so so they doe in their miracles which are but coozening and juggling trickes of Leiger de maine so they doe in their reliques which are but grand impostures as the Angell Gabriels feathers our Ladyes smocke S. Peters chayne and the like these I beleeve are as true reliques from them as their Traditions are the same which Christ and his Apostles taught And as they are so is their authoritie which is the subject of his next Section wherein wee are to examine SECT III. VVhether unwritten Traditions are of equall authoritie with the written word 1. NOne but a Non ens would say that a Non ens can be of equall authority with the written word when as Bellarmine confesseth that a Bellarm. de â—erâ—o Dei l. 4. c. â— All Traditions are not of equall authority among themselves but without any distinction whatsoever this Iesuite would have them all to be of the same authority among themselves and of the same authority with the written word and the truth is they are no more worthy to be compared with the written word then b Ier. 13. 28. chaffe with wheat then drosse with c Is 1. â—2 silver The Iesuite hath already granted this * pag. 116. That the rites and ordinances of the Church are grounded only upon humane right and now he contradicteth the same that they are of divine right even equall with the written word and for this opinion he Reply p. 120. boasteth of Plaine Scripture and the uniforme consent of ancient Fathers It is no new thing to heare the enemies of the truth clayming the Scripture and the Fathers to be theirs after the same manner the Heretickes boasted that d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb l. 5. hist c. 27. The Fathers and the Apostles held taught the same things which they said First let us heare his plaine Scripture * â— Thes â— 15. Therefore brethren stand fast and hold the Traditions which you have beene taught whether by word or by our Epistle This Text is no lesse then ten times alledged by him and once for all I returne this Answer to it Those Traditions are Reply pag. 121. written and not unwritten Doctrines S. Paul declareth his continuall practise e Act. 26. 22. Hee witnessed both to small and great and therefore to the Thessalonians none other things then those which Moses and the Prophets did say His doctrine delivered at Thessalonica was taken f Act. 17. 2. out of the Scriptures And suppose it was not written in the Olde Testament yet it might be written in the New by himselfe or by some other of the Apostles What he taught the Philippians by word of mouth the g Philip. 3. 1. same things he wrote afterwards unto them in his Epistle And unto the Thessalonians he wrote those things h 2. Thess 2. 5. which he first told them and i 2. Thess 3. 10. which he first commanded them The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used by the Apostle signifieth aswell both as whether and it is not onely disjunctive but very k 1. Cor. â—1â— 1â— c. 15. 11. Coloss 1. 20 Rom. 14. 8. oft conjunctive By which the meaning of the Apostle is declared to be this Holde fast the Traditions or the doctrines which have beene taught you both by word of mouth by Epistle The matter taught was the same although the manner of teaching was different both by word of mouth and by Epistle S. Ambrose expoundeth it thus l In Traditione Evangelij standum ac perseverandum monet Ambros in 2. Thess He admonisheth them to stand to persevere in the Tradition of the Gospell And Gretzer your Great Sire defending Bellarmine defendeth this interpretation that it might be the same doctrine which S. Paul delivered by word of mouth and by Epistle and giveth this instance for it m Sicut eadem fides quae confirmata olim fuit per Circumcisionem Pascha quae nuÌ„c coÌ„firmatur per Baptismum Coenam Gretz defens Bellarm. l. 4. c. 5 Even as it was the same faith which was formerly confirmed by Circumcision and the Passeover which is now confirmed by Baptisme and the Lords Supper It is most manifest by the precedent words that the Apostle speaketh of such Traditions as helpe to keepe out u 2. Thess 2. 3. The man of sinne the sonne of perdition It cannot then be that he should speake of unwritten Traditions because Popish Traditions are the onely key to let him in 2. To prove the uniforme consent of the Fathers he first alledgeth S. Chrysostome * Chrysost in â— Thess By this saying of S. Paul it is manifest saith S. Chrysostome that the Apostles did not Reply pag. 121. deliver all things by their Epistle but that they delivered many things without writing which are as worthie to be beleeved as those things which they left written We yeeld unto this that the Apostles have not delivered all things by writing And I will graunt more unto the Iesuite that the Apostles have not delivered all things by Epistle or by word of mouth which are and may be observed in the Church as all the rites and ceremonies of it and those are the things of which S. Chrysostome speaketh of things indifferent Concerning necessary things writing upon the same Chapter these are his words o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost hom 3 in 2. Thes â— All things are cleare and true which are in the holy Scriptures all necessary things are manifest But that those things which are not necessary and are delivered without writing should be as worthy of faith as those things which are written this is one of his many hyperbolicall speeches it is rather a flourish of his Rhetoricke then a truth in Divinity S. Basil saith * Basil de Spirit Sanct. c. 29. I hold it to be an Apostolicall doctrine that Reply we adhere unto unwritten Traditions in proofe whereof he alleadgeth Scripture The Author is suspected but I passe by that for the present I hold with the Author that it is fit to yeeld unto such unwritten Traditions as he writeth of and those are onely rituall and not doctrinall Unto these we doe yeeld not as unto the word of God which is of divine power and abideth for ever but as to the Lawes of men which are of humane right and mutable according unto time place And in proofe of the lawfull use of those we oft cite Scripture as that Author doth In the next place he alledgeth * That of Epiphan is answered Sect. 2d. Divis 10. lit â— S. Hierome
not exclude his knowledge of those bookes which were penned afterwards But why should not we say That the old Testament alone containeth all things necessary to Salvation seeing Christ saith of it l Ioh 5. 39. Search the Scriptures in them yet thinke to have eternall life and they are they which testify of meâ— Then consequently the new Testament is needlesse saith the Iesuite This consequence is false and absurd you hold that the Pope hath os sapientiam a mouth to utter and wisedome to declare all things necessary to Salvation Will you therefore inferre that Universities Doctors Fathers and all other helpes are needlesse If this consequence be true then this Reply of the Iesuite is needlesse because it containeth no new thing but that which hath beene oft objected What need so many bookes be printed of the same subject in every kinde of learning if this consequence have any truth in it The old Testament may containe all things necessary to Salvation and yet the new be very needefull 1. For confirmation of the same truth both of the Scriptures and of the doctrine contained in them God would have many witnesses of the same truth all the penmen of Scripture writing as it were with the same pen speaking as it were with the same mouth and all testifying the same things that out of the monthes of so many with esses speaking the same things at sundry times in sundry places in sundry languages the whole Scripture might be proved to be the word of God In this store house many weapons of the same kinde are needfull m Cant. 4. 4. A thousand sheild hang therein 2. For the better manifestation and explanation of those things that are contained in the old In the old the new is vayled in the new the old is revealed In the Old some things are delivered obscurely to exercise the learned â—n the new the same things are delivered plainely to edifie the simple 3. For the augmentation of our wisdom knowledge for though the old be able to make us wise unto salvatioÌ„ yet because the Lord would not have us be dwarfes and children in knowledge to have no more wisedome then will keep life and Soule together but to abound in wisedome and spâ—rituall understanding and to bâ— men in knowleâ—ge â—herefore he thought it needfull to adde the new unto he old that we may attaine unto a more perfect mâ—asure of wisedome There are many things in the new which are not so necâ—ssary to salvation but that without the knowledge of thâ—m a man may live the life of grace as a man may â—ive he life of nature without some of his ouâ—ward parts but there is nothing in it which is needelesse The fulfilling of the prophecies contained in the old serveth for confirmation of our faith the narration of Christ his life and death kindleth love in our hearts â— the good we reade is for our imitation the evill for our forewarning His 4th shift is this It is well knowne that S. Paul there may be understood to Reply pag. 1â—1 have taught Timothy that the old Testament was able to instruct him as full that salvation commâ—th by saith in Christ Iesus and not by the law of Moses c And in all this he meaneth no more then what he writeth to â—he Romans c. 3. v. 21. Now the Iustice of God is made knowne without the law being tâ—stified by the law and the Prophets The Iâ—stice I say of God by the faith of Christ 9. I know very well that this is one thing which Timothy might learne both by the old Testament and by the new but that is a false glosse upon this place that This is all which the Apostle meaneth in this place The Apostle sheweth that the Scripturâ—s are able to make us wise unto Salvation through the faith which is in Christ Iesus And againe That by them the man of God may be perfectly instructed to every good worke Here we see that the Apostle teacheth us two things which are necessary for him that is made wise unto Salvation Faith and good workes and that the Scripture effecteth both these In regard of faith teaching whaâ— is to be beleeved reproving what is misbeleeved in regard of workes correcting what is evill instructing what is good He sheweth likewise that Christ Iesus must be the object of our faith and untill we know all this we are not made wise unto salvation Now if the Iesuite will stand unto his exposition That by all this the Apostle meaneth no more but that the old Testament was able to instruct Timothy at full that salvation commeth by faith in Christ Iesus then these absurdities will ensue from hence 1. That there was no Scripture but onely the old Testament when Paul wrote unto Timothy 2. That the Scriptures were able to worke this wisdome and to give this instruction unto none other but onely unto Timothy 3. That the knowledge of this Article Salvation commeth by faith in Christ Iesus without any distinction of come or to come and without any other Article of faith might make Timothy wise unto Salvation 4. That without good workes he might be wise unto salvation and perfectly instructed to every good worke His 5. shift is this Againe the verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Reply pag. 132 vulgar Latine Translation rendreth instruere to instruct our Adversaries to make wise may there be understood iâ—itiatively or in a beginning So he that catechiseth a heathen that is desirous to becomâ— a Christian when hee instructeth him in the very fiâ—st point of Christian faith may be said to instruct him or makâ— him wise unto Salvation not perfectly but initiatively So the Scripture saith that Apollos was instructed and taught thâ— way four Lord. Act. 18 24 and that hee was poweâ—full in the Scriptures and yet he knew no more but the baptisâ—e of Iohâ— v. 25. 10. The verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being derived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rightly translated to make wise so Cajetan Arâ—as Montanus Salmeron Erasmus with many more doe render it yea the Iesuite himselfe * pag 129. lin 6. confesseth it but here he limitethit with this distinction of initiatively and perfectly So the n Psal 19 1. Rom 1. 20. Heavens may teach an Heathen initiatively the first point of Christian faith but the Scriptures doe more they teach o Prov. 2. 9. Every good way and p 2. Tim. 3. 18. Every good worke They are both for theory and for practise both for faith and for fact they teach reprove correct and instruct the 1. is for confirmation of the truth the 2. for confutation of errors the 3. for correction of abuses the last for direction in good dutyes and all this they doe not onely initiatively but even absolutely perfectly and sufficiently they make the man of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a perfect man q Non simpliciter dixit ut homo
Dei bonorum operum sit particeps sed instructus his ipsis absolutus neque iâ— unicâ aliqua in re sed ad omne opus bonum Theophil in hunc locum He saith not saith Theophylact that the man of God may be partaker of good workes but by these instructed and made absolite and that not onely in one thing but to every good worke The Apostle saith they make him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a perfect man Aquinas upon this place saith r Vltimuâ— effectus Scripturae est ut perducat homines ad perfectum non enim qualiter-cunque bonuâ— facit sâ—d hoc perfecit Aquâ—â— in 2. Tim. 3. The last effect of the Scripture is this that it bringeth men to perfection for it doth not onely make him good but perfecteth this The commentary which goeth under the name of Anselmus doth render it instruere to instruct but it sheweth withall what kinde of instruction is meant To instruct that is to make him sufficiently learned to attaine unto everlasting life This initiative wisedome we leave to such wittals as are bred in the Church of Rome whose wisedome consisteth onely in one point to beleeve in the Church or as the Church of Rome beleeveth As for Apollos he was skillfull in the Scriptures and Å¿ Act. 18. 18. mightily confuted the Iewes by them he had more then this initiative wisedome and knew better the difference betweene the baptisme of Christ and of Iohn then it seemeth this Iesuite doth His last shift is this Finally it may be understood of a mediate or remote abilitie as who should say the old Testament is able to instruct a Reply pag. 132 man unto Salvation not immediately by it selfe but by directing him unto Christ whose comming the Iewes did expect to receive from him the accomplishment of their instruction to Salvation according to that of the Samaritan woman * Ioh. 4. When the Messias commeth he will teach us all things 11. Ala poore Sr William is this your best shift The vicar of S. Fcoles may be your ghostly Father in sending you where to get wisedome You may aswell say that the Samaâ—itan woman was able to make all the Samaritans wise unto Salvation because shee did send them unto Christ A beggar may make you rich if telling you where riches are will make you rich This mediate ability is no ability S. Chrysostome upon this text giveth an immediate sufficiency to the Scripture saying If thou wilt learne any truth thou mayst learne it thence if thou wilt confute any error thence thou mayst have this also And againe shewing the cause why S. Paul did so commend the Scriptures unto Timothy to wit because he being to leave him the Scriptures might teach him and comfort him after his death he saith Thou hast the Scriptures to be thy Master in stead of me from them thou mayst learne whatsoever thou wilt learne Gabriel Biel in like manner commendeth the Scripture for this selfe-sufficiency or immediate abilitie t Quae â—usta sunt vel injusta quae agenda et fugienda quae amanda contemnanda quae timenda quae audenda quae credenda speranda saluti nostrae necessaria haee omnia sola docet sacra Scriptura Gab. Biel. in Can Mis lect 71. Whatsoever things are just or unjust whatsoever is to be done or eschewed whatsoever is to be loved or hated whatsoever is to be feared or to be imbraced whatsoever is to be beleeved or hoped that is necessary for our salvation sola Scriptura the Scripture alone doth teach all thesâ— things And when the Iewes came unto Christ to have life hee sent them backe againe to the Scriptures to have u Ioh. 5. 39. 40. â—ternall life Thus notwithstanding all his cursed glosses and filly shifts this first braunch of the argument standeth firme and evident against unwritten Traditions That that is able by it selfe alone perfectly to make us wise unto salvation containeth all things necessâ—ry for our salvation but the Scripture is able to doe this therefore the conclusion is most certaine And now Sr Gaggler wherein hath the Answerer falsifiâ—d the Scriptuâ—e in the Antecedent or in the conclusion offered wrong unto right Logicke The argument is rightly grounded upon this Axiome Nihil dat quod non habet The Scripture is perfect effective and therefore it is perfect subjective To the second braunch of the argument which is this By the Scripture the man of God that is the minister of Gods word unto whom it appertaineth to declare the whole counsell of God may be perfectly instructed to every good worke which could not be if the Scripture did not containe the whole counsell of God which was fit for him to learne or if there were any other word of God which he were bound to teach that should not be contained within the limits of the booke of God The Iesuite answereth in this manner First by the man of God the Apostle understandeth not Reply pag. 132. the minister of Gods word 12. If this exception were true yet the argument is sure let the man of God be Prince or Prelate Magistrate or Minister if by the Scripture he may be perfected and instructed to every good worke then the consequence is most evident But it is false for the Scripture giveth this title x 1. Sam. 9. 10. 2. King 23 16. 17. 1. Tim 6. 11. 2. Tim. 3. 1â— The man of God onely unto the ministers of his word The Iesuits reason is this As there are many men of God that are not Ministers of Gods word so many professe themselves to be Ministers of Gods word who are so farre from being men of God that they are meere lims of the Divell There is more malice then reason in this answere for though the Scriptures were penned by y 2. Pet. 1. 21. holy men of God yet they may be preached by unholy men who in regard of their office may be called men of God The Angell of the Church of Laodicâ—a was an evill angell yet the Scripture giveth him this title z Revel 3. 14. The Angell of the Church And the Pope may be a wicked person the man of sinne the sonne of perdition will you therefore deny him this title The man of God or the vicar of Christ This spirit of malice which rageth in the hearts of Iesuites against the Ministers of Gods word declareth what they are even a Revel 16. 14. The spirits of Devils and limmes of Ignatius Loyola whose limmes were carried away after his death by him that was his coÌ„panion always at his elbow at Masse that is the Devill as b Hasenmul iâ— fine Histor Iesuit c. â—1 Hasenmullerus one of his owne order witnesseth And this Doctrine of Traditions discovereth of what spirit they are namely of a diabolicall spirit for c Diabolic spiritus est extra Scripturarum Sacrarum authoriâ—â—tem divinum aliquid putaâ—e Theoph Alexan. iâ— 2. Paschal
It is a diabolicall spirit that thinketh that any one thing from God should be without the authority of holy Scripture saith Theophilus of Alexandria The Secular Priests say that Iesuites are d Quodlibet 3. art 3. Statists Atheists Iudasses Others say that their denomination from * Vt à luce lucus dictus ut homo est bâ—mo pictus siâ— Ã Iesu Iesuita Iesu ita is a contrarie for they are more like Esauites Gehezites or Iebusites And I may say the Devill is an invisible Iesuite Iesuites are visible Devils yet they wil be men of God Secondly where is it found that all this counsell of God was â—ver yet written or that S. Paul in this place doth not speake aswell of the unwritten word as of the written word and counsell of God 13. We finde that S. Paul submitted all his doctrine to Reply be e Act. 17. 11. tryed by the Scriptures that he preached nothing but what f â— 2â— 22. was written and that making confession of his faith he saith g c. 24. 14. I beleeve all things which are written and if he had beleeved unwritten Traditions he would have added and I beleeve all the unwritten Traditions but seeing he beleived none of these how can he speak of an unwritten word of God The word of God is not like to a sick mans â—â—ncupative will of which some is written some is unwritteÌ„ only delivered by word of mouth but it is a perfect wil testament it needes not additioÌ„ of things unwritten Thirdly by all Scripture the Apostle meaneth onely the old Reply pag. 133 Testament He then that is well seene in the old Testament alone hath he knowledge of the whole counsell of God 14. In the eight division of this Section we have shewed the contrary but suppose the Apostles meaning is so what doth it make for the Iesuit David had but a part of the old Testament to be his h Ps 11 〈◊〉 â—4 Counseller yet he confesseth that it was so large that he could see i Vers â—6 no end of the perfection of it that by it k Vers 99. he had more understanding then all his teachers and that by it hee l Vers 101. refrained his foot from every evill way thus by it alone he understood the whole counsel of God Againe when the Apostle saith All Scripture the particle Reply All signifieth distributively every parcell of the Scripture not the whole Scripture together collectively but our Adversary will not say that every books of holy Scripture yea every parcell of a booke or chapter is able to instruct the minister of Gods word perfectly 15. This is Ad paucarespicere to stop one gap and to open ten for it overthroweth all his distinctions 1. That of mediate and immediate sufficiencie for every parcell of every Chapter of Scripture hath not a mediate sufficiencie it selfe to make us wise by sending us unto Christ neither doth every parcell send us unto the Church from her to learne Traditions 2. That of counsell written and unwritten for every parcell of every Chapter doth not containe all the written counsell 3. That of profitablenesse and sufficiencie for every parcell of a Chapter is not profitable it selfe for those foure uses to teach reprove correct and instruct 4. That of the man of God a godly man for every parcell is not profitable to enable a godly man to every good work This is to grant us more then wee desire that every parcell of Scripture is profitable for these foure uses how much more then is the whole Canon of Scripture profitable unto the same The words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all Scripture are taken heere for the whole body or Canon of Scripture In the same sense Athanasius useth the same words when he saith m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athanas in Syâ—op All Scripture or the whole Scripture translate it as you please of us Christians is inspired of God and then he addeth and containeth certaine bookes contained in a certaine Canon Thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Athanasius is taken for the whole Canon and not for every parcell for every parcell hath not certaine bookes Omnis id est totâ— is the usuall note upon this place but Estius is most plain n Non id velle Apostolum quod una quâ—â—que pars Scripturâ—â— sit utilis â—d istâ— quatuoâ— hic â—nim sensus liq â—do salsus est sed quod in universa Scriptura 〈◊〉 quatuor utilitates reperiantur Guil. â—stius professor Duaâ— The Apostles meaning is not this that every parcell of Scripture is profitable for these foure for this sense is manifestly false but that these foure profites are found in the whole Scripture Heere the Iesuite insultingly taxeth us for minching mangling and chopping of the Scripture when himselfe is guilty of the same of chopping the whole Scripture into severall parcells of a booke and of a Chapter Moreover he seemeth to inferre a sufficiencie where mention Reply p. 133. is made onely of a profitablenes All divine Scripture saith S. Paul is profitable to teach Hence our Answerer deduceth that nothing else is requisite to teach 16. The Iesuite dealeth not sincerely with his Answerer when he not onely seemeth to chop but doth mangle this argument as he did formerly the Scriptures S. Paul saith The man of God may bee perfectly instructed to every good worke by the Scriptures Hence the Answerer inferreth That there is no other word of God which the man of God who must declare the whole counsell of God is bound to teach S. Paul setteth forth at large the profitablenesse of the Scripture for foure uses to teach to reprove to correct and to instruct and sheweth how fully and sufficiently it doth these even that the man of God may bee perfectly instructed to every good worke But the Iesuite repeating the words of S. Paul diminisheth the profitablenesse of the Scripture onely accounting it profitable to teach and explaineth this of sending us unto Christ and Christs sending us to his disciples and the Disciples bidding as to hold fast unwritten Traditions If this be all the profitablenesse of the Scripture then there is little sufficiencie in it but this is not the profitablenesse of which the Apostle speaketh for All Scripture that is as the Iesuite expoundeth it every parcell of a booke and of a Chapter doth not send us unto Christ Christ unto his Disciples and the Disciples unto unwritten Traditions Neither doth the Answerer inferre a sufficiencie from a bare profitablenes the word Profitablenes or sufficiencie is not at all in his argument neither doth he say Therefore nothing else is requisite to teach for this is manifestly false Let the Scriptures be never so profitable and sufficient yet some thing else is required to teach there is required a * Act. 8. 31. Rom. 10. 14. Teacher yea though unwritten Traditions were admitted yet
there must be one to teach them In this Teacher learning is required because it is profitable yet not sufficient to enable him to teach But thus we argue That that is so profitable to to teach to reprove to correct and to instruct that thereby the man of God may be perfectly instructed to every good worke that we say is sufficient Omne sufficiens est utile this Proposition is most certaine Whatsoever is sufficient is profitable and it is not thus to be converted Omne utile est sufficiens northus Nullum utile est sufficiens but thus Aliquod utile est sufficiens Something that is profitable is sufficient So is the Scripture it is a thing so profitable every way that it must needes be sufficient in suo genere for that end there needeth no unwritten word to be taught Such a profitable thing is Godlinesse that it is likewise sufficient it is one of the instances which the Iesuite giveth to prove that the Scriptures are not sufficient because they are said to be profitable Godlinesse saith he is profitable for all things is it therefore so sufficient that nothing else is to bee sought for neither meat drinke sleepe c. The scope of the Apostle is to prove what is both profitable and sufficient for the obtaining of the promise especially of the life eternall can it be denyed that Godlinesse in suo genere is both profitable and sufficient for this As for meate drinke sleepe c. they are helpes of an other kinde they are needefull for a godly man in regard of his weake nature to maintaine his naturall life but not needfull to perfect Godlines to attaine eternall life As Godlines is both profitable sufficient for that end so are the Scriptures for the end of which the Apostle speaketh although helpes of any other kind are required The Iesuite giveth an other instance Learning saith he is profitable to the knowledge of the truth is it therefore sufficient I confesse it is not Is therefore the Scripture not sufficient but onely profitable because some things are profitable but not sufficient I pray you in what mood or figure is this Syllogisme Some things which are profitable are not sufficient but the Scripture is profitable Therefore not sufficient If learning were as profitable as the Scripture is then it were sufficient but it is not by it the man of God cannot bee perfectly instructed to every good worke Finally you either ignorantly or wilfully pervert and Reply p. 134. deprave the sonse and meaning of the Apostles wordes when making him to say that by the Scriptures the man of God may bee perfectly instructed to every good worke you interprete this good worke to bee the ministery of Gods word But Paules meaning was farre otherwise to wit that the Scriptures are profitable to teach to reprove to correct and instruct in the way of righteousnesse that the man of God that is to say a godly man thus instructed may be perfect in his godly life and enabled to every good worke not so much of preaching and teaching as of justice and righteousnes wherein hee was instructed out of the Scriptures 17. For want of new shifts the Iesuite is forced to returne to his old shift but we have * Divis 12. of this Section already started him out of this hole and shewed that by The man of God the Apostle meaneth the Minister of Gods word But supposing this to be the Apostles meaning That a godly man being instructed by others out of the Scriptures may be made perfeet in his godly life and enabled to every good worke What need we more or what neede then is there of unwritten Traditions if not onely initiatively but perfectly a godly life every good worke may be learned out of the Scriptures This coÌ„tradicteth his former distinctioÌ„ of perfectly initiatively quite overthrowes unwritteÌ„ traditioÌ„s the great pillar of Popery unlesse the Iesuite hath this mentall reservation that there is one faith for the Pastor and an other faith for the People one perfection for the Man of God and an other perfection for a godly man one law of workes for the Preist and an other for the Laytie In the last place he commeth to his wrestling argument as he tearmeth it of which he seemeth to be as confident as if it were an invincible Armado and yet with a blast it may be overthrowne When you affirme that the written word alone is sufficient Reply pag. 134 for faith and salvation you must meane either the entire Scripture wholly taken together or some one part thereof onely If the former then you have no sufficient rule of faith left you forasmuch as many bookes of holy Scripture are lost and perished as the * 3. King 4. 32. Three thousand Parables and the five thousand verses written by Salomon * 1. Paralip 29. 29. The bookes of the Prophets Nathan and Gad the bookes of Ahia and the * â— Paralip 9. 29. vision of the Prophet Addo 18. We meane as S. Paul meaneth the whole canon of Scripture or the entire Scripture wholly taken together of which if any part bee lost it being lost before S. Paul wrote this yet the whole Scripture of which he speaketh remaineth still We beleeve not that many bookes of holy Scripture are lost and perished no nor any as for that of Salomon the text doth not say that Salomon wrote but that he * 1. King 4. 32. spake three thousand Parables and a thousand and five not five thousand Songs It may bee they were written yet seeing the Proverbes containe 974. verses Ecclesiastes 222 and the Canticles 116 in all 1312. verses and many verses containe three or foure sayings those things therefore may be contained in them The bookes of Nathan Gad Ahia and Addo are supposed by p 〈◊〉 Semens Bibl. Sanct. l. a. Dorothens in Synopsi some to bee parcells of the bookes of Samuel Kings and Chronicles each of them writing the Acts and mouuments of those Kings under whom they lived All these may be lost and yet not many bookes of holy Scripture lost because those of Solomon as it may be were neither written nor canonicall and those of Nathan Gad c. were written but not canonicall q Alia sicuti homines histericâ diligentiâ alia sicut Prophetas divinâ— inspiratione scribere potuisse Aug. de Civitat Dei l. 18. c. 38. Some things saith S. Augustine speaking of the Prophets they might write by way of history as men other things by divine inspiration as Prophets And the Iesuite Sanctius whose bookes this Iesuite is not worthy to beare saith r Sanctius Iâ—â—olegom in l. Reg. These bookes of Nathan ad c. were like Diaries or an Ephemerides in which the acts of their times were written and he proveth at large that The choyse things in them were transcribed by the penmen of the Kings and Chronicles and that the remainder which
ali soules may be cured and from which every man may take a medicine to heale his disease Now as it is absurde to say This Apothecaries shop containeth all medicines for all diseases because it is written on the shop doore Goe to such a place for them so it is a senselesse thing to say the Scripture containeth all medicines for the Soule because it sendeth to an other for them That of the Embassadours letters of crâ—dence is already * Sect 5. Div. 3 answered And so is that of S. * Sect. â— Div. 2 Basil in commending unwritten Traditions S. Basil teacheth further * Basil in Ethicis Regul â—6 That every word and action ought to be confirmed by the testimony of holy Scripture Answere c. And that it is the property of a faithfull man to bee fully perswaded of the truth of thâ—se things that are delivered in the holy Scripture * Idem ibid reg â—â— c â—2 and not to 〈◊〉 either to reject or to adde any thing thereunto For if whatsoever is not of faith be sinne as the Apostle saith and faith is by hearing and hearing by the word of God then whatsoever is without the holy Scripture being not of faith must needs be sinne These two testimonies the Iesuite passeth over in silence 9. Many other testimonies are produced out of the Fathers by the most reverend Primate as that of Gregory Nissâ—ne * Greg. 〈◊〉 Dialog de Anima Resur In that onely the truth must bee acknowledged wherein the seale of the Scriptures testâ—mony is to be seene Of S. Hierâ—ms * Hieron adv Helvid As we deny not those things which are written so we refuse those things tâ— aâ— are not written That God was borne of a virgin we beleeve because we read it that Mary did marry after she was delivered we beleeve not because wee read it not With those of Theodoret * Theodor dial 2. I am not so bold as to aâ—â—irme any thing that the Scripture hath passâ—d in silence * Idem in Exod. quaest 26 It is an idle and a senselesse thing to seeke those things that are passed in silence These the Iesuite passeth not over in silence but as he is idle and senselesse in seeking after unwritten things so he maketh an idle and senselesse answer in defence of things unwritten These Fathers did alwayes suppose holy Traditions to be Reply p. 143. virtually contuined in the Scripture howsoever they bee not plainely expressed in the same We beleeve the same that there are many holy doctrines which are holy Traditions which are not plainely expressed word for word in the Scriptures and yet we call them doctrinall Traditions written because they are virtually contâ—ined in the Scriptures and by sound inference deduced from them But this maketh nothing for Popish Traditions they are not holy but prophane not written but unwritten not plainely expressed nor virtually contained in the Scriptures but only taught and delivered by a Church and that no true Church but a false Church I have heard of a subtle disputant who would undertake by three distinctions to avoyde any argument were it never so evident the Iesuite goeth beyond him for with this one distinction onely of mediate and immediate he hath answered all the testimonies of these Fathers The vanity of this distinction we have oft discovered and now leave it to the judgment of an understanding Reader 10. And now the Iesuite contrary to the duty of the Defendant becommeth the Assailant hudling together a confused number of testimonyes for unwritten Traditions out of the Fathers But that nothing may scape us without due examination we wil be content once more to run the wilde-goose chase and to hunt him out of every corner The Arians denying that the holy Ghost ought to be worshipped Reply pag. 143 as God and with God alleadged that it was no where written in the Scripture To that we answere thus saith S. Basil * Basil l. de spir Sanct. c. 29. If nothing else that is unwritten be admitted then let this also be rejected but if many mysteries besides this be received of us without writing then I pray you among the rest let this also be received For truely I hold it to be Apostolicall doctrine to adhere also unto unwritten Traditions Amongst which this which we now have in hand is not the meanest for asmuch as they who in the beginning did governe all delivered it unto those that came after them and so by use in processe of time and by continuall custome it hath now taken strong râ—â—ting c. The Iesuite doubted of that Treatise of Basil de fide there is more cause to doubt of this booke de spiritu sanctâ— whether it may not be accounted among the Postuati The Author of it speaketh of Meletius as if he were dead long before him c Lib. de Spir. Sanct. c. 19. They that lived with Meletius say that he was of this opinion but what need I remember the things long past Yet the true Basil and Meletius were Coâ—tâ—neâ— S. Basil wrote foure d Basil epist 56 57. 58. 59. Epistles unto him Yea S. Basil dyed three yeares before for Basil dyed an 378. and Meletius dyed an 381. as e Baron Annal Tom. 4. Baronius observeth Admitting the Author we answer to the matter by distinguishing the doctrine contained in the foâ—me of words from the forme of words it self This doctrine The Holy Ghost is to be worshipped as God is no unwritten Tradition f Basil c. 25. It is agreable to that which is written in other words saith S. Basil And he proveth it by the desâ—ension of the g Idem c. 29. Holy Ghost upon Christ in his baptisme The forme of words of which he disputeth is this Glory be to the Father and to the Sonne with the holy Ghost The question betweene him and the Heretickes was about the syllable Cum whether it were lawfull to say Cum spiritu sanctâ— and not rather In spiritu sanctâ— And in proofe of the lawfullnesse of this forme of words he aâ—â—irmeth this which the Iesuite alleadgeth proving it to be lawfull though it be not written expressely in Scripture as many other rites and customes of the Church are observed though they be not written This Tradition we willingly admit and desire most reverendly to use it in the Lyturgie of our Church Yea we allow the decent rites and orders of the Church and those are the Traditions of which S. Basil disputeth namely of Rituall Traditions Listen a little more and you shall heare him declare that Reply pag. 144 * Basil c. 27 The Doctrines Constitutions of the Church sâ—me of them we have out of the written word some others we receive by the secret hidden Tradition of the Apostles both have equall fâ—ree unto Godlinesse neither can any man that hath the least sight in the things of the Church
116 pag. 118. Father is unbâ—gâ—ttâ—n that the Sâ—nne is â—onsubst anâ—iall with the Father and that the Holy Ghest is to bee â—â—â—red and wâ—rshipped â—â— pag. 143. God Are not these things generally necessary for all to know Againe * August l. de Pastor c. 11. Whatsoever you he are from the holy Scriptures Answer let that savour well unto you whatsâ—ever is without them reâ—â—se lâ—st you wander in a cloud Your meaning was not sure to hurt as by these sayingâ— Reply p. 14â— of S. Augustine seeing you bring them to so little purpose for S. Augustine was so farre from thinking the Traditions of the Church to be without Scripture that he assuâ—eth â—â— to â—◠〈◊〉 â—â—try truth of Scripture when we doe that which â—â— plâ—â—sing to the Church 17. It is true our meaning is not to â—urt you but to 〈◊〉 your madnesse if it may be healed if not it is to litle purpose for your benefite It is no wonder to see this â—â—ly Iesuite wander in a â—â—ud embracâ—ing a cloud in stead of â—nno following after an Iguiâ— fatâ—uâ— for the light of Gods Word forsaking the beaten pathe of Gods Commaundements to follow the doubtfull track of humane Traditions not refusing those things which are not written It is the duety of the Church to teach no unwritten â—oâ—trinall Traditions but onely to teach such Doctrines as the Scripture teacheth her and as long as the Church performeth her duety so long the Scripture willeth us to heare her But what if any Church though once never so famous fayle in her duety and holde untruthes against the Scripture doe wee then holde the truth of the Scripture when wee doe that which now pleaseth such a Church In this thing saith S. Augustine wee holde the trâ—eth of the Scripture when wee doe that which now pleaseth the universall Church He saith not In all things but in this thing and this thing was no unwritten but a wâ—itten Doctrine to wit the Doctrine of â—â—baptisation established by the Church out of the Scripture He saith which now pleasâ—th hee saith not which Alwayes pleasâ—th the Church S. Augustine speaketh of the Vniversall Church but the Iesuite of the Roman Church for no Church else holdeth unwritten Traditions And in an other place * August epistâ— 4 â— All those things which in times Answer past our Aâ—â—cestors have mentioned to bee done toward mankinde and have delivered unto us all those things also which we see and doe deliver unto our â—osterity so faâ—râ— as they apportainâ— to the seeking and maintaining of true Religion the holy Scriptures have not passed in silence He pauseth not where you breake off his spâ—â—â—h but proceâ—deth Reply p. 147. to declare that be treated onely of Prophecies and Predictions which are all fulfilled according as they are laid downe in the Scriptures And could you wrong S. Augustine so unconscionably as to teach that has therefore alâ—wed â—â— thing to appertaine to the seeking and maintaining of truâ— Religion but what the holy Scripture hath not passed in sâ—lâ—â—e 18. The former part of S. Augustines wordes Thâ—se things which our Aâ—â—cestors in times past have mantianed to be done toward mankinde may be understood of Prophecies and Predictions but the latter part All thâ—se things also which we see and doe declare unto our posterity c. can by no meanes be so understood for S. Augustine was no Prophet neither are wee Prophets to deliver predictions to the posterity to come but as it was his so it is our office to declare the writings of the Prophets and Apostles and to deliver the doctrines contained in them And although we were Prophets to deliver Predictions of our owne yet how can wee say The Scripture hath not passed them in silence We hate those Anabaptistical Revelations and all your Papisticall Traditions we desire to follow the practise of S. Augustine not To deliver unto others those things â—â— points of Religion which the Scripture hath passed in silence 19. And thus we have discovered the silly shifts grosse dunsery of an ignorant Iesuite in answering of the Fathers who for all his tampering with them will not be perswaded to alter their verdict but find him and all such Tradition-mongers guilty of treason for coyning new Articles of faith such as have not the seale of the living God namely the authority of holy Scripture to make them current in the Church And as the petty Iury have given their verdict against them so the grand Iury consisting of 318. Fathers in the first generall Councell of Nice have condemned them for in the name of all the rest Eâ—sehiâ—â— Pamphili delivereth this d Gelaâ— Cyâ—icon Act. Conc. Nic part 2 dâ— c. 19. as it is cited by the most learned Answerer in his reprinted Answere The things that are not written neither thinke upon nor inquire after The Iesuite knowing full well that his answere to the testimonies of the Fathers will not give content to an indifferent Reader for the truth is they are â—nanswerable leaveth againe his answering and observing no order or method but onely heaping up a number of Sayings he betaketh himselfe againe to the objecting of the Fathers against us And first for S. Augustine all the world acknowledgeth Reply pag. 147 that he standeth for our Doctrine out of whom we will heape a number of sayingâ— here together 20. If by the world you meane as you doe by the Church the Roman universall world I doubt not but you may have witnesses enough to sweare it but what neede we witnesses when we may heare himselfe speake You promise an heape and a number of his sayings but I beleeve by the time that we have sisted your heape and cast up your number we shall finde nothing in your heape but â—haffe and in your number onely Cyphers And I hope every judicious Reader will preferre those three direct testimonies objected against you before your Bakers douzen of impertinent testimonies objected against us The 1. is against Maximiâ—â—â— the Arian where hast thou ever read that God the Father is unbegotten To this we have * Seâ—t â— Diâ— â— forâ—erly answered and answere so againe though this forme of words God the Father is unbegâ—tten be not written yet the same Doctrine is written in other words And our Question is not of unwritten words but of unwritten Doctrines The second is against the Dâ—â—atists Many things are not â—ound in the writings of the Apostles but were delivered by them without writing For whatsoever the Church doth hold if iâ— bâ— not â—ound ordained by some Councâ—ll it is beleeved to be a Tradition of the Apostles This is likewise * Sect. 2. Div. â— formerly answered and so we answere againe that many things are not found expressely written in the writings of the Apostles and yet by â—ound insâ—rence they may be deduced from those things that are written such things we call written Traditions
because they are all one with those things that be expressely written As for example Whether Children shal be baptised or no Or whether the baptised by Heretickes shal be rebaptised or no We read no expresse commandement nor evident practise either way yet by sound consequence these points may be determined out of the Scripture And of this in this testimony S. Augustine disputeth against the Dâ—â—atists Reply pag. 14â— The third is against the Non-conformists * Aug Epist â—â— ad Casul In thâ—se things whereof the Scripture hath deliveâ—â—◠〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of Gods people and the 〈◊〉 of our Aâ—â—â—estâ—râ— are to be held for a law In this he disputeth of the rites customes or constitutions of the Church and specially of the Saturdayes fast concerning which in the same Epistle â—e giveth this advice Let the â—aith of the universâ—ll Church â—â— one alâ—hough the unity of faith be â—â—â—nded upon with diverse observations by the 〈◊〉 thâ—â— which is true in the faith is â—â— way 〈◊〉 Here he distinguisheth these observations of the Church from â—â—th â—â—ith is one they are diverse they are not of faith but attend upon faith So that they are to bee held for 〈◊〉 yet not for the law of faith which is of divine â—ight universall and bindeth all but as the law of man which is but of humane right particular to some places like the Law of Gâ—â—all kinde and bindeth not all like the by-lâ—wes of a Corporation The fourth testimony which he citeth out of Augustine I finde it in his 118. Epistle and it is * Sect 2. Div. 6. formerly answered * Aug ad Inquisit laâ—â—aâ— l. 1. c. 1 All those things which we hold without writing onely by unwritten Tradition were commended and ordained either by the Apostles themselves or by generall Councells All such things are not Doctrinall but Rituall Traditions not points of faith but orders and constitutions for the Church This appeareth both by the words allâ—adged and by the subsequent words in the same Epistle Wee see in the words alleadged S. Augustine cannot well tell upon whom to father such things but he leaveth it doubtfull it may be they were from the Apostles and it may be they were ordained first of all by generall Coâ—â—â—lls But all points of faith are elder then the eldest Councell The Iesuite himselfe telleth us out of Aâ—hanasius * Pag. 140. It is not nâ—wâ—dayes that our faith received its beginning but it is derived from the Lord himselfe And Athanasius himselfe was one of the first generall Councell That of Gerson iâ— most câ—rtaine c Nec Papa neâ— generale Concilium potest facere aliquid esse de side quod antè non â—uâ—t Gerson part 1 de err cirâ—a pâ—aecept Non Occides Neither the Pâ—pâ— â—or any generall Councell can make that to be a point of faith which was not so before And in the words immediately following S. Augustine declareth what such things were as were delivered without writing As the Passion reâ—â—â—rection and ascensâ—â—â— of our Lord and the descâ—nsion of the holy Ghost are yâ—â—rely solemnely celebrated These Feastâ— put us in minde of greater things but the Feasts themselves aâ—â— to be accounted but as rites and ordinances belonging to the Church The fifâ— is against the Doâ—atists and it is like wise * Sect. 4. Div. â— formerly answered The Apostles have not commanâ—ded any thing in this poinâ— but that customâ— which was opposed unto Cyprian must be held to have taken its originall from their Tradition The point of rebaptization is the point of which he dispâ—teth concerning which we oft declared the judgment of S. Augustinâ— to be this that the Apostles expressely commaunded nothing in this point and yet that this point may be determined by sound inference out of the holy Scripture The sixt is this He would not beleeve the Gospell it selfe but that the authority of the Church moved him The summe of our former * Sect. â— Div. 2 answere unto this is this S. Augustine spake this of the time when he was a Manichee but after his conversion he maketh a better confession He speaketh of the primitive Church not of the now Roman Church That power which he ascribeth unto the Church is to be a mover to perswade us to beleeve not to be a law-giver to coyne Articles of our beleefe The 7th is likewise * Sect. 4. Div. 8 answered Although we have no certaine example hereof out of Scripture yet we hold the truth of the Scripture in this thing when wee doe that which now pleaseth the universall Church The Example which is sought for is an example how those were received when they returned to the Church who were baptised by Heretickes whether they were rebaptised or no We confesse the Scripture giveth no example how they were received but none can inferre because the Scripture containeth not an example in this point therefore it containeth not the Doctrine of this point The 8th is likewise * Sect 2. Div. â— formerly answered This neither thou nor I can fiâ—de plainly and evidently in the Scripture This is against the Dâ—natists in the same point and I returne the same answere This that is an example of this how they were received into the Church that were baptised by the Heretickes neither thou nor I can finde in Scripture Yea we confesse the point of Doctrine is not written plainely evidently and expressely word for word but by sound consequence it is deduced from the Scripture And now let the understanding Reader judge of the reason that moved the Iesuite to object all those testimoniâ—s which were formerly answered surely it was onely to make his promise good to heape up a number without any regard of their nature He mustereth his testimoniâ—s as some Captaines when their companies are not full muster their Souldiours presenting some of them three or foure times over The 9th is this * Aug. l. â— cont Crese â— I receive not that which Cyprian held because Reply p. 14â— it is not received by the Church And I receive not that which is held by the Iesuite because it is not received by S. Augustine Doe I therefore hold unwritten Traditions Cyprian held rebaptization Augustine held the contrary and confuteth him by the authority of the Church but doth the use of one meanes exclude the power of another Because he confuted him by the authoritie of the Church could he not therefore confute him by the authority of Scripture Cyprian would have this question to be tried by the Scripture f Cypâ—ian epist 74. ad Pompâ—ium whence saith he is this Tradition Is is descended from the authoritie of our Lord and the Gospell or doth it come from the Acts or Epistles of the Apostles And a little after Let us goe to the fountaine to the Evangelicall and Apostolicall Tradition This is so evident that Bellarmine confesseth g Bellar de verbo non script l.
Origen in that Homily writing upon this Text Aaron and his sâ—nnes shall cover the sanctuary and the sonnes of Kohath shall beare it giveth this Allegory which is too weake a foundatioÌ„ for this great pillar of Popery p Cum pleâ—â—s agit â— iâ—plet quae mandatur non tamen coâ—um quae geruntur intelligit rationem quid aliud nisi operta velata sancta sanctorum super humeros pâ—â—tantur Idâ—m ibid When the common people doe those things which are commanded yet understand not the reason of the doing of them what then doe they but carry the sanctuary covered and hidden He speaketh not of any such high mysteries as are not contained in scripture because of their dignity as appeareth by the speciall instance which he giveth of staÌ„ding in prayer this is no such great mysterie it is but an indifferent thing it is allowed by q â—aâ— 11. 2â— the Scripture and yet we read of S. Paules r Act. â—â— â—6 kneeling in prayer between Easter and Pentecost All that can bee gathered out of Origen is this when the common people doe that which they are commanded and yet understand not the reason of it as for example when they stand in prayer at such a time and understand not the reason of it then they doe as it were carry the sanctâ—â—â—y â—â— the holy things covered and hidden But what is all this to unwritten Traditions which are such great and excellent mysteries that neither the thing it selfe to be done nor the reason of the doing of it must be written We confesse the doctrine taught must be fitted to the capacity of the hearers Aaron and his sonnes may be capable of those things that others are not but that there are profound Mysteries and the most excellent things which are not written neither ought to be written in the Scriptures this is more then the Iesuite with all his wit can fish out of Origen Where is the innocencie of Innocent the first if that first Epistle written ad Decentium be truely his It is said therein that none of the Apostles save Peter onely taught in Italy And yet the Scripture teacheth us that S. Paul Å¿ Act. â—â— â—5 taught at Rome Neither doe we read in that Epistle any thing of high mysteries unfit to be written but rather of temporary rites or rituall constitutions not in use in these dayes in the Roman Church it selfe As of anointing the sicke with oyle t Quo non solùm sacerdotibus sed omnibus Christianis uti licet in suâ— aut suorum necessitate Idem ibid. The which was not onely lawfull for the Priests to doe but also for all Christians when themselves or others were in need S. Basil had neede speake for all the rest for all the rest say no thing to the purpose That booke de spiritu Sancto fathered on S. Basil as we have * Sect. â— Div. 10 formerly shewed is in the case of the Post-nati Neither doth the Author of it treat of unwritten Doctrinall Traditions but onely of unwritten Rituall Traditions To blinde the Reader the Iesuite translateth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used by that Author Doctrines not onely contrary to the meaning of the Author who distinguisheth betweene Doctrines and Constitutions and by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meaneth not Doctrines but Constitutions but also contrary to his owne rendering of it by the word * Pag. 1â—â— if truely â—igured Ordinances or Decrees And now S. Basil supposing him to be the Author being in the heate of disputation for these rites and ordinances spake this which the Iesâ—â—â—â— alleadgeth very hyperbolically of them Those are all the Fathers which he alleadgeth to prove the dignity of many mysteries to be such that they ought not to be opened in the Scriptures which are read to the world Diâ—nysins his Hâ—emrchiâ— Basils booke de spiritu Sancto and the first Epistle of Innocent the first with Clement his Strâ—maâ—â— are not generally received in all things and for Origen he saith no such thing This is a thing contrary to the doctrine of the Scripture and of the Fathers Christ saith thus of his doctrine u Ioh. 18. 20. I spake openly to the world And in secret have I said nothing And if he spake any thing privately unto his Apostles yet hee commaundeth them to x Math. 10. 27. speake it in the light and to preach it on the houses S. Paul likewise testifieth for the Apostles that they did teach y Coloss 1. â—1 every man in all wisedome S. Chrysâ—stome on the words of our Saviour observeth why he commaunded his Disciples to preach in the light and on the houses because he would not have any thing hâ—dden or kept in secret And with him Theophilact agreeth what he said to them alone and in one place that he would have them teach with all freedome and with a loude voyce that all might heare Now if the Apostles did speake those things in publicke and before all which they learned from Christ when they were in private and alone with him why should not the same things be written in the Scriptures which are read to the whole world Silence is opposed to speaking aswell as unto writing and the hearing of such things is more like to bring in the contempt of them then reading because all cannot read but all have eares to heare Concerning S. Pauls preaching and writing Nicephorâ—s observeth this z Ea quoque quae secretioris mysteriâ— magisque abstrusa anteâ— silentio praeâ—erierat posteà per sacra scripta sua aut grandioris â—apientiae verbis accuratè declaravit aut saltem parabolarum more taâ—quâ—m per â—nigmaâ—â— adâ—â—bravit Niâ—â—ph l. 2 â—4â— Those hidden mysteries and things more abstruse which formerly he delivered not by word of mouth after by his holy writings he evidently declared them with the deepest words of wisedome or at least by darke sentences by way of Parahles shadowed them And if the Apostles did deliver any divine mysteries of faith by word of mouth which are not contained in holy writ how then could Cyrill teach this a Cyrill Hieroso illuminat cateches 4. de Spir Sancto We ought not to deliver ne minimum quidem aliquid the least thing that can be touching the divine mysteries of faith without the holy Scriptures Neither did this doctrine prosper in the dayes of Prosper for hee saith b Prosp de vocat Gent If the Scriptures speake not who shall speake And if any be so bold as to speake who shall beleeve him saith c Aug hom 96 in â—oh S. Augustine The time was when we might have found this in Aquinas delivered as the doctrine of the Fathers d Non est intel ligendum quod aliquâ— secreta doctrinae taceantuâ— fidelibus parvulis scorsum docenda majoribus sed omnibus fideli proponuntur quae sunt fidei Aquin in 16. Ioh lect 3 We must not understand that there were
any secret Doctrines concealed from the little ones that beleeved which were in secret revealed to the great ones but all points of faith were propounded before all the faithfull but now his tongue is clipâ— and these words in the late editions because they crosse them are crossed out Where then is the uniforme consent of the Fathers for your Doctrine This is not the voyce of the Fathers but of the Heretickes if you will beleeve your owne Salmâ—ron e Ex grege Haereticorum nostri seculi quidam est insignis Castellio dictus qui docet Apostolum reconditio em aliquam Doctrinam habu isse quam Scriptis non commendaverit sed quibusdam perfectis hominibus eam tradidisse Salmer in 2. Tim. 3. Tom. 15. There is a notable Hereticke of late dayes called Castellio who teacheth that the Apostle had a more secret kinde of doctrine which he would not publish to the world by writing but delivered it to certaine perfect men If this be heresie in him then the same is heresie in you so that he may well shake hands with you and you with the ancient Heretickes This doctrine is likewise built upon most false propositions 1. That he greatest mysteries are reserved for Traditions and the least are contained in the Scripture but what greaâ—er mystery is there then the mystery of the Trinity The wonderfull union of the two natures in one person Christ is declared by the Scripture to be a f 1. Tim. â— 16. great mystery So is the mysticaâ—l union of Christ and his Church a g â—phes 5. 32. great mystery All unwritten Traditions are but trifles unto these 2. That the dignity of those mysteries requireth silence least too much knowledge should bring thâ—m into contempt Trutâ— never blusheth but when it is concealed saith h Nihil veritas crubescit nisi abscondi Tert. Cont. Valentinian Tertulliaâ— And ignorance not knowledge causeth pride and contempt S. Paul would not have the Romanes ignorant of a great mysterie lest they should be i Rom. 11. 25. arrâ—gant What made the Atheniaâ—s speake basely of S. k Act. 17. Paul and of his doctrine but only their ignorance When the Apostles spake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l Act. 2. 11. the wonderfull things of God ignorance made their hearers floute them for it The mysteries of Gods word are not like juggling tricks which being oft seene and discovered become contemptible but rather like the Sun every day seene and yet desired m Aug. epist â— Such is the depth of holy Scripture saith S. Augustine that if I did studie nothing but it all the dayes of my life yet I may still learne more out of it How then can the knowledge of those things cause contempt of which the ripest understanding can never know enough And if those things were not to bee taught to the people which in fact thorough their owne foolishnesse they doe sometimes contemne thâ—n surely the Apostles would never have written such mysteries as are contained in Scripture neither would they have preached Christ crucified both to the Iewes and to the Gentiles n 1. Cor. 1. 2â— To the lewes a stumbling blocke and to the Grâ—â—ians foolisâ—nes And as these positions are false so their practise is contrary to their owne grounds For if those great mysteries are not opened in the Scriptures which â—â—â— read to the whole world but are locked up under unwritten Traditions and onely the things of lesse dignity are opened in the Scriptures why then are the common people debarred from reading the Scriptures not from unwritten Traditions Why doe you teach these great mysteries of unwritten Traditions unto them seeing they may be sooner brought into contempt by hearing then by reading The reason is because all cannot read but all have eares to heare Yea what authority have you to write those things which the Apostles thought not â—it to be written o Dionys Halicarn l. 1â— Those things saith Dâ—â—nysiuâ— which all may nâ—â— see I thinke all â—â—â—uld not heare them neither ought they to bee written Wherefore that hereafter your practice may not be contrary to your positions take away your Missals Rationals Rituals Pontificals Breviaries Legends and the like from the eyes of the common people seeing in these are the greatest mysteries which by too much familiaritie may be contemned allow the Scriptures unto the common people seeing the Apostles would not open these mysteries in the Scriptures which are to be read unto the whole world lest they should be contemned To shift his necke out of the coller that hee may not bee couppled with those Heretickes he useth this as an other shift Must we shake hands with Heretickes forsooth if wee Reply p. 155. doe but once touch the same texts which they have produced He learned his manners forsooth but he hath lost his wâ—â—s Here is a witlesse demaund wee know the Devill used * Mat. 4. 6. Scripture and yet we lawfully use the same text He said to our Saviour p Mat. 8. 29. What have I to doe with thee And yet our Saviour used the same wordes to his mother q Ioh. 2. 4. What have â— to doe with thâ—â— Heretickes will range thâ—rough the Scripture and so must we but we say you may well shake hands with those Heretickes when you make use of the same texts for the same purpose for which they were condemned The Iesuite denyeth the fact Those Heretickes did reject such Traditions aâ— the Catholicke Church did then maintaine And they brought in such Traditions as they of themselves found out teaching against the nature of Christ and the like In this likewise you may be parallel'd with those Heretickes for reâ—ecting such written Traditions as the Catholick Church did then maintaine as the giving of the Cup the reading of the Scripture the perfection of the Scripture and the like And also for bringing in unwritten Traditions of your owne invention which from the beginning were not and yet are fathered on the Apostles by you And though in the particular Haresies defended by those Hereticks you may differ from them yet in the general tenent you may well shake hands together as long as with those Hereticks you defend The dignity of many mysteries to be such that it is unmeet they should be opened in the Scriptures And that the Apostles had a more secret kind of doctrine which they would not lay down in their writings but delivered it by word of mouth unto perfect men that so under the colour and pretence of unwritten Traditions you may say what you will as against the nature of Christs body that it may be in 10000. places at once and yet this pillar of Popery shall uphold it whatsoever it be that you teach The Iesuite having entred his name in Catalogo Hâ—reticorum he taketh much paines to little purpose to find out our name therein What can you say for your selfe when you Reply
but because the ordinances and Traditions of the Church cannot be seene in them And this is the mysterie of unquity that it is the usuall and constant doctrine of the Fathers as the Iesuite hath * Pag. 155. taught us That the Apostles did preserve the dignity of the mysteries by keeping them hidden and in silence and therefore they are not opened in the Scriptures which are read to the whole world And that all the auncient holy Doctours have taught as here the Iesuite telleth us that there is such profound knowledge and such deepâ— and unsearchable mysteries are â—aid downe in the Scriptures â—hat the people of the would ought to be debarred from reading judging and interpreting of them We allow the reading of them to the common people but the judging interpreting of them we say instrumentally subordinately under God doth belong unto the Pastors of the Church And in this we follow the practise of the primitive Church in which reading was allowed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto Children litle ones but judging interpreting unto those that had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wisedome to discerne As Eusebius n Euseb de prepar evang l. 12. recordeth it To prove this that the scriptures are not to be râ—ad by all because they containe such great mysteries as are not meet for all to read Clement of Alexandria is the only Author alleadged by the Iesuit but what doth Clement play on both sides too so the Iesuit would have him doe for * Pag. 155. even now he alleadged him to prove this That many mysteries are not opened in the scriptures which are read to the whole world lest the knowledge of them should become contemptible unto the common people by too much familiarity And now he alleadgeth him to prove this That there is profound knowledge and such unfear chable mysteries are laid downe in Scripture that the Scripture must not be read of all because all are not capable of that profound knowledge Are not these contradictions mysteries are opened in the Scriptures mysteries are not opened in the Scriptures The Scriptures are read to the whole world the Scriptures are not read to the whole world The common people 〈◊〉 knowen mysteries The common people 〈◊〉 not capable of the knowledge of those mysteries If the Iesuit to avoyd these contradictions which without all contradictioÌ„ are most false shall answer that he speakes not of all but only of some mysteries I would willingly learne why some mysteries should be fit to be written and some not Why some may be read some not why some should be contemned thorough too much knowledge some so unsearchable that they caÌ„not be known All that Clement saith is to this effect that the Pastors of Gods people ought to be carefull how they dispense the mysteries of Gods word of which some are as deep as a pit in which a man may drown and some are shallow of which the thirsty may drinke Shut therefore tâ—e fountâ—ine saith Clement and cover the pit from such aâ— are not capable of profound knowlâ—dge What doth he meane by this take away the Scriptures from the common people No how then shall the thirsty drinke And what shall become of those things in Scripture which are so shallow that every one may wade in them Take it then likewise away from many Preists who are not the wisest alwayes in the Parish and no more capable of those deepe and profound things then many of the common people but cover the pit That is let the Pastor teach according to the capacity of his hearers giving o Heb â— 13. milke unto babes and strong meate unto them of age So that in this Clement speaketh not of reading the Scriptures but of Preaching out of them by the teachers of Gods people This is the practise of our Church we give meat to every one and such meate as is meete to every one his portion in due season and yet the Iesuite chargeth us with thiâ—â— Nâ—w adayes among the Protestants all sorts of meats â—re Reply p. 15â— propounded unto the people and it is lawfull for every weake stomacke to glut it selâ—â— with the strongest meats and mysteries which S. Paul judged fit to be spoken of * 1. Cor. 2. 6. among the perfect onely If we sometimes doe glut our hearers with too much meat yet our fault is not so great as theirs who starve their people for want of meat who take away the sincerâ— milke of the word and feede them onely with the dâ—â—ffe of their owne inventions and with the lâ—â—â—kes of humanâ— Traditions With us you may finde Masters carefull of their servants Parents of their Children Pastors of their Novices catechising them to make them fit for stronger meate and before any may come to the Supper of the Lord which we account the strongest meat of all it is ordered by our Church that they first eate and dâ—gest learne and rememberâ— that Caâ—â—chisme published by authority You not onely neglect these things but even mocke and scoffe at them that doe them and those you admit to the greaâ—est mysterie that can bee to the Supper of the Lord who are so fâ—rre from being able to give an account of their faith that they know noâ— I speake it with griefe the very first principles of the word of God I am glad to heare the Iesuite confesse that with us are the strongest meats and mysteries which S. Paul judged fit to bee spoken of among the perfect onely With us are no unwritten doctrines and therefore unwritten Traditions are not the strongest meats but rather strong poyson not mysteries of Godlinesse but rather mysteries of iniquity And as the Heretickes in former ages so the Iesuites in these our dayes erre in citeing this text Wee speake wisedome among them that be perfect for unwritten Traditions In which S. Paul onely meaneth this that the doctrine of Christ which is preached unto all is not received alike of all when it is spoken unto a wicked and a carnall minded man it is by him accounted as foolishnes but when it is spokeÌ„ to a godly and spirituall minded man then it is accounted wisedome 11. The Iesuite proceedeth on to his second reason of debarâ—ing the common people from reading of the Scriptures because of the great inconveniences which come by allowing the Scriptures unto such Christ saith p Mat. 12. 29. Yee erre not knowing the Scriptures q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys in praeâ—at in Epist ad Rom. Infinite avils have sprung from henâ—e from ignorance of the Scriptures saith S. Chrysistomes And againe in a treatise written purposely of this point he sheweth at large that r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 Tom. â— edit Savil. The knowledge of the Scriptures is very profitâ—ble and freeth us from bâ—ndage and ignoranâ—â— And likewise that all evils did spring from this because the common people did not read the
Scriptures He expoundeth the words of our Lord Search the Scriptures in this mannâ—r Å¿ Idem hom 14 in Iohn Our Lord exhorted all the Iewes to search the Scriptures t 2. Pet. 1. 15 Yee dâ—e well saith S. Peter that ye take heâ—d unto them But thus saith the supposed Successor of S. Peter yee doe ill to read them for innumerable and great inconveniences come thereby Thus wee see a manifest opposition betwixt Christ and his supposed vicar betwixt the practise of the Primitive Church and of the now Roman Church Let the evils be never so great yet our taking away the Scriptures from the common people can be no more justified then your taking away the cuppe you may aswell take away meat and drinke from them because evill commeth sometimes by them you may aswell forbid them the hearing of the word as the reading of it seeing evill may come by preaching being misunderstood you may aswell take Christ from them because he is to some a rocke of offence and a stone to stumble at If this reason be good then take away the Scriptures from the Priests likewise yea rather from them because they may pervert the meaning of the Scriptures and not onely thereby fall themselves into evill but likewise draw Disciples after them And as * Bellarm. de Pontif. Rom. l. 1. c. â— Bellarmine observeth the Ring-leaders of the people into heresies have beene for the most part Bishops or Preists But will you heare the particular inconvâ—niâ—nces 1. Doth not the licentious liâ—â— of your people against Princes Reply p. 158. Pastors and Church shew plainely that which Sutor mentioneth This is a lye of the longest elevens Let the world judge whether obedience unto Princes be better taught and practised by us or by you A Princes Crowne cannot sit sure upon his head if this doctrine be true The Pope may depose Kings and dispose of their Kingdomes the which is defended by the Iesuite x Marian de Rege Regis institut Mariana and y I de abdicat Hennc 3 â—â— ascribed to Bucher Bucherus As for obedience unto Pastors and the Church setting aside that blinde obedience the common proverbe declareth what you are The nearer Rome the worse Christians 2. The losse of soules as * â—ee pag 2â— of tâ—e Reply Calvin confesseth that the Divell did gaine more â—oules by permitting the Scriptures to the vulgar Reply pag. 1â—â— sort then by kâ—eping the word from them Calvin speaketh onely of corrupt Translations as the Iesuite himselfe confesseth in the place cited what therefore Calvin saith of corrupt Translations that the Devill gained soules by them is rather true of yours then of ours for they are more corrupt then ours The vulgar Latine Translation upon which you dote so much that you preferre it before the Originall hath many corruptions of all sorts as a Bishop z Lindan de opt gener interp l. 3 c. 1. of yours confesseth Every old wife is able to chop Scripture with the best of you all You should rather pitty the ignorance of your owne silly women who are like those women spoken of by S. Paul a 2. Tim. 3. 7. who are never able to come to the knowledge of the truth Their ignorance I say you should rathâ—r pittie then envie the knowledge of our women whose glory it may be and not their shame that they are more skilfull in the Scriptures then many Iesuites and are able to discover your errors in many points of Divinitie Pamphilus approved this practice not onely in men but likewise in women for as Hierome recoâ—deth it b Scripturâ—s quoque sanctâ—â— non ad legendum tantum sed ad habendum tribuâ—bat promptissimè non â—olùm vitis sed foeminis quas vidisset lectioni deditas Hiâ—ron in Apol. cont Ruf. He gave most freely the holy Scriptures not onely to read but to keep them for their owne not onely unto men but likewise to as many women as hee saw did give themselves to reading In the conclusion of this Section he telleth us a tale of an olde wife They are living yet and perhaps your owne selfe are not ignorant of it who can testifie that one of your Predecessours in that dignitie which you once enjoyed being challenged for taking a second wife contrary to â—he presâ—ript of the Apostle ordaining that a * 1 Tim. 3. â—6 Bishop should be the husband but of one wife onely returned a short answer for himselfe out of the same Apostle * 1. Cor. 7. 9. that it was better to marry then to burne Reply p. 158. Choosing rather to separate S. Paul from S. Paul then his second wife from himselfe I know the person by your description the first letters of his name are G. M. His fame liveth after his death unto his glory and were hee living hâ— would have curried your cockscombe for this tale S. Augustine saith that Montauns the Hereticke was the first that condemned c August de Haeres ad Quodâ—ultd second marriage as fornication from him our Adversaries have received the same opinion S. Paul condemneth it not no not in a Bishop himselfe d Praecipitur â—t non nisi singulas â—no tempore habeant uxorea Hicron epist ad Ocean To avoyde the multiplicitie of wives which was common with the â—ewes at the same time it is commanded saith S. Hierome that they shall have but one wife at once If the Apostle allow one wife to a Bishop why doe you condemne that by your Traditions which God alloweth The forbidding of it crosseth the truth of the Scripture for the Scripture saith e Heb. 13. 4. Marriage is honorable among all men but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge And these Tradition mongers say marriage is damnable among some men but whore mongers and adulterers are not so Doe wee not see it among them that a Priest may not hold one benefice with one wife but hee may keepe two benefices with three concubines When Hildebrand an adulterous Pope resolved to bring in this doctrine of devils f 1. Tim. 4. 3. in forbidding of marriage the Clergy with one consent cryed out against him g Lambert Schaphnaburg hist an 1074. He was an Hereticke he forgat the sayings of our Lord All men cannot receive this saying And of his Apostle Hee that cannot abstaine let him marry for it is better to marry then to burne That renowned Prelate might answer the same for himselfe yet not separate S. Paul from S. Paul To conclude this Section dayly experience sheweth it that as greater inconveniences come by debarring the common people from the Scriptures then by admitting them to reade them so greater evils proceede from debarring Preists their wives then from the allowing of them Platina saw this long since therefore in the life of Pius Secundus he secondeth this Sacerdotibus magnâratione sublat â—â— nuptias majori restituâ—ndas There
and the Cuppe unto the common people In which although you cannot gaine the attestation of all the ages of the Church nor make those new inventioÌ„s to mount up against the curreÌ„t of antiquity yet we know can discover your sluâ—tish tricks in chopping changing in wresting wriâ—ging in boasting bragging of the testâ—monies of antiquity And surely whatsoever you say concerning the holy Scriptures had you any hope of attaining good successe as you have fathered false Traditions on the Apostles so you would not spare to invent false Scripture under the name of Canonicall Authors Wee know your good will by adding Apocryphall bookes unto Canonicall Scripture and by equalizing Papall Decrees and Ecclesiasticall Interpretations with the written word but it is not so easie a thing for you to bring in counterfeit Scriptures as counterfeit Traditions because the Scripture hath more helpes to hinder the effecting of it then Traditions have 1. The Scripture hath Gods providence to preserve it from addition aswell as from diminution but unwritten Traditions want Gods providence to preserve them either from the one or the other where shall wee finde those five bookes of Apostolicall Traditions written by Egesippus which you alledge against us As those are lost so wee may finde many volumes of false Traditions 2. The number of the Bookes of holy Scripture is so well knowne that none can adde unto it but it wil be presently discovered it is not so with unwritten Traditions the Pope himselfe cannot or will not lay downe the certaine definite number of unwritten Traditions and say These no more we hold as unwritten Traditions I desire the Iesuit to doe one thing nay I hold out the flag of desiance and avouch it that hee is not able to doe it To lay downe the definite number neither more nor lesse of unwritten Traditions If he ever reply againe let him not forget this Challenge but I know he dares not for his â—ares to doe it because this is the onely shift they have to colour their new Inventions It is a Tradition So that there may be an addition unto Traditions and yet by the number it shall not be discovered because the number is not yet nor shall hereafter be discovered 3. The Scripture is a thing it selfe extant in faâ—t alwayes visible and not trusting to the bare memory of man or to the attestation of others So that if any adde unto it it will testifie of it selfe and for it selfe but unwritten Traditions taking them at the best hand as they come from their first Authors 〈◊〉 things extant in fact nor alwayes visible but speaking the best of them trusting unto the bare memory of others so that others must testifie for them they cannot testifie for themselves and therefore they are more subject to addition even by those that testifie for them And thus wee have discovered his proofes to be false or impertinent and his three rules to be foolish or impossible That of S. Paul to the Thessalonians of Basil of Chrysostome and of the Councell of Gangers is * Paul to Thes Sect. 3. Divis 1. Basil Sect 6. Divis 10. Chrysost Sect 3 Divis 2. Conc Gang. Sect 9. Divis 2 already answered and now there remaineth onely the Curse thundred foorth by that cursed conventicle of Nice commonly called the second Councell of Nice * Conc Nic. 2. Act. 7. If any man contemne the Tradition of the Church which is authorised either by writing or by custome let him bee accursed 17. We are not nice to deny this conventicle of Nice Reply pag. 172 seeing it was called by an insolent woman Irene domineering over her husband was compacted of a sort of Idolaters and condemned by a better y concil Francos iuxta Maenum an 794. Walafrid Stra. Ado Viennens in Histos Councell This causelesse z Prov. 26. 2. curse we feare not it shall not come upon us but rather like Noahs dove it shall returne from whence it came We feare not Balaams curses though he doe vent them with Bell Booke and Candle for though they curse yet the a Psal 109 28. Lord will blesse But let all Tradition-mongers feare that dreadfull curse which the Lord pronounceth against all such as shall teach prater or contra otherwise or contrary wise then the Scripture expound the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as you will all such are beside the way or in a contrary way Let all such I say feare that curse written by S. Paul b Gal. 1. 8. If wee or an Angell from heaven preach otherwise unto you then that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed And lest you should thinke to avoyde this curse in saying S. Paul speaketh not of what was written but of what was preached S. Augustine forewarneth you thus c Si quis siâ—e d Châ—iâ—â—o sive de cius Ecclesia sive de quâ—â—un qâ—e aâ—iâ—â—e qâ—ae pertinet ad si dem vitamque nostram â—n dâ—câ—m si nos sed quâ—d Pau lu◠〈◊〉 it â— Aâ—gâ—us de câ— lâ— vob saâ—nun â—iaveâ—it prae â—â—rqua â—â— qâ—od in Scripturis legalibus eâ—angelicis accâ—pi stis anâ— themâ— sit Aug lib 3. cont liter Pe til c. 6. If any one concerning Christ or his Church or any other thing which â—elongeth unto faith and life I will not say if we but as Paul addeth if an Angell froâ— heaven preaâ—h unto you otherwise then what you have received in the writings of the law and the Gospell let him be accursed And who can declare what curse this iâ— for though there bee no unwritten Doctrines yet there are unwritten d Deut 2â— 6 curses Iâ— the Iesuite have any minde to reply againe let him beginne when he will he shall be answered for this time the combate is ended and the day is ours the Arke standeth and Dagon is fallen the great Fort of Popery is battered downe and all Popery tottereth at the â—all of it In this Adversary we have discovered many shifts but liâ—tle learning a spitefull heart a bâ—â—ter tongue and a brazen fâ—ce are his best arguments His whole discourse like an aiery meteor being composed of a deale of matter imperfectly mixed together is quite vanished as his proofes are weake â—o his position is wicked and therefore let nothing draw thee from Scripture to follow after other Doctrines but let that be the Lyains Lapis the touchstone of truth and then I will say of unwritten Traditions that which Saul said to Ionathan concerning his Kingdome e 1. Sam. 20 31. As long as the Sonne of Ishaâ— liveth thou shalt not be established oâ— thy Kingdome Faults to be amended In the Title page line 17. for were reade are IN the Epistle for Zeâ—â—crates reade Xenocraâ—es Pag. 2. lin 11. for fibolist reade fikher p. 5. lin 27 for that read thus p. 6. l. 2. for Iesuites read Iesuite p. 9 l. 19. for speak reade speake p. 11 l. 10. for as it reade as if it p. 16. l. 18. for Tradition read Traditions p. 1â— l. 32 for the read this p. 32 l. 4. for Leâ—sâ—us read Lenseâ—s p. 41. l. 35. for them reade him p. 54. l. 36. for handleth read â—oldeth p. 84. l. 8. for to to read to p. â—6 l. 6. for wrestling reade wresting p 87 l 24. for wrestle wrestling read wrest wresting p. 135. l. â— for not reade and p. 138. l. 21. for call reade call them p 160. l. 3. for our reade your p. 171 l. 12. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reade if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. â—69 l 36. for and the read and to this end the. In the margent P. 6 for 129 read 120. p. 9. for Chrysost reade Chrysol p 36. for sap reade sip p. 57. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 81. for 26. read 96. p 106 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 111. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 111. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 136. for 92 read c. 92 p. 140 for mandatur read mandantur p. 143. for c. â—â— reade 3â— p. 144. for fidelâ— reade fidelibus p. 147 for p. 164. read p. 156. p. 149. for hom 3. reade hom 31. p. 159. for Mat. 12. reade Mat. 2. Adde p. â—0 l 14. All that was inspired was preached p. 27 l. 23. blot out the comma betweene Euchariâ—t fasting and betweene Person Christ. p. 144. l. 30. and after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag 36 marg