Traditions Both false depositions both wrongfully imposed crimes A wrongfull crime it is that we traduce the Scriptures as vnperfect We graunt with Vincentius Lyrinensis Vincen. Lyâ—â—nen cap. 2. that the Canon of Scripture is perfect a perfect light and lanterne to our feet a perfect rule and direction of sayth if as he noteth the line of Propheticall and Apostolical interpretation be leuelled according to the square of the Ecclesiastical and Catholike sense As great a wrong that we cleaue to humane and vncertaine Traditions We anker on such as are diuine certaine and infallible authentically warranted by the rules himselfe approueth to descend from Christ or the Church his holy and vndoubted Spouse 17. A like wrongfull crime M. Sparkes fastneth vpon Sparks p. 82. 83. vs when he sayth That we preferre the authority of the Church the wife before Christ the husband that we make the written word of God inferiour in authority to the Church and to haue his Canonicall credit from thence Sure you are as Salomon censureth a guilfull witnesse who furnish your cause Prouerb cap. 14. Testis fidelis non mentitur Profert mendaciâ—â— dolosus testis Io. 4 3. Reg. 3. with such shamefull lyes When many belieued in Christ induced by the speach of the Samaritan woman was her authority prefeâ—â—ed before Christ When King Salomon decreed the infant for which the two harlots contended to belong to her whose bowells were moued at the sentence of his death did he make her therby the mother of the child or declare her to be the mother who was the mother indeed So when we imbrace Gods written word by the externall approbation and testimony of the Church answerable to that of S. Augustine Ego Euangelio non crederem c. I would not belieue the Ghospell vnles the authority of the Church moued me thereunto we extoll not the Aug con ep Fund cap. 5. voice of the Spouse before the voyce of Christ. Nor the Church when it defyneth any booke to be Canonicall Scripture doth giue it thereby diuine and Canonicall credit Bils part 4. pag â—81 Rem cont 1. pag. 619 6â—9 Field l. 4 Stapleton cont 5. de poâ— Eccles quaest â— but commaundeth that to be receaued by others as Canonicall which hath in itselfe Canonicall authority 18. Lastly our Aduersaryes arme themselues with the weapons of the Fathers and M. Bilson marshalleth six togeather in a rancke S. Athanasius S. Chrysostome S. Cyrill S. Ambrose S. Augustine and Vincentius who conformably mantaine the sufficiency of Scripture in all necessary points of fayth Many other to the like purpose are alleadged by M. Reynolds and M. Field To all which I answere First that the Scripture is taught to containe all things necessary to saluation as the vniuersal ground Cyril l. 12. c. vltimo Chrys ho. 3. in 2. Thes 2. Vincent aduersus prophan hae nouit c. 2. Bafil ep 80 Cyril de rect fide ad Regi Hieron in Psal 86. Aug. l 3. con lit Petil Tert. lib. cont haer Athan. l. cont Gent. Aug. l. 2. cap. 9. Rein in his conf c. 2. diuis 2. Aug. l. 10. de Gen. ad lit c. 23. Bils 4. par p. 582. 583. Field in appen 2. p. §. 8. Aug. l. 4. c. 24. Dio. l. Eâ—c bier c. vlt. Orig. in 12. Leuit. bom 8. in cap. 6. epist ad Rom. seed or roote from which whatsoeuer we belieue may either mediately or immediatly be gatheted as S. Cyril and S. Chrysostome auouch Secondly as it teacheth and directeth vs to the authority of the Church and doctrine of her Pastours by which euery point is of may be particulerly and clearely explained Thus Vincentius and others are to be interpreted Thirdly it is affirmed to containe all thinges and that nothing besides the Scripture is to be admitted to wit no priuate customes or particuler Traditions not agreeable or repugnant to the writen word as S. Basil S. Cyrill S. Hierome S. Augustines meaning is in his booke against Petilian Fourthly the Fathers often acknowledge the sufficiency of Scripture to conclude euen in plaine and expresse wordes certaine maine principles of our fayth as that God created all thinges of nothing of which Tertullian against Hermogenes That Christ is the true God That Idolls are not God of which Athanasius writeth Or they teach it clearely comprehends the chiefe articles of our Creed and ten Commandments of which S. Augustine only speaketh in his booke of Christian doctrine so often quoted by M. Reynolds 19. Besides which many other things are necessary to be imbraced as by Fathers Reason and Scripture I haue already conuinced and therfore will close vp my whole discourse with one or two sentences of S. Augustine and Origen S. Augustine sayth The custome of the Church in baptizing Infants is not at all to be belieued vnles it were an Apostolicall Tradition M. Bilson and M. Field haue no other shift to trauerse the euidence of this place then by accusing it of some secret corruption But what was he corrupted also in his booke of Baptisme against the Donatists where he repeateth it againe Was Dionysius was Origen corrupted too who sayth The Church receaued a Tradition from the Apostles to minister Baptisme also to Infants Was this other passage of S. Augustine corrupted likewise Aug. de Bap. con Donat. l. 5â— c. 23. It is an article of faith to belieue this Baptisme to be valide Orig. in c. 3. ad Tit. teste Pamphilo in Apol. prâ— Orig. of the validity of Baptisme ministred by Heretikes The Apostles commanded nothing hereof yet the custome which was opposed herein against Cyprian is to bebelieued to proceed from their Tradition euen as many things be which the whole Church holdeth and are therfore well belieued to be commanded of the Apostles although they be not written I may then conclude with Origen He is an Heretike who professeth himself to beleiue in Christ yet belieueth otherwise of the truth of Christian fayth then the definition of Ecclesiastic all Tradition containeth 20. Notwithstanding to reproue our Aduersaries and satisfy all indifferent Readers that we fly not to the succour of Traditions for want of proofes out of holy writ I will vphold the right of our cause in euery ensuing Controuersy as I promised in my Preface by the irreprouable testimonies of Gods written word THE THIRD CONTROVERSY WHEREIN The Reall Presence is maintayned against D. Bilson and D. Sparkes CHAP. I. AS the vnspeakable riches of Gods infinite loue in no mystery of our fayth appeareth more bountâ—full then in the true and reall Fresence of Christs sacred Body conteyned in the holy Eucharist so the vnsatiable malice of our deadly enemy no where more hatefully bewrayeth it selfe then in seeking to abolish this most blessed dreadfull and admirable Sacrament For besids the Armenians Messalians Grecians and Aquarians Althons de Cast l. 9. adu haer v Eucharist Aug. de haer Epiph haer 26. whose errours
in heauen Which words Valentine and Apollinaris misconstruing gainsayd the misteâ—ry See Medina introduct in â— p. q. 3. Thâ—op in hunc loc of Christs Incarnation and would needs haue his flesh to haue descended from heauen as his manhood after ascended thither Neyther did they want semblance of places the card of Protestancy to direct them for matching this text with another of S. Paul to the Ephesians they found coherence He that descended the same is also he Ephes c. 4. v. 10. that is ascended And least the obscurity of either might darken their vnderstanding they opened them both by this plaine obuious and euident sentence Primus homo de â— Cor. 15. v. 47. terra terrenus Secundus homo de caelo caelestis The first man of earth earthly the second man of heauen heauenly 19. Let our Ghospellers vaunt as long as they list of the perspicuity and patronage of Scripture neuer can they bring in any controuersy whatsoeuer so many in their behalfe or one so cleare a place as this Or if they could might they not be blinded might they not be inueigled as these impes of Satan were M. Fields opinion is they might We confesse sayth he that neyther conference Field l. 4. c. 19. pag. â—â—4 of places nor consideration of the things precedent and subsequent nor looking into the originalls are of any force vnlesse we find the things which we conceaue to be vaderstood and meant in the places interpreted to be consonant to the rule of fayth And this rule of fayth as he further teacheth must be tryed Field l. 4. ibid. pag. 242. eyther by the Generall practise of the Church the renowned of all ages or the Pastours of an Apostolicall Church Which to omit all other examples is clearly seene in the Translatours of our English Protestants Bible Who although they had skill in tongues studied Scriptures ransacked Originalls examined places yet rouing from the marke M. Field prescribeth most pitiously erred in their vulgar Translation Witnesse hereof 20. D. Reinolds who disputed against it in his Maiesties Rein. in the Conference at Hampt Court p. 45. 46 c. Burges in his Apol. sect 6. Carleile in his booke that Christ went not downe to Hellp 116. 144. Broughton in his epistle to the Counsel presence at Hampton Court M. Burges a man of the same sect who affirmeâ—h That the approued English Protestant translation hath many omissions many additions which sometyme obscureth sometyme peruerteth the sense M. Carleile another brother of this disordred crew hauing discouered many faults in the English Bible of them inferreth That the English Protestants in many places detort the Scriptures from their right sense and shew themselues to loue darknesse more then light and falshood more then truth They haue corrupted and depraued the sense obscured the truth deceaued the ignorant and supplanted the simple Likewise M. Broughton one of the chiefest Linguists amongst our late Precisians who not many yeares ago wrote an Epistle to the Lords of the Counsell which is yet extant desireth them to procure speedily a new translation Because that quoth he which is now in England is full of errours And in his aduertisment of Corruptions he denounceth to the Protestant Bishops Broughtoâ— in his Aduert to the Bishops That their publike translation of Scripturs into English is such as it peruerteth the text of the old Testament in 848. places And that it causeth millions of millions to reiect the new Testament and to runne to eternall flames 21. So that if these rare men furnished with so manifold helpes endued with the knowledge of sundry tongues guided by their owne rules to attaine the right sense and meaning of holy write and allowed by publike authority to translate the same swaâ—ued notwithstaÌ„ding sunke into the gulfe of such detestable errours what shall we thinke of others of meaner talents What hope can any one haue not to stray in this vast wildernes of conferring places And if the English Bible which now is commonly read in Churches and expounded in pulpits be euery where stayned with the spots of pestilent and pernicious falshood in what wofull case are they who credit it as the Oracle of God They who repayre vnto it as to the treasure of life the touchstone of truth They who neither vnderstanding the Greeke Latin or Hebrew ought to appeale in all doubts of fayth to the high Tribunall of this corrupted Iudge Whose sentence as their owne Ghospellers testify is depraued obscured detorted from the right sense deceaueth the ignorant supplanteth the simple peruerteth the text in so many places as it carrieth millions of millions to eternall flames Open therfore your eyes my beloued Countrymen and see in what daunger you liue daunger of receauing the doome of falshood the sentence of death in lieu of the soueraigne verdict of Gods sacred truth 22. Since the first edition of this worke was published I haue seene a certaine abrupt and broken answer secretly spread abroad to many of my former arguments the summe whereof is this That there is a great difference beweene the word of God and man for the later filleth the eare with the sound and the hearers mind with a like conceit cleare or obscure conformable to the signification it beareth but the word of God worketh not only in the eare immediatly but also in the Certaine shifts of the aduersaries refuted hart in such sort that although the exteriour word be darke and ambiguous yet by interiour inspiration it may produce a cleare conceit of the thing signifyed in the hearers mind By which means sayth this Respondent the spirit of God speaking in his diuine word and working interiourly in the hart is the supreme rule or Iudge of all Controuersyes By which meanes it heareth vnderstandeth explaineth and compelleth the Appellants to receaue thâ— sentence giuen By which meanes it causeth infallible certainty vttereth it selfe clearely manifestly condemneth the guilty persons and performeth such thinges as are necessary to the office of a Iudge So he Yet all in couert not deeming his reply polished inough for open view because our question is not what God may do or what his inspiration may produce but what he ordinarily doth and whome he hath established his ordinary Iudge in determining debates what publicke and vniuersal rule what infallible ground or foundation we haue of our beliefe which we ought to follow to which others are bound to submit themselues and by which we are alwayes directed the right way of Truth This is not as I haue shewed the outward word or the inward working of the holy Ghost in the harts of euery particuler man 1. Because the faythfull cannot without some other particuler help be infallibly assured of that inspiration or working of the holy Ghost whether it be naturall or supernaturall from God or not they cannot be infallibly assured that they truly conceaue the sense reuealed and belieue it a right
vtter Haeb. 5. 22. Ioan. 16. v. 12. And heerein they traced the footsteps of their Lord and Maister Iesus Christ who sayd to his Disciples Many thinges I haue to say to you but you cannot beare them now Whereupon S. Gregory Nazianzen affirmeth the Diuinity of the holy Ghost to be one of the misteryes Christ reuealed Greg. de theol orat â— not to his Disciples at that tyme. Which moued the Eunomians to tearme him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The vnwritten God Yea S. Paul himselfe referreth exhorteth recommendeth vnto vs besides his written word many vnwritten 1. ad Tim. c. vltimo 1. Cor. 11. 2. 2 Thes c. 2. 14. Bâ—sil de Spir. Sancto c. 29. Basil ibid. cap. 27. verityes To Timothy O Timothy keep the Depositum To the Corinthians I praise you brethren that in all thinges you be mindfull of me and as I haue deliuered vnto you keep my precepts or Traditions according to the Greeke To the Tessalonians Hold the Traditions which you haue learned whether it be by word or epistle Vpon which wordes S. Basil accounteth it Apostolike to perseuere firmely euen in vnwritten Traditions And a little before Of such articles of Religion as are kept and preached in the Church some were taught by the written word other some we haue receaued by the tradition of the Apostles deliuered vnto vs as it were from hand to hand in misteryes both which be of one force to godlines and these things no man wil deny S. Epiphanius cyting the forenamed place of S. Epiphan har 61. Chrysost in 2. ad Thess â—om 4. Hieron aduers Lucifer Orig. in proem l. â— de Prin. Aug ep 86. ad Casulan Paul sayth We must vse traditions for the Scripture conteyneth not all thinges and therefore the Apostles deliuered certaine things by writing certaine by Tradition S. Chrysostome vpon the same text The Apostles did not deliuer all thinges by writing but many thinges without and these be as worthy of credit as the other S. Hierome Although there were no authority oâ— proofe out of Scripture the consent of the whole world in this behalfe should stand in lieu of a precept For many other thinges also which by tradition are obserued in the Church haue gotten the force and strength of a written law Origen That truth is only to be belieued which in nothing swarueth from Ecclesiasticall tradition S. Augustine Concerning those thinges of which the Scripture maketh no mention the custome of Gods people or the constitutions of our Ancestours are to be held in place of a law 6. Some of these Fathers M. Reynoldes faythfully Reyn. conclus 1. p. 689. Reyn. ibid. pag. 620. cyteth yet for that they vtterly exclude his fond and fayned glosse of the Apostles wordes aboue mentioned he one while answereth I tooke not vpon me to controle them but let the Church iudge if they considered with aduice inough c. And some few leaues before of S. Basil and S. Epiphanins he malepartly protesteth They were deceaued But if they were deceaued S. Cyprian Tertullian S. Chrysostome S. Fulke against purgatory p. 362. 303. c. Vvhâ—tak de sacra Scriptura p. 678. 68â— 683. 685. Tertul. l. de cor mil. Chrys ho. 1. in Acta Hier l. coÌ„â— Lucif c. 4. ep 28. ad Licâ— Aug. de Ge ad lit l 20. cap. 23 â— Cor. 3. 20 lere 31. 33. Euseb l. r. de demâ—n cap. 8. Tull. l. de lâ—g Isocra ep ad Philip. Maced Hierome S. Augustine S. Leo whome M. Fulke and Whitaker reproue for affirming the like were likewise deceaued S. Paul himselfe was deceaued who for this cause tearmeth the Corinthians the Epistleof Christ written not with inke but with the Spirit of the liuing God not in tables of stone but in the tables carnall of the hart The holy Ghost also was deceaued who prophesing of the new Testament by the mouth of Ieremy sayth I will put my law into their bowels and in their harts will I write it The reasons are manifest because our harts are farre surer Registers of Gods word farre lesse subiect to destruction then leaues of paper Because it is not meet that the perfect documents of the new law of the law of spirit life and truth should be wholy figured in dead and senseles Characters Because the infinite knowledge of the holy Ghost daily teaching instructing his Church was not to be restrained to any limited volumes Because as new doubtes new cloudes of diffiâ—â—ltyes arise amongst vs so new beames of light new instructions or explications are needfull to cleare those mists Because precepts of manners as Tully obserueth are more sweetly sowed and engrafted in a Commonwealth by obseruation and custome then by restraint of Iawes Because as Isocrates teacheth the liuely voice oracles of the mind are more forcible to perswade of greater account and estimation then the records of writing 7. And therfore as the Romans locked vp in the Capitoll the Oracles of the Sybils and permitted them not Fenestella l. 1. cap 13. de magist Clemens Alex. strom 5. Dion Bas Eus vs infra 1. Cor. cap. 2. 6. Bils 2. part pag. 265. Reyn. conclus 1. Dyon Eccles hier cap. 1. Basil locis citatis Leo. ep 8. ad Flauia Euseb l. 1. de demonst euang c. 8. 1. Cor. 11. v. 2. 2. Thess 2. 14. 1. Tim. vlt. v. 20. 1. Cor. 2. 6. 1. Cor. 11. v. 34. Ad Tit. 1. v. 5. Haeb. 5. v. 11. Aug. l. â—onâ— epist Fund c. 4 5. to the view of any but only their Priests as the Aegyptians according to Clemens Alexandrinus report did not publish the knowledge of their diuine secretes but only to them as were to be aduanced either to Royall or Priestly dignity so S. Dionyse S. Basil and Eusebius witnesse that the Apostles thought meete to couer some hidden misteryes of our fayth from the contempt of the vulgar and by secret Tradition to deliuer them onely to such as were more fit and capable Of whome S. Paul sayd We speake wisedome among the perfect Notwithstanding M. Bilson cauelleth That albeit the Church had some Rites and Ceremonyes yet no matter of fayth sayth he Nothing necessary to saluation sayth M. Reynolds vnwritten Meere cauils For S. Dionyse calleth the concealed misteryes Chiefe and supersubstantiall S. Basil Principall parts of our Faith S. Leo Constitutions which appertaine to the pith and substance of fayth Eusebius All the precepts which Christ gaue as it were to the wiser and most spirituall sort of men which the testimonyes themselues seeme to pronounce For can we thinke the Traditions which S. Paul equally ballanced with his own Epistle the Depositum he so earnestly recommended to Timothy the wisedome he vttered among the perfect only and among such as were fit to teach others can we thinke the thinges he had to prescribe concerning the vse and administration of the Blessed Sacrament the forme he appointed about the ordering of Priests the speach
touching Christ so high so inexplicable so farre aboue the reach of the Iews were not necessary if not for euery particuler member yet for the saluation of the body of the Church 8. Moreouer to draw to some particuler issue First to belieue the Scriptures themselues the Ghospell of S. Iohn the Epstls of S. Paul al the books of holy Writ is necessary to saluation which notwithstanding we only know as S. Augustine teacheth by the Tradition of the Church Secondly to belieue imbrace the true sense of Scripture is necessarie to saluation which as S. Ambrose S. Ambser 25. 34. Iero Epist ad Mar. Cyp. lib. 1. Epist 12. Ierome S. Cyprian accord we are vndoubtedly taught by the Traditions of the Church Thirdly to beleeue the baptisme of Infants Fourthly the pepetuall virginity of our Blessed Lady Fistly the procession of the holy Ghost from the Father and the Son Sixtly The celebration of the Feast of Easter vpon a Sunday Seauenthly the Father to be vnbegotten Eightly the Sonne to be consubstantiall is necessary to saluation and yet where do we learne them but from the Traditions of the Church For although the substance of some of these points be Rein. c. 2. diuis 2. p. 51. 52. darkly insinuated in Holy Writ as M. Reynolds answereth to the latter instances and others reply to the former yet the precise termes and cleare explication the Aug. Ep. 174 â—â—n Max. Ari subuersion of errour and light of our profession we read not expressed as S. Augustine argueth in the diuine Scriptures 9. Lastly to be able to conuince heretikes is necessary to the saluation of the Church yet Tertullian and Vincentius Field l. citato Euseb l. 5. histor Lirinensis with whom D. Field also closeth herein shew that they cannot be refuted but by Tradition By which the same Tertullian repressed the Marcionists Irenaeus the Valentinians S. Cyprian the Nouatians Epiphanius the Apostolikes S. Hierome the Heluidians S. Augustine the Donatists and S. Athanasius which other Doctours of his Epiphani haer â—1 Beza con Trinitar Vvhitgift cont Cart. Barlow in the conference p. 10 13. p. 68. Beza epist Theol 8â— p. 334. 335. tyme the Arians Yea the Sectaries themselues at this day to refell their Aduersaries runne to the supply of vnwritten Traditions Beza against the Trinitaries Whitgift against Cartwight our Protestant ministers in the conference before the Kings Maiesty against the Puritans where by Tradition they proue Confirmation Absolution the signe of the Crosse in Baptisme and the like Beza addeth that without the tearmes of Essence Person Nature Property c. borrowed from men the blasphemous Arian Nestorian and Eutichian heresies cannot sufficiently be reproued In fine all you who professe the exact following of the written word against the same written word imbrace the Tradition and practise of the Church The word of God commaundeth vs to abstaine from bloud and strangled meates which all Christians obserued fot some hundred yeares togeather you contrary to the word of God contrary to the primitiue Church Act. 15. v. 20. Exod. 31. v. 17. Iere. 17. v. 24. Field l. 4. cap. 20. presume to feed on these forbidden meates only warranted by our Tradition The word of God commaundeth Saturday to be the Saboath-day of our Lord and to be kept holy as an euerlasting couenant you without any precept of Scripture to vse D. Fields owne words chaunge it into Sunday only authorized by our Tradition 10. Diuers English Puritans oppose against this point that the obseruation of Sunday is proued out of Scripture Act. â—0 vers 7. Out of the acts of the Apostles where it is said In the first of the Saboath when we were assembled to breake bread out of the first to the Corinthians In the Saboath let euery one of you put apart with himselfe out the Apocalips I was in spirit â— Cor. 16. v. 2. in the Dominicall day Haue they not spon a faire thrid in quoting these places If we should produce no better for Purgatory prayer for the dead inuocation of Saints the like they might haue good cause indeed to laugh Apoc. cap. â— v. 10. vs to scorne for where is it written that these were festiuall dayes in which those meetings were kept Or where is it ordayned they should be alwayes hereafter obserued Or which is the summe of all where is it decreed that the obseruation of our Lords day or of the first of the Saboath should abrogate abolish the sanctifying of the Saboath which God coÌ„manded euerlastingly to be kept Not one of these is expressed in the written word Notwithstanding such stuffe as this others bring to proue the Baptisme of infants also out of Scripture to wit Circumcision was ministred to infants but Baptisme succedeth in the place of Circumcision therefore Baptisme ought to be ministred vnto them Sure a subtile kind of reasoning Calu. l. 4. instis c. 16. §. 16. §. 6. 7. by which it followeth that women ought not to be baptized nor children neyther before nor after the eight day But women sayth Caluin are of the sanctified seed of Israel they are comprehended in the couenant made to Abraham They are so And are now in the new law conteyned therein as much as they were in the old How chaunceth it then they may not in these dayes be made heires of Gods promise without the Sacrament of Baptisme as well as in those without the seale of Circumcision if you haue no better auctority for baptizing female infants then the abrogated precept of Circumcision which neuer could oblige their sexe at all 11. M. Field wisely coÌ„sidering the force of these replyes Field l. 4. cap. 20. weake oppositions of his fellow-Ghospellers leauing them coÌ„plyeth with vs so far in this point as if the dregs of their foule ingredients had not filled his Pen he might haue beene graced with the name of a Catholike writer We admit sayth he first the bookes of Scripture Canonicall as deliuered by Tradition secondly the chiefe heads of Christian doctrine contained in the Creed thirdly the forme of Christian dostrine and distinct explication of many thinges somewhat obscurely contained in Scripture c. fourthly the continued practise of such thinges as are not expressed in Scripture fifthly such obseruations as are not particulerly commanded in Scripture Among these and the former he reckoneth the fast of Lent the Baptisme of Infants and Obseruation of our Lords day he addeth also some few leaues after That many other thinges there are which the Apostles doubtles deliuered by Tradition Such is the force of truth as is often breaketh forth out of the mouths of her enemyes 12. Well then if the sense and explication of many obscure places of Scripture if these chiefe heads and articles of our beliefe if diuers practices obseruations and sundry other things not decreed in Scripture are to be learned by Tradition euen by the testimony of
of Christ that euery Ibid. pag. 304. 2. ad Cor. cap. 5. Fulke in c. 5. 2. ad Cor sect 1. Matth. 12. S. Chrys in c. 15. 1. ad Cor. ho. 14. Fulke â—-Purg pag. 251. Iob. cap. 1. 4. Reg. 19. Chrys in Ep. ad Philip hom 3. Fulke ibid. p. 236. 237. one may receaue the proper thinges of his body c. M. Fulke answereth Augustine holding that errour without authority of Scripture that prayers were profitable to the dead is driuen to inuent a distinction how they may seeme to stand with this text not be contrary to the Scriptures S. Gregory and Venerable Bede conuinceth prayers for the Dead out of the place of S. Matthew cited aboue M. Fulke Gregory and Bede sought not the true meaning of Christ in this Scripture but the confirmation of their plausible errours S. Chrysostome produceth two seuerall places in confirmation thereof one out of Iob the other out of the booke of Kings M. Fulke to the former replyeth I deny not but that Chrysostome doth alleadge this example of Iob sacrificing for his children for prayers to profit the dead c. Those good men in that declyning state of the Church to superstition c. are driuen to such simple shifts to vphould their plausible errours as it is great pitty to see To the later Chrysostome alleadgeth Scripture but he applyeth it madly and yet he often applyeth it to the same purpose Then cyting the text out of the booke of Kings which S. Chrysostome bringeth he bemoaneth him in this sort Alas good man what manner of reason is this So he O Chrysostome ô Augustine ô Gregorie haue your prayers watchings trauels industry al your naturall tallents and supernaturall guifts in searching the true sense of Scripture beene so meanly imployed as they deserue to be controlled pittyed bemoaned now by the new Ghospellers new Apostles new Peters new Pauls of this our vnhappy age 21. But to pursue this matter against my Aduersaryes could a more shrewd Inditement be drawne to conuict M. Fulke of desperate audacity then this which is Idem in his confut of Purg. pag. 362. c. 303. 393. taken out of his owne wordes In challenging to himselfe the supreme Censour-ship of iudging reiecting and condemning Fathers Scriptures Traditions or whatsoeuer els doth distast his humour Or could a more indifferent Iury be impanelled to giue verdict of M. Fields hypocrisy then these his owne fellow-sectaryes who would neuer haue darkened the foresayd lights of the Church had they taught the same kind of Commemorating the dead which M. Field mentioneth and all Protestants defend For that would Sparkes haue renounced S. Augustine Spark p. 371. 372. Fulke in his confut of Purg. p. 349. in cap. 5. 1. ad Cor. sect 1. Calu. l. 3. Inst cap. 5. §. 10. Zuing. tom 1. Epicheresis de Can. Missae fol. 185. Field in oppend 1. par pag. 13. and deliuer of him He was greatly carryed by the sway and opinions of the multitude He went further then either he had warrant for out of the Canonicall Scriptures or out of any vnforged and vncounterfeited president Of that would M. Fulke haue sayd Augustine blindly defended it Augustine held it without authority of Scripture Of that would M. Caluin write The old Fathers wanted both commandment of God and authenticall example They were carryed away into errour euen as vnaduised lightnes of beliefe is wont to rob mens wits of Iudgement Of that would Zuinglius affirme If it be so as Augustine and Chrysostome say I do not thinke the Apostles for any other cause then to yield to their infirmity permitted some to pray for the Dead Would the fornamed and many other Protestants reprehend the Fathers disgrace the Apostles resist the current of all Antiquity for countenancing a point of Protestants profession No M. Field no man of sense can thinke your men so senslesse as to condemne in their Predecessours which themselues vphold 22. Neither can it be defended that this Prayer for the Dead reproued by your Ghospellers in the ancient Fathers was made by them as you seeke another way to escape Either for the mititagion of the paines of men in hell or for the admittance of the Iust into the Heauenly Pallace and presence of God out of some wrong conceit that no iudgment passed on them vntill the generall day of Resurrection For both these were particuler fancies of priuate men as you M. Field your selfe seem to auoch and it is euident to all that are Field in appen 1. part fol. 4. 12. 13. 16. Bulling Decad. 4. serm â—0 Fulke in his confut of Purg. p. 78. 310. acquainted with antiquity But the ancient Commemoration of the Dead reprehended by our new Reformers was generally receaued by all the Fathers It was as Bullinger writeth obserued in the vniuersall Church It was as M. Fulke sayth the common errour in S. Augustines and S. Ambroses dayes The preuailing custome as * Hospin in hist Sacra p. 167. Vrbanus Regius in 1. par operum in loc Commun c. 18. de Missae negotio f. 7â— Fulke in his answer to a counterfeit Cathol p. 44 Aug. l. 21. de ciu Dei c. 23. 24. de cura pro mort c. 1. another testifyeth in the tyme of S. Cyril The vniuersall obseruation as Vrbanus Rhegius reporteth and ancient custome of the whole Catholike Church Againe this is affirmed by the Fathers to be a Tradition of the Apostles which those errours neuer were 23. For gainesaying this as vnprofitable for the Dead Aerius was condemned as M. Fulke witnesseth yet neuer any was censured by the Church for deniall of those To mantaine this S. Augustine and others distinguish three sorts of men departed and make the middle only as I specifyed aboue partakers of benefit To allow those no such distinction is necessary for none are so euill whose paines may not be mitigated none so good whose ioyes may not be increased or felicity hastned Lastly this is confessed by our * Fulke in his confut of Purgat in the places before cited Kemnitius 3. p. exam pag. 93. 107. Vrbanus Regius part 1. operum in loc Commun cap. Casaubon in the answere to the epist of Card. Peron to the 3. instance fol. 33. in English Aduersaryes to haue beene defended by S. Dionyse S. Gregory Nazianzen S. Basil S. Athanasius S. Cyril S. Gregory Nissen S. Epiphanius S. Chrysostome S. Hierome S. Ambrose S. Augustine and many more who neuer dreamed but some of them stoutly impugned the former errours of which M. Field could not be ignorant 24. Therefore as I cannot but iudge him both a deep dissembler and deceitfull iugler in seeking these grosse and palpable euasions so I truely honour his Maiestyes plaine and sincere dealing who freely protesteth That it was a very ancient custome in the publike prayers of the Church to make commemoration of the deceased to desire of God rest for their soules
his seruants from Adam euen vntyll Moyses for the space of 2000. yeares without recording any one precept or instruction he gaue And when Iesus Christ his only Sonne came into this world he called his Apostles planted his Church Mar. 16. v. 15. Luc. 10. 16. Math. 18 v. 7. Matth. 23. v. 3. see S. Aug. ep 165. preached his heauenly doctrine yet neuer penned or so much as commaunded any one mystery to be written He gaue his Apostles commisson to preach the Ghospell to euery creature He charged vs to heare them as himself to giue eare to whatsoeuer they should teach or say But to giue credit only to what they should write he neuer gaue charge And therfore they preached many yeares conuerted thousands and deliuered vnto them the food of life before they compiled the bookes of Scripture as all our Aduersaries will confesse Yet sayth D. Reynolds after these bookes were once penned and published abroad all Reyn in his first Conclusion p. 616. things requisite to saluation are there conteyned which thus he laboureth to proue The Prophets taught the old Church the way of Saluation the Apostles with the Prophets togeather teach the new more plenteously fully The Doctrine of the Prophets Apostles is comprized in the holy Scripture the Scripture therfore teacheth the Church whatsoeuer is behoofull to Saluation Oh deceiptfull disputant who in so weighty a matter vseth such Sophistry How creepeth the Pronoune whatsoeuer into your conclusion not auouched in the premisses But if you will haue it vnderstood I denie your Minor I denie that the whole doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles is comprized in holy Scripture 2. To begin with the doctrine of the Prophets Moyses the first Scribe and chiefe Secretary of the holy Ghost was so farre from setting downe all thinges he receaued Orig ho. 5. in Num. Hilar. in Ps 2. from the mouth of God that whereas he was taught by him the law and true sense which is the life soule of the law the law he engrossed in writing but the sense and exposition thereof as Origen and S. Hilary affirme he secretly deliuered by inuiolable tradition to his Successours euen by the expresse will commandment of God as he seemed by Esdras whose testimony Esd â— 4. c. 14. v. 5. 6. as a most holy and learned man must needes beare sway in these plaine tearms to declare I haue disclosed vnto Moyses many meruailous things c. And I haue charged him saying These words shalt thou lay open and these shalt thou conceale Among which he concealed what meanes God prouided for the sauing and purging of women from originall infection what for children before the eight day of circumcision thinges not mentioned in Scripture as D. Field with Andradius willingly confesseth and proueth by Field l. 4. pag. 236. Andrad defen l. 2. the authority of S. Gregory That children then were saued by the faith of their parents Yet when Andradius inferreth that this at least could not be knowne but by Tradition D. Field reiecteth his inference as friuolous and sayth most fondly and contrary to himselfe That it was knowne and concluded out of the generall and common rules of reason and equity Field pag. 237. Most fondly For what necessary sequele haue the incomprehensible secrets of Gods hidden election in things supernatural with the common rules of naturall reason Are his wayes and meanes of saluation any way tyed to the discourse of man S. Paul who was rapt into the third heauen amiddest all his reuelations thought them farre aboue the reach of humane wit when he cryed out O alt tudo c. O the depth of the riches of Gods wisedome and knowledge how inscrutable are his iudgments and his wayes vnsearchable And were they made plaine before to Rom. 11. v. 33. the Iewes by the common rules of reason and equity Most contrary to himselfe because if the soueraigne and necessary meanes of sauing the aforesaid partyes not specifyed in holy writ be deduced from these general grouÌ„ds some behoofull thing necessary to saluation against Bilson against Reynoldes against himselfe is not conteined in Scripture 3. To these and such like close and hidden Traditions Eccles 8. v. 11. 12. King Salomon referred the Children of Israël when he sayd Let not passe the narration of thy elders for they haue beene taught by their fathers and of them thou shalt learne vnderstanding Of these King Dauid spake How many things hath Psal 77. â— he commanded our Fathers to make knowne to their children Of these the whole Scripture is so full as M. Reynolds and M. Bilson languishing in this Controuersy for want of proofs are faine to alleadge such texts to warrant their assertion as their aduersaryes might produce to diswarrant Rein. Con. â— p. 616. Bils 2. p. pag. 267. the same M. Reynolds obiecteth that saying of Moyses Giue eare O Israël to the ordinances which I teach Bilson that of Deutronomy Whatsoeuer I command that shall yee do Do not these places make for me What Rein pag. 616. 617. I teach what I command sayth God not what I write Reynoldes vrgeth out of Ieremy How Idolators are condemned for doing in their Sacrifices things which our Lord commanded Bils 2. paâ—â— pag. 206. Mala. 2. Bils 2. par p. 289. peruâ—â—ts this place translating the Priests lips should preserue wheras it is expresly in Hâ—brew jjâ—hmeru in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine custodieÌ„t shall preserue Ioan. ep 2. v 12. 1. Cor. cap. 11. â—4 not Which he commanded not I grant neither by word nor writing D. Bilson alleadgeth King Dauid How the word of God is a lanterne to our feete Reynolds cyteth Malachy Willing the people to remember the law of Moyses The word the law I confesse as well recorded in harts as printed in bookes which Malachy himselfe witnesseth The lipes of the Priests not the leaues of paper only shall keep or preserue knowledge and thou shalt require the law from his mouth Could they haue chosen better weapons for my aduantage then these they bring forth in their owne defence Perchance they reserue their forces to mantaine at least that after the Apostles and Euangelists penned their preaching nothing auailable to saluation is left vnwritten But their weaknes also heerein shall openly appeare as soon as I haue proued that the Apostles thought it not expedient to set downe all things in writing that they often referre vs to vnwritten Traditions that reason conuinceth the necessity of them and the Fathers mention many which we must needs imbrace 5. S. Iohn sayth Hauing more things to write vnto you I would not impart them by paper and inke S. Paul left some holy decrees and ordinances vnpenned of which he spake to the Corinthians The rest I will dispose when I come some deep points of Christs Priesthood insinuated to the Hebrewes Of whome I haue great speach and inexplicable to
so great a maister in Israel why blame you vs for approuing what your selues allow Why appeale you to Scripture alone and yet subscribe to such and so many points of fayth not comprised in Scripture Or if these Traditions be necessary to be imbraced what meane you M. Field to renounce others as ancient as behoofull as warrantable as these euen by the rules your selfe prescribe which are Field l. 4. cap. 19. pa. 242 Iran lib. 4. c. 32. â—ulke in his confut of Purgat p. 362. 303. 393. August tract 84. in Ioan. Chrys bo 21. in act Concil Nicen. 2. Damas lib. 4. c. 17. Hiero. con Vigil c. 2. Middlâ—ton Papis pag. â—34 Bils part 2. pag 265. Rom. 10. 17. Basil de spir Sanct. c. 27. Chris ho. 4. in â— Thes 5. Aug. Ep. 119 86. Field l. 4. cap. 20. Rein. conclus 1. pag. â—17 The authority and custome of the Church Consent of Fathers or testimony of an Apostolicall Church By these Irenaeus alloweth the new oblation of Christs body and bloud as a Tradition from the Apostles Why reiect you this Tertullian S. Cyprian S. Chrysostome S. Hierome S. Augustine approue as M. Fulke your great Golias granteth the Sacrifice and prayer for the dead as an Apostolicall traditioÌ„ Why disproue it you S. Augustiue S. Chrysostome admit a memory or Inuocation of Saints in the selfe same sacrifice Three hundred Fathers of the second Councell of Nice defend with S. Iohn Damascen the adoration of Images as a Tradition from the Apostles S. Hierome by the custome of the Church and consent of Fathers D. Fields rules for true Traditions mantaineth against Vigilantius the religious worship of holy Reliques By the same Tradition of the Church and consent of the Fathers M. Middleton auerreth vowes of Chastity to be obserued What meane you to make no reckoning of these Are you only priuiledged to admit or discard what Traditions you please to countenance or deface whatsoeuer you list But an ill cause without cosenage cannot be vpholden I acknowledge the shifts of pouerty and falshood 13. Against these vnanswerable grounds M. Bilson opposeth in this weake and impertinent manner Fayth is by hearing and hearing by the word of God therefore S. Paul alloweth not matters of faith vnwritten How often shall I repeate inculcate a truth that the word of God is partly written partly vnwritten and this as S. Basil S. Chrysostome S. Augustine affirme is as worthy to be credited as the other Which speach albeit M. Whitaker noteth in S Chrysostome as inconsiderate and vnworthy so great a Father yet M. Field approueth it and reason perswadeth it vnles you belieue that letters figured with inke and paper add awe of reuerence to Gods hidden verityes M. Reynolds obiecteth out of S. Iohn These thinges are written that yee may belieue that Iesus is Christ the Sonne of God and that belieuing you may haue life in his name Heereupon M. Reynolds inferreth Ioan. 20. v. vlt. that S. Iohns Ghospell alone is sufficient to faith and saluation What may not be proued where such illations go currant S. Iohn speaketh of signes and miracles M. Reynoldes extendeth himselfe to many other matters S. Iohn writeth there of one principall point of fayth he concludeth all necessary to saluation S. Iohn disputing against Cerinthus who denyed the diuinity of Christ affirmeth that he hath written sufficient to proue that Christ is the sonne of God M. Reynoldes arguing against vs forceth him to say that he hath written inough concerning that and all other necessary articles of our beliefe Againe if S. Iohns Ghospell alone haue sufficient to saluation needlesse are the rest of the Euangelists the Epistles of S. Paul of S. Peter of S. Iude the Reuelations of S. Iohn wholy needlesse If S. Iohns Ghospell alone haue sufficient the Natiuity and birth of Christ his Circumcision Apparition the Institution of our Lords supper and many other thinges of which S. Iohn writeth nothing are not necessary to saluation Which to confesse is vtterly to subuert all Christian Religion to deny is plainely to ouerthwart M. Reynoldes assertion Rein. con â— 1. p. 618 â— 619. 2. Cor. 3. 16. 14. Secondly he alleadgeth out of S. Paul That all Scripture inspired by God is profitable to teach argue c. That the man of God may be perfect instructed to euery good worke Our Aduersaryes boast much of the pregnancy of this place and yet if it made any thing in their behalfe it would conuince that all and euery Scripture euery Epistle euery Chapter euery sentence which is some Scripture were The Greek hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latin Omnis Al or euery auailable to these foresayd effects Which they perceauing resolue rather to abuse the word of God then loose the force of their argument when insteed of all or euery Scripture they most fraudulently translate the whole Scripture contrary both to the Greeke and Latin text But no deceite will serue to betray the truth The whole Scripture was not finished when S. Paul wrote that Epistle the Ghospell of S. Iohn which by it selfe alone as M. Reynolds auerreth â— sufficient to saluation the Apocalips and other bookes of Scripture were wanting at that tyme he could Rein. loc citat not then speake of the whole Scripture before the whole was extant or if he meant of the whole that was written it maketh nothing against vs. For S. Paul speaketh of the profitablenes of Scripture to instruct argue c. and not of 1. Tim. 4. v. 8. the sufficiency thereof Many thinges are profitable to promote vs to perfection which are not sufficient to atchieue the same Piety as S. Paul writeth is profitable to all thinges yet not alone sufficient nor only profitable You cannot deny but that rayne is profitable for the fruits of the earth yet without the labour of men fertility of soile heate of the sunne not sufficient to make them increase So as when M. Reynolds disgraceth this as a mincing distinction he discrediteth not vs but S. Paul for mincing in this manner 15. Fourthly others obiect That Christ reprehendeth the Traditions of men S. Paul condemneth them and S. Peter exempteth all Christians from them They mistake Christ Mat. 15. v. 9. Colos 2. v. 22. only reprehendeth the fond and friuolous Pharisaicall traditions or deprauations of the law called Deuteroses Of which also S. Peter speaketh or of the superstitious errours of the Gentils from which we are redeemed by the bloud of Christ S. Paul forewarneth vs of the vaine Sophismes 1. Pet. 1. â— 18. and fallacyes of the Philosophers which impaireth not the authority of our soueraigne and holy Traditions deriued from the Apostles and their successours inspired by the holy Ghost 16. Yet M. Field will needs endite vs of two hainous faults 1. That we charge the Scriptures with imperfection 2. Field l. 4. c. 15. That therfore we rely vpon humane interpretations and vncertaine