sword in the scabberd that is the true sense of the Scripture in the sheath of the letter The Scriptures doe not containe clearely all the mysteries of Religion for they were not giuen to that end to prescribe an absolute forme of faith but Tradition containes in it all truth it comprehends all the mysteries of faith and all the estate of Christian Religion and resolues all doubts which may arise concerning faith and from hence it will follow that Tradition is the Interpreter of all Scriptures the Iudge of all Controuersies the Remouer of all errors and from whose judgment we ought not to appeale to an other Iudge yea rather all Iudges are bound both to regard and follow her judgement Now if we looke backe and consider those blasphemous speeches vsed against the Scriptures and compare those passages with the reuerend regard they giue vnto Traditions wee cannot but conceiue there were some speciall reasons that induced the Pope Trent Councell to set Traditions in the first place Quam TraditionuÌ„ authoritateÌ„ si tollas nutare iam vacillare videbuntur Andrad de Orth. expli lib. 2. Andradius who well vnderstood the state of the Church of Rome being present at the making of that decree giues this generall lesson in their behalfe Many poynts of Romane doctrine would reele and totter if they were not supported by the helpe of Traditions But it may not bee forgotten Sutor de Translat Bibl. c. 22. their owne Monke Petrus de Sutor more particularly shewes one speciall cause why the Scriptures were denied vnto the lay people viz. Because many things being taught by the Romane Church and not contained in the Scriptures would more easily drawe the people from the traditions and obseruances of their Church And another reason why Traditions are in that speciall request aboue the Scriptures is rendred by their owne Bishop Canus Canus loc Theol lib. 3. cap. 3. Because Tradition is not onely of greater force against heretiques then the Scripture but almost all disputation with heretiques is to bee referred to Traditions Thus you see by the confessions of two learned Romanists there was great cause why traditions should haue the first place amongst the Articles of the Creed for the one saith they preuent the reading of the Scriptures which otherwise would discouer the doctrine of their Church the other saith they are more availeable then the Scriptures to confute the doctrine of heretiques These testimonies premised for the honour and authoritie of Papall Traditions let vs examine what are meant by Traditions and next which are those Traditions that are of that high esteeme in the Romane Church for if their Traditions bee of equall authoritie with the Scriptures and yet are not contained in the Scriptures there is great reason they should bee approoued by testimonies and witnesses aequiualent to the Scriptures Kellis Suruey l. 8. c. 3. Doctor Kellison tells vs that Tradition is nothing else but an opinion or custome of the Church not written in holy Scriptures but yet deliuered by the hands of the Church from time to time from Christians to Christians euen to the last age And Saint Austen declareth more properly VVhatsoeuer the Vniuersall Church doth hold Aug. lib 4. contra Donat c. 24. not being ordained by Councells but hath beene euer held that is beleeued most rightly to be an Apostolicall Tradition It appeares therefore that Papall Traditions which are of equall authority with the Scriptures must haue Vniuersalitie of Churches and consent of ages or to vse the wordes of their Trent Councell Such as are preserued by a continuall succession in the Catholike Church All doctrinall Traditions of this nature are receiued by the Reformed Churches for wee all professe with the same Father Conc. Trid. Sess 4. Whatsoeuer is vsed by the Church throughout all the world is to bee obserued and it would bee most insolent madnesse to dispute against the same Let vs heare therefore out of their owne mouthes what are those Traditions which are not written in any Apostolique Authour and yet haue those requisite conditions and speciall characters of the Roman Church viz. Antiquity Vniuersality and Succession Pet. à Soto in lib. cont Brentium Petrus à Soto giues vs to vnderstand that the sacrifice of the Altar the vnction of Chrysme Inuocation of Saints Prayers for the dead the Popes Supremacie Consecration of water in Baptisme the whole Sacrament of Confirmation Orders Matrimony Penance Extreame vnction Merit of workes Necessitie of satisfaction and confession to a Priest are all Traditions of the Romane Church Canis in Catech. c. 5. de precept Eccles Coster in refut script Wallesij antith 6. Canus loc Theol. li 3. ca. 3. Canisius and Costerus referre to Traditions the worship of Images set times of fasting all the Ceremonies of the Masse Melchior Canus tells vs the imploring helpe of holy Martyrs and celebrating their memories the worshipping of Images the consecrating and receiuing of the body and blood of Christ by the Priest the Sacraments of Confirmation and Orders not to bee reiterated are no where happily to bee found in Scriptures but amongst all the Romanists as it is obserued by reuerend Whitakers there is none doth so fully and punctually set downe the Traditions of the Romane Church as their Bishop Lindan who amongst other Traditions Whit. coÌ„tr 1. c. 5. quest 6. mentions the Reall presence the Communion vnder one kinde priuate Masse Indulgences Purgatory Peters liuing and dying at Rome All or most of these Traditions are substantiall and fundamentall poynts and the denyall of them makes a man an heretike in their Church Now it is very obseruable in the first place that no vnwritten Tradition hath any ground or foundation in the Scripture Peres de Tradit p 4. for Tradition is so taken saith Peresius that it is distinguished against the doctrine which is found in the Canonicall bookes of Scripture and consequently touching all or any of the Papall Traditions there is no vse at all of Scriptures Herein then stands the difference betwixt the Church of Rome and vs Multa pertinere ad Christianorum doctrinam et fideÌ„ quae nec apertè nec obscuâ—è in sacris literis coÌ„tinentur Canus loc Theol. ca. 3. fund 3. There are many things saith Canus belonging to the doctrine faith of Christians which are neyther contained in the sacred Scriptures manifestly or obscurely and this he vnderstands by the Traditions of his owne Church There is no point of Faith taught in our Church which is not expressely contained in the Scriptures or by necessarie consequence deduced from thence and if we receiue the witnesse of men yet the witnesse of God is greater 1. Ioh. 5.9 But that which is incongruous to common sense and altogether different from the Romish doctrine those men which generally professe that vnwritten Traditions are so called because they are distinguished from the word written as Bellarmine confesseth
whose eares are intirely affected towards Religion And in like manner Saint Austen made the like answere Quia etsi fortassè nomen ipsum non inueniret res tamē ipsa inveniretur quid est enim contentiosius quá vbi de re cōstat certare de nomine Aug. Epist 174. Albeit the word perhaps be not found there yet the thing it selfe is found and what more friuolous quarrell is it then to contend about the word when there is a certaintie of the thing I will not require of our aduersaries to shew mee in the Scriptures the word of Transubstantiation of Masse of Supremacie and the like because they receiue them as Traditions which are not conteined in the Scriptures but on the other side if any Romanist will deny that the Articles of the Apostles Creed are not contained in the Scriptures and yet will shew me in expresse words I beleeue in God the Father Almightie maker of heauen and earth or that the holy Catholike Church and Communion of Saints are the expresse wordes contained in the Scriptures I will subscribe to the Articles of the newe Romane Creed and allow all Papall Traditions for Apostolical For we doe not say that nothing is to bee beleeued de fide but what is written in the Scriptures in expresse termes but wee professe it must be directly or by necessary consequence deduced from the Scriptures It was the answere of Epiphanius to the disciples of Arius in the Primitiue Church Wee all of vs doe confesse the Father to be vnbegotten Epiphan haeres 69. nu 71. increate and it is surely an admirable saying but shew mee if you can where this saying is written for neither doeth the Law of Moses nor the Prophets nor yet the Apostles make any mention thereof If then we do piously acknowledge this saying though it were not written any where Idem haeres 75. who can find fault with vs though the word Coessentiall or Consubstantiall be not written As therefore we confesse the words Vnbegotten Increate Consubstantiall the word Trinitie and the like are not found in Scriptures so I thinke no Romanists will or can deny but that all those words are implyed in the Scripture or by necessary inference deduced from them To conclude therefore this second poynt and first Article of the Romane Creed since Papall Traditions haue no foundation in the Scripture nor are contained in any Apostolike author by our aduersaries confession since they want a continued succession from the Apostles time with vniuersalitie of Churches consent of Fathers since they are not resolued of a certaine and definite number of doctrinall Traditions which ought to be resolued in poynts of Faith Lastly since the Scriptures by the testimonies of both sides is the safest and furest rule for all beleeuers and since many Papall Traditions are different if not contrary to the Scriptures To follow vnknowne and vnwritten doctrines for knowne and written verities is Via dubia a doubtfull and vncertaine way it is Via deuia a wandring and By-way I proceed in the next place to the examination of the ancient Fathers whereby it shall appeare the Romish faith and doctrine as it wants Antiquitie and Vniuersalitie of Churches so likewise it is vtterly destitute of the consent of ancient Fathers SECT X. Our Aduersaries make great boast of the testimonies of the ancient Fathers in generall yet when they come to sifting particular poynts either by secret evasion they decline them or openly reiect them Cant. 1.7 and 6.1 TEll mee then O thou whom my soule loueth where thou feedest whither is thy beloued turned side that wee may seeke him with thee Shall wee seeke him in the Fathers Oh saith Campian If wee once name the Fathers Camp Rat. 5. the field is fought the wager is won on our side for they are all ours Yea saith Bristow In most matters of Controuersie they are so plain on our side Brist Mot. 14. that it cannot with any colour bee denied or called in question Yea Duraeus the Iesuit claimes a peculiar interest in the behalfe of the Roman Church Nos Patrū veri filii sumus Dur. coutr Whitak p. 125. 140. Wee onely are the true sonnes of the Fathers wee doe not cite them by the halues sometimes allowing one part of their doctrine sometimes reiecting another but we embrace them all And for confirmation of this assertion the Romanists in their Apologie or Petition of Lay Catholikes make this generall acclamation Apolog. or Pet. of Lay Cath. 1604. cap. 4. For one place of a Father sometimes ill cited sometimes falsified sometimes mutilated and sometimes wholly corrupted by Protestants we can produce a thousand not by patches and mammockes as they doe but whole pages whole chapters whole bookes and the vniforme consent of all the ancient Fathers and Catholique Church Thus the wicked Iewes claimed Abraham for their Father and thus the frantike Grecian claimed all the ships in Athens to bee his Thrasilaus when the poore man had least interest in them If Campian and his fellow Iesuites had been liuing in the dayes of the ancient Fathers surely they had been branded with the markes of heretikes for their false alarums for Carosus the Eutychian heretike although his claime reach not to all the Fathers Ego secundum expositionem trecentū octodecem Patrum sic credo c. Concil Chalc. Act. 4 p. 877. yet saith he according to the Exposition of three hundred and eighteene Fathers so I beleeue and in this faith was I baptized what should ye say more to mee I cannot tell And Dioscorus the heretike much like the Iesuit makes an open outcry in the Councell of Chalcedon Ego cum Patribus eiicior ego defendo Patrum dogmata ego horum habeo testimonia non simpliciter aut transitoriè sed in ipsorum libris expressum Concil Chalc. Act. 1. I haue the testimonies of the holy Fathers Athanasius Gregorie Cyril I varie not from them in any poynt I am throwne foorth and banished with the Fathers I defend the Fathers doctrine I haue their iudgement vttered not by chance or vnaduisedly but remaining expressed in their books Thus Paynims heretikes Iewes and Iesuits claime Antiquitie and Vniuersalitie in Traditions and Fathers yea the heretikes did glory and vaunt of the Fathers in the two famous Councels of Nice and Chalcedon in the very presence of the Fathers themselues yea Pelagius the heretike when he disagreed from the doctrine of the Fathers like a true Romanist thought to aduance his owne heresie by magnifying the Faith of Ambrose an ancient Father Blessed St. Ambrose saith he that Bishop Pelag. lib. 3. de lib. Arbitrio q. in whose bookes the Roman faith especially appeareth who like a beautifull flower shined amongst the Latine Writers whose faith and most pure vnderstāding of the scriptures the enemy himselfe dares not reprehend This is the very practise of the Romane church in these daies They glory
VIA DEVIA THE BY-WAY Mis-leading the weake and vnstable into dangerous paths of Error by colourable shewes of Apocryphall Scriptures vnwritten Traditions doubtfull Fathers ambiguous Councells and pretended Catholike Church Discouered By HVMFREY LYNDE Knight Scriptura Regula credendi certissima tutissimáque est Bell de Verb. Dei 40 1 cap 2. LONDON Printed by Aug. M. for ROB. MILBOVRNE and are to be sold at his Shop at the Grayhound in Pauls Churchyard 1630. TO THE INGENVOVS AND Moderat Romanists of this Kingdome H. L. Wisheth the knowledge of the Safe way that leadeth to eternall Happinesse CHristian is my name and Catholique is my Sirname the one I challenge from my Baptisme in Christs Church the other from my profession of All sauing Truâ—th in Gods Word If you question this my right or claime I will produce my Euidence out of ancient and vndoubted Records and ioyne Issue with you vpon the marks of your owne Church Antiquitie Vniuersalitie Succession and if I prooue not the Faith which I professe to bee Ancient and Catholike I will neither refuse the name nor punishment due to Heresie As touching the Visibilitie of our Church I haue answered your Iesuites Challenge by the Title of Via Tuta the Safe Way wherein I haue appealed to the best learned of your owne side both for the Antiquitie of our Religion and the Noueltie of your owne If you require further satisfaction in this point read peruse the Articles of our Church tell me without a preiudicate opinion if our Church was not Ancient Visible long before Luthers dayes Our 22. Bookes of Canonicall Scripture were they not published and receiued in all ages before Luther Our three Creeds The Apostles Nicene Athanatius Creed were they not anciently beleeued and generally receiued in the Church before Luther Our Liturgie and Book of Common Prayer was it not the same for substaÌ„ce which was taught and professed in the bosome of the Romane Church before Luther Our two Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords Supper were they not instituted by Christ were they not published and receiued in all ages before Luther These are the Foundations of our Church and all these in despight of malice it selfe must bee acknowledged by our aduersaries that they are taught by vs and were vniuersally receiued long before Luthers dayes And as touching the particular tenets of our Church opposite to your Trent Creed our spirituall receiuing of Christ by faith onely whereby wee are made truely and really partakers of Christs body crucified is agreeable to all Christian Confessions and taught by all antiquitie before Luther Our publique Communion of Priest with people had Antiquitie and Vniuersalitie in the best and first ages Bel. de Missa lib. 2. ca. 9 10. by Bellarmines confession long before Luther Our Prayer and Seruice in a knowne tongue was publiquely deliuered and anciently taught by Bellarmines confession long before Luther Bell de verbo Dei lib. 2. cap. 16. Our Communion in both kinds was instituted by Christ and continued in the Primitiue Churches by Bellarmines confession long before Luther Idem de Euch. lib. 4 cap. 24. Nay more the Psalmes of Dauid which vvee sing and some of you blasphemously tearme Geneua Iigges were in ancient vse amongst the common people long before Luther In Bethlem where Christ vvas borne turne whither thou wilt saith Hierome the Husbandman holding his Plough Hier. in 1. Epist 17. ad Marcel continually singeth Alleluia the Mower when hee sweateth and is wearie refresheth himselfe with Psalmes the Gardiner as hee dresseth his Vine with his hooke hath some piece of Dauid in his mouth These I say are the chiefe principles of our Religion these vvee holde vnder the Charter of the great King and all these by the testimonies of our aduersaries themselues were publikely known and generally practised long before Luthers dayes Doe you looke for an outvvard Forme of a glorious and Visible Church in obscure ages Doe you looke for A Citie vpon a Hill in the darke night of errour and ignorance I appeale to your ovvn consciences to vvhat purpose were the prophecies of Christ and his Apostles that the Church should flie into the wildernesse and lie hid there that Faith should not bee found on the earth that the time will come when they will not suffer wholsome doctrine but shal be giuen to Legends fables that some should giue heed to the spirit of errour and doctrine of Deuills that after a thousand yeeres Sathan should be let loose and deceiue the foure quarters of the earth were all these things foretold that it might bee fulfilled what was spoken are the thousand yeeres long since expired and yet shall vve thinke that none of these prophesies are accomplished Admit the man of Sinne bee not reuealed yet the Mysterie of iniquitie began to vvorke in the Apostles time and the Euangelist tells vs the tares vvhich the thiefe fovved in the night had almost choaked the good corne and lest there might be some expectation of a great multitude which shold assume the Title of an eminent and glorious Church our Sauiour himselfe by way of preuention cals his Church by the name of A little flocke Luke 12.32 as if a small number were the ancient Character of the true Church The malignaÌ„t Church hath many heretikes and hypocrites which indeed make a great noyse for a visible Church when as those wicked persons saith Austen although they seeme to bee in the Church August de Bapt. lib. 6. cap. 3. yet they appertaine not to the true Church That many are called is the Church visible that few are chosen is the Church inuisible Neither doe vvee hereby make two churches when we consider this Church after a two fold maner Bellar. de Eccles li. 3. cap. 15. In the Church something is beleeued some thing is seene we see that company of men which is the Church but that this coÌ„pany is the true Church we do not see it but beleeue it this is Bellarmines confession this is ours Againe looke back and take a briefe Suruey of the Church in seuerall ages It began with two in Paradise there remained in the flood but eight persons in that number there vvas an accursed Cham. In Sodome not ten persons nay scarce three righteous to be found there was but one Ioshua and Caleb of many thousands that entred the land of Canaan In the fiery trial but three children at the comming of Christ there was Simeon and Anna Ioseph and Mary Zacharie and Elizabeth and not many more knowne to bee sincere professours of Gods Trueth in the Church of Hierusalem In the Colledge of the Apostles there were but twelue and one was the sonne of perdition In the time of persecution for three hundred yeres after Christ Eusebius tels vs Euseb lib. 8 cap 2. the Church was ouerwhelmed to the ground and the Pastors of the Churches hid themselues heere
his heauenly Angels to witnes that notwithstanding you obtrude the invisibility of our church as a stumbling blocke to the ignorant notwithstaÌ„ding your great brags of an outward face of an eminent and glorious Romane Church yet your Trent faith and doctrine vvas far froÌ„ the knovvledge of Christ his Apostles nay more if any Iesuite or all the Iesuites aliue can proue your Roman Faith had Antiquity Vniuersalitie and Succession in al ages and that your Trent Articles were plainly commonly and continually taught receiued de Fide as Articles of Faith before Luther let all the Anathema's in your Trent Councel fall vpon my head And as touching the great noise and rumors of your Catholike Church if you wil consider and vveigh it vvith wisdom and moderation you shall find it wholly depends vpon tvvo doubtfull and vncertain coÌ„clusions viz. The Infallibilitie of the Pope and the Intention of the Priest These are but tvvo slender threds to vphold the Vniuersall faith of all Christians and therfore blame not vs if such things seeme harsh and vntunable in our eares that many millions of soules shold depend vpon the Infallibility of one man that man by your own supposall may draw vvith him innumerable soules to hell That man vvho hath the name and nature of Antichrist in his person in the one as he is against Christ and his doctrine in the other as he claimes to be Christs Vicar sit in his stead for the very name of Antichrist imports both Anti-Christ signifies Against Christ and to be in the place of Christ That man vpon vvhose forehead by the testimonies of learned Authors the vvord Mysterie Dr. Iames in his Epist Dedicatory of the Corruption of the Fathers c. the very mark of the Beast was sometimes writteÌ„ That man who is pointed at by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be that Antichrist by his habitation seated vpon seuen hills Reuel 17. That man who hath the character of the man of sin 2. Thess 2.4 which aduaÌ„ceth himselfe aboue all that are called Gods I haue said you are Gods Psal 82.6 viz the Kings and Princes of the earth That man who hath published the doctrine of Deuils 1. Tim 4. by forbidding of meats and Marriage vnto Priestes Lastly that man whose Infallibility Conc. Flor. in Decret Eugenij whose Succession whose Orders whose Baptisme and Christianitie it selfe depends vpon the Intention of a silly Priest Bell de Iustif li 3. â— 8 of whose Intention none can be assured by your owne confessions It is not the great souÌ„d of a visible Church that must outface the truth for the emptiest vessels make the greatest souÌ„d neither is it the name of Catholike which you wholly appropriate to your selues sufficient to proue your Church Catholike nay more your pretences of Scriptures of Traditions of Fathers of Councels of an Infallible Church are but figge-leaues to couer the nakednesse of your nevv borne faith for it shall appeare by this small Treatise that your chiefest scriptures on which you build your Trent doctrine are Apocryphal your Traditions which you haue equalled to the Scriptures are Apostaticall your Fathers which you assume for Interpreters of the Scriptures are spurious and counterfet your Councels which depend vpoÌ„ the Infallibilitie of the Popes iudgment are erronious doubtful and your preteÌ„ded Catholike Church which is made the onely rule of Faith is neither a whole nor yet a sound member of the Catholike and Vniuersall Body This way therefore which you take is a cloke colour to darken truth by outward shewes and specious pretences and therefore Via Deuia a vvandring and By-way Neither is it your bitternesse and inuectiues against a Lay man shall make me silent in Gods cause for I say with Moses Num. 12.29 Would God al the Lords people could prophecie and I hope there will neuer be wanting a Mildab a Medab to assist Moses and Aaron that may bee able to vindicate Gods Honor and Truth ease our painful Pastors and Ministers which most laboriously performe the work of an Euangelist and conuert soules by preaching which yours peruert by Controuersies of Disputations I hope I say there wil be alwaies some who wil publish to the shame of your Romish Pastors the palpable ignorance of the Laitie who with an implicite faith inuolued obedience resigne vp their sight and senses to blind guides Let the Trueth of God and his Church flourish no rayling accusation of an Aduersary shall deterre mee from my seruice to his cause In the meane time I will appeale to your own consciences whether it bee Catholike doctrine or sauour of Christian Charitie which your Iesuites teach viz. Haereticos non magis audiendos esse etiamsi vera et sacris literis coÌ„sentanea dicant aut doceant quaÌ„ Diobolum Mald. in Math. 16.6 That the Reformed Churches are no more to be heard then the deuill himselfe although they speake trueth and agreeable to the Scriptures nay more I speak it with shame and griefe Discept Tâ—â—ol Sect. 2. the Pope at this day allowes the Talmud of the Iewes and yet prohibites the Books of Protestants Giue mee leaue therefore to speake to you as somtime S. Austen spake to the Donatists Aug. contr Petâ—l lib. 3. cap. 59. If you will be wise vnderstand the trueth it is well if otherwise it shall not grieue mee that I haue taken this paines for you for though your hearts returne not to the peace of the Church yet my peace shall returne to mee in the Church The cause is Gods the labour is mine if you wil reade it impartially and can shew me any error clearely faithfully and moderately I wil make a work of Retractations and professe openly with righteous Iob Iob 31.35 36. O that mine aduersary would write a Booke against mee I would take it vpon my shoulder and bind it as a Crowne vnto me H. L. The Contents Sect. 1. THe safest and onely infallible way to finde out the true Church is by the Scriptures Pag. 1. Sect. 2. Our Aduersaries pretences from the obscuritie of Scriptures and inconueniences of the Lay peoples reading them answered p. 16. Sect. 3. The Scripture according to the Iudgement of the ancient Fathers is the sole Iudge of Controuersies and Interpreter of it selfe p. 43. Sect. 4. Our Aduersaries howsoeuer they pretend by taking an oath to make the Fathers Interpreters of the Scriptures yet indeed they make themselues sole Interpreters of Scriptures and Fathers p. 58 Sect. 5. The intire Canon of Scriptures which wee professe without the Apocryphall additions is confirmed by pregnant testimonies in all ages and most of them acknowledged by the Romanists themselues p. 86 Sect. 6. Our Aduersaries pretences from the Authorities of Fathers and Councels to proue the Apocryphall Bookes Canonicall answered p. 122 Sect. 7. The Romanists in poynt of Traditions contradict the truth and themselues grounding
Bell de verbo Dei lib. 4. c 2. do signifie that doctrine which is not written by the first Author in any Apostolique Booke either for want of a continued succession in their Traditions or to make the ignorant beleeue the Scripture makes in all poynts for them I say for those very points which they terme Traditions vnwritten they produce the Word written See the Gag of the Gospell as for instance Purgatory is termed an vnwritten Tradition and therefore by Bellarmines testimony is not to bee found in any Apostolike Author yet the Cardinall Bel. de Purgatorio for this very poynt cites twentie seuerall places in the written Word to prooue it Invocation of Saints is a Tradition vnwritten and therefore not to bee found in Scripture yet the Cardinall prooues it out of the Word written Bell. de sancta Bâ—at l. 1. c. 20. Goe to my seruant Iob and he will pray for thee The Communion in one kind is a Tradition vnwritten and therefore not to be found in any Apostolique Author yet Fisher Bishop of Rochester proues it out of the Word written Roffen advers Luth. Aâ—t 16. Giue vs this day our daily bread Prayer and Seruice in an vnknowne tongue is a Tradition vnwritten and therefore not to bee found in Scripture Ledes de diuin scrip quauis linâ—uâ non legendâ c. 22. yet Ledesma the Iesuite prooues it strongly out of the Word written Our Sauiour opened the booke of the Prophet Esay and afterwards closed it How poore and weake are these and the like authorities deduced from the Scriptures I leaue to euery mans iudgement but sure I am the number of their Traditions is vncertaine and the nature of them is destroyed by their owne Tenets when they confound the written word with their vnwritten Doctrines It was the ancient rule of Vincentius Lyrinensis In ipsâ Catholicâ Ecclesia magnopere curandum est vt id teneamus qd vbique qd semper quod ab omnibê° credituÌ„ hóc est enim verè proprieque Catholicum qd ipsa vis nominis raticque declarat VinceÌ„t Lyrin c. 3. In the Catholique Church we ought to bee carefull to hold that which hath been beleeued in all places at all times and of all persons for that is truely and properly Catholique which the force and reason of the name doth declare Those men therefore which assume the name of Catholique and accurse all those who receiue not Traditions with equall reuerence and authoritie with the Scriptures let them proue that their doctrinall Traditions before named haue been euer held and beleeued at all times in all places and of all persons let them proue they were receiued with the vniforme consent of Fathers let them proue they were decreed in a constant succession from age to age from Christians to Christians throughout the whol vniuersal Church These are requisite conditions and ancient characters of Apostolique Traditions But that there are any such or euer were in the Chuch of Rome excepting those onely which are expressely or by necessary consequence deduced from the word of God although they are daily pretended by them yet to this day were neuer proued And hence it is that for want of sure footing and foundation in the Scriptures many Rituall Traditions and Obseruations of the ancient Church are changed and many doctrinall Traditions and Constitutions of the Roman Church are newly brought in which are pretended to be ancient Touching Rituall Traditions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bass de Spirit sanct ca. 27. Saint Basil tels vs It was not lawfull for any man to kneele in the Church vpon the Sunday and this Traditionn saith he was giuen vnto vs in secret charge by the Apostles of Christ Yet this Tradition is altered St. Austen saith Betweene Easter and Whitsuntide it was not lawfull for any man to fast Aug. ad Casulanum by the Tradition of the Apostles yet this Tradition is abrogated Sententiae haec infantibê° Eucharistiam esse necessariam cercitèr sexentos annos viguit in Ecclesia Mald. Com. in Iohn 6. The giuing of the Eucharist to Infants was an ancient Tradition continued in the Church six hundred yeeres after Christ saith Maldonat yet this Tradition is abolished And as touching the doctrinall Traditions and Constitutions of their Church which are made of equall authoritie with the Scripture you shall scarcely find any of them I say confidently you shall finde none of them to haue been receiued de Fide as Articles of faith with the Vniuersalitie of Churches the consent of Fathers and continued succession of the now receiued doctrine in all ages That this may the more plainely apeare I will examine the Tenets of the Papall Traditions ab Initio and see what the Romane Church in generall and the Greeke Church in particular which for many hundred yeeres communicated in the same Faith with the Romane hath taught and beleeued concerning their doctrine SECT VIII The most generall pretended Traditions of the Romane Church were vtterly vnknown to the Greeke Church and want Antiquitie Vniuersalitie and Succession the proper markes of true Traditions in the Roman Church TO examin the foundation of the Greek Church let vs look vp to the time of the Apostles where wee shall finde S. Iohn writing to the seuen Churches in Asia Reuel 1 11 and Saint Paul sending his Epistles to the Corinthians to the Ephesians to the Thessalonians all principall members of the Greeke Church In these Churches according to the doctrine of the Apostles there is nothing that makes for the now Romane Faith and Doctrine but rather against it and that the Romanists may not vainely arrogate to themselues the title of Catholike and Vniuersall Church as if the whole Christian Faith were confined to the Bishop of Rome and his Diocesse it is plaine and euident that Saint Peter taught the word at Antioch Saint Andrew in Greece and Muscouie Saint Iames in Iudea Saint Iohn in Asia Saint Philip in Assyria Saint Thomas in India Saint Matthew in Aethiopia Saint Thaddeus in Armenia Saint Paul in all the countreyes from Arabia to Slauonia St. Bartholomew in Scythia Saint Simon in Persia Ioseph of Arimathea in Great Britaine and all these published the same Faith for substance which wee at this day professe in the Church of England Looke vpon the Greeke Church in generall Terra Graecorum vndique destinata est fides Aug. Ep. 178. Ep. 170. Saint Austen tells vs From the land of Grecia the faith into all places was spread abroad and in particular Saint Chrysostome tells vs The name of Christians beginning first from the citie of Antioch as from a spring hath flowed ouer the whole world And without doubt that famous Citie in Greece gaue the first name and title to the Christians and therefore was called Theopolis Antioch the Citie of God It cannot bee denyed that the Easterne Church is before Rome in time shee hath larger bounds and multitudes
doctrina cum nostra consonat Ecclesia Patr. resp 2. in init resp 1. p. 148. We giue thankes to God the Authour of all grace and wee reioyce with many others but especially in this that in many things your doctrine is agreeable to our Church And certainly we likewise haue great cause to reioyce in our owne behalfe and theirs that the Greeke Church hath continued the truth of our doctrine in all ages which plainely shewes the Antiquitie and Visibilitie of our Church in the affirmatiue poynts which we maintaine and the Noueltie of the Romane in those Negatiue opinions which we condemne If we looke beyond Luther we shall easily discerne that the Muscouites Armenians Egyptians Aethiopians and diuers other countreys and Nations all members of the Greeke Church taught our Doctrine from the Apostles time to ours This is so true an Euidence in our behalfe that Bellarmine as it were in disdaine of the Churches Bell. de ver Dei l 2. ca. vlt. in fine makes this answere We are no more moued with the examples of Muscouites Armenians Egyptians and Aethiopians then with the examples of Lutherans or Anabaptists and Caluinists for they are either heretiques or Schismatiques So that all Churches be they neuer so Catholique and ancient if they subscribe not to the now Romane Faith are eyther schismaticall or hereticall But let these men obserue what Rules they list let them brag of Antiquitie Vniuersalitie and Succession let them reiect the confessions of all Christian Churches but their owne yet shal they neuer be able to proue those vnwritten Traditions Apostolique and of equall authority with the Scriptures which contrary the doctrine of the Apostles or by consequence ouerthrowe the foundation of the written Word If the Apostle teach vs to pray with the spirit 1. Cor. 14. and to pray with the vnderstanding also how can prayer in an vnknowne tongue without vnderstanding be prooued a Tradition Apostolicall If the Apostle teach vs by the written Word that the Communion in both kinds extend to all beleeuers by the general words of Christ Drinke yee all of this How can the Communion in one kinde bee tearmed a Tradition Apostolical which imposeth the contrary on the Non Conficient Priest and the lay people Drinke ye none of this If the holy Spirit dictate by the mouth of an Apostle Search the Scriptures how can that doctrine be said to bee Apostolicall which inioynes the contrary to the lay people Search not the Scriptures If the written Word proclaime it for an Apostolike doctrine Vtrumque est maluÌ„ et nubere et vri imò â—eius est nubere quic quid reclameÌ„t aduersarii c. Bell. de Monach l. 2. c. 30. It is better marrie then burne how can that vnwritten Word bee tearmed a Tradition Apostolicall which teacheth the contrary It is better for a Priest to burne then marry If an Angel from heauen proclaime of the reall presence of Christs body He is risen he is not heere and the Apostle declares it for an Article of beliefe The Heauens containe him till his second comming How can the corporall and reall presence of Christ in the Sacrament be a Tradition Apostolicall which affirmeth that Christs body is conteined in the heauens and in a Pix at one and the same time If the Communion of the body and bloud of Christ be a common vnion of Priest and people and by the Apostles written Word Wee are all partakers of one Bread and one Cup how can Priuate Masse bee tearmed a Tradition Apostolicall wherein the Priest receiues the Bread and Cup alone without the people If God himselfe forbid by his Morall Law the worshipping of Images and the same Lawe stood in force with Christ and his Apostles how can that doctrine be made a poynt of Faith and termed a Tradition Apostolicall which on the contrary giues adoration to Images Lastly if an Angel from heauen forbids the worshipping of Angels by a particular instance in himselfe Worship not mee for I am thy fellow seruant How can it be reputed a Tradition Apostolicall and an Article of Faith Art 8. that the Saints reigning with Christ are to bee worshipped and prayed vnto These Papal Traditions vnwritten are different if not flatly opposite to the Word written and therefore I will say with Tertullian who answered the heretiques in his dayes Tert. praesc advers haeres c. 32. Their very doctrine it selfe being compared with the Apostolike by the diuersity and contrarietie thereof will pronounce that it had neither any Apostle for an Authour nor any man Apostolique Now if any Romanist shall take that poore exception and say their Tenets are not flat contrary to the Scriptures let him take his answere from Saint Chrysostome Non dixit si contraria annutiauerint aut si totuÌ„ Euangelium sub verterint sed si vel pauluÌ„ EuaÌ„gelizauerint prarer EuangeliuÌ„ qd accepistis etiaÌ„si quidvis labefactauerint Anathema sint Chrys in Galat. c. 1 Aug. in Ioh. Tra. 98 Saint Paul teacheth not saith hee if any man preach contrary to the Gospell or ouerthrow the whole Gospell but if they preach any little thing besides the Gospell hee hath receiued if hee ouerthrow any thing whatsoeuer it be let him be accursed I say therefore if this or the like vnwritten Traditions bee found praeterquà m or contraquà m either besides or contrary to the Scriptures as certainly most of their Traditions are I say it is impossible to reconcile them for Apostolike Traditions and consequently more absurd to equall them with the Scriptures and make them a partiall rule of faith for Although saith Tertullian Tertul. de praescâ— c. 26. the Apostles did deliuer some things vnto their domesticall friends as I may call them yet wee must not beleeue that they deliuered any such things as should bring in another rule of Faith different and repugnant to that which they generally propounded in publique as though they had preached one Lord in the Church another in their lodging To leaue therefore a certainty for an vncertaintie to forsake the written Word which is the safest and surest rule of beliefe for vnwritten Traditions which haue neither Antiquitie for their leader nor Vniuersality for their assurance nor Succession for their euidence this I say is Via dubia a doubtfull and vncertaine way this is Via Deuia a wandring and By-way SECT IX The Scriptures are a certaine safe and euident direction to the right way of Saluation and consequently to ground Faith vpon vnwritten Traditions is an obscure vncertaine and dangerous By-way I Confesse it for a trueth that in the first ages of the world the Ancients had the knowledge of God without writing and their memories by reason of their long liues were Registers instead of Bookes but afterwards when God had taken the posteritie of Iacob to bee his peculiar people the liues of men were shortned and therefore hee gaue them their lawes in writing which
writing was so true and perfect Non desunt aliqui Catholicorum qui negant nullū fuisse Traditionē non scriptā apud Iudaeos Bell. de verbo Dei non scrip l. 4. c. 8 that some Romanists confesse the Iewes had nothing pertaining to the knowledge and seruice of God that was not written And as in the creation of the world before the Sun was made the light was sustained and spread abroad by the incomprehensible power of God yet after the Sun was created God conueied the whole light of the world into the body of the Sun so that though the Moone and Starres should giue light yet they should shine with no other light but what they receiued from the Sunne Euen so in the constituti-of the Church howsoeuer God at first preserued and continued the knowledge of his truth by immediate reuelation from himselfe to some chosen men by whose ministerie hee would haue the same communicated to the rest yet when hee gaue his word in writing he conueyed into the bodie of the Scriptures the whole light of his Church so that albeit there should be Pastors Teachers therin to shine as starres to giue light to others yet they should giue no other light but what by the beames of the written Law was cast vpon them And that wee might haue good warranty for the written Word God himselfe shewed the first way by his owne example who with his owne finger wrote the Decalogue in tables of stone and saith Moses The Tables was the worke of God Exod. 32.16 and the writing was the writing of God vpon the Tables And as God was the first Author of writing in the old Law so our Sauiour Christ God and Man taught the same lesson by his owne example and direction in the New For when the Disciples wrote saith Austen what Christ shewed and said vnto them Cum illi scripserunt qua ille ostendit et dixit nequaquā dicendum est quod ipse nō scripserit c. Aug. de consens Euangel lib. 1. c. 35. it is not to be said that he did not write because the members wrought that which they learned by the inditing of the Head For whatsoeuer he would haue vs to reade of the things which he did and said he gaue in charge to them as his hands to write the same And thus one and the same Spirit that prescribed the old Law to Moses gaue also expresse charge to the Evangelist Saint Iohn Scribe Reuel 1.11.19 write these things And lastly the reason of this writing Saint Luke renders to Theophilus Luke 1.4 That thou mightst know the certaintie of those things wherein thou hast beene instructed Now as things written are of longer continuance and better assurance whereby we haue the certaintie of our faith and doctrine so likewise by that certainty we inioy the more safetie and for that cause the Apostle Saint Paul tells the Philippians that which hee deliuered by word of mouth being present Phil. 3.1 To write the same things saith he to me it is not grieuous but for you it is safe And this may be a good comfort for all beleeuing Protestants that wee haue these two benefits of the written Word by the doctrine of two Apostles Certaintie and Saftie Scriptura Regula credendi certissima tutissimaque est Bell. de verbo Dei lib. 1. cap. 2 Euseb li. 2. cap. 14. This doctrine was rightly obserued and earnestly pursued by the true beleeuers in the Primitiue Church in so much as it is obserued by Eusebius that the faithfull who had heard the preaching of Saint Peter not thinking that sufficient nor contented with the doctrine of that diuine preaching vnwritten most earnestly intreated Marke that hee would leaue them in writing the Commentaries or records of the doctrine which they had deliuered vnto them br word and ceased not till they had perswaded him thereto Now it is reported saith hee when the Apostle vnderstood this to haue beene done by the reuelation of the holy Ghost he ioyed much in the desire of those men by his authority warranted this Gospel in writing to the reading of the Church Here was a memorable example both for the Certaintie and Safetie of the Christian Faith the faithfull heare the Word of God yet fearing the vncertaintie of that which might bee deliuered vpon report from hand to hand they intreat Marke the Scholler and follower of Peter that hee would commit the same to writing this was performed accordingly and Saint Peter ioyed in the performance of it and withall testified by his approbation that their good motion proceeded from the Holy Ghost In like manner you shall obserue as the Apostle St. Paul wrote those things which he deliuerd by word of mouth to the Philippians so likewise hee deliuers the same things to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 15.3 which hee receiued according to the Scriptures And from hence wil arise a third benefit which is the grand point in question The Scriptures are alone sufficient without the helpe of Traditions for that which Saint Paul hath testified of the Church at Corinth and Philippi the same Nicephorus expresseth more particularly in these words Niceph. Eccles Hist lib. 2. ca. 34. What Saint Paul being present taught by word of mouth amongst the Corinthians Ephesians Galathians Colossians Philippians Thessalonians Iewes Romans and many other persons whereunto the holy Ghost sent him and whom hee begate in the faith of Christ the same things in his absence bee compendiously reuoketh into their memory by his Epistles written vnto them If therefore St. Paul set downe in his Epistles all that doctrine which hee deliuered by word of mouth to those seuerall Churches withall taught that doctrine which he receiued according to the Scriptures it will follow of necessitie that all things necessary to saluation are contained in the Scriptures for hee witnessed of himselfe I haue not shunned to declare all the Councell of God Acts 20.27 Let vs appeale to him touching the sufficiencie of the Scriptures First hee exhorts Timothy 2. Tim. 3.14 to continue in those things which hee had learned and had been assured of neither doth he tell him hee was assured of Traditions but plainly expresseth in that place his meaning of the Holy Scriptures and that it might appeare the Scriptures were not denyed by the Apostles to children and ignorant persons as it is now vsed in the Church of Rome hee testifieth in his behalfe that from a child hee had knowen the holy Scriptures Verse 15. and that it might yet further appeare the Scriptures were sufficient for his sauing knowledge without the helpe of Traditions he protesteth to him Ibidem that they were able to make him wise vnto saluation And lastly lest it might bee thought a particular instruction to Timothie alone and not to the rest of the faithfull he proclaimes the written Word as a generall rule and conclusion for all beleeuers
Vers 16.17 All Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproofe for correction for instruction in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished to all good workes So that if you regard the authoritie of the written word it came from God by inspiration if the vse of it it teacheth correcteth improueth if the end and perfection of it that the man of God might bee throughly furnished to euery good work Now whatsoeuer is so profitable vnto all these ends to make a man wise vnto saluation must needs bee sufficient of it selfe and the rather because there is nothing can bee wished for either to soundnesse and sinceritie of Faith or to integritie and godlinesse of life that is to mans perfection the way of saluation which the Scripture giuen by inspiration of God doeth not teach the faithfull seruants of Christ nay more if that which is written bee not sufficient by the beliefe whereof we may attaine to eternall life without doubt Saint Iohn the beloued Disciple of Christ would neuer haue told vs Iohn 20 31. These things are written that wee may beleeue and beleeuing we may haue eternall life I proceed to the examination of the ancient Fathers that out of the mouth of two or three witnesses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athan. orat cont Gen. in init Sufficiebat quideÌ„ credentibê° Dei sermo qui in aures nostras Euangelistae testimonie-traÌ„sfusus est quid enim in eodem SacrameÌ„to salutis humanae non continetur aut quid fit qd reliquuÌ„ est aut obseurum Plena sunt omnia vt à pleno et perfecto facta Hil. de Trin. l. 2 Tert. contr Hermo c. 22 that written Word may be established Athanasius the holy Father tells vs The holy Scriptures giuen by inspiration of God are of themselues sufficient to the discouery of the truth And as concerning the fulnesse of all truth which is reuealed in the Scriptures Saint Hillary assures vs that in his dayes The word of God did suffice the beleeuers yea saith he what is there concerning mans saluation that is not conteined in the Word of the Evangelist What doth it want What is there obscure in it All things there are full and perfect And Tertullian himselfe professeth that hee honoureth the fulnes of the Scriptures and denounceth a woe to Hermogenes the heretike if hee take ought from those things which are written or addeth to them And Saint Cyrill more expressely Non omnia qua Dominus fecit conscriptâ— sunt sed qua scribentes sufficere puturunt tam ad mores quam ad dogmata vt rectâ fide et operibus et virtute rutilantes ad regnum coeloruÌ„ perveniamus Cyr. in Ioh. li. 12 c. 68. In iis quae apertè in Scripturâ posita sunt inueniuntur illa omnia quae coÌ„ueninient fidem moresque viuendi Aug. de doct Christ lib. 2. cap. 9. All things saith he which Christ did are not written but those things are written which the Writers thought sufficient as well touching conuersation as Doctrine that shining with right faith and vertuous workes wee may attaine to the Kingdome of Heauen And Saint Austen giues his consent with the rest of the holy and ancient Fathers that In those things which are layd downe plainely in the Scriptures all those things are found which appertaine to Faith and direction of life And thus by the testimonies of the blessed Apostles and the consent of holy Fathers we haue certaintie we haue safetie wee haue assurance wee haue all sufficiencie in the Scriptures Surely the ancient Fathers did little dreame that the precious stones and timber on which the Church of Rome was first built should bee repayred in her decaying age with strawe and stubble of vnwritten doctrines and vnknowne Traditions Saint Cyprian that blessed Martyr was so farre from allowing Ecclesiasticall Traditions for a poynt of Faith that hee makes this Quaere Whence is this Tradition Vnde ista Traditio vtrumne de Dominica c ea enim facienda esse qua scripta sunt Deus testatur Cypr Epist 74. ad PoÌ„p is it deriued from the Lords authoritie or from the precepts of the Apostles for God willeth vs to doe those things which are written But this quaere is so distasted by Bellarmine that to this short demand hee returnes this sharpe answere Respondâ—o Cyprianum haec scripsisse euÌ„ errorem suum tuerâ— veilet ideò si more errantium tunc ratiocinaretur c. Bâ—◠〈◊〉 vet Dei li 4. ca. 11. Cyprian spake this when hee thought to defend his owne errour and therefore it is no maruell if hee erred in so reasoning yet wee may see what time and errours haue brought to passe those authorities of Scripture which the heretiques pretended for their vnwritten Traditions in the ancient Church are the very same which the Romanists at this day assume in behalfe of their Traditions Irenaeus tels vs that in his time the heretiques complained Iren. l. 3. c. 2 that they who were ignorant of Traditions could not find the trueth in the Scriptures for the truth was not deliuered by writing but by word of mouth And for proofe of their assertion they cite the words of Saint Paul We speake wisedome amongst them that be perfect 1. Cor. 2. Bellarmine alledgeth in this very Text Bell. de ver Dei l. 4. c. 8. to proue that many mysteries require silence that it is vnmeet they should be explained by the Scriptures and therefore are onely learned by Traditions Tertullian tells vs that the heretiques confessed indeed Tertul. de praescip advers haeres cap. 25. that the Apostles were ignorant of nothing but they say the Apostles reuealed not all things vnto all men And for proofe they cite the Word written O Timothy keepe that which is committed to thy trust In like manner Saint Austen tels vs that All foolish heretiques doe seeke to colour their deuices by the pretext of this Gospell Aug. in Ioh. Tract 97. 96. I haue yet many things to say vnto you but ye cannot beare them now But saith hee seeing Christ himselfe hath been silent of those things who of vs can say they are these and these or if hee dare say it how doth hee prooue it These and the like places are cited by Bellarmine and the Romanists Bell de vervo Dei li. 4. cap. 5. for the honour and authoritie of their vnwritten Traditions nay more they are vrged with such eagernesse in defence of their doctrine that some of them publikely professed Si Paulus ille Tharsensis c. Fauour Antiq pag. 275 If that same Paul of Tharsus the chiefe instrument of diuine Philosophie should condemne any Traditions of the Catholike Roman Church I would confidently prescribe him abandon him pronounce Anathema with direfull execrations against this Saul Waltram Bishop of Naumburg a principall member of the Romane Church and conuersant amongst the
Monks of former ages giues the reason which occasioned the Romanists of these later times to stand vpon iustification of their Traditions About the time the Deuill was let loose that is to say a thousand yeeres after Christ certaine Monkes saith he for the vpholding of Pope Hildebrands faction desired other doctrines Alienas doctrinas appetunt magisteria humana institutionis inducunt Lib. de vnit Eccles p. 233. and brought in masteries of humane Institution and to preuent the knowledge of the truth they permitted not yong men in their Monasteries to studie the sauing knowledge of the Scriptures to the end Vt inde ingenium nutriatur siliquis daemoniorum qua sunt consuetudines humanarū Traditionū Ibid. p. 228. that their rude wit might bee nourished with the huskes of deuils which are the customs of humane Traditions that being accustomed to such filth they might not taste how sweet the Lord was This learned Author giues vs to vnderstand that the vnwritten doctrines in the Roman Church were but filth and huskes of Deuils which without doubt the heretiques of former ages had scattered and left behind them And thus the Priests and Fryars haue receiued the doctrine of Traditions from the Monks the Monkes from the heretikes and both ioyntly sympathize with the heretike Eutyches in the generall Councell of Chalcedon and make one and the same generall acclamation Concil Cha. Act. 1 Thus I haue receiued of my forefathers thus I haue beleeued in this faith I was baptized and signed in the same haue I liued till this day and in the same I wish to die I speake not this to decline the authoritie of Apostolique Traditions for I know well the same Apostle who tels the Scriptures are able to make vs wise vnto saluation giues also this warning to the Church of Thessalonica stand fast 2. Thess 2.15 and hold the Traditions which yee haue been taught whether by word or our Epistle Here the Apostle calls his owne written Epistle a Tradition and for ought can appeare that which hee taught by word of mouth was but the word written for a man may teach one and the same doctrine diuers waies but what Protestant I pray did euer refuse to hold the traditions which Saint Paul and the rest of the Apostles taught by word of mouth Wee generally confesse that they were of equall authoritie with the Word written but who can tell vs what Traditions those were if they were not written We may grant without preiudice to our cause that Saint Paul deliuered more to the Thessalonians by word of mouth then was conteined in that Epistle although the words alleadged inforce no such thing for wee take not vpon vs to maintaine that the first Epistle to the Thessalonians contained all the doctrine to saluation but doth it therefore follow that he deliuered more vnto them then was contained in the whole Scriptures When Paul came to Thessalonica three Sabbath dayes saith the Text hee reasoned with them out of the Scriptures He taught them Acts 17.2 that it behooued Christ to suffer and rise againe from the dead and that Iesus was Christ and after that Acts 26.22 hee witnesseth both to small and great saying none other things then those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come Therfore whatsoeuer hee deliuered to the Thessalonians although it be not found in his written Epistle yet it must needs be contained in the holy Scriptures Againe if the Thessalonians had insisted onely vpon vnwritten Traditions yet the Apostle would by no meanes approoue of it for hee professeth that the Iewes of Beraea were more noble then those of Thessalonica and there he giues the reason for it Acts 17.11 In that they receiued the Word with all readinesse of mind and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so And hence we haue an example of the vndoubted Traditions of the Apostles themselues which were examined by the touchstone of the Scriptures but no man can shew me that euer the Scriptures were examined by vnwritten Traditions We say therefore that all vnwritten Traditions which concerne the saluation of the beleeuer are either immediately or at least by sound inference deriued from the Scriptures and those also haue a manifest and perpetuall testimony of the Primitiue Church and the vniforme consent of succeeding Christians in all ages And whereas our adversaries charge vs that we likewise holde doctrinall Traditions which haue no foūdation in the Scriptures as namely the Canon of the Scriptures the keeping of the Sabbath the baptizing of Infants and the perpetuall Virginitie of the blessed Virgin it is sufficiently apparant that these things are also deriued from the Scriptures for as wee deny not that the Canon of the Scripture may bee tearmed a Tradition in a large sense yet wee say euen that Tradition is deriued also from the testimony of the Apostle Saint Paul yea and of Christ himselfe who witnesseth that whatsoeuer he spake was written in the Law in the Prophets the Psalmes vnder which none of the Apocryphall Books are contained Touching the Sabbath day wee hold the obseruation of it to bee perpetuall Acts 20.7 1. Cor. 16.2 Reue. 1.10 and vnchangeable because we find it noted in the Scriptures Touching baptisme of Infants Bellarmine himselfe prooues it first from the proportion betweene Baptisme and Circumcision secondly from two places of Scripture Iohn 3.5 Math. 19.14 Lastly concerning the perpetuall Virginitie of Marie although for the honour and sanctitie of that blessed Virgin wee beleeue it Index Biblicus in Regiis Biblus vocabulo Maria multis scripturae locis significari perpetuam virginitatem Maria ostendit yet this doctrine is not de necessitate but de pietate fidei it is more for pious credulitie then for necessitie and yet if we require Scripture for it the Fathers proue it out of the 44 of Ezech. 2. as Hierome sheweth in his Commentaries vpon that place Now if any man list to be contentious and demand of vs where it is written that the Sonne of God is of the same substance with the Father Where is it written that Christ is God and man subsisting in one person Where is it written that the holy Ghost proceedeth from the Sonne as well as from the Father or where is the word Trinitie to bee found written in the whole body of the Scripture If any man shall deny the truth of these things because they are not plainly in the same words deliuered in the Scriptures what can his question argue lesse then a plaine cauilling and shifting of a knowne truth for as Athanasius in the like case answered the Arrians touching the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the substance with the Father Athan. Ep. quod decreta Synodi Nicaenae cōgruis verbis sunt exposita Albeit the word bee not found in the Scriptures yet it hath the same meaning that the Scriptures intend and import the same with them
example of life and instruction of manners but yet it doth not apply them to establish any doctrine Conc. Trid. Sess 4. Church of Rome If any shall refuse the books of Maccabees for Canonicall Scriptures let him be accursed In hoc volumine omnia quae crudiuÌ„t cuncta quae aedificant scripta coÌ„tineÌ„tur Greg. in Ezek. l. 1. Hom 9. Aâ—tic 6. Scripturae sine Traditionibê° nec fueruÌ„t simplicitèr necessaria nec sufficientes Bell. de ver D noÌ„ scrip c. 4. et Conc. Trid. Sess 4 decret 1. The sufficiencie of the Scriptures Gregory Whatsoeuer serueth for edification and instruction is conteined in the Volume of the Scriptures Church of England Holy Scriptures containe all things necessarie to saluation Church of Rome Scriptures without Traditions are neither simply necessary nor sufficient Reading of the Scriptures Gregorie The Scripture is an Epistle sent from God to his creature that is to Priest and people If thou receiuest a letter from an earthly King Greg. lib. 4. Epist 40. ad Theedor Medicum This instructioÌ„ was to a Physician a lay man thou wilt neuer rest nor sleepe before thou vnderstand it The King of Heauen and God of men and Angels hath sent his Letters vnto thee for the good of thy soule and yet thou neglectest the reading of them I pray thee therefore studie them and daily meditate of the words of thy Creator and learne the heart and mind of God in the words of God Church of England The Scriptures are Manna and gi-giuen vs from heauen to feed vs in the desert of this world Iewel in his Treatise of the holy Scriptures pag. 46. 47. Let vs reade them and behold them and reason of them and learne one of another what profit may come to vs by them for all haue right to heare the word of God all haue need to know the word of God Index lib. prohib in obseruat circa Regulam 4. Church of Rome Wheras it is manifest by experience that if the holy Bible should be permitted to be read in the vulgar tongue it would bring more danger then benefit by the rashnesse of men therefore they are forbidden to the common people See Hard. in Iewel Art 15. diuis 3. yea and to Regulars to reade or retaine any vulgar Translation without the licence of their Bishops or Inquisitor The Reall Presence Gregorie Preciosi saÌ„guinâ— effusione genus humanum Christus redemit sacrosancti viâ—â—sficies car poris sui sanguinis mysterium meÌ„bris suis tribuâ—â— cuius perceptione corpus suum qd est Ecclesia pascitur potatur abluitur sanctificatur Greg. in 6 Psal poenitent Christ with the effusion of his most precious blood redeemed mankind and giueth vnto his members the most holy mysteries of his quickening body and blood by the participation whereof his body which is the Church is nourished with meat and drinke and is washed and sanctified Here Gregorie makes a plaine difference betweene the body of Christ offered on the Crosse and the mysterie of that body offered in the Sacrament and that we might know it was not a corporall but a mysticall body he tels vs Christs Body is the Church and that wee might yet further know the members of Christ were not fed with reall flesh and blood for there is nothing more absurd saith Bellarmin then to think the substance of our flesh should bee nourished with the flesh of Christ Bellar. de Euch. lib. 2. cap 4. hee tels vs they are nourished with meat drinke and withall are washed and sanctified by the mysterie of his body And to remoue all imaginations of a carnal presence hee proclaimes it elsewhere in the words of an Angel Greg. Hom. in Euan 21 Hee is risen hee is not here Christ saith hee is not here in the presence of his flesh yet hee is absent no where by the presence of his Deitie Church of England The Body of Christ is giuen Iewel Art 5. p. 238. taken and eaten in the Supper onely after a heauenly and spirituall maner Wee seeke Christ aboue in heauen and imagine not him to bee bodily present vpon the earth Church of Rome Conc. Trid. Sess 13. c. 1. In the Sacrament of the Eucharist after consecration our Lord Iesus Christ true God and man is truely really and substantially contained vnder the forme of sensible things Si fuissent mille hostiae in mille locis eo tempore quo Christê° perpendit in cruce Cristê° fusset crucifiâ—ous in mille locis Holcot in Sententque Insomuch as Holcot the Iesuit professeth If there had been a thousand Hosts in a thousand places at that very time when Christ hung vpon the Crosse then had Christ been crucified in a thousand places Priuate Masse Gregorie Let not the Priest alone celebrate Masse for as hee cannot performe it without the presence of the Priest and people Sacerdos Missam solê° nequaquam celebret Greg. in lib. Capitulari cap. 7. apud Cassand Liturg. 33. p. 83. so likewise it ought not to bee performed by one alone for there ought to be present some to whom he ought to speake and who in like maner ought to answere him and hee must withall remember that saying of Christ Where two or three are gathered together in my name I will be present with them Church of England The breaking of bread which is now vsed in the Masse Iewel Art 1. in fine signifieth a distribution of the Sacrament vnto the people as Saint Austen saith vnto Paulinus It is broken to the end it may bee diuided Church of Rome If any shall say that Priuate Masses in which the Priest alone doth Sacramentally communicate Conc. Trid. Can. 8. Sess 22. are vnlawfull and therefore ought to bee abrogated let him bee accursed Communion in both kinds Gregorie You haue learned what the blood of the Lamb is not by hearing De Consecrat Dist 2. Qâ—iâ— sit sanguis §. but by drinking Againe The blood of Christ is not powred into the hands of vnbeleeuers but into the mouthes of the faithfull people Church of England The Cup of the Lord is not to bee denied to the lay people Artiâ— 30. for both the parts of the Lords Sacrament by Christs ordinance and commandement ought to be ministred to all Christian men alike Church of Rome Although our Sauiour did exhibite in both kinds Conc. Trid. cap. 3. Sess 21. yet if any shall say the holy Catholique Church was not induced for iust causes to communicate the lay people vnder one kinde and shall say they erred in so doing let him be accursed Merit of workes Sunt nonnulli qui saluos se suis viribê° exultaÌ„t suisque praecedentibus meritis redemptos se esse gloriantur quorum profectò assertio inuenitur sibinetipsis contraria quia dum Innocentes se asserunt et redemptos hoc ipsuÌ„ in se redeÌ„ptionis nomeÌ„ euacuant In 28 1. Iob l. 18. c.
1. Kings 21. the greatest number were Idolaters In Ieremies time the Priests and Prophets Ierem. 7.4 which were the chiefe in authoritie were false teachers yet like the Romanists in these dayes they cryed out The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord. 1 Kings 19.14 In the time of Elias there was a generall Apostacie in the Church of Israel insomuch that hee being a Prophet could not discerne it so that a visible and illustrious Church may appeare to bee the true Church when shee beareth but the visor and title of a true Church the Church of God may so lie hid that the principall members yea and eminent Pastors themselues may bee ignorant where to finde it for God hath not tied his Church to a visible company that are known to all to be true professors at all times neither hath hee commanded a Register to bee kept of their names that hee might call the Church after their names for if any should call for the names of professors in all ages nay if any one should demand but the name of any one of those seuen thousand which neuer bowed to Baal and were vnknowne to the Prophet himselfe it would seeme a mysterie vnsearchable and a man past finding out Neither was this backesliding or falling away in the Church caused for want of Gods promises for they were gracious far exceeding those promises to the Church of Rome The Prophet tells vs that the glorie of God did sit between the Cherubins in the Sanctuarie and God had promised that there should be his seat and yet the Priests did corrupt it with superstition God left the place without any Holinesse Hee extends his promises further I will walke saith he in the midst of you I will haue my Tabernacle amongst you for euer my name shall bee in Hierusalem I haue sanctified it that my name may be there for euer yet of this Church to which so many promises were annexed the Prophet complaines Esay 56.10 11. The watchmen are become blinde they do no good they are dumbe dogs they are shopheards that cannot vnderstand Now as you see the Extent and promises of his Church were large so you must know they were all alwayes annexed to a condition If you be my people if you serue mee if you walk in my commandements if you aske counsell at my mouth agreeable to the answer of the Prophet Osea Osea 4.6 Because thou hast reiected knowledge I will reiect thee that thou shalt be no Priest to mee seeing thou hast forgotten the Law of thy God I will also forget thy children Now as you haue heard the Law was perished from the Priests and Counsell frō the Ancients as if there had been a second deluge of People and Pastors so now the earth shall bring foorth her increase that is as Hierom expounds it the blessed Virgin which comes of the earth shall bring foorth the blessed fruit of her sanctified wombe that what was lost by the first Adam might bee repaired by the second and surely it was high time to rectifie the ancient Doctrine for the leauen of the Pharises had almost sowred the whole lumpe neither doth Christ deferre the time by reason of his minoritie for at 12 yeeres old hee disputeth with the great Rabbies in their Synagogues but obserue what entertainment they gaue him Hee calleth for a reformation of life and doctrine they replyed he would destroy the Temple he vrgeth and layeth open to them the Scriptures they plead their owne Traditions he discouers shewes vnto them their false glosses they answer he had a Deuill hee preached to them of the kingdome of heauen they accuse him for speaking against the Maiestie of Caesar yet this Church of Hierusalem if you regard Antiquitie they were descended from Abraham if Calling they were Priests and Scribes if Place their Temple was the LORDS House if Councels they had solemne Assemblies and meetings but if I should demand where or in whom was the true Church before Christs comming as our aduersaries question ours before Luthers they may answere the Iewes had a visible Church in regard of Gods promises Simeon Anna. Ioseph and Mary Zachary Elizabeth but I dare promise for them they can giue vs the names of a very small number Compare then the church of Hierusalem the Church of Rome together the Church of Hierusalem had her Priests and Caiphas the High Priest and Sacrifices and Councells and a Temple and Traditions and Moses Chaire and the Oracles of God The Church of Rome hath her Priests her Sacrifice of the Masse her Caiphas the Pope that is guided by the Spirit of prophecie shee hath her Temple Traditions and Peters Chaire and last of all because it is least with her in request she hath the Gospel of Christ Now when we cal vpon the Church for a reformation of doctrine they answer Their Church is Catholike cannot erre wee lay before them the word of God for a Rule to examine their Doctrine they answere the Word is not sufficient without the helpe of their Traditions wee shew them their false glosses in Exposition of the Scriptures they answere that it is the right of their Church to iudge of the true sense of the Scriptures But if we shall demand of them where or by whom all their twelue new Articles published within the memorie of man by Pope Pius the 4 were receiued and beleeued as Articles of Faith before the Councell of Trent I am more then confident they shall not find so many professors of that Faith and doctrine at Luthers comming as there were true beleeuers in the Church of Hierusalem at Christs comming And for the better manifestation of this Tenet I will beginne from the time of Christ and his Apostles and briefly relate the courses and changes the Visibilitie and obscurity the alteration and long wished for Reformation of the Roman Faith and Doctrine in all ages till the dayes of Luther SECT XXIIII The latencie and obscuritie of the true Church is prooued by pregnant testimonies of such who complained of corruptions and abuses and withall desired a Reformation in all ages from the time of Christ and his Apostles to the dayes of Luther 2 Thess 2.7 IN the First age the Apostle St. Paul giues vs to vnderstand that the Mysterie of iniquitie began to worke And St. Iohn tells vs of dangerous Heretiques in his time 1 Iob. 2.19 saying They went out from vs but they were not of vs. Now as Iniquitie did closely worke so likewise Errour began to spread it selfe insomuch as both those who were called and those also who were chosen by Christ did erre grieuously both in manners and doctrine and through their fall followed a latencie and obscuritie in the true Church Iudas erred in Manners being called when through couetounes hee betraied Christ The Apostles erred in Manners being chosen whē they forsooke Christ Nay more the Elect Apostles
to shew that there was a kind of necessitie for the latencie obscuritie of the true Church especially in the later ages because it was foretold by Christ and his Apostles in the first Age. SECT XXV The aforenamed corruptions and most remarkable declination of the Church of Rome in the later ages was foretold by Christ and his Apostles in the first Age. AS the complainants haue made knowne vnto vs that there was an Apostasie a falling away from the trueth in the later ages so likewise you shall obserue that they told nothing of the defection in the Church which was not foretold by Christ and his Apostles at that time when the Mysterie of Iniquitie began to worke whereby you shall see the one foretels the other answers the Apostles spake of errours and heresies that were to come the complainants tell you of errours and heresies that in their dayes were come vt impleretur that whatsoeuer was foretold might bee accomplished Now that the Church of Rome hath fallen frō her first puritie that she is that Church at which the Prophecies long since pointed and is now fallen that the Pope is that Man of Sin that sits in the Temple of God which was forespoken and that there is not neither can bee any other Church to which the Prophesies can fitly agree I wil compare the Romish Doctrine with those Prophesies that her Tenets in the Church may appeare to the Euidence of things foretold and her doctrine may appeare to be the accomplished Reuelation of St. Iohns Reuelation First then let vs examine by way of question and answer Whether the Church of God hath not fallen from her first sinceritie more or lesse in all ages How comes it to passe that the Pope of Rome assumes to himselfe the fulnes of power and is aduanced aboue the kings of the earth which are called Gods I haue said you are Gods Psal 82.6 It was foretold The Man of Sinne shall be reuealed which is an Aduersary ◠Thess 2.3 4. and is exalted aboue all that is called God and that is worshipped so that he as God sitteth in the Temple of God shewing himselfe that hee is God How comes it to passe that there are such lying wonders and false miracles wrought in the Church of Rome in these latter times It was foretold Math. 13 14 The sonne of perdition shal be reuealed whose comming is by the effectuall working of Satan 2 Thess 2 9 with all power and signes lying wonders How comes it to passe that the Shepheard of the flocke is become the wolfe and the chiefe Pastors teach peruerse doctrine to make Proselytes of their owne It was foretold After my departure Acts 20.29 grieuous wolues shall enter in among you not sparing the flocke and shall speake peruerse things to draw Disciples after them How comes it to passe that the common people are giuen to beleeue fables and reade Legends in stead of Scriptures It was foretold 2 Tim. 4.1 The time will come when they will not suffer holesome doctrine but hauing their eares itching shall after their owne lustes get them a heape of Teachers and shall turne their eares from the trueth and shall be giuen to Fables How comes it to passe that the Church of Rome makes a distinctiō of meats and forbids Marriage vnto Priests It was foretold In the later times some shall depart from the faith 1 Tim. 4.1 and giue heed to the spirit of errour and doctrine of Deuils forbidding to marry and commanding to abstaine from meats How comes it to passe that Indulgences and Pardons are granted for mony and made the treasure of the Church It was foretold There shall be false teachers among 〈◊〉 by whom the way of trueth shall be euill spoken of 2 Pet. 2.3 and through couetousnesse shall with fained words make merchandise of you Reu. 18.3 How comes it to passe that the number of the faithfull are so few that at all times they cannot easily be discerned It was foretold Luk. 18.8 When the Sonne of man commeth he shall not find faith vpon the earth 2 Thess 2.3 Againe The day shall not come except there bee a falling away first and that man of Sinne be reuealed How comes it to passe that the Deuil hath seduced the people in these latter aages It was foretold When a thousand yeeres are expired Reuel 20.7 Satan shall bee loosed out of his prison and shall goe to deceiue the people in the foure quarters of the earth How comes it to passe that the Church of God which is tearmed a Citie vpon a hill should bee obscured and scarcely discerned in these latter ages It was foretold Reuel 12.6 The woman fled into the wildernesse where she had a place prepared of God that they should feed her there How comes it to passe that in the time of peace and securitie errours were brought in by the enemy of the Gospel It was foretold While the husbandman slept Math. 13.25 there came the enemie and sowed the tares among the wheat and the enemy was the Deuill Lastly how comes it to passe that we haue made a departure from the Church of Rome Vt impleretur that it might bee fulfilled which was spoken Reue. 18.4 Goe out of her my people that yee be not partaker of her sinnes and that ye receiue not of her plagues And certainly all these sayings are come to passe that not one jott of his word should passe not fulfilled so that wee see not any things fulfilled in the Church of Rome which were not foretold neither was any thing foretold but in the fulnesse of time shall bee accomplished SECT XXVI The Conclusion of this Treatise shewing in sundrie particulars the certaintie and safetie of the Protestant and the vncertaintie and danger of the Romish Way THe Philosopher tels vs that Trueth and Falshood are neere neighbours the outmost postes of their doores are both alike yet their way is contrary for the one leadeth vnto life the other vnto death If we shal inquire further how to distinguish the house of Truth from the house of Errour hee giues this Character The doore of Falshood is painted and beautifully adorned but the doore of Trueth is plaine and homely and heereby it appeares that many times men are deceiued and mistake the doore and goe into Errours house when they seeke the Trueth These two wayes I haue briefly suruayed and distinguished by two seuerall Titles The Safe way an◠The By way The one like the house of Trueth is plaine and naked and knowne only by the Scriptures and this is Via Tuta a certaine Safe way The other like the house of Falsehood is adorned with specious shewes and colourable pretences of Traditions of Fathers of Coūcels of a pompous outside of an eminent and glorious Church and this is Via Deuia an vncertaine and By-way Let vs looke back and take a short view of the
most of their erronious Doctrine vpon vnwritten Traditions and yet frequently alledge the written Word for them p. 144 Sect. 8. The most generall pretended Traditions of the Romane Church were vtterly vnknown to the Greeke Church and want Antiquitie Vniuersalitie and Succession the proper markes of true Traditions in the Roman Church p. 167 Sect. 9. The Scriptures are a certaine safe and euident direction to the right way of Saluation and consequently to ground Faith vpon vnwritten Traditions is an obscure vncertaine and dangerous By way p. 245 Sect. 10. Our Aduersaries make great boast of the Testimonies of the ancient Fathers in generall yet when they come to fifting particular poynts either by secret evasion they decline them or openly reiect them p. 280 Sect. 11. The most substantiall poynts of Romaine Faith and Doctrine as they are now taught and receiued in the Church of Rome were neuer taught by the Primitiue Church nor receiued by the ancient Fathers p. 307 Sect. 12. Saint Augustine in particular is much disparaged by the Romanists and for instance in many seuerall poynts of moment wherein hee professedly concurreth with vs is expressely reiected by them p. 335 Sect. 13. Saint Gregorie pretended to be the Founder of the Romane Religion in England by sending Austen the Monke for conversion of this nation in his vndoubted writings directly opposeth the Romish Faith in the maine poynts thereof p. 347 Sect. 14. Councels which are so highly extold and opposed against vs were neither called by lawfull authoritie or to the right ends as is confessed by the ingenuous Romanists p. 370 Sect. 15. Councells which our Aduersaries pretend as a chiefe Bulwark of their faith giue no support at all to the Romish Religion as it is proued by particular obiections made against seuerall Councels in all ages by the Romanists themselues p. 386 Sect. 16. The Councell of Trent which is the maine Pillar and last resolution of the Roman faith is of small or no credit at all because it was neither lawfully called nor free nor generall nor generally receiued by the Romanists themselues p. 420 Sect. 17. In the Roman Church which our aduersaries so highly extoll aboue the Scriptures there is neither safetie nor certaintie whether they vnderstand the Essentiall or Representatiue or the Virtuall or the Consistoriall Church p. 452 Sect. 18. The most common Plea of the Romanists drawne from the Infallibilitie Authoritie and Title of the Catholike Church is proued to bee false vaine and friuolous p. 468 Sect. 19. The Church which our Aduersaries so much magnifie among themselues is finally resolued into the Pope whom they make both the Husband and the Spouse the Head and the Body of the Church p. 496 Sect. 20. The Church is finally resolued into the Pope who wants both Personall and Doctrinall succession as appeares by seuerall instances and exceptions both in matters of Fact and matters of Faith p. 513 Sect. 21. The infallibilitie of the Popes Iudgement which is made the Rule of Faith to determine all Controuersies is not yet determined by the learned Romanistes amongst themselues p. 545 Sect. 22. The Church vpon which the learned Romanists ground their Faith is no other then the Pope and the Church vpon which the vnlearned Romanists doe relie is no other then their Parish Priest p. 572 Sect. 23. Eminent and perpetuall Visibilitie is no certaine Note of the true Church but the contrary rather as it is prooued by instances from Adam to Christ p. 592 Sect 24. The Latencie and obscuritie of the true Church is pâ—ooued by pregnant testimonies of such who complained of corruptions and abuses and withall decreed a Reformation in all ages from the time of Christ and his Apostles to the dayes of Luther p. 610 Sect. 25. The aforenamed corruptions and most remarkable declination of the Church of Rome in the later ages was foretold by Christ and his Apostles in the first Age. p. 666 Sect. 26. The Conclusion of this Treatise shewing in sundrie particulars the certaintie and safetie of the Protestant and the vncertaintie and danger of the Romish Way p. 675 VIA DEVIA THE BY-VVAY SECT I. The safest and onely infallible way to finde out the true Church is by the Scripture WHen the Donatists in the most flourishing times of Christian Religion arrogantly and presumptuously appropriated the Catholique and Vniuersall Church to their haereticall and particular faction St. Austen encountring them Quaestio est vbi sit Ecclesia quid ergo facturi sumus an inverbis nostris eaÌ„ qua situri an in verbis capitis sui Dom. nostri Iesu Christi Puto quod in illius potius verbis eam quaerere debemus quia veritas est nouit corpus suuÌ„ Aug. de vnit Eccles cap. 2. states the poynt of Controuersie in this maner The question is where the Church should bee what then shall we doe shall wee seeke it in our owne wordes or in the words of our Lord Iesus In my iudgement we ought rather to seeke the Church in his owne words for that he is the truth and knoweth his owne body You haue heard the question propounded and answered by the Oracle of that age Such is the difference at this day betwixt the Church of Rome and vs and I heartily wish wee might ioine issue with them vpon the like tearmes and both agree with one vnanimous consent to seeke the Church of God in the word of God then should wee be gathered as sheep to one sheep-fold and the weake in faith should be receiued not to doubtfull disputations but to the reading of the Scriptures and they that now question the Visibilitie of our Church before Luther would first examine the infallibilitie of their owne by the Touchstone of the Gospell and the rather because it is agreed on both sides that whatsoeuer Church professeth that faith and doctrine which Christ and his Apostles taught in the first age the same Church and doctrine hath continued more or lesse visible in all ages But to returne to the Donatists Cant. 1.7 When Christ in the Canticles demanded of his Spouse where she rested Meridie at Noone-day the Donatists concluded Christs question with their owne answere that the Church did rest Meridie and that was in the South from this ground excluded all other Churches but their owne in the South of Africk The Donatists claime was seemingly deriued from the authoritie of the Scriptures for Donatus and Austen heretique and Catholique both vrge the Scriptures but obserue the difference Saint Austen puts the whole issue of his cause vpon the Scripture the Donatists claimed their doctrine by the publique voyces of the Africans they assumed to themselues the title of the Catholike Church they magnified the Councels of their Bishops they gloried in their frequent though fained miracles these were the principall grounds of their Church Remotis ergo omnibus talibus Ecclesiam suaÌ„ demonstrant si possunt non in sermonibus rumoribus Afrorum
we haue the Councell of Laodicca in the Primitiue Church generally receiued and aftewards confirmed by a general Councel since wee haue the consent of the ancient Fathers and the ample testimonies of Bishops and Cardinals and learned Writers in the bosome of the Roman Church who witnesse with vs the Antiquity and Vniuersality of our Canon in all ages I hope wee may with good reason reiect the Apocryphall Scriptures as often as they are produced against vs for Freewill for Purgatory for Prayer for the dead for Invocation of Saints for Worshipping of Angells and the like these things I say rightly considered and patiently heard on both sides I shall appeale to their owne learned Cardinall Cajetans confession who concludes for the antiquitie of our doctrine and the Vniuersalitie of the Iewes Canon Duas maximas vtilitates ex IudaeoruÌ„ obstinacia percipimê° altera est fides libroruÌ„ sacrorum Si enim omnes conuersi essent ad ChristuÌ„ putaret iam mundus Iudaeorum ad inuentioneÌ„ fuisse quod fuerit promissâ—s Messiis sed vbi inimici Christi Iudai perseuerant et testantur nullos alios apud Patres fuisse libros canonicè sacroâ—nisi istos Cajet CoÌ„ment in Rom c 11. Bell. de verbo Dei lib. 1. cap. 2. with one and the same reason All Christians receiue a double benefit by the Apostacie and obstinacie of the Iewes one is to know which are the true bookes of the Olde Testament for if all the Iewes had beene converted to the faith of Christ then would the world haue suspected that the Iewes had invented those promises which are of Christ the Messias but now for as much as the Iewes are enemies vnto Christ they beare witnesse vnto vs that there are no bookes Canonicall but those onely which the Iewes themselues acknowledged to bee Canonicall To conclude therefore this first poynt since the Scripture is the most certaine and safest rule of Faith by our aduersaries owne confession since the Canonicall bookes of Scripture which are the onely rule of Faith are conteined in the Law in the Prophets and the Psalmes vnder all or any of which the Apocryphall bookes are not conteined I say to leaue this certaine and safe way and receiue Apocryphall additions to that Word Deut. 4.2 c. 12.32 Prou. 30.6 Reuel 22.18 when it is strictly forbidden by God himselfe Thou shalt not adde to this Word this is Via dubia a doubtfull and vncertaine way this is Via Deuia a wandring and By-way But because our aduersaries insist vpon an other ground viz. NoÌ„ aliundè nos habere Scripturam esse diuinaÌ„ et qui sunt libri sacri quaÌ„ ex Traditioniê° noÌ„ scriptis Bel. de verb. Dei lib. 4. c. 4. That by no other meanes wee can know the Scriptures to be diuine nor the bookes to bee holy and Canonicall but onely from vnwritten Tradition I will leaue them to their Apocryphall Scriptures and pursue them in their vnwritten traditions in the next place SECT VII The Romanists in poynt of Traditions contradict the truth and themselues grounding most of their erronious Doctrine vpon vnwritten Traditions and yet frequently alledge the written Word for them IT is the first Article of the Romane Creed to which all Bishops and Priests are sworne Bulla Pij 4. Art 1. I admit and embrace the Apostolicall and Ecclesiasticall Traditions and the other obseruations and constitutions of the Church What are meant by those Obseruations and Constitutions of the Church and how the Priests are bound to imbrace them The Councell of Trent declareth in this manner Necnon Traditiones ipsas tum ad fidem tum ad mo res pertineÌ„tes pari pietutis affectu ac reuerentia suscipit veneratur Conc. Trid Sess 4. Decret 1. Traditions appertaining to faith and manners as if they were dictated by Christ himselfe with his owne mouth or by the holy spirit and preserued by a continuall succession in the Catholique Church the Councell receiueth with equall reuerence and religious affection as shee receiues the holy Striptures themselues Heere was the first alteration made touching the rule of Faith and from the Decree of this Councell Bellarmines doctrine began to take place Regula partialis noÌ„ totalis Bell. The Scripture is but a partiall not a totall rule of Faith for certainly till this time Traditions concerning faith and manners were neuer reputed of equall authoritie with the Scriptures nor a part of the Rule of Faith It was the Tenet of Aquinas and the later Schoolemen knew no other doctrine till the Councell of Trent Aquin. in 1. ad Tim. cap. 6. The doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles is called Canonicall because it is the rule of our vnderstanding and therefore no man ought to teach otherwise But you shall obserue from and after this time the Romanists performed their oath Ex abundanti I may say more then enough Cardinall Baronius tells vs Tradition is the foundation of Scriptures Baron An. 58. n. 11. and excels them in this that the Scriptures cannot subsist vnlesse they bee strengthened by Traditions but Tradition hath strength enough without the Scriptures And that the world may know it is vsuall with our aduersaries not onely to equall their vnwritten Traditions but also to aduance them aboue the Scriptures let their sayings bee weighed by any indifferent man and it will appeare the Scriptures are of so little vse or esteeme with them as if they were not worthy to be named in poynts of controuersie betwixt vs. Lindan Panopl l. 1. c. 22. l. 5. c. 4. l. 1. c. 6. c. Traditions saith Lindan are the most certaine foundations of Faith the most sure ground of the sacred Scriptures the impenetrable buckler of Ajax the suppresser of all heresies On the other side the Scripture saith hee is a nose of waxe a dead and killing letter without life a meere shell without a kernell a leaden rule a wood of thieues a shop of heretiques and the like Costerus the Iesuite tels vs for certain It was neuer the minde of Christ either to commit his mysteries to parchment or that his Church should depend on paper writings but say the Rhemists Rhem. Test in 2. Thess 2. v. 19. Wee haue plaine Scriptures all the Fathers most euident reasons that wee must either beleeue Traditions or nothing at all nay more saith Costerus The excellencie of the vnwritten word doth far surpasse the Scriptures which the Apostles left vs in parchments Coster Euchrist cap. 1 pag. 44. the one is written by the finger of God the other by the penne of the Apostles the Scripture is a dead letter written in paper or parchment which may be razed or wrested at pleasure but Tradition is written in mens hearts which cannot be altered the Scripture is like a scabberd which will receiue any sword either leaden or woodden or brazen and suffereth it selfe to be drawen by any interpretation Tradition retaines the true
whereby the people answered the Priest continued long in the East and West Churches And it plainely appeares by the ancient Liturgies ascribed to Chrysostome and Basil which are in vse at this day the diuine Seruice in the Greeke Church was publiquely deliuered in a known tongue And agreeably to this custome the Armenians Egyptians Acthiopians Muscouites and generally all the Easterne Churches doe consecrate the Sacrament in the language of their owne countrey This doctrine therefore wants the requisite conditions of Antiquitie Vniuersalitie and Succession and therefore can bee no Apostolique Tradition no Catholique doctrine as is pretended in the sixt place Single life in the Clergie Single life in the Clergie is reputed a Tradition in the Roman Church and made of equall authoritie with the Scripture yet this doctrine wants Antiquitie Vniuersalitie and succession Touching Antiquitie Their owne Doctors tell vs Dist 84. § Cum in praeterito Nichol. Cusan ad Boem Ep. 2. post aliquot tempora visum fuit c. Nec ratione nec authoritate probatur quòd absolutè loqueÌ„do Ordo Sacerdotalis vel in quantuÌ„ est Ordo vel in quantuÌ„ sacer est impeditivus est matrimonii siuè antè siuè post seclusis omnibus legibus stando tantuÌ„ his quae à Christo Apostolis haebentur Caiet Tom 1. tract 27. that vntill the time of Pope Syricius that is to say for the space welneere of foure hundred yeeres after Christ it was lawfull for all Priests to marrie without exception neither vow nor promise nor Law nor ordinance nor other restraint being then to the contrary And their learned Cardinan Cajetan professeth If we stand onely to the Tradition of Christ and his Apostles it cannot appeare by any authority or reason that holy Order can bee any hindrance to marriage either as it is an order or as it is holy Touching Vniuersalitie It is the confession of Pope Stephen the second The Tradition of the Easterne Churches is one the Tradition of the holy Church of Rome is an other for the Priests Deacons and Sub-deacons of the Easterne Churches are ioyned in Matrimony Dist 31. Aliter This confession is agreeable to the Decree of the ancient Councell holden at Ancyra where it was ordained Hii si post moduÌ„ vxoores duxerint in Ministerio maneant Concil Ancyr Can. 9. That Deacons as many as be ordered if at the time of receiuing their Orders they made protestation and said that they would marry for that they finde not themselues able so to continue without Marriage if they afterwards marry let them continue in the Ministerie Touching Succession This doctrine was not generally receiued no not in the Westerne Churches a thousand yeeres after Christ for in the time of King Rufus Anselme Archbishop of Canterbury in a Dialogue between the Master and the Scholler makes this Quaere Desideramê° certificari tuâ solutio ne super vul gari in toto orbe quaestine quae ab omnibê° quotidie ventilatur scil An liceat Presbyteris post acceptuÌ„ OrdineÌ„ vx ores ducere Anselm Di al. Inquisitione primâ Wee are desirous by your answere to bee certified about this common question that is now tossed through the world and yet lyeth vndiscussed I mean Whether a Priest being within Orders may marry a wife Whereby it appeares that the Law of Single life was a poynt questionable and not resolued for an Apostolique Tradition in the Roman Church for many ages About 400 yeeres after Bell. de scri Eccles ab An. 1400. to 1500. p. 288. Panormitan an Archbishop a Cardinall and a principall Proctor for the Pope resolues the question about marriage in this manner Si clare coÌ„stet de matrimonio Papa tunc aut vxor inducetur ad coÌ„tinentiaÌ„ aut si noluerit reddaet debitum nihilo minùs stet in Papatù quià non repugnat substantiae Papatus seu Clericatus naÌ„ et Petrê° habebat vxoreÌ„ cuÌ„ promoueretur in Papam vnde videmê° qd Presbyteri Graeci sine peccato contrahunt matrimoni um Extr. ce Elect. C. licet de vitaÌ„d Abb. Patriarch resp 1. c. 21. If it may clearely appeare saith hee that the Pope hath a wife as hauing married her before hee was Pope then either his wife must bee perswaded to liue single or if shee will not let the Pope yeeld her mariage duties and yet neuerthelesse remaine in the Popedome still For marriage dutie is not contrary to the substance and Office neither of Popedome nor of Priesthood for Peter had a wife when hee was promoted to bee Pope As for the rule of single life it was brought in by the Ordinance of the Church Hence is it that we see the Priests of Graecia being within Orders doe marrie wiues and wee see they doe it sine peccato without sinne or breach of Law either of God or man Looke vpon the confession of the Greeke Patriarch since Luthers time We allow saith hee marriage to Priests before Ordination Looke vpon the confession of their owne Cardinall Caietan Caiet tract 27. test Greg. de Val. disp 9. q 5. It was held lawfull in the Easterne Church to marrie after Ordination Adde to these the Traditions of other Countreys as namely the Priests in India in Armenia in Syria in Russia in Cyprus in Muscouia daily marry and execute their offices of Priesthood being married persons The Lawe therefore of single life wants the requisite conditions of Antiquity vniuersalitie and Succession and consequently can bee no Apostolicall Tradition no Catholique Doctrine as is pretended in the seuenth place Invocation and worship of Saints Invocation and Worship of Saints Is reputed a Tradition Apostolicall and is receiued for an Article of faith in the Roman Church yet this faith notwithstanding their great braggs of Catholike doctrine wants Antiquitie Vniuersalitie and Succession Apostoli scribere hoc in sacris literis noluerunt ne ambitiosi viderentur honorem istum sibi ipsis ambire ne sub cultu illo defuÌ„ctoruÌ„ GeÌ„tilium cultum inferre viderentur Ecch. Ench. cap. de vener Sanct. Touching Antiquitie I appeale to their owne Ecchius The Apostles saith he would not insert this doctrine into the written word lest they should seeme ambitiously to assume that honour to themselues and vnder pretence of worshipping the dead might bring in the worship of the Gentiles This doctrine then as it wants a foundation in scripture which a point of faith ought to haue so likewise it is most certaine for the same reason the Apostles would not deliuer it by Tradition for without doubt they would neuer teach that doctrine of faith by word of mouth which they refused to publish by their writings This is not onely probable but certain true and therefore Ignatius the Apostle St. Iohns Scholler who could not bee ignorant of a poynt of Faith teacheth the virgins of that time another lesson he doth not teach them to direct their prayers and supplications to Saints and Angels
by the application of Saints merits and that priuate satisfactions which were left to the discretion of euery Bishop were transferred wholly to the power of the Pope and so receiued de Fide as an article of faith as it is now vsed in the Romane Church and I will subscribe He that will proue out of the ancient Fathers that Confirmation Penance Orders Matrimonie are oftentimes called by the name of Sacraments let him spare the labour I will confesse it But let him proue the poynt in question that al those Sacraments were instituted by Christ in the new Testament and that there are neither more nor lesse then seuen termed by the name of Sacraments and those onely were properly so called and that number of seuen was receiued de fide as an Article of faith and I will subscribe He that will proue out of the ancient Fathers that St. Peter had a primacie of Order amongst the Apostles and that the Bishop of Rome had the first place amongst other Bishops let him spare the labour I will confesse it but let him proue that Peter had iurisdiction ouer the Apostles and that the Bishop of Rome was helde Christs Vicar generall and Head of the Vniuersall Church and that such his power and Supremacie was receiued de fide as an article of faith as it is now taught in the Roman Church and I will subscribe Lastly he that will proue out of the ancient Fathers that out of the Cath. church there is no saluation let him spare the labor I will cōfesse it but let him proue that the present Roman Church is that Catholike Church as it is decreed de fide by their last Article of their Creed and I will subscribe Thus briefly I haue giuen you my poore opinion how to examine the Trent Faith and doctrine whereby you may easily discouer the vanitie of those men who challenge an interest in all the Fathers in behalfe of their Religion and certainly if this rule bee rightly obserued and pursued by any indifferent Iudge he shal finde there is not greater distance in the times then difference in their doctrine This is so well knowne to the best learned on their side that when wee charge them that they haue created new Articles of Faith vnknowne to the first and best ages by way of preuention they giue this solution that true it is many poynts of doctrine were not explicitè reuealed and publikely declared as Articles of faith in the dayes of the ancient Fathers because no heretikes did then oppose them but say they they were implicitè obscurely secretly reseruedly knowne and receiued of the Ancients with an implicit faith by which confession their later errour will bee greater then the first for as one way they would seemingly auoyd the creating of new Articles of faith so by acknowledgement of an implicit faith they ouerthrow by consequence the Visibilitie of their Church for if the Church of Rome had but an implicite beliefe in those things which are now publikely declared without doubt the Church at that time was not visible in the faith it was not like a Citie vpon a hill knowne and conspicuous to all persons and thereupon the grand poynt of Visibilitie which they so much magnifie among themselues will easily be called in question For a conclusion of this poynt I will giue you but one instance whereby you may the better iudge of the rest Looke vpon the learned Treatise of the right Reuerend Bishop of Meath now Primate of Armach wherein the iudgement of the ancient Fathers An Answer to a challenge made by a Iesuite in Ireland 1624. touching seuerall poynts of controuersie is faithfully deliuered in our behalfe what Reply might wee thinke could bee made by our aduersaries to those Authorities so rightly produced Behold a Iesuite by Order W. Malone by name A Reply to Mr. Vshers answere hath made a Reply wherein hee hath produced in number many more authorities of Fathers in behalfe of the Roman Church and Trent Doctrine The encounter being made the end of the victory may seeme doubtfull for the Fathers are produced by both contending parties and seemingly they adhere to both sides as if they made both for Papist and Protestant in one and the same substantiall poynts of doctrine The reason being examined it will appeare the Fathers do not vary from themselues nor from vs in poynts of faith but the Iesuite produceth Authorities impertinent to the poynt in question As for instance in the first Article of Traditions Our Reuerend Bishop tels the Iesuite by way of preuention B Vsher cap. Traditions p. 35. that Traditions of all sorts are not promiscuously strucke at by vs but such vnwritten traditions which are obtruded for Articles of Religion As for example It is the first part of the Article of the Roman Creed I admit and imbrace the Apostolicall and Ecclesiesticall Traditions To this first part of the article the reformed Churches doe subscribe but the other Obseruances and Constitutions of the Church which is the latter part of the Article we thinke it great reason to gainesay for vnder the pretence of other Obseruances the Church of Rome doeth vphold her priuate Masse her Latine Seruice her halfe Communion her Inuocation of Saints her worship of Images the like all which are admitted for part of Gods worship and accepted by them for Apostolike Traditions when as in truth they are flat contrary to the doctrine of the written Word The question then is not whether the doctrine deliuered by Christ or his Apostles by word of mouth were of equall authoritie with the Word written for this neuer any Protestant denied but whether the vnwritten Doctrine now taught in the Romane Church were deliuered by Christ and his Apostles whether their Ecclesiastical Obseruations and Constitutions now vsed bee of equall authoritie with the written Word whether their Papal Traditions were alwayes or euer admitted into the rule of faith and lastly whether the Scriptures are not sufficient for the saluation of the beleeuer without the helpe of those Traditions Let these questions bee rightly propounded in our behalfe and the multitude of the Iesuites authorities will fall to ground of themselues for what Father hath hee produced to proue that the Papall Traditions now receiued de fide in the Church of Rome were deliuered by word of mouth by the Apostles what Father hath hee cited to prooue that the Constitutions of their Church had a constant and continuall succession from the time of the Apostles as Articles of faith ought to haue what Fa her hath he vrged that admitted doctrinall Traditions vnwritten into the Rule of faith Lastly what ancient Father hath hee truely alleadged that denies the Scriptures to bee sufficient for all beleeuers without the helpe of Romish Traditions It were no difficult matter as I conceiue to giue a full answer to the Iesuits replie in the right stating of the Questions wherby it might easily appeare that hee
the compasse of Demetrius assembly which wanted a right and a lawfull calling But let vs see with what esteeme and authoritie this Councel is receiued in the Romane Church Cardinall Bellarmine tels vs Si tollamus authoritateÌ„ praesentis Ecclesiae praesentis Concilii in dubiuÌ„ reuocari possunt omniuÌ„ aliorum Conciliorum decreta et totu fides Christiana Bell. de effect SacraÌ„ lib. 2. c 25. If we take away the authoritie and credit of the present Church and Councell of Trent the Decrees of other Councels and the whole Christian Faith may bee called in question This Iesuite who first assured vs That the Church might continue safe without Councels if occasion required at least two thousand yeres now without any regard to the sacred Gospel of Christ professeth That if the Roman Church and Trent Councell were remoued the Faith of all Christians would be indangered and Campian his fellow Iesuite as man rauished with the fame of that Synod proclaimes to after ages The elder that Councell waxeth the more it will flourish and as a true Romish Proselyte cries out to the astonishment of poore Protestants O good Lord with what diuersitie of people out of all Countreys with what choyce of Bishops throughout all Christendome with what excellencies of Kings and Common-weales with what profound Diuines with what deuotion with what lamentations with what abstinence and fasting with what flowers of Vniuersities with what knowledge of strange tongues with what sharpe wits with what studie with what endlesse reading with what store of vertues and exercises was that sacred place replenished This Councell is like the great Diana of the Ephesians that carries the vniuersall applause let vs looke herefore into the lawfulnesse and authoritie of this Councell for if it be of men Acts 5.39 it will come to nought but if it bee of God we cannot ouerthrow it lest happily we be found euen to fight against God himselfe First then as this Councel wanted a right calling of the Emperor so likewise it wanted a requisite condition to make it Generall for that Councell is truly Generall wherunto al christian States are summoned assembled in his name and shall this be held the great Councell of the Christian world the chiefe supporter of all other Councels and the whole Christian faith which was confined to a small number and some fewe Nations Looke vpon the three Patriarks of Constantinople Antioch and Alexandria were they all present Look vpon the Grecians Armenians Medes Persians Egyptians Moores Aethiopians were they summoned to this Councel do not these people beleeue in Christ haue they not Bishops did their Ambassadours come from all these Nations to the Councell Nay more were the Legats of the kingdome of England of Denmarke of the King of Swetia of Scotland and the Dukedome of Prussia there present Looke vpon the assemblie of their Bishops and it will appeare by their Historie of Trent Historie of Trent lib 2 p. 140. Engl that this Generall and great Councell consisted but of fortie three Bishops and some of those also were but Titular as namely Richard Pates Bishop of Worcester and blind Sr Robert Bishop of Armach these had the bare titles of Bishops were no Bishops at all and two of those Bishops saith Illiricus were taken in adultery Illyr in Protest contr Conc. Trid. the one strucken with a dart the other taken in a trap by the husband and hanged by the necke out of a window to bee seene by all that passed by in the street Binius the publisher of the Councels giues vs to vnderstand that the whole number of Patriarks Archbishops and Bishops vnder Pope Paul the Third who gathered the Councell by the greatest account came but to 62 from which if we take the Titular Bishops and those who through infirmitie could not meet at one the same time there could not be present aboue 43 both as Illiricus and as the Historie of Trent doe witnesse and must we say or can we think that the whole Christian Faith and decrees of all Councels must depend vpon the number of 62 if they were all allowed and agreed together And that which is most remarkable in the fourth Session vnder the same Pope the poynts of greatest moment were discussed and decreed by the number of fiftie three Bishops then I say the prime Articles touching the Canonical books of Scripture touching Traditions then equalled to the Scriptures touching the authentical Edition of scriptures touching the Iudge of all controuersies in poynts of Faith were handled and resolued for Articles of Faith by those few Bishops whereas sometimes it is caried by a single voyce or two and so the number of the whole at most is reduced to thirtie It is true I must confesse that there were many other learned Diuines present but it seemes they were chiefly gathered for the instruction of those Bishops and saith Stella If you will make answere Quod si responder is quod hi Episcopi secum ducant Theologos qui eos illuminent vt contigit in sacro Tridentino CoÌ„cilio in hâc re quidem non possum me a risu temperare Stell in Lucam 6. p. 184. the Bishops bring with them learned Diuines which may instruct them what to say what to answere as it was vsed in the Councell of Trent yet in this I cannot forbeare laughter Neither was the accesse vnto the Councell safe for all those that were inuited neither was it free for all men to dispute and argue the poynts of controuersie freely Pope Iulius the third after the death of his predecessour Pope Paul made a decree That none of the Princes and free Cities of Germanie should haue audience except they would first vow their obedience to the Councell and for that end and purpose hee published his Breue Erit Concilium vt qui temere locuti sunt dicta recantaturi veâ—i aut aut eoruÌ„ inaudita causa in executione ita ordinataruÌ„ ConstitutionuÌ„ haeretici declarentur Breue Iuliâ— 3. citat à Caluino There shall be a Councell that they which haue spoken rashly either may recant their sayings or else without further hearing or receiuing of the matter may bee denounced and condemned for heretikes according to the Constitutions already made Here was plaine dealing and short warning for euery man either to resolue to subscribe to the Trent Doctrine or else to be proscribed for an heretique The Bishops of Apulia did intimate no lesse in the name of all the Bishops PapaluÌ„ RomanuÌ„ adiutor ero ad defendenduÌ„ coÌ„tra omnes homines sic me Deê° adiuuet et saÌ„cta EuaÌ„gelia Ca. E N Extra delure iurand That they were nothing else but the Popes creatures and his bondslaues for there was an oath proposed seuerally to all to bee taken in this maner I will defend the Papacie against all men So helpe mee God and his holy Gospell And as there was an oath proposed in behalfe of the Papall
all men by the Apostles rule should be ready to giue an account of their Faith and must bee iudged by the Word of God this man by not knowing the Scriptures nor the articles of his faith but onely for intending his Merchandise with a blinde obedience and an implicite faith shal be free both from guilt and punishment and no doubt from this general beliefe of the Popes authoritie and infallibilitie the saying of Gregorie the 13. is verified D. 40 Si Papa in Annot. Men doe with such reuerence respest the Apostolicall See of Rome that they rather desire to know the ancient Institution of Christian Religion from the Popes owne mouth then from the holy Scriptures and they onely inquire what is his pleasure and accordingly they order their life and conversation He therefore that will appeale to the Bishop of Rome to Rome let him goe but woe to the Recusants of England other countreys remote from Rome which cannot heare the Church being so farre distant from him nay woe to them at Rome that liue in his Sea for how can they heare him if hee neuer preacheth But withall most miserable is the condition of the hearer notwithstanding he should preach for his owne Cardinall assures vs that if his Holinesse teach not the whole Church Bell lib. 4. de Rom. Pont. lib. 4. cap. 14. hee is in as much possibilitie to erre as Innocent the eight was when hee permitted the Norwegians to celebrate the Eucharist without wine Thus from the multitude of beleeuers which is the Essentiall Church we are sent to the Councell from the Councell which is the Representatiue Church wee are sent to the Pope which is the Virtuall and now at length being arriued at the Pope Consistory his Cardinal giues vs to vnderstand that a man may returne happily as wise as he went but withall intimate◠〈◊〉 vs that there are noâ— oracles â—o infallible doctrine to bee learned from his mouth vnlesse hee will first declare by publike decree that hee intends to preach to the Vniuersall Church Besides how the Vicar of Christ should bee the Spouse of Christ how a particular member of the Church should become a Vniuersall Head of the Church how Papa the Pope anciently a Father should become the Church which is alwayes a Mother it is a mysterie vnsearchable past finding out for sure I am if the Pope be the Church let them pretend whomsoeuer they will for their Father they can haue no Church except Pope Ioane for their Mother It remaineth then that in the next place wee examine the certaintie of that faith which must be learned from the Pope for if the Pope haue not Infallibilitie of Iudgement then is hee not that rule of faith then is he not that Church which is the pillar and ground of truth and consequently miserable is the condition of those poore Christians that relie vpon his opinion as vpon the infallible Doctrine of the Church and first I will proceed to the Popes Succession in doctrine and person compare the doctrine of the ancient Bishops of Rome with the Popes of these later times that thereby wee may discerne whether the Popes Infallibilitie bee priuiledged by his Chaire or whether the ancient Roman faith bee successiuely deriued from the ancient Bishops of Rome to the Popes of these latter ages SECT XX. The Church which is finally resolued into the Pope wants both Personall and Doctrinall Succession as appeares by seuerall instances and exceptions both in matters of fact and matters of faith HOsius the Romanist tels vs for certaine Hos in CoÌ„fess Petricou c. 29. that if we reckon all the Popes that euer were from Peter vntill Iulius the third there neuer sate in his Chaire any Arrian any Donatist any Pelagian or any other that professed any manner of Heresie The reason of this as I conceiue is deliuered by Card. Cusanus Veritas adhaeret Cathedrae vniuersa Catholica Ecclesia ad Petri CathedraÌ„ conglobata à Christo nuÌ„quam recedit Cusan ad Bohem. Epist 2. The trueth cleaueth fast to Peters Chaire the whole vniuersall Catholike Church is rolled vp to Peters chaire shal neuer depart from Christ I wil not take vpon mee to examine the Pope in what Office in what religion in what piece of his life he hath succeeded Peter but that you may know howsoeuer the Popes faith is annexed to the Chaire hee hath errâ—â— and is subiect to error as â—e is Pope I will compare the doctrine of the ancient Bishops of Rome with the faith of the later Popes and the later Popes Decrees and definitiue Sentences with their flat contradictions and contrary Decrees amongst themselues whereby it shall appeare that the later Popes haue not onely erred in disclaiming the decrees of their Predecessours but haue digressed wholly from the ancient Roman Bishops both in faith and manners and withall they want that Infallibilitie that personall and doctrinall Succession which they so much magnifie amongst themselues Anacletus Bishop of Rome in the yeere 103 decreed that after Consecration Dist 1. Episcopus 2. Peracta all present should communicate or else bee thrust out of the Church for so saith hee the Apostles did set downe and the holy Church of Rome obserueth On the contrary at this day it is made lawfull for the Priests to receiue alone the people onely gazing and looking on and withall Pope Iulius the fourth hath decreed in the Councell of Trent Conc. Trid. Canon 8. Sess 22. If any shall say that Masses in which the Priest alone doeth communicate are vnlawfull and therefore ought to be abrogated let him be accursed Leo the Great Bishop of Rome in the yeere 440 speaks of the death of Martyrs in this maner Leo. Epist 81. Although the death of many Saints hath been pretious in the Lords sight yet the death of no innocent person hath beene the propitiation for the world that the righteous receiued crownes but gaue none that of the fortitude of the faithfull haue grown examples of patience not gifts of righteousnesse that their deaths as they were seuerall persons were seuerall to euery of themselues and that none of them by his death paid the debt of any other man because it is only our Lord Iesus Christ in whom all were crucified all dead all buried all raised againe from the dead On the contrarie Haec opinio reprobata est à Pâ—o 5. Pontifice et à Gregorio 13. Bel. de Indul. lib. 1 cap. 40. Pope Pius the 5 and Gregorie the 13 both condemned saith Bellarmine the Diuines of Lovaine and others who defended that the sufferings of the Saints cannot bee true satisfactions but that our punishments are remitted onely by the personall satisfactions of Christ Nay more saith he If the sufferings of Saints may not bee applied to vs to free vs from the punishment due for our sinnes lest they should seeme to bee our Redeemers then certainly wee our selues cannot
particulars We say the Scripture is a sure euident perfect rule of Faith and this is Via Tuta a certaine and Safe way They say the Scripture is ambiguous obscure and insufficient and this is Via Deuia an vncertaine and By-way Wee say all Traditions concerning Faith and maners that can bee proued by Scriptures are of equall authority with the Scriptures and this is Via Tuta a certaine and Safe way They say that diuers Traditions of faith and manners wherof there is no ground nor euidence in the Scriptures are to bee receiued with equall reuerence religious respect as the Scriptures themselues and this is Via Deuia an vncertaine and By-way Wee say the vndoubted writings of the ancient Fathers are to be followed according to their owne rule so farre as they disagree no from the Scriptures and this is Via Tuta Bulla Pij 4 pro Forma Iuramenti c. a certaine and Safe way They say and take an oath to follow the iudgement of the Fathers making no distinction of true and doubtful Authors nor limiting their doctrine to the Scriptures and this is Via Deuia an vncertaine and By-way Wee say that Generall Councells lawfully called are of great authoritie and singular vse in the Church to determine Controuersies of Religion but yet are subiect vnto errour and this is Via Tuta a certaine and Safe way They say that Generall Councells called and confirmed by the Pope are of an infallible auhoritie and their Decrees are to be obeyed vnder a curse by all Christians and this is Via Deuia an vncertaine and By-way We say the Church is a Congregation of Pastors people wherin the word of God is truely preached and the Sacraments rightly administred and these are Essentiall marks of the true Church and this is Via Tuta a certaine and Safe way They say sometimes a Councell sometimes a Pope and his Consistorie sometimes the Pope alone is the Church the marks of their Church are amplitude and splendor and miracles c. and this is Via Deuia an vncertaine and By-way Wee say the Rocke vpon which the Church is built is Christ and this is Via Tuta a certaine and Safe way They say the Rocke is the Succession of Popes deriued from Peter and this is Via Deuia an vncertaine and By-way We say the effect of the Sacraments depends vpon the Institution of Christ and this is Via Tuta a certaine and Safe way They say the efficacie of the Sacraments depends vpon the Intention of the Priest and this is Via Deuia an vncertaine and By-way We say we ought to call vpon God by Christ and that he is our Mediator who onely knowes the secrets of our hearts and sits at the right hand of God to make intercession for vs And this is Via Tuta a certaine and Safe Way They say wee ought to vse Saints and Angels for Intercessors when as they haue no commission from God to present our prayers nor can know the secrets of the heart nor haue wee any assurance that they heare us at all and this is Via Deuia an Vncertaine and By-Way We say wee ought to adore Christs bodily presence in Heauen where he sits at the right hand of the Father according to the Apostles Creed and this is Via Tuta the certaine and Safe Way They say wee ought to adore Christs very body and bloud in the Pix vnder the accidents of Bread and Wine according to their Trent Creed and this is Via Deuia an vncertaine and By-Way Lastly we say that we are all vnprofitable seruants and no man liuing can bee iustified in the sight of God by his owne merits and therefore all that expect saluatiō must lay hold on Christ by a liuely faith and wholly rely vpon his merits only this is Via Tuta a certaine and Safe way They say that the Law of God may be fulfilled in this life and that they can merit and performe workes of Supererrogation and accordingly they rely partly vpon their merits partly vpon their superabūdant satisfaction of Saints for their Saluation and this is Via Deuia an vncertaine and By-Way Thus I haue set before you Truth and Error Light and darkenesse the Safe Way and the By-Way Giue Me leaue therefore by way of Conclusion to adiure You in the sacred forme of words sometimes vsed by the great Prophet Deut. 30.19 and faithfull Seruant of God I call Heauen and Earth to record this day against you that I haue set before you life and death blessing and cursing therefore chuse life that both thou and thy seed may liue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉