upon Ne putemus in verbis scripturarum esse Evangelium led in sensu non in superficie sed in medulla non in sermonum folijs sed in radice rationis the 1. chap. to the Galat. Let us not thinke that the Gospel consisteth in the bare words of the Scripture but in the true meaning and signification not in the superficies but in the very marrow not in the leaues decked with words but in the roote of solid reason The Fathers and ancient Councells were ignorant in such kind of importunate and unmannely divinity when they defined by the Scripture in the first Nicene councell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the Sonne is consubstantiall with the Father And when the first Councel of Ephesus decreed against Nestorius that the Virgin Mary might and ought to bee called the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deipara Mother of God The Arians pressed Athanasius to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quomodo â—â—cu in Scripturis 〈…〉 Ego de 〈◊〉 Pater vnum sumus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non potest aliquid certü esse certitudine fidei nisi aut immediate contineatur in verbe dei aut ex verbo dei per avidentem coÌ„sequentiam deducatur c. Neque de hoe principio vel Catholici vel haretici dubitant Salmer proleg 9. prima quinquagena Can. 7. Non tantuns diuinam authoritatem habent siâ—â— ea tenenda Sunt qua in Scripturis expresse conâ—â—entur sed etlam ea omnia qua exilla necessaria euidenti consequentia deducuntus qua doctrina a magno ille Theologo Gregorie ad nos deriuat a est Et Paulo post Dupliciter aliquid esse in Scriptura dicitur aut quia est expresse in ea contentum et in sensu literals deinde omne quod virtute in ea coÌ„tentum est necessaria consequentia extractum Atque his duobus modis agere licet in haeretieos Vazq in 1. Partem Thomae Tomo 2. Disp 110. cap. 1. §. Quarto Nihil refere haue vacam non esse in Scriptura fi vox â—â— signifieat quod Scriptura decet shew them this word consubstantiall in the Scripture to whom Athanasius answereth in his booke of the decrees of the Nicene councell Though the very words be not so couched in the Scripture yet they haue the sence and vnderstanding of the Scripture Gregory of Nazianzen at the end of his Sermon touching Cyprian calls the verbalists 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hunters after syllables and words And in his 37. Oration which is the fifth concerning Theology he faith that the loue of the letter is to them a shadow or cloake for impiety Ambrose in his booke concerning the Faith written against the Arians chap. 5. How doe you say that consubstantiall is not in the divine Scriptures as if consubstantiall were any thing else but I am issue of the Father and the Father and I are one We learn out of Photius his Bibliotheca that Theodoret composed an expres treaty vpon this subject the inscription whereof is Against these who affirme that wee ought to relye on the words without having regard to the matter signified Touching this point we have the most learned of our adversaries on our side Bellarmine in his 3. booke of justification chap. 8 Nothing can bee sure in certainty of Faith unlesse it bee contained immediatly in the word of God or drawne from the word of God by some evident consequence Salmeron in his 9. Prolegomenon Not onely the matter which is immediatly conteined in the Scriptures hath divine authority and ought to be allowed with faith but also all things that are drawn from thence by necessary euident consequence which doctrine hath bin derived vnto us from Greg. that great Divine And a little after a thing is sayd to be in the Scripture two manner of wayes partly because it is therein contained expressely and in the litter all sence partly because it is contained vertually therein and is drawne from thence by necessary consequence now it i Ì„s lawfull to dispute with Heretickes both these wayes Hee bringeth Purgatory merrits and satiffactions for examples wordes that himselfe confesseth not to be in the Scripture but may be drawn from thence by consequence Iesuite Vasquez It importeth not whether the word be in Scripture or no so as that which it signifieth be in the Scripture Iansenius Bishop of Gant affirmeth the same at the 107. Chapter of his Harmony Our confession is frivolously obiected unto us which saith in the 5. Article that the Scripture is the Rule of all verity containing all that is necessary for the service of God and our salvation to the which it is not lawfull to adde diminish or alter For if these Novice Doctors affoorded themselues the leasure to read the following lines they should there find that wee avow the three Creeds to wit the Apostles the Nicene and the Athanasian Which notwithstanding are not found in the Scripture in such and so many words And in the Article following wee approve of that which hath bin determined by the ancient councels touching three persons in one individuall essence yet the determinations of Councels are not found to bee in the Scripture in the same termes Our confession confineth uâ—â—â— more to the Scripture then the Councell of Trent bindeth our adversaries to the word written and unwritten Yet they would not be interrupted thereupon nor that we should enjoyne them to shew euery word spoken by them to be in so many syllables in the written word or in that which is not written Whereas they suffer us not to bring one passage of Scripture for exposition of another unlesse wee suddenly bring a third that saith this passage expoundeth that By such proceeding they take away and extingnish all meanes of expounding Scripture by Scripture wherein also they contradict the Elders and Doctors of the Church of Rome who grant that Scripture shall bee interpreted by Scripture as we have mentioned in my former booke of the Iudge of Controversies Chap. 4. For the exposition of these words This is my body we allege the passage of the Apost saying This Bread which we breake Is it not the Communion in the body of Christ Likewise When youshall eat of this Bread or drinke of this Cup you shall declare the death of the Lord. Hereupon these youngsters require a passage which saith that these two last passages are the exposition of the first Wee answere that it is not needfull for it is sufficient that these three passages speake of the same thing For to understand the Doctrine of the Euchariâ—â— it is behoovefull to collect together all that the Scripture maketh thereof mention seeing that passages so comparatively united doe manifest and interpret one the other These new Disputants in rejecting all syllogismes and all arguments are obstinate and unexcusable For by what reason can they banish the use of reason from Divinity It were fitter for them to addresse themselves to the Thomists and Scotists
pag. 76. Cha. 8. A proofe of the same by the practice of the Primitive Church p. 110. Chap. 9. Three reasons wherefore Tradition is preferred before the Scripture c. pag. 121. Chap. 10. That in this Question by the word Church our Adversaries understand the Pope alone pag. 129. Chap. 11. Of what sort how weake and how uncertaine the Foundations are whereon the Traditions of the Romish Church are built c. pag. 139. Chap. 12. That our Adversaries alledging the Scripture doe contradict themselves and alledge Scripture for Tradition in generall without touching the particulars wherein they finde the Scripture contrary pag. 165. Chap. 13. That our Adversaries to distinguish the good Traditions from bad doe give vs a plea wherein thâ—y wholly convict themselves p. 175. Chap. 14. A proofe of the same by the Traditions which our Adversars â—s doe â—uppose to be the mist ancient and best grounded in Antiquity p. 195. Chap. 15. The seconâ— marke set by our Adversaries to distinguish the good Traditions from the bad viz. Succession p. 205. Chap. 16. That the Pharisees and ancient Hereticks had recourse to Tradition that Clemens Alexandrius suffered himselfe to be too much carried away in the same p. 217. Chap. 17 An examination of the passages of Scripture whereon they found Traditions p. 223. Chap 18. An answere to that which is objeâ—â—ed vnto us that the Church hath bin sometime without the Scripture pag. 231. Chap. 19. That the Church of the old Testament after the Law given by Moses vntill Iesus Christ hath had no unwritten Traditions p. 236. Cha. 20. An answer to our adversaries aâ—â—â—â—ming that we receive many Traditions contained in Scripture p. 254 Chap. 21. A proofe of the sufficiency and perfection of the Scriptures by the testimony of God himselfe speaking in the Scriptures P. 267. Chap. 22. Whether to ground a Doctrine it be lawfull to use words equivalent to those that are found in the Scripture or to vse consequences and Arguments pag. 298. Chap. 23. Testimonies of the Fathers touching the perfection of the Scripture pag. 322. Cha. 24. How the Texts and passages of the Fathers which our Adversaries alledge for the unwritten Traditions ought to be vnderstood p. 346. Chap. 25. A proofe of that which went before pag. 349. Cha. 26. Three ancient Customes which we are blamed to have forsaken p. 393 Chap. 27. That the Traditions of the Romish Church of this time have nothing in common with the unwritten Traditions mentioned by the Fathers pag. 398. Chap. 28. Of the multitude of Traditions in the Church of Rome p. 403. A LEARNED TREATISE OF TRADITIONS OF THE SACRED Scriptures perfection against the Traditions of the Romish Church CHAP. 1. Concerning the nature of this Controversie OVr Adversaries were accustomed a great while to dispute by way of Scripture but at length perceiving themselues weake in the cause and being much disquieted that the Scripture doth locke them vp into so narrow a roome they spurne against it labouring to make it appeare doubtfull and without authoritie By this meanes our Controversies change their nature for instead of disputing by ground of Scripture we are now led backe to dispute of the Scripture it selfe and to defend the Authoritie and Perfection of it This is now the field wherein our Adversaries doe sport and display the mettall of their conceits They accuse the Scripture of imperfection and insufficiencie of obscuritie and vncapablenesse to determine any difference calling it a dumbe and imperfect rule a nose of wax a rocke of scandall a scabbard that receiveth as well a leaden as a steele blade And though Church of Rome bee partie in the cause yet will it bee Iudge supreame and infallible If the Church bee Iudge shee of Rome will bee Iudge and will haue it appertaine to her to prescribe her taske vnto her selfe and to bee soveraigne Iudge of her owne proper dutie Our Adversaries make the Church of Rome the Iudge infallible of her owne proper infallibilitie and that shee shall bee soveraigne Iudge of the interpretation of the same Lawes wherby God doth judge her sinnes They sticke not to say that the Church of Rome is no way subject to the Scripture that is to say to God speaking by his Prophets and Apostles So on the other side they maintaine that the Scripture is subject to the Church of Rome and ought to be regulated by the Faith of that Church They avow that to bee the singular and onely Church which giueth authoritie to the Scripture and will haue the Scripture inferiour to the Church in Dignity in Stability in Certainty in Antiquitie and in Amplitude Yea so farre they proceed that the Pope may adde to the Creed dispense contrary to the Apostles alter that which God hath ordained in the holy Scriptures and dispose of his Commandements They hold that the sacred Scripture bee therefore entertained and received amongst men because the Pope doth approoue and ordaine it so to be as if the Pope were more to be credited then God speaking in his holy Scriptures or that he were no whit subject to the Law of God contaâ—ned in the Scripture In all this controversie betweene the Scripture and the Church concerning the preheminence by this word Church our adversaries alwayes understand the Romish although there be many other more ancient and more pure namely the Greeke the Syrian the Affrican c. and by the Romish church they understand the Pope alone in whom resideth the soveraigne authoriâ—ie who judgeth all â—hings without possibility to erre yea then especially when hee judgeth alone motu proprio of his owne meere motion and speaking in the Chayre Apostolique and when it is his pleasure to joyne unto him some Prelates for his assistance in Decreeing hee reinvesteth them with infallible knowledge and vnderstanding yea in the poynts which he himselfe understandeth not Whosoeuer will heere open his eyes and not forbid himselfe the use of reason shall easily perceiue that Satan by this proceeding indeavoureth slily to bring in Atheisme and to vndermine the foundations of Christian Religion For by this meanes the Christian Faith is not founded vpon the Word of God contained in the holy Scriptures but vpon humane and uncertaine evidence yea the most uncertaine that can bee conceived they justifying the authoritie of the Church of Rome to be onely established vpon the testimony of the Romish Church making her Iudge witnesse and party in the same cause and endeavouring to make men beleeue that the Church of Rome hath more authoritie then the Scriptures for she her selfe doth say it If it be so that the authoritie of the Scripture bee grounded vpon the authoritie of the Church of Rome why doe they alledge unto us passages of Scripture to support the authoritie of the Church of Rome And when instead of directing the Faith of a Christian by the Word of God speaking in the Scriptures they send him to the Church the simple people are perplexed and
lawfull to adde diminish or change Hereby we intend not absolutely to reject all Tradition for if there bee a Tradition that addeth nothing to the Scripture but serveth onely to maintaine her authoritie and perfection wee imbrace that most willingly Such a Tradition is that the Books of the old and new Testament are sacred and Canonirall This Tradition is so far from adding to the Scripture that on the contrary it sayeth that nothing ought to be added thereunto Neither is it without the compasse of the Scripture seeing that it springeth and results from the perfection of the Scripture it selfe and the credit or testimony that a Church bee it true or false conferreth upon these Bookes is but a probable and humane testimony vntill God giving efficacie to this Scripture to touch and stirre vp devotion imprinteth in it a more effectuall perswasion For it is not the Church that giveth faith but the spirit of God that worketh in our hearts by his powerfull word As a river that passeth through a towne is sufficient to refresh and water it throughout yet notwithstanding is it behoouefull that some Pipe or channell should conduct it from the source into the place so the holy Scripture is sufficient to instruct vs to salvation neverthelesse it must come to vs as it were by the course of successiue Tradition Such a Tradition addeth no more to the Scripture then the channell addeth to the water of the River Also when wee reject unwritten Traditions we intend not to reject all the words that are not found in the Scripture in regard that wee may there finde the matter in substance and equivalent termes and that these words doe add nothing to the doctrine of salvation contained in the Scriptures Such are the termes of Gods providence and of the Immortalitie of the soule Likewise the words of Trinitie Consubstantiall and the Procession of the holy Ghost words profitably imployed by our forefathers to make that perspicuous which is contained in the Scriptures and to shut vp heretikes into a more narrow strait Also wee willingly admit of unwritten Traditions which concern not the doctrine but onely the Ecclesiasticall pollicie and outward order in regard that such Lawes and Customes are not given for absolutely necessary and equalled with the doctrine of salvation as also because they serue not the Pastors use for traffique avarice or ambition and that in this order and outward pollicie there is nothing dishonest and contrary to good morality or that may expose the Christian Religion to ridiculousnesse and lastly because that with these Ceremonies and observations the multitude is not excessiue neither doe they divert the piety by postures of the countenance or the spirituall service by corporall exercise For as the Romans having conquered a Province did amuse the people with Sports and pompous Triumphes feasting them with their spoyles whilst they were then busie in plotting and aggravating the peoples servitude so doth the enemie of our salvation amuse the people by the splendour of Ceremonies whilst hee then inthralleth consciences and tacitely insinuateth idolatry to which the very inclination of the people doth much contribute For a man naturally loveth rather to recreate his sense then to instruct his understanding to behold publike spectacles then heare wholesome doctrines to admire pictures then edifie by good precepts and findeth lesse difficultie to shape stones to the image of man then to unshape or reforme man to the image of God Our confession then rejecteth onely the Traditions that adde something to the doctrine of faith manners contained in the Scripture and which are given forth to supply that which is thought to be wanting in the doctrine of the holy Scriptures The Iesuire Regourd in his booke Pag. 786. 787. intitled Catholike Demonstrations in the sixt Demonstration proposeth salsely our Beliefe Hee alledgeth the wordes of the fift Article of our confession of the faith where hee makes vs say that the Word of God contained in the Bookes received by vs is guided with all veritie and containeth all that is necessary for the service of God and for our owne salvation and that by it all things ought to be examined and squared Antiquity Customes the Multitude humane Wisdome Iudgements Sentences Edicts Decrees Councells Visions Miracles But he changeth the words of our Confession by a most notorious falsification for we say only that these things must not bee opposed against the Scripture Marke our very words It is not lawfull for men nor Angals to adde thereunto nor diminish nor change Whence it followeth that neither Antiquitie nor Customes nor the Multitude c. ought to be opposed against the holy Scripture We condemne not Antiquitie nor Councels as Regourd imposeth upon vs but wee say that hee that would oppose these things against the Scripture ought not to bee beleeved Wee affirme this because our Adversaries say that the Romish Church may change that which God hath commanded in the Scripture dispense Gods word contrary to the Apostle and estaâ—lish new Articles of Faith wherof we haue set downe multitudes of proofes in the forepart of our first Booke and will produce more here following CHAP. IV. The opinion of the Romish Church That our Adversaries with one consent accuse the Scripture of insufficiency and of not containing all the doctrines necessary to salvation WHen our Adversaries dispute against Pagans and compare the holy Scripture with humane wisedome they exalr the sanctitie perfection authoritie perspicuity and divine efficacy of the holy Scripture yea you would imagine they accorded with vs and borrowed our termes But when the question is of comparing the Scripture with the church of Rome then alter they their language debasing the dignitie of the Scripture to the end to magnifie the authoritie of the Pope They vphold that the Scripture is not Iudge that this title appertaines unto the Pope and to the Prelates which he authoriseth then I say they make all authoritie of the Scripture to depend upon the power and testimonie of the Romish Church They accuse the Scripture of incertitude of being depraved of obscuritie of insufsiciencie and imperfection But if one represent vnto them their owne proper words wherein they commend the perfection of the Scripture and acknowledge that it containeth all that is necessary to salvation they haue an evasion ready at hand for they say that the Scripture may bee called â—erfect because she referreth to the â—hurch which supplyeth all her â—efects Wherein they apparantly â—putradict themselues For if the Scriptures send back to the church to learne of her wherein they are de fectiue by the same message and â—â—nding backe they confesle their â—wne imperfection The Merchant that sendeth away his Chapman to another shop to finde that which hee hath not in his owne by this dismission hee confesseth that his owne shop is ill furnished And if it be sufficient for the Scripture to be called perfect when as she sends is to the Church it
is most cerâ—aine that instead of all the Scripâ—ure one sole line might suffice spcaking thus Goe but to the Church of Rome and shee will teach you all things infallibly Now to vnderstand what is the imperfection where of our adversaries accuse the Scripture let vâ—â— obserue what they discourse vpon the same The Councell of Trent in the fourth Session pronounceth that the Church shall receâ—ue and honour the vnwritten Traditions with equall affection of piety and reverence as the holy Scripture The hallowed Synod say these Fathers Omnes libros tam veterus quam novi Testamenta nec non Traditiones ipsas tum ad fiaem tum ad mores pertinentes tanguam vel ore tenus à Christo vel à Christo vel à spiritu sancto dictatas pari pietatis affectu ac reve reÌ„tia suscipit ac veneratur receaues and honoureth with like affection of godlinesse and reverence all Bookes as well of the Old as the New Testament and the Traditions appertaining to faith and manners as dictated onely by the mouth of Christ or by his holy spirit Yea by this decree the commandements of the Church of Rome are equall to the Law of God and the doctrine of the Gospell contained in the New Testament By this rule the Invocation of Saints commanded by Tradition ought to bee done with like pietie and reverence as the Invocation of God commaunded in the holy Scripture By the authoritie of this Councell Catechismus ad pa ochos ex Decrete Conâ—tly arid Py 4. Pont. Max. iussis editus Omnis aoctrinae ratio quae fidelibus trâ—aeda sit quod in Scripturam traditionésque distributum est a Catechisme was framed which in the very entry and be ginning placeth this Maxime that all doctrine which ought to be given to the faithfull is contained in the Word of God which is divided into Scripture and Traditions whence grew vp the distinction of the word written and unwritten Gregory de Valentia the Iesuite in the fift Booke of his Analysis and Scripturans non esse sufficientem fides regulaÌ„ quta non continet omnia Title of the third Chap. The Scripture is not a sufficient rule of faith for it containeth not all things Cardinall Bellarmine a Iesuite in his Booke of the Vnwritten word Scripturas sine Traditioniâ—us nec fuisse fimpliciter necessarias nec sâ—fficientes Chap. 4. The Scriptures without Traditions are not simply necessary nor sufficient And there againe he calleth the Scripture regulam non totalem sed partialem a rule not entire but a piece or parcell of a rule The Iesuite Baile in the 9 question of his Catechisme I will make you poynt it with your finger that the Scripture is not sufficient Peter Charren in the fourth Chap. of his third Verity saith that to require all to bee proued by Scripture is an vniust demand And not much after The Scripture is nothing but a little par cell of truth revealed Part. 3. disp 8 § 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Stultum est omnia ab Apostolus scripta putare vol omnia abâ—â—is tradita 〈◊〉 Etin iniurtam vergerat agentis râ—velantis Spiritus Et insuave esset natura nostre quae omnia simul non capit Salm ron the Iesuite in his 13. Tome of the first Booke of his Commentaries vpon the Epistles of Saint Paul It is a sottishnesse to thinke that the Apostle haue written all things or haue given all by Tradition that would turne to an injury against the holy Ghost operating and revealing and it would bee a thing repugnant to our nature that comprehenaeth not all things at a clap Of which vn written Traditions that haue been started since the Apostles time he fercheth some examples to wit the Ecclesiasticall § Quint. opus Hierarchy that is to ay the Papall Monarchy with the subordinate degrees the service of Images and §. Postremo the suffrages of the dead the Masse and manner of sacrificing and the §. Porro Tradition that Iesus Christ hath made a sacrifice in bread and wine that he then made the Chrisme c. Hee rendreth the reason why these things should not be written to the end that the Commandement §. Quint. opus Haec literis coÌ„signari minimè debuerisnt â—â— soruaretu praecepiuÌ„ Christi Nolite dare sanctum canibus of Iesus Christ bee kept who chargeth in this manner Giue not to dogs that which is holy Vpon this Iesuites reckoning the doctrine of the birth and death of our Saviour was given to dogs when it was digested in writing And God gaue his Law to dogs when he wrote it in two Tables But as for the Papall Hierarchy Image-service Romish Indulgences Invocation of Saints c. God would not haue such holy things to be cast to dogs nor hath he permitted them to be written And there againe Waxing insolent § Tertio Protervire voientes scriptuâ—â— refelli non possunt idea una tradiâ—â—one lugulandi sunt and froward they cannot bee vanquished by the Scriptures therfore must their throats be cut with one Tradition alone Coster a Iesuite in the Preface of Pâ—aefat Enchiâ—â—d Nostri toporis haretici ad solas Sâ—ipturas tanquam ad laxum adharescunt Idem cap de sacra script In membranis tam nâ—vi guae veteris Test aÌ„ multa desiderantur In ea tamen oâ— nta non contineri valde impudeÌ„ter affirmare non verentur A Christe videtur cautum ne omniâ— fider dogmata scriptu coÌ„mendarmtur dum ait Nolite dare sanctum canibus his Manuell The Heretiques of our time doe sticke to the Scriptures as to a rock That displeaseth the Doctor for saith hee In the Parchments as well of the Old as New testament many things are wanting And further they feare not to affirme with great impudence that all things are contained in the Scripture And a little after It seemes that Iesus Christ forbad all the doctrines of Faith to be couched in writing when hee sayd Giue not to â—ggs that which is holy As if the Scripture were made for the dogs And who may these dogs bee but the Christian people Now seeing that Iesus Christ hath given the Scripture to these dogs that is to say to the people wherefore doth the Pope take from them that which Iesus Christ hath given unto them in debarring them of the reading Reason would require that our Adversaries specifie vnto vs what are the Doctrines that are wanting in the Scripture and that they make us a catalogue of their Traditions But they haue not dared to doe it hitherto fearing to affright the people with the multitude of doctrines which they haue patched to the word of God We learne by the History of the Hist del Concilio Trident. lib. 2. Ann. 1546. Councell of Trent that besides the publike Sessions of the Councell they caused Congregations to be made of Prelates and Doctors to make draughts of the Decree which should bee
defaults are therein found and giueth God thankes for it to the end that men finding no stedinesse or certainty in the Scripture may subiect themselues to the tyrannie of the Church that is to say of the Pope and there to find instruction these are his words The prouidence Demonstr 2. § 5. p. 128. of God to constraine vs yet more powerfully to vndergoe the yoke of the Church with humility and simplicity permitteth that there bee not only some alteration in certaine parcels of the Scripture and in some copie but the more the bookes of the Scripture are dispersed the more they shall alter and perish by tract of time whether they be in originall tongues or translations Without doubt hee that reioyceth at the deprauations which he imagineth to bee in Scripture and at the losse of some bookes and prayseth thererein the prouidence of God would much more solace himselfe and reioyce if all the Scripture were abolished For to what purpose serveth it if Tradition of the Church of Rome bee a perfect rule more certaine and of more authority then the holy Scripture and if the Pope iudge soueraignly and infallibly of all the points of faith for hee hath forbidden the people to reade the Scripture as a booke not onely unnecessary but also dangerous and that which hath made a great breach in the Popedome The same Iesuite pleaseth himselfe with this conceit of his inculcating it with often repetition As in the third Demonstration when he hath said that a man cannot assure himselfe of the sense of the Greeke Testament because it first was written without accents and distinctions whereon depends the sense hee addeth It is a worke of the providence of God to stoope our mindes and inclinations to the soveraigntie of the Church that is to say of the Pope who by consequence hath more authoritie then the Apostle S. Paul speaking to the Corinthians not that wee have dominion over your faith 2. Cor. 1. 24. But may not wee affirme it with more probability to be a worke of Gods providence that hee hath suffered so many schismes and heresies so much simony uncleannesse of life and crueltie to haue infected the seat of Rome whereby to referre us to the Scripture to make vs forsake those wicked guides and to subject us to his holy word and that God by his providence hath permitted that the Popes themselues haue confessed their owne errours And lastly that the Popes sycophants haue recorded unto us their crimes and heresies as I haue proved in my first Booke In short to bee throughly informed with what spirit this Iesuite is lead it is but to reade the same that hee hath written in his third Demonstration pag. 190. They cause them saith he to renounce the Church pretending that it consisteth of men that are faultie and lyers vnder a faire semblance of Scripture and vnder a plausible promise to governe all by the word of God But the truth is they depute a bleare-eyed Leah vnto them in lieu of a faire Rachel and submit faith to the soveraigne command of the will of Ministers who put into their hand a Scripture that is humane erronious mutable subject to correction c. This miserable Iesuite wil one day render an account to God of so damnable a speech wherein hee compareth the holy Scripture to bleare-eyed Leah and the Church of Rome to beautifull Rachel It is very false that wee renounce the Church but yet we maintaine that it ought to be subject to the Scripture and we renounce the doctrine of those who say that the Scripture is subject to the Church of Rome for God cannot be subject to men As for the soveraigne power of the Ministers function that might well bee retorted upon us for a reproach if wee boasted amongst us that they cannot erre that they haue power to change Gods commandements conteined in the holy Scriptures to adde to the Creed and to make new articles of faith or if we should stile our selues Iudges infallible and soveraigne of the poynts of faith Wee leaue these usurpations and proud titles to the Pope by the which hee exalteth himselfe aboue God Onely wee exhort the people to beleeue the Word of God contained in holy Scriptures wherein if wee finde any obscure passages wee take not upon us to bee Iudges of the sense and to determine it with authoritie It is enough that as much as therein is perspicuous and plaine not needing the helpe of an Interpreter is sufficient for our salvation And to contest much about Translations wee busie not our selues for the Translation approved by the Church of Rome fufficeth us discovering clearely therin the very condemnation of Papistry All Translations agree in the matters necessary to salvation and the originall texts both Hebrew and Greeke are at this day familiar and agreeing to our Translation Of these things haue I treated at large in my first Booke of The Iudge of Controversies and haue discussed all the slender objections wherein our Adversaries doe side with Pagans and Infidels and endeavour to extenuate the firmnesse and authoritie of the Scripture which Saint Paul calleth The divine Oracles Rom. 3. 2. and The Scripture diuinely inspired 1. Tim. 3. 16. which I say Iesus Christ himselfe hath uttered holding vp his owne vocation by the testimony of the Prophets and by it hath repelled the temptation of the Deuill Math. 4. Yea S. Paul saith that the Scripture can make a man wise to saluation and is most proper for mans accomplishment in euery good worke without it wee haue not meanes to know that God will haue but one Church in the world And when our aduersaries haue wretchedly reuiled it yet are they afterwards constrained to returne vnto it and to beg of it though with an ill stomacke some clauses of Text to found their Church vpon the Scriptures authority without it Christianity had beene long since abolished The diuine efficacy of it is manifest in this that the Pope hath suppressed it so as the people may not see it yet when God is pleased to lay it open to the peoples view and that it be translated into vulgar tongues Papistry doth immediatly vanish in many Prouinces Yea if Emperours and Kings had not hastened to succour vsing both fire and sword and the rigour of Inquisitions without doubt Papistry had beene vtterly extinguished Wherefore it is no maruell if the Pope by his scouts labour to blemish the Scripture rendring it doubtfull and without authority which vngodly instruments at this day borrow the weapons of Pagans who to restore Paganisme and ruine Christianity haue had no surer course then to difsame the holy Scripture Loe whither Satan strives to leade vs Hee striues to shake the only foundation of Christian religion to the end that the people distasting the Scripture may for their faith and saluation relye vpon the conductors of the Romish church wherein haue liued multitudes of Popes notorious heretickes and so iudged by the
universall Councels most ancient of greatest authority and which Pope Gregory the first equalleth to the foure Evangelists Pope Gelasius speakes the same for in his Tome of the Bond of an Anathema disputing against one of the foure first Councells to wit against that of Chalcedon where there were sixe hundred and thirty Bishops he urgeth thus The Apostolicall Seat alone dissanulleth that which a Synodall Assembly Quod refutauit sedes Apostolica habere non potuit firmitatem sola rescindâ— qd prater ordineÌ„ congregatio Synodica pisâ— taverit vsurpandum though to haue vsurped against order The subject of his choler against this so famous and honourable assembly was for that in this Councell is framed a Canon ordaining that the Bishop of Constantinople should be equall to the Bishop of Rome in all things and that hee should haue the same preheminences CHAP. XI Of what sort how weake and how vncertaine the foundations are wheron Traditions of the Romish Church are built and of the three maximes that serue for their defence and prop. THe Traditions of the Church of Rome are of so great a number that a meere Catalogue of them would furnish out a large volume The whole rabble of them hath these three maximes for their foundation 1. That the Pope is Successor to St. Peter in the charge of Head of the universall Church 2. Secondly that the Pope cannot erre in the faith 3. That the Apostles haue not set downe in writing all that they did teach by word of mouth Hee that will comprehend the nature of these maximes shall know that they evert the Christian faith and consume all Religion into smoke for if the Maximes wheron all Papistry is founded and all the body of Romish Traditions bee imaginary maximes and purely humane not to giue a worse phrase it is impossible that the Religion which is built thereupon can haue the least tittle of assurance 1. The first maxime that layeth downe the Pope to bee Saint Peters Successor in the charge of Head of the vniversall Church is destitute of all testimony of Gods Word and our Adversaries to vphold it produce nothing but humane testimonies Whence it followeth that it is not an Article of the Christian Faith and that it cannot be beleeved for a certaintie of faith for the Christian faith is grounded upon the Word of God Faith commeth by â—earing and hearing by the Word of God Rom. 10. 17. But the Church of Rome giveth his maxime not onely for an Arâ—cle of Faith but also for a founâ—ation of all the other Articles of â—aith and of the whole Religion For in the Church of Rome the Popes authoritie is planted to be a Foundation of the Church and of all the doctrine of salvation to the very subjecting of the Scripture that is to say the word of God to his authoritie and to cause that the authoritie of the Scripture depend vpon the opinion of the Church of Rome and all this by vertue of that pretended Succession to St. Peter Briefly our Adversaries make all Christian Religion to hang vpon this poynt as Bellarmine acknowledgeth at the entrance of the Preface in his Books of the Pope speaking thus To say in a word when mention is made of the Etenim de qua re agitur cum de primatu Pontificis agitur breutssime dicam de summa rei christianae â—â— entâ— quaeritur aebeatne Ecelesia diutius consistere an vero dissolui concidere Observ andic est tertia licet force no sit de â—ure diuno RomanisÌ„ PontificeÌ„ ut Romanum Pentificem Petro succecere tamen â—â— ad fidem Catholicam pertinere NoÌ„ enim est idem alsquid esse de fide et esse de ture divine Nec enim de oure divine fuit â—â— Paulus hâ—beret penulaÌ„ est tamen â—â—â— ipsum de fide 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 penulam Etsi autem Romanum Pontificem sucâ—edere Petro noÌ„ habeatur expresse in scripturis c. Popes supremacy the summe of all Christianitie is at stake for the question is whether the Church ought to subsist any longer or whether it must bee dissolved and fall Thereunto doe all the Controversies referre and all the Traditions ayme at the profit and greatnesse of the Pope yet the same Cardinall at the 12. chap. of the second Booke of the Pope acknowledgeth that the Scripture maketh no mention of the Popes succession in the place of Saint Peter and that this poyut is not jure divino Neverthelesse hee affiemeth that this succession though it bee not jure divino leaueth not to appertaine to the Catholick faith In the same manner as the Catholicke faith beleeueth that Saint Paul had a Friers weed though that were not jure divine and that God had not commanded any thing to that purpose Hence it is manifest that all the diuine doctrine is founded vpon a plaine humane Tradition to weet a Tradition vnwritten That God hath ordained the Pope of Rome for Successour in the Primacy of Saint Peter Thus you see Tradition grounded vpon tradition that is vpon it selfe and this infinite Masse of traditions is founded vpon a Traditions that is no more jure diuino then Saint Pauls weed whereof never was any diuine Testimony extant I will not at this time enter into proofes of the falsity of this matter which wee haue handled in diuers places especially in my booke that went before and shewed the vntruths by aboundance of reason and authority drawne from antiquity I say but this that the ancient Bishops of Rome were called Successours of Saint Peter in the Bishopricke only of the Citie of Rome but not in the Apostleship nor in the goverment of the vniuersall Church Iust as the Bishops of Ierusalem were called Successors of Saint Iames and those of Antioch of Saint Peter and those of Ephesus of Saint Paul and of Saint Iohn not in the Apostl ship but in the Bishopricke of thâ— townes wherein these Apostles had planted the Church Our adversaries produce not any example or passage of the ancient Church whereby it may appeare that ever the Bishops of Rome attributed any authority to themselues over the Churches that are out of the Romane Empire I say also that when the Bishop of Rome was heretofoâ—e Successor to Saint Peter in place of head of the Church so it was that the heresies which infected this seat as our adversaries themselues doe confesse and the Popes complaine of it and the Schismes which haue rent it there hauing beene two Popes at once sometimes three at the same instant prosecuting one the other to extremity and calling one the other Antichrist did long since breake the chaine of this succession In which Schismes ordinarily the most vicious and most cunning caried it and hee excluded his adversary who had the favour of those Emperours and Kings on whom the fortune of warre did smile This continued straine of succession not being possibly knowen but by the multitude of Histories and Authors both
were not sufficient of themselves to expiate the sinnes but that they drew their vertue from the death of Iesus Christ and that those which did eate of the Paschall-lambe were to have respect to Iesus Christ and to understand the signification of this Lambe Now say these men they could not learne this from the bookes of Moses nor from the Prophets therefore they learnt it by the unwritten Tradition In speaking thus they falsific the words of the Apostle Saint Peter who at the 10. of the Acts 43. saith that To Iesus Christ all the Prophets give witnesse that through his name whosoever beleeveth in him shall receive remission of sinnes And they contradict Saint Paul who at the 26 of the Acts 22. Saith of himselfe that he speaketh no other things then those which the Prophets and Moses did foretell should come to passe They also abuse themselves to thinke that it was then necessary to every one of the faithfull to have a cleere insight and vnderstanding of the sacrifices of the Law and of the Paschall Lambe for the faithfull are not bound to beleeve of Iesus Christ more then that which God by his Word hath revealed unto them If any one about the time of Moses offering sacrifice according to the Law were not instructed in the doctrine of the death of our Redeemer but only beleeved that God through the meanes which hee knoweth to be most agreeable and convenient will forgiue vs our trespasies it were rashnesse to goe about to exclude such a man from salvation and it is certaine that then the faithfull were not without instruction as touching this point for they were prompted by the Scriptures to expect this seed of the Woman which should crush the head of the Serpent and the seed of Abraham wherein all Nations should be blessed Cardinall Perron is aduised of a third Tradition not written in the old Testament which neuerthelesse if we could beleeue it was necessary to saluation He supposeth that it was necessary for the Iewes to beleeue that the fire of their sacrifices after the captiuity was descended from Heaven and that the same continuall fire which was vpon the Altar was conserved by miracle during the tranfmigration Whereupon I say that 2. Macc. I. this miraculous conseruation of the fire being but a Iudaicall fable the Iewes were not bound Hac de revâ—de Rabbi Shelomo in ea 1 Aggai Talmud Tractatu Tukasin 1. fol. 21. Rabbi Moshe Ren Meâ—mon tractat de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to beleeue it The charge of the Sacrificers was to put the fire vpon the Altar as it is sayd Leuit. 1. 7. The sonnes of Aaron Nadab and Abihu did sinne not because they placed strange fire vpon the Altar but in putting into their Censers the fire which they tooke from else-where and not from off the Altar Leuit. 10. 1. Looke vpon the 8. of the Apoc 5. Moreouer put the case this fable were admitted for true yet is it not a rule of Religion nor a doctrine of Faith but only a meere History whereof whosoeuer had bin ignorant had not incurred eternall damnation And admit that vnder the old Testament the Church had vnwritten Traditions it should not therefore follow that it was lawfull for the Church of Rome to forge new ones and to equall them in authority to the writings of the Prophets and Apostles CHAP. XX. An answere to our Adversaries affirming that wee receive many Traditions contained in the Scripture OVr Adversaries upbraid us in that we who reject traditions are neverthelesse constrained to admit of many Ye beleeve say they that these bookes are canonicall ye allow of baptizing such as are Heretikes and the baptisme of little infants yee beleeve the procession of the holy Spirit from the Father and the Sonne and the translation of the Sabbath to the Dominicall day and the perpetuall virginity of Mary the mother of Christ yee beleeve that women ought to sing in the Church yee grant the words of Consubstantiation of Trinity of Person and of Sacrament which are not found in the holy Scripture I have already said that we reject not all unwritten Traditions but only those which adde something to the doctrine of salvation contained in holy Scriptures For answere to their objection that wee receive this unwritten Tradition to wit These bookes are canonicall to say so much of the bookes is not to adde to the canonicall bookes And speaking in that manner we are so farre from adding to Scripture that on the contrary it is a declaration that nothing is to be added thereunto and that it is the perfect rule of our faith Yet to have a complete certainety of the sacrednesse of these bookes there must be a stronger testimony then this Tradition An illiterate man not instructed in the knowledge of God receiveth the testimony of the Church of his owne countrey which telleth him that these books are canonicall as a probable testimony and which hee should not willingly contradict but then hee beginneth to have of it a divine testimony and of soveraigne efficacie when the Spirit of God by the Doctrine contained in this Scripture hath enlightened his spirit and inflamed his heart with a secret vertue whereof it is in vaine to dispute with those that feele it not the which cannot serve for a Law to another but serveth to every one of the faithfull in particular to assure his conscience It is also to bee considered that the testimony of shewing such and such bookes to bee canonicall might proceed as well from an hereticall as from an orthodox Church The Apostles received the holy Scripture from the Pharises and Sacrificers who were enemies to Iesus Christ Whence it appeareth that the testimony which the Church affordeth to the Scriptures is not of supreme authority and indubitable but invalid It is by faith that we beleeve that the contents of the Scripture are the word of God which faith is not given by the Church for it is an effect of the Spirit of God Touching the other points I speake of them in generall that if they bee Doctrines and Rules of the Christian faith not contained in the Scripture we are not bound to beleeve them But when every one of these points shall be examined asunder some will bee found contained in the Scripture others are not Doctrines nor Lawes or Rules of the Christian faith nor things requisite or necessary to salvation I am astonished to behold how our Adversaries dare to insert the Baptisme of little infants amongst the unwritten traditions seeing that their selves disputing against the Anabaptists prove it by many passages of Scripture Bellarmine in his eighth Chapter of the first Booke of Baptisme bringeth these proofes of Scripture that Baptisme succeeded Circumcision which was applied to little infants That Iesus Christ at the ninth of Saint Matthew saith Suffer the little ones tâ— come to me c. That in the sixteenth of the Acts Lydia is baptized by Saint Paul
the great Whore the signification of the seuen stars and the Sense or exposition of the dreames are called Sacraments Apoc. 3. 1. and 17. 7. Dan. 2. 18. Touching the Holy Supper which wee call Sacrament herein wee follow the custome and by the word we vnderstand no other thing but that which Iesus Christ calleth a memoriall or commemoration saying Doe this in remembrance of me CHAP. XXI A proofe of the sufficiency and perfection of the Scriptures by the Testimony of God himselfe speaking in the Scriptures WEe haue offered to your vnderstandings both the novelty and falshood of Romish Traditions and have proued that they are neither Diuine nor Apostolicall It is therefore to be concluded that we ought entirely to adhere to the word of God contained in the Holy Scriptures for in two wayes when the one is blocked vp there remaineth but the other that is passable Our aduersaries themselues aide vs in this point The Popes hauing made so many decrees and decretals and extravagants yet they dare not call these decrees the word of God Yea they produce no other booke then the Scripture that beareth this title of the word of God or of the Testament or Couenant of God This single proose may suffice vnlesse we would embrace the word of men for a rule of faith Our aduersaries againe tell vs that the Holy Scripture cannot testifie of it selfe and when it is â—aile ' Iesuite 〈◊〉 1. traittâ— de son Catechisme Bellarm. lib. 4 de Verbo Dei cap. 4. § Quartâ— called Holy and Divine It is â— more to be credited then Titus Livius or Mahumets Alcoran But let them know that this is Gods true Prerogative to be Iudge and witnesse in her cause who being the party offended will not forget at the last day to be Iudge of those that have offended him Hearken to that of Iesus Christ speaking at the 8. of S. Iohn 14. Though I beare record of my selfe yet my record is true and worthy to be beleeued For God is not therefore to bee the lesse beleued because there are so many incredulous and vnbeleeuing and the perversity of man shall neuer despoile God of his right It is a non sequitur and an vnjust inference that because of the malice and depravednes of man the dominion of God should suffer dimunition Therefore wee will not feare to alledge the Scripture for proofe of the perfection of the Scripture Wee know that the authenticke Testimony which God giueth to his word can be no way taxed or iustly suspected The Apostle Saint Paul in the 2. to Tim 3. 15. speaketh thus to his disciple Timothy From thine in fancie thou hast knowne the holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise vnto saluation through faith which is in Christ Iesus Now what need we seeke any further then to bee so instructed as that wee may be able to attaine vnto saluation by our beleefe in Iesus Christ To shifâ— off this passage of Saint Paul to Timothy our aduersaries tell vs that Saint Paul speaketh not in that place but onely of the bookes of the old Testament and yet at that time the greatest part of the new was written But I am contented to grâ—â—t what they say for it maketh against them being assured that if the sole bookes of the old Testament can make a man wise to saluation much more and with stronger râ—ason shall the old and the new coupled together make vs wise to saluation The Holy Scripture neuer saith that vnwritten Traditions can make vs wise to saluation The Apostle had neuer sayd that the Scripture can make vs wise to salvation if it instructed vs but by halfes and if it were needfull for vs to seeke the other part of our instruction in another word that is vnwritten Where they say that Timothy could not learne out of the olde Testament the immortality of the soule nor Paradise nor the resurrection c. It hath bin formerly confuted Of the resurrection of Iesus Christ and of his death the Prophets speakâ— most clearely and all the sacrifices lead thereunto And when these things were lesse plainely and expressely set downe yet God required not of our forefathers before the comming of Christ a greater knowledge then that which was reuealed vnto them There are those who play the Sophisters vpon this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vsed by the Apostle and doe render it to instruct and not to make wise Wherein their owne Bible â—â—sâ— lâ— 18. an Grâ—c Phanâ—â—â—ni lâ—xâ—con 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 teacheth the contrary for at the 19. Psal 7. There is in the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the vulgar translation Sapientiam praestans parvâ—lis that is to say giuing wisedome to the simple And at the 119. Psal 98. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where Pagnin rendreth it tu me sâ—pientiâ—rem reddidisti inimicis meis Thou hast made mee wiser then minâ— enemies But vpon the point it commeth all to one for it sufficeth vs to bee instructed to saluation Saint Paul speaketh not of any curtal'd or halfe instrâ—ction Hee is instructed to salvation who hath sufficient instruction to bee saved and whosoever is not wise to salvation is not instructed to salvation so are they one and the same thing But if the Scripture could make Timothy wise to salvation why should it not be as well sufficient to make others wise to salvation For if any man profit therein lessen then Timothy the reason is not because it is more perfect for one then for another but because one bringeth to it more light of spirit more affection and more attention then another and because God conferreth his knowledge more abundantly upon those that feare him and humbly crave the gist of understanding 2. The Apostle Saint Paul at 1 Cor. 4. 6. limiting the power of the Pastors of the Church saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let no man thinke above that which is written there it is above that which is written and not above that which I have written And whosoever imputeth to Beza that he translated it above that which I Iehan Iaubert pa. 306. have written is a detracting Calumniator 3. The same Apostle at Act. 26. 22. protesteth Hee never taught any thing save onely such things as the Prophets and Moses had foretold should come to passe He then confined his preaching to the Scriptures And he shall be a good Minister of Christ who after the example of Saint Paul shall bee able to say that hee never taught any thing except those things which Moses and the Prophets and Apostles disciples of the Prophets have taught If it be moreover objected that Saint Paul being restrained to the writings of the Prophets it shall follow that the writings of the Apostles who have written since the Prophets are unprofitable I will answere that the Apostles have written the same things that the Prophets have written for as much as concerneth the substance of salvation but they have
demonstrative they deride and jeere it saying that syllogismes are but humane discourse and an invention of Aristotle unfit to regulate our faith But those of our adversaries who are better stored with knowledg as Thomas Bellarmin Baronius Perron Salmeron Vasques rejecteth this wrangling Philosophy froward reasoning which carpeth at syllables and is made for nothing else but to bring foorth nothing and to brave and swagger in the speed of running away Now what an unjust case it is that those who attribute to the Church of Rome the power not only of adding to the Scripture but also to alter that which God hath ordained in the Scripture and who hold that their Church hath no obligation to the Scripture should use such rigor against us to bind us precisely to the words and syllables of the Scripture though wee change nothing in the substâ—nce It were an easie matter for vs to proceed against them after the same wise replying to the first word they offer us Shew mee what you say in as many words in the word of God written or unwritten for they take both for the rule of their instruction And if they make use of these words therefore and then to tell them these are your reasons and consequences and in stead of giving satisfactory answere to injoyne them that they proove unto us that wee are bound to proove to them what they demand and so to breake off with laughter and insultation this were the way as the proverbe hath it to counterfet the fooles with mad-men If in handling points of the Faith it be not permitted to make use of other wordes besides those that are found in the Scripture it shall not be suffered to preach nor to write commentaries nor to conferre the passages of the Scripture together for this collation cannot bee made without imploying some other words which forme the comparison and shew the resemblance It shall not likewise be suffered to recite the Creed nor to say there are but foure Evangelists in the new Testament for the Scripture speaketh not this in so many words Moreover by this pedanticall cavilation neither Charles nor Anthony nor any particular man shall bee obliged to beleeve in Iesus Christ nor to obey him For the Scripture neither speaketh of Charles nor Anthony But the duty of particular men is drawne by necessary consequence from the generall rules that are in the Scripture So our adversaries beleeve that Pope Vrbane is lawfull successour in the supremacie of Saint Peter which neverthelesse they derive by consequence of this generall Maxime that the Bishops of Rome are lawfull successors in the Primacy of S. Peter If from an imaginary Tradition they draw consequences why should not wee draw them from the holy Scripture When I say that Purgatory and the primacy of the Bishop of Rome are Traditions whereof the Scripture maketh no mention how should I shew this in so many sillables seeing I hold that it is not found therein at all for if there were found a passage that saith there is no such thing as Purgatory the Scripture should make mention of Purgatory These men require the same as when I should say that nothing is spoken of Iesus Christ in Virgils Aeneades some trifling Sophister urgeth mee to shew in the Aeneades a passage affirming that Iesus Christ is not therein mentioned This peevish wrangling no lesse injurious then troublesome taketh from the Christians all meanes of proving to a lew by the Prophets that Iesus is the Christ for the name of Iesus Christ is not found in the Prophets yet certaine it is that the thing it selfe is therein explained in equivalent termes To be short in such jugling Theology it is impossible to prove by Scripture thâ—t an Ape or Cat is not to be adored for this is not found totidem verbis in the Scripture but it is drawne from necessary consequence of passages wherein God alone will be worshipped If I say that the soule is immortall and that God governeth the World by his providence will these venerable Doctors take mee by the throate to shew them this sillabically in so many wordes Indeed it is not found in the same words but in some other equivalent speaking of the life eternall in this manner God maketh all things according to the counsell of his will Ephes 1. 5. And a sparrow falleth not the ground without the will of God Matt. 10. 29. And God himselfe pronounceth My counsell shall stand and I will accomplish all my pleasure Esay 46. 10. If the Scripture saith that God descendeth or runneth or is inflamed with choller or sleepeth shall it not be lawfvll to use plaine and intelligible words in expounding these figures Likewise I find not in the Scripture the word Trinity but I have found the word three Saint Iohn telling us that there are three in heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Spirit 1. Iohn 5. 7. I find not in the Scripture tolidem verbis that the soule of the thiefe was not in Limbo But I find that Iesus Christ assured him Thou shalt this day bee with mee in Paradise I find not in the Scripture in the same termes that the Saints know not our hearts but I find there how God alone knoweth the hearts of men 2. Chron. 6. 30. There is no mention made of single life of Prelates in the same words but there it is sayd Let a a Bishop bee husband but of one wife 1. Tim. 3. 2. Furthermore Iesus Christ disputing with the devill Matth. 4. 11. told him It is written thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve Which is a passage of the 6. of Deut. 13. Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and shalt serve him and swere by his Name To which passage the Lord joyneth another of the 1. of Sam. chap. 7. 3. Subject your hearts to the eternal God and serue him alone Iesus Christ made no scruple or difficulty to speake the same thing in sundry phrases At the 18. Acts 28. It is related that Apollos a lew demonstrated by the Scriptures of the old Testament that Iesus was the Christ though it bee not therein expressed in so many words And S. Peter at the 10. Acts 43. speaketh thus To Iesus Christ give all the Prophets witnesse that through his name whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall receive remission of sinnes Yet this is not found among the Prophets in expresse words but in equivalent termes and by necessary consequence Shall we then bee rebuked if wee alledge the Scripture after the same wont and forme as Iesus Christ and the Apostles have done The Apostle S. Paul in the 2. to Tim. 1. 13. commanding us to hold fast the forme of sound words doth not bind us to sillables for soundnesse and purity of doctrine may copiously and in full sense dwell under the signification of severall sorts of words as health of body may be clothed vnder another habit It is so taught by Hierome
prove the insufficiency of the Scripture whose actuall perfection and absolute sufficiency they exalt above all upon all occurrences and tracts concerning the doctrine of salvation Clemens Alexandrinus in the sixt booke of his Stromata Wee say nothing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without the Scriptures Tertullian in his booke against Hermogenes wrote before hee became Scriptum esse doceat Hermogenis officina Si non est scriptum timeat vae illud adijcientibus auâ— detrahentibus destinaetum a Montanist Hereticke in his 22. chap. The shop of Hermogenes declareth to us that it is written but in case it be not written let that woe denounced against those which adde or diminish be a terrour vnto them But when hee afterwards slid away into heresie he betooke himselfe to maintaine his doctrine by vnwritten Traditions For in his booke of Monogamy which he compiled being an Hereticke at the 2. chap. hee transmitteth vs to Tradition alledging these words of our Lord I have many things to tell you but you cannot carry them away at this time which is the passage that our adversaries ordinarily produce for Hippol. tome 3. Biblioth PatruÌ„ pag. 20 21. Edit Col. Vnus Deuâ— est quem non altunde agnâ—scimus quam ex S. 〈◊〉 Qutadmodum n. si que vellet sapientiam huius saculi exercere non aliter hoc coÌ„sequt poterit nisi dogmata Philosophorura legat sie quicunque volumus pietateÌ„ in Deum exercere non aliunde discemus quam in Scripturis divinis Athan. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ambros Quae in scripturis sanctis non reperimus ca queÌ„admodum â— surpare possemus Hillar Te admiror fideÌ„ tantum secuÌ„dum ea qua scripta sunt desideranteÌ„ Basil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyrill Hier. Catech. 4 c. de Spir. S. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cvrillus Alexandr Gla. Phyr Dist 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their Traditions Saint Hippolytus There is but one God whom wee know not by other meanes but by the sacred Scriptures Even as he that would exercise the wisedome of this age cannot seeke and obtaine it but by reading the opinions and precepts of Philosophers so all of us that would practise true Piety towards God can learne and comprehend it no way else but by the holy Scriptures Saint Athanasius in the beginning of his oration against the Gentiles The holy and devinely inspired Scriptures are sufficient to cause the truth to bee vnderstood And in his booke of our Saviours Incarnation Are you so inordinatly desperate as to relate things that are not written and to keepe your vnderstanding at such distance from true piety Ambrose in his first booke de officijs cha 23. How can wee alledge things not found to be in holy Scriptures Saint Hilary in his second booke against Constantius I doe admire thee O Emperour Constantius shewing thy desire that men should beleeve according as it is written Basile is excellent heereupon towards the end of his Ethicks which are among his Ascheticks If saith hee all that is not of Faith be sinne as the Apostle speaketh and faith commeth by hearing and hearing from the word of God all that is without or beside the holy Scripture devinely inspired not being of faith is sinne And againe in his Treatise concerning Faith It is a manifest revolt from the faith and a capitall crime of pride and presumption to reject any thing that is written or to bring in any thing unwritten See also the same Father amongst his more compendious rules in the 95. definition Saint Cyrill of Ierusalem is no lesse expresse This good man in his fourth Catechisme instructeth people in this manner Touching the divine and sacred misteries of the faith the least matter is not to bee taught without the holy Scriptures nor suffered to be brought in after any sort whatsoever either through probability or through words fitly disposed Yea put no confidence in mee that speake unto you these things unlesse I give you proofe of that which I preach unto you out of the holy Scriptures for the integrity of our faith consisteth not in designes or conferences artificially invented but in proofe drawne from the divine Scrptures And Cyril of Alexandria in the 2. booke upon Genesis How can we admit of that which the holy Scripture hath not said or range it amongst absolute verities And in his seventh booke against Iulian The holy Scripture is sufficient to make those wise most approved and of able understanding who are therewith educated and instructed Theodoret in his first Dialogue Theod. Dialog 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et Dial. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Corysost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et in Psa 95 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bellar. dâ— verbo dâ—i lib. 4. cap. 11. intituled De Immutab Bring not humane reasons to me for I beleeve not in any thing but the holy Scriptures And in his second Dialogue I am not so rash as to affirme any thing wherein the sacred Scripture is silent Chrysostome upon the second Epistle to the Thessalonians the second Chapter All things that are in the divine Scriptures are cleere and sincere every thing that is necessary is therein plaine And upon Psalm 95. When any thing is spoken without the Scripture the very cogitations of the hearers are lame The same Father in his third Homily upon the second to the Corinthians calleth the Scripture an exact ballance the rule and square of all things He saith not as Bellarmine falsifying this passage doth make him that the Scripture is the most exact rule of all but that it is the ballance square and rule of all things Saint Hierome upon the first Chapter of the Prophet Aggay Hieron Sed alia qua absque authoritate testimonie scripturarum quasi traditione Apostolica sponte reperiunt percutit gladius Det. Ecclesia Christi c. non est ogressa de finibus suts id est de Scripturis sanctis The things which they invent and forge of themselves as by an Apostolicall Tradition without the authoritie and testimony of the holy Scriptures are stroken and dashed by the very sword of God And upon the Prophet Micah l. c. 1. The Church of Christ is not strayed out of its limits that is to say from the holy Scriptures So as to bring any thing from without the Scripture in the Doctrine of salvation is to wander out of the bounds that God hath prefixed to the Church The same Father against Helvidius As wee deny not that which is Hiero in Heluid Vt hac quae scripta hunt non negaâ—us ita ea â—ua non sunt script a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deum esse de â—â—gane credimus quia legimus Maria â—â—â—â—â—sse post portum non eredimus quia non legimus August Evangalista tastatur multa Dominum ChristuÌ„ it dixisse et secisse qua non scripta sunt electa sunt autem qua scriberantur qua salutâ— cradentium
after the Apostles did reject all Traditions not contained in the holy Scriptures much more and with stronger reason it standeth that after so many ages transacted there should be lesse probability of cause to make new additions For when shall there be any cessation of adding Bellarmine in his 3. chapter against Barkley perceiuing that the Popes power to depose Kings is destitute of all Testimony of antiquity Non rectâ— dâ— Ecclesia sentit qui nihil admittit nisi quod exprâ—ssâ— in vetâ—râ— Ecclesia scriptuÌ„ aut factum â—sse legit Quâ—sâ— Ecclesia posterâ—â—ris temporis auâ— desiâ—rit essâ— Eclesia aut facultatâ— non habuerit explicandi declarandi constituendi â—tiam et iubâ—ndâ— quâ— ad fideÌ„ et mores Christianos pertinent saith that hee judgeth not soundly of the Church of Christ who admitteth nothing but what he readeth expressely to haue beene done or sayd in the ancient Church As if the Church of the latter time had either discontinued and left off to be a Church or had not the faculty of explicating or declaring constituting and ordaining matters which concerne the faith and manners of Christians Whence it followeth that the Church of Rome is not yet compleate and finished in her perfection seeing that precepts touching the faith and rule of moralitie may be added thereunto as indeed there are yet many that are hot in the forge and freshly hammered upon the anvile of avarice and ambition But this Cardinall ought to consider that seeing this Tradition touching the Popes power to depose Kings maketh the Pope King of Kings It is not just or reasonable that the Pope should be judge thereof nor that he should bee permitted without rendering accompt to any other person to introduce such Traditions without the word of God whereby to enveagle the temporall wealâ—h and to make himselfe the moâ—arch on earth By this very doctrine the Iesuite equalleth in authority the Romish Church of this time to the Church of the Apostles time Yet it is the Church of the Apostles time which regulateth the succeeding ages And those first Heraulds of grace in Iesus Christ are yet seated vpon the twelue thrones ludging the twelue Tribes of Israel From this source proceeded the Bull Exurge which is at the end of the last Lateran Councell placing this amongst the heresies of Luther when he sayd that It is not in the power of the Pope and Church of Rome to establish Articles of faith Hence also proceeded the remonstrance Syn Flor. Sess vlt. Romana Ecclâ—siâ— nâ—cessitatâ— vrgente iurâ— suo partâ—culâ— illam ex filioque Symbâ—lâ— appâ—nere liâ—u â—ssâ— which the councel of Florence published that the Church of Rome had just power to adde to the Creed CHAP. XXIIII How the Texts and Passages of the Fathers which our adversaries alledge for the unwritten Traditions ought to be understood SEeing that in matter of Christian faith and the points necessary to salvation the Fathers doe unanimiously cleaue to the sole word of God contained in the Holy Scriptures it were a strange thing if after this they should seeke to ground themselues upon Traditions and to surmise in matter of salvation another word unwritten Certainely the Doctors who should destroy that which they have built vp ought not to be beleeved by no meanes should they bee credited who credit not themselues Now for the better purging of Three sorts of good Traditions them from this blame it would be necessary to remember that which wee have formerly spoken to wit that we reiect not all sorts of Traditions for the Scripture it selfe is a Tradition which is one reason A second is because there are Traditions which are not matters of Faith nor necessary to salvation but customes and reglements touching Ecclesiasticall policy which wee willingly approove when wee see that they have beene receiued in the auncient Church by a generall consent And Satan having alienated any one of these customes and turned it to Idolatry or converted it to any other end unpractised before wee doe not beleeue that in deserting such a custome Christian Religion is a whit impaired but it were wisely done to barge up that gate against the devill A third is because there are also Doctrines taught in the Scripture which are there not found in the same termes as the Ancients propose them but are therein found in equivalent words or are deduced from thence by necessary consequence If any man will call these doctrines Traditions wee will not quarrell him thereupon provided that he allow such Traditions to be bottomed with the Scripture and there to be found in substance I say then as often as the Fathers mention and give way to Traditions their meaning is of those three sorts afore recited that is to say either of the Scripture it selfe or of customes and reglements of Ecclesiasticall policy and of matters not necessary to salvation or of occurrences contained in the Scripture yet not there found in the same words as the auncients propose them but in substance and â—y consequence to proove the which wee have employed the Chapter following CHAP. XXV A proofe of that which went before SOme doe object Irenaeus unto us who wrote abou the end of the second age that in his 3. book 4. chap. disputing against Hereticks that gave no admission to the Scriptures laboureth to convince them by Traditions that is to say as he expoundeth himselfe by the succession of the doctrine left from hand to hand in the Churches erected by the Apostles What Quid auseÌ„ si neque Apostoli Scripturas quidem reliquissent nobis nonne oporteret ordinem sequi traditionis quam tradiderant â—â—s quibus coÌ„mittehant Ecclesias saith he If the Apostles had not left us the Scriptures would it not have beene needfull to follow the order of Tradition which they delivered to those unto whose trust they committed the Churches And to good purpose he sayd it for if wee had not the holy Scriptures wee should have been constrayned to have recourse vnto weaker meanes and of lesse certainty And it behooveth that when he speaketh in that manner it bee to such as are refractary and averse from the Scriptures but not to vs who cordially embrace them and set up our last rest upon them Moreover from the time of Irenaeas the succession was but short and the memory of things taught by the mouth of the Apostles fresh of the which the remembrance would bee razed and put out if we had not the writings of the Apostles For the continuation of time and the subversion corruption and schisme of so many Churches which then unamimously concurred and are now at variance boasting of their succession maketh this search and examination impossible to the Christian people and full of uncertainty But at length what are these doctrines which Irenâ—us would have to bee taught and learned by Tradition if we had not the Scripture Is it invocation of Saints service of Images adoration of Relickes the
sinne to fast upon the Lords day and to pray that day kneeling and the custome when they trample and walke abroad in putting on their shooes to marke themselves in the forehead with the signe of the Crosse HaruÌ„ et cateraruÌ„ eiusmodi disciplinaruÌ„ si legem expostules ScripturaruÌ„ nullam invenies Traditio tibi prateÌ„ditur austrix consuetudâ— confirmatrix et fides observatrix summing all vp with this saying If thou expostulate the legall condition of these disciplines and others the like thou shalt not find it Tradition is pretended to thee which increaseth them custome which confirmeth them and faith which observeth them Our Adversaries doe shrowd themselves in the protection of this last passage to establish their Traditions Yet can there not bee a more proper passage alledged to confirme the same which I have said concerning the Traditions which the Fathers have handled that they are not Doctrines of faith nor matters necessary to salvation but onely Ceremonies and Customes and Lawes of Ecclesiasticall policie which the Church of Rome hath forsaken for the most part and regardeth them no more For all the Traditions of Tertullian are but Customes and Ceremonies whereupon hee calleth them Disciplines and there is nothing therein which concerneth the Doctrine of faith or is necessary to salvation And concerning the question which he discusseth in this booke whether a Christian souldier at a day of muster when all the souldiers were crowned with a Lawrell did better in chusing rather to suffer martyrdome then to put the crowne upon his head contenting himselfe to hold it in his hand I say it is not a point of faith but an opinion wherein Tertullian had but a few to second him For the other Christians accused this souldier of temerity and to have drawne persecution upon his companions in a thing indifferent saying That there was nothing in the Scripture that obliged him to it But Tertullian defendeth the action of this souldier by Tradition When we alledge some passages of Tertullian expresse against invocation of Saints and against Transubstantiation our Adversaries on the other side alledge the words of Hierome against Helvidius I have nothing more to say of Tertullian but that he was not a man of the Church that is to say he was an Hereticke Whilst hee was Orthodoxall hee condemned Traditions as it hath formerly appeared unto us But being turned Montanist he falleth into much admiration of Traditions vouching the words of our Saviour I have yet many things to deliver to you but you cannot for the present beare them away Which is the ordinary language of ouâ— Adversaries Now it doth noâ— import us whether he hath written the booke of the souldiers crowne being an Hereticke or being yet Orthodoxall seeing the Traditions which he bundleth together touch not the Christian faith Neverthelesse it is certaine that he was then an Hereticke For in this booke he maliced and repined at the Catholikes because they taught that it was lawfull for any man to save his owne life without exposing it to martyrdome and because they rejected the prophecies of Montanus who stiled himselfe the holy Ghost Hereunto those words of Tertullian at the second chapter seeme to Planâ— superest vt etiam Martyria recusare moditentur qui prophetias eiusdeÌ„ Spirttus sancti respuerunt c. Novâ— pastores eoru in pace leones in praelio cervos have relation It remaines that they who have rejected the prophecies of the holy Ghost doe intend to decline and refuse martyrdomes Also I know their Pastours who are Lions in peace and Harts in battle The same hath likewise beene observed by Pamelius So then these Gamesters have little reason but lesse honesty to borrow the weapons of an Hereticke There are found some other passages of Tertullian wherein by Tradition hee understandeth the Doctrine of the Gospel contained in the holy Scriptures But we willingly imbrace this Tradition To this passage of Tertullian we may compare another of Basil much alike in Chap. 27. of his booke De Spiritu Sancto where hee makes a long recapitulation of unwritten Traditions Hearken to his words Some of the precepts and lessons which the Church observeth and are preached unto us we have by written instruction some others we doe receive by way of mystery having beene conveighed unto us by the Tradition of the Apostles Both of them have like force in matter of piety and no man that hath insight be it never so lâ—ttle in the Ecclesiasticall Lawes will contradict it For if we will reject the unâ—ritten Customes as having but little vertue we shall endammage the Gospel at unawares especially in matters that are commodious and proper or rather we shall reduce preaching to a simple and bare name As for example that I may make mention of the first and most common What writing hath taught us to marke those with the signe of the Crosse who have put their trust in the name of Iesus Christ What Scripture hath taught us to turne towards the East in prayer Which is he of the Saints that hath left unto us by writing the words of the invocatioÌ„ wheÌ„ the Bread of the Eucharist and Cup of benediâ—tion are shewed For wee content not our selves with that whereof the Apostle or the Gospel maketh mâ—ntion but wee adde other things before and after as having great vertue in the mystery which we were taught by unwritten instruction But by what Scripture doe wee blesse the water of Baptisme and the oile used in the Vâ—ction especially that wherewith we baptize Is not this a Tacite and mysticall Tradition Hee addeth the triple plunging in Baptisme and the renouncing of the devill and his angels Also the custome of standing at prayer the first day of the week and from the Paschall unto Pentecost to shew that wee are raised up againe with Christ and doe seeke the things that are above and because seven times seven dayes signifieth the eternity And to make short he inserts the beleefe in God the Father Sonne and holy Ghost amongst the Traditions saying That these unwritten things are of semblâ—ble authority with the written and maâ—ch them iâ— vertue and that the Fathâ—rs have covered them with silence as the more high and more venerable of pâ—rpose to keepe men in more awfull observance by the obscurity and that it is of these as of a most sacred place wherein onely the chiefe sacrificing Priest did enter This passage indeed doth ill accord with those excellent ones of Basil in the which he hath formerly acquainted us that all which is not of faith is sinne and that faith is by hearing of the word of God that whatsoever is without the verge of the Scripâ—ure divinely inspired is not of faith and consequently is sinne and that to shew a forwardnesse in adding to the holy Scripture is a flat revolt from the faith By reason of this contrariety Beilarmine supposeth that these questions which make a part of his Aschetickes
were not Basils owne For saith hee the Authour of these questions seeâ—es unwilling Bellar de Amis grat lib. 1. cap. 13 §. Respondeo to admit of unwritten Traditions But Cardinall Baronius affirmeth that To call this into suspicion or Baron annal tâ—m 3. anno 361. § 52. Hâ—c in dubiâ—â— revâ—casse summa stultitiâ— sit doubt is a notorious sottishnesse And maintaineth these bookes to bee Basils as it is manifested by the stile Saint Hierome in his Catalogue and Phâ—tius in his Bibliotheca put the Aschetickes amongst the Workes of Basil Yea more Gennadius composed Homilies out of pieces of Basils Workes compacted together amongst the which many were taken out of Ascheticks Wherefoer the conjecture of Erasmus is not improbable who made a preface upon Basils booke de Sanct. Spiritu Wherein hee professeth that having translated this booke to the halfe way he perceiued the phrase to alter and to be no more of the same authors for hee could discerne a palpable other vain Moreover though Bellarmine had something wherewith to defame and disgrace this piece of Ascheticks yet could hee cast no aspersion upon his Treatise of the true Faith where Basil affirmeth that it is a manifest revolt from the Faith and a brand of pride and presumption to reject any thing that is written or to introduce any thing which is not written Iesus Christ having sayd My sheepe heare my voyce Nor any upon that place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where Basil speaketh to Eustachius the Physician in his 80. Epist If faith hee custome bee of force for proofe of doctrine it shall bee lawfull for us in this to immitate them Let us then sticke to the arbitration and award of the Scripture inspired by God and hold the free suffrage voice of the truth to be on their sides whose doctrines shall bee found concurring with the divine words Neuerthelesse let vs consider what benefit our adversaries can derive from this passage about the which they make so much bruit and clamour In the first place Basil maketh a recitall of Traditions which he affirmeth to bee of equall authority with the Scripture yet amongst them there are many not approoved by the Church of Rome as prayer towards the East and making conscience to kneele on the Lords day and from the Paschal to Pentecost Most especially it displeaseth our adversaries that Basil in the Eucharist putteth the consecration in the prayer or in the invocation that is to say in speaking to God not in the bread If they beleeve Basil why doe they reject his Tradititions or if they beleeve him not why will they oblige us to beleeve him In the second place all these unwritten Traditions except the last numbred by the Authour of that booke are but ceremonies and lawes of Ecclesiasticall policy not necessary to salvation but subject to mutability and such as consequently make nothing to the purpose For our dispute is not of Traditions that concerne not the Faith and Christian doctrine but of those that concerne the doctrine of salvation not contained in holy Scripture Yet I cannot dissemble that the author of this booke be he Basil or whatere he bee isgreatly mistaken in his not onely equaling but also preferring both in height of dignitie and profoundnesse of mystery certaine petty ceremonies before the Sacred doctrine of our redemption contained in the Gospel Can any man without unsufferable injury not to use a more rigide exclamation equall ye preferre the Customes of standing at prayer on certaine dayes rather then kneeling Of praying towards the East rather then towards the West And of giving a benediction to the water or oyle before the doctrine of the incarnation of the Sonne of God the benefit of this death the justification by Faith the election eternall and the internall seale of the Spirit of God Can any man without impiety change any part or particle of these doctrines But as for those ceremonies they have suffered alteration and the Romish Church it selfe hath disparaged and debased them You see how preposterous and grosse our adversaries are who instead of covering the faults of those graue Fathers doe arme themselues with their drosse and refuse as birds that liue on nothing else but caterpillers And touching the last unwritten Tradition which is that men ought to beleeve in God the Father and in Iesus Christ his Son in the holy Ghost Is it possible that Basil where doe shine so many vertues and perfections never saw this in the Scripture For Iesus Christ saith at the 14. of Saint Iohn You beleeve in God beleeue also in me And in the 5. chap. 23. To the end that all men should honour the Sonne even as they honour the Father And as touching the holy Ghost how oft times is hee called God therefore when the Scripture biddeth to beleeue in God it coÌ„mandeth to beleeve in the holy Spirit Now to excuse Basil we must say that hee calleth Traditions the doctrines that are not found in the Scripture in expresse words but are there in ubstance and in equivalent words And wee doe willingly entertaine such kind of Traditions Only hee is mistaken to have entermingled this high and divine Tradition amongst Customes and Ceremonies indifferent in their nature as things equally necessary and which ought to be regarded with like duty and reverence These words of Saint Hierome in an Epistle to Marcella are alleged Nos vnam quadragesimaÌ„ ex Apostolica traditione tempore nobis â—ongrue ieiunamus unto us Wee fast one terme of 40. dayes at the time that wee thinke meete according to the Apostolicall Tradition This is but a ceremony and not a doctrine of the Christian Faith and we have elsewhere shewed that in the ages Au liâ—â—e de la Nouveaté du Papisme liure 7 en la 5. Conrroversâ— chap. 6. 7. neerest approching to the Apostles the Christian Church fasted but forty houres And that this fast was arbirtary and diversly practised The same Hierome against the Luciferians makes the Hereticke speake thus Knowest thou not that it is the custome of the Churches to impose hands vpon those who are baptized and so to invoke the holy Ghost Doest thou aske me where this is written I answere in the Actes of the Apostles And if there could not bee found authority of Scripture for it the custome generally observed in this point should serue instead of a commandement for many other things in like manner which are kept in use by Tradition in the Churches haue usurped the authority of the written Law as in baptisme to plunge the head three times and beeing come foorth of the washing place â—o taste the conjunction of milke and hony for a signification of infancy not to pray kneeling nor to fast upon our Lords day and through out the whole Quinquagesima or fifty dayes with many other unwritten things which mens indifferent observation doth challâ—nge to it selfe Such is the language of the
adversaries therefore exclude Saint Cyprian and his companions from salvation Or doe they beleeve that hee failed in something necessary to salvation Indeed Saint Augustine in the same chapter of his second booke against the Donatists affirmeth NonduÌ„ nat diligenter illa ptismi astio peractata that This question of Baptisme was not yet well dicussed and explained in Saint Cyprians time But it is not credible that the Christian Church at that time should be unresolved upon any point necessary to salvation This is above all to be confidered ug lib. 1. â— Baptismo â—ntra Doatistas I am â— videar huâ—anis arguâ—entis id aâ—re c. ex â—vangelio â—rofero certa â—ocumenta â—ide et lib. 2 a. 14. Et li. â—ca 7. Et li. â— ca. 4. et 23. â—cripturaris â—anctis testimonijs no soâ—â—â— collâ—giâ—â— sed planè 〈◊〉 that Saint Augustine himselfe who telleth us that the Apostles wrote nothing as touching this matter and that this Custome commeth by Tradition doth not sticke to handle this question by the Scriptures and bringeth many passages from thence which he affirmeth to be certaine and the proofes to be cleere Whence it appeareth that by the things unwritten hee understandeth matters which are not in expresse termes in the Scripture but are deduced from thence by good consequence These things serve for the cleering of a passage in the same Father at chap. 33. of his first booke against Cresconius where speaking of the reâ—baptization of Hereticks hee hath it thus Although there bee no certaine example vouched for this out of the Scriptures yet herein we preserve the authority of the sacred word when wee doe that which pleaseth the Church universal For he speaketh of a point not necessary to salvation and of a Custome but not of a Doctrine of faith The which Custome neverthelesse he groundeth upon the Scripture The same answeres may serve to resolve all other passages produced out of the ancients For by these Traditions whether they understand the holy Scriptures themselves and the Doctrine of the Gospel or whether they understand Doctrines not contained in the Scriptures in expresse terms but drawne from thence by consequence or that they understand Customes Ceremonies and Laws of Ecclesiasticall policie allowed by the universall Church wee willingly embrace all these Traditions For though we place this last sort of Traditions farre below the two first yet no Ceremonie can be brought unto us nor Law of Ecclesiasticall policie which hath beene generally received by the universall Church of the first ages but we also doe approve of them CHAP. XXVI Three ancient Customes which wee are blamed to have forsaken THere are three Customes and ancient observations which are cast upon us for a reproach that we have left them that is to say the signe of the Crosse in the forehead prayer for the dead and Lent Our answere is that these are Customes which have not alwaies been and which the Apostles have not observed and lastly which were diversly practised in divers Churches and in divers ages so as if wee were to chuse what age and what Church we ought to adhere unto we should find our selves much puzled The best is the Church of Rome hath changed these Customes and under a shadow of keeping the words hath wholly perverted the thing it selfe having turned the signe of the Crosse August de verb. Domini Serm. 8. Ne de cruce Christi erubescat in froÌ„te illam figat vbi sedes puderis which was but a marke of the Christian profession into superstition and idolatry into conjuration preservatives and spels to repulse the Devils temptations not onely of men Efficit super ea crucis signaculum vt per crucis virtuteÌ„ omnes comitatus diabolieae malignitatis effugiâ—â—ne contra â—â—â—cerdotem vel sacrificiuÌ„ aliquo modo prevaleat N adiouste que l'encens sert aussi à chasser les diables but of Iesus Christ For In the Masse they make signes of the Crosse by a prescribed number not onely upon the Bread not confecrated but also upon the consecrated Hoste for feare lest the assaults of the Devill should prevaile against it as Pope Innocent the third doth teach in his 2. booke of the mysteries of the Masse chap. 58. It is the same concerning prayer for the dead whereof the first mention is found to be some two hundred yeeres after the birth of our Saviour which was made for the Saints Apostles Prophets Martyrs and for the faithfull to the and they might bee raised at a better houre then the rest or bee the more lightly scalded with the fire â—â— the last judgement and after â—ome refreshment in the sleepe of â—eace they might rise joyfully to â—verlasting Salvation But the Pope â—ath changed these into prayers for â—ormented soules in Purgatory â—king this occasion to eclipse the â—erfection of the benefit of Iesus Christ Whose blood purgeth us â—rom all sinne 1. Iohn 7. and so to â—ake a trade and trafficke whereby â—o heape up riches innumerable The same abuse is crept into â—ent which the Pope maketh use â—f to advance his Empire usuring thereby the power to modeâ—ate the Bellies Kitchens Markets â—nd Tables to give dispensations â—nd to change fasting into a diffeâ—ence of meats and an exercise of â—umility in matter of Merite and of satisfaction as well for him that fasteth as for another And wheras heeretofore this abstinence was free and every man did fast before the Paschal as many dayes as hee thought good and that these reglements were made by ordinances of the Bishops in every Church the Pope hath thereto imposed a precise necessity unlesse a dispensation bee obtained from him or his Ministers And lastly he hath drawne to himselfe a power that hee had not formerly but only in the Bishopricke of Rome which was a particular Church This is our beliefe that the things necessary to salvation ought not to bee abolished by reason of the abuses which are and may bee thrust into them but we must take away the abuse and returne to the fountaine which is the word of God But as for things not necessary nor perpetuall nor observed from the beginning and without which the Christian faith may â—ubsist in its integrity when corruption is infused amongst them and the use is transformed into abuse and idolatry or tyranny or superstition it is prudently done to shave off the occasions of abuse and firmely to shut this gate against the Devill CHAP. XXVII That the Traditions of the Romisâ— Church of this time have nothing in common with the unwritten Traditions mentioned by the Fathers IT appeareth how weake and how little to the purpose all is which our adversaries doe produce in the behalfe of the antiquity of their Traditions For the unwritten Traditions which they have recited are not Doctrines oâ— the Christian faith that adde anything to the Doctrine of salvation contained in the Scriptures as â— have prooved but customes and ceremonies and observations
A LEARNED TREATISE OF TRADITIONS LATELY SET FORTH in French by PETER DU MOULIN And faithfully done into English by G. C. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ioh. 5. 34. Si aut Evangelio praecipitur aut in Apostolorum Epistolis aut Actibus continetur c. Observetur divina haec sancta Traditio Cypr. Epist 74. ad Pomp. LONDON Printed by Aug. Mathewes for Humphrey Robinson at the signe of the three Pigeons in Pauls Church-yard 1631. TO THE RIGHT Honorable my singular good Lord ROBERT Earle of Lindsey Baron of Willough by Bâ—akâ— Ershy Lord great Chamberlaine of England and Lord high Constable for this time being Lord Lieutenant of Lincolne-Shire and Vice-Admiâ—aâ—â— for the Coasts of that County Lord Worden of the Forest of Waltham Knight of the most noble Order of the 〈◊〉 and of his Majesties most Honorable privie Counsell My most honoured LORD IT is well knowne that your Lord ship can as readily interpret my Author in his owne language iaiome as being thus changed into our native and most familiar tongue Neverthelesse I have adventured asking pardon if my boldnesse give distaste to style your Lordship the Maecenas of this my handiworke My weakenesse and want of skill in every respect together with my forwardnesse and presumption to intermeddle out of my element have prompted me to flye to the sanctuary of your Lordships protection Such as expect that I should rather dedicate some Tacticks or booke of Chevalry to your Lordship may take this for satisfaction that I have well observed your true devotion to Religion which is the best ornament and addition to your Honour and great is the happinesse when Religion and Military profession are met in so Heroique a Center The variety arising from this copious subject of Traditions will invite your Lordship to read DU MOULIN with delight but their modern incrochment I meane the Romish upon the Church their presumptuous comparison with the sacred Scripture will force your Lordship to reject them with scorne and greatest loathing Cast your eye upon this little volume and vouchla e it your favourable opinion such countenance will giv it life receive it into your Lordships pat oâ—age for to that end I have presented it and in that security I humbly leave it recommending your Lordship to Gods holy safeguard Your Lordships most humble and faithfull Servant G. C. To the Reader COurteous Reader When you set apart some houres for serious studies imploy a few to the reading of this short Enchiridium a most exact survey of Romish Traditions You will finde them here arraigned by divine testimonies of Scripture by solid interpretations of the Fathers by effectuall perswasions of reason by the ridiculous impossibilities of their owne sufficiency and by the selfe-contradictions and confessions of all Projectors and Founders of them The Frontispice doth shew my Authour to bee French and I have copied out his sense into our mother Tongue as neere to life as my running pen would give mee leave If any man objâ—ct Whaâ— need of 〈◊〉 amidit so many unparallei'd Original composed by the 〈◊〉 of our Church at home I answer wiâ—h a quâ—st Is it not pity â—o learned a booke amoâ—st us refoâ—mâ—d Christian should be guilty of that Anâ—â—christian Traditiâ—n cast upon the Scripture Not to be published in a knowne tâ—ngue 〈◊〉 let me not wade over deepe into the commendation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 left a consure of Tractet fabrilia or some 〈◊〉 c. recoile upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 man ought to guide himselfe by the measure of â—is owne ability It is true that I was never worâ—hy to make this holy Knowledge my Profession vet my zâ—ale to it is such hat if I may nor act he part of an Encomiasles in the merit of DU MOULIN and hi Work I must take leave to gaze on him with silent admirat on and passing over particularities with this briefe Character onely to point at him For generall and profound schese ship hee is Extra invidtae aleam doctus What can bee said more Let it suffice that I have named him Qui cognoist son nom assez entend son renom His meere name is the individuall cognizance of his same Pardon me if I yet stretch a nore higher in praise of him it is his due it cannot bee omitted without a nationall ingratitude And what should it be but his ingenuous perseverance to this very day in vindicating the sacred honour of his late Majestie the learned King IAMES of most happy and immortall memory from the unjust redargution of Cardinall Perron in a booke which hee hath written against the said late King as by those often quotations in this Treatise expresly made may plainely appeare In the last place my friendly Reader if you afford mee a favourable construction of this my undertaking and connive at such errours as you meet with you have done to my wishes and in requitall I passe my word that whatsoever is lame and defective or verbally mistaken at the Presse in this translated forme you shall finde supplied in the reall goodnesse of the Authors matter Reade and profit G. C. Errata Page 136. line 14. themselves never appeare reade themselves appeare not p. 183. l. 1. as r us p. 194. l. 11. word r. world p. 195. l. 13. containe r. continne p. 196. l. 3. in eist r. insist p. 221. l. 13. stromatae r. stromata l. 20. book of history r. of his history p. 239. l. 3. asleepe r a sleepe p. 245. l. â—â— as for that r. for example that p. 294. l 2. contractions â— contradictions p. 298. l. 4. aâ—guments r. arguments p. 312 l. 19 hath determed r. hath beene determined l. 22. ceterminations r. determinations p. 314 l. 4. passe r. passage p. 319. l. 11. non plus to r. non plus is to l. 22 touch r couch p. 320. l. 12. for used r. for be used p. 336. l. 9. Dotanists r. Donatists p. 348. l. 4. barge r. barre A Table of the Chapters in this Treatise of TRADITION Chap. 1. COncerning the nature of this Controversie p. 1. Chap. 2. Of the word Tradition p. 22. Chap. 3. The beliefe of our Churches The Calumny of Regourd p. 24. Chap. 4 The opinion of the Romish Church That our Adversaries with one consent accuse the Scripture of insufficiency c. pag. 31. Chap. 5. That our adversaries say there are Doctrines and Articles of Christian Faith yea in the very essentiall things which the Apostles have neither taught by mouth nor writing pag. 45. Chap. 6. A proofe of the same because our Adversaries doe affirme that the Pope and the Church of Rome may change that which God commandeth in the Scriptures and infringe the Apostles Commandements p. 60. Chap. 7. Passages extracted one of the writings of our Adversaries which prove that in the Church of Rome Traditions are without comparison more esteemed then the holy Scripture and the Scripture charged with Injuries Regourds boldnesse to defame the same
proposed to the Councell and when these were afterwards to be read in full Councell the Fathers gaue their suffrage by the word Placet without scruple or difficultie therein receiving the said Decree as a Law already ratified by the Popes Legats Before the fourth Session was held where in was established the Decree touching Traditions some selected Doctors were assembled to frame this Dectee which was for a long space debated Some interposing that it was necessary a Decree should be made wherein it should be declared that all the Catholike doctrine is founded upon Tradition in regard that the Scripture it selfe is not to bee beleeved but by the leaue and meanes of Tradition that ministreth authoritie unto it Vincent Lunel a Cordelier was of opinion to make a Decree of the authoritie of the Church before Traditions should bee mentioned because these are grounded upon the authoritie of the Church and the Church is that which afforâ—eth all authoritie to the Scriptures To which opinion the Legats would not condiscend fearing that heereby the memory of the Councels of Constance and Basill should be revived which haue adjudged and definitiuely determined that the soveraigne authoritie of the Church abideth in the Councell and not in the Pope and that the Pope is subject to the Councell and that to enter into dispute hereon were to signifie that it is not yet knowne who should be Iudge But Anthony Mariner the Carmelite a sage and learned man was of opinion that nothing at all should be spoken of Traditions alleaging that without all doubt God under the old Testament had commanded Moyses to write his Booke of the Law charging the Kings to reade it carefully and to put a copy of it into the Arke of the Covenant but saith that under the new Testament the Scripture is not necessary in respect that Iesus Christ hath written his doctrine in mens hearts without need either of Tables Arke or Booke Hee further saith that if there were no Scripture at all yet the Church should loose nothing of her perfection It is true that God hath not forbidden his Apostles to write but so also is it certaine that they haue not written by his commaundement and it is an abuse to say that God hath commaunded them to write one part of the doctrine and forbidden them to write the other Againe he presseth that if any man he of a contrary opinion he should haue too maine difficulties to vnfold the one to declare the things forbidden to be written the other to tell us who hath made those men that came after the Apostles so adventurous and bold to commit to writing that which God had forbidden his Apostles to write Lastly he sayth that if any man avowed it to bee chance and without expresse commandement from God that some things haue been written and others not hee should accuse the providence of God in taking no care of so important a matter and should call into doubt the assistance of the holy Spirit that hath instructed the Apostles to write For these reasons was he of opinion to make no comparison of Traditions with the Scripture since by this meane also they might passe over the Scripture But Cardinall Poole an English man and third Legat did utterly renounce this opinion Yet for alâ— that there was a decree framed wherein without mentioning the authoritie of the Church or that Traditions are aboue the Scripture it is averred that simply the Scripture and Traditions ought to be received with equall pietie and reverence Which is a perpetuall rule that the Councell hath observed to devise emptie Decrees not expressing the moity of the church of Romes opinion and that in ambiguous words to the end that upon all occasions they may make Interpretations fit for their owne turnes CHAP. V. That our Adversaries say there are doctrines and articles of Christian Faith yea in the very essentiall things which the Apostles haue neither taught by mouth nor writing OVr Adversaries are not contented to accuse the Scripture alone of imperfection but they finde also a deficiency in the Aposties preacaing and say that they haue not taught all by word of mouth So as by their account the holy Scripture and Apostolique Traditions coupled together make no an entire body of the Christian doctrine They also freely conâ—â—sse that the Popes haue added from age to age divers Traditions according as they haue thought them necessary and that not only â—â— things of lesse importance but also in matters essentiall to the Christian faith Bellarmine in his 4. Booke of the § Est aut eÌ„ Prior partitio Traditionum est in diviâ—as Apostoâ—â—â—as Ecclesiastiâ—as Vnwritten word of God chap. 2. calleth some Traditions Divine which Iesus Christ hath taught by mouth haue not been set downe in writing Others he calleth Apostolique which the Apostles haue taught by word of mouth and never wrote them And the last hee calleth Ecclesiasticall which hee Ecclesiastica Traditiones proprie dicuntur consuetudines quaedâ— antiqua veâ— a Praesulibus vel á 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 paularim tacito consensa populorum vâ—m legis obtinuerunt Ideâ— habâ—t Saâ—meron Tom. 13. Disp 8. saith are introduced from ancient customes by the Prelates or by the people and creepingly by the silent and vnquestioning agreement of the people haue gayned as it were strength of law In which distinction hee clearely acknowledgeth that the Traditions which he stileth Apostolique are not Divine and that Ecclesiasticall are neither Divine nor Apostolicall Whence it is manifest with what subtiltie our adversaries commonly attribute the title of Apostolicall to all Traditions indifferently as if they were all derived from the Apostles and how falsely they comprehend Traditions under the title of The vnwritten word of God when as by their owne confessions a great part of these Traditions is not the Word of God For Traditions that are not divine are necessarily humane And this is evidently seene in the Prayer Bookes for certaine houres and the duties wherwith they charge the people unto whom they first commit Gods ten Commandements and then the commandements of the Church which is an argument of their confession that the commandements of the Church are not Gods commandements In this interim the Councell of Sess 4 Trent at the before recited place maketh no difference betweene Traditions avouching that theâ— are all received with like affectioâ— of pietie and reverence as the holâ— Scripture equalleth those Ecclesiasticall Traditions brought in bâ— the Popes at severall times to thâ—â— ten commandements of the divine Law and to the Doctrine of the Gospel written in the New Testament The same Cardinall disputing against Barkley touching the Popes power to depose Kings and cause them to bee killed as also concerning his authoritie over all the Temporaltie of the world not finding either in Scripture or in ancienâ— History of the Church any passage or example to countenance and underprop so abhominable a Bellarm. in Barkl cap. 3 Non
of the 7. booke of the Apostles constitutions saith that The Church of Ecclesia Rom na quae Apostolita vtens potestate su gula pro conâ—â—tione temâ—oâ—um in melius mutat Quartae fertae 〈◊〉 quod diu mansit in Ecclesia nunc quod est doleâ—â—uÌ„ at que lugenduÌ„ cum alijs optimis matoruÌ„ institutu in desuetudinem abijt Gregor de Vateâ— Tom 4 disp 6. qa 8. puncto 5. sect 10. Et certè quaedaÌ„ posterioribus temporibus rectiut â—onstituâ—a esse in ecâ—lesia quaÌ„ initio se haberent Id confirmat authoriâ—ate Ambâ—osij Thomae Waldensis Tomo 2. de Sacrament cap. 94. Rome chalenging to her selfe Apostolicall authority can change and alter every thing to better according to the condition of the times yet there complaineth that a custome of the ancient Church to fast on wednesdayes and many other very good Lawes were abolished Gregory of Valence in the fourth Tome of his Commentaries and the sixth Disputation maketh no difficulty to affirme that Many things in these latter times are better ordained in the Church then they were in the beginning that is to say from the Apostles time The sacred Scripture in the 18. and 20. of Leuiticus layeth downe certaine degrees of consanguinity alliance which hinder mariage whereof the most remoued is the mariage of the Vncle with the Neece or the Aunt with the Nephew which are mariages forbidden and declared incestuous by the word of God which permitteth mariages in other degrees De la permission d'espouser les 2. soeurs voyez Almain au li. de la puissance Eccl. larque more remoued But the Pope vsurpeth power to himselfe in giuing liberty to mariages forbidden in the Scripture yea extending so far as to a toleration of marying two sisters as also hee permitteth the Vncle to mary the Neece On the otherside he forbiddeth mariages in more remote degrees and which God permitteth in his holy word as mariages betweene the issues of cosen germanes and betweene cosen germanes remoued Whereupon the Councell of Trent in the 24. Session at the 3. Canon denounceth an Anathema against al those that shall say that the church of Rome cannot forbid mariage in degrees allowed by the word of God and cannot dispense in degrees forbidden Thus runneth the Si quis dixerit cos tantuÌ„ consanguini tâ—tâ—â—t affinitatis gradus qui â—â—uâ—â—ico exprimuâ—tur posse impedire matrimonium contrahendum dirimere contractum nec posse Ecclesiâ— in nonnullu illoruÌ„ dispensare aut censtituere vt plures impediant dirimant Anathema sit Canon If any man saith that there are no more degrees of consanguinity and alliance then what are expressed in Leuiticus that can hinder from contracting of mariage or separate that which is contracted and that the Church cannot dispence in some of these degrees nor ordaine that many other degrees hinder or separate the mariage let him bee an Anathema This Councell curseth those which say that the Church of Rome cannot alter Gods ordinance nor dispense with that which God hath forbidden in his holy Word It is true that in the same Session this Councell giveth an exception in these In secundo gradu â—unquaÌ„ dispensetur nisi inter magnos Prinâ—ipes et ob publiâ—aÌ„â—ausam words Let no dispensation be giuen in the second degree vnlesse betweene great Princes and for publicke cause For the lawes of the Church of Rome open or shut according to the quality and riches of the persons Now it were good to know whether to marry a wiues sister or his â—eece or cosen a dispensation were ever asked of Saint Peter and whether hee gaue dispensation to the rich and sent the poore away According to this power that the Pope arrogateth to himselfe to dispense against Gods commandement contained in the Scriptures â—hee dispenseth with persons concerning their oaths and vowes he dispenseth with subjects and officers of a King for keeping the fidelitie sworne to their Soveraigne Prince Hee separateth marriages lawfully contracted under the shadow of Religion against the Lords commandement speaking of the dissolution of Marriages Math. 19. 6. What God hath joyned together let no man put assunder For the same that Tolet speaketh of the Apostles may bee spoken of Iesus Christ that all that hee hath institutâ—d is not Lib 1. instâ—t Sâ—câ—rd c. 68. Iure divino He exempteth children from obedience to their parents contrary to the Law of God when they are cast into Monastâ—ries against the willes of their fathers and mothers He suffereth whoredome yea in Rome it selfe and there establisheth Brothell-houses against the Law of God He hath forbidden the publike Service in â— knowne tongue appoynted Masses without Communicants and ordained Image-service against the expresse commandements of Iesus Christ and the Apostle Saint Paul and against the practise of the primitiue Church yea against the very Law of God as wee will shew in fit place These things and many more the like doe explaine that the question betweene vs and our adversaries is not alone whether the Apostles haue taught Traditions by mouth which they would not haue to bee set downe in writing and whether besides the Scripture there ought also Apostolicall Traditions to bee received For the principall poynt of difference is touching the Traditions which our Adversaries confesse not to haue beene written nor taught by the mouth of the Apostles and which haue beene long since introduced And touching the Popes power to add to the Creed and to establish new articles of faith Yea especially and above all touching an arrogance without example wherein the Pope and Church of Rome attribute to themselues the power of annulling Gods commandements and of the Apostles contained in holy Scriptures and to alter the institution of our Lord and to judge as Cardinall Perron speaketh that such and such commandements of our Lord are dispensable These kind of Traditions ought to bee called after the Italian word Tradimenti treasons or conspiracies against God CHAP. VII Passages extracted out of the Writings of our adversaries which proue that in the Church of Rome Traditions are without comparison more esteemed and respected then the holy Scripture and the Scripture reviled and charged with iniuries Iesuite Regourds boldnesse to blemish and defame the Scripture THe Councell of Trent in the fourth Session seemeth contented to equall Tradition with the Scripture ordaining that the one and the other be received and honoured with like affection of pietie reverence But this Councell doth now as customarily it doth propose its doctrine in doubtfull termes involving it selfe in darknesse and obsuritie For whosoever is never so little versed in the writings of our adversaries or hath exactly considered the practise and customes of the Romish Church shall easily discover that the holy Scripture is of no comparison with the value and account of Tradition which is exalted with praises and magnificall titles as also most carefully observed whilst the Scripture
is rejected and made odious to the people as a dangerous booke I. We haue seene in the former Chapter how our adversaries affirme openly that the Pope and Church of Rome can alter the Lords Institution and nullifie his Ordinance the which being granted it necessarily followeth that the tradition of the Church which correcteth the holy Scripture and altereth what is therein ordained bee of greater authoritie then the Scripture II. When our adversaries vnanimously affirme that the Scripture is not Iudge but that the authority of judging belongeth to the Church heereby they withdraw us from the Scriptures judgement to rely vpon the Churches Tradition for by the Tradition of the Church they onely understand the Lawes of the Church of Rome by the which they would haue us judged III. When they say that the Stapleton lik 2. de authoritate Scripturae cap. 11. Dixâ— et dâ—câ— non taÌ„ ipsius fidei regulam in se esse scripturaÌ„ quam ipsam scripturaâ—uÌ„ reguâ—aÌ„ esse 〈◊〉 Ecclesiâ— Scripture is not the rule of our faith but that it is the faith of the Church that ruleth the Scripture they manifestly preferre Tradition of the church before Scripture for the faith of the Church and Tradition of the Church are all one IIII. These goodly Maximes wherewith they dull our eares Charron aâ— 2. chap de lâ— troisieme verite Nous voulous l'eglise avoir pour nostre regard plus d'authorite que l'escriture That the Church ought to haue more authoritie over vs then the Scripture That it is the Church which giveth authoritie to the Scriptures and that the authoritie of the Scripture over vs is founded vpon the authoritie of the Church what are their meaning other then that the Scripture oweth that authoritie she hath to the Tradition of the Church For the Tradition of the Church is nothing else but the voice and judgement of the Church whereby shee pronounceth as being a soveraigne and infallible Iudge that the Scripture ought to be received V. If the Scripture must bee Staplet lib. 1 de authorit Scriptura c. 9 Ipsis Prophâ—tis è medio â—ublatu â—â—ruÌ„ prophetâ—as à Deo esse credeâ—duÌ„ non est nisi id Ecclesia confiâ—met Synodus Romana sub Gregor 7. Quod nullus liber Canonicus habeatur sine authoritate Papa beleeved because the Tradition of the Church so ordained it what followeth but that Tradition of the Church of Rome is more credible then the Scripture VI. The Iesuite Coster in his Enchiridion chap. 1. calleth the doctrine imprinted in the heart of the Church an other species or kind of Scripture and compareth it also with holy Scriptures The excellence Huius Scripturae praestantia â—ulâ—is partibus suâ—erat scripturas quas nobis in membraâ—â— Apostoli reliquerunt PrimuÌ„ quod illa exarata sit digito dei hac calamis ApostoloruÌ„ saith hee of this kind of Scripture surpasseth much the holy Scripures which the Apostles haue left vs in parchment especially because this is witten with the finger of God the other was written with Apostles pens By his leaue I would willingly aske him whether the Apostles pennes were not guided by the spirit of God VII Carranza in the second Controversie The Church is a rule Nos diâ—imus quod prior regula et notior et multo latior est Ecclesia quam Scriptura canonica â—t hac ab illa debet regulari non è contra that is elder and more knowne yea much more ample then the Canonicall Scripture and this ought to be governed by that but not on the contrary â—n saying that the Church is a rule â—t is evident that by the Church â—ee understandeth the Tradition and lawes of the Church for the persons are not the rule VIII Bellarmine in his fourth QuadaÌ„ sunt Traditiones maiores quod ad obligationeÌ„ quaÌ„ quadam Scripturae booke of the Word of God chap. 6. There are Traditions that are greater then some Scriptures in poynt of obligation IX Salmeron in his first Prolegomenon § Nunc de Nam etsi Eccclesiae ac Scripturae authoritas à Deo sit illa tamen Ecclesia antiquior est atque adeo dignior siquideÌ„ Scripturâ— propter EcclesiaÌ„ contexta est Though the authoritie as well of the Church as of the Scripture bee of God yet the authoritie of the Church is more ancient yea and more worthy for the Scripture is made for the Church By the same reason one might say that subjects haue more authoritie then Lawes and Kings for the people are more ancient then Lawes and Kings and Lawes and Kings are made because of the people Now the authoritie of the Church of Rome cannot bee promoted aboue the Scripture but that by the same reason the authoritie of Tradition in the Church of Rome is to be advanced aboue the Scripture for Tradition is the law of the Church of Rome X. Cordubensis To decide contrâ—versies Câ—dub Art â— cap. 80. Catholicae Ecclesiâ— Traditiâ— est certissâ—â—a regula of the Faith Tradition of the Catholique Church is the most certaine Rule XI Wee haue formerly heard Coster and Salmeron the Iesuites speaking that God would not haue Traditions that are taught out of the Apostles mouth to bee written for feare lest holy things should be given to doggs Herein doe they not clearely signifie that the Scriptures are for the dogs but that God would not haue Traditions to bee in such danger as being more sanctified things and worthy of greater respect XII To what end doe these men say that Iesus Christ hath commaunded the Apostles to preach and not to write but that unwritten Tradition might be preferred before the Scripture and haue much more authoritie XIII Did it ever happen that any of our adversaries haue reported the same of Traditions which they haue said of Scripture Haue they ever called the Traditions a dumbe rule a part or parcell of a rule an ambidexter sword a stone of scandall a nose of wax haue they ever accused Traditions of obscurity of ambiguity or of imperfection as they haue the Scripture XIV But the Iesuite Salmeron shall suffice for all for in the third part of his 13 Tome and 8 Disputation hee treateth of this matter punctually and at large and thus compareth Scripture with Tradition Tradition saith he is aboue all § Estiginâ—◠〈◊〉 est 〈◊〉 ad salute 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ebidem Pâ—â—â—â— ergo Scriptura â—â—mendat traditione 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scripturaÌ„ et ob id magis est necessaria quia ad 〈◊〉 come adandaÌ„ est Scriptura-Necessaria ost 〈◊〉 ad 〈◊〉 du bra qua expresse in scri 〈◊〉 â—on contiâ—ent or nec 〈◊〉 §. Postreâ—â— Ibidem â—ui noÌ„ creditura dirâ—om in ecclesia receta 〈◊〉 scriptura malo 〈◊〉 similes est â—â—lâ—â—â— aebitum reddere si non osteÌ„datur syngraâ—ha cum satu sit idoneos produceâ—â— restes §. Secunda Seâ—unda coÌ„ditio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quâ—â— sit Ser. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 § 〈◊〉 Trtia conditio
quae traditione commendat est claritas perspa 〈◊〉 Nam primuÌ„ Scripturas 〈◊〉 von cognoscit §. Dâ—â—de Scriptura pâ—test ab haeroticu traili ad qd sibi quisque collibuerit § Tertio quia Scriptura dubioruÌ„ quae pullulabâ—◠〈◊〉 essâ— non â—oterat c. â—â— quia 〈◊〉 aâ—f 〈◊〉 est tum quia muta est c. Hâ—nc in 〈◊〉 Testamento ad EcclesiaÌ„ mettitur qui aliquo 〈◊〉 torquetur oâ— coÌ„stat Act. 15. on autem ad â—â— riptaras quâ— sâ— instar nasi ceret ducuntur quo quis vult c. Ideo protervire voleÌ„tes Scripturis noÌ„ possunt refelli vna ergo traditione â—ugulanaâ— sunt § Quod auteÌ„ Qâ—â—â— hâ—c su fiâ—mior inde â—â—nsâ—are potest quia notior est Ecclesia et ApostoloruÌ„ sanctitas quam scripturae cuÌ„ haec per illam cognoscatur Ibidem Scripturae verae probantur quia sunt coÌ„formes traditioni iam factae things necessary to saâ—vation yea highâ—â— then Scripture it selfe And a little after The Scripture rather recommendeth Tradition then Tradition the Scripture and therefore Tradition is more necessary for Scripture is made to recommend Tradition to vs. And there againe Tradition is necâ—ssary because of many doubts that are not contained nor expresly defined in the Scriptures And againe Hee that beleeveth not the Tradition received in the Church but sâ—archeth the Scripture resemblâ—th an ill debtor who refuseth to pay vnlesse he see a quittance or the bond when as to produce fit witnesses would be enough Which is as much to say as the people may pretermit and balke the Scripâ—ure but must cling close to the Testimony and Tradition of the church of Rome He further alledgeth Tradition is more ancient then Scripture whence hee inferreth that it is more excellent then Scripâ—ure and saith a gaine that the same which recommendeth the Traditions abouâ— Scripâ—ure is their clearenesse and evidence for the people haue no knowledg of the Scripture and the Scripture may bee wrested by the Heretiques to whatsoever they will Hee addeth likewise that the Scripture hath not been able to iudge of doubts because it is difficult and dumbe and that hee that is troubled with any doubt in the new Testament is sent to the Church Actes 15. but not to the Scriptures which like a waxen nose are moulded and twisted at pleasure Whereupon saith hee those that will be perverse cannot bee vanquished by the Scriptures their throats then must be cut by Tradition alone And further That Tradition is more firme then scripture it appeareth in this that the Church and the sanctity of the Apostles is more knowne then Scripture because this is knowne by that Wherein hee speaketh against common sense for it is by the Scripture that wee learne the sanctitie of the Apostles and wee know not that God will haue but one Church in the world if he did not teach it vs in the Scriptures Againe hee dareth to say that the Scriptures are true because they are conformable to the Tradition already made Will wee know if the unwritten Word of God in two Tables ought to be received will we know if the doctrine contained in the Psalmes of David in the Prophets and in the Evangelists bee true let us enquire what the Popes opinion is and what Tradition of the Romish Church is and wee shall soone bee satisfied for say our adversaries the Scripture must be examined by the Tradition of the Church of Rome which is the rule of Scripture and is not ruled by the Scripture Truely these things cannot bee read without horror and detestation Of the selfe same stuffe is that Apostoli non scripserunt omnes quasi ex coÌ„muni consensu partito labore sed tantuÌ„ aliqui pro causa particulari et ad conservandam traditionem which he addeth The Apostles haue not written by one common consent but some haue written for particular respects to preserue Tradition When you heare these kinde of people speake you would say that the Scripture is nothing but a letter of credence to giue authoritie to the Church of Rome and her Traditions Wherefore he concludeth that Ibidem Ideo nen receaenduÌ„ est ab Ecclosia viva traditione erudita vel ob scripturaâ— allegatas no man ought to depart from the Church instructed by living Traditions notwithstanding the allegations of Scripture Hee compareth also the amplitude and large extent of Tradition with the narrow limits of the scripture § Quâ—nâ—ò Traditio multo est vniversalio quam Scriptâ—ra quia ad plura tempora ad plura obiecta et ad lura individua sâ— exteâ—ait Tradition saith hee is much more vnâ—versall then Scripture and reacheth to further time to more matter and more persons then the scripture To bee short if these men were to bee beleeved Tradition comprehendeth all the doctrine of faith and maners but many things are wanting in the Scripture Having in this manner dishonored the Scripture and placed it far below Tradition hee makes them fight and plotteth to haue the allegations of Scripture to be repulsed by Tradition To those saith §. Alias Pâ—tenti scripturaÌ„ opponenda est Traditio hee who demand the Scripture Tradition is to be offered in opposition as if hee should tell us You aske me passages of Scripture but content your sâ—lfe that I alleadge vnto you Tradition and the opâ—nion of the Church of Rome For this is the more necessary rule more ancient more firme more easie more vniversall and by which the truth of the Scripture ought to bee examined Thus is the Word of God handled and it is so come to passe that the same Iesuite in his § Quarto cum Cum Scriptura obscura sit valde nec iâ—dex esse quâ—at c. Proprium ergo et diabolicuÌ„ sensum hâ—bent iâ—â—â—rco peius est illu vacare Scripturis quaÌ„ fabulâ— tenth Disputation having said that the Scripture cannot be Iudge addeth that the Heretiques for so he qualifies us haue a diabolicall sense and doe worse to addict themselues to the Scripture then to apply themselues to fables But nothing doth more plainly shew w th what a loud voice our adversaries cry up the traditioÌ„ of the Church of Rome aboue the Scripture then when they say that the church is not subject nor bound to the Scripture but the Scripture is subject to the church that is to say God is subject to men For our adversaries acknowledge that the scripture is the word of God These Lindan Panopâ—â—n indicâ— tituloruÌ„ lib. 5 cap. 5. are the words of Lindanus in hiâ— Panoplia The Church hath not been EcclesiaÌ„ non esse ex voluntate Christi scripturu allegatam obliged to the Scriptures by Christs will and commandement Coster the Iesuite in his 3. chapter of his Manuall Christ was not willing Christus nec EcclesiaÌ„ suaÌ„ à chartaceâ— scriptis pendere nec meÌ„braâ—is mysteria sua committere voluit that his Church should depend vpon
Scriptures in paper nor was he pleased to committ his mysteries to parchment Salmeron in his second Prolegomenon In the Church of God understanding §. Septimo Scriptura Addimus in Ecclesia Dei esse Spiritum sanctuÌ„ Scriptura authoreÌ„ Non mirum ergo si Ecclesia Dei quae SpirituÌ„ habet subijciatur alwayes the Romish is the holy spirit which is Authour of the Scripture it is no marvell then if the Scripture bee subiect to the Church that hath the spirit What is not the Pope subject to the Scripture is hee not subiect to the Law of God which God hath given us written in two tables Is hee not obliged to obey the Doctrine of the Gospell written in the New Testament Now if the head of the Church of Rome be subiect to the Scripture how much more the Church of Rome that is subject to the Pope But is it not a transcendent blasphemy to defend that the Scripture is subject to the Church of Rome For is not the holy Scripture the Word of God It must otherwise follow that the word of God is subject to men and that Gods commaundements are subordinate to the Pope to whom the Church of Rome is subject Now tell mee after such abhomination whether these men doe beleeue that there is one God and one Religion Thomas Stapleton an English Doctour in his second Booke of the Authority of the Scripture chap. Dâ— non tâ—â—sius siâ—eâ— reguâ—am in se esse scripturam quaÌ„ ipsaruÌ„ scripturaruÌ„ regulam esse fideÌ„ Ecclesiae 11. I haue said and doe say that the Scripture in it selfe is not the rule of faith but the faith of the Church is the rule of Scripture Now the faith of the Church is nothing but Tradition of the Church His scope then is that the Scripture shall bee regulated and examined by the Tradition of the Romish Church and that it shall bee subiect to that rule whence is to bee concluded that God speaking to us in the holy Scriptures is directed by men and subject to their judgment The Prophets whose writings are extant with vs were extraordinarily stirred up to reprehend the church of that time and to chastise the Priestes the Sacrificers and the Scribes that erred in manners and doctrine Now in reason tell me were the prophesies of these Prophets subject to the authoritie of that Church Was the faith of these Sacrificers a rule by which those divine Prophesies were to be examined and which wee haue kept to this present time Goe to then if the prophecies were not subiect to Priests and Sacrificers that lived about the Prophets time how are they now subiect to the Pope by what occasion are they become subiect to the superintendency of the Church of Romes Tradition Briefly wee are now arriued at an age wherein blasphemy is come to the highest degree men openly professing to pull God with violence from his Throne and most insolently to climbe aboue him Surely the Mahometans do speake of the Scripture with more respect and reuerence What is the scope or purpose of Iesuite Regourds late booke intitled Catholicke demonstrations but to proue that to rest vpon the Scripture is the way to all impiety and atheisme If herein he meant only our French Bibles or the diuersity of latine translations or the sundry interpretations which hee discouereth in some of our Doctours though all this which hee saith are but calumnies and a Fardell of vnprofitable trifles which wee haue refuted in a former treatise yet this were to forge vntruths with Method and scarce to touch vpon the question but he meaneth the originals Hebrew and Greeke wherein hee findeth no certainty Hee discouereth in them manifest contradictions Pag. 440. and errour in the calculation of times Hee sayes that S. Paul Pag. 562. vsed fraud but an honest fraud towards the Corinthians He telleth vs Pag. 128. 131. that many bookes of the Scripture are lost that the Scriptures were burnt in time of persecution and the Copies perished that many deuout Doctours Pag. 131. doe affirme that vnder the captiuity of Babylon all the old Testament was depraued rent in pieces and burnt vntill Esdras did newly re-compose the same Scriptures that the Iewes our Sauiours enemies haue made vowells Pap. 183. in the old Testament and so changed the sense of the scripture and made it doubtfull The same saith he is true of the new Testament the which hauing beene written without accents and without markes and distinctions of words no man can assure himselfe of the true sense seeing that the sense dependeth upon the accents c. And a litle further We haue not therfore any true knowledge of the sense of the Scripture and consequently wee are pointed and referred over to the mercy of the contestations of Grammarians to the litigious craft of criticall spirits to the capritious fancies of Dictionary-makers to the Gallimafries and Chimeraes of scholiasts Now for all these difficulties there is but one single remedy to weet we must repaire to the Church that is to say the Pope and whom it shall bee his pleasure to authorise Whereupon it were good to know when there iâ— a question concerning the exposition of an Hebrew or Greeke passage whether a Pope who vnderstands neither Hebrew nor Greeke shall therein be a good Interpreter whether sitting in the Apostoliâ—ke chaire hee shall giue infallible interpretations of a Text whereof he knoweth not a letter whether hauing called the Doctours to instruct him thereupon hee instantly reinuesteth them with an infallible spirit and enableth them with power not to erre in matters wherein hee himselfe vnderstandeth nothing Whence then proceedeth so great a diuersity and contrariety amongst these Doctouâ—s in the Scriptures interpretation why amongst their writings doe they refute the interpretations of one the other Is it not the Pope and the Church of Rome that by the Councell of Trent hath authorised the vulgar â—atine translation and ordained â—hat it should onely be receiued for â—uthenticall although it bee the worst interpretation of all and stuffed with a thousand errours and absurdities haue not the Popes themselues since the Councell of Trent caused multitudes of faults to bee amended therein doe not the most learned of the Romish Church Pagnin Arias Montanus Isidorus Clarius Andradius Sixtus Senensis complaine of the corruption of this translation wherein the Iesuites themselues are not silent especially Salmeron in his Salm. Proâ— 9. Quinqua l. Can. 5. In nouo Testamento sequenda est editio vulgata ac teâ—enda corrigenda tamen emaculanda prius in his in quibus aut temporum iniuria aut labrariorum incurâ—a vel imperiâ—â—a depraâ—â—ta est ninth Prolegomenon of these things wee haue written at large in our first Treatise of the Iudge of controversies The peruersnes of this Iesuiticall sparke is most of all discouered herein that hauing once displayed as hee supposeth the defaults of the Scripture hee reioyceth that such
with all her house And that in the same Chapter the same Apostle baptizeth all the family of the Goaler That Saint Paul baptized the family of Stephanus 1 Cor. 1. 16. If these proofes are bad Why doe they make use of them If they be good in their mouthes Why should they not be good in ours As for holding Baptisme of Heretikes to bee good wee account not this article as necessary to salvation Agrippine a man of holy life and Doctrine and Saint Cyprian Saint Firmilian Saint Denis Alexandrine and Saint Basil have dissented in this point from the Church of Rome yet neverthelesse they are held for Saints by our Adversaries Yea more many Councels approved by the Church of Rome ordaine that some Heretikes should be re-baptized by name the Paulianists the Samosetanians the Montanists the Eunomians the Sabellians the Eucratites c. as is to be seene at the nineteenth Canâ— of the first Councell of Nice At the eighth Canon of the Councell of Laodicea At the seventh Canon of the first Councell of Constantinople And in the Epistle of Saint Basil to Amphilochius at the 47. Canon Yet this question shall be found decided in the Scripture by all probability For Circumcision did still continue among the Israelites of the ten idolatrous races who were no more circumcised when they were converted to the true Religion The custome of circumcising the Samaritans againe that were ranged into Iudaisme wherof Epiphanius speaketh in his booâ— of measures and weights practizeâ— upon Symmâ—chus a Traducer of thâ— Scriptures was invented afterwards The same reason is for Baptisme Concerning the procession of of the holy Spirit from the Father and the Sonne it is to be seene in the Councell of Florence that the Latines defending themselves against the Greekes upon this question doe alledge Scripture but this controversei was devised and is sustained with animosity to strengthen the Schisme and it is an easie matter to accord them therein For those who say that the holy Spirit proceedeth from the Father by the Sonne doe say also that it proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne In a matter that passeth our capacities it is better to say little then too much and rather to be ignorant then to contest The change of the Sabbath and observation of the Lords day are plainely enough collected out of the Scripture The Apostle to the Colos 2. 16. saying Let no man judge you in meat or in drinke or in respect of an holy day or of the new Moone or of the Sabbath dayes forbiddeth to condemne any man that doth not observe a distinction of meats and keepeth not the new Moones not Sabbaths And by the placing of new Moones and the Sabbaths in the same ranke he sheweth cleerely that as Christians were not obliged to keepe the new Moones so were they no more strictly bound to keepe the Sabbaths At the first Chapter of the Apoc. 10. is mention made of our Lords day Vpon which passage the Iesuite Ribera Ribera in cap. 1. Apocal Videmus hîe etiam tempore Apostolorum Sâ—bbaths solemaitatens muâ—aâ—am esse in Dominicam diem speaketh thus Wee see here that in the time of the Apostles the solemnity of the Sabbath was changed to the Lords day This is the first day of the weeke whereon the Christians made their solemne assemblies to celebrate the holy Supper and to contribute their almes as is to be seene at the 20. of the Acts 7. and in 1 Cor. 16. 2. as Thomas and Lombard have declared in their Commentaries upon this Epistle and Estius Comment in 1. ad Corin. cap. 16. Ecclesia iam ab illo tempore caepit vacare diem Dominicam quod in ea resurrexisset Dominus a morte Sic enim appellatur a lohanne Apostole Adocal 1. vt proinde diet Dominica nomen institutioneÌ„ ad Apostoles referendam esse non sit dubium after them one Estius speaking thus The Church from that time began to call it the Lords day because on that day the Lord was raised from the dead For it is so called by Saint Iohn at the first of the Apocalypse Where fore it is not to be doubted but that the name and institution of the Lords day ought to be fathered upon the Apostles Neverthelesse let us grant that no mention is made of this in the Scripture what availeth it against us who affirme that all the Doctrines of the Christian faith are contained in the Scripture For the observation of our Lords day is not a Doctrine but a Law of Ecclesiasticall government The perpetuall Virginity of the blessed Virgine is beleeved in our Churches by way of decencie though it bee not a Doctrine of faith nor a point necessary to salvation Basil in his Homily of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nativity of Christ saith That if it were otherwise yet would it bee nothing prejudiciall to our salvation Howsoever Helvidius had not his perfect senses about him to move so impertinent a question and call into doubt a matter which were better supposed to be true then argued on either side As for singing of Psalmes in our Churches as well by men as by women it is no Article of the Christian faith but an Ecclesiasticall policie and custome which neither addeth to nor substracteth from the Doctrine of faith And this custome is not practised in all our Churches for there are Churches which doe assemble secretly to avoid persecurion as heretofore did Christians under the Pagan Emperours These poore Churches have not the liberty of singing yet are they not the lesse amiable in the sight of God The Apostle to the Colos 3. 16. commandeth us to exhort one the other by Psalmes Hymnes and Spirituall Songs Hee wrote this to the Colossians without distinction of Sex The same Apostle in 1 Cor. 14. 14. and at 1 Tim. 2. 12. forbiddeth women to teach in the Church but not to sing For seeing they partake of the prayers and preaching why not of the praises and actions of thanksgiving If it be a seemely thing and religious in them to chant forth the glorious commendations of God in their house at home why not also in the house of God The termes of Consubstantion and Trinity are words but no Rules nor Doctrines and these words as they adde nothing to the Scripture so they import nothing that is not contained in the Scripture in othertermes The terme of Person is found in Heb. 1. â— for this word hypostasis in Greeke signifieth person They have but little modestie who blush not to demand a passage of Scripture where the word Sacrament may be found The Apostles writing in Greeke regarded not to provide themselves of a Latine word Surely these men speak as properly as if they enquired whether this very word horse is found in Virgil. In the Latine vulgar translation the word Sacramentum is rehearsed some dozen of times and signifieth a mystery or secret Whence it commeth that the mystery of
iudgeth of them who cannot erre in the Faith though all these Traditions tend onely to his profit 8. I affirme the same of the title of the whole Bible being called the Testament or Covenant of God which Title must bee changed if the Scripture be but a part of Gods Testament It were deluding of the World to call contract of marriage a parchment that containeth but the moyetie of the clavses of the contract or to call Testament that which is but a part of the disposall of the last will 9. Towards the conclusion of the Apocalips the Lord Iesus speaks as followeth I testifie vnto euery man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this booke If any man shall adde vnto these things God shall adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this booke Vpon which passage the Councell of Friuly speaketh thus Concilium Porojuliense Nam in Apocalypsi Iohannes Apostolus sub vnius libri appellatione de tota vtriusque Testamenti se is contestatus est dicens Si quis apposuerit ad hac apponet Deus omnes plagas scriptas in libro hoc In the Apocalips Iohn the Apostle vnder the name of one booke hath protested concerning the whole series or prosecvâ—ion of both Testaments saying If any man adde to these things God shall adde to him the plagues that are written in this booke 10. The Apostle Saint Iohn at the 20. Chapter of his Gospell 31. saith These things are written that yee might beleeue that Iesus is the Christ and that beleuing yee might haue life through his Name Vpon which passage Cyrill of Alexandria Cyrill lib. 12. in IohaÌ„ cap. ultimo Non igitur omnia qua fecit Dominus coÌ„scripta sunt sed qua scribentes taÌ„ ad mores quaÌ„ ad dogmata putaverunt sufficere vt recta fide operibus as virtute rutil aÌ„tes ad regnum coelorum pervâ—niamus speaketh in this maner All things which our Lord hath done are not written but those things onely which they that did write them haâ—e beleeued to be suffâ—cient to the end that shining in true faith workes and vertue wee may attaine to the Kingdome of heauen 11. Our Lord Iesus at the 15. of Mat. 3. spake to the Pharisees Why doe ye transgresse the commandement of God by your Tradition Observe here that hee saith not yee contradict but ye transgresse the commandement of God by your Tradition Foâ— indeed the Pharisaicall Traditionâ— were for the most part simple aditions to the Law of God having appearance of devotion thingâ— no otherwise forbidden but aâ— God forbiddeth to adde to hiâ— word as to fast twise in a weeke to lengthen out their fringes anâ— Phylacteries of their garments tâ— wash themselues at returne froâ— market scrupulously to cleane thâ— pots and to accompt their pacâ— vpon the Sabbath 12. The Apostle to the Coloâ— chap. 2. 8. Beware lest any man spoâ— you through Philosophy and vaine â—â—ceit after the Tradition of men Aâ— that our aduersaries may not comâ— here to distinguish humane Trâ—ditions from those which â—â— Church of Rome will have to â—â— imbraced for divine and Apostolicall the Apostle specifieth and chiefely condemneth certaine traditions found to be amongst those that are taught by the Church of Rome to wit service of Angels observation of Feasts and the ordinance of those who vsing a distinction of meats did say eate not touch not tast not And this not because they thought the meates to be hurtfull or polluted in their nature but as the Apostle saith teaching these doctrines through voluntary deuotion and humblenesse of spirit in that they no way spare the body nor haue they respect to the fulnesse of the flesh 13. The same Apostle to the Ephesians 2. chap. 20. groundeth our faith upon the Prophets and the Apostles Being built saith he vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles If our faith be grounded upon the unwritten word it is behouefull there be another foundation then the Prophets Apostes For if our adversaries say that S. Paul understandeth the Church to be grounded upon the word of the Apostles aswell written as unwriten they oblige themselues to say the same of the doctrine of the Prophets and also to forge unto us Prophetical Traditions unwritten which were never mentioned or spoken of about Saint Pauls time morâ—ouer we have formerly heard our adversaries maintaining that there are more things essentiall in Religion then the Apostles have taught by mouth or writing 14. At the 16. chapter of Saint Luke 26. the wicked rich man being in hell requesteth Abraham that one amongst the dead should be sent to his brethren to give them advertisement and warne them of their duties least that they should tumble into the like torment to whom Abraham maketh answere They haue Moses and the Prophets let them hearken to them Which is cleerely to say that they ought to content themselves with the Doctrine of Moses and the Prophets which was read in the Synagogues every Sabbath without expecting other revelation For Iesus Christ speaketh of â—he unhappie rich man as of a man that had lived under the old Testament during the time that the Church had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no other Doctrine but that of the bookes of Moses and the Prophets Chrysostome doth so understand it in his Commentary upon Galat. 1. Abraham being required to send Lazarus answereth they have Moses and the Prophets if they hearken not to them nâ—ither will they beleeve the dead raised up to life Now Iesus Christ bringeth in Abraham speaking thus to declare that hee would have more faith ascribed to the Scriptures then if the dead were called backe to life 15. At Gal. 1. 8. Though we or an Angel from heaven preach any other Gospel unto you then that which wee have preached unto you let him be accursed The vulgar translation of our Adversaries interpreteth this passage as we doe Licet nos aut Angelus de coelo evangelizet vobis praeterquam quod evangelizavimus vobis anathema sit Consider now that this translation which the Councell of Trent declareth to be onely authenticall rendereth it praeterquam not contra that is to say other then but not contrary For though this word praeter sometime signifieth contra yet praeterquam cannot be so taken and praeterquam quod can import nothing else but other then that So though the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoph. in Ep. ad Gal. Nâ—que enim si contraria soluÌ„ praedicaverint intulit sed si Evangelisaverint praeter id quod ipsi evaengeli savimus hoe est fi plusculum quippiam ipsi adiecerint Tertull. de praescr ca. 8 Hoc â—rius credimus non esse quod vltra credere debeamus Et cap. 14. Nihil vltra scire omma scire est Et cap. 29. Etsi Angelus de coelo aliter evangelisaverit vltra quaÌ„ nos anathema sit signifieth sometimes contra yet our
Adversaries translation admitteth not this exposition Chrysostome in his Commentary upon Gal. 1. understandeth it the same way saying The Apostle saith not if they declare things contrary or if they pervert all but if they preach never so little other then we have preached or if they have altered any thing be it never so little And Theophilact after him The Apostle hath not said if they preach onely things contrary but if they preach other then that which wee have preached that is to say if they adde never so little more thereunto Tertullian in his booke of Prescriptions at the eight Chapter speaking of the Scripture In the first place wee beleeve that wee ought not to beleeve other then this And at Chap. 14. To know no other then this is to know all And at Chap. 29. If an Angel from heaven preach other then c. And truly the reason is plaine for if our Adversaries confesse that Saint Paul hath preached all that is necessary to salvation as well by mouth as by writing it followeth that hee not onely forbiddeth here to teach contrary to that which he hath taught but also that he forbiddeth to adde thereunto It is objected that Paul himselfe hath added to that which hee did preach when he wrote more Epistles after that to the Galathians and that Saint Iohn after him wrote the Apocalypse and are not therefore accused The vanity of this objection answereth it selfe for nothing can appeare wherein Saint Paul in his last Epistles or Saint Iohn in the Apocalypse have added to the Doctrine of salvation which Saint Paul had preached by mouth and digested into writing and which was already contained in the bookes of the Apostles and Evangelists written before this Epistle In summe what availeth it to dispute whether the Apostle condemneth those that preach other then or contrary to that which St. Paul had preached seeing that whatsoever is other then the Doctrine of the Gospel concerning our salvation is also contrary in as much as God forbiddeth to adde thereunto It is an unnâ—cessary worke to rehearse the passages of the Fathers who affirme that the Apostle condemneth those who taught contrary to that which he himselfe hath taught no man denieth it for whosoever preacheth contrary to that which Saint Paul taught preacheth also other then the Doctrine of the Apostle and addeth contrary things thereunto contractions being also additions to the Scripture Our Adversaries being repulsed from this refuge or starting hole finde out another and say that Saint Paul condemneth those who taught other then or contrary to that which hee had taught concerning the Doctrine of the Gospel but Saint Paul himselfe hath not set downe all in writing which hee hath taught this is that which they say without proofe or reason For who told them that Saint Paul was tender and forbare to booke downe all the Doctrine of the Gospell in writing Did hee it in spleene or was it of forgetfulnesse or fearing lest the people might become too expert in the Doctrine of the Gospel Surely they that speake thus are bound to open unto us some particular points that make a part of the doctrine of the Gospell which Saint Paul would not set downe in writing Is it invocation of Saints or papall Indulgences adoration of reliques succession of the Pope in the Apostleship of Saint Peter religious sâ—rvice of Images single life of Priests prayer in a tongue which the supplicant understaÌ„deth not or Masses to free soules out of Purgatory no Christian will beleeve it of these unlesse it bee such a one as hath a mind to bee deceived And this inconsiderate presupposition must be countenanced by some other proofe besides the testimony of our adversaries Saint Augustine gave no credit to August lib. 3 contralueâ—as Petiliani cap. 6. Si quis siue do Christo sive de eius Ecclesia sivâ— de quacunque alia re qua pertinet ad fideÌ„ vitamque nostrâ—m non dâ—â—am si nos sed quod Paulus adiecit si Ange us â—e coelo vobis annuntiaverit praâ—erguam quod in scripturu legalibus et Evangelicis accepistu anathema sit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it for he expoundeth this passage unto us by way of paraphrase If any man whether it concerneth Christ or his Church or any other thing appertaining to faith or government of life I speake not if any of us but that which Paul hath suggested if an Angell from heaven declare unto you other then you have received in the Scriptures concerning the Law and the Gospell let him be an Anathema And Chrysostome in his exposition upon the 1. chap. to the Galathians Saint Paul prefeâ—reth the Scriptures before Angels descending from heaven and that most justly And a little after Wherefore he denounceth that if any man preach unto you other then I have preached unto you c. To conclude how should those poynts before recited have beene preached by Saint Paul considering that in his Epistles there is found a flat condemnation of their doctrines If beside the holy Scripture there be some other word of God it were fit our adversaries should lay them in view fairely above board for the better avoidance of ail strife and controversie arising from them But they cannot Only they would have the Church of Rome to be beleeved and especially the Pope who is circumspect enough not to pronounce his owne condemnation nor to abolish the Traditions that are so beneficiall unto him Yea our adversaries themselves refute this when they say that the Apostles have not taught by mouth nor composed in writing all that is essentiall to Christian Religion CHAP. XXII Whether to ground a Doctrine it be lawfull to use words equivalent to those that are found in the Scripture or to vse consequences and Anguments SOme smattering and unquieâ— Iesuites perceiving themselves weake in the combate by the pressure of the evidence of truth have thought vpon a cavilling and impertinent course whereby to entangle the disputation at the very entrance and to prevent ever comming to the true scanning or examination of the doctrine Their cunning sleight is alwayes to question and interrogate insteed of keeping themselves to a regular and methodicall argumentation and as soone as wee open our mouthes they call to us Shew me that which you say word by word in the Scripture Now if there want but a syllable or if it happen that we use these words that is say or by consequent they fall into laughter and say that a Coach drawne by Horses is a consequent and so breake off alledging they have reduced us to consequences If we quote some passage of Saint Matthew or of Esay they aske whether the booke bee Canonicall if wee answer yea they require a passage of the Scripture that saith Saint Matthew is Canonicall If wee expound one passage by another they say shew mee a passage that alloweth this passage to bee expounded by that If we make an argument though it be
sufficere videbantur written so wee reject that which is not written Wee beleeve that God is borne of a Virgine because we reade it but we beleeve not that shee was joyned in marriage after her childe-birth because we reade it not We have the life of Saint Anthony which some attribute to Athanasius speaking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the Scriptures are sufficient for our instruction Saint Augustine in his 49. Treatise upon Saint Iohn The Evangelist testifieth that Iesus Christ both did and said many things that are not written but we have chosen the things esteemed necessary to salvation which have been written Iâ— his second booke De merito Vbi de re obscurissima disputatur non adiuuantibus diuinarum scripturarum certis clarisque do 〈…〉 cohibere se deber humana prasumptiâ— peccatorum remiss Chap. 36. When a matter of greatest obscurity and darknesse is disputed without the assistance of the divine Scriptures evident and most certaine direction humane presumption ought to suppresse it selfe The knowledge that some impute to Saints concerning our cogitations the Limbus for the Fathers and that for little infants are matters very obscure yet concerning these points have we no passage in the word of God In the 142. Epist chap 9. By the Per sol as scripturas potes plenam Dei intelligere 〈◊〉 tem single Scripture alone you may fully know the will of God And if it bee supposed that this Epistle was not written by Saint Augustine but by Pelagius yet it is manifest that Augustine never reprehended him for speaking in this manner Also in his booke of nature and Solu 〈◊〉 eis debeo sâ—â—â— vlla recusatione consensu grace Chap. 61. A Pelagian reciting to him some allegations of the Fathers he answereth I owe my approbation and consent onely to the Canonicall Scriptures without refusall or excuse The same Doctor in his booke of the Vnity of the Church disputeth against the Donatists who affirmed that the true Church was on their side Augustine to know which is the true Church will have the question determined by the Scriptures alone not by the Histories and humane Testimonies whereof the Donatists make their use best advantage These Quid ergo faciuri sumus in verbis nostru eaÌ„ qua situri an in verbis capitis sui Domini nostra Iesu Christi Puto quod in illius potius verbis eaÌ„ quarerâ— debemus qui veritas est are his words in the 2 chap. What shall we doe then shall wee seeke the Church in our wordes or in the words of her head our Lord Iesus Christ I conceiue that we ought rather to seeke it in the words of him who is the truth it selfe Diametrally opposing our adversaries who will have the Scripture notified and receiued by the Testimony of the Church He on the other side will have us take notice and embrace the true Church by the Testimony of the Scripture And in the 3. chapter Sed vt dicere coeperam non andâ—amus hac dico hac dicis sed audiamus Hac dicit Dominui Sunc certi libri dominici quoruÌ„ authoritati vrtique consentimus vtrique credimus vtrique seruimus Ibi quaramus EcclesiaÌ„ ibi discutiamus causà nostrà persuing this discourse But as I began to say let us not heare it spoken I say this thou sayest that but bet vs heare this saith the Lord. There are assuredly bookes of the Lord to whose authority we both subscribe therein we both beleeue to them are we both subject that is the place where wee are to seeke the Church there we debate our cause This pious Doctor spake not as too many doe in these daies that the Scripture is not judge that it is a dumbe Rule that it is ambiguous that it containeth not all things necessary to salvation that the faith of the Church regulates the Scripture and not on the contrary he would have the question of the Church decided by the Scripture alone Wherevpon he 〈◊〉 ergo illa de medio qua aduersus not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex diuiâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed alionde recitaâ—â—â—s addeth Let us despise and cast from â—â— those allegations which we make one against another and are not taken from the divine Canonicall bookes but from else-where For urging further I desire that the Church bee prooved not by humane documents or instructions but by divine Oracles He calleth humane instructions all that is alledged without the Scripture Can our adversaries by this course euer proove that the Church of Rome is onely the true Church rather then the Graecian or the Syrian and that the Pope is Saint Peters successour in the charge of head of the vniversall Church At the last after many passages of Scripture called to mind and uttered in defence of it turning his designe towards the Donatists hee summoneth them to proove their Cap. 6. Legete nobis hoc de Lege de Trophetis de Psalmis de ipso EnaÌ„gelis de Apostolicis literis 〈◊〉 credumus positions by Scripture Read us that in the Law the Prophets the Psalmes the Gospel it selfe or writings of the Apostles and wee shall beleeue Obserue directly how we proceed with our adversaries for we call upon them Reade us invocation of Saints Images of the Trinity adoration of Reliques or succession of the Pope in the Apostleship of Saint Peter in the writings of the Prophets Apostles Evangelists and we will beleeue them But they are so netled at this that following the example of the Donatists they censure this demand to be vnjust remanding us to Tradition which they call the unwritten word taught by the mouth of the Church that is to say the Pope and a few Prelates who dominere by means of these Traditions which are all accommodated to their profit and subdued to their power This holy personage cannot be satisfied with long enough insisting upon this subjâ—ct and if this booke were not to bee found in all Saint Augustines workes or thaâ— it were without a title our adversaries would say that Calvin or Beza had contrived it to their humour Cap. 12. Legat mihi hoc in scripturis sanctis non sit anathema Cap. 15. Legant hoc nobis de scripturis sanctis nos eredenous For he addeth Let Donat read mee that in the holy Scriptures and he shall be no Anathemae Likewise let them read us that in the holy Scriptures and we will beleeue it And a little after rejecting the proofes of the Dotanists who alledged miracles for themselues and the Councells of Cap. 16. Remotis igitur talibus Ecclesiam suam demonstrent si possunt non in sermonibus ruâ—oribus Afrorum noÌ„ in concilijs EpiscoporuÌ„ suorum non literis quoruÌ„ libet disputatorum non in signis prodigijs fallacibus quia etiaÌ„ contra ista verbo Domint praeparati cauti redditi sumus sed in prascripto Legis in Prophetâ— rum praedict it in PsalmoruÌ„ Cantibus
in ipsius pastoris vocibus in Euangelistarum praedictionibus loboribus hoc est in 〈◊〉 Caenoniâ— is sanctorum librerum authoritatibus their Bishops and the beleefe of the people saith Such like matters being layd aside let them demonstrate and proue their Church if they be able not in discourses and rumors of Africans not by the Councells of their Bishops nor by the writings of such and such disputants nor by cheating signes and miracles for against those devices we are armed and prepared with the word of God but by the ordinances of the Law by the predictions of the Prophets by the Canticles of the Psalmes by the words of the Sheepheard himselfe by the preachings and paines taking of the Evangelists that is to say by all the Canonicall authorities of the holy Bookes But as concerning another difficulty proposed to wit that there was obscurity in the Scripture and that there was difference and disagreement touching the sense of the passages which were alledged hee doth not in manner of our adversaries who striue to make the Church infallible interpreter for in so doing one of the parties should be judge and the Church should not bee subject to any judgment but he averreth that leaving the obscure passages every one may make use of those that are plaine presupposing that what is said obscurely in one passage is cleerly manifested in others Assuring withall that there is no other way to avoyd doubtfulnesse and Cap. 4. Hoc etiam praedico atque propono vt quaeque aperta manifesta deliga mus quae si in S. Scripturis non inuentreÌ„tur nullo modo essent vnde aperireÌ„tur clauso illustraereÌ„tur obscura Lib. 2. de doct Chri. cap. 9. In his quae aperté posita sunt in Scriptura inveniuntur illa omnia quae continent fideÌ„ moresque vivendi difficulty I propose this saith he to the end we may chuse the passages that are most cleere and manifest the which being not found in the holy Scriptures there should be no further meanes to open things that are shut up and explaine the obscure For as he speaketh in another place In matters that are plainely set downe in the holy Scriptures are found all things that concerne the faith and good manners As Basil hath it in his Breviores Regulae at the 267. Answere The matter that seemeth to bee obscurely mentioned in some passages of the Scripture divinely inspired are interpreted by that which is more cleerly set downe in other places Hee in his third booke against Maximine Chap. 14. disputeth thus Sed nunc â—nec ego Nicanum nec tu debes Ariminensa tanquaÌ„ pâ—aiudicaturus proferre Concilium Nec ego huius authoritatate nec tu illius detineris ScripturaruÌ„ authoritatibus non quoruÌ„cimquo propijs sed vtrique communibus testibus res cuÌ„ re causa cum causa ratio cuÌ„ ratione concertet against an Hereticke Now I ought not alledge the Nicene Councell nor thou the Ariminensian by way of prejudging I am not bound to the authority of that nor thou to the authority of this Let one thing be opposed to another one cause to another and one reason to another reason and this by authorities of the Scriptures which are not particular to such and such but are common witnesses to one and the other party Origen in his Homily upon Ieremie It is necessary that we bring the Necesse nobis est sanctas Scripturas in testimonium vocare SeÌ„sus quippe nostri enarrationes sine his testibus non habent fideÌ„ Bell. lib. de verbo Dei noÌ„ scripto cap. 11. sect 2. holy Scriptures to witnesse for without them our opinions and reports are not worthy to be beleeved Bellarmine answereth that Origen speaketh only of obscure questions concerning which he thinketh it behoovefull that they be taught by the Scripture But besides that the whole proceeding of Origen in this passage maketh the contrary to appeare the Cardinall deceiveth himselfe if hee thinke that the things easie to bee understood as that God hath created the world and that Iesus Christ is dead for us have not as much need of the authority of the Scripture as those that are obscure but on the contrary it is not necessary to penetrate into the knowledge of many obscure things and God hath not deemed it requisite to satisfie curiosity therein Moreover Bellarmine speaking in that manner condemneth a great number of Traditions in the Romish Church which are most obscure as the Tradition of Limbus for the Fathers and that for little infants The Tradition that the Saints know our thoughts and behold all things in Gods face The Tradition of accidents without subject in the Eucharist The Tradition that the Virgine Mary is crowned Queene of heaven which are things wherein mans understanding is benummed all being full of uncertaine presumptions And it were most needfull to have the Scripture testifying for them if it bee so that in obscure things wee ought to bee taught by the holy Scripture Theod. lib. 1. Histor ca. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will adde the opinion of the Emperour Constantine the great for a close who was the man in this world after the Apostles that did most good to the Christian Church Of him Theodoret reporteth that at the overture of the great Nicene Councell exhorting the 318. Bishops assembled to determine controversies hee speaketh in this manner The Evangelicall and Apostolicke bookes and the Oracles of the ancient Prophets instruct us plainely in our Beleefe concerning divine matters Wherefore all unfriendly contention being throwne to the ground let us draw the solving of doubts from the words divinely inspired This holy discourse displeaseth Bell lib. de verb. Dei nâ— scripto cap. 11. §. tertio Eâ—at ConstaÌ„tinus magnus Imperator sed non magnus Ecclesiâ— Doctor And rad lib. 2. Defens Fidei Trid. initio Non advertuÌ„t imprudentes hoâ—ines tantuÌ„ Arianis qui Sâ—leuciâ— convenerunt ist aÌ„ Constanâ—ini â—rationâ—â— arrisâ—ssâ— Bellarmine for he saith That Constantine was a great Emperour but no great Doctor of the Church and that he understood not the secrets of religion And Andradius affirmeth that these words of Constantine pleased none but the hereticall Arians But who was he among the Ancients that ever blamed this Emperour for speaking so Yea doe not all the Historians magnifie his prudence and sage management of affaires in this Councell And verily this Councell hath followed his counsell and refuted not the Arians by other strength of Argument then by the holy Scripture It is evident by this passage that Constantine untill then had allowed no other instruction but by the holy Scriptures and that no man taught after the fashion of the Romish Church at this time wherein men begin with Tradition in saying that the authority of the Scripture is founded vpon the Tardition of the Church If then in matters necessary to salvation these Doctors for three or foure ages
Hereticke to whom the Orthodox answereth I dâ—ny not the custome of the Churches to be so c. This passage is considerable For I doubt not but the reading of such passages maketh our adversaries sicke at the very heart seeing that the unwritten Traditions whereof the Fathers do make mention as of Traditions descended from the Apostles are Traditions which the Church of Rome hath rejected and when the ancient Fathers do make recital of those unwritten Traditions they put not invocation of Saints amongst them nor Images of the Trinity nor service to the Images of Saints nor the Communion under one kind nor Romish Indulgences nor the forbidding to read the Scripture without speciall permission nor the Limbus for the Fathers or that for little infants nor prayer in an unknowne tongue nor the assumption of the Virgine Mary bodily into heaven or her Coronation in the Majesty of Queene of Heaven nor Masses without communicants nor the power of the Pope to give and take Kingdomes and to release soules out of Purgatory c. The Reader may note by the way what little reason there is to insert the custome of standing in prayer from Easter to Whitsuntide amongst the Apostolicall Traditions seeing that in the 20. chap. of the Acts 36. and at the 21. chap. 5. the Apostle Saint Paul prayeth kneeling betweene the Paschall and Pentecost as appeareth by the 6. and 16. verses of the 20. chap. As for Hierome his opinion touching these ceremonies and externall obseruations is farre differing from that of Basil if it be true that Basil is the authour of that booke de Sancto Spiritu For marke what he saith in his 28. Epistle to Ego te breviter illud admonenduÌ„ puto traditiones Ecclesiastieas prasertim qua fidei non officiant ita observaÌ„das vt a maioribus tradita sunt nec altorum consue udineÌ„ alioruÌ„ coÌ„trario more subverti Lucinius I thinke is expedient briefely to advertise thee that Ecclesiâ—sticall Traditions especially those which offend not the Faith ought to be observed according as men haue received them from their auncestors And that the custome of some should not bee subuerted by the custome of others contrarily practised Hee will have euery man to follow the custome of his owne Church in matters not contrary to the Faith without taking in ill part that other Churches have a contrary custome which is as much to say that hee accompteth these things indifferent in their owne nature And it is the counsell that Saint Ambrose gave to Saint August Epist 118. ad Ianuarium Cum Romam venio ieiu no sabbate cum hic sum non ieiune Siâ—â—tiam tu ad quam fortè EcclesiaÌ„ vâ—neru eiusmorem serva fi euiguaÌ„ non vis esse sâ—andalo nec quiÌ„quem tibi Augustine saying When I am at Rome I fast on Saturday but whâ—n I am here meaning at Milan I doe not fast So at what Church sâ—euer thou shalt arriue follow the custome of it if thou desirest not to giue occasion of dislike to any man and that no man should scandalize or bee offensiue to thee Pope Gregory the first about the yeere of our Lord 595. sending Augustine the Monke into England not to plant Christianity there for that was brought in long before but to establish the Popes authority to which the Christians of that Iland were not then subject was asked some questions by the sayd Augustine amongst the rest Interrogationes Augustini sub finé operuÌ„ Gregorij Cur cum vâ—a sit sides sunt EcelesiaruÌ„ censuctudines taÌ„ diversa altera consuâ—tude mtssarâ—â— est in Rom. Eeclefia arque altera in Gallica tenetur Resp Nâ—vit c. Sed mihi placet vt siue in Romana fiue in GallicaneruÌ„ seu in qualibet Eâ—clesia aliquid iâ—â—â—â—nisti quod plus eâ—â—nipâ—tets Dâ—â— placere poâ—â—it sollicite eligas marke but the third There being but one faith why are the customes of the Churches so differing and repugnant Why is there one custome of Masses observed in the Church of Rome and another in that of France This Pope that undertooke not to regulate and shape other Churches to the forme of his owne answereth him Your brotherhood knoweth well what is the custome of the Church of Rome wherein you may remember you had your education But I hold it requisite and good if you find any thing either in the Church of Rome or in that of France or in any other which is more pleasing to God Almighty that you make choyse of it with all diligence and respect To celebrate the Masse at this present in France otherwise then according to the Romish order were a flat rebellion and all that the Pope enjoyneth to the Churches which he subjecteth to himselfe by the assistance of Kings and Princes is granted for inviolable and for an Apostolicall Tradition More especially our adversaries doe flourish insultingly with the words of Chrysostome in his 4. Homily upon the 2. to the Thessal Hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith hee it appeareth that the Apostles have not taught all by Epistles but that they have also taught many things without writing and aswell these things as those are worthy to bee beleeved I have already sayd that although the intention of Chrysostome should bee to affirme that the Apostle have taught many Doctrines and Articles of the Christian Faith not contained in holy Scripture yet would it not follow that these were the same poynts which they of the Romish Church advance and put forward as invocation of Saints succession of the Pope in the Primacy of St Peter Images Indulgences c. But Chrysostome suffereth us noâ— to doubt of his intention He understandeth only the things that are not necessary to salvation for as touching the Doctrines that are necessary to salvation he affirmeth in the precedent Homily being the third that they are all contained cleerely in the Scripture Observe his words All that is in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 divine Scriptures is cleere and legall all things that are necâ—ssary are therein plainely couched Nothing can be uttered more expresly The same Father in his third Homily upon the Epistle to the Philippians speaketh of the commemoration of the dead in the Eucharist in these words It is not without reason that he hath ordained by the Apostles that in thereverend mysteries a commemoration be made of the dead acknowledging that therby much gaine and good accrueth to them But wee must take notice that the prayer which the ancient Church did make for the dead is rejected by the Romish Church of this time For the Church of Rome prayeth only for the soules of Purgatory to the end their torment may be asswaged or consummated But the ancient Church prayed for the Prophets Apostles and Martyrs and humbly besought that those for whom it petitioned should bee raysed to salvation or should rise earlier and at a better houre then the rest or should be more superficially singed
with the fire of the last judgement Particularly Chrysostome was of opinion that the Soules could not bee tormented without the bodies as hee speaketh in his 39. Homily upon the 1. to the Corintbians And in the same passage where his 3. Homily upon the Epâ—stle to the Philippians is objected to vs hee supposeth that the dead which are comforted by lamentations and prayers are not the faithfull but the infidells So as this passage maketh altogether against the Church of Rome Though Saint Augustine be punctuall and excellent in this subject as we have seene yet they would make him an advocate to plead for unwritten Traditions in matter concerning the faith This holy Father hath beleeved and we with him that the necessary Doctrines which concerne faith and maners are sufficiently contained in the holy Scriptures And for some certaine Customes Ceremonies and outward observations because they are generally received he beleeveth they are derived from ancient unwritten Tradition It becommeth none to gainesay this but frantickes or such as are given to a contradicting humour and are enemies to the peace Good reason for it To give you some instance Aug. ad Ianuar Epist 118. Illa qua non scripta sed tradita custodimus quae quidem toto terrarum orbe servantur dantur intelligi vel ab ipsis Apostolu vel pleparijs Concilijs quoruÌ„ est in Ecclesia saluberrima authoritas commendata atque statuta retine 1. Sicut quod Domini passio et resurrectio ascensio in coelu et adveÌ„tus de coelo Spiritus Sancti anniversaria solemnitate celebraâ—ur It is not commanded in the Scripture to celebrate annually the day of our Saviours Nativity nor of the Paschall nor of the Lords Resurrection nor of Pentecost which is the day whereoâ— the holy Ghost descended upon the Apostles For Saint Augustine in his 118. Epistle bringeth these examples where he saith To stirre up dissentions hereupon for matters in their owne nature not necessary to salvation but authorized by the generall custome of so many ages should be according to my judgment according to the truth a despightfull perversenesse yea a symptome of distraction confounding all concord and quietnesse In like manner doth the Scripture give no charge touching the precise houre of administring the holy Supper Iesus Christ occasionally performed it after Supper to place and substitute the holy Eucharist immediatly to the Paschal Lambe But it appeareth by the History of the Acts that the Apostles were not obliged to this houre and since that time the generall custome was to celebrate it in the morning I say for a man hereupon to separate himselfe from the Communion of the Church and to make a schisme or trouble the peace of the Church in a matter that concerneth not the Doctrine of faith nor is necessary to salvation What is it but stubborne arrogance It is most necessary not to molest the Church for matters not necessary in their owne nature If the mischiefe bee not great for as much as concerneth the Doctrine yet is it of no small importance for what concerneth the manners and the many inconveniences that ensue thereon This is the same that Saint Augustine teacheth in his 118 Epistle to Ianuarius where he argueth the case whether they bee well advised who appoint that on Thursday before the Paschal the holy Supper be twice solemnized that is to say in the morning after evening repast His answer is If Quid horum sit facienuÌ„ si divina Scriptura praescribit authoritas non sit dubitanduÌ„ quin ita facere debeamus vt legimus c. Sioniliter etiam si quid horum totaÌ„ per orbeÌ„ frequentat Ecclesia NaÌ„ hoc quin ita faciendum sit disputare insolentissima insania est the authority of the holy Scripture prescribe what is to be done wee are not to doubt but that wee ought to doe as wee reade c. As also if there bee any thing that the universall Church doth practise thorowout the world For to dispute whether this should bee done or no is a meere lunacie But in other matters as that concerning the houre of the holy Supper which doe vary according to the places he alloweth that every man should follow the custome of his countrey He speaketh of the same otherwhere As in the second booke of QuaÌ„ consuâ—tudineÌ„ credo ex Apostolica traditione vinienteÌ„ sicut multa noÌ„ inveniuntur in literis eorum neque in Concilijs posterioru Et tameÌ„ quia per vniversame custodiuntu Ecclesiam non nisi ab ipsis tradita commendata creduntur Quod vniversa tenet Ecclesia nec Concilijc institutu sed semper retentuÌ„ est no nist auctoritate Apostolica institutuÌ„ rectissimè creditur Apostolis qui deÌ„ nihil exinde praecepâ— king â—t sed contudo alia 〈◊〉 oppnetur Cypriaâ—ab eorum â—ditione ordium â—mpsisse creâ—nda est Si-â—t sunt mul-â—t quae vniâ—ersa tenet Ecclesia at obâ—oc abd Apotolis praecepâ—a bene creduntur quanquaÌ„ scripta non reportantur Baptisme against the Donatists the seventh Chapter Which Custome not to rebaptize Heretickes I beleeve to bee derived from Apostolicall Tradition as many things are not found written in their bookes nor the Councels of posterity after them Neverthelesse because they are kept by the Catholike Church it is beleeved that they were delivered by none but them And in his fourth booke chap. 24. That which the universall Church doth keepe and hath not beene instituted by Councels but hath alwayes beâ—ne preserved is justly beleeved to have beene given for no other Tradition but Apostolicall And in his fifth booke chap. 23. The Apostles have commanded nothing to that purpose speaking of the re-baptizing of Hereticks but we must beleeve that the other Custome which was opposed against Cyprian tooke beginning from their Tradition As there are many things which the universall Church observeth and therefore are beleeved to be instiâ—uted by the Apostles although they appeare not in writing In this Tract he speaketh concerning the Custome of not re-baptizing those who have beene baptized by Heretickes which is no point necessary to salvation For how many men are saved that never heard discourse of this question If a man once baptized bee re-baptized the second time although his second Baptisme be superfluous yet neverthelesse the fault not being in him that is rebaptized he shall not be therefore debarred from salvation Or if the Baptisme of Heretikes be unlawfull yet hee that is converted from heresie to the true faith having received no other Baptisme shall not be deprived of salvation because it happeneth not by his default It is not the privation but the neglect and contempt of Baptisme that impeacheth mans salvation Saint Cyprian and his Predecessour Agrippine and with them all the Bishops of Africke have in this point beene of a contrary opinion to the Romish Church and by expresse Councels have condemned the Doctrine held in that Church Would our