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
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
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
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
Heretickes had recourse to Tradition and the unwritten word and that Clemens Alexandrinus suffered himselfe to bee too much carried away in the same THe custome of Heretickes both ancient and moderne is when they are at default in Scripture to have recourse to Traditions Iosephus in his 3. booke of Antiquities ch the 18. affirmeth that The Pharisees had very many observations by the successive Tradition of their Fathers which are not written in the law of Moses Whereupon Iesus Christ at the 15. of Saint Matt. the 3. 9. accuseth them to have transgressed the Law of God by their Tradition which Pharisaical Traditions were doctrines that for the most part commanded things not expresly forbidden in the Law of God as to clense their Pots and Vessell to wash their bodies at returne from Market to lengthen out their Phylacteries to fast twice in a weeke to poure forth longer prayers then ordinary to make conscience of healing the sicke or journeying more then two miles upon the Sabath This I observe to the end it may not be sayd that Iesus Christ condemneth them only for teaching things expresly forbidden in the law of God Tertullian in his booke of prescriptions chap. the 25. telleth us that the Heretikes of his time affirmed Non omnia volunt illv amnibus revelasle quaedaÌ„ enim palam universis quadaÌ„ seeretò at paucio demandasse That the Apostles had not revealed all things to all but that they had commanded some things openly and some in secret and to few But the same Tertullian after hee had written this booke applieth himselfe to defend the heresies of Montanus by the unwritten word speaking in the second Chapter of his booke of Monogamy that Christ De vtroque aute Daminus promus is avit Adouo habeo multa qua loquar ad ves c. pronounced his opinion thereupon when he sayd I have many things to tell you but you cannot at this time beare them away Irenaeus lived at the same time who in his first Booke and fourth Chap. saith that The Carpocratian Iesum in mysterio discipulu suis seersim lequmtum illes expostulasse vt dignis assentsentibus searsum hac tradereÌ„t Heretikes affirmed that Iesus had spoken in private to his Disciples and had required of them that they should teach these things a part to the worthy and to such as give their approbation thereof and in his 2. ch of the 3. booke Cum ex scriptur is arguuntur in accusationem convartuntur scripturarum quasi noÌ„ rectè habeant neq sint ex authoritate et quia varia sunt dicta quia non possit ex hu inventri veritas ab his qui nesetant traditionem Non enim per literat traditaÌ„ illaÌ„ sed per vivam vocem When they are confuted by the Scriptures they revile and turne againe to accuse the Scriptures themselues as if they were not as they should be and had not sufficient authority and because matters therein are diversly spoken and that in them the truth cannot be found by those who are ignorant of Tradition which they say was not giveÌ„ by writing but viva voce by word of mouth Some twenty yeeres after the death of Saint Iohn one of his disciples named Papias Bishop of Hierapolis addicted himselfe to the unwritten 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Traditions the which were Parables and strange doctrines and other fabulous devices as Eusebius witnesseth at the last Chapter of the 3. Booke of his Ecclesiasticall History Clemens Alexandrinus a most worthy Author to be read but one who hath his infirmities venteth many vaine things and false doctrines drawne from Tradition as for example that the Greekes were justified by Phylosophy that Iesus Christ descended into hell to Preach to the Iewes that the Apostles also descended thither to Preach to the Gentiles and many other the like fancies all his bookes of his Stromatae are full of them especially the sixth The followers of Artemon the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Onones insipientisiumi haretici audacias sigm â—toruÌ„ suorum juas maxime exhorret sensus humanus has occasione EvaÌ„gelica colorare nituntur vbi Dominus ait adhuc multa habeo vobis dicere sed non potestis portare mado quasi hae ip a sint qua tune discipuli portare non poterant heretick teaching matters not contained in the Scripture professed that They did exercise them from their predecessors yea from the Apostles as Eusehius hath it in the 5. booke of history chap. the 25. Saint Augustine writing vpon Saint Iohn at his 97. Treatise hath these words The most senselesse Hereticks who would be called Christians strive to colour their bold inventions which are abhorred by humane sense with the pretext of this evangelicall sentence where our Lord speaketh I have yet many things to tell you but you cannot beare them at this time as if these were the same things which the Apostles could not then carry we shall not therefore affront or wrong Cardinall Bellarmine if we ranke him amongst those which Augustine calleth most senslesse Hereticks seeing that hee speaketh as these hereticks imploying the same quotation to proove Romish Traditions speaking thus in the 5. Chapter of his Esse aliquas veras traditiores probatur testimonys ScripturaruÌ„ Primum est Iohan. 16. Multa habeo veâ—is iâ—erâ— sed non potestâ—â— portare moda booke of the unwritten word It is prooved by testimony of Scripture that there are some true Traditions the first testimony is at the 16. of Saint Iohn I have many things to tell you c. Thus have the ancient Heretickes no want at all of Disciples CHAP. XVII An examination of the passages of Scripture whereon they found Traeditions OVr adversaries ground the authority of the Scripture upon unwritten Tradition whence it followeth if they had but reason for it that unwritten Tradition is not grounded upon the Scripture they contest therfore against themselves when they endeavour to ground Tradition upon the Scripture but let us heare their proofes In imitation of the ancient Heretickes they alledge these words of our Lord Iesus to his Apostles at the 16. of Saint Iohn verse 12. I have yet more things to tell you c. This is the passage that served the ancient Heâ—erikes turne to proove their Traditions as Tertul. witneâ— fâ—th in his booke of Prescriptions Chap. 22. such imaginations if men would beleeve them are The succession of the Pope in the Apostleship of Saint Peter invocation of Saints service to images the power of the Pope to draw soules out of Purgatory c. And they pronounce this without any proofe save only because theirselves doe say it and the Pope will have it fo to be unto whom these Traditions are very gainefull But wee had rather beleeve in Iesus Christ who expoundeth himselfe in the same place for at the verse following he declareth to his Disciples that the spirit of truth
should approach and teach them the come that is to say the future â—â— vents of things foretold in the Epistles written by the Apostles as for example that there should arise 1. Tim 4 false Doctors teaching to abstaine from mariage and victual and that the son of perdition should name 2. Thâ—ss 2. himselfe God and should practise with signes miracles to seduce and that the great Whore clothed Apoc. 17. in scarlet sitting in a Towne of seven mountaines should intoxicate Kings and glut her selfe with the blood of the faithfull c. As also the estate and condition of the Christian Church and of the spiriâ—uall kingdome of Iesus Christ which the Apostles did not as then fully comprehend Aboue all they presse the 15. verse of the second chapter of the second to the Thessalonians Therefoâ—e brethren stand fast and hold the traditions which ye haue bâ—ene taught whether by word or our Epistle The word Tradition which the 〈◊〉 Apostle maketh use of doth purport and signifie all instruction In Au I. ch de ceste controverse this sense the Scripture it selfe is a Tradition as wee haue already proved As touching this passage our aduersaries doe inferre that besides the Epistle which S. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians hee had vttered vnto them many things by word of mouth vnto which I shall willingly condescend for wee would not maintaine that the first Epistle to the Thessalonians contained all the doctrine of salvation our dispute is not whether a little Epistle of Saint Paul but whether the old and new Testament containe all that is necessary to salvation therefore this passage is not to purpose Moreouer when the same Apostle did say Hold the traditions which you haue learned by our word or by the holy Scriptures it must not bee thereupon concluded that the mysteries which hee had tolde them were others then those that are written for the same thing may be taught by divers meanes And when the precepts delivered by the Apostles mouth had some disparitie with those that are written wee could say that such things flowing from the Apostles mouth over and aboue that which is found in the Scriptures were not poynts of Faith but Ordinances touching Ecclesiasticall policie Yea when wee shall haue yeelded to our adversaries all that they wish and long for yet is all fruitlesse and nothing done by them unlesse they proue that these Traditions which they say were given to the Thessalonians by mouth are the poynts whereof consisteth our controversie to wit the Popes Supremacie over the Church of the whole world Romish Indulgences single life of Priests the Communion under one kind borrowed Satisfactions a restraint of reading the Scripture Masses without Communicants Prayers wherein the Petitioner understandeth nothing the power of the Pope to release soules out of Purgatory and to depose Kings c. which are Traditions of a new impression and which the Church of the Thessalonians yet subsisting and hath so continued since the Apostle Saint Paul did never beleeue nor as yet alloweth of their validitie but defieth them with all loathing and detestation Saint Ambrose in his Commentarie vpon this place by the Tradition whereof the Apostle speaketh vnderstands the doctrine of the Gospell which our Adversaries would not deny to bee contalâ—nd Ve prasciantia Dei maneat in salute illorum ideirco in traditione Evangelij standuÌ„ ac perseverandum monet in the New Testament To the â—d saith he that the foreknowledge â—f God should remaine in their saluaâ—ion hee admonisheth them to stand â—ast and perseuere in the tradition of â—he Gospell I am of opinion I shall preuent â—ur Adversaries from interrupting â—ee more in the passages which â—hey alleadge Saint Paul saith â—Ve speake wisedome among those that â—re perfect 1. Cor. 2. 6. And againe â—aue before thine eyes and hold fast the â—atterne or forme of sound words which thou hast heard of me 2. Tim. 1. 13. In a third place now I praise â—ou that you remember mee in all â—hings and keepe my Ordinances as I deliuered them vnto you 1. Cor. 11. â— Ergo for so they conclude the things which are preached are difâ—ering from those that are written And what are the things Invocation of Saints seruice to Imageâ— c. In all this what a defect then is of common sense The jaw-bone of Sampsons Asse or Tobiâ— dog might be as well imployed Concerning the words in the 16. of the Acts at the 4. That Paul and Silas passing through the Cities instructed them to keepe the Ordinances decreed by the Apostles and by the Elders of Ierusalem In these Ordinances are vnderstood the restraints of eating blood strangled creatures whereof mention is made in Acts the 15. for in this voyage Paul and Silas were bearers of this Ordinance and Paul waâ— expresly sent to performe thâ— same Now this Ordinance iâ— written as also the alteration waâ— made since the Apostles time anâ— it is but a Ceremony ordained foâ— a time and not a doctrine necessary to salvation and when somâ— Ordinances should be here vnderstood how shall it be proued vnto â—s that these Ordinances are others then those that are written how shall it bee proued vnto vs that these ordinances were invocation of Saints adoration of Reâ—iques the Popes Supremacie â— This will never bee proued CHAP. XVIII An answere to that which is objected unto us that the Church hath beene sometime without the Scripture TO undervalue the authority of the Scripture and to make it annecessary it is objected unto us that the Church from the creation untill Moses for the space of 2454 yeeres hath beene without the Scripture And that as Irenaeus is witnesse from the time of the Apostles and their Disciples â—â—â— nations whercunto the wrirings of the Apostles were not yet at that time come have not omitted conserve the purity of the Gospel To which wee answere that when God speaketh from heaven or sendeth Angels to instruct men concerning his will the Scripture might easily be neglected if at this day God spake from heaven and published his Oracles from above as hee spake heretofore to the Fathers and Patriarchs before Mases we should not seeke for any other instruction But this is no more and God having fully imparted his will unto us by the writings of his Prophets and Apostles we are obliged to follow the meanes wherewith his goodnesse hath furnished us and it is necessary to bee bound and compelled thereunto I say the same of the Church in the Apostles time whil'st it was cleerely illuminated by the preaching and miracles of so renowned instruments of the holy Spirit who were instructed by God in all verity those people which were taught by their mouth made no great esteeme of their writings but God having inspired them to leave in writing the effect of his will wherein he had well tutered them and they having not left behinde them one person of like authority and knowledge