gratiae majorisque authoritatis quam Ecclesia quae nunc est Driedo de Eccles dogm l. 4. c. 4. Because the Primitive Church by reason of the college of the Apostles had more grace and more authoritie then the Church which now is but be it spoken of the Church that now is as long as the Church heareth Christ and delivereth nothing but his embassage hearing her we heare Christ but if once she speake of her owne head and goe beyond beside or contrary to her commission if wee heare her wee heare not Christ Did the Iewes heare Christ when they heard Iudas with his Quid dabitis If our teachers become Arians Nestorians or Pelagians must wee heare them No If it be Paul himselfe more If it bee an Å¿ Gal. 1. 8. Angell from heaven shall teach other doctrine then is contayned in the Scriptures let him be accursed Hee is rather to bee accursed and accounted as an Reply pag. 117 * Matt. 18. 17. Insidell who wilfully refuseth to hearken to the Church In that Text our Saviour speaketh not of matters of faith but of fact as of the meanes of ending strife betweene party and party And as it is in inferiour Courts they may heare and judge some things as Batteryes Blood-sheddes and the like but may not judge of Felony Treason and the like So it is with the Church shee may heare and determine in matters of fact as to compose strife and he that will not in such a case hearken unto her let him be no better then an Infidell but if she take too much upon her as that God must say whatsoever she saith that all her wordes are Gospell * pag. 124. as sure as S. Iohns Gospell and if she dare adde unwritten Traditions to Gods written Law the point of greatest consequence and the cheifest Article of the Romane faith she extendeth her authority beyond her power and in such a case none but wittalls will listen unto her But the Church is * 1. Tim. 3. 5. it is vers 15. the foundation Reply pag. 117. pillar of truth To speake properly t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys in 1â— Tim. hom 11. Truth is the foundation and pillar of the Church as S. Chrysostome saith And the Replyer oft a lyer now telleth truth This title doth properly belong unto God himselfe Then it is improperly given unto the Church but the question is in what respect whether in regard of her nature or of her dutie In regard of her nature saith the Iesuite Because shee is indued from above with the Spirit of truth which never faileth to teach her all truth I may safely grant this yet deny unwritten verities because they are not truth but very lyes never received from the spirit of truth nor taught by the Church unto her followers This title is given unto the Church rather in regard of her dutie for as the Magistrate is said to be u Rom. 13. 3. A terror not to the good but to the evill Not because he is alwayes so but because he ought to be so so this title is given to the Church not in regard of her infallible nature which never faileth but in regard of her office and dutie which is to upholde the truth and to preserve the truth in which she may sometimes faile The Apostle calleth the Church of Ephesus where hee left x 1. Tim. 1. 36 Timothy and where Timothy was resident when S. Paul wrote unto him the ground and pillar of truth yet that which S. Paul y Act. 20. 19 feared is come unto it it is not now the pillar of truth but is fallen froÌ„ the truth So is the Church of Rome fallen from the truth into many errors of which this doctrine of unwritten Traditions is not the least 2. Thus much I have well considered and the more I consider I see the more dunsery and the lesse divinitie In his ensuing observations he laboureth to tread downe the authority of Scripture even as in his precedent observations hee laboured to make the authority of the Church to mount up unto heaven The first is this Christ never Reply p. 117. wrete any his doctrine himselfe As he spake by the mouth of all his Prophets and Apostles so he wrote by their hands S. Pauls Epistle written by z Rom. 16. 22. Tertius unto the Romans is accounted part of Pauls writings aswell as the Epistle to Philemon which was written with a Vers 19. his owne hands so the Scripture may bee said to be written by Christ being written by the Apostles and Prophets who were his hands S. Augustine will teach him to speake b Nequaquam dicendum est quod Christus non scripserit quandoquidem memora ejus id operata sunt quod dictante capite cognoverunt quicquid enim ille de dictis sactis suis nos le gere voluit hoc scribendum illis tanquam suis manibus imperavit Aug. de consens Evang l. 1. c. ult Say not by any meanes that Christ hath not written because his hands wrote that which the head did dictate unto them and whatsoâ—ver he would have us to reade touching his words or workes that he commanded them to write as it were with his owne hands c Haee ille doctè eleganter c. Tanto magis dicen dum est Christum scripsesse per Iuangelicrum Scriptores ut per manus suas quanto illi ne verbum unum aut iotâ— unum de suo spiritu Evangelio addiderunt Saâ—mer Proleg 26. Tom. 1. These things saith Salmeron S. Augustine spake learnedly and eloquently And he addeth this reason By so much the rather we must say that Christ himselfe wrote by the writers of the Gospell as by his owne hands in as much as they added not one word it selfe nor the least letter of â—heir owne to the Gospell Gregorie de Valentia saith d Planâ— instar calami cum usurpatur à Scriptore quo illud Davidis spectat lingua mea calamus scribae velociter scribentis nec enim alium hoc loco scribam significat praeter ipsum Deum Greg. de Val. Annal. fid l. 8. c. 5. They wrote even as the pen which the writer useth unto which David alludeth Psal 45. 2. my tongue is the penne of a ready writer he meaneth here no other writer but God Neither is it any thing materiall whether we say Christ wrote it himselfe or the Apostles wrote it as long as we are sure they had Christs commandement for the writing of it But this the Iesuite denyeth Wee doe not reade that ever he gave commandement to his Disciples to commit any part thereof unto writing S. Iohn was eleven times e Revel c. 1. 11. 19. c. 2. 1. 8. 1â— c. 3. 1. 7. 14. c 14. 13 c. 19. 9. c. 21. 5. coÌ„manded to write Is the Revelation of Iesus Christ no part of his doctrine f Aug. de
improba dominatio videretur si docerentur et non terrerentur vetustate consuetudinis obdurarentur There is no cause to complain of an evil governmeÌ„t for there hath bin more teaching theÌ„ terror but we have cause to pray that terror may expell that hard and evill custome which by teaching will not be removed The Lord who hath exalted you above the many worthies of Israell grant that n Act. 24. 2â— many worthie things may be done for this Nation by your providence In all things God guide You by his Counsell and after all receive you into glory Your Honors in all Christian duty and humble observance to be commaunded ROGER PUTTOCKE TO THE READER THere is a sort of men by foundation Fryars by appellation Iesuites who are the last but proudest Order of the Roman Cleargy One of these swelling like a to ad with a great conceit of a little learning in an evill houre for himsefe challenged as thou knowest an Elisha a valiant horseman of Israell to combate with him about sundry points of faith In this duell this Challenger being wounded went over Seas for healing unto his Master-Iesuites And having his wounds bound up he returneth without feare or wit to assault the most learned Primate with a new Reply In which he promiseth much but performeth little and defendeth the Roman Capitoll as it was of old defended by gagling like a goose in babling eloquence and by barking like a dogge in slaunders and reproaches To write of these points after the most learned Primate is all one as to write the Iliads after Homer And none are so well able to defend his Answere as himselfe but as S. Hierome thought it not fit to answere Helvidius so the most judicious concurring with him in judgement thought it not fit for him to answere this Reply * Quiâ— loquacitatem facundiam esse purabat Quia omnibus maledicere solebat Et ne respondendo dignus fieâ—et qui vinceretur Hieroâ— cont Helvid c. 3. 1. Because babling is his best eloquence 2. Because rayling is his best argument 3. Because he should not be thought worthy of encounter by his answere And indeede why should the most revâ—rend and learned Primate of this whole Kingdome a most skillfull Generall in ordering and fighting the Battles of the Lord enter againe into the field in his owne person to fight a duell with a pâ—â—ie Iesuite Our common Souldiers are able to sight with the best Captaines and our Captaines with the best Generalls of the Roman faction witnesse our Abbot conquering their Bishop and many of our Bishops their greatest Cardinals It was too great an honour for this Iesuite that he had such an Answerer Quem si non vicit magnis tamen excidit ausis There are others who are picked out to doe this service among whom I confesse my selfe the meanest and unfittest to fight against this Roman Bullwarke yet seeing it is fallen unto me not by my choyse but by â—â—â— trusting to God for whose word and by whose word I fight and to the fastnesse of the cause I have set upon it Happily some curious Spectators seeing the manner of my fight may say I have a good cause but doe not defend it well be hath a bad cause but defendeth it craftily I confesse that in this fight I have used no Fencer-like flourishes and at sometimes such words have dropped from my pen as if it had beene dipt in vineger If any man blame me for those two things my defence is this For the 1. I had rather fight with the words of wisedome then with the wisdome of words For the 2. His own thundring of scornefull and disgracefull speeches against so grave so gracious a Prelat hath turned my wine into vineger Had he replyed in a calme manner he should have beene answered in the same but seeing his Reply is a rayling and slanderous accusation of his Answerer rather then a sound and solide confutation of the Answer I thought it not amisse to currie him in his kinde and I hope no man will blame mee for calling a spade a spade As for craftie defending of the cause I deny the fact let him bee Master of the craft Pura religio nescit imposturas Truth needeth not lying pretences nor cunning devices I leave them to this juggling Iesuite whose craftie dealing is discovered in many particulars In his carping at the true stating of this Question and in not stating of it at all of set purpose that he might wander from the question In not answering many of the testimonies which were produced against him I passe by his absurd distinction of mediate and immediate sufficiencie or perfection where with he answereth most of the testimonies of the Fathers I need not here to discover his false quotations his corrupt translations his impertinent allegations his vaine tautologies and reiterations of the same testimonies some times ten times over his scraps gathered from Bellarmines table and his treasure stollen out of Coccius his thesaurus his manifest contradictions and his manifold digressions into other points his division of this Part into nine Sectionâ— five of which 〈…〉 â— 3. 4. 8. 9. have the title of a Reply to the Answer but not one word to the Answer secundùm allegata probata All this thou shalt finde discovered I have used none of these if my Adversary can discover any such dealing let him not spare me I have followed his wandring method to the intent thou maist see all his testimonies to be answered and what is not answered being formerly answered the margent to avoid needlesse repetition directeth thee to that former place for the easier finding of it I have made divisions of every Section My Adversaryes words thou maist know by these two inclosures With thy will to reade the Lord give thee an understanding he art to believe those things which were written that thou * Iohn 20. 31. mightst believe and in believing have eternall life A REIOYNDER TO FRYAR MALONE touching Traditions SECT I. The Iesuite shrinketh from the Question IF Scripture be the Iudge Hereticks cannot stand out in Iudgement saith a De solis scripturis quaestiones suas sistant stare non possunt Tertul. de resurrect carnis c. 3. Tertullian The Romanists finde it to be true that the Bible wil be the ruine of Babell to prevent the downefall of it Pighius in the name of the Roman Church giveth this advice b Ad Traditiones potiùs quam ad Scripturas provocandum est c. Cujus doctrinae si memoâ—es fuissemus meliore sanè loco essent res nostrae sed dum ostenâ—andi ingenil eruditionis gratiâ cum Luthero in certamen descenditur scripturarum excitatum est hoc quod proh dolor videmus incendium Pigh Eccles Hieraâ— l. 1. c. 4. We must rathen flye to Traditions then to Scripture And againe Had we remembred this doctrine it had beene better with us but while we have sought with
that they are good subjects The evil of the fact we deny for thogh they used not the word Tradition yet they used such a word as declared the meaning of the holy Ghost in those places What will you say for your vulgar Latin in which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not alwayes translated Tradition but sometimes l 1. Cor. 11. 2. Praecepta in English not Traditions but precepts I may say of the Septuagint as somtimes Galatinus said of the Chalde Paraphrase that it is rather an expositioÌ„ in some places then a Translatiö yet the Apostles in alledging the old Testament did usually follow the m Compare Prov. 3. 34. with I am 4. 6. and Prov 11. 31. with 1. Pet. 4. 18. Septuagint rather then the Hebrew So that Translators may sometimes varie from the originall word yet be blameles aslong as they retain the senâ—e inteÌ„ded by the holy Ghost in that word Thus our Translators have done there is only a verball or grammaticall no reall or doctrinall difference betwixt the original the translation Tradition is a doctrin ordinance instruction or institutioÌ„ again doctrine ordinance instruction or institution is a Tradition And if Beza must be censured for translating it The doctrine delivered not Traditions then what say you to those books which are approved yetrender it by n Syrus Interpres commandements o Vatabl. Bibl. Institutions not TraditioÌ„s If it be a Tradition it is a deliverie a delivery must have somthing delivered it could not be a delivery of rites because they have litle power to keep out the man of sin the Apostle gave that exhortation it must needs be a deliverie of doctrine or a doctrine delivered As for his exception at the change of the number we may account this among the number of his Cavils for by doctrine delivered he meaneth not one singular doctrine but all the whole summe of S. Pauls doctrine Many words grow out of use thorough abuse Tyrannus of old signified a King Hostis a stranger Sophista a wise man he would not bee accounted a wise man that should now english them so So of old Traditio was taken diverse wayes for the manner of delivery either by writing or by word of mouth and for written doctrines aswell as for things unwritten but now our adversaries abuse the word and wheresoever they finde it they apply it to unwritten Traditions therefore our Translators did well not to use this word Tradition which being perverted by our Adversaries might become a stumbling blocke to the Reader but rather to use another word which might agree with the Originall and declare the meaning of the Holy Ghost and yet might not bee so easily perverted to a false meaning This cavilling Martin hath another fling at our Translatours Yea they doe so gladly use the word Tradition when it Reply pag. 162 may tend to the discredit thereof that they put the said word in all their English Bibles when it is not in the Greeke at all as * Coloss 2. 20. why are yee led with Traditions And as another English Translation more heretically Why are yee burdened with Traditions Tell us you that professe to have skill in the Greeke whether the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie Tradition Iustifie your Translation if you can either out of Scriptures or Fathers c. Tea tell us if you can why you translate for Tradition ordinance and contrary for ordinance Tradition Tell me why your vulgar Latine allowed by Clement the eight is guilty of the same fault if it be a fault In it the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which â—ignifieth Customes is translated p Act. 6 14. Traditions and in like manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth Traditions is translated q 1. Cor 11. 2. precepts or customes Tell me that and I will tell you this Tell me why the Translator of Theodâ—ret printed at Cullin an 1573. translateth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Traditions and why Hentenius translating Oecumenius translateth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Institutions Wee can justifie our Translations by Scripture for it calleth these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 t Coloss 2. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doctrines of men and it calleth doctrins of men Å¿ Mat. 1â— Traditions The interpretation of the Fathers doth likewise justifie this translation for S. Ambrose interpreteth this place of such errors Quos humana invenit Traditio which humane Tradition found out What were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pythagoraea but the Traditions of Pythagoras 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie ordinances and if ordinances signifie Traditions why may not the word be so translated Why did the Iesuite himselfe not distinguish more accurately in his translations of the Greeke testimonies betweene these words For commonly he translateth * pag. 143. â— pag. 150 1. pag. 155. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doctrines and taketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ordinances Preachings and Traditions for the same At last he concludeth this Section with a wise observation of his owne The last Translations correcting all the former doth Reply p. 163. clearely declare what a handsome Scripture the poore people relyed upon all the while before that it was not the pure word of God but the corrupt invention of Translators Here is an handsome observation of as wise a divine as Martin himselfe There is but a verball difference betwixt Tradition ordinance and institution if a verball difference corrupteth a translation and maketh it a false invention and no pure word of God what then shall become of all your Latine Translations They cannot be numbred saith S. t Aug. de doct Christ l. 2. c. 11. Augustine u Hieron praesat in Iosh As many bookes so many severall copies saith S. Hierome Vntill the Councell of Trent decreed the vulgar Latine what pure word of God could the Romane church have yea if a verbal difference corrupt a Translation then at this day they have no pure word of God for the vulgar Latine differeth more from the originall then our English doth Lindanus a Popish Bishop confesseth * Lindan de optim generinterpret l. 3. cap. 1â— It hath many corruptions of all sorts c. some things are translated too intricately some improperly and some not truely And such variety and difference there is betweene the Copies themselves that hardly is one like another Yet if they convert the words and doe not pervert the sense no wise man will call them a corrupt invention of false Translators because the truth of Scripture is the sense and not the words and variety of Translations differing onely verbally doth not hinder but rather doth further us to finde out the true sense if wee will wisely compare them together SECT IX The vvhole summe of the Iesuit's Reply being cast up the remainder is nothing 1. NOthing but insolent bragging and vaine tauâ—ologies doe heere in his last Section at the first light