may catch hold and graspe the hand which these men stretch forth to them to be conductours of their blindnesse Yet let us briefly observe what this succession of the Church of Rome may signifie or bee they bring us clauses of ancient Authours reporting the Bishop of Rome to be Saint Peters Successor and shew a Nomenclature of the Bishops from Saint Peter to this day but we finde that the ancients make such another Catalogue of the Bishops of Ierusalem and of Antioch whose succession is of greater antiquity then that of the Bishops of Rome The Bishops of Alexandria likewise draw out their succession from Saint Peter But our Adversaries will not have this succession to be esteemed for say they those Churches are hereticall and yet the same Churches also call the Church of Rome hereticall and schismaticall Herein then lieth the point of difficulty the ancients reckon up the Successours of Saint Peter and other Apostles in Iernsalem in Antioch at Rome and at Alexandria but they meane not they should bee Successours of the Apostles in the Apostleship they meane onely in the governement of such and such a particular Church planted by one of the Apostles So putting the case that Saint Peter founded the Church of Rome and was there Bishop which neverthelesse is doubtfull and mistrusted I will also agree that the Bishops of Rome of the first ages have beene Successours to Saint Peter but in the Bishopricke of the Church of the city of Rome onely In the same manner as Simon was Successame manner to Saint Iames the Apostle in the Bishopricke of Ierusalem and Timothy Successour to Saint Paul in the Bishopricke of Ephesus but not in his Apostleship Our Adversaries profit nothing by their allegations if they prove not first by testimonies both divine and irrefragable that God hath ordained Saint Peter to have a Successour in his Apostleship and that the Bishop of Rome was Successour to Saint Peter in the dignity of the head of the universall Church For ought not this succession to have come from God Did God establish a supreame and successive head over the Church of all the world without making any mention of it in his word And did Saint Peter himselfe forget to speake of this succession from whence we have two long Epistles See then whereupon we stand and how our Adversaries are taken All their Religion is founded upon this Tradition to wit that the Pope hath beene ordained from God to bee the Successour of Saint Peter in the charge of head of the universall Church hereunto they bend their force this is the scope of all the controversies And yet concerning this Tradition they cannot produce one poore divine truth nor one single word out of the word of God yea when it commeth to humane testimonies it is apparant that they are contrary to this Monarchicall succession of the Pope of Rome In one thing our Adversaries finde themselves much incumbred We demand of them when they speake of a succession whether they understand it of persons without succession of doctrine or of a succession of persons in the same doctrine If they understand a succession of persons sitting in the same chaire without succession of doctrine this succession is impious serving for a title of succession to make warre against God Hee that corrupteth the Doctrine of his Predecessors succeedeth them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as sicknesse succeedeth health and darknesse light so Gregory of Nazianzene speaketh in his Oration upon Athanasius To have the same Doctrine saith he is to have the same Seat but to have a contrary Doctrine is to have a contrary Seat one hath the name the other hath the truth of the succession c. Vnlesse a man will call it succession when the maladie succeedeth health and darknesse the light But if our Adversaries speaking of succession understand it of persons not only in the same Chaire but also in the same Doctrine this succession is excellent and a singular ornament in a Church no man can erre in adhering to such a succession for it carrieth conformity of Doctrine with the Apostles and before this succession can bee knowne it is behovefull to be instructed in the writings of the Apostles and in their Doctrine Such a succession is that whereof Iren. lib. 4. cap. 43. Eâ— quâ— in Ecclesia sunt Presbyteru obedire oportet his qui successioneÌ„ habent ab Apostolus qui cum Episcopatus successione charisâ—a veritatis certuÌ„ secunduÌ„ placituÌ„ Patris acceperunt Irenaeus speaketh saying That wee ought to obey Priests who are in the Church who have the succession of the Apostles and with the succession of the Bishopricke have received the certaine talent of the truth Not acknowledging succession in the Bishopricke without succession in the truth of the Doctrine And Tertullian speaking of the Heretikes Their Doctrine Tertull. de praescr c. 21 Iâ—sa eoruÌ„ doctrina cum Apostolica comparata ex diversitate contrariâ—tate doctrina pronuntiabit neque Apostoli â—licâ—ius auctoru esse neque Apostolicâ— being compared with that of the Apostles by the diversity and contrariety therein will plainely demonstrate that it hath not any Apostle for Authour nor any one that is Apostolicall Snatching this specious title of Apostolike succession from those who taught otherwise then the Apostles had done It is no small abuse when wee would know whether a Religion bee true or no to give us a list of Bishops in painting and pictures without knowing whether the latter doe teach as the first pinning religion unto the Chaires to the end to suppresse the true rules and institutions as also to divert the people from reading of the holy Scripture for feare lest they should apprehend the conformity in Doctrine with the Apostles which is the true succession We must note by the way that in the time of Irenaeus and Tertullian who wrote about six score yeeres after the Apostles it was easie to shew the succession Then I meane when the Churches wherein the Apostles had taught did hold one and the same faith I say when the succession was of no great length and the memory of the Apostles and their disciples preaching was fresh and familiar But now that the Churches which were planted by the Apostles are divided into contrary Sects and separated from communion and that the confusions abounding in space of some fifteene hundred yeeres have throwne downe so many Chaires and reared up others and that particularly the Bishopricke of Rome is turned into a temporall Monarchy and the Pope of a Bishop is become a temporall Prince this successive derivation of Chaires in the East and West is impossible considering that the entayle of this succession hath beene thousands of times cut off so that it is a meere imposture to enter into this lea of Histories and confusions to the end to examine the Traditions in stead of addressing our selves to the word of God CHAP. XVI That the Pharisees and ancient
hindred from choosing the best Church amongst many contrary How shall they choose Church from the false shall they know it in examining her doctrine by the Scripture that may not be for the Scripture is a Booke that the people are not permitted to reade and our adversaries affirme that the Church is not subject or bound to the Scripture and that the Church may change the same which God commaunded in the Scripture Shall they discerne the true Church by antiquity and succession nor that for the Syrian and Greeke Churches contrary to the Romish are more ancient then that of Rome deriving their succession from the Apostles and punctually to judge in this succession and antiquitie infinite Histories both Greeke and Latine ought to be read wherein the people vnderstand little or nothing And amongst the Clergie it selfe scarce one of an hundred is found that hath but ordinary or competent knowledge therein Hee that but entreth into the view thereof shall discouer the seat of the Romane Pontifies defiled with heresies and enormous crimes yea mangled and rent with Schismes that are decided by stroke of sword and according to the power of Emperours and Kings doeth the scale weigh downe Shall they haue respect to the generalitie and multitude no Iesus Christ calleth his Church a little flocke Luke 12. 32. and signifieth vnto vs that the multitude and broad way leade to perdition Math 7. 13 14. Shal they giue heed to miracles no the Apostle hath foretold us that the sonne of perdition who is Antichrist shall come with signes and miracles 2. Thess 2. 9. And Iesus Christ admonisheth vs that false prophets shall arise and shall make signes wonders to seduce Math. 24. 24. Now seeing that so many false miracles are wrought and the most predominant Courts of Iustice haue made many Decrees against the workers of them how and by what markes shall the poore people distinguish the true miracles from the false seeing there is no knowledge of the true doctrien declaring Gods will that we should discerne the miracles Deut. 13. v. 1 2 3. Briefly it is certaine that the Scriptures authoritie being no more the foundation and direction of the beleeuers faith all Religion vanisheth and turneth into smoke and there remaines nothing but to beleeue at adventure to follow the generalitie and like blind men to lay hands on him that marcheth next before vs. It is answered that in this perplexitie the people are to follow their Doctors and Pastors for they are the men that vndertake with God for the people What must euery man beleeue the Pastors of his owne countrey must they follow the Church wherein they are borne shall man owe his Religion to his birth or the custome of his countrey or the successe of affaires If it bee answered that by the Pastors and Doctors those of the Church of Rome are to be vnderstood therein lies the poynt of difficultie For the question is if those Doctors bee sound and good teachign the true way of health conformably to the Word of God which they conceale from the people in denying them to reade the holy Scriptures then are the people bound to beleeue that these are good Doctors before they know the good doctrine and that this church is the true church before they know or apprehend the truth They are also bound to beleeue what the church of Rome beleeveth not knowing what that Church ought to beleeue But if it be their tenent that every particular person bee assisted with the Spirit of God to bee able to discerne the true Church why hold they not that hee bee assisted with the same spirit to discerne the true doctrine and to examine it by the holy scriptures seeing that the true Church cannot bee distinguished but by the true doctrine for the true faith is first to be knowne before the true faithfull can be distinguished and the true rule is to be well vnderstood before those that follow it can be knowne Christ must first be knowne before there is possibility of knowing undoubtedly what Church is truely his flocke Adde likewise heereunto that the faith of the Romish Doctors dependeth entirely upon the Popes faith neverthelesse they for the greatest part doe beleeue that the Pope may erre and the Popes themselues doe confesse the same as wee haue elsewhere prooved Yea their errors are condemned by those Councels which the Church of Rome did allow And it is hard to beleeue that he cannot erre who boasteth of his authority and power to change that which God hath ordained to dispense with his commandements Add moreover that the greatest â—â—atterers of the Popes that haue written their histories and liues doe lament the corruption of that seat and complaine of the traffique it exerciseth and of the infamous â—â—ving of many Popes and their intolerable pride for what doth the Pope hee is advanced so far as to call himselfe God and the divine Maiestie to cause himselfe to bee adored to reach forth to Emperours a pantable to be kissed to dispose the crownes and liues of Kings and to release soules out of Purgatory insomuch as from a poore Biship of a citie who in the Primitiue time appeared not but in the martyrdomes is by degrees become a great Monarch of the earth that surpasseth in riches and treasure the greatest Kings of the world These things considered may we fix in our minds a just cause to suppose that the Pope is the same man that the Scripture hath foretold to come into the world to * 2 Thess 2. 7 8. Apoes 13. 11 2. Thess 2. â— 4. 9. Apocal. 17. 3. 4. 9. 18. Apocal. 17. 2. Apocal. 13. 15. lift himselfe up into the shrone of Roman Emperours stile himselfe God vaunt of signes and miracles he that should beâ— cloathed in scarlet should possesse his seat in a towne of seven mountaines which is Romes description should seduce Kings wage war against the Church and vanquish it and all this vnder the name of Christian assuming to himselfe the title and authoritie of Iesus Christ For so saith the Spirit of God in the 13 of the Apocalipse Hee shall haue the hornes of a Lambe but shall speake like a dragon These things having beene foretold aboue fifteene hundred yeares past no man since that time hath so swelled himselfe to so high a pitch as to haue these recived things appropriated vnto him but the Pope of Rome Is it by chance or adventure that such preâ—ogatiues haue met in one man Surely these considerations are sufficient to cause a suspition in â—s that this is the man who should haue more authoritie then the Scripture that would haue himselfe beleeved when hee saith that the Scripture is subject vnto him and that he hath power to change it that is to say to contradict it For no man can extoll himselfe aboue the Scripture vnlesse it bee meerely to impugne it Now though man fearing God and touched with the zeale of his
recte de Ecclesia sentit qui nihil admit tit nisi quod expresse in veteri Ecclesia sumpenÌ„ aâ—t factuÌ„ essâ— legit quasi Ecclesia osterioris temporis aut desierit esse Ecclesia aut facuitate non habeat explicaâ—â— et acclarandi costiruenat etiam 〈◊〉 qua au 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christianon perâ—â—onâ— doctrine defendeth himselfe in this manner He judgeth not rightly of the Church who admitteth nothing but what hee expresly readeth to haue â—en practised or done in the ancient â—hurch as if the Church of these â—tter times had câ—ased to be a Church â— had not power to vnfold and dâ—clare â—a to establish and ordaine the things â—â—at appertaine to fayth and manners â—f Christians This power then of â—he Pope over the life and crowne â—f Kings is not a divine Tradition â— or Apostolike but Ecclâ—siasticall â—rought in by the church of Rome â—n latter times that is to say by â—he Pope And when our adversaries attribute to the Pope the power of adding to the Creed and of making articles of Faith it is apparant that they hold the Pope able to bring in Traditions essentiall to Christian faith which the Apostles haue neither written nor taught by word of mouth This is that which Thomas Aquinas Them 2. â—â— qâ— 1. are 10. Ad solam ar theritate 〈◊〉 â—â—◠〈◊〉 is pertinot noua editie symboli sicut alia omnia qua pertinent ad toram Ecclâ—siam teacheth in the second part of his Summs saying It belongeth sâ—lely to the authority of the soveraigne Pope to make a new edition of Creed as also all things that concerne the vniversall Church Vpon which passage Andradius that assisted at the Counsell of Trent spake thus in the second Booke of the defence 〈◊〉 Pontifices â—â—lte defini 〈◊〉 qua anto 〈◊〉 symbolâ— fidei 〈◊〉 consu 〈◊〉 of the Tridentine faith The Romane Pontifies in defining many things which had been formerly hidden haue accustomed to augment the Creed This question hath been moved to the Councell of Florence betweene the Greekes and Latines the Latines maintaining against the Greekes that the Pope and church of Rome may adde to the Creed Finally in the last Session is concluded in favour of the Latines Ipsi necessitate â—â—gente iure suo particulaâ— illam ex filioque symbolo app◠〈◊〉 licuisso that the Church of Rome hath right of power to adde to the Creed and in the margent is noted Rom Pontificis potestas the power of the â—ope for by the church you must â—understand the Pope To this doth the Iesuite Vasques â—gree who disputing of the Apoâ—les commandement that biddeth â—he people of Corinth 1. Cor. 11. vers 28 to eate of this bread and Vazques Tom. 2. Disp. 216. NuÌ„ 60. Licet coÌ„cederemus hoc fuisse ApostoloruÌ„ praceptuÌ„ rithilomâ—n us Ecclesia summus PoÌ„tifex potuerunt illud iÌ„ustis de causis abrogare Neque enim maior fuit porestas Apostolorum quam Ecclesia Pontificu in ferendu praceptis drinke of this cup speaking thus Though we should graunt that it hath been the Apostles commandement yet neverthelesse the Church and the sove raigne Pope were able to abolish this commandement vpon just reasons for the power of the Apostles to giue commaundements hath not been greater then that of the Church and the Pope Seeing therefore that the Pope hath as much power over the Church as the Apostles and that the Apostles haue had the power to forme a Creed and to establish in the Church Articles of Faith which had not beene written before nor taught by word of mouth in the Church it followes that the Pope hath the same power and that he can forma a Creed or adde to that which the Apostles haue formed and can ordaine matters which the Apostles haue neither written nor taught by mouth Whereupon Leo the tenth in his Bull Exurge which is annexed to the end of the last Lateran Councell thundereth and pronounceth an anathema again â— Luther for having spoken amongst other things Certum est in manis Ecclesis aut Papa proorsus noÌ„ esse 〈◊〉 artiâ—ulos fides that it is no way in the power of the Church or of the Pope to establish articles of faith Salmeron the Iesuite is expresse in his 13 Tome and the third part Disp 6. â— est ergo Doctrina â—dei admitit additioneÌ„â— essentialius of the sixth Disputation saying The doctrine of faith suffereth addition in the things that are essentiall These words are worth observation for if you beleeue this Iesuite the Pope and Church of Rome â—â—ay adde to the Traditions that â—re called Apoâ—tolicall and to the â—â— written word not only matters â—ccidenâ—all but also essentiall not â—aught by the Apostles Which â—ikewise doth iâ—feere that the Aâ—ostles haue not taught all that is â—ecessary to Christian Religion â—nd that then there wanted someâ—hing that was essentiall in the doctrine of the Apostles § Atque hoc c. Nec sub Apostolu omnia occur runt vt possent ab en omnia decidi Et in alio statu erat Ecclesia sub Apostolu quam sit modo vel fuenâ—â— post illa tempra Deinde natura nostra non omnia simul doceri potest c. In iniurtam igitur spiritus sanctâ— qui vngit vnctione â—a membra Christi qui vsque modo operatur reiicitur quicquid non est dudum ab Apostolis c. Possunt ergo esse nâ—uae traditiones ad fidem mâ—res spectaÌ„tes licet ab Apostolu noÌ„ sint conditâ— aut explicatâ— The same Iesuite in his 8. Disputation giues a reason why the Apostles haue not written nor preached all things The affayres saith hee in the Apostles time diâ— not so hit and fall out as that all things could bee decided and the Church at that time was of a condition differing from her now prâ—sent estate and from her estate since that very time Moreouer our nature cannot apprehend all things at once but by progresse and succession of time neither is it capable of all truths at a time c. It were then to abuse the holy Ghost that anâ—oynteth Christs members with oyntment and that operateth vntill thiâ— instant to reject all that hath not beeâ— spoken by the Apostles Whereupon he concludeth therefore may therâ— bee new Traditions concerning faith and manners though they were never made or explicated by the Apostles Now I leaue to judge with whaâ— conscience it may be maintained that the Traditions are ancient and Apostolicall seeing that our adversaries doe confesse that there are many of them moderne and new whereof the Apostles never spake word And to the ende that no man may conceaue these new Traditions to be spungie of no weight unnecessary or unessentiall to christian Religion he speakes directly that the new Traditions are touching faith and manners and that the â—â—ctrine of the Christian faith reâ—â—veth yet an addition even in â—ings that are essentiall
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
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
commandement of God speaking Exod. 20. 9. sixe dayes shalt thou labour Or the power of the Pope to set at liberty under ground and to give Indulgences to the dead upon that which Iesus Christ sayth Math. 18. 18. Whatsoever yee shall bind and loose on earth c. Or cases reserved to the Pope upon the words of our Saviour uttered to all the Apostles Whose sinnes soever yee shall pardon they shall Iohn 20. 23 be pardoned Or images of the Almighty upon that which God discoursing to the People of Isreal giveth the reason why in speaking to them from heaven he suffered none to see any image or resemblance For Deut. 4. 23. feare sayth hee Lest yee might forget the Covenant which he made with you and make you a graven image or the likenesse of any thing male or female Or establishing of brothell-houses at Rome by the authority of his holinesse vpon the commandement Thou shalt not commit adultery Deut. 4. 13. Or the doctrine of the Councell of Trent affirming in the fift Session that covetousnesse is no sinne upon the law of God speaking Thou shalt not covet and upon the Deut. 5. 21. testimony of the Apostle saying that he hath learnt out of the law that covetousnesse is sinne Rom. 7. 7. Or forbidding the People to read the Scripture upon that which is written in the Apocal. Blessed is Apoe 1. 3. he that readeth and they that heare the words of this prophecy and upon the example of the people of Berea who Acts 17. 11. searched the Scriptures daily and upon the commandement made to Kings to reade carefully the booke of Deut. 17. 18. the law of God Or swearing by reliques upon the commandement of God Thou Deut. 10. 20. shalt feare the Eternall and sweare by his name Or Purgatory upon that which the Lord sayd unto the Thiefe upon the Crosse Thou shalt be with me Luk. 23. 43. this day in Paradise and upon the Luk. 17. 22. example of Lazarus whose soule was carried by the Angells into Abrahams bosome imediately after his death and upon the Apostle Saint Iohn speaking That the blood 1 Iohn 1. 7. of Iesus Christ purgeth us from all sin Or the sacrifice of the body of Iesus Christ in the Masse upon that which the Apostle to the Hebrews speaking of the sacrifice of the death of Iesus Christ made up on the Crosse declareth that We Hebr. 10. 10 14. are sanctified through the offering of the body of Iesus Christ once for all Hebr. 9. 25. 26. and that Iesus Christ offereth not himselfe ofien for as it is ordained for all men to dye once so Christ hath beene offered once to take away our sinnes making the sacrifice of Iesus Christ no more reiterable then the death of men Without all doubt if contrariety to the Scripture can give authority to the Romish Traditions these traditions which I have specified ought to bee of great authority Yea to summe up all our adversaries are too licencious and rash in their conjectures and I cannot conceave that they beleeve it themselves when they would have vs to beleeve that Iesus Christ speaking in private with his Disciples did conferre about the service of Images and great Pardons to bee made by the Pope of Chaplets and Blessed-beads of lessening the torment of Soules in Purgatory by Masses and Indulgences c. To what may this tend but to expose Iesus Christ to laughter or to delight themselves in faining matters without proofe and to allure those that will bee deluded to beleeve things that are incredible for such kind of presuppositions worke their effect according as he is awed that propoundeth them CHAP. XIII That our adversaries to distinguish the good Traditions from the bad doe give vs a Plea wherein they wholly convict themselves TO discerne the good Traditions from the bad our adversaries lay downe certaine Pleas which wee hold fit to have strictly examined They say that the Traditions ought to bee both receaved and beleeved to be divine which have alwaies beene approoved by the vniuersall Church as Vincentius Lyrinensis confirmeth it allowing that to bee received for truth which hath ever beene beleeved wholly and by all and Saint Augustine in his Epistle 118. If the Si quid horuÌ„ rota per orbeÌ„ frequentat Ecclesia hoc quin it a facienduÌ„ sit disputare insolentissima insaniae est Quod vâ—iversa tenet Ecclesia nec CoÌ„cilijs institutuÌ„ sed semper retentuÌ„ non nisi au horttate Apestolica tradituÌ„ certisimè creditur Church throughout the world observe any thing it is a distracted impudence to dispute whether it ought to be so or no and in his 4. Booke against the Donatists Chapter 4. That which the universall Church holdeth and hath not beene instituted by Councells but ever maintained is to bee beleeved in all just reason not to have beene ordained by other power then the Apostolique Authority Now though these passages of Saint Augustine bee unseasonably alledged because they speake of customes not necessary to salvation indifferent in their nature or of opinions without the knowledge wherof a man may be saved as we shall hereafter discover yet I say that by this Plea the Traditions of the Church of Rome doe fall to the ground and are not currant or receiueable for it is easie to prove that they have not beene received from the beginning by the Catholike Church How is it that Purgatory which 1. Purgatory is by interpretation a subterraneall fire where the soules of the faithfull are purged by orment could be beleeved in the ancient church seeing that a great part of the Fathers did beleeve that the soules could not be tormented without the bodies And that the Masse prayeth for soules that sleepe in a peaceable rest it being a cleere case that when this piece was patched to the Canon of the Masse the Church of Rome did not beleeve that the soules of the faithfull were tortured in a fire Pope Gregorie the 1. In his Dialogues sâ—ateth Purgatory in the smoake of baths and in the wind for this underground fire was not yet devised and yet this time was so far advanced as to the yeere 590. of our Lord. Invocation of Sts. was unknown 2. InvocatioÌ„ of Saints under the three first ages of the Christian Church and more then halfe of the fourth Cardinall Befla in his third booke of worshipping Saints Chap. 9. saith that When the §. Pratercacum scribetentur scriptura sancta 〈◊〉 coeperat usus vovends sanctia holy Scriptures were written the custome was not yet to make vowes to Saints Which is as much to say in plaine termes that about the Apostle time Saints were not called on nor did the Apostles who survived the Virgin Mary addresse their vowes unto her And Cardinall Perron to whom this commendation Du Perron coÌ„rre le Roy de la Grand Bretagne
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