not the Bishop not their Ministers onely but the common people even all that professed the Faith of Christ too The first thing considerable in the Text and which alone I shall here handle is the Matter or Object of that Study whereunto St. Paul doth here invite the Colossians and all Christians whatsoever and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word of Christ the Law and the Gospel Moses and the Prophets the Evangelists and the Apostles the Old Testament and the New Now that whatsoever is contained in any of these most certainly is and may therefore most justly be styled The Word of Christ is evident upon a twofold ground 1. Christ is the Efficient Cause of all the Scripture each of the Testaments hath him for its Authour See this distinctly in three Particulars First Christ is the Great and undoubted Authour of the Law The Evangelist indeed tells us The Law was given by Moses but how that was Origen tells us who thus distinguisheth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We understand that the Law was given by Moses but not from him Doubtless Origen means the same thing which Erasmus thus expresseth Moses Legis Author non fuit Moses was not the Authour of that Law no Castalio tells us Quòd Lex data est Divini fuit Beneficii The giving of the Law was from the Kindness of God As for Moses 't is said he received the lively Oracles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith St. Chrysostom he received the Law from another and so proved not the Legislator to establish and make the Law but a Minister an Herauld a Scribe to receive proclaim and write it So that Ebion that pestilent Heretick had no reason to think Moses who is said to have given the Law to be upon that score a greater man then Christ But although the first Promulgation and Delivery of the Law upon Mount Sinai cannot possibly be ascribed unto Moses yet it seems very clearly to be attributed unto Angels Thus St. Paul For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast c. What word was that Theophylact tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Apostle means either the Decalogue or generally all Commands dispensed by Angels under the Old Testament Thus St. Chrysostom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Decalogue the Commandments Lex Mosis the Law of Moses so Grotius And of this Law the Apostle doth elsewhere thus affirm 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was ordained by Angels How so Ministerio Angelorum by the Ministery of Angels so Clarius 'T is the observation of Grotius that the Law was pronounced by some one of the Angels others attending round about him And that the Law was indeed delivered by some one single Angel we learn from that of St. Stephen This is that Moses who was in the church in the wilderness with the angel that spake to him in the mount Sina 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the Angel the expression imports that it was some one particular Angel who pronounced the Law But what and who this Angel was 't is somewhat uncertain Grotius saith it was unus ex praecipuis Angelis one of the chiefest Angels it was such an Angel as was counted worthy to represent the person and bear the name of God So Moses tells us God spake all these words And as Moses gives him this glorious Title so doth this Angel himself assume and own it I am the Lord thy God c. And that he was so indeed the people believed The Lord our God hath shewed us his glory and we have heard his voice we have seen this day that God doth talk with man c. From these expressions several Interpreters do gather that this Angel who delivered the Law was the Second Person in the Trinity whose various Appearances under the Old Testament were nothing else but as St. Austine calls them Symbola Praeludia Incarnationis the Symbols Tokens and Essays of his Incarnation This is that which Nazianzene confidently affirms Filium Dei in Monte Sina cum Mose locutum esse scimus That the Son of God upon Mount Sina did discourse with Moses is a thing that we know And to this purpose doth St. Chrysostom expound that passage of St. Stephen He was in the wilderness with the angel What Angel means he St. Chrysostom answers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 'T is the Son of God whom he calleth an Angel and again a little after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the expression sheweth that the Angel who appeared to Moses was the Angel of the great Counsel and who is that Dionysius the Areopagite answers thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jesus himself And indeed that it was some Person of the Blessed Trinity that delivered the Law was the Opinion not onely of Philo the Jew but of St. Cyprian Justine Martyr Tertullian and some other Fathers of the Christian Church who affirmed with one consent revera fuisse Deum that it was God indeed But let us admit the Opinion of these learned and pious men to be a mistake and that of St. Dionysius to be a Truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Scriptures teach us that the Divine Law was handed to us by Angels so Josephus too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our most excellent Doctrines and most holy Precepts were delivered to us by Angels Well suppose it be certain that Angels properly so called had to doe with the delivery of the Law yet this doth no way hinder but that Christ may be and surely is the Legislatour still for whatever this Angel whoever he was delivered upon Mount Sina was the Dictate of God So the same Authours tell us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Law was given by God so Dionysius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Law was delivered by Angels who had learn'd and received it from God so Josephus And what Person of the Godhead it was Saint Austine thus informs us Quemadmodum Verbum Dei quod est Christus loquitur in Propheta sic in Angelo loquitur As the Word of God which is Christ speaks in a Prophet so doth he speak in an Angel too I remember Caelius Rhodiginus tells us that the Law-givers of the Nations were very ambitious to make their Subjects believe that all the Laws which they established were derived from some Deity or other Thus Trismegistus fathered his Laws upon Mercury Draco and Solon theirs upon Minerva Zamolxis his upon Vesta Plato his upon Jupiter and Apollo Numa his upon Egeria c. Now that Divine Honour which they sought for their Laws ours hath which undoubtedly is the Law of a God or as my Text words it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word of Christ that Glorious Law-giver with whom those of this World whom Seneca mentions for the wisest Solon Lycurgus Zaleucus Charondas c. are not once to be named Secondly All the Prophecies of the Old Testament have Christ for their
Titulus the Title of his whole Book which comprehends the summe of all his following Discourse and sheweth that his design was to treat of nothing else but Christ is the acknowledgement of Erasmus who denieth St. Matthew's Title so to be and doe And what is the Subject Matter of St. Luke's Gospel himself acquaints his friend Theophilus The former Treatise have I made of all that Jesus began both to doe and teach Partitus est omnem Christi Vitam in Facta Doctrinam saith Erasmus St. Luke doth here divide the whole Life of Christ into the Miracles which he wrought and the Sermons which he preached and tells Theophilus that these two were the great Contents of his former Book Thus Grotius Haec verba brevem Evangelii descriptionem continent These words contain a short description of St. Luke's whole Gospel and shew that Christ is the Subject of it And as for the Acts of the Apostles Quid aliud est quà m Evangelii pars saith Erasmus What is it else but a part of the Gospel What contains it but an History of what the Apostles did and suffered upon the Account of Christ And what Saint John our fourth Evangelist treats of the very first line of his Gospel tells us In the beginning was the Word 'T is but one Word that makes up his whole Book and that Word is Christ So then 't is clear enough that Christ is the onely Subject of all four Gospels but what do the Epistles treat of St. Matthew Mark Luke and John do write of Jesus but what doth St. Paul doe 'T is sure that no Apostle preached no Apostle wrote so much as he but what 's his Subject The Text answers He preached Jesus himself confirms it We preach not our selves but Christ And as he preached so he wrote too 't is easily seen that in all his Epistles there are but few Passages to be found that do not one way or other relate to Christ So that upon the whole matter we may safely say as Maldonate doth Tota Scriptura Christum loquitur The whole Scripture speaks of Christ So Cornetius à Lapide too Tota Scriptura pro Argumento suo habet Christum tota circa Christum versatur All the Bible the Old Testament and the New Moses and the Prophets the Evangelists and the Apostles do all treat of Christ as Christ is the Authour of all Scriptures so is he their great Subject matter too And if so we may well conclude that the whole Bible is what the Text styles it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word of Christ And since 't is so these Inferences will undeniably follow I. That the Scriptures have in them more of Excellence Wisedom Purity and Holiness then any or all other Writings whatsoever Indeed there may be and certainly is somewhat of worth in many other books besides 't is possible sometimes to find Gold among rubbish and a Jewel may lie upon a dunghill That there are many things of great use in Humane nay in Heathenish Authours no sober person that reads and understands them will deny So excellent are the Writings of Plato that I find him styled alter Moses a second Moses and the Ancients commonly surname him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato the Divine Such are the Morals of Plutarch a man styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Venus of all Philosophy that it was judged the fittest book to be preserved if all books were to be burnt but one Nay so choise an Authour is that very Poet Homer that Dionysius calleth him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most Divine And methinks that little Poem of Pythagoras deserves its name and those few lines of his are justly styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verses of Gold What great use may be made of Heathenish Moralists Historians and Poets we learn from those great Examples and learned men the Primitive Fathers Justine Martyr Clemens Alexandrinus Origen Epiphanius c. and amongst the Latins Tertullian Austine Hierom Cyprian Lactantius and many others who overthrew the Idolatry of the Gentiles and convinced the Nations of their abominable Superstitions and Practices by the clear Testimonies of their own Writers And in so doing these great Luminaries of the Christian Church did but follow the Example of St. Paul who to convince Pagans and Infidels took Arguments from their own Authours and translated some Verses of Callimachus Epimenides Menander and Aratus into the Word of God and thereby made them sacred And doubtless there is a great truth in that expression of Scultetus Fructuosè ancillantur Sacris c. The Testimonies of Humane Authours do contribute a great deal towards the Confirmation of many Truths and the better understanding of the Oracles of God And if there be such a worth in the writings of other Authours who were but Men what value shall we set upon the Scripture which is the undoubted Word of God If the Laws of Solon be choise what is the Law of Moses If the Ethicks of Aristotle Epictetus Hierocles Cicero Seneca and many others be excellent what then are the Proverbs of Solomon If the Discourses of Plato be Heavenly what then are the Sermons of Christ Nay if the Epistles of St. Austine St. Hierom St. Bernard and other Fathers be even Divine what are St. Paul's then Remember other Writings are but the Writings of Men but these are God's other Books at best contain but the word of such and such a Saint whereas our Bible contains 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word of Christ II. That every man stands obliged readily and firmly to believe whatever the Scriptures contain and assert to be a Truth I remember St. Paul demands of Agrippa Believest thou the Prophets and our Blessed Saviour himself demands of Martha Believest thou this Certainly were not man grown strangely sottish such demands as these would have no place and yet methinks 't is a stranger Question which Christ put to the Jews How shall ye believe my words But what should hinder Is it possible for man to pretend any reason why the words of Christ should be so much as once suspected So great is his Authority so unquestionable is his Veracity that his bare affirmation is a sure ground of Faith Thus the Evangelist The man believed the word But what moved him so to doe the Text answers and assigns this Reason of his faith The man believed the word that Jesus had spoken And such is every word which our Bibles contain 't is the Word of Jesus and upon that score if we are the Disciples of Jesus we stand obliged to doe what his other Disciples formerly did They believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said The truth is the whole Scripture is nothing else but a Systeme of Words and Sentences which Jesus hath said and caused to be written and if so there is not a Verse there is not a Line to be found but requires and
Works of all Catholick Writers but chiefly those of the ancient Fathers to be purged and made clean from blots and stains of Errours that is from every thing that contradicts the Superstitions of the Roman Church But if it were a thing indeed so commendable to purge the Fathers yet is it a thing praise-worthy to falsifie and forge them too St. Chrysostom left upon record an Expression which the Roman Church doth no way like and that was this In times of Heresie there is no means to find out the Truth save onely the reading of the Scriptures Bellarmine confesseth Totus hic locus è quibusdam codicibus nuper emendatis sublatus est This whole Passage is left out of some Editions newly set forth and corrected But how comes St. Chrysostom thus to deserve the Spunge The Cardinal gives this Reason Hoc Testimonium non est Chrysostomi This Testimony is not Chrysostom's but whose then Ab Arrianis locus hic insertus This place was inserted into St. Chrysostom's Works by the Arrians and therefore deserved rather to be expunged then believed We see what liberty the Romanists take to themselves to raze and blot out such and such Passages of the Fathers which make against them upon a groundless pretence that those Passages were inserted by some Heretick or other and can they then justly complain of us if we are not willing to credit some Expressions of ancient Authours upon which they ground those Doctrines and Practices of theirs which we reject since we have too much reason to believe that those Expressions are corrupted falsified and forged and that by some of their own Church That the Roman Catholicks have indeed miserably corrupted the ancient Writers in their Editions we are sufficiently convinced by the Testimony of our learned Doctour Featly who hath traced them through the several Ages of the Church and discovered to the world this unworthy dealing of theirs by giving us particular Instances and naming the Treatises and Expressions of several Fathers which their Adversaries as well as ours have abused perverted and corrupted thus or thus That of Ignatius is one who bespeaks Virgins thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. In your Prayers set Christ before your eyes and his Father c. To evacuate this great and ancient Testimony against the Invocation of Saints and Angels a late Popish Edition printed at Lyons reads it thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In your Souls set Christ before your eyes c. Again those words of our Blessed Saviour The flesh profiteth nothing Tertullian thus expounds Caro nihil prodest ad vivificandum scilicet The flesh profiteth nothing that is to quicken so saith the true Tertullian but a former Edition of theirs set forth at Paris though mended since by Rigaltius contrary to the meaning of Christ and Tertullian too reads it thus Caro nihil prodest sed ad vivificandum The flesh profiteth nothing save onely to quicken Once more our learned Authour mentions those words of St. Cyprian too Post gustatam Eucharistiam After the eating of the Eucharist which the Popish Edition at Paris to countenance a Ceremony of theirs changeth thus Post gestatam Eucharistiam After the Circumgestation of the Eucharist Nor can this Change be imputed to the mistake of the Presse because their Authours own and endeavour to justifie the Alteration These and a great many more Corruptions Forgeries and Falsifications of the ancient Fathers are reckoned up in that learned Treatise which give us fair warning not to believe every Testimony which our Adversaries pretend to produce out of such and such old Writers set forth by themselves for the justification of those Traditions for which they can bring no good warrant from the written Word of God For since 't is undeniable that they have notoriously abused the Records of Antiquity by suppressing changing and inserting what and where they pleased we have abundant cause to believe that these Alterations are made in those very places which they commonly cite in their own defence they being too wise to forge any counterfeit Deeds and suborn any other false Witnesses then such as are designed to speak for their Advantage But IV. The Champions of the Roman Church endeavour to justifie their Traditions by the Testimony and Authority of such and such Councils To which we have two things to reply 1. We cannot imagine but that whole Councils may erre in their Judgments and be mistaken in their Canons Decrees and Constitutions That no meer man save onely the Prophets Evangelists and Apostles ever was Infallible is acknowledged by some learned persons even of the Roman Church If Cajetane were not perfectly of this mind what means that Expression of his Solis Sacrae Scripturae Authoribus reservata est haec Authoritas ut ideo sic credamus esse quia Ipsi sic scripserunt That we should certainly believe things to be thus and thus barely because 't is so written by such and such is a Privilege peculiar to the Pen-men of Holy Writ alone Surely then that Assertion of Gratian mentioned by Bellarmine seems somewhat sawcy Epistolas Pontificum Decretales numerari debere inter Scripturas Canonicas The Pope's Decretal Epistles ought to be reckoned amongst the Canonical Scriptures And methinks the Cardinal himself seems somewhat confident when he speaks thus indifferently of Scriptures and Councils Vtraque sunt infallibilis Veritatis aequè certa They are both of infallible Truth and equally certain But if Cardinal Cajetane were in the right if all those Bishops and Doctours of whom Councils have consisted were but men subject to Mistakes and Errours in their own particular persons how the whole collective Body of any Synod should in the result prove infallible the Church of Rome will never be able to shew by any such clear Evidence as may satisfie a sober and impartial man We do not deny but that there is much of Truth in that Assertion of St. Austine Conoiliorum in Ecclesia saluberrima est Authoritas The Authority of Councils is of great Advantage to the Church of God we do with all thankfulness to Heaven acknowledge and own the Four first General Councils that of Nice which vindicated the Divinity of Christ against Arrius that of Constantinople which asserted the Divinity of the Holy Ghost against Macedonius that of Ephesus which maintained the Unity of Christ's Person against Nestorius and that of Chalcedon which asserted the double Nature of Christ against Eutyches So venerable is the Authority of these Four Councils that we do not quarrel with that high Expression of that good Emperour Justinian if rightly understood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We receive the Doctrines of these Four holy Councils even as not in equality but similitude the Holy Scriptures and observe their Canons as so many Laws Accordingly Evagrius tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Emperour commanded that the Decrees of these Four Councils should be read
THE GRAND PRESVMPTION Of the ROMAN CHURCH In Equalling their own TRADITIONS TO THE Written Word OF GOD. By FRANCIS GREGORY D. D. Rectour of Hambleton in the County of Bucks and one of his Sacred MAJESTIE's Chaplains in Ordinary LONDON Printed by E. Flesher for R. Royston Bookseller to the King 's most Sacred Majesty 1675. THE GRAND PRESVMPTION OF THE ROMAN CHURCH In Equalling their own Traditions to th◠Written Word of God Col. 3.16 Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly c. T Is the Observation of St. Chrysostom and an undoubted Truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All the Epistles of St. Paul are sacred but yet there is something more then ordinary in those Epistles of his which were written and sent to such and such Churches or Persons when he was in his Bonds whereof this to the Colossians was one Theophylact reckons up five severall Epistles written by St. Paul whilst he was a Prisoner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Epistle to the Ephesians to Philemon to Timothy to the Philippians and this to the Colossians were written by St. Paul when he was in Bonds That this Epistle was certainly written at Rome we learn from its ancient Postscript which is confirm'd by the express Testimony of Oecumenius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 St. Paul sent this Epistle from Rome And that it was one of the latest we gather from St. Chrysostom who saith that the Apostle wrote it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 towards the End of his Preaching so late that Chronologers place it in the sixtieth year of Christ Who these Colossians were and in what Region of the world their City stood we learn from severall Authours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so St. Chrysostom and after him Theophylact 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Oecumenius Colosse was a City of Phrygia now called Chona as is evident in that Laodicea was within its Neighbourhood This City Herodotus styles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Great and Xenophon calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prosperous thriving rich so great and so rich that Pliny reckoning up Phrygiae oppida celeberrima the most famous Towns of Phrygia counts this for one In this renowned City the Gospel was planted by Epaphras which being done the Devil according to his usuall manner raised up such and such Hereticks to subvert it Thus Theophylact 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There was a certain wicked Opinion spred amongst them and what that was he tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They supposed that Man hath access to God and the Father not by the Son but by the Angels But besides this heterodox and monstrous Opinion Theodoret saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They had many Greek and Jewish Observations mingling Heathenish Philosophy with Christianity reducing the abrogated Ceremonies of the Law and confounding Christ with Moses The consideration of these erroneous Opinions and Practices which Epaphras had made known to St. Paul did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 move the Apostle to write this Epistle wherein besides the Proem and the Epilogue he layeth down 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great Doctrines and Principles of Faith he also gives them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such and such morall Instructions and Rules of life And because it was impossible for him in one short Epistle to illustrate or comprehend 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole entire Systeme and Body of Christianity in all its distinct and particular branches he therefore refers them to that comprehensive and perfect Rule the written Word of God as being sufficient to arm them against all Heresies to confirm them in the Faith and guide them in their Conversation and that 's the business of the Text Let the word of Christ dwell c. The words contain a necessary Exhortation given indeed immediately to that Church whereunto St. Paul wrote and directed this Epistle but designed and intended for all Churches yea and Persons too where the Gospel is or shall be preached for ever We have in them three things considerable 1. The Matter or Object of that Endeavour and Study to which the Apostle doth invite us and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word of Christ But what 's that Cornelius à Lapide answers thus Doctrina Evangelium Christi 'T is the Doctrine and Gospel of Christ and thus Calvin who tells us Vult Doctrinam Evangelii illis esse familiarem The Apostle would have the Doctrine of the Gospel to be familiar to them Estius expounds it thus Fides seu Doctrina Christi the Faith or Doctrine of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Instructions the Doctrines the Admonitions whereby Christ teacheth us so Theophylact Our learned Davenant extends the Expression farther and takes in the Old Testament too Evangelium vel Doctrina Scripturarum St. Paul means either the Gospel or the whole Doctrine of the Scriptures Accordingly St. Chrysostom here tells the Laiety 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 St. Paul permits you to reade the Scriptures So that by the word of Christ in the Text we may very well understand both the Testament which Latitude of Interpretation is countenanced by some Manuscripts which reade it as Grotius observes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word not of Christ but of God And so the Arabick Version Sermo Dei the Word of God even the whole Sacred Writ 2. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Manner which the Apostle prescribes and every man must observe in his reading and studying the Word of Christ 'T is thus expressed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let it dwell What 's that Nè patiamini Verbum Dei quasi peregrinum foris stare sed intromittatur in domicilium Cordis vestri saith our excellent Davenant Do not suffer the Word of Christ to stand without doors like a stranger but admit it into the inward man and when once 't is received keep it fast nunquam ex animis vestris abeat let it never go out of your minds so Grotius 'T is the Observation of St. Chrysostom and Theophylact 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 St. Paul doth not barely say Let the word of Christ be in you but let it dwell and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 richly i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in great abundance 'T is not enough to acquaint our selves with a few Passages onely but we are concerned to study Prophetas Apostolos Evangelistas saith Bishop Davenant the Prophets the Apostles the Evangelists even the whole written Word of God 3. The Persons whom St. Paul doth thus exhort to reade study and familiarly acquaint themselves with the Word of Christ The Text saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let the Word of Christ dwell in you But who are they Certainly the self-same persons to whom he directs his whole Epistle and that stands thus inscribed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To the Saints and faithfull brethren in Christ which are at Colosse The Expression takes in not Archippus
deserves our Faith See this especially in three Particulars 1. Since the whole Scripture is undoubtedly the Word of Christ we are obliged to believe it in all the matter of History which is contained therein There are indeed such and such Historicall Narrations found in the Prophets Evangelists and Apostles so strange and miraculous that were they found in any Book besides we might perhaps without any blame suspect the Writers Faith and warrantably suspend our own Did we reade in Herodotus what we reade in Moses that this glorious fabrick of Heaven and Earth was created without any more adoe then onely this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And God said Let there be this and that where is the man that barely upon such an Authority would believe it Had Plutarch written the Life of Moses as he did the Lives of Greeks and Romans had he recorded the wonderfull Works of God in Egypt at the Red Sea and in the Wilderness had he told us of a Rod that became a Serpent of Waters that were consolidated into a Wall of Rocks that were rarefied and melted into Wells of Bread dropped down from Heaven the Tast whereof was gratefull to the various Palates of every one that ate it or had Ovid told us and onely he or some other Authour like him that the whole World was once drowned with water and shall one day be burnt with fire that a Woman was turned into Salt that a King became a Beast and fed on grass like an Oxe had he told us that the Chariot of the Sun that wheels round the world with so strong and quick a Motion stood still at one time and went back at another or had some Humane Authour who is of the greatest Credit told us what the Prophet Daniel peremptorily doth namely that a man was cast into a Den of hungry Lions and yet remained untouched that three persons were thrown into a flaming Furnace that was heated seven times more then ordinary on purpose to consume them and yet remained not onely unburnt but even unsindged too or had any such Writer told us what the Evangelist doth The blind receive their sight the lame walk the lepers are cleansed the deaf hear the dead are raised up Such stories as these had they been delivered by any humane and vulgar Authour must needs have exceeded all the faith of the most credulous person which the whole World affords But although these Stories to carnall Reason may seem very strange and improbable though the matter of fact be in it self so hard and difficult that it doth rather discourage then induce us to believe them yet since we find these things expresly and clearly delivered in our most holy Writ since we find them strongly attested by Prophets Evangelists and Apostles we cannot with any shew of Reason without a great deal of guilt and sin not onely deny our Assent but even so much as suspend our Faith and that because the whole Scripture which contains these historicall Narrations how strange soever is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word of Christ that Christ who did not will not can not lie 2. Since the whole Scripture is undoubtedly the Word of Christ we are obliged to believe it in all the Promises which it contains What those Promises are St. Peter tells us Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises The Promises of God are exceeding great in their number and exceeding precious in their nature too there is not any one amongst them but is of more reall value then the whole world besides so many so sweet so excellent are they that a poor humble soul who hath the greatest Interest in them scarce knoweth how to believe them as if they were too good to be true That an offended God upon the shedding of a few penitentiall Tears upon a little Humiliation Contrition and Reformation which cannot possibly make the least Satisfaction for those frequent Injuries which man hath done him should ever be so gracious as to promise him that signal and inestimable Blessing even the full Remission of all those Transgressions which would otherwise have certainly damned him for ever That upon the Submission of a Sinner God Almighty should promise to advance that Rebell to a Throne whom he might have justly laid in that infernall Gaol to be wrapped up in flames and chains of darkness and that for ever That upon some few Acts of such and such an inconsiderable service which adds nothing to the ever-blessed Majesty of Heaven the Great God should promise no less a Reward then an immortall Crown of Glory Certainly were such Promises as these reported by some mere man like our selves nay more were they delivered to us barely by an Angel from Heaven they would not easily be believed For when some dejected and contrite Soul doth seriously consider with it self the dreadfull nature of its Sin the worthlesness of its Repentance the manifold imperfections and small value even of its highest Services it can hardly enter into its head that the one should so easily be forgiven and the other so highly rewarded But although the Sinner from the sad apprehension of his own Guilt and his great Vnworthiness of those unvaluable Privileges which are the Subject matter of the grand Promises of the Gospell may find in himself just cause to fear their Performance yet when he seriously considers whose Promises they are and where they stand recorded he hath far greater reason to conclude their full Accomplishment St. Paul tels us He that hath promised is faithfull and again All the promises of God in Christ are Yea and Amen True it is Man is but a poor Worm a Sinner a Rebel unworthy to share in those glorious Promises that stand recorded in our Bibles but what then shall we take occasions from the Demerits of Man to suspect and question the Truth and Faithfulness of God We must acknowledge that Promises of Pardon Life eternal Blisse and Glory are such mighty things as pass our Vnderstanding but must they therefore exceed our Faith Methinks it should be as easie for us to believe them as it is to reade them Certainly if there be nothing too great for God to promise there is nothing too hard for God to doe whatever good words his Mercy hath made him speak his Power and his Truth confirms and for all this we have the Great Charter of Heaven a sure word of Prophecy even that blessed Security which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word of Christ But 3. Since the whole Scripture is undoubtedly the Word of Christ we are obliged to believe it in all the Threatnings which it contains That the various Menaces recorded in Holy Writ are indeed most dreadfull things whosoever doth but reade them must presently acknowledg The Prophet tells us The soul that sinneth it shall die What a sad condition then is the incorrigible Sinner in The Psalmist tells us The wicked shall be
turned into Hell A dismal sentence surely And what is worse the Evangelist the very Gospel tells us too They shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever What a killing word is this So terrible are these and many other Comminations which we find most plainly delivered in our Bibles that of all the Passages recorded therein these are they which man is most unwilling to believe As for our scoffing Atheist he is loath to believe that there is any such Being as an holy God to call him to a strict account in another world for what he hath done in this he will not be convinced that there is a most glorious Heaven to invite him to Holiness or a most dreadfull Hell to scare him from Sin And as for other ordinary Sinners how apt are they to create themselves a God made up of nothing else but Compassions Bowels and Mercy onely They reade indeed such and such dismal Sentences denounced in God's name by his Prophets Evangelists and Apostles but withall they look upon them but as so many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bugbears and Scarecrows onely They cannot imagine that it is consistent with the Goodness of God no nor with his Justice neither to put such sad Threatnings of his in execution For say they what great injury doth a little Sin doe to God that he should ever think of such a strange Revenge When a man enjoys the pleasure of his Lust what harm thereby can he doe his Maker If God be not one jot the better for all our Services can he be so much the worse for our Miscarriages as to punish us so severely and that for ever Is it imaginable that for such and such Offences committed in a short space of time a God that hath proclaimed himself so Good and Gracious should revenge himself upon a poor inconsiderable worm by inflicting the most tremendious Torments and those everlasting too Yea so reasons the foolish Heart of man but what say the Wisedom and the Oracles of God These shall go away into everlasting punishment so saith one Evangelist Their worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched so saith another I am tormented in this flame so writes a third Now whatever the Sinner may dream to the delusion and ruine of his immortal Soul all these Expressions and many more of a like nature are expresly delivered in our Bibles and so require our Faith we find them in the Old Testament we find them in the New and if so we are obliged most readily and firmly to believe them because both these Testaments even our Law and our Gospel are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word the infallible Word of Christ III. Since the whole Scripture is undoubtedly the Word of Christ we are obliged to obey it in all the Commands which it contains 'T is not enough to give credit to the Holy Scripture in whatever it saith but we must also yield an universal Obedience to every thing that it doth require For as every Assertion contained in Sacred Writ as being the Word of Christ deserves our Belief in respect of his Truth and Faithfulness so every Precept delivered therein as being the Word of the same Christ expects our Obedience in respect of his absolute Sovereignty and Dominion See this in two Particulars I. Since the whole Scripture is undoubtedly the Word of Christ we must obey it in all its Positive Laws by doing whatever it doth require There are indeed many severe Commands which the Scriptures lay upon us such Injunctions hath the Law imposed and such Duties doth the very Gospel exact as are quite contrary to the corrupt Inclinations of humane Nature and consequently seem exceeding harsh to Flesh and bloud Such was that unexpected Command of God to Abraham Take thy son thine onely son Jsaac whom thou lovest and offer him up for a burnt-offering Such another was that to Moses Go up to mount Nebo and die And such is that recorded by the Evangelist If thy right eye offend thee pluck it out c. and again Sell all that thou hast and distribute to the poor c. Certainly these and many other like Commands at the very first hearing sound exceeding harsh and so severe that were they imposed by any person of but ordinary Authority man would rather hazard his displeasure then obey his will by doing that which in his own apprehension doth so much tend to his Disadvantage Should a man like our selves require us upon the first wanton Glance of our dearest Eye to pluck it out rather then run the danger of second should any man like our selves command us to lose the greatest Estate rather then deny or dissemble the smallest Truth should any worldly Power enjoyn us to lie in the flame our selves rather then cast a little Incense into it where dwells the man that would not disobey But although the matter of several Commands be so distastfull to flesh and bloud and seems so contrary to that which man is apt to count his great Interest in the world that with some little plausibility and pretences of carnal Reason it is wont to discourage and retard our Obedience yet the due consideration of that Authority Dominion Wisedome and Goodness which hath imposed these Commands even the severest of them should excite and quicken us to obey We are strictly charged to renounce the World so far at least as it stands in competition with its Maker and if this seem a difficult task let us remember who it is that hath enjoyned it We are bid to mortifie our members to crucifie our old man to subdue and kill our dearest lusts and if these and the like injunctions do not please us yet let us consider where they are recorded There is not a man amongst us but doth avouch and own Christ to be his Lord and the Scripture to be his Rule and if so since all these Commands how displeasing soever to the nature of man are imposed by this Lord and contained within this Holy Writ 't is certain that we stand obliged by all that Service and Homage we ow our Lord and by all that respect we pretend to every Sacred Text to obey even the most unwelcom Precepts by doing whatever is required in any page or line which contains 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word of Christ 2. Since the whole Scripture is undoubtedly the Word of Christ we are all obliged to obey it in all its Negative Precepts by forbearing whatsoever it doth forbid 'T is not enough for the Servants of Christ to perform those Duties which his Laws require but we must not meddle with any Sin which they do prohibit 'T is indeed very easie to believe that there are several Prohibitions found in Holy writ that do as much oppose man's worldly Interest and crosse his corrupt Inclinations as many of its Positive Commands So licentious is the nature of man that it makes him impatient of
even in that Age that framed Epistles in the Apostles names and ascribed their false Doctrines unto them The same trick several Hereticks used in succeeding Ages Clemens Alexandrinus tells us that Basilides one of those Hereticks who were justly styled Borboritae Coenosi though he broached most detestable Doctrines yet had the Impudence to affirm that he learnt them from Glaucias whom he pretended to be the Interpreter of St. Peter 'T is also recorded that Marcion in the Second Age of the Church who was justly styled by Polycarp Primogenitus Diaboli the First-born of the Devil though he affirmed a Plurality of Gods though he denied that our Blessed Saviour was as Ignatius expresseth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though he denied the Verity of Christ's Humane nature and consequently the Reality of his Sufferings yet he had the face to brag that he received these abominable Doctrines from the Disciples of St. Matthias And certainly if such damnable Heresies were broached thus early and pretended to be received from Apostolicall Tradition we have no cause so easily to comply with such and such Doctrines of the Romish Church which have no warrant in the Written Word barely because they assert them to be of Divine Originall But since an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will not doe since bare Affirmations in matters of such great Concern will not be accepted the Champions of the Roman Religion find themselves necessitated to produce some Proofs which they pretend to be Great ones too And amongst them all I meet with none that offers more fair then Bellarmine whose Pretensions are so plausible that if he prove an honest man and make good his word this whole Dispute will be over and I dare engage that the Reformed Churches will pay the self-same Respect to Traditions which the Pope and his Council of Trent do give them For thus he tells us Traditiones eas tantùm recipimus pro Apostolicis quas firmis Testimoniis Antiquorum probare possumus esse Apostolicas We receive no Traditions for Apostolicall but such alone which by the firm Testimonies of the Ancients we can prove to be such indeed The Testimonies urged by Bellarmine and other Catholicks in behalf of their Traditions are drawn from Scriptures Popes Councils and Fathers each of which we shall examine I. The Champions of the Roman Faith do pretend to prove their Traditions by several Texts of the Written Word the chief whereof are these 1. That Expression of our Blessed Saviour to his Apostles recorded by the Evangelist is one I have yet many things to say unto you but ye cannot bear them now Hence Bellarmine argueth thus Constat Dominum multa dixisse quae non sunt scripta 'T is evident that our Lord spake many things that are not written But it will be no injury to Bellarmine's reputation if we do not count him infallible since he was and would be no more then a Cardinall having begged of God as some say that he might never be Pope lest perhaps he might probably be damned too being it seems of the same mind with Marcellus the Second who said Non video quomodo qui altum hunc locum tenet salvari possit I do not see how the man that holds this high place can possibly be saved But let us view his Argument Christ said I have yet many things to say unto you but ye cannot bear them now What then The Cardinall thus infers 'T is evident that our Lord spake many things which are not written MethinKs this Consequence is not necessary nor can be proved from this Text at least I have yet many things to say unto you but ye cannot bear them now All that can be gathered from this Text is onely this That our Lord did not speak at this time several matters which he had to say to his Apostles because they were not then fit to receive them Yea but the Cardinall farther adds Illa quae promittebat Dominus se dicturum dixit haud dubiè post Resurrectionem suam Those things which our Lord promised that he himself would say without all doubt he did say after his Resurrection and that St. Luke doth testifie thus He shewed himself alive to his Apostles after his passion by many infallible proofs being seen of them forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God Whether these things which our Blessed Saviour delivered to his Apostles were afterwards recorded by them or not can neither be proved nor denied by any solid and certain Arguments except it can first be infallibly known what his several Discourses were St. Chrysostom tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ at his several Apparitions to his Disciples after his Resurrection spake words that savoured not of man but of the Spirit But whether any of these words were written this general expression of St. Chrysostome's leaves us uncertain still But mark another The Text saith He gave commandments to the Apostles But what Commands might they be were any of them written or were they all afterwards delivered to the Church by Tradition What the great one was St. Chrysostom tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Go and teach all nations c. and that to be sure is found upon Record But the Truth is that expression of Grotius is undeniable Multa dedit Praecepta quae hîc reticentur Christ gave the Apostles many Commands which the Evangelist in that place hath not set down but can the Romanists make it out that no Evangelist no Apostle hath set them down elsewhere I grant indeed that if Lorinus have guessed right at the Subject matter of our Saviour's private discourses with his Apostles after his Resurrection there is little or nothing of it in our Bibles for concerning Christ's talk with his Disciples this man as becomes a Jesuit indeed giveth us his Opinion thus Exposuit Authoritatem summi Pastoris Hierarchiam totam Ecclesiasticam formas ritúsque Sacramentorum ac inprimis Sacrificii Missae cultum Invocationem Sanctorum Dies festos c. He declared the Authority of the Pope the whole Hierarchy of the Church the forms and rites of the Sacraments and especially the Sacrifice of the Masse Invocation of Saints the Observation of Holy-days c. 'T is well guessed bold Jesuite but are these indeed the Doctrines which our Blessed Saviour as Bellarmine saith promised to teach his Apostles after his Resurrection are these indeed the Lessons of which Christ said to his Disciples Ye cannot bear them now The truth is neither Christ himself nor any of his Apostles could have born such Lessons at any time whatever But certain it is those Doctrines which the Apostles could not have well born before Christ's Passion and were therefore adjourned till after his Resurrection were and must needs be of another nature indeed what they were in particular cannot certainly be known Thus St. Austine Quaenam ista sunt quae Ipse
that Gospel which St. Paul had published So Irenaeus saith again Evangelium quod quidem tunc praeconiaverunt postea per voluntatem Dei in Scripturis nobis tradiderunt That Gospel which the Apostles had then preached they did afterwards deliver to us in the Scriptures and that by the will pleasure and command of God And doubtless St. Paul intimates as much in that expression of his Hold the traditions which ye have been taught whether by word or our epistle What he had formerly taught them by word of mouth and what he had already delivered in his former Epistle is here equally called a Tradition For the truth is the Substance of St. Paul's Sermons and Epistles the Subject matter of his Preaching and his Writing was all one This seems clear from that expression of his To write the same things to you to me indeed is not grievous but for you it is safe What same things doth he mean St. Hierom tells us Eadem repetere quae praesens dixeram To repeat the same things with my Pen which I delivered with my Tongue when I was present with you And thus did other Apostles and Evangelists too what they spake at one time that they wrote at another Thus dealt St. Luke with his dear friend Theophilus whom he first instructed by word of mouth but afterwards by writing So Theophylact tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I formerly catechized thee without writing but now by giving thee a written Gospel But what doth this written Gospel contain new lessons or old ones did St. Luke speak one thing and write another No the reason why he wrote Theophylact gives us thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I do by writing strengthen and secure thy mind lest it should forget what things had been formerly delivered by word of mouth So he tells us again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have therefore written thee a Gospel that thou mayest the more firmly remember and keep the things which thou hast been taught by word of mouth And that St. Paul dealt thus with the Churches to whom he preached and wrote we have ground enough to believe 't is more then probable that the self-same Traditions in all necessary points of Faith which he taught them by word of mouth at one time he also penned at another Methinks we may very rationally collect this from what St. Chrysostom saith concerning that speech of St. Paul ye keep the traditions as I delivered them to you Hence that Father thus infers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Therefore at that time St. Paul delivered them many things without writing We grant it but withall we must observe St. Chrysostom's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then at that time an expression doubtless that hath little of savour in it if he doth not mean that what St. Paul did thus deliver by orall Tradition at one time he also wrote at another And although the Epistles of St. Paul being written to particular Churches or Persons upon particular matters in answer to such and such particular Questions and against such and such particular Opinions and Heresies he had not a fair occasion in every or perhaps in any one single Epistle to give an account of every thing relating to Christ and his Religion yet we do affirm that if we take all his Epistles collectively and together we shall find that the whole Summe of that Gospel which St. Paul preached to the world by word of mouth is so fully delivered in them that whosoever shall believe the Truths and perform the Duties contained in them though he know no Scripture besides shall certainly be saved Nor indeed was it necessary that St. Paul should undertake to set down the whole Doctrine of Christ in every or any one of his short Epistles since it was sometimes his command and might always be his just expectation that that Epistle which he wrote to one Church should be communicated to others also for their farther Information too And certainly if all the necessary Points and substantial Parts of that Religion which St. Paul preached to the world by word of mouth were afterwards recorded either by himself in his own Epistles or as Eusebius and Irenaeus testifie by St. Luke in his Gospel the Roman Church will never be able to justifie their unwritten Traditions those at least which they urge as necessary from any one Instance or Expression of St. Paul But 3. We shall enquire whether the Traditions now contended for in the Roman Church be the same or of a like nature with those the observation whereof St. Paul requires from the Thessalonians and commends in the Church of Corinth This Consideration is of great concern for if the Traditions of the Roman Church be of another kind if they shall prove to be the late and new Inventions of men not so much as thought of in the Apostles days the whole case is so altered that I do not see how it is possible for them to find the least Countenance from St. Paul For all that St. Paul doth either require or commend in this matter is the observation of those Traditions onely which he himself who was guided by God's infallible Spirit had delivered to such and such Churches they are his own words Ye keep the traditions as I delivered them and again Hold the traditions which ye have been taught by word or our epistle Here St. Hierom notes Quando sua vult teneri non vult extranea superaddi Whereas St. Paul commands them to observe his Traditions he doth in effect forbid them to introduce strange ones of their own Now whatever Traditions the Church of Rome pretends to have been delivered by St. Paul to the Churches of Christ without being written are of these two kinds 1. 'T is pretended that St. Paul and other Apostles too delivered some unwritten Traditions that concerned necessary Points of Faith Worship Manners and Rules of Righteousness Thus he tells the Corinthians I delivered unto you that which I also received how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures c. and again I received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread c. 'T is evident from these Texts that these Traditions which St. Paul delivered to the Church concerning matters of Faith and Worship he received from God and found them suitable to the written Word Now let us consider whether the present Traditions of the Roman Church about matters of Faith and Divine Service be such too if they are we oppose them not They tell us that the Observation of the Lord's day is an Apostolicall Tradition we contradict it not because we find ground for it in the written Word we also find it mentioned by the Primitive and early Fathers Ignatius if yet that Epistle of his be not corrupted tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Jewish Preparation
No man shall be admitted to accuse a Bishop till first his quality be duely examined nor shall every fellow be suffered to exhibit Articles against the Governours of the Church And as every man might not accuse a Bishop so whosoever wrongfully did it though it were but a Bishop elect and yet to be ordained he was severely punished 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let his Penalty be a long Excommunication So saith the Canon-Law So then since there is an Indictment of no less Crimes then Atheism and Heresie drawn up and exhibited against several Bishops and those of the Roman See too who claim a Superiority over all Bishops besides as being the onely Successours of the Prime Apostle and the immediate Vicars of Christ 't is of a considerable Concern that what is thus alledged against them be well proved too And here that Pope Marcellinus offered Incense to Idols might be proved with ease and evidence enough but because he did it barely for fear of Diocletian and afterwards repented and became a Martyr we pass him by Rhenanus saith of Pope Zephyrinus Episcopus Romanus Montanizat The Bishop of Rome embraceth the Heresie of Montanus So Tertullian who was too much of the same Opinion witnesseth too That Pope Honorius the First was a Monothelite and denied the distinction of two Wills in Christ we have the Testimonies of Pope Agatho Leo the Second Adrian the Second besides the Evidence of the Sixth General Council wherein he was publickly condemned for an Heretick That Pope Liberius and his Antipope Felix were Arrians is testified by Athanasius and St. Hierom too Nor need we be ashamed to produce the Testimony of Calvin and Erasmus who do both affirm that Pope John the Twenty second denied the Immortality of the Soul And what if we mention that Expression of Picus Mirandula Alium meminimus Pontificem qui nullum Deum credens c. We remember another Pope who believing that there is no God c. But that of the Council of Basil must not be forgot which having voted a General Council to be above the Pope could not possibly give a better Reason for it then this Multi Pontifices in Errores Haereses lapsi esse leguntur c. 'T is recorded that many Popes have fell into Errours and Heresies c. And the truth is there is no Pope who stifly maintains those Doctrines which assert the worshipping of Angels Saints Images Reliques a Morsel of Bread or a Consecrated Wafer but is a down-right Heretick and since he is so we cannot so far betray our own Reason as to rest satisfied and be convinced that such and such Doctrines which have no Countenance in Scripture are Apostolical by the Testimony of any Roman Bishop who notwithstanding the Pretence of his Infallibility is proved to be obnoxious to gross Errours even Heresie and Atheism it self as well as other men But III. The Champions of the Roman Faith do endeavour to justifie their unwritten Traditions by the Testimonies of the Fathers who are produced as Witnesses which seem in their account to speak a great deal for them Thus Bellarmine cites Ignatius who is an early and substantial Witness indeed as being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Coetane Collegue and Scholar of the very Apostles themselves and of him Eusebius thus records 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He exhorted the Christians to stick fast to the Traditions of the Apostles and that they might be preserved incorrupt not long before his Martyrdom he judged it necessary that they should be written This Testimony is clear for traditions and so is that of Dionysius the Areopagite too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The first Founders of the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy the Apostles delivered to us Heavenly Mysteries by Instructions written and unwritten according to the Sacred Laws And thus great St. Basil too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To persevere in unwritten Traditions I think 't is Apostolical And so Tertullian also mentions several particular Observations quas sine ullo Scripturae Instrumento solius Traditionis titulo exinde Consuetudinis patrocinio vindicamus c. which the Church practised and defended without the Authority of any Scripture upon the bare credit of Tradition and the Patronage of Custom c. Now this being Argumentum Achilleum one of the strongest Arguments which the Romish Church can possibly urge for their Traditions we shall give an Answer to it in some distinct Particulars 1. Whatever Traditions are expresly and dogmatically delivered by the Vniversality of the ancient Fathers we do readily embrace own and defend That Expression of St. Basil the Great we do willingly close with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Old Doctrines are to be reverenced and for as it were their hoary Antiquity they deserve a Veneration But withall those Doctrines that may justly challenge a respect for their Age must be such as were generally received believed and practised according to that Rule which Vincentius Lyrinensis gives us Id teneamus quod semper quod ubique quod ab omnibus creditum est Let us hold that which hath been believed at all times in all places and by all Christians And for this St. Austine gives this Reason Illa quae non sunt scripta sed tradita custodimus quae quidem toto terrarum orbe observantur dantur intelligi vel ab ipsis Apostolis vel plenariis Conciliis quorum est in Ecclesia saluberrima Authoritas commendata atque statuta retineri sicuti quòd Domini Passio Resurrectio Ascensio in Coelum adventus de Coelo Spiritûs Sancti anniversariâ Solennitate celebrantur siquid aliud tale occurrerit quod servatur ab universa quácunque se diffundit Ecclesia This Expression commends the belief and practice of those Traditions supposing them to be the Institutions either of the Apostles themselves or ancient General Councils which were unanimously observed by the universal Church But now that such and such traditional Doctrines and Vsages were indeed generally received by the whole Christian Church we must have clear Proofs from credible Witnesses that have given Testimony thereunto throughout all the respective Centuries and Ages of the Church This is no more then was urged long since by Gregory Nyssene for the Ratification and full Establishment of all such Vsages and Doctrines as pretend to Antiquity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For this and nothing lesse is sufficient for the Proof of our Assertion that we have a Tradition derived to us from the Fathers as it were a certain Inheritance descending by entail from the Apostles by those Saints who were all along their Successours And this is the onely thing which we demand from the Roman Church being ready to acknowledge the Truth of all Doctrines and the Equity of all Practices which the Vniversality of the Fathers have left upon Record as things believed and done in the first and purest Ages of the Church And thus to doe
we have a great Encouragement from that Expression of Tertullian Constat omnem Doctrinam quae cum Ecclesiis Apostolicis Matricibus Originalibus Fidei conspiret veritati deputandam id sine dubio tenentem quod Ecclesiae ad Apostolis Apostoli à Christo Christus à Deo accepit c. 'T is manifest that every Doctrine which agreeth with the Apostolick Churches which were the Wombs and Originals of Faith must be esteemed a Truth as holding that which those Churches received from the Apostles the Apostles from Christ and Christ from God So that whatsoever Traditions the Church of Rome can prove to be Apostolical by an unanimous Consent of all the ancient learned and holy Bishops and Doctours who from Age to Age have governed and taught the Church though such Traditions are no-where recorded in the written Word yet being obliged by the universal Testimony of all Antiquity to esteem them Apostolical Institutions and consequently no-way repugnant to Holy Writ we shall most readily receive and practise them upon the very first Conviction For so great a respect hath the Church of England for all her pious Forefathers in Christ that she doth most chearfully follow their Example in every thing that is convenient and laudable and doth pay to venerable Antiquity all that imaginable Reverence which is consistent with that inviolable Rule she walks by which is the written Word of God But 2. Although we are thus ready to embrace all those Doctrines and Practices which can be recommended to us by the general Consent and Approbation of Antiquity yet the Testimonies of such and such particular Fathers which the Romanists produce for the justification of their unwritten Traditions we cannot think our selves obliged to accept nor is it safe to comply with them in all Points whatsoever 'T is the great Prerogative of the Scripture alone to deserve and require our Assent to every thing that is there delivered by every particular Prophet Evangelist and Apostle When once we do but clearly understand the meaning of Divine Revelations and comprehend what such and such a Text doth import there is no room for any farther Scrutiny or Examination but all our business is to believe and practise Thus stands the case with the Word of God every line whereof is of unquestionable Authority but as for the Writings of men how holy or learned soever but not infallibly guided by God's unerring and holy Spirit we have ground enough in all Points and matters of Controversie which the Scriptures do not clearly determine to pause a while suspend our faith and not immediately to give too quick an Assent to such and such Assertions till we have taken mature Advice and deliberately considered what is the matter of such and such Propositions that relate to the Worship of God Points of Faith or other Concerns of the Church as well as who it is that recommends them And for this we have several Reasons 1. That the whole Church of God in after-Ages should without all farther Examination give an immediate Assent to all Propositions Principles Conclusions Doctrines or Practices which are laid down recorded or recommended in the Works of such and such ancient Fathers is a thing which those Fathers themselves did never doe or expect The truth is to give a firm and quick Credit to every thing which such or such a person hath said were an instance of such a Respect as the best of men cannot deserve nor did the best of the Fathers ever require or shew We are in this to imitate St. Austine who told St. Hierom thus Alios Scriptores praeter Canonicos ità lego ut quantâlibet Sanctitate Doctrinâve praepolleant non ideo verum putem quia Ipsi ità senserunt sed quia mihi vel per illos Authores Canonicos vel probabili ratione quà d à vero non abhorreat persuadere potuerunt When I reade any Authours that are not Canonicall how holy or learned soever I do not presently grant this or that to be a truth barely because those Authours thought so c. And as he reserved to himself this liberty of dissent when he found just cause from other mens Writings so did he as willingly allow the same liberty to all other persons who should become the Readers of his So he tells his friend Fortunatianus Talis ego sum in Scriptis aliorum tales volo esse Intellectores meorum Such am I in other mens Works and such would I have other men be in mine But how is that he tells us Neminem velim sic amplecti omnia mea ut me sequatur nisi in iis quibus me non errare perspexerit I would have no man so to credit what I write as immediately to comply with my Judgment except it be in those things onely wherein he perceives me to be in the right 'T is a Golden Rule which he elsewhere gives us Audi dicit Dominus non dicit Donatus aut Rogatus aut Vincentius aut Hilarius aut Ambrosius aut Augustinus sed dicit Dominus Hear and believe not every thing which such and such a man saith but what God saith So then though perhaps we may dissent in some particular matters not determined in the written Word from such and such particular Fathers though we have entred our Dislike and do solemnly protest against some Expressions that have unwarily dropped from some of their Pens yet since these good men have declared themselves to be no-way injured or affronted thereby we do not need or if we did we should not matter a Pardon from his Holiness who wants indeed some better Evidences to confirm the Validity of his Indulgencies and make them saleable in English Markets But 2. To comply with every thing that such and such a Father hath asserted and to receive all their Testimonies indifferently as undoubted Truths is a thing so gross and irrational that even our Adversaries of Rome themselves will not doe it 'T is indeed very usual with them to exclaim against us as persons that have no Reverence for Antiquity but reject the Fathers and tread them under foot but the truth is if it be a fault to dissent from ancient Writers in any thing whatever if our refusal to subscribe to their Opinions in all matters of Controversie may be interpreted as a Contempt done to those excellent Persons from whom in some things we disagree then do we retort this Argument upon our Adversaries and having a just ground of Recrimination we do tell and can easily prove to the world that if this be indeed our Crime it is certainly theirs too That the Church of Rome doth give an universal Assent to whatsoever all the Fathers have written will not be imagined by any person who considers what the Jesuits and other Doctours who well understood the Sense of that Church and durst not openly contradict it have left upon Record I remember that expression of Bellarmine who being urged
with a Sentence of Tertullian against Zephyrinus who was Bishop of Rome had little else to reply but onely this Non esse omnino fidem habendam Tertulliano in hac parte Tertullian in this matter because Bellarmine did not like it is not at all to be believed No nor St. Chrysostom neither if he deliver any thing that contradicts the Romish Faith Alium scopulum vitare Lector debet nè Chrysostomum legens c. saith Maldonate The Reader must avoid another Rock lest perhaps reading St. Chrysostom he run into an Errour And as for those two great Worthies of the Christian Church St. Ambrose and St. Austine Lorinus did not think them infallible when he ventured to say Memoriâ lapsum oportet Ambrostum idémque statuendum de Augustino c. St. Ambrose forgot himself and so did St. Austine too Indeed whatsoever is delivered by Tertullian Chrysostom Ambrose Austine or any other ancient Father how agreeable soever it be to the written Word of God yet if it be inconsistent with the present Traditions and Practices of the Roman Church they will not grant it to be a Truth And if so if the Romanists themselves whenever their Interest doth so require do make so bold with the Fathers as to suspect their Judgments and deny their Authority methinks they should be so ingenuous as to allow us the same liberty of Dissent which they take to themselves If they dissent from Tertullian Chrysostom Ambrose Austine and other Fathers and that in those very matters wherein those Fathers have clearly dogmatically and designedly delivered their Judgments why may not we dissent from Clemens Alexandrinus Origen and some others especially in those things which they have onely rhetorically and accidentally mentioned and yet are now violently drawn forced and wrested to countenance those Articles of the Trent Faith whereof those Fathers did never dream But however what just ground we have to dissent from such and such particular Fathers in such and such particular cases especially in those Points now in Controversie betwixt the Reformed and Roman Church we shall shew in two Particulars 1. The first Reason and that which indeed our Adversaries may justly plead as well as we why we cannot think our selves obliged to comply with every particular Father in every particular thing which they have delivered is Because they were but Men and so might erre and indeed often did and some of them foully too 'T is very usuall with the Champions of the Roman Church to produce the Testimonies of severall persons who are men of great Name and Authority in the Church of God to justifie severall of those Traditions with which we can by no means comply I remember Bellarmine produces and cites Ignatius Dionysius Justin Martyr Irenaeus Origen Clemens and others for whom we have that signal Respect and Veneration which is justly due to their Piety Learning and Antiquity but withall we cannot forget that the very best of the Fathers were subject to Mistakes and Errours whereby they shewed themselves to be but men And the truth is we have so many and so sad Examples of Learned and Pious persons before us who have been miserably deceived by meer Pretensions of Antiquity that we shall not easily suffer our selves to be seduced by the same Delusions into the Belief and Practice of any Traditions except we can find in them what Irenaeus found in those mentioned by Polycarp 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Agreeableness to the written Word of God We cannot forget what great Mischiefs to the Church of God the Authority of Papias Origen and some others did in Primitive times That this Papias was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Disciple of the Apostles the Auditour of St. John the Companion of Polycarp is I think universally granted and that he received such and such Traditions from the Daughters of Philip the Evangelist at Hierapolis was as Eusebius tells us his own Assertion and yet for all that the same Historian informs us that this very man relying too much upon Tradition was so far surprized as to vent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strange Doctrines And if so shall we think our selves so far obliged to espouse and own all his Opinions because they are old ones as to become Chiliasts and to be imposed upon as Irenaeus himself and many more then were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from that Respect and Veneration which they had for his Antiquity And as for Origen whose Testimony the Church of Rome makes exceeding much of as a great Patron of some Traditions which are advantageous to them we do give him all that Respect which becomes him to receive and us to shew his learned Disputations against Celsus his Confutations of the Psycho-Pannuchists his Conviction and Conversion of Beryllus that Arrian Heretick his readiness to Martyrdom his labours in Preaching Catechizing and Writing have made his Name famous and his Memory venerable in the Church of God But withall had this excellent Person nothing of Errour to allay and stain his Glory Doth the Church of Rome indeed think us or themselves either obliged to embrace every Opinion as an undoubted Truth that hath the Patronage of Origen's Name What if Origen seem as our Adversaries contend to countenance their Doctrine of Purgatory which was doubtless the golden Dream and Invention of Plato must we therefore acknowledge it to be as certain a Truth as that there is an Heaven for Saints and an Hell for Sinners Why doth not Bellarmine give the same Credit to Origen when he discourseth of the Creation of many Worlds as when he discourseth of Purgatory I remember Photius mentions some Doctrines broached by Origen and afterwards promoted by Didymus and Evagrius that were his Followers which I hope the greatest Sticklers for the Roman Religion will not allow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They determined that there should be an end of Hell's endlesse Torments they taught that the very Devils themselves should one day be restored to their former Dignity These Opinions being so welcome to the worst of men grew apace but withall being so destructive to the Christian Religion Justinian the Emperour in the year 551. called the fifth Oecumenicall Council at Constantinople where this Errour of Origen and his Followers by the joynt Suffrages of one hundred and sixty five Bishops was exploded condemned and anathematized as being what Photius rightly calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Encouragement to all manner of Villany even the chief of those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wicked Opinions which were broached 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Origen when he was out of his wits as Nilus doth inform us And certainly that Doctrine of Purgatory for which the Testimony of Origen is so much urged by the Roman Church deserves the same Censure too as being a considerable Provocation to the Commission of those pleasing Sins the Punishment whereof how long or how short it shall be is according to their Doctrine
own Judgments delivering the sense of their own Understandings they have sufficiently evidenced themselves to be too fallible as our Adversaries themselves do acknowledge It is true where the Fathers do but seem to countenance the fond and superstitious Doctrines of the Roman Church if there be found any Passage in them that can possibly be pretended to favour that absurd and incredible Assertion of Transubstantiation or those advantageous Doctrines of Purgatory Indulgencies auricular Confession or the like every such Passage how ambiguous soever must pass for a certain Truth as if it proceeded ex Tripode even from an Oracle But in common cases and especially in those Controversies wherein the Fathers contradict the Opinions and Practices of that Church they are esteemed no more then other men and how clear and plain soever their Expressions are they are counted doubtful and fallible enough Thus Lorinus Gentiles ignorantiâ Linguae Hebraeae lapsi sunt ac nonnulli etiam Patres The Gentiles being ignorant of the Hebrew Tongue did erre and so did some of the Fathers too And in the same place he speaks thus of Clemens Alexandrinus Longè abest à vero quod arbitratur Clemens Alexandrinus The Opinion of this Clemens is far from being a Truth And as for St. Basil he giveth us this Caution too Tanti Patris Doctrina cum Cautione intelligenda est The Doctrine of so great a Father must be understood with Caution And why pray with so much Caution certainly some nice and tender Point lieth at stake and that was this Nè justissimis Pontificum Decreâ—is adversetur Lest St. Basil should perhaps contradict the Pope Well since 't is granted on all sides that the very best of the Fathers were subject to mistakes we have reason to believe that they might more probably erre in the case of Traditions sooner then in any other Point whatever and upon that score such Traditions as have no Countenance from the written Word nor the general Testimony of Antiquity we cannot receive as Apostolicall though such and such a particular Father may seem to recommend them But 2. The Second Reason why we cannot comply with every thing which we find recorded in the Works of such and such ancient Fathers is Because the Writings of these Fathers have been miserably abused corrupted falsified or forged Such Abuses have the most early Fathers met with So Ignatius who was as Eusebius tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amongst most men renowned the second Bishop of Antioch being the immediate Successour of St. Peter But though this excellent Person were indeed so ancient that his gray hairs might justly challenge a Veneration yet have they not secured him from several gross and foul Affronts We find some Bastards laid even at this old man's door 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 supposititious and spurious Epistles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. ascribed to Ignatius though none of his And as for those Epistles collected by Polycarp and mentioned by Eusebius which notwithstanding all the Cavils of Blondel Walo and other Antiepiscopal persons our learned Pearson and Hammond 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have sufficiently vindicated and proved to be his we find even these as worthy Isaac Vossius well expresseth it ità interpolatas ut plurimùm Ignatium in hoc Ignatio frustrà quaeras so interlarded and stuffed with such numerous Insertions that in this new Ignatius the old one can scarce be found And as for Origen though it is generally granted that his Writings even as they dropped from his own Quill are many times to blame yet 't is easily believed that some Corrupters and Falsifiers of his Works have made them worse Thus Daniel Huetius who hath given the world a solemn account of Origen's Life and Opinions doth assure us Cùm ab Haereticis violata esse constaret Origeniana volumina c. Since it was evident that Origen's Books were abused by Hereticks c. And doth not Valesius tell us Clementis Romani libros qui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inscribebantur ab Ebionaeis corruptos fuisse atque falsatos that the Books of Clemens Romanus named The Journals of Peter were corrupted and falsified by the Ebionites And this our Adversaries of Rome do not deny when-ever it makes for their Advantage to confess it Cornelius à Lapide a learned Jesuit finding that St. Hierom's Epistle to Damasus made against him flieth to this Refuge Epistola Hieronymi ad Damasum non videtur esse Hieronymi sed conficta The Epistle of Hierom to Damasus seems not to be really his but a meer counterfeit Well sure we are there are no persons to be named throughout the world that have shewed themselves shall I say more ingenious or more impudent in imitating their Forefathers Hands and counterfeiting their Voices and that to very ill Purposes too then the men that we have now to deal with 'T is the great Shame of the Roman Church and such a Blemish as is not to be wiped off for ever that they put unsavoury words into their Fathers mouths and cite the Dead to bear Testimony to those Follies and Falshoods which when alive they would have abhorred with just Indignation and Zeal 'T is well observed and unanswerably proved by an eminent Divine of our own Church that the Romanists have used several Tricks to corrupt the Fathers and make them speak even as they themselves would have them For sometimes they insert illegitimate and bastard Treatises into the Fathers Works hoping that these spurious Brats will pass for their lawful Children because found within their doors Sometimes again they do falsifie the known and undoubted Writings of ancient Authours by adding one thing detracting a second and changing a third Sometimes also they do cite and alleage such and such Passages out of such and such Fathers so miserably wrested from the Sense of the Authour that they offer Violence and commit a sacrilegious Rape even upon the Dead The Purging of the Fathers by suppressing razing and blotting out such and such Passages which do not please them the Roman Church doth own Thus they tell us concerning the Venetian Edition of St. Austine Curavimus removeri illa omnia quae fidelium mentes Haereticâ pravitate possent inficere aut à Catholica Orthodoxa fide deviare We have taken care for the removal out of St. Austine all those Passages of his which might infect the minds of the faithful with Heretical Pravity or make them turn aside from the Catholick Orthodox Faith We are also told in the Preface to the Paris Edition of St. Austine Ex sanctissimo Concilii Tridentini Decreto veterum Patrum Codices expurgandi By the most holy Decree of the Council of Trent the Books of the ancient Fathers are to be purged And for so doing doth Sixtus Senensis thus commend Pius the Fifth Expurgari ema culari curâsti omnium Catholicorum Scriptorum praecipuè veterum Patrum scripta Thou hast caused the
God To style himself by this humble Title he took occasion from the Pride and Arrogance of John called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Patriarch of Constantinople which being at that time the Imperial Seat this John had took upon him the Title of Vniversal Bishop whereof Gregory thus complains O tempora ô mores Ecce destructae urbes eversa castra c. tamen Sacerdotes qui in pavimento cinere flentes jacere debuerunt Vanitatis sibi nomen expetunt novis prophanis vocabulis gloriantur With this Expression of Gregory the Great agreeth that of Vspergensis Rogatu Bonifacii Phocas constituit Sedem Romanae Apostolicae Ecclesiae Caput esse omnium Ecclesiarum nam antea Constantinopolitana Ecclesia se scribebat primam Omnium Phocas at the Request of Boniface ordained that the See of Rome should be Head of all Churches for before that time the Church of Constantinople did write herself the Prime of all Churches And if so how can it be imagined that the Primacy of the Roman Bishop should be acknowledged and granted as Bellarmine contends by the sixth Canon of the very first General Council No the certain truth is this Canon was unworthily corrupted in favour of the Roman Bishop and although our Adversaries cannot for shame acknowledge their own corrupting of Councils yet they cannot deny but that it hath been familiarly done by other persons Nay doubtless in some cases they themselves pretend the Corruption of Councils when in truth there was no such matter For if the Authority of such or such a Council be urged against the Roman Church and cannot otherwise be well escaped they have no other Shift to save themselves but onely to pretend that such and such a Canon which they cannot answer is false and counterfeit 'T is a certain Truth that their Pope Honorius was condemned for a downright Heretick by the sixth General Council which consisted of an hundred and seventy Fathers assembled at Constantinople so 't is recorded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith one The Council condemned Honorius and some other Assertours of the same Opinion as Hereticks that fought against God And that this Sentence was just Photius thus assures us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they brought them under a righteous Condemnation But will the Roman Church contentedly suffer any Bishop of theirs to be condemned branded and recorded for an arrant Heretick and plead nothing in his behalf What would then become of their dear Infallibility what would then become of Pope Agatho's Letter to the sixth General Council wherein he bragged that the Bishops of Rome never erred in Points of Faith Or will the Roman Church acknowledg that a General Council may be mistaken and that in a matter of so great Concern to themselves as they take the Infallibility of their Bishops to be 'T is a shrewd Dilemma that our Adversaries lie under in this case For if Honorius were certainly an Heretick their Infallibility ceaseth but if Honorius were no Heretick then may General Councils erre which the Roman Church is loath to grant Well to secure the Credit of Honorius and the Authority of that General Council which condemned him too Bellarmine invents this trick and tells us Erat Consuetudo Graecorum ferè ordinaria corrumpendi libros c. It was even the familiar Custom of the Grecians to corrupt the Copies of Councils And that it was so indeed in the case of Honorius he takes for granted Sine dubio Honorii nomen inter eos qui damnantur à sexta Synodo insertum esse ab aemulis Romanae Ecclesiae c. Without doubt the name of Honorius was inserted among those Hereticks whom the sixth Council condemned by some persons that bore no good will to the Roman Church Thus would the Cardinal make the world believe that what Canon soever spake any thing against a Bishop of his Church must certainly be corrupted and forged by the Grecians who as he intimates had no great Kindness for the Roman See And methinks if Bellarmine be real in what he saith if he did verily suspect that such and such Councils were indeed corrupted and forged by the Grecians as being disaffected to the Roman Church we have greater cause to be jealous that such and such Councils have been miserably corrupted and forged by the Latines who are sworn enemies to every Church which differs from their own For since 't is evident that they have made so bold with that famous Council of Nice as to falsifie a Canon of theirs we cannot think that they have so great a Veneration for any other Council besides but that they will corrupt and forge them even as oft as their Interest doth so require And since 't is thus since by the Confession of our Adversaries themselves such and such particular Fathers have strangely erred since the most Learned men of the Roman Church have acknowledged that even Popes and Councils have been if not mistaken in themselves yet basely corrupted by others we cannot think our selves obliged to accept the Authority and Testimonies of such Fathers Popes and Councils as sure and infallible Proofs of those Traditions which are now received in and recommended by the Roman Church though neither attested by the Vniversal Church nor warranted by the written Word of God And upon this score we can doe no less then wonder at the strange Confidence and unparallel'd Presumption of the Council of Trent and their Abettours who dare at least equal their own Traditions which stand upon such uncertain and slippery Grounds even to those Holy Scriptures which are universally owned and infallibly proved to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sure and undoubted Word of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 FINIS Chrysost ad Col. c. 1. v. 1. Theophyl in Argum. Epist ad Col. Oecum in Argum. Epist ad Col. Chrys ad Col. c. 1. v. 1. Chrys ad Col. c. 1. v. 2. Theophyl in locum eundem Oecum in locum eundem Theoph. in Argum. Epist ad Col. Theodoret. in Argum. Ep. ad Col. The◠Col. 1.2 Joh. 1.17 Origen in Joannem Erasm in Joann c. 1.17 Cast in Joann c. 1.16 Acts 7.38 Chrys in Joan 1.17 Theophylact. in locum Chrys in locum Galat. 3.19 Act. 7.38 Grot. in Heb. 2.2 Exod. 20.1 Deut. 5.24 Gregorius Naz. Orat. 49. Chrysostomus in Act. 7.30 Dionys Areop Coelest Hierarchiae c. 4. Dionys ubi supra Joseph l. 1.5 August Contra Adimantum c. 9. Cael. Rhodig l. 18. c. 19. Seneca Epist 9. Deut. 33.1 2 Pet. 1.20 Heb. 1.1 2 Pet. 1.21 Ezek. 11.5 Pearson on the Creed Epiphanius in Ancor Gal. 4.6 Rom. 8.9 1 Pet. 1.11 Rom. 1.9 Heb. 1.2 Ephes 4.11 Rom. 1.5 1 Pet. 1.1 1 Cor. 11.23 Gal. 3.24 Psalm 40.7 Joh. 5.46 Luk. 24.27 Act. 13.27 Matt. 1.22 Luk. 24.44 Matt. 26.54 Act. 3.18 Act. 1.1 Act. 9.20 2 Cor. 4.5 Maldon in Luc. 24.27 Cornel à Lap. in Heb. 10.7 COROLLARIES Cael. Rhodig Antiquit. l. 30. c.
at the Pleasure of the Pope's Mercy and the Offender's Purse And methinks 't is strange that such a Tradition as this which can never be delivered from the just imputation of encouraging Vice should because mentioned by Origen and his Followers be declared Apostolicall and equalled to that written and sure Word of Christ from which it receives sufficient Confutations but nothing of Countenance whatever the Romish Church may pretend But alas Origen is but one of many that are cited as Patrons and Abettours of the Romish Traditions there is another Person as well as Origen who lived as Eusebius words it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the very next Age to the Apostles whose Testimony is often urged in this matter too I mean Clemens Alexandrinus who flourished in the reign of Commodus and was the Scholar of Pantenus which two were the first that I meet with who delivered the Principles of Christian Religion in a Catecheticall way in publick Schools and for that deserve an Honour What Eusebius reports concerning this Clemens cannot be denied 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This man's Books are full of much excellent Learning so excellent that Chemnitius saith expresly of him In tota Antiquitate habitus fuit vir celeberrimus In all Antiquity there was not a man so famous as he But yet for all that he fell into many strange and heterodox Opinions such I suppose as our Adversaries themselves will by no means allow He telleth us that our Blessed Saviour preached but one year onely that the Apostles being departed from the World preached to the Dead and converting some of them raised them to life again He countenanced the Tenets of Anabaptists that Christians ought not to swear nor implead one another before any Tribunal whatsoever He affirmed that if men who were once Baptized and enlightned fell into Sin God perhaps might grant them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 place of Repentance for once or twice but no more for ever and yet notwithstanding as if he had forgot himself and were not constant to his own Opinion he saith elsewhere that if men repent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is no place either in this world or in the next void of the Goodness of God And methinks if this excellent and learned Person were betrayed into such gross and absurd Opinions as are directly contrary to the written Word through those Traditions which had even thus early crept into the Church and were fathered upon St. Paul St. Peter and other Apostles we must beg and may justly expect our very Adversaries pardon if we still suspect that such and such Traditions mentioned by this Clemens are very far from being as Bellarmine contends Apostolicall But although Clemens Alexandrinus fell into such erroneous and fond Opinions that they have given the Church just occasion in doubtfull matters to like his Testimony so much the worse yet what hath Tertullian done to forfeit his Credit and so far to blemish his Reputation that the large Testimony which he also gives in the case of Traditions should be questioned too Tertullian was indeed a learned Preacher of the African Church a man that confuted Marcion and wrote excellent Apologies for the persecuted Saints of God a man that is styled by Eusebius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most famous of all the Latine Writers and yet notwithstanding when he treats of Religious matters not contained within our Bibles we have too much ground in some things to suspect his Judgment too and for so doing Bellarmine himself hath given us his own Example 'T is notoriously known that this Person of excellent Parts shewed himself to be but a son of Adam when not finding that Respect from the Roman Clergy which he might have expected through Discontent and Anger he miserably fell off from the Orthodox Christians and took up the detestable Opinions of that Phrygian Heretick Montanus What were the Opinions of this Montanus Apollonius in Eusebius tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. This was he that taught the world to dissolve that sacred bond of Wedlock this is he that taught his Disciples such and such Doctrines tanquam à Paracleto traditas saith Chemnitius as if he had received them from the Blessed Spirit of God this is he whom his Followers took to be the Paraclete but whom sober persons looked upon as Eusebius tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a man possessed and acted by the Devil who had two women Priscilla and Maximilla to be his Prophetesses And certainly if this Montanus were such a monstrous Villain 't is as well sad as strange to think that such a man as Tertullian was should ever be so much transported with Passion upon such and such Neglects or perhaps Indignities received from some Clergy-men at Rome as to make such a Defection from the true Faith as if for some Affronts received from some particular persons he meant to revenge himself upon the whole Christian Church by patronizing the cursed Doctrines of so vile an Heretick But however since 't is clear that he did so we are by no means bound to believe what indeed he himself doth never affirm that all those Traditions which we find recorded in his Writings are of Divine Originall because we have ground enough to suspect that he might receive some of them at least from Montanus or some other unwarrantable hand rather then from Apostles or Apostolicall men But may not St. Cyprian pass for an unquestionable Witness if Tertullian do somewhat fail Was not this Cyprian the renowned Bishop of Carthage the stout Champion of Christ's true Religion yea and his faithful Martyr too And doth not this eminent Person give Testimony to justifie some of those Traditions and to prove them Apostolicall which are now received in the Roman Church and yet have not the least Countenance from the written Word of God What Great St. Basil once said of Dionysius Alexandrinus may without any Affront or Injury to St. Cyprian's name be affirmed of him too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We do not admire whatever that man said but some things we condemn too We are of St. Austine's mind who writes thus of Cyprian Cypriani literas non ut Canonicas habeo sed ex Canonicis considero Quod in eis Divinarum Scripturarum Authoritati congruit cum laude ejus accipio quod autem non congruit cum pace ejus respuo I do not take St. Cyprian's Epistles to be Canonical but I judge of them according to those which are such indeed Whatever therein agreeth with the Authority of Divine Scriptures to his honour I do applaud but whatever agreeth not with his leave I do reject 'T is evident by this Expression that although St. Cyprian were indeed what Nazianzene thought fit to style him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great Name of the whole world though he were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great Champion of the Truth yet it was St. Austine's Judgment
that sometimes he dropped from his Pen some things that did not well consist with the written Word of God The Scriptures tell us that there is One Baptism accordingly the Council of Carthage thus defined 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Baptism ought not to be administred the second time no not to Hereticks so Arsenius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Persons baptized by Hereticks must not be baptized again Such was the Judgment of Fathers and Councils and yet St. Cyprian was of his mind who said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If Baptism be at first administred by such Hereticks as deny the great Articles of the Christian Faith as they in Nazianzene did the Divinity of the Holy Ghost then give me a second Washing And although Bellarmine tell us that St. Austine excuseth Cyprian from being an Heretick yet sure we are he did not excuse him from being in an Errour for thus he saith Cyprianum aliter sensisse de Baptismo quà m Forma Consuetudo habet Ecclesiae in suis in Concilii literis invenitur That Cyprian did not think of Baptism as the Church doth 't is clear both from the Council's Letters and his own too And if St. Cyprian might erre about Baptism why not about the Eucharist too when he saith Debet Aqua Vino misceri Water must be mingled with the Sacramental Wine If Cyprian were mistaken about the Government of the Church when he said Ipsa plebs maximè habet potestatem vel eligendi dignos Sacerdotes vel indignos recusandi The very common people have the chief Power to chuse good Bishops or refuse bad ones why might he not be mistaken about the Ceremonies of Baptism when he said Vngi necesse est eum qui Baptizatus sit c. 'T is necessary that every person who is Baptized should be Anointed too If St. Cyprian might be and certainly was in an Errour in one case what security have we but that he may be mistaken in some other matters too We can never admit all the Doctrines and Usages received in the Roman Church to be of Apostolicall Authority though countenanced by St. Cyprian's Testimony except we shall first forget that even Donatus and his Followers did shelter themselves and their erroneous Opinions under the name and Patronage of the same St. Cyprian too And truly we cannot wonder that Clemens Alexandrinus Origen Tertullian Cyprian and other good men before and after them were overseen in some Particulars since out of that great Respect and deserved Veneration which they had for the Apostles themselves and their immediate Successours they became too prone without any strict Examination to give credit to such Traditions which were either delivered to them by word of mouth or contained in any such Writings as bore the Apostles names or were pretended to be derived from Apostolical men That there were such forged Writings sent abroad into the world and that very early too several Authours have informed us Thus St. Austine Non defuerunt qui sub Apostolorum nominibus multa confingerent c. Some there were who forged many things in the Apostles names so he And in that Edition of the Septuagint printed at Basil by John Hervagius I find the Lives of the Evangelists and Apostles written by Sophronius prefixed before their respective Gospels and Epistles where in the Life of St. Peter there is mention made of several Writings wherein St. Peter was concerned either as the Authour or at least as the Subject matter of them and thus they are named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The first was inscribed The Acts of St. Peter the second was named The Gospel of St. Peter c. Of all these the Writer of his Life passeth this Judgment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They are all rejected as Apocryphal Writings And yet in the Life of St. James there is mention of a Book entitled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Gospel according to the Hebrews a Book saith the Authour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Origen often used And certainly if Origen and other Fathers did reade and believe such Apocryphal books we cannot wonder that they fell into some absurd Opinions and have transmitted to posterity such fond Traditions as are far from being Apostolicall I remember St. Paul tells us that Christ after his Resurrection was seen of James and upon what occasion Christ was pleased to appear singly to St. James alone that forenamed counterfeit Gospel thus informs us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 St. James had sworn that he would not taste one morsel of Bread from that hour wherein Christ died till he should see him risen from the dead again Upon this score saith the Authour of that Book Christ appeared to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and taking bread and having given thanks he brake it and giving it to St. James the Just said My brother eat thy bread for the Son of man is risen from the dead c. So inconsistent is this Tradition in its several Circumstances with the written Word that Estius himself styles it Narrationem fabulosam a fabulous Narration and Lorinus confesseth Hanc Historiam non admittit Augustinus St. Austine doth not admit this Story and yet Estius observes that St. Hierom doth use some other Passages of that false Gospel wherein this Tale is recorded And what need I mention those other counterfeit Gospels of St. Thomas St. Bartholomew and Nicodemus What need I mention the forged Acts of St. Andrew and that pretended Epistle of St. Paul to the Laodiceans the true one if yet there were ever any such being acknowledged by Bellarmine to be lost What should I mention that Protevangelium fathered upon St. James and yet full of such Traditions as are no way reconcilable with Christ and his Apostles St. Luke tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things c. Theophylact here puts the Question 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who were these many that thus undertook to write the Gospel He answers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were false Apostles and he tells us farther 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Many even then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without the Grace and Spirit of God wrote several counterfeit Gospels as the Gospel according to the Egyptians the Gospel of the Twelve c. And certainly albeit those good men the Fathers of the Church out of too much Credulity and Veneration shewed towards their Predecessours were pleased to give so much Credit to those spurious Writings which deserved rather to be expunged then believed as to transcribe something of them into their own Works and thereby transmit them to Posterity yet all such Passages derived from uncertain and deservedly-suspected Authours can be no more authentick nor claim any greater Authority then the Originals from which they were borrowed And as for some other things which the Fathers wrote upon their