Charactere because of the most solide Reply and most manifest testimonies of the Scripture as one of your owne hath said t â—â—â—videar humanis argumentis id agere etc. ex â—vangelio profero certa documâ—â—â—â—a Aug. l. 1. de Bapt. â—ont Donat. c. â— Least I should seeme to deale in this onely by humane arguments saith S. Augustine I will bring most sure arguments out of the Gospell And in the wordes following he bringeth in this Text. u Luc. 9. 50. Forbid him not for he that is not against us is with us By which hee overthroweth the maine argument of the adverse parties who helde That the things of Christ could not bee had out of the Church And in his answer to this question whether it were better to baptise or not to baptise such he hath these words x Recurrens ad illam stateram dominicam ubi non ex humano sensu sed authoritate divinà return momenta pensantur invenio de â—â—raque te Domini sententiam Aug. l. 2. de bapt cont Donat c. 14. Looking to the divine measure that is the Scripture whereby things are measured by divine authoritie and not by humane opinion I finde the judgment of the Lord concerning both And he concludeth this question with these words y Perspectis Scripturarum testimonijs potest etiam dici quod veritas declaravit hoc sequimur Aug. l. 4. de bapt cont Donat. c 7. Having searched the testimonies of the Scriptures I may say we follow that which the truth declareth Thus it appeareth by the judgment of S. Augustine that the point of doctrine is written although for point of practise we reade nothing in the writings of the Apostles 7. That the holy Ghost is to be adored and that the Father is unbegotten and unborne I beleive those as the Articles of my faith but I will never beleive him that saith * Aug. cont Maximinum l. 3. c. 3. S. Augustine held them to be unwritten articles These words The holy Ghost is to be adored The Father is unbegotten I confesse are not written verbatim yet there are other words written which doe import the same and are equivalent unto them And may we not understand some words which we reade not out of those words which we reade saith S. Augustine a In verbis Scripturarum non est Evangeliuâ— sed in sensu Hicroâ—â—m in Galat. c. 1. The words are not the Gospell but the sense of Scripture is the Gospell saith S. Hierome So I Reply pag. 119 may say the forme of words is not the article of faith but the thing signified by those words else the Church believed not these two articles untill this forme of words was z Quasi non ex ijs quae legimus aliqua etiam quae non legimus intelligamus Aug. ibidem used The holy Ghost is to be adored The Father is unborne As for the article of faith signified by these words The holy Ghost is to be adored S. Augustine prooveth it out of the Scriptures in which it is written in an other forme of words b Glorificate ergo Deum in corpore vestro ubi delucidè ostend it Deum esse spiritum sanctum glorificandum scilicet in corpore nostro Aug. cont Maxim l. 3. c. â—1 Glorifie therefore God in your body this evidently declareth that the holy Ghost is God and that he must be glorified in our bodies saith S. Augustine And againe c Glorifieate Deum portate in corpore vestro Quem Deum nisi Spiritum sanctum cujus corpora nostra dixerit esse templum Aug. epist 66. Glorifie God in your body whom doth he meane but the holy Ghost whose temple he calleth our bodies And concerning the words Coessentiall Vnbegotten and the like hee saith d Etiasi vocabula ista ibi non inveniuntur fieri potest ut illud inveniamus cui haec vocabula rectè adhibita indicentur Aug. epist 174. Although those words are not found in Scripture yet we may finde that which is intended by those words This then was the opinion of S. Augustine that the doctrine signified by those words was written in other words although those words themselves were not written And as S. Augustine answereth Pascentius the Arian so I may answere the Iesuite e Quid contentiosius est quaÌ„ ubi de re constat certare de nomine Aug. ibidem What is more contentious then to strive about words when the thing meant by them is manifest 8. It is not An other point of faith which S. Augustine handleth in the next testimony but the point of rebaptization * Aug. de unit Eccles c. 19. This neither of us both can finde written expressely and evidently in the Scripture And this is not spoken concerning the doctrine but concerning the practise in this point as appeareth by S. Augustines answer to the Heretickes demaund f Cum in scripturis non inveniamus aliquos ad Ecclesiam iam transisle ab Hereticâ— sicut ego dico aut sicuâ— tu dicis esse succeptos Aug. ibidem Seeing now we finde not any in the Scriptures to haue for saken the Heretickes and come home to the Church and to have beene received either as I say or as you say This point of fact may well be distinguished from the point of faith the doctrine may be written though Reply the practise is not written Howsoever we graunt it that the practise is not written neither is the doctrine written expressely and evidently That the baptised by Heretickes shall not be rebaptised Yet S. Augustine from most certain principles and by most evident consequences out of the holy Scripture concludeth the doctrine of this point The praâ—tise of the Church herein being according unto the truth of Scripture S. Augustinâ— might very well oppose the practise of the Church against the Heretick tel him * Aug. â—bidem Thou must beleeve the Câ—urch which if thou refuse to doe thou doest not oppose thy selfâ— against me or against man but Reply even against our Saviour himselfe to thy everlasting damnation The baptisme of Children of which S. Augustine writeth in the next testimony is no unwritten doctrine but a point established likewise both by the authority of the Scriptures and of the Church and S. Augustine did well to declare the authority of the Scriptures and of the Church in this point saying * Aug. serm 14. de verb. Apost Such force hath the authority Reply of the Church and the fixed rule of truth that is the Scripture against this bulwarke against this impregnable wall who so advanceth himselfe he shall be broken and burst in peeces As this is most truely affirmed by S. Augustine so it is as impertinently alledged by the Iesuite Reply Is it not recorded in the Acts of the Apostles that * Act. 1. 3 Christ after his passion shewed himselfe alive to his Apostles being seene
Scriptures and the Fathers and finde this for truth that Christ and his Apostles taught no unwritten Traditions If they did so what is this to the purpose unlesse the Iesuite can proove that the unwritten Traditions of the Romane Church are the same which Christ and his Apostles delivered They pretend that they are so so they doe in their miracles which are but coozening and juggling trickes of Leiger de maine so they doe in their reliques which are but grand impostures as the Angell Gabriels feathers our Ladyes smocke S. Peters chayne and the like these I beleeve are as true reliques from them as their Traditions are the same which Christ and his Apostles taught And as they are so is their authoritie which is the subject of his next Section wherein wee are to examine SECT III. VVhether unwritten Traditions are of equall authoritie with the written word 1. NOne but a Non ens would say that a Non ens can be of equall authority with the written word when as Bellarmine confesseth that a Bellarm. de â—erâ—o Dei l. 4. c. â— All Traditions are not of equall authority among themselves but without any distinction whatsoever this Iesuite would have them all to be of the same authority among themselves and of the same authority with the written word and the truth is they are no more worthy to be compared with the written word then b Ier. 13. 28. chaffe with wheat then drosse with c Is 1. â—2 silver The Iesuite hath already granted this * pag. 116. That the rites and ordinances of the Church are grounded only upon humane right and now he contradicteth the same that they are of divine right even equall with the written word and for this opinion he Reply p. 120. boasteth of Plaine Scripture and the uniforme consent of ancient Fathers It is no new thing to heare the enemies of the truth clayming the Scripture and the Fathers to be theirs after the same manner the Heretickes boasted that d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb l. 5. hist c. 27. The Fathers and the Apostles held taught the same things which they said First let us heare his plaine Scripture * â— Thes â— 15. Therefore brethren stand fast and hold the Traditions which you have beene taught whether by word or by our Epistle This Text is no lesse then ten times alledged by him and once for all I returne this Answer to it Those Traditions are Reply pag. 121. written and not unwritten Doctrines S. Paul declareth his continuall practise e Act. 26. 22. Hee witnessed both to small and great and therefore to the Thessalonians none other things then those which Moses and the Prophets did say His doctrine delivered at Thessalonica was taken f Act. 17. 2. out of the Scriptures And suppose it was not written in the Olde Testament yet it might be written in the New by himselfe or by some other of the Apostles What he taught the Philippians by word of mouth the g Philip. 3. 1. same things he wrote afterwards unto them in his Epistle And unto the Thessalonians he wrote those things h 2. Thess 2. 5. which he first told them and i 2. Thess 3. 10. which he first commanded them The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used by the Apostle signifieth aswell both as whether and it is not onely disjunctive but very k 1. Cor. â—1â— 1â— c. 15. 11. Coloss 1. 20 Rom. 14. 8. oft conjunctive By which the meaning of the Apostle is declared to be this Holde fast the Traditions or the doctrines which have beene taught you both by word of mouth by Epistle The matter taught was the same although the manner of teaching was different both by word of mouth and by Epistle S. Ambrose expoundeth it thus l In Traditione Evangelij standum ac perseverandum monet Ambros in 2. Thess He admonisheth them to stand to persevere in the Tradition of the Gospell And Gretzer your Great Sire defending Bellarmine defendeth this interpretation that it might be the same doctrine which S. Paul delivered by word of mouth and by Epistle and giveth this instance for it m Sicut eadem fides quae confirmata olim fuit per Circumcisionem Pascha quae nuÌ„c coÌ„firmatur per Baptismum Coenam Gretz defens Bellarm. l. 4. c. 5 Even as it was the same faith which was formerly confirmed by Circumcision and the Passeover which is now confirmed by Baptisme and the Lords Supper It is most manifest by the precedent words that the Apostle speaketh of such Traditions as helpe to keepe out u 2. Thess 2. 3. The man of sinne the sonne of perdition It cannot then be that he should speake of unwritten Traditions because Popish Traditions are the onely key to let him in 2. To prove the uniforme consent of the Fathers he first alledgeth S. Chrysostome * Chrysost in â— Thess By this saying of S. Paul it is manifest saith S. Chrysostome that the Apostles did not Reply pag. 121. deliver all things by their Epistle but that they delivered many things without writing which are as worthie to be beleeved as those things which they left written We yeeld unto this that the Apostles have not delivered all things by writing And I will graunt more unto the Iesuite that the Apostles have not delivered all things by Epistle or by word of mouth which are and may be observed in the Church as all the rites and ceremonies of it and those are the things of which S. Chrysostome speaketh of things indifferent Concerning necessary things writing upon the same Chapter these are his words o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost hom 3 in 2. Thes â— All things are cleare and true which are in the holy Scriptures all necessary things are manifest But that those things which are not necessary and are delivered without writing should be as worthy of faith as those things which are written this is one of his many hyperbolicall speeches it is rather a flourish of his Rhetoricke then a truth in Divinity S. Basil saith * Basil de Spirit Sanct. c. 29. I hold it to be an Apostolicall doctrine that Reply we adhere unto unwritten Traditions in proofe whereof he alleadgeth Scripture The Author is suspected but I passe by that for the present I hold with the Author that it is fit to yeeld unto such unwritten Traditions as he writeth of and those are onely rituall and not doctrinall Unto these we doe yeeld not as unto the word of God which is of divine power and abideth for ever but as to the Lawes of men which are of humane right and mutable according unto time place And in proofe of the lawfull use of those we oft cite Scripture as that Author doth In the next place he alledgeth * That of Epiphan is answered Sect. 2d. Divis 10. lit â— S. Hierome
fabulous Novelties then Epiphanius especially in Genealogies into which it is probable he was misledde thorough his over-much love of historicall Traditions He taketh upon him to tell who was * Heracles and Astaroth Melchizedecks Father and Mother and who were the wives of * Sanue Asura Barthenoâ— Cain Seth and Noah These were some of his fabulous Novelties grounded upon Tradition without any authority of Scripture for which he deserveth to be censured We are willing rather to cover then to discover the nakednesse of this Father and therefore favourably interpret his words that The Traditions of the Apostles that is their preaching and The succession of true doctrine both which are the same with the Scriptures are the limites of the Church and the boundes of our faith This is consonant with the doctrine of other Fathers m â—criptura est murns adamantinus circum vallenâ—â—eclefiam Chrysoft l. 4. de Sacerdot The Scripture sayth Chrysostome is an adamantine wall environing the Church The Church saith Hierome n Ecclesia non egressa est de fiâ—â—bus suis id est de Scripturis sanctis Hieroâ— l â— c. â— in Mich. is not gone out of her bounds that is out of the holy Scriptures Irenaeus telleth us first that * Iren l. 3. c. 2. Heretickes cannot possibly be convinced by onely Scripture 5. I tell you that you belye this Father this is all that hee saith When Heretickes are convinced by the Scriptures Reply they beginne to accuse the Scriptures Heresie hath alwayes an obstinacie joyned with it this obstinacie and not the insufficiencie of Scripture made the Heretickes not submit unto it S. Steven convinced the Iewes by the Scriptures and so did S. Paul the Athenians yet malice made the Iewes to o Act. 7. 34. Gnash with their teeth at the one and obstinacie caused the Athenians to p Act. 17. 18. rayle upon the other The Scripture is sufficient to convince the whole rabblement of Iesuites although they doe as those Heretickes did accuse it of insufficiencie when as they are convicted by it If the Scripture be not sufficient to convince Heretickes because they raile upon it by the same reason they cannot be convinced by Tradition for Irenaeus sheweth that they did * Iren ibidem likewise oppose Tradition And that they would neither yeeld to Tradition nor to Scripture Irenaus had a better opinion of Scripture then the Romanists have he spent three Bookes in his arguments taken from Scripture against the Heretickes and not three Chapters in his arguments taken from Tradition Erasmus therefore well observeth it q Solis Scripturarum praesidiis pugâ—âsse Iâ—enâ—um adversus catervam Hâ—reticorum Erasâ—â— in Epist ad Triden Epist Iren. praeâ—â—â—â— That Irenaent fought against the roote of Heretickes onely with the strength of Scripture Afterwards reckoning up the Bishoppes of Rome from S. Peter to Elentherius who sate in his time thereby to shewe that there was in the Church a continuall and orderly succession of Bishoppes by whome divine and Apostolicall Traditions were truely preserved There was doeth not proove that there is Reply Rome was once t Rom. 1. 8. famous for her faith but now her obstinacie and apostasie whereof shee was Å¿ Rom. 11. 21. forewarned is manifest and apparent I graunt that from the dayes of S. Peter untill the time of Eleutherius or Iranaeus the Church of Rome preserved Traditions But not such Traditions as are now observed in that Church that Church then was as ignorant of these late inventions as this now Church is wide from those Traditions In his second Chapter hee hath these golden Reply words they are in his fourth Chapter Seeing that these demonstrations are so great wee must not seeke for that truth amongst others which we may easily finde out in the Church By others he meaneth the Valentinians the Marcionists and those Heretickes against whom he disputeth amongst these we must not seeke for the truth Where then In the Church Must we not therefore seeke it in the Scriptures This is to extract drosse out of Irenaeus his gold Is the Church without Scripture And if we finde truth in the Church can we not therefore finde it in the Scripture * Iren ibidem Seeing that the Apostles have laid up fully in her as in a Reply rich store-house all whatsoever belongeth to the truth The preaching and writings of the Apostles which are the same for substance of doctrine are the endlesse treasure laide up in the Church as in a rich store-house These are * Iren. ibidem The things of the Church which wee must love this is the Tradition of truth which wee must lay hould of Namely of the truth preached by the Apostles delivered unto the Church in the Scripture and preserved in the Church this kinde of Tradition Irenaeus commenmendeth by this kinde of Tradition hee condemned the Heretickes and this kinde of Tradition is not of unwritten but of written doctrines even of such doctrines as were coÌ„tradicted by those Hereticks who erred in points of written doctrines * Iren ibidem What if there were a controversie in some small point it selfe must wee not make recourse unto those most auncient Churches and receive from them what wee holde to be certaine and undoubted Not onely in small but even in the greatest Controversies wee collect the testimonies of antiquity wee enquire what the Primitive Church hath taught even as we doe in this great Controversie of unwritten Traditions and we finde that the Primitive Church taught as we teach and therefore we holde it as certaine and undoubted that unwritten Traditions are to bee rejected But the last wordes of Irenaeus * This is answered Sect. â— D. â— What if the Apostles had not left us the Scriptures â—â—written should wee not then bee obliged to follow the rule of Tradition delivered by them unto those with whom they left the Churches in charge These sayth the Iesuite put us in minde of tâ—at I dare say which never came into Irenaeus his minde That the Apostles delivered some things onely to certaine persons which they would not have layde open unto all by writing This is to corrupt Irenaus to sophisticate his golden wordes and to turne them into drosse there is nothing in Irenaeus sounding like unto this but I see as the foole thinketh so the bell tincketh If the Apostles had not written then there had beene unwritten doctrines and now seeing the Apostles have written must there needes be still unwritten doctrines Irenaeus never knew other doctrine delivered by the rule of Tradition then is contained in the Scriptures So Paul to Timothy * â— Tim. 2. 1. Thou therefore my sonne bee Reply p. 1â—5 strong in the grace that is in Christ Iesus and the things that thou hast heard of mee by many witnesses the same commit thou to faithfull men who shal be able to teach others also Here
greater sinne for a Priest to be married to a wife then to live in fornication with many whores that it is worse for a Lay-man not to make his auricular confession once in the yeare then to live in sinne all the yeare that it is a greater sinne to eate flesh in Lent then to be drunken in the Lent and to breake a Saints day then the Lords day these Traditions are contrary and repugnant to the truâ—h of the holy Scriptures * Chrysostoâ—e and Hierome answered Sect. 3. Diâ—is â— Repâ—y pag. 128. Thirdly that our Traditions doe not any way derogate from the fullnesse or perfection of the written Word 3. Traditions are additions to the written word if they bee so then they derogate some way from the perfection of it for that that is perfect needeth no addition And this addition of unwritten doâ—trines to the written Word not onely crosseth the truth of the Scripture in the generall commaund which forbiddeth a â—evel â—â— â—â— â—euter 12 3â— Addition and Substraction but likewise derogateth from the perfection of it for if the Scripture be a covenant then b Gal â— 15. No man must adde unto it c Chrysost hom 12 in Philip. If it bee a Canon it admitteth neither addition nor substraction if it should it ceaseth to bee a Canon saith Châ—ysostome They rather bring unto us the whole complement of Reply pag. 1â—8 Scripture as this example follâ—wing will most plainely declare His Majâ—stie sendeth over into thâ—s Kingdome our of his trustie Counsellours wiâ—h his Royall Letters unto his Subjâ—cts wher in hee prâ—scribâ—tâ— unto them not onely expresse Lawes himselfe but also commaundeth them to fullfill whatsoever shal be enjoyâ—ed them by his said Counseller to whom hee hath imparted his whole will and pleasure Can it bee said I pray you that the subjects of Ireland by obeying unto such things as are commaunded by the said Embassadour doe derogate any thing unto the fulnesse and perfection of His Majesties Letter This his royall argument like Goliaâ—â— sword shall undoe himselfe Be it to The Scriptures are the royall letteâ—s or the grand commission and the Church is the trusty frâ—â—nâ— the Embassadour or Commissioner Now I demauâ—d 1. Is not the authority of the Commissioner or of the Embassadour from his commission or his letters and not the authority of the commission or letters from the commissioner or Embassadour So if this similitude hold the authority or credite of the Church is from the Scriptures and not the authority or credite of the Scriptures from â—he Church 2. May not an Embassadour as many have goe beyond his commission and deliver things contrary to the trust committed to him and so become an Impostor So the Church of Rome is gone beyond her commission hath delivered these things which are contrary to the written word and in this she is a grand Impostor Similitudes are a weake foundation to uphold this pillar of Traditions upon which the weight of all other controversies doth depend especially such a similitude as this which wanteth feet to uphold it selfe 1. Kings of themselves know not all things which are fit for their subjects neither can they fore-see what passages will happen betweene their Commissioners and their people and therfore they are forced to leave many things to the discretion of their Embassadours but it is not so with the King of Kings hee hath revealed all things necessary for his people to the pen-men of Scripture and they according to that revelation have written all things d Aristot de Rhetor. l. 1. c. 1 The best Lawes saith Aristotle determine all things themselves and leave very little to the discretion of the Iudges The Law of God is the best and the most perfect Law how then can there be so many and so great things left to the discretion of the Church 2. The Lawes of Kingdomes are subject to mutation and addition so that his Majesty may send over Commissioners for this purpose but the Law of God is an e Revel 14. 6. eternall Gospell the faith of the Church was f Iude vers 3. at once delivered unto the Saints in the holy Scriptures as it is here confessed by the Iesuite In these letters it is true he hath expressed his Lawes and Commaundements himselfe yet forasmuch as all things are not so manifestly therein described that our feeble understanding may attaine unto the knowledge of his heavenly will by the same alone he himselfe commaundeth us to be ruled by his Church Can any Protestant say more God himselfe hath expressed his Lawes and Commandements in the Scripture And againe All things are therein described though not so manifestly This I confesse doth not derogate from the perfection of Scripture but it over-throweth the Iesuite and his cause because all things are therein described and there is onely required the interpretation of things obscure which no Protestant denyeth because all things are not therein so manifestly described 4. The truth hath convinced the Iesuite yet malice hath set his witts a raveing and his tongue a rayling on his Adversary of most grosse vanity of great madnesse of ostentation and of not touching the point at all But who can with patience endure to heare this animal bray thus It seemeth he is touch'd to the quick and that maketh him kick as if he were madde if he be not it is because his owne conscience is past feeling and yet he taketh upon him to be the Iudge of an other mans conscience He that citeth Scripture more for shew then to purpose taxeth his Answerer For alledging so little Scripturâ—â—◠〈◊〉 Reply pag. 119. and to so little purpose for bringing in his proofes out of Scripture so scanâ—ly who sometimes is puft up with no thing but Scripture The Roman Tradition mongers have lâ—arned the trick of the Iewish Cabbalists to call those of the adverse part Scripturians or men puft up with Scripture Call them as you will I had rather be filled with Scripture then with the puft-paste of Traditions or the puftcrust of humane inventions Neither is the most reverend Primate to be blamed for alledging in this point but a few texts of Scripture because brevity was the thing which he intended in the beginning of this Worke. If he alledged but one text to the purpose Chrysostome pleadeth 1 Chrysoâ—â—â— hom â—6 ad â—â—pul Aâ—â—otheâ— his excusetâ— What have I to doe with multitudes I had rather have one pâ—â—â—ious 〈◊〉 thâ—â— many halfe 〈◊〉 And I thinke a judicious Reader will like better of his little to great purpose then of the Iesuites great deale to little purpose But it is to little purpose for first that text of Matth. 15. In vaine doe they worship me teaching for Doctrines Reply pag. 119. the commaundements of men is farre from proving any thing against us seeing that by it onely such humane Traditâ—ous are reproved aâ— are repugnant to the Law of God 5. Iewish Traditions
among Christians wee could easily have shewed not onely the Grandfathers of this Doctrine to be Heretickes among the Christians but also that the Sâ—ducers among the Iewes were the great grand Fathers of it In a booke of theirs called Pirke Aboth Capitula Patrum we reade thus God gaue by Moses not onely the written Law but also an unwritten Law And e Peres de Tradit eccles part 2. asseâ— 1. Peresius citeth this out of Rabbi Moyses That God gave unto Moyses severall Doctrines by word of mouth besides the written Law which Moyses delivered to Ioshua Ioshua to the 70. Elders the 70. Elders to the Prophets and the Prophets to the chiefe of the Synagogues These Traditions the Apostles condemned as f Iâ—en l. 4. e. 25. Irenâ—uâ— declareth Not the Law of Moyses but the Traditions of the Elders corrupting the Law of Moyses were condemned by them These were condemned by the Prophets g Isaâ— 29. 13. As Doctrines â—f men even then when the Ceremoniall Law was of force And these were received in the dayes of S. Peter not from the Law of Moyses but h 1. Pet. 1. 18 By the Tradition of the Fathers namely those Seducers among the Hebrowes Neither doth S. Hicroâ—â— in that Epistle cite this tâ—xt at all therfore his words are here impertinently alledged Shortly after them started up other Heretickes who taught Answer that * Iren. l. 3. c. 2. the truth could not bee found out of the Scriptures by those to whom Tradition was unknowne for as much as it was not delivered by writing but by word of mouth for which cause S. Paul also should say we speake wisedome among them that be perfect This sticketh so close unto the Iesuite that with all his idle shifts he cannot shake it off â—â— He answereth ex concessis Those Heretickes were so Reply pag. 153 madde as to say that they were wiser then the Apostles themselves c. How then can they have any part with us who adâ—it all Apostolicall Doctrine 3. Are you not likewise tolde that All of them did not breake forth into that open impiety Some of them and not all of them were so madde as to say They were wiser then the Apostles And you may bee stareing though not starke madde Doe you admit all Apostolicall Doctrine Why then doe you not admit the Communion sub utrâ◠specie The inconstant Councell of Constance saw good reason to take away the Cup and to make it a dry Feast although as the i Concil Constan Sess 13. Councell confesseth Christ appointed it and the Primitive Church used it This declareth that you are as badd as the worst and as madde as the maddest Heretickes that ever were How could you doe this to make a new law contrary to the law given by Christ observed by the Apostles and by the Primitive Church if in this point ye did not thinke your selves wiser then the Primitive Church then the Apostles yea then Christ himselfe Cardinall Hosius breaketh forth into this impietie k Hosius Confess Petricoviâ—â—sâ— de Tradit 9â— That the Church which now is hath more revealed unto it then was revealed unto the Apostles And thus The same mysterie of iniquity which wrought in the fore-runners of Antichrist thâ—â— is discovered in his ministers now His second shift is to put the Hereticke upon us You are in the same predicament with those Heretickes in denying unwritten Tradition Whatsoever can be proved to have beene delivered by the Apostles either by writing or by word of mouth we deny it not we willingly receive what soever is truly an Apostolical TraditioÌ„ But 〈…〉 nomine it is you that are in the same predicaâ—â—â—â— for we can evidently prove it and our l Concil Constan ses 13. Bellarm. l. 4. de Sacram. Lucharist c. â—4 Adversaries confesse it that the Church received this written Tradition froÌ„ the Apostles and did likewise observe it to administer the Cup in the Supper of the Lord this Apostolicall Tradition delivered both by writing by word of mouth is litle couÌ„ted of by you and therefore you may take up your standing among those Heretickes and enter your name in Catalogâ— Hareticorum His last shift is this This holy Father Irâ—nâ—us was accustomed Reply pag. 153 to urge the Hereâ—â—ckes with the Tradition of the Apostles which is preserved in the Churches by the succession of Priests And if he were now alive he would as earnestly â—rge you with the same looly Traditions With what weapons Irenaus fought against the Heretickes we have * Sect. 4. Div. 5 already shewed Traditions are either written or unwritten unwritten Traditions were the hereticks plea they spake disgracefully of the scriptures that they were obscure might be diver sly interpreted could not be understood without Traditions and that Traditions were before them the same spirit possesseth our Adversaryes as if those Heretickes by some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were transformed into them Against these Heretickes Irenâ—â—â— fought first by the Scriptures then when they appealed unto Traditions he fought against them by the Tradition of the Apostles preserved in the Churches If Irenâ—us were alive he needed not â—rge iâ— against us wee urge it against you wee are now upon triall by it we say that we follow the Tradition of the Apostles preserved in the Churches that is the succession of true doctrine in the Churches as it is contained in the Scriptures But what is this to Popish Traditions They are not from the Apostles they are not contained in the Scriptures nor preserved in the Churches but onely maintained contrary to the Scriptures and the Tradition of the Churches as they were of old by Hereticks so in latter times by an Antichristian faction They confessed indeed as witnesseth Tertullian * Tertul. de prâ—scripâ— c. 25. that the Apostles Answeâ— were ignorant of nothing and differed not among themselves in their preaching but they say they revealed not all things unto all men some things they delivered openly to all some things secretly and to a few Because that Paul useth this spâ—â—ch unto Timothy O Timothy keepe that which is committed to thy trust And againe That good thing which was committed unto thee keepe I confesse in one thing our Adversaries are not like thâ—se Heretickâ—s they confâ—ssed that the Apostles were ignorant of nothing but our Adversaries hold this That there is more revealed unto the Church which now is then was revealed unto the Apostles as we have heard from Hosius the Cardinall Setting aside that part of the testimonie in all things elfe they are as like those Heretickes as if they had beene spit out of their mouth and therefore lest their agreement should be discovered the Iesuite in his wisedome thought it the best way not to lay downe these words of the Answerer but onely to returne a blind answere unto them It is confessed that Tertullian was a maintainer of unwritten Reply pag.
of them forty dayes and spake to them of the things appertaining to the Kingdome of God Can any man tell where those things are written which our Savior spake al those forty dayes 9. All is not at all in the Text neither is it true that our Saviour spake All those forty dayes The Text telleth us of what he spake namely of the Kingdome of God And have not g Act. 28. 23. Moses and the Prophets written of this Doe not the Gospels and the Epistles treate of this It was of the Kingdome of God therefore it was not of Popish Traditions Popish Traditions are of meates but the Kingdome of God is not of h Rom. 14. 17. meates It is profitable to know all that our Saviour spake because he never spake in vaine but it is necessary for us to know all It is lesse necessary to know where the things are written which Reply pag. 119. he spake at such and such a time it is enough to know that there is i Cyrill l. 12. â—â— Ioh c. 68. Aug tract 19. in Ioh. Enough written of all Christs words and workes for our salvation And our Lord before his passion told his Disciples that * Ioh. 16. 1â— He had many things to say unto them which then they could not comprehend but should learne them after of the Holy Ghost yet none of them ever wrote what those many things were S. Augustine telleth us that k Omnes inâ—â—plentistimi haeretici and act as sigmentorum suorum colorare occasione ejus sententis Adhuc â—â—lta habeâ— c. Aug. tract 97 in Ioh. All foolish Heretickes use to colour their bold fictions with this saying I have yet many things to say unto you Thus S. Augustine putteth both the Foole and the Hereticke upon the Iesuite l Lenseus l. 3. de verbo Dei non script c. 1. Lenseus whose eyes were as good as the Iesuits professeth that he can see nothing in this Text for unwritten Traditions But we deale with a Iesuite who can see further into a milstone then an other and maketh himselfe wiser then the Apostles understanding what those things were which the Apostles could not comprehend I may better conclude this of him that he never wrote this Reply himselfe because he could not doe it untill he went over seas for helpe then he can conclude of the Apostles that they wrote not all things because they were not able to understand all things untill they went to Ierusalem to receive the promise of the holy Ghost It is more then he is able to proove that the things which Christ and the holy Ghost taught the Apostles were not the same m Ioh. 15. 15. Christ taught them all things which he heard of his Father But at the first they were not so ripe of n Ioh. 20. 9. understanding nor so tenacious of o Ioh. 2. 22. memory as they were afterwards The holy Ghost therefore first opened their understandings not teaching them any new things but p Iansen in Ioh. c. 16. by a new way more fully opening their understanding saith Iansenius They were not taught q Aquin in Ioh c. 16. Altiora sed altiord mode saith Aquinas And afterwards brought r Ioh 14. 26. Those things to their memories which Christ first taught them So that wee say with Cyrill Å¿ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyril Catech 16. Christ did not teach one thing and the holy Ghost an other thing but the very same things And the t 1 Ioh. 1. 3. 4. same things they might write afterwards although they did not comprehend them at the first And Eusebius relateth of S. Polycarpe * Euseb l 5. c. 20. That he made knowne some words spoken by our Saviour which are not recorded Reply pag. 119 in Scripâ—ure 10. This is a silly shift to argue à verbis ad res from words to Doctrines We dispute of Doctrines but the Iesuite first flyeth unto Things as in the title of this Section appeareth From things againe he flyeth unto words He saith Eusebius saith that * For Eusebius relateth Irenaeus his words Irenaeus saith that Polycarpe said That Christ spake some words not recorded in the Scripture This is a verball argument this is to shrinke quite from the question Is any man so mad as to say that all the words are recorded in Scripture which our Savior spake Or will any wise man inferre that all the doctrines which he taught are not written because all the words which he spake are not recorded Let him be recorded for an asse that argueth so This Irenaeus saith of Polycarpus u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb ibidem Polycarpus spake all things consonant with the Scripture Any truth is not dissonant from the Scriptures as that Malone is a Iesuite but this is not consonant with the Scriptures onely those things are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are the same or are spoken of the same things as Thucydides Diodorus Siculus are said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bee consonant because both have written the same of the same namely of the Peloponnesian warre The things then which Polycarpus spake being consonant with the Scriptures could not be any unwritten Traditions which are plainely dissonant to the Scriptures either crosse the truth or the perfection of them The occasion why Irenaeus alledged the words of Polycarpus was because both he Florinus the heretick against whom he disputed had heard the doctrin which Polycarpus delivered which was consonant with the Scriptures not because the heresie which Florinus held that God created evill natures could not be coÌ„vinced by Scripture * Iust Martyr Apolog. 2â— Iustin Martyr likewise layeth down many unwritten Reply pag. 109. Traditions delivered by our Saviour unto his Disciples when he appeared unto them upon the day of his resurrection These things saith he Christ delivered unto his Disciples And he sheweth what those things were That the Christians must meete together to sanctifie the Lords daye This is a point delivered unto us in the I Act. â—0 7. 1. Cor. 16. â— Scripture That the ministerie of the word must goe before the administration of the Sacrament This is likewise taught us in the y Act. 2. 42. Scriptures That the Communion must be given unto none unlesse that they have beene baptised The same hath sufficient warrant in the z 1. Cor. 12. 13. Scriptures All the rest of which hee writeth are either doctrinall points written or â—iâ—uall points unwritten which belong not to this present Controversie But what say you to the Apostles S. Iohn and S. Paul S. Reply pag. 120 Iohn would not commit all * â— epist verse 1â— To paper and inke And S. Paul gave unwritten commandements to the Corinthians * 1. Cor. 11. 2. praysing them because thâ—y kept such precepts as hee delivered unto them And againe * verse 23. I received
as may sometime deceive a man and therefore though the exposition be true yet how can I be as sure that it is true as I am that S. Iohns Gospell is canonicall I like better of that saying of Marsilius c Dict a Christi five Dei non vera sunt causaliter â—o quod â—iâ—dem testificatur Ecclesia Catholica vero testimonio sed testimonium Ecclesiae causaliter verum est dum dicit dicta christi vera propteâ— veâ—tatem dictorum christi Marsil Desensor pacis part 2. cap. 19. The words of Christ or of God are not therefore made true because the Catholicks Church by a true testimony giveth her testimony unto them but the testimony of the Church is therefore true when shee speaketh the true words of Christ because of the truth of Christs words And as S. Augustine said * August cont epist fundament c. 5. That hee beleevea the Gospell Reply pag. 114. by the authority of the Church so are we to beleeve the Traditions which the Church propoundeth unto us as the word of God 2. I wish our Adversary to consider two things which make the meaning of S. Augustine most evident 1. That S. Augustine speaketh of the primitive Church d Augustinus ibidem Ecclesiam sumit proâ— primitivâ— congregatione fidelium qui Christum viderunt audieruÌ„t sui testes sueruÌ„t Gerson de vitâ spirit lect 2 dâ— S. Augustine saith Gerson in that place taketh the Church for the primitive congregation of the faithfull who did see heare and were witnâ—sses of Christ What is this to the now Roman Church Have you the same power and authority which that Church had Your own Driedo telleth you no. e Ecclesia primitiva propter collegium Apostolorum majoris erat gratiae majorisque authoritatis quam Ecclesia quaenunc est Driedo de dogma l. â— c. 4. The primitive church by reason of the colledge of the apostles was of greater grace and of greater authority then the Church which now is If the Iesuite speake of the Traditions delivered by that Church we refuse them not let him prove this or that to be a Tradition delivered by the Apostles and we will beleeve it but if he speake of the now Roman Church his argument is of no force and as S. Augustine beleeved not the Gospell by the authority of that Church so wee will not beleeve the Traditions taught by her 2. That this was the occasion why he alledged the authority of the Church S. Augustine had beene for nine yeares a Manichee and now having to deale with the Manichees to convert them hee propoundeth unto them the authoritie of the Church to move them even as in the time of his heresie it moved him This he speaketh of the time past I had not beleeved the Gospell if the authority of the Church had not moved me But afterward being converted and made a Bishop he maketh a better confession saying f I am credere coeperam nullo modo te fuisse tributurum tam excellen tem illi scripturae per omnes jam terras authoritatem nisi per ipsam tibi credi per ipsam te quaeri voluâ—sses Aug. confess l. â— c. 5. Now I began to beleeve that thou wouldest not have given so excellent authoritie unto the Scripture it selfe â—ver the whole world but that by it thou wouldest be beleeved and by it thou wouldest be sought This is all that can be gathered out of S. Augustine that the Church is a good motive to perswade men to beleeve the word of God and not that it is such a Doctor that can give such lawes as shal be equall with the word of God S. Augustine confesseth that he had an other motive to perswade him to beleeve besides the authoritie of the Church g Se Carthagine motum esse disputatione cujusdam Elpidij cui Manichâ—i imbeâ—illa responsione restiterint August confess l. 5. c 11. Being at Carthage he was moved to beleeve by the disputation of one Elpidius whose arguments the Manichees were not able to answere But every mover is not a Law-giver h 1. Pet. 3. 1. The honest conversation of the wife may move the husband to beleeve must he therefore beleeve whatsoever she shall say I may aswell inferre thus the testimonie of the Iewes moveth us to beleeve the old Testament therefore we must beleeve their Cabbala their Masoreth and all their unwritten Traditions We are willing to i Math. 22. 21. give unto Cesar the things which are Cesars and unto God the things which are Gods and therefore wee give unto the Church the ministery to allure us and to move us to beleeve the word of God and to the Scripture the dignity and authority to be the onely word of God If the Church were bound not onely to preserve the sacred Reply pag 124 writings but also to deliver the forme of wholesome doctrine contained in them why should she not be likewise bound to preserve the sacred Traditions and to deliver the forme of wholesome doctrine in them contained And why should not we receive them upon her credit 3. If unwritten Traditions had beene committed to her trust there is no doubt but that she ought to preserve them and to deliver them as shee received them to keepe nothing backe but to deliver the whole counsell of God and to teach the forme of wholesome doctrine whether written or unwritten but unwritten Traditions are no wholesome doctrine they are part of that poysonous potion that bewitching doctrine which is in the golden cup of that glorious Religion for outward shew of the Scarlet coloured beast of Rome And though it were true that the Church received unwritten Traditions and that she is bound to teach them yet how can I be assured that this or that is a true Tradition as sure as I am of any written article of my faith That Christ dyed I beleive because the Scripture saith it that this is a Tradition you beleive it because a Father the Fathers or the Church saith it Can a man beleive that testimony which may be false as sure as he beleiveth that cui non potest subesse falsum No humane testimony can beget that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or full assurance which a divine Testimony doth k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Clemons Alex. Strom. 1. 7. Wee regard not an humane testimonie let us confirme the question by the Word of GOD which is the surest demonstration yea the onely demonstration saith Clemens of Alexandria It is l 2. Pet. 1. 19. more sure then the testimonie of men and of Angels Epiphanius layeth downe these for the limites and bounds Reply pag. 125 of our faith * Epiph hâ—res 55. Apostolicall Traditions and the holy Scriptures and the succession of doctrine by which Gods truth is fortified on every side that no man should be deceived with fabulous novelties 4. None of the Ancient were more deceived with
Lord God of Israel hath entred by it And so are many of our Adversaries who defend that shee vowed perpetuall virginity by these words p Luc. 1. 34. How shall this be seeing I know not man That Sunday ought to be kept holie Reply 14. This is a doctrine warranted by the Scripture S. Augustine thinketh that it was tipisied q August epist 1 9. ad â—anâ—aâ— â— 13. by the â—ight day appointed for Circumcision and that it was taught by Christs resurrection upon that day We finde in Scripture that it is called r Revel 1. 10. The Lords day and upon this Ribâ—â— observeth that I may oppose one Iesuite to another that which this Iesuite cannot see Å¿ Videmus hic etiam tempore Apostolorum Sabbathi solemnitatem mutatam esse in dieâ— Dominicum Riber in Apoc. c. 1. We see even here that in the times of the Apostles the Sabboth was changed into the Lords day We finde that day ordained by S. Paul for t 1. Cor. 16. 1. holy duties so Chrysostome Ambrose Remigius Primasius and many others expound that place And we find the observance of it u Act. â—0 7. by the Apostles themselves in preaching of the word and administring of the Sacrament upon that day That Easter day be celebrated alwayes upon Sunday Reply pag. 126. 15. It is a decent order in the Church to observe the feast of Easter and there is no day fitter then Sunday for it but we deny the observing of it upon Sunday upon another day or upon any day to be a point of faith It is only a custome or ordinance of the Church and therefore commeth not within the compasse of this Question x Controversia de die Paschatis diu â—eterum Ecclesias exercuit Socrat. l. 5. c. 22. This Question about Easter day saith Socrates troubled the Churches a long while The Churches of Asia unto which S. Iohn wrote pleaded his Tradition for the 14. day other Churches observed Sunday alledging the Tradition of Peter and Paul at the last it was determined in the Councell of Nice that it should be kept upon Sunday not as if it were a point of faith but because it was a decent order 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c It is a comely order saith Constantine in his letters written to the Bishops that were absent which the Churches of the West North and South doe observe And Epiphanius saith of the Audians y Epiphan in Anacephal They are of the same faith in all things with the Catholicke Church And yet they kept the Passeover as did the Iewes And truely they that deny this to be sound Doctrine cannot Reply possibly have any sure ground for their Faith For how can they prove that they have any word of God at all but onely by the Tradition and authority of holy Church how will they know which bookes of Scripture be canonicall which not c How shall those Heretickes be disproved who denied the Canticles the foure Gospells c How shall those five Gospels attributed unto Thady Thomas Barnabe Bartholomew and Andrew be disproved c but by the authority of the Church Why then doth he condemne such Traditions 16. Such Traditions we condemne not In the stateing of this Question it doth appeare that we allow modum tradendi the manner of delivery of the volume of Gods written word by the authority or testimony of the Church and all this concerneth the manner of deliverie In this the Iesuite not onely belyeth our Doctrine but also shrinketh from the Question hee should prove that unwritten Traditions are the word of God but he goeth about to prove that by an unwritten Tradition namely by the authority and testimony of the Church a man may know that there is a word of God and which bookes are the word of God and which are not All Questions are not to be disputed of saith z Aristot l. 1. Topic. c. 9. Aristotle Of all things this is most sure and ought to be beleeved that the Scripture is the word of God As he that a Hebâ— 11. 6. Will come to God must first beleeve that God is so he that will come to the knowledge of Gods word must first beleeve that there is a word of God and that the Scripture is this word To doubt of this is to deny a most sure principle and to dispute of this is to take away the very ground of this Question If this Question were given Whether Heaven covereth all things if the opponent should argue thus It doth not cover it selfe therefore it doth not cover all things Wee would judge him a sillie Sophister The trifling Iesuite disputeth after the same manner The Scripture doth not discover all points of faith because it doth not discover it selfe to be the word of God But this point is excepted by the Question it selfe for when the Scripture saith b 1. Cor. 15. 27. That all things are put downe under him it is manifest that he is excepted which did put downe all things under him So when we say that the Scripture declareth all points of faith it is manifest that this is excepted it needeth not declare it selfe to be the Scripture or the word of God As the first good is to beloved for it selfe so the first truth is to be beleeved for it selfe saith c Aquinas in Prolog in sent Aquinas The Scriptures are accounted among those things which are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be beleeved for themselves yea they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most worthy of beleife being like Principles in an Art which oportet discentem credere the Learner must beleeve as d Basil in Psal 115. Bafill saith So that in this disputation this must be datum a thing granted and taken pro concesso that the Scripture is the word of God e August Confessâ—l 6. c. 5. Heare them not saith S. Augustine who demaund How doe you know the Scripture to be the word of God for that is a thing to be beleeved Yet we wil be content to answere this foolish demaund and to shew by what meanes we know which bookes are canonicall and which are counterfeit We know the Scriptures to be the word of God by those arguments which we finde in them They neede not testify for themselves but it is to be presupposed as a pracognitum that they are the word of God yet they beare witnesse for themselves The Scripture is a witnesse to it selfe saith f Testis est ipsa Scriptura Bellarm de verb Dei â— 1 c. 2. Bellarmine g Humana dicta argumentis testibus cgeâ—â— Dâ—i auâ—em sermo ipse sibi testis est Salvian de gubernatâ— Dei Humane sayings saith Salvian neede arguments and witnesses but the word of God is a witnesse to it selfe h Scotus in prolog in l. 1. sent q. â— Scotus proveth it by eight arguments taken out of the Scripture it selfe the
which I will breifly repeat By the Majesty of the Speaker by the titles of the Bookes by the power of the doctrine in the conscience by the simplicity and purity of the stile by the truth of the predictions by the agreement in all things though written by sundry persons in sundry places and at sundry times by the perfection of it and by the testimony which our Saviour giveth unto the i Luc. 24. 27. old Testament k 2. Pet. â— 16. S. Peter to the Epistles of S. Paul and S. Paul to the whole l 2. Tim. 3. 17. Scripture By all these it is more then probable and credible that the Scripture is the word of God These are sufficient arguments to beget an acquired faith in any man if the m 2. Cor. 4. 4. God of this world hath not blinded his eyes so that he cannot n Psal 119. 1â— see the wonderfull things contained in the Law The naturall man is blinde and o 1. Cor. 2. 14. perceiveth not the things of God by his active understanding neither can he conceive them by his passive understanding although they be most evidently revealed and therefore God worketh in his owne an infused faith and openeth their eyes that they may see and beleeve this truth There is p In Scripturis est Sol justitiae August in Psal 80. in the Scriptures the Sunne of righteousnesse as S. Augustine saith a blinde man cannot see this Sunne no more then a blinde man can see the Sunne in the Heavens as therefore the eye of the body must be light that it may see the Sunne so must the eye of the soule be spiritually illuminated that it may see this Sunne of righteousnesse This is wrought outwardly by the word which q Psal 19. 8. giveth light unto the eyes and inwardly by the spirit which r 1. Cor. 2. 11. onely knoweth the things of God and worketh this by Å¿ Origen de Principijs l. 4. c. 1. working upon the spirit and the understanding as Ovigen sayth And when the heart is purified that a man doth the will of GOD then he shall t Ioh. 7. 17. knowe whether the doctrine bee of GOD or no. And as a friend knoweth the voyce of his friend so the spouse of CHRIST and the sheepe of CHRIST know his u Cant. â— â— Ioh. 10. 4. voyce These are the meanes by which wee know the Scriptures to be the Word of GOD by which we know what bookes are canonicall and which are counterfeit And for the manifestation of this truth we doe likewise allow the testimony of the Church these cautions remembred 1. The testimony of the Church is one but not the onely meanes He that knoweth the Sunne to bee the Sunne onely because he is told so and hee that knoweth his horse to be his horse onely because the hostler telleth him so is as wise a man as he that knoweth not the Scripture to be the Scripture but onely because holy Church telleth him so I will demaund one thing of this Iesuite if a man deny the Scripture will he not convince him by the authority of the Church which testifieth for the Scripture And if he deny the testimony of the Church will he not convince him by the authority of the Scripture which testifieth for the Church Thus is he forced to daunce in a circle and in the end to bring all conclusions to be proved by the Scripture We rather hold that the Scripture is the onely meanes to know the Church by then that the Church is the onely meanes whereby to know the Scripture So saith the Authour of the imperfect Worke upon Matthew x Anteâ— multis modis â—stendebaâ—ur quae esset ecâ—lesia Christ quae gentilitas nunâ— autem nullo modo cognos cituâ— volentibus cogâ—oscere quae sit ecclesia Christâ— nisi tantummodò per Scripturas Hom. 49. In former times there were many wayes whereby to know which was the Church of Christ and which was Gentilisme but now if a man would know which is the Church of Christ the Scripture is the onely meanes whereby to know it And S. Augustine sheweth us where we must seeke for the Church y In prâ—scripto legis in Pro phetarum praedictis in Psal morum â—antibuâ— in ipsius pastoris vocibus in Evargelistarum praedicationibus laboribus hoc est in omnibus canonicis sanctorum librorum authoritaâ—ibus Aug. de unitat Eccles c. 16 In the prescript of the Law in the predictions of the Prophets in the Psalmes in the words of the Pastour himselfe in the Sermons and labours of the Apostles that is in the canonicall authority of the holy Bible 2. The authority of the Church is a meanes to declare which is the canonicall Scripture but not to make the Scripture canonicall as he that declareth Ignatius to be canonized for a Saint doth not thereby canonize him it is a good argument not à priori but à posteriori as when the Gold-smith declareth the Gold to be good But the Romanists speake most disgracefully of the Scripture z Scripturas valere quantum fabulae Aesopi si destituantur authoritate Ecclesiae Heâ—man apud Breut in Prolegom That the Scriptures are no better then Aesopes fables if they want the authority of the Church And without the authority of the Church a Se non plus fidei adhibiturum quam Tito Livio Gul. Bailius Catech. contr tract 1. q 12 They will beleeve them no more then Titus Livie Thus I have made good my promise and have runne the wilde goose chase after this Gagler in these three Sections who at last seeing his fault that all this while he hath answered nothing that hath beene objected confesseth That it is time for him to examine the Scripture which is produced against unwritten Traditions In reexamining of what he hath examined it shal be made manifest that SECT V. The Iesuite useth most silly shifts in answering the Scripture which is produced against unwritten Traditions THe three observations gathered by the Iesuite in the beginning of this Section are already answered and therefore I neede not actum agere yet I wil be content to give them a touching answer First the Traditions which we maintaine Reply p. 127. cannot be said to be precepts or commaundements of men but of God himselfe forasmuch as they proceede immediatly from Christ and his Apostles 1. Are your Ecclesiasticall Traditions immediately from Christ and his Apostles Your solemne baptizing of Bells Your Friday faste and the like can you proove thier originall to be immediatly from Christ and his Apostles Secondly that the like our Traditions are not any Reply pag. 128. way contrary or repugnant to the truth of holy Scripture 2. There is neither sense nor truth in this observation The likâ— our Traditions are not is none sense not contrary to the truth of holy Scripture is contrary to the truth That it is a
were not more repugnant to the Law of GOD then Popish are yeâ— even to every commandement That title given to the Pope 〈◊〉 Dâ—â—â—â—oster Papa The Lord 〈◊〉 God the Pope is repugnant to the 1. That Images are to be worshipped iâ— repugnant to the 2. That unwritten Traditions doe supply the defâ—ct of the written word is adiâ—â—â—on our to it and repugnant to the 3. That a Saints day is more duely to be observed then the Lords 〈◊〉 iâ— repugnant to the 4. That a man may give his goods unto the Church and let his parents starve â—â— repugnant to they That â—n some â—ases the subject may kill his King is repugnant to the 6. That the Stewes may be permitted and Preists allowed their Concubines is repugnant to the 7. That religious persons may enâ—ise and steale such children from their parents as wil be fit for their turne is repugnant to the 8. The doctrine of Aequivocation is repugnant to the 9. And that lust without consent is no sinne is repugnant to the last Can these be repugnant to the Scriptures and be Traditions deduced by sound inference from the Scriptures This the Iesuite affirmeth of them his reason is The Scripture commaundeth us to obey the Church and Reply pag. 130. the holy Ghost teacheth the Church all truth and Christ is present with his Church unto the worlds â—nd and hee that heareth the Church heareth God and the Scripture commâ—ndeth Traditions and commaundeth us to holde fast what the Apostles have delivered withâ—â—â— writing And the Church in all ages hath taught unwritten Traditions c. This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his â—â—ckow song and all these texts of Scripture we have already * Sect. â— answered This is a budget wide enough to holde all the trash of Romish Traditions it is his gladius Delphicus which serveth for all uses If this argument be found there needeth no more Scripture then this Obey the Church This giveth you power quidâ—â—bâ—â— addendâ— to say what you list and it will beare you out But it is a false argument consisting of quatuor termini for the Scripture speaketh of one Church and the Iesuite of an other the Scripture commendeth written Traditions and the Iesuite is all for unwritten Traditions The holy Scriptures not onely are able to make us * â— Tim. 3. wise Answer unto salvation which they should not be able to doe if they did not containe all things necessary to salvation but also by 〈…〉 of God that is the * 1. Tim. 6. 11. Minister of Gods word 〈◊〉 whom i◠〈◊〉 to * Act. 20. 27. declare all the counsell of God may bee perfectly instructed to every good worke which could not be if the Scripture did not containe all the counsell of GOD which was sit for him to learne or if there were any other word of GOD which he were bound to teach that should not bee contuined within the limites of the Books of GOD. Thus saith the Answerer The Iesuite would willingly writ he himselfe out of these words he windeth and turneth himselfe every way like an Eele that is taken he snatcheth and catcheth like a man ready to be drowned yâ—t every thing that commeth in his way His first shift is this There is no such saying in the Apostles writings as this Reply pag. 131. The Scriptures are able to make us wise unto salvation He saith indeed that they are able to make Timothy wise unâ—o salvation â—t lessâ— he will say thâ—â— whatsoever S. Paul affirmeth of Timothy may be applyed unto us all which is most absurd For who will say that the Apostle * 1. Tim. 5. 23. forbidding Timothy to drinke water doth thereby forbid us all in like manner 6. There is not the least word in Scripture spoken of the Church of the Apostles and of Traditions but our Adversaries doe apply it generally unto themselves onely this because it concerneth the power of the Scriptures must be peculiar unto Timothy and not applyed unto all But evill should not the Scriptures be as able to make us at Timothy wise into Salvation either it must be because hee had better meanes to be made wise then wee have or because having the same meanes he was more to 〈◊〉 of this wisedome Not the first if it be true which the Iesuite observeth That Timothy 〈◊〉 onely the old Testament 〈◊〉 wee have both the old and the h 1. Cor. 2. 14. Psal 119 18. new Nor the second because the understanding is alike corrupted in all 〈◊〉 it is not â— capable of this saving wisedome untill GOD ◠〈…〉 it And this 〈◊〉 of his absure instance of Timothyes not drinking 〈◊〉 which declareth his braines to be as weake us Timothyes stomack because all stomackâ— arâ— not â—ike weake but all menâ— understandings untill they are sanctified are alike wicked and uncapable of holy things What therefore S. Paul here affirmeth of Timothy may be applyed unto all and it is applyed unto all by Chrysostome on this text saying Verily the Apostle speaking this of Timothy â—â—th thâ—râ—py admonish all men His second shift is this Though we should graunt this that the Scriptures are Reply pag. 1â—1 able to make us wise unto salvation yet is doth not follow from thence that they containe Expressely all things necessary to Salvation 7. Expressely is an expresse lye an addition of his own for the Answerers inference is this Therefore they containe all things necessary for Salvation Now things are contained in Scripture not onely expressely but like wise by inference His third shift is this It is confessed the cheifest of our Aduersaries that the Reply pag. 131 Apostle in that place meaneth none other but the old Testaâ—ent onely as himselfe declareth plaint enough Thou hast learned the holy Scriptures of a child which are able to make thee wise And the new Testament was not written when Timothy was a childe And will our Answerer graunt that the old Testament alone containeth all things necessary to Salvation then consequently the new Testament iâ—â—â—â—dâ—lesse 8. It is the better for our cause if the Apostle hâ—â—re speaketh onely of the old testament that it is able to make in wise unto Salvation for then both old and new being joyned together must needs containe all thing 〈…〉 Salvation It is confessed that when Timothy was a childe he learned onely the old Testament and then the new was not written but 〈◊〉 when Paul wrote this â— d 1. Thrâ— 4. 6. Epistle unto him he was a 〈◊〉 he was Bishop of Ephesus this Epistle was write him a little before S. Paule death and then all the new Testament was written but onely that which 〈◊〉 added If I should say of an old Iudge that he hath knowne 〈◊〉 of a young Student this doth not exclude his knowledge of such laweâ— as were made in after times so S. Pauls speech of Timothy that he knew the Scriptures of a child doth
therefore though they be glorious things in your eyes they are not holy That of Origen which the Iesuite alledgeth concerning the baptising of Children that it is a Tradition from the Apostles is * Sect. 4. divis 11. formerly answered Hippolytus the Martyr in his third Homily against the Heresie of Noetus There is one God whom we doe not otherwise Answer acknowledge but out of the holy Scriptures For as hee that would professe the wisedome of this world cannot otherwise attaine hereunto unlesse he reade the doctrine of the Philosophers sâ— whosoever of us will exercise piety towards God cannot learne this elsewhere but out of the holy Scriptures c. All this runneth upon the same straine with that which Reply pag. 13â— you even now produced out of Origen and therefore as you repeate the same so wee returne you the same Answer And withall wee desire you with this holy Martyr to understand whatsoever the Scriptures doe teach For they teach you to holde such Traditions as the Apostles gave whether by writing or by word They teach you to hearken unto the Church 4. Hippolytus here taketh the same oath with Origen both give their verdict against unwritteÌ„ Traditions This is the same strain upon which they run His answer unto that of Origen is already confuted if this be the same as indeed it is no wiser then the former but threed-bare and worne out at the elbowes I need not againe confute it It cannot fit with the wordes of this holy Martyr for as it were ridiculous to say The wisdome of this world may be attained unto by reading the doctrin of the Philosophers then to interpret this Not immediatly by reading their writings but mediatly by going to the living Philosophers So it is as absurd to say Our piety towards God may be learned out of the holy Scripture then to interpret this not immediatly out of the Scriptures themselves but mediatly by going to the Church Yea it is more absurd because the writings of the Philosophers are not so wel able to make a man wise for the world as the Scriptures are to make a man wise unto salvatioÌ„ The scriptures teach us to â—â—ld such traditioÌ„s as the Apostles gave but they taught the same doctrines both by Scripture and by word of mouth This maketh nothing for Popish Traditions such the Apostles never gave by writing or by word of mouth They teach us to hearken unto the Church when the doctrine of the Church is consonant with the doctrine of the Scriptures and not to hearken unto the Church when it teaâ—heth otherwise Å¿ Ien â—3 16. Thus saith the Lord of hostes Hearken not unto the words of the Prophets that prophesiâ— unto you and teach you vanity they speak the vision of their owne heart and not out of the mouth of the Lord. Athanasius in his â—ratian against the Gentiles The holy â— Answer Scriptures given by inspiration of God are of themselves sufficient for the discovery of Truth 5. This is an evident testimony directly opposite to the position of our Adversaries which they have learned from condemned Heretickes t Iren. l. 3. c. 2. That truth canâ—ot be found out of the Scriptures by them that are ignorant of Traditions And yet the Iesuite painteth this likewise with false colours answering First the Scriptures discover this truth That wee must Reply p. 139. â—old fast unwritten Traditions We have oft discovered this to be an untruth and for the better discovery of it wee will observe one thing more from the force of the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Athanasius useth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth not a mediate sufficiency as if the Scriptures were sufficient for the discovery of truth because they send us to the Church nor such a sufficiencie as needeth any other helpe as if the Scriptures were sufficient for the discovery of truth by having the helpe of unwritten Traditions joyned with them but as Lambine in his notes upon Aristotles Ethickes observeth u Plurâ—bus verâ—â—is haec vox 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cui nulla respondet Latina est de claranda Est autem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is qui â—â—s bonis contentur satisque copiosè instructus est quique nullas externas opes desiderat Lamb. in Arislot Ethic. â—â— c. 7. This word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be expressed by more words for there is no one Latin word that can fully declare it He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is conâ—ent with his owne store and is furnished with enough and with abundant and desiteth no other helpâ— It is such a selfâ—-sufficienciâ— as is in the heavenly Kingdome of which Theophylact saith x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophyl in Ioh. 18. It is sufficient and needeth nothing Such then is the fulnesse and the selfe-sufficiencie of the holy Scripture that it hath store in it selfe it is fully furnished yea so abundantly that it needeth not the helpe of unwritten Traditions to discover any truth Athanasius here speaketh not of all Truth but of Two speciall Reply p. 130. points of faith onely to wit That Idols are not Gods and that Christ is the onely true God concerning which two articles he wrote thâ—se two bookes to Maearius And for the discovery of those two points the holy Father saith that the Scriptures are sufficient As in these two bookes to Macariâ—s he wrote of these two points and also of many other points for in the first he wrote of the deity of the Father of the immortality of the soule c. And in the second of Christs manhood his incarnation death resurrection c. So here he speaketh not onely of those two points but of all truth in generall that The Scriptures are sufficient for the discovery of truth And therefore in his Tractate of Christs incarâ—ation he taxeth them of great iâ—â—destiâ— which speakâ— the â—hings which are noâ— written Athanasius in that plaâ—e maketh mention not onely of the Reply p. 13â— holy Scriptures but also of the bookes of holy Fathers and to both doth he attribute this sufficiency forasmuch as a man by reading of those bookes may discover the true sense and meaning of the Scripture This is not the true sense and meaning of this Father In the words following though hee maketh mention of the bookes of the Fathers yet he never inteÌ„ded to impart any part of this sufficiency unto them or to make them equall with Scripture as you doe with Traditions but he declareth that they are good coÌ„menâ—aries or helpes for the understanding of the holy Scriptures His words are these There are also many bookes of the holy Fathers in which if a â—an imploy himselfe he may in some sort aâ—taine unto the interpretution of the Scripture It is one thing to say that by reading of the bookes of the Fathers a man may in some sort attain unto the interpretation of Scripture
ali soules may be cured and from which every man may take a medicine to heale his disease Now as it is absurde to say This Apothecaries shop containeth all medicines for all diseases because it is written on the shop doore Goe to such a place for them so it is a senselesse thing to say the Scripture containeth all medicines for the Soule because it sendeth to an other for them That of the Embassadours letters of crâ—dence is already * Sect 5. Div. 3 answered And so is that of S. * Sect. â— Div. 2 Basil in commending unwritten Traditions S. Basil teacheth further * Basil in Ethicis Regul â—6 That every word and action ought to be confirmed by the testimony of holy Scripture Answere c. And that it is the property of a faithfull man to bee fully perswaded of the truth of thâ—se things that are delivered in the holy Scripture * Idem ibid reg â—â— c â—2 and not to 〈◊〉 either to reject or to adde any thing thereunto For if whatsoever is not of faith be sinne as the Apostle saith and faith is by hearing and hearing by the word of God then whatsoever is without the holy Scripture being not of faith must needs be sinne These two testimonies the Iesuite passeth over in silence 9. Many other testimonies are produced out of the Fathers by the most reverend Primate as that of Gregory Nissâ—ne * Greg. 〈◊〉 Dialog de Anima Resur In that onely the truth must bee acknowledged wherein the seale of the Scriptures testâ—mony is to be seene Of S. Hierâ—ms * Hieron adv Helvid As we deny not those things which are written so we refuse those things tâ— aâ— are not written That God was borne of a virgin we beleeve because we read it that Mary did marry after she was delivered we beleeve not because wee read it not With those of Theodoret * Theodor dial 2. I am not so bold as to aâ—â—irme any thing that the Scripture hath passâ—d in silence * Idem in Exod. quaest 26 It is an idle and a senselesse thing to seeke those things that are passed in silence These the Iesuite passeth not over in silence but as he is idle and senselesse in seeking after unwritten things so he maketh an idle and senselesse answer in defence of things unwritten These Fathers did alwayes suppose holy Traditions to be Reply p. 143. virtually contuined in the Scripture howsoever they bee not plainely expressed in the same We beleeve the same that there are many holy doctrines which are holy Traditions which are not plainely expressed word for word in the Scriptures and yet we call them doctrinall Traditions written because they are virtually contâ—ined in the Scriptures and by sound inference deduced from them But this maketh nothing for Popish Traditions they are not holy but prophane not written but unwritten not plainely expressed nor virtually contained in the Scriptures but only taught and delivered by a Church and that no true Church but a false Church I have heard of a subtle disputant who would undertake by three distinctions to avoyde any argument were it never so evident the Iesuite goeth beyond him for with this one distinction onely of mediate and immediate he hath answered all the testimonies of these Fathers The vanity of this distinction we have oft discovered and now leave it to the judgment of an understanding Reader 10. And now the Iesuite contrary to the duty of the Defendant becommeth the Assailant hudling together a confused number of testimonyes for unwritten Traditions out of the Fathers But that nothing may scape us without due examination we wil be content once more to run the wilde-goose chase and to hunt him out of every corner The Arians denying that the holy Ghost ought to be worshipped Reply pag. 143 as God and with God alleadged that it was no where written in the Scripture To that we answere thus saith S. Basil * Basil l. de spir Sanct. c. 29. If nothing else that is unwritten be admitted then let this also be rejected but if many mysteries besides this be received of us without writing then I pray you among the rest let this also be received For truely I hold it to be Apostolicall doctrine to adhere also unto unwritten Traditions Amongst which this which we now have in hand is not the meanest for asmuch as they who in the beginning did governe all delivered it unto those that came after them and so by use in processe of time and by continuall custome it hath now taken strong râ—â—ting c. The Iesuite doubted of that Treatise of Basil de fide there is more cause to doubt of this booke de spiritu sanctâ— whether it may not be accounted among the Postuati The Author of it speaketh of Meletius as if he were dead long before him c Lib. de Spir. Sanct. c. 19. They that lived with Meletius say that he was of this opinion but what need I remember the things long past Yet the true Basil and Meletius were Coâ—tâ—neâ— S. Basil wrote foure d Basil epist 56 57. 58. 59. Epistles unto him Yea S. Basil dyed three yeares before for Basil dyed an 378. and Meletius dyed an 381. as e Baron Annal Tom. 4. Baronius observeth Admitting the Author we answer to the matter by distinguishing the doctrine contained in the foâ—me of words from the forme of words it self This doctrine The Holy Ghost is to be worshipped as God is no unwritten Tradition f Basil c. 25. It is agreable to that which is written in other words saith S. Basil And he proveth it by the desâ—ension of the g Idem c. 29. Holy Ghost upon Christ in his baptisme The forme of words of which he disputeth is this Glory be to the Father and to the Sonne with the holy Ghost The question betweene him and the Heretickes was about the syllable Cum whether it were lawfull to say Cum spiritu sanctâ— and not rather In spiritu sanctâ— And in proofe of the lawfullnesse of this forme of words he aâ—â—irmeth this which the Iesuite alleadgeth proving it to be lawfull though it be not written expressely in Scripture as many other rites and customes of the Church are observed though they be not written This Tradition we willingly admit and desire most reverendly to use it in the Lyturgie of our Church Yea we allow the decent rites and orders of the Church and those are the Traditions of which S. Basil disputeth namely of Rituall Traditions Listen a little more and you shall heare him declare that Reply pag. 144 * Basil c. 27 The Doctrines Constitutions of the Church sâ—me of them we have out of the written word some others we receive by the secret hidden Tradition of the Apostles both have equall fâ—ree unto Godlinesse neither can any man that hath the least sight in the things of the Church
already Å¿ Rom. 15. 14. filled with all knowledge What Paul desired to impart unto them he desired to receive the same from them but I hope you will not say that Paul desired to bee taught any unwritten Tradition by them Eusebius also telleth us * Euseb â— 1. de demoâ—str Evang c. â— That the Disciples of our Lord Reply pag. 14â— commended unto the faithfull such things as they learned of their Master partly by writing and partly without writing And therefore * Idem coâ—t Marâ— Episâ— Ancyran The Church from one end of the world unto an other confirmeth her doctrine by testimoâ—â—es out of the Scriptures and by unwritten Tradition 12. I tell you that Eusebius by such things as were delivered without writing meaneth not sâ—ch things as were doctrinall for he commendeth t 〈…〉 in 1. Tiâ— 3. Constaâ—tine his good admonitions given to the Councell of Nice amongst which Theodâ—ret relateth this for one u Theodâ—r l. 1. cap. 7. Consult onely with the Scriptures which doe fully instruct â—â— in such things Other things such as were Rituall might be commended without writing Neither doth Eâ—sâ—bius say That such things were delivered to the Faithfull without writing * Illis autem qui animas adhuc affectibus obnoxias gerebant curationisque indigentes tradidisse quae ijs conâ—enire aâ—bitrabantur idque partim 〈◊〉 partim sine literis Euseb ibid. But unto those whose soules were as yet misled by their affections and stood in need of curing they delivered those things which they judged fit for them partly by writing partly without writing Now if they were delivered unto such as were not perfect but carryed away with the storme of their affections how can they bee unwritten Traditions For according to your Doctrine unwritten Traditions by reason of the dignitie of such great mysteries were not delivered by the Apostles unto such as were unsound and wavering but unto them that were sound stayed perfect and faithfull It is true that the faith was delivered by the Apostles in a diverse manner according to the capacitie of their hearers Sometimes more accurately and sometimes more plainely Sometimes more breifly and sometimes more fully but the same points of faith were still delivered unto all both by writing and without writing The Iesuite in favour of his cause falsely translateth that other testimony of Eusebius Thus it is to be englished * Ecclesia ex divinis Scripturis testimoniâ— ex non scripta Traditione confirmaâ— The Church confirmeth the testimonies of Scripture by unwritten Tradition Howsoever it be translated it maketh no more for unwritten Traditions then it doth for the writings of the Fathers and of the Heathen themselves because the Church confirmeth her doctrine by the testimonies of the Fathers and likewise of the Heathen This inference is as sound S. Paul confirmed his doctrine by the testimonies of Heathen Poets and so the Church confirmeth her doctrine by the writings of the Heathens therefore those Poets and those heathenish writings are the word of God and are to be compared with the written Word this inference 〈…〉 is as â—ound as this The Church confirmeth the testimonies of Scripture by unwritten Tradition or the Church confirmeth her doctrine by unwritten Tradition therefore unwritten Traditions are as sure as Scripture and are to be compared with it The proofe is not alwayes to bee compared with the thing proved In this present controversie as in all others we make use of the writings of the Fathers and of other helpes yet we give the honour of the day unto the Scriptures they must make the onset they are infallible and are sufficient for the finall determination of all questions of faith yet the field being fought and the enemie vanquished ex superabundanti wee make use of the Tradition of the Church of the writings of the Fathers and of other helpes rather ad pompam then ad pugnam for our greater glory and your greater confusion S. Epiphanius * Epiphan haeres 69. The Father is uncreate and unbegotten Reply pag. 145 but where is this saying written So the word Coessentiall or Consubstantiall is not written And * Idem haeres 75. God hath taught us both by Holy Scripture and also by Tradition 13. In the stateing of this Question we allowed unto the Church the delivery of wholesome words according to the Doctrine contained in the Scripture So that wee dispute not against unwritten words but against unwritten Doctrines And though these wordes Vnbegotten Coessentiall c. are not written yet the Doctrine signified by them is written in other wordes as wee have * Sect. 4. Divis 12. formerly declared This is a doctrine taught us both by holy Scripture and by Tradition By Tradition that is by the preaching of Gods word by which we confesse God teacheth us and not by writing onely This onely concerneth â—â—dum tradendâ— the manner of delivery but the Question is de re tradiâ—â of the matter delivered whether God by Tradition hath taught us any unwritten Doctrines The Iesuite playeth â—ack on both sides now againâ— he leaveth his assayling us by the Fathers and returneth againe to answere the Fathers objected against him like a tired lade hee desireth to â—hange his pace and yet is neither good at trot or amble The holy Scripture Answer saith S. * Cyril l. 7. cont luâ—an Cyrill of Alexandria is sufficient to make them which are brought up in it wise and most approved and furnished with sufficient understanding And â—gaine That which the holy Scripture hath not said by what meanes should wee receive and account it among those things that be true S. Cyrill as the rest of the Fathers under the Reply pag. 145 name of Scripture comprehendâ—th alwayes unwritten Traditions 14. Surely the Seas made his braines adle he went farre to sucke a Bull and here is a Bull indeed He may aswell sâ—â— by a man is meant a bull or under a man is comprehended a bull as to say under Scripture the Faibers alwayes comprehended unwritten Traditions Tradition is oft taken for Scripture but the Scripture is never taken for unwritten Traditions they are as like as light and darknesse This is as good non-sense as the Roman Catholick Church And this saith he appeareth by Cyrils exhortarion * Cyril ho. â— Heortast Lay up in the inward closet of thy heart the Tradition of the Church as a certaine Treasure lay hold on such actions as are acceptable unto God Call you this an evident proofe It is an evident proofe that your assertion is false seeing you can bring no better a proofe for it Here is no mention of Scripture nor of Traditions nor of unwritten how then doth this prove that under Scripture Cyrill comprehendeth unwritten Traditions I know the word Tradition may be taken for Scripture but under Scripture to comprehend unwritten Traditions is as usuall with the Fathers as truth is
with the Iesuite In Theodoret we meet with these kinde of speeches * Theodor. dialog 1. By the Answer Scripture alone am I perswaded * Idem in Genes q 45. we ought not to seeke those things which are passed in silence but rest in the things which are written Vnwritten Traditions are not passed in silence by the Reply pag. 145. Scripture neither â—ought you to gainsay them if you wil be perswaded by the Scripture And truely we may not doubt of the meaning of Theodoret if wee note well what hee recordeth in his Historie to wit that the Fathers of the Nicen Councell condemned the Arians by unwritten Tradition 15. As unwritten Traditions are not Scripture so they are not contained in Scripture I confesse the Scripture doth not passe them in silence no more then it doth Iudaâ— but it is to condemne them The Scripture doth containe some Traditions such are written Traditions and such was the Tradition established in the Councell of Nice against which the Arians disputed This Iesuite hath gathered his basket of scraps from Bellarmines full table out of whom hee might have learned to cite the place aswell as the words The words are these * Theodor. l. 1. c. 1. By unwritten words yet some bookes reade it by written words pioâ—sly understood they were condemned It is not materiall how we reade it either by written words or by unwritten words for our Question is not of unwritten words but of unwritten Doctrines The unwritten words were Coessentiall or Consubstantiall which words though they are not written letter for letter in Scripture yet the Doctrine signified by those words is written in other words as we have oft showed and once more will make it appeare Athanasius was one of the Nicâ—nâ— Councell and the wordes cited out of Theodoret are taken out of * Athanas in Epistol ad Afros Athanasius and yet the Iesuite hath * pag 119. formerly declared unto us the judgement of this holy Father That the Scriptures are sufficient for the discovery of this truth that Christ is God So that by the opinion of this holy Father the Arians might be condemned by Scripture aswell as by unwritten words the wordes being unwritten and yet the doctrine written Theodoret in the same Chapter cited by the Iesuite addeth this out of Athanasiâ—â— that they of that famous Councell Gathered testimonies out of the Scriptures and by them condemned the Arians Adde unto this the grave oration which the great learned Emperour Consâ—antine made in that Councel in which he concludeth with this exhortation unto which they all yeelded * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodor. l. 1. c 7. Let us resolve the things in question by the divine Scriptures In those things saith S. * August de doct Christian l. â— c. 9. Reply pag. 146. Augustine which are plainely laid downâ— in the Scriptures all those things are found which appertâ—ine to faith and direction of life Can you inferre therefore that Traditions are not necessary Answer and may you not inferre also that therefore your Doctrines deduced by sound inferences are as needlesse S. Augustine speaketh in this place not of all and every point in particular but onely of such points as are generally necessary for every one to know as the Creed the ten Commandements and the like 16. Vnwritten Traditions and sound inferences differ as much as truth and errour sound Inferences are plainly though not expressely word for word contained in the Scriptures but for unwritten Traditions there is neither plaine nor expresse warrant in them You declare S. Augustines meaning contrary to his minde hee speaketh of all things you of some things appertaining to all persons hee speaketh of the Scripture that in some places it is plaine in other places obscure you of points of faith which are necessary for some but noâ— for every one to know he saith in the plaine places all things that appertaine to faith are lâ—ide downe you say all plaine points of faith are laide downe in Scripture Is there not a plaine difference betweene your interpretation and S. Augustines text Wee know that there are some things necessary some things not necessary to be knowne Whosoever will be saved saith Athanasius in his Creed which is sung in your Church it is necessary that he holde the Cutholicks faith Other things there are which are not necessary y Athanas ad Scrap We must know that God iâ— and that be is a rewarder but how wee neede not know saith the same Father And S. Augustine writing of the Question how the soule becommeth tainted with originalâ— sinne saith z Credo etiâ—m divinorum â—loqâ—oruâ— clarisâ—imâ— authoritâ—â— esset si â—oâ—o illâ—â— sine dispendio promissâ— salutiâ— ignorare â—on possâ—â— August l. â— de peccat merit c. ultimo I beleeve that the Scripturâ—â— would â—ikewise declare this plainely if it were a thing of which a man could not be ignorant without the lesse of salvaâ—iâ—â— But this doctrine was never knowne to S. Augustine neither doe wee receive it That there should bee paints of faith which are necessary for all and those should bee contained in the Scriptures and that there are points of faith not necessary for all but onely for some and those should not bee laide downe in the Scripture a â—phes 4. 5 There is one Lord one faith one baptisme As one Lord of Priest and people and one baptisme for all so but one faith for all even an * Verse 1â— unity of faith for Pasters Teachers and for the Saints How can this faith be Catholicke if the same faith be not necessary for all his onely answer must be this That unwritten Traditions are no part of the Catholicke faith that they are not generally necessary for all to know if they were they would bee found among those things which are plainly laid downe in Scripture b Vna fideâ— quia unum idem creditur à â—unctis fidelibus unde catholicadiâ—tur Aquin. in Ephes 4. There is one faith saith Aquinas because one and the same thing is beleeved of all the faithfull and therefore it is â—alled Catholickâ— There is no specificall but only a graduall difference betweene the faith and knowledge required of the Priest and of the people and the Scripture maketh both the man of God and a godly man perfect and thoroughly furnished to every good worke This answer of the Iesuite is not unlike that answer made by a Chaplia of Bâ—shop Bâ—â—ners unto the Martyr Haâ—kes c Fox his Acts. pag. 1586. That the Scriptures are sufficient for salvation but not for instruction And I answere as the Martyr did God send â—e the salvation and you the instruction If in the things plainely laide downe in Scripture all things are found which are generally necessary for every one to know why then doe you teach That it is not found in Sâ—ripture that the * pag.
p. 164. alledge not onely the same Text which ancient Heretickes alledged but also directly in the same sense When S. Augustine urged Maximinus the Arian with unwritten Traditions hee received this Answer from him * Aug. l. 1. cont Max. These sayings which are not in Scripture may not be received of us seeing our Lord warning us doth say Without cause doe they worship me tâ—â—ching for Doctrines the commandements of menâ—â—â—nd is not this selfe-same text the first which you in like manner produce against unâ—ritten Traditions 6. S. Augustine did not urge Maximinus with unwritten Traditions they disputed of unwritten sayings not of unwritten but of a written doctrine by unwritten sayings he urged him Wherefore we say for our selves it is a directlye for directly in the same sense wee alledge it not We alledge it against unwritten Doctrines not against unwritten sayings as that Arian did and we receive unwritten sayings which are not in Scripture although wee refuse to receive unwritten Doctrines This is a verball argument taken â— verbis ad res How can it be in the sâ—â—â— sensâ— and against the same truth when we receiuâ— both the saying and the Doctrine rejected by that Arian Irenaus and Tertullian doe openly make it knowne that the Valentinians Gnosticks and Mareionits condemned unwritten Reply pag. 156 Traditions Hilarie Epiphanius and Augustine doe testifie the same of the Arians S. Basil of the Eunomians The Donatists pleaded onely for Scripture denying the authority of the Church and of Traditions and yet S. Augustine still pursued them with unwritten Traditions 7. In all this the Iesuite harpeth upon three strings 1. That the Hereticks did plead onely for Scripture 2. That they rejected unwritten Traditions 3. That the Fathers pursued them by unwritten Traditions To the first I answer suppose it were so that the Heretickes did plead onely for Scripture are they therefore Heretickes that doe the same What then shall we say of the Fathers who were as earnest to try all controversies by the Scripture as the Heretickes were This maketh men Hereticks saith S. Augustine i Non quod Scripturas non contemnunt sed quod eas non intelligunt Aug. Epist 222. Not because they fly to the Scriptures but because they understand them not The Fathers did not condemne the Hereticks for appealing unto Scripture but as we haâ—â— shewed out of Irenaeus Tertullian for speaking disgracefully of it that truth could not bee knowne out of Scripture by them that were ignorant of Tradition because all things were not delivered in Scripture Theodoâ—et setteth forth the practice of the Heretickes in this manner Å¿ S. vides ni petitisè Scripturis demonstrationibus stultitiam suam constringinum Scripturae recusant scopum usum Si quando vero putart nudum aliquod effatum à genuinâ recisum Orationis sene ad suum propositum accommodant â—uis confirmandis Theodor in opusc cont vanas haeres Whensoever they saw that their folly was discovered by demonstration taken out of the Scriptures then they denyed the scope and the use of Scripture And if at any time they thought that there was any bare saying which being severed from the 〈◊〉 meaning might servâ— for their turne that they made use of to confirme their opinions Yet whensoever they appealed unto Scripture the Fathers accepted of the challenge and â—ought with them at those weapons l Lapidandoâ— esse Haereticos Scripturarum argumeâ—tis Athan. Orat. coâ—t Arâ—an They accouÌ„ted the Scriptures to be the touchstone of truth Heretickes are tâ—â—e stoned with the arguments of Scripture saith Athanasiâ—â— u Sicut salâ—atâ—r vâ—rbo doctrinae suae silentium imposuit Sadducâ— is sic â—aeient Christi imitatores exâ—mplis Sâ—rit turarum quibus oportet secundum sanam doctrinam omnem voâ—em abmâ—â—es ere hâ—raonis Origen tract 23. in Mat. As our Saviour by the word of his Doctrine put the Sadduces to silence so must we by the examples of Scripture if we will be the fâ—llowers of Christ by the which according unto sound Doctrine wee ought to stop the mouth of every proud Pharaâ—h saith Origen S. Augustine did not reject the appeale of the Donatists unto Scripture as if it were coraâ— non Iudice but commendeth it as the best way as appeareth by his Answer unto x Aug. l. 5. contra Donat. c. 2â— Cyprians appeale in the same point unto the same Iudge and by his severall Answers to the Donatists themselves y Sunt libri dominici quorum authoritatiutrique consentimus ibi quaeâ—anius ecclesiam ibi discutiamâ—s causam nostram Idâ—â— de unitat â—cles cap. 3. There are the bookes of the Lord unto whose authoritie wee both submit in them let uâ— seeke for the Church by them let us examine our cause And againe in his sixth Chapter Reade this out of the Law out of the Prophets out of the Psalmes cut of the Gospels and Epistles reade it and wee will believe it The hope of prolonging the controversies of tiring the Orthodoxe this moved the Heretickes to appeale to the Scriptures that so the sentence might not finally passe against them as if the Iesuite being questioned before an inferiour Iudge for his Religion should appeâ—le unto his Majestie to gaine time thereby And as wee see some men that love trouble appealing from Court to Court to vexe their Adversaries though their cause bee never so bad S. Paul z Act. â—5 â—â— appealed unto Caesar so did his enemies was Caesar therefore no sufficient Iudge In like manner as the Fathers appealed unto Scripture so did the Heretickes Is therefore this practice evill Or is the Scripture therefore no sufficient Iudge The more doe appeale unto it the more witnesses there are of the sufficiency of it Origen giveth this reason why the Tempter used Scripture a Origen 〈◊〉 3. in Luc. Because if hee had spoken without booke his words could have had no authoritie You may aswell say that we learned this doctrine from the Devill as from Heretickes It is a truth which the Fathers have taught which the Heretickes acknowledged and the Devil believeth it and he is worse then an Heretick then the Devil that will deny it To the second I answer As all Heretickes rejected not Traditions so all that reject Traditions are not Hereticks Traditions are either written or unwritten they rejected some written Traditions and those were points of faith else they could not be Heretickes but all poinis of faith necessary for all to know as the * pag. â—4â— Iesuite hath confessed are expressed in the Scripture He nameth the Valentinians Guosticks and Marcionites and these taught against the nature of Christ and against the resurrection and the like as he confesseth Againe the Arians and the Ennomians and they taught against the Deitie of Christ and of the holy Ghost And for the Donatists they taught against the unitiâ— of Bapâ—ismâ— All these we have proved to bee written Traditions rejected
that they are good subjects The evil of the fact we deny for thogh they used not the word Tradition yet they used such a word as declared the meaning of the holy Ghost in those places What will you say for your vulgar Latin in which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not alwayes translated Tradition but sometimes l 1. Cor. 11. 2. Praecepta in English not Traditions but precepts I may say of the Septuagint as somtimes Galatinus said of the Chalde Paraphrase that it is rather an expositioÌ„ in some places then a Translatiö yet the Apostles in alledging the old Testament did usually follow the m Compare Prov. 3. 34. with I am 4. 6. and Prov 11. 31. with 1. Pet. 4. 18. Septuagint rather then the Hebrew So that Translators may sometimes varie from the originall word yet be blameles aslong as they retain the senâ—e inteÌ„ded by the holy Ghost in that word Thus our Translators have done there is only a verball or grammaticall no reall or doctrinall difference betwixt the original the translation Tradition is a doctrin ordinance instruction or institutioÌ„ again doctrine ordinance instruction or institution is a Tradition And if Beza must be censured for translating it The doctrine delivered not Traditions then what say you to those books which are approved yetrender it by n Syrus Interpres commandements o Vatabl. Bibl. Institutions not TraditioÌ„s If it be a Tradition it is a deliverie a delivery must have somthing delivered it could not be a delivery of rites because they have litle power to keep out the man of sin the Apostle gave that exhortation it must needs be a deliverie of doctrine or a doctrine delivered As for his exception at the change of the number we may account this among the number of his Cavils for by doctrine delivered he meaneth not one singular doctrine but all the whole summe of S. Pauls doctrine Many words grow out of use thorough abuse Tyrannus of old signified a King Hostis a stranger Sophista a wise man he would not bee accounted a wise man that should now english them so So of old Traditio was taken diverse wayes for the manner of delivery either by writing or by word of mouth and for written doctrines aswell as for things unwritten but now our adversaries abuse the word and wheresoever they finde it they apply it to unwritten Traditions therefore our Translators did well not to use this word Tradition which being perverted by our Adversaries might become a stumbling blocke to the Reader but rather to use another word which might agree with the Originall and declare the meaning of the Holy Ghost and yet might not bee so easily perverted to a false meaning This cavilling Martin hath another fling at our Translatours Yea they doe so gladly use the word Tradition when it Reply pag. 162 may tend to the discredit thereof that they put the said word in all their English Bibles when it is not in the Greeke at all as * Coloss 2. 20. why are yee led with Traditions And as another English Translation more heretically Why are yee burdened with Traditions Tell us you that professe to have skill in the Greeke whether the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie Tradition Iustifie your Translation if you can either out of Scriptures or Fathers c. Tea tell us if you can why you translate for Tradition ordinance and contrary for ordinance Tradition Tell me why your vulgar Latine allowed by Clement the eight is guilty of the same fault if it be a fault In it the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which â—ignifieth Customes is translated p Act. 6 14. Traditions and in like manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth Traditions is translated q 1. Cor 11. 2. precepts or customes Tell me that and I will tell you this Tell me why the Translator of Theodâ—ret printed at Cullin an 1573. translateth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Traditions and why Hentenius translating Oecumenius translateth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Institutions Wee can justifie our Translations by Scripture for it calleth these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 t Coloss 2. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doctrines of men and it calleth doctrins of men Å¿ Mat. 1â— Traditions The interpretation of the Fathers doth likewise justifie this translation for S. Ambrose interpreteth this place of such errors Quos humana invenit Traditio which humane Tradition found out What were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pythagoraea but the Traditions of Pythagoras 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie ordinances and if ordinances signifie Traditions why may not the word be so translated Why did the Iesuite himselfe not distinguish more accurately in his translations of the Greeke testimonies betweene these words For commonly he translateth * pag. 143. â— pag. 150 1. pag. 155. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doctrines and taketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ordinances Preachings and Traditions for the same At last he concludeth this Section with a wise observation of his owne The last Translations correcting all the former doth Reply p. 163. clearely declare what a handsome Scripture the poore people relyed upon all the while before that it was not the pure word of God but the corrupt invention of Translators Here is an handsome observation of as wise a divine as Martin himselfe There is but a verball difference betwixt Tradition ordinance and institution if a verball difference corrupteth a translation and maketh it a false invention and no pure word of God what then shall become of all your Latine Translations They cannot be numbred saith S. t Aug. de doct Christ l. 2. c. 11. Augustine u Hieron praesat in Iosh As many bookes so many severall copies saith S. Hierome Vntill the Councell of Trent decreed the vulgar Latine what pure word of God could the Romane church have yea if a verbal difference corrupt a Translation then at this day they have no pure word of God for the vulgar Latine differeth more from the originall then our English doth Lindanus a Popish Bishop confesseth * Lindan de optim generinterpret l. 3. cap. 1â— It hath many corruptions of all sorts c. some things are translated too intricately some improperly and some not truely And such variety and difference there is betweene the Copies themselves that hardly is one like another Yet if they convert the words and doe not pervert the sense no wise man will call them a corrupt invention of false Translators because the truth of Scripture is the sense and not the words and variety of Translations differing onely verbally doth not hinder but rather doth further us to finde out the true sense if wee will wisely compare them together SECT IX The vvhole summe of the Iesuit's Reply being cast up the remainder is nothing 1. NOthing but insolent bragging and vaine tauâ—ologies doe heere in his last Section at the first light
Fathers speaking of the Scriptures as they are Reply p. 168. compared with the writings of men which are but of humane authority say that the Scriptures alone have the prerogative of undoubted truth our Adversaryes give forth that the Fathers hereby doe reduce the certainty of all truth unto the sole Scriptures absolutely 9. As comparisons are odious especially with the Scriptures so this observation is ridiculous we have oft shewed that the Fathers doe give unto the Scriptures not only a coÌ„parative certainty infallibility above the writings of any Doctors whatsoever but likewise do attribute unto them the only assured certainty and the absolute infallibility When S. Peter saith e 2. Pet. 1. 1â— Wee have a more sure word with what doth he coÌ„pare the certainty of the Scriptures only with the writings of the Doctors of the Church No but even with this voyce or unwritten word when it was first spoken This is my welbeloved son Then it was not certaine whether it were the voyce of God or no it might have beene the voyce of an Angell but at that time the writings of the Prophets concerning Christ were more sure because there was more certainty assurance that the Scriptures were the word of God then that this voice was the word of God S. Peters supposed successor holdeth many unwritten Traditions such as God never spake such as the Doctors of the Primitive Church never delivered unto him and all those he would have to be as sure and certaine as Gods written word And suppose the Doctors of the Primitive Church had delivered these Traditions are they therefore as certaine and infallible as the Scripture The Iesuite affirmeth it * Pag 171. if truely figured These Traditions being corroborated by the written attestation of the Saints and holy Doctors this is a warrant of it selfe infallible and undâ—â—bted The Cardinall denyeth it even in this his observation for he granteth us that though the certaintie and infallibilitie of all truth is not to be reduced onely and absolutely unto the Scriptures yet hee holdeth that the Fathers did esteeme the Scriptures to bee more certaine and infallible then the â—ritings of the Doctours of the Church or writings of humane authoritie Here is Manasseh against Ephraim and Ephraim against Manasseh and both against the truth The written attestation of the Doctors is the best authority which the Iesuite can produce for unwritten Traditions thiâ— written attestation is not so certaine infâ—llâ—ble as the Scripture as the Cardinall confesseth then the consequence is sure that unwritten Traditions are not as certaine infallible as the Scripture consequently the certainty infallibility of all doctrine must be reduced only absolutely to the Scripture As for the obedience due unto the commandements of the King given onely by word of mouth whensoever it is proved that God gave necessary commaundements onely by word of mouth which are not written and that the unwritten commandements of the Roman Church are the same wee will give obedience to them 4. When the Fathers disputing with Heretickes doe Reply pag. 168 argue as they say adhominem that is when they urge them out of their owne erroneous principles and provoke them unto the sole authority of the written word our Adversaryes step forth and will have this kinde of arguing to bee universall withall whereas this is the conclusion to bee draweâ— from hence Therefore the Fathers admitted no meane to bee with the Heretickes for tryall of true doctrine but onely the Scriptures For the Heretickes for the most part in the beginning of their disputations would disavâ—w all authoritie of Tradition and of Church save onely that of the Scripture c. Therefore the Fathers to keepe their noses to the grindlestone did onely presse them with Scripture 10. This observation is a very heape of untruths 1. That the Heretickes for the most part in the beginning of their disputations were accustomed to reject Tradition and to flye unto Scripture onely As the Heretickes were many and their opinions different so their practice was diverse the Cardinall cannot prove that tenne of the hundred in the beginning of their disputations did renounce Tradition and onely betooke themselves to Scripture It was rather their practice to alledge Tradition of their owne and never to forsake that fastnesse untill they were beaten out of it They were as earnest pleaders for unwritten Traditions and as great enemies against the Scripture as our Adversaries are or can be And therefore in regard of the first they were stiled f Hieronym l. 2. in Eâ—av c. 3. Deutorotae Tradition-mongers and in regard of the latter they were called g Tertullian de resurrect carâ— Lucifugae Scripturarum owles flying from Scripture 2. That it was an errâ—neous principle in the Heretickes to flye only unto Scripture I reade of the Fathers condemning of Heretickes for flying from Scripture for not understanding the Scriptures for misinterpreting of them but I never read where they were condemned by the Fathers for flying to the Scriptures It is true that the Iewish Cabbalists would reproach those that were given unto the Scriptures with this nickname of Karaim as Roman Traditiâ—n-mâ—ngers call us Scripturiaâ—s but the Fathers never accounted it an error S. Augustine hath cleared this to be no error in coÌ„mending h Aug l 5 cont Donat. c 26. Cyprians appeal unto the Scriptures i Aug. epist 1â—2 this maketh men hereticks saith he nor because they do not contemne but because they do not understand the Scriptures These two untruthes we have * Sect 7. Div. 7 already fully confuted 3. That the Fathers admitted no other meane for tryall of true doctrine with the Heretickes but onely Scripture I will not question the truth of this conclusion because it serveth to our purpose 1. To shew that this is no erroniâ—us principle to flye only â—nto Scripture 2. It overthroweth what the Iesuite affirmed * pag. 153. 156. that the Fathers still produced unwritten Traditions against the Heretickes and that they made Tradition and not Scripture the onely meanes whereby to try true doctrine with Heretickes 3. It manifestly declareth what the Fathers thought of the sufficiencie of Scripture seeing they durst try the points in controversie betweene them and the Heretickes even at their owne weapons and by their owne principle supposing Scripture to be their weapon and their principle As therefore the Fathers dealt with the Heretickes pressing them onely with Scripture so might wee deale with you but we have beene content to bee tryed both by the Scripture and by the Tradition of the Church delivered by the mouth not onely of twelue but also of CCCXVIII Fathers giving their verdict against you 5. When the Fathers doe dispute of a custome or question Reply pag. 169 not yet determined by the Church and consequently Tradition cannot be alleadged for the same then the Fathers provoke their Adversaryes unto Scripture onely And