vnder the signes of bread and wine If there bee no such commandement of our Sauiours then 1 There is no Masse 2 The vertue of the bloody sacrifice is not applyed by the sacrifice of the Masse 3 The sacrifice of the Masse is not truely propitiatory All which are propounded for Articles of saith by the forenamed Councill sess 22. de sacrificio Messae I might say the like of many other points but these may suffice It remaineth that I proue the proposition which must be done by handling the points seuerally First therefore I thus begin with the first The sauing truth or verity taught by Christ and his Apostles Concil Trid. Sess 4. decret de Can. Script is contained saith the Councill in written bookes or in the Scriptures or in vnwritten traditions In this proposition or Article wee must vnderstand that the Scriptures and traditions are made diuers parts of that record wherein the sauing truth is contained so that neither of these parts containeth all but the one some the other some which appeareth plainly by the Council it selfe where describing Traditions it saith that They are not writen that They were receiued by word of mouth from the Apostles and were deliuered to them either by our Sauiour or by his spirit and haue beene so conueyed from hand to hand to the present Church And indeed if this were not the Councils meaning they said nothing at all against vs who make no question but that the ChristiaÌ„s which liued presently after the Apostles did truely gather diuers points out of the Scriptures which haue worthily beene receiued and maintained from time to time Such for instances were these points that our Lord Iesus is true God that the holy Ghost is true God that our Sauiour Christ consisteth of two distinct natures that He is but one person not two These points the Christians rightly drew out of the Scriptures For they bee not expressed there in so many words and these were acknowledged to bee Articles of faith by the foure first generall Councils against Arius Macedonius Eutiches and Nestorius Of this kind there are many traditions in the Church and will daily be more as it shall please God to blesse the labors of his seruants in the reading vnderstanding of the Scriptures Of these we dispute not but onely of such as are not comprised in the Scriptures It would also bee obserued that the Councill saith not barely and simply truth but sauing truth which in all likelihood was put into the decree because we grant that some things concerning rites and ceremonies were deliuered by Bellar de verbo Dei non scripto l. 4 c 3. Sect Secundo dissidemus our Lord or his Apostles which are not recorded in the Scriptures as Bellarmine confesseth Lastly whereas the Councill saith the sauing truth taught by Christ and his Apostles wee must inquire whether they meane vniuersally and wholly whatsoeuer our Sauiour and his Apostles taught not any one sentence excepted or onely so much as was intended for the perpetuall vse of the Church That it meaneth absolutely all sauing truth so taught it may be probably gathered out of the very words of the Councill For it saith that The preaching of Christ and his Apostles is the fountaine of all sauing truth and by and by addeth which truth is contained in written bookes and vnwritten traditions which is all one as if the Councill should haue said in plaine termes All sauing truth taught by Christ and his Apostles is contained in written books and vnwritten traditions Thus haue we the meaning of the Councill now that it may appeare what is true in it what false I will draw it into seuerall propositions namely these 3. 1 All sauing truth taught by Christ and his Apostles is recorded for future ages 2 Some sauing truth is contained in written bookes 3 Some sauing truth is comprehended in vnwritten traditions The two latter propositions viz. the second and third are manifestly in tâ—at article of the Councell the first of the three is necessarily implyed For if some things taught by them remaine not to posterity then all sauing truth so taught is not to be found in the Scripture and tradition because some of it is not at all recorded In the second proposition that Some truth taught by Christ and his Apostles is contained in the Scripture wee wholly agree with them and say farther in particular that All such truths are containd therein as the Lord appointed for the saluation of the Elect in all ages And this is the meaning of our Diuines when they say that All things necessary to saluation are comprehended in the Scriptures Which is manifest by Dr. Reynolds for D. Reynolds proface to his sixe conclusions at conclusion first D Whitaker de script q. 6. c. 6. saying that The Lord teacheth the Church all things necessary to saluation he expoundeth necessary to saluation thus which lead the faithfull to saluation and life And Dr. Whitaker propounding our opinion of the same matter in the same manner interpreteth necessary to saluation in these words by the way of life signifying thereby that Those things are necessary to saluation which teach vs the way to euerlasting life Reuerend B. Iewell speakes to the same purpose B. Iewells Apol. part .. 2. c. 9. diuis 1. that The Scriptures doe fully comprehend all things whatsoeuer bee needfull for our health and that they be the very might and strength of God to attaine to saluation Whereby it is manifest that Bellarmine dealt falsly and De verbo Dei non scripte l. 4. l. 3. Sect. Controversia deceitfully when he propounded the question The controversie saith he betwixt vs and the Heretickes is that we say The whole doctrine necessary to faith and manners is not contained in the Scriptures expresly and therefore besides the written word of God there is also an vnwritten word of God required that is to say Diuine and Apostolicall traditions Wherefore I will leaue Bellarmine with his frauds and debate the point as it is deliuered in the Councell of Trent For the first that All sauing truth taught by Christ and his Apostles is recorded for future ages Bellarmine bringeth no proofe and yet he could not choose but see that there is no necessity in the point it selfe why we should take it for true For it might well be that our Sauiour and his Apostles taught some things which tended to the saluation of some particular men not of all men and therfore might be left vnrecorded without any losse or damage to the Church Therefore we may iustly call for proofe of a point so vncertaine that is made by Bellarmine a matter of faith The third proposition at numb 5. is that Some sauing truth is comprehended in tradition For the better vnderstanding and cleering whereof wee are first to learne what vnwritten traditions are Which the Councell of Trent teacheth vs. Vnwritten traditions are things endicted by our
vs againe to be fellowes and friends with them If we should content our selues to turne to the Pope and to his errours it should be a very dangerous matter both to kindle Gods wrath against vs and to clogge and condomne our soules for euer And in another place he speakes thus to the same purpose As for vs we haue not fallen from the Bishop of Rome cap. 20. dirts 2. vpon any matter of worldly respect but so the case stood that vnlesse we left him we could not come to Christ Dr. Reynolds another shining light of the Vniuersitie D. Renolds of Oxford shewes vs the same truth in another maner viz. in his verses vpon the third conclusion handled in the Schooles Nouemb. 3. 1579. If that ye seeke eternall life see that you Rome forsake Of the same minde was Dr. Whitaker a man for his learning whether we respect reading or iudgement knowne and approued of the Churches of Christ especially this of England We say saith he that the Church of Rome must be D. whitaker de Eccles cont qu. 6 cap. 1. forsaken of all men that desire to be saued And a little after he addes that There can be no saluation hoped for in the Church of Rome Lastlie Mr. Perkins in knowledge and zeale a worthy Scholler of so excellent a Master treading in his footsteps concludes that All those that will be saued must depart M. Pâ—rlins Reformed Chath nâ— the prolog sed Thus then and separate themselues from the faith and religion of the present Church of Rome We haue seene the iudgement of these learned and reuerend Diuines and therein the consent of both the Vniuersities Cambridge and Oxford for their bookes especially the three last were allowed for printing by the principall Doctors of the seuerall Vniuersities then resident in them neither is it to be taken for the iudgement of the Vniuersities onely but also of the whole Church as appeareth euidently by the continuance of it from time to time in the writings of these famous learned men successiuely one after another It was first propounded by that reuerend Father in defence of the Church of England to iustifie our departure from that strumpet of Babylon diuers yeares after proclaimed openly in the publike Schooles by Dr. Reynolds ratified afterwards by Dr. Whitaker in his publike lectures of Diuinitie and last of all confirmed by Mr. Perkins and by euerie one of these published in print with the approbation of our Church and State And this to say the truth hath alwayes beene the iudgement and practise of the Churches of God in all Protestant Countries euer since the last birth and infancy of reformation in this age for the space of more then an hundred yeares for what else hath beene aymed at in so many writings and disputations of Ptotestants but the iustifiing of our deparâ—ure from the Synagogue of Rome Not of a bodily departure saith Mr. Perkins in respect of cohabitation Peform chathol in Prol guâ— and presence but of a spirituÌ„all separation in respect of faith and religion It cannot then reasonly be denyed or doubted but that our Church generally holds separation from the Church of Rome to be a matter of great consequence yea of absolute necessitie especially if we remenber that euery Parish throughout the whole Land is enioyned to haue the Booke of Bishop Iewel with the rest of his workes in their seuerall Churches for all men to read and that they were all new printed to that end CHAP. IIII. wherein the necessitie of separating is proued YOu see from whom I take the point that I haue vndertaken to maintaine from the same men will I ferch the grounds of my disputation What is the reason by which these worthy learned and godly diuines did iustifie the separation of our Church and her continuing separated from the Romish faith let vs heare themselues speake We haue departed from that Church saith thereuerend Father B. Iewel whose erroâ—rs were proued and made B. Iewel Iuf. apol pag. 4. cap. 11. 〈◊〉 1. manifest to the world which Church also had alreadie departed from Gods word and yet we haue not departed so much from it selfe as from the errours thereof What errours They are generally imploÌ„yed in these words of his chap. 10. diuis 2. Ignorance errour superstition idolatâ—◠〈◊〉 inuentions and the same commonly disagreeing 〈◊〉 the holy Scriptures And againe These men haue broke â— in peeces Apolog. pâ— 5. cap 13. divis 1. all the pipes and conduites they haue stopped all the springs and choaked vp the fonntaine of liuing water with dirt and mire And againe Wee haue renounced that Church wherein vve Cap. 15. divis 2. Apol. could neither haue the word of God sincerely taught nor the Sacraments rightly administred nor the nam of God duely called vpon and wherein was nothing able to stay any wise man or one that hath consideration of his owne sasetie To conclude vve part 6. chap. 22. divis 2. haue departed from him saith that learned B. of the Pope who hath vtterly forsaken the Catholicke faith For as Dr. Bilson Dialogue â—â—t 3. Bilson saith most truely No Article of the Church of Rome wherein we dissent from them is Catholicke D. Reynolds speakes not so plaine yet giues us sufficiently to understand that he therefore concluded the Church of RomÌ„e was to be forsaken because she was no sound member of the Catholicke Church nor held the right faith Her unsoundnes he thus sets out The Church Reynolds conclu 5. of Rome is not distempered with a little ague such as hindreth not the functions of life greatly but is sicke of a canker or rather of a leâ—prosy or rather of a pestilence in so much that she is past hope of recouery unlesse our Saviour Christ the heavenly physician doe giue her wholesome medicines to purge her of permcious humors Conclus 5. And in his presace to his sixe conclusions he writes thus Sith â—â— the fellowship of the Church of Rome it was not In Preface at the 6. â—n â—asâ—on lawfull for vs either to serue God with a holy worship or to beleeue God with a holy faith as God hath commanded sâ—â—h the Church of Rome being taken with contagious diseases and a frensie did put her Counsellers to the fire friends to the sword brethren to cruell death and stained the faith of Christ with reproaches creatures with the Lords honour Gods service with Idolatry we went away from Papists not willingly as from mâ—n not vnwillingly as from heritickes But D. Whitaker and M. 〈◊〉 deeccâ—eâ— coâ—â—o 2. quist 6. cap. 1. Perkins are most plaine Wâ— affirmâ— saith D. Whitaker that the Church of Rome is to be shuned of all men and that no salvation is to be hoped for in it yea we say it is to be condâ—mâ—ed as a deepe pitt of heresy and errour M. Perkins avoucheth our departure for the same reason Perkins in prolog Resor Catho The
to be found in the Councell of Trent Sess 4. which is the place I alledged ere-while It is committed singularly to Peter and his successors that they should teach all men what is to bee held concerning the doctrine of faith For the expounding whereof he saith a little after Sect. Si etiam that The Lord speakes of a singular office of teaching the whol Church by appointing and decreeing what is to be beleeued of all men And againe he saith that The Councels Popes execute the office of a Iudge committed Cap. 10. Sect. Respond aliud est to them by God What the Office of a Iudge is he shews in the same place a few lines before To explication after the manner of a Iudge there is authoritie required A Iudge deliuereth his sentence as a thing that necessarily must be followed To conclude hee tells vs in the same tenth chapter that Sect. Septiâ—um argumentum Christians who are sure the Church cannot erre in expounding the doctrine of faith are bound to receiue that doctrine and not to doubt whether those things be so or no. This matter Bellarmine makes plaine to all men by shewing the manner of this Office in this sort The Scripture for Cap. 10. Sect. Respondeâ— Christus It selfe needs not the witnes of men for it is most true in it selfe whether it be vnderstood or not but for our sake it needs the witnes of the Church because otherwise wee are not certaine what bookes are sacred and diuine nor what is the true and proper meaning In the same Chapter he giues vs to vnderstand what manner of foundation the testimony of the church is The word of God deliuered by the Prophets and Apostles is the first Sect. Respondeo Ad hoc foundation of our faith for therefore we beleeue whatsoeuer we beleeue because God hath reuealed it by his Prophets and Apostles But we adde that besides this first foundation there is another secondary foundation needfull to wit the testimony of the Church for we know not certainly what God hath reuealed but by the testimony of the Church Therefore our faith cleaueth to Christ the first truth reuealing those mysteries as to the first foundation It cleaues also to Peter that is to the Pope propounding and expounding these mysteries as to a secondary foundation And to make the matter yet more plaine he speakes thus in the same tenth chap. Sect. Respondeo verbum We are to know Sect. Respondeâ— verbum that a Proposition or article of faith is concluded in such a Syllogisme as this Whatsoeuer God hath reuealed in the Scriptures is true But this God hath reuealed in the Scriptures Therefore this is true Of the first of these Propositions no man makes any question The second is held for certaine truth amongst all Catholikes for it is grounded vpon the testimony of the Church that is the Councell or the Pope By which it appeares how little Mr. Fisher vnderstands the doctrine whereof he makes profession or how vnaduisedly he deliuereth his opinion For whereas Bellarmine will haue a two-fold foundation primary and secondary Mr. Fisher will acknowledge but one namely the authority of God speaking by the mouth of the church Christian beleefe saith hee ought onely to bee Treat of Faith in the Preface Sect of which point grounded vpon the authority of God speaking by the mouth of the Church We haue seene Bellarmines opinion of this matter which indeed agrees very well with the words of the Councell where it challengeth the office of interpreting the Scriptures For in that clayme it presumes that the diuine truth is already reuealed and that it is the first foundation of our faith to which the office of the Church is added which is but a secondary foundation Now by these places of the Counceâ—l and Bellarmine it is cleare that The foundation of the Romish faith is the authority of the Church This foundation of faith say wee is false and erroneous That our Sauiour Christ and his Prophets and Apostles are the foundation of faith wee beleeue and acknowledge and in this we and they agree That secondary foundation which lyeth in the authority and testimony of the church we refuse as false and naught and in this lyeth the true difference betwixt vs and them in this point as besides other De Script quaest 5. cap. 3. Apol. part 2. chap. 3. diuis 2. 11 Dr. Whitaker hath noted and the reuerend B. Iewell And this indeed is the main reason why we may not ioyn with them If they demand of vs VVhy we receiue not this authority of the church for a foundation of faith VVe answer Because we find no commission in the word of God wherby any such office is conueyed vnto it Neither deale wee herein any otherwise then reason and law direct men to do in the like case For is any man so destitute of reason or so ignorant of the law that he would receiue a man for L. Chancellour L. Treasurer or Lord Chiefe Iustice that were not able to shew any commission for the hauing and executing such an office And shall wee in a businesse of such importance that concernes our free-hold not onely for our present being of the church but for our future becomming heires of glory in heauen giue credit to men vpon their bare word without sight of their commission VVerfore doth our Lord and Sauiour so often in the Scriptures plead his authority from God warranted by the old Testament and vpbraid the Iewes with lightnesse and folly for being ready to receiue one that should come in his owne name If then the Papists would haue vs beleeue that their church is appointed to bee a foundation let them shew their warrant for it and we will accept it and build our faith vpon it But we looke that their commission should be very plain and certaine because it is of such a matter as no naturall reason can conceiue to be true For who would imagine or beleeue that the Apostles who had a little before receiued full power of order and iurisdiction ioyntly and equally with Peter as Bellarmine himselfe confesseth should suddenly De Rom. Poâ—t lib. 1. cap. 12. Sect. vt autem haue their authority abridged and be made subiect to Peter yea to his successors too as it fell out with S. Iohn to learne of them which wee bookes of Scripture and what was the meaning of the seuerall places or texts and what was true what false in Diuinity Besides the matter it selfe is of such importance by their doctrine that without the constant beliefe thereof and obedience according thereto there is no possibility of saluation For Whosoeuer saith Bellarmine will not be sed by Peter De verb. Dei lib 3. cap. 5. Sect. quartum that is learne of him or his successors as iudges and determiners what he is to take for matter of faith and what is the sense of the Scripture is none
Concil Trident. Sess 4. decret de canon script Sauiour by word of mouth or by the holy Ghost and kept in the Church by continuall succession We may content our selues with this description without seeking any explication out of Bellarmine or any other because Bellarmines definition that A tradition is a doctrine not written by the first author thereof is so far from making the meaning of the Councell of Trent plaine that indeed it doth rather more obscure Bellarm. de verb. Deâ—l 4. c. 2. Sect. Vocatur it The Councell setteth downe no distribution of traditions but this that some of them concerne faith some manners But Bellarmine wearieth himselfe and his Reader with a number of distribâ—â—ions which as I said of his description are of no vse but to darken the question Tradition being thus vnderstood I say that third proposition is false and the contradictory thereof true No sauing truth taught by Christ or his Apostles is contained in vnwritten traditions which may thus appeare If no part of the Scripture refer vs to tradition for some part of Gods word not contained in the said Scriptures then haue we no reason to seeke for any part thereof in tradition For the Scriptures doe send vs to the scriptures for the knowledge of sauing truth Ioh. 5. 39. Search the Scriptures for in them ye thinke to haue eternall life And the Apostle Paul 2 Tim. 3. 15. saith that The 2 Tim. 3. 15. Scripture is able to make vs wise to saluatioÌ„ And wold not the scripture trow we haue sent vs to tradition for supply of that which was wanting in it if there had beene any supply to be had therein For it was as easie and as orderly for the Scripture to referre vs to tradition as to it selfe and as well beseeming the wisdome and prouidence of God to haue sent vs to both parts of his word by the Scriptures as to the one of them yea it was a great deale more needfull For no man could doubt but he was to haue recourse to the Scriptures because they were knowne to be the word of God But who could haue imagined that the Lord God teaching vs so plentifully in the Scriptures would leaue out some part of the sauing truth and not so much as giue vs any inkling thereof nor direct vs where we might finde it But they tell vs the Scripture doth put vs ouer for some of the diuine truth to vnwritten traditions Let vs see and examine the places that are brought to this purpose by Bellarmine Bellarm. de verb. Dei non scripto l. 4. c. 5. Sect. Ac primum who made choise of the best places that had beene or could be alledged in this matter The first wherof is thus to be concluded Those things which our Sauiour spake of Ioh. 16. 12. and Ioh. 16. 12. and 21. 25. 21. 25. Act. 1. 3. are comprehended in tradition For they are not written and it is not credible that the Apostles which heard them did not deliuer them to the Church Surely they were neither so enuious that they would not nor so forgetfull that they could not But those things which he spake in those places were sauing truths Therefore some sauing truths taught by Christ or his Apostles are contained in tradition Ere I answer to this argument particularly I must note in general that euery proposition of euery argument brought in this question must be certainly and euidently true because the point concluded is an article of faith which must be either expresly set downe by the holy Ghost or collected from the word of God by manifest and necessary consequence Therefore if we finde any proposition in any argument that is not in such sort true the conclusion cannot be an Article of faith because of those premises but is only at the most probable as they are Particularly I say of this argument that no Article of faith can bee concluded by it because the proposition or Maior with the proofe of it are at the most but probable as the examining of the reason will shew Either our Sauiors speeches theâ—e mentioned are contained in tradition or else they remaine not at all to posterity But they remaine to posterity for the Apostles did not omit the recording of them since they were neither enuious nor forgetfull Therefore our Sauiours speeches there mentioned are contained in tradition First this argument presumeth that whatsoeuer our Sauiour spake was some way or other committed to posterity And this was the first proposition in this doctrine of the Council denied by vs n. 5. 7. therfore Bellar. doth but play the sophister by begging the question proueth nothing Secondly I answer that if I should grant him that he beggeth yet his pâ—oposition would be false For the disiunction is nought What if I say those speeches of our Sauiour neither perished nor remaine in tradition but are recorded in some part of the Apostles writings in the new TestimeÌ„â— For since our Sauior promised Ioh. 16. 13. to send them his spirit which should lead them into all truth and Ioh. 14. 26 bring to their remembrance all things which he had told theÌ„ and performed what he promised Acts 2. 3. It is more then likely that they did coÌ„mend the things to posterity which he caused theÌ„ to remember for why else were they brought to their remembrance But wee find no other course that euâ—r they tooke to deliuer the Gospell to posterity but writing Why then should these points be kept vnwritten Suâ—ely they are neither greater mysteries nor smaller matters then some that are written The proposition then is either false or doubtfull and the assumption little better For how can Bellarmine tell whether those matters be recorded in any of the Apostles writings or no vnlesse he know what they were as he will not for very shame say he doth But If we doubt of it he would make vs beleeue wee accuse the Apostles of envie or negligence God forbid We will grant him any thing almost rather then lay such an imputation upon those glorious instruments of our salvation We haue a better way to answer then so namely that Bellarmine commeth short of his reckonig either of negligence or enuy What needeth that It may well be that they did not record every one of our Saviour speeches because they had no commission to leaue them on record and they were to doe according to their comission being to deliver the word of God as they were inspired by the holy Ghost not to set downe every thing they could remember as men doe that follow their owne naturall discretion Neither can Bellarmine any way make good the assumption of the principall Syllogisme negatiue that Those things which our Lord spake of in those places were saving truths except he can certainely tell what they were CHAP. XIII Of Bellarmines second and third Arguments to proue vnwritten traditions BEllarmines second argument in the place aboue named
That which the Apostle commanded the Thessalouians to keepe was a sauing faith Therefore some sauing truth is contained in tradition There is no end of Bellarmines begging We must deny as before that whatsoeuer the Apostles taught is recorded and come to posteritie To the proposition I answer in particular that being vnderstood of that time when the Apostle writ that Epistle it is true he had then deliuered some things by word of mouth and not written them and those hee commandeth them to keepe But what proofe can Bellarmine make that those things were not written afterwards The assumption is not easily to be proued that those things were sauing truth Why doth not Bellarmine tell vs what they were Me thinks he dareth not so much as guesse at them otherwise he would let vs know at the least what his Catholickes worthily take them to be Would any man dally thus in a matter of faith to bee beleeued vpon paine of damnation Bellarmine will make amends for the want of weight in his reasons by the number of them and he propoundeth his fift thus to bee deliuered Bellar. ubi supra sect quaitam That which was committed to Timothy 1. Tim. 6. 20. and 2. Tim. 2. 1. 2. is contained in tradition That which was there committed to Timothy is a sauing 1. Tim. 6. 20. 2. Tim. 2. 1. 2. truth Therefore some sauing truth is contained in tradition Here he beggeth againe as before but wee cannot grant that whatsoeuer the Apostles preached is remaining vpon record to posteritie If that were granted yet should I thinke the proposition no sufficient warrant for an Article of faith Therefore Bellarmine offereth proofe of it on this maner That which Timothy had heard of Saint Paul 1. Tim. 6. 20. and 2. Tim. 2. 1. 2 and was to deliuer to faithfull men able to teach other also that is contained in tradition But that which was committed to Timothy 1. Tim. 6. 20. and 2. Tim. 2. 1. 2 he had heard of Saint Paul and was to deliuer to faithfull men able to teach other also Therefore that which was committed to Timothy 1. Tim. 6. 20. and 2. Tim. 2. 1. 2 is contained in tradition Least wee should deny the first part or Proposition of this Syllogisme because the things so delivered and given in charge by the Apostle might be matter for the present vse of the Church and such as needed not to be alwayes knowne Bellarmine telleth us that by those things so heard and so to be committed the vnderstanding of the sense of the scriptures and other doctrine is signified so that the whole force of his Argument lyeth in this interpretation which he never offereth to proue Therefore vnlesse we will take his bare word for proofe wee are as farre to seeke as we were before Now that we haue no reason to doe so I thinke it may appeare by those things which I will now propound to the consideration of all reasonable men First then I would know oâ— Bellarmine whether by Vnderstanding of the sense he meane generall rules for the vnderstanding of it or the sense of particular places Secondly I demaund whether he deliuered to him the sense oâ— euery place of Scripture or of some onely Whether he answer this or that I aske thirdly what is become of those rules and expositions How will he proue to vs that they haue beene continued from time to time till now If they haue not beene continued what haue wee to do with them who dispute onely of such traditions as are in the possession and vse of the present Church Fourthly is it likely euen in Bellarmines iudgement that Saint Paul would take vpon him to instruct Timothy in the sense of any place of Scripture when as the office of interpreting the Scripture is committed by the Councell of Trent to the Church that is as Bellarmine expoundeth it to Peter and his successours Did he meane ambitiously to vsurpe Peters office or to send him to Peter or his successours to learne of them whether the interpretation he had giuen were true or no. Touching the second part of the first Syllogisme that Those thinges which were committed to Timothy were sauing truths Bellarmine saith nothing which argueth that he knew not what to say What reason haue we then to imagine that they were sauing truths or that this argument concludeth any thing for the doctrine of the Councell of Trent concering traditions There is yet one argument more in the same fift chapter thus to be concluded Those things which Iohn had to write 2. Ioh. 11 and Bellar. ubi supra Sect. ultimum testimonium 3. Ioh. 14. are contained in tradition for he saith he would not write them But those things which he had then to write were sauing truths taught by the Apostles Therefore some sauing truths taught by the Apostles are contained in tradition I am inforced here also to repeate my former answer that Bellaâ—mine still takes it for granted that whatsoeuer the Apostles taught is continued to posteritie which we denie and no papist can proue His assumption or minor is to weake to beare vp the weight of an Article of faith vnlesse he be able to â—â—ll 〈◊〉 certainly what the things were which the Apostle would not write and to whom hee did or at the least that hee did afterward deliuer them to some body from whom the Church hath receiued them Till we know what they were how shall we be sure they were part of the sauing truth CHAP. XV. Of two other arguments of Bellarmine VVEE haue done with the fift Chapter and are now to examine two arguments set downe chap. 4 the former I frame thus That there are Scriptures that these we haue he they is â— Bellar de verbo Dei non scripto cap. 4 Sect. quarto quinto Soxio contained in tradition For we cannot find them in the Scriptures But that there are Scriptures that these wee haue are they is part of sauing truth taught by Christ and his Apostles Therefore some sauing truthes taught by Christ and his Apostles are contained in tradition It hath appeared by my answer to Bellarmines arguments that he can find no place of Scripture that sendeth vs to tradition for any part of sauing truth taught by our Lord or his Apostles Wee might therefore conclude that there are no such traditions without troubling our selues any further But that we may dit vp the mouths of the Papists wee will bestow a little time and paines in these arguments If there had beene no more intended by the Councell of Trent in the decree touching tradition but to signifie that these three points are contained in tradition the danger had not beene great for then both the number and the particulars had been determined but the Papists by vertue of that Article take authoritie to thrust what they list vpon the Church and warrant it by tradition Thus much to the argument in generall Particularly I answer
that the first part of it and the proofe thereof suppose that those two propositions There are Scriptures These we haue be they are formally that is expresly contained either in the Scriptures or tradition But this say we is false they are contained formally in neither where then shall we finde them Radically and originally in the Scriptures themselues which of themselues afford iust occasion to all men to conceiue both that There are Scriptures and that These are they They are contained formally in the apprehension of euery mans vnderstanding that beleeueth them and that this beleife is diuine faith not humane coniecture it appeareth because it is wrought in men by a speciall prouidence of God which perswadeth and draweth men to acknowledge the things to be as they are in themselues and is farther grounded vpon the diuine authoritie vertually affirming that they are both true indeed And yet wee make not a priuate spirit the ground or rule of our faith or the iudge to determine what is matter of faith what is not As Bellarmine slandereth vs and Bellar de verbo Dei non scripto lib. 3. cap. 5. Sect. Norum cap. 9. sect quod 〈◊〉 after him Mr. Fâ—sher and other But wee onely attribute to that speciall prouidence the office of in lightening and mouing the vnderstanding in lightened to giue assent to the bookes of Scripture that they are the word of God as indeed and truth they are Now to this assent it moueth vs by many reasons fit and effectuall for such a worke as namely by the continuall consent and testimonie of the Church by the matter deliuered in the bookes them selues by the stile or maner of deliuering it and the like as diuers of our diuines haue shewed at large and that this assent of ours is a true faith it is very manifest because it conceiueth of the thing deliuered as in truth it is which is the very rule of truth and wherein the nature of truth consisteth The assumption is false The last proposition is not part of sauing truth taught by our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles Neither all nor any of the Apostles for ought appeareth in the word did euer set downe a Catalogue of the Bookes of the New or Old Testament neither indeede was it possible for any of them to doe it but S. Iohn who out liued them all and writt after them all As for S. Iohn he neither might nor could doe it because that was onely Peters office or his successors to declare which were Scriptures and which were not as we learned out of Bellar. Chap. 3. 11. 9. Pâ—â—ar ubi supra sect dâ—nique The second and last argument lieth thus This Proposition There is no word of God besides that which is written is contained in tradition not written This proposition is a sauing truth taught by Christ and his Apostles Therefore some sauing truth taught by Christ and his Apostles is contained in tradition not written First it is to be considered that Bellarmine bringeth this assumption as a proposition of ours and from thence concludeth for the Church of Rome against vs For if hee brought it as his owne and acknowledged by him for true he should thereby gaine say the Councell of Trent affirming that There is some part of the word of God contained in tradition which is not to be found in the Scriptures But in this Bellarmine doth vs wrong for although we say that there is no word of God but that which is contained in the Scriptures as a Rellar de verbo Dei lib. 4. cap. 3. Sect. adipsi Bellarmin alleageth out of b Caluin Instit lib 4. cap. 8. â— 8. Caluin yet we say uot that this proposition is a sauing truth taught by Christ his Apostles neither indeed need we say so For by that propositioÌ„ we only deny that which the CouÌ„cell affirmeth and set it downe as a contradictory thereto and Bellarmine himselfe in the place for enamed bringeth it to the same end The reason of our deniall is that the Scripture doth no where send vs to tradition nor hath any word to that purpose as hath appeared in the former disputation And this reason is very sufficient because nothing is to be receiued for an Article of faith but that which is taught in the word of God The like answer is to be made to the proposition If it be true in Bellarmines iudgement then the doctrine of the Church of Rome in his iudgement is salfe For the Councell of Tâ—ent teacheth that There is some word of God contained in tradition but this proposition affirmes that There is no word of God besides that which is written If Bellarmine would father it vpon vs he accuseth vs falsly For we neuer saiâ— nor thought that that proposition was contained in tradition but perhaps he thinketh it will follow vpon that wee say but in so thinking hee thinkes idly for we doe no more hereby but denie that which they say and neither do nor neede affirme that it is contained either in the Scriptures or in tradition It is enough for vs in matter of faith to refuse whatsoeuer is not taught in the Scriptures But it may be said that this proposition There is no word of God besides that which is written is either true or false we grant it because it is certainely true that in euerie contradiction properly so called the one proposition is true the other false What of this It will farder be said If it be false then the contradictory to it which we hold is true We grant this too what more If this be true it is contained either in the Scripture or in tradition This we denie It may be true and yet contained in neither of them For the truth of this proposition is not positiue whereby one thing is affirmed of or ioyned to another but negatiue by which one thing is denied of or seuered from another Now propositions of this kinde are then true when the things comprehended in them are indeed seuered the one from the other for then the proposition speaketh of the thing as it is Therefore it is enough to make this negatiue proposition true that the Scripture is silent in that which they affirme and doth not ioyne Heb. 1. 5. them together as they doe And this is the ground of those negatiue disputations wee find in the Scriptures P. Iewels answ to Dâ— Coles second 〈◊〉 let O. P. especially To which of the Angells said be c. He that desireth to see more of this may reade the reuerend Bishop Iewel in his answer to Dr. Cole I should now goe on according to the order followed in the Councell of Trent to examine the rest of the Articles set downe by me chap. 11. num 3. But for this time I thinke it enough that I haue debated these two questions because if these proue false as I trust they haue done all the other differences betwixt vs and the
diuinitie S. Iohn was so subiect to these successours of Peter that he was to receiue from them assurance of the truth that he deliuered of them he was to know whether his owne Epistles were the word of God or not yea whether they were his owne Epistles or not they or some of them were to assure him from God that his Reuelation was from God and not from the deuill if any doubt arose about any sentence in his Gospell Epistles or Reuelation he could not know by diuine faith what the true meaning of the place was but was to learne that of Euaristus then Pope whose office it was to deliuer an interpretation of the text to the Apostle or to allow of the interpretation made by the Apostle if he iudged it to be true Poore S. Iohn was an vnderling in all this businesse the Pope was Magister fac totum Most glorious Lord Iesus thou didst vouchsafe to shew thine extraordinarie loue to this thy holy Apostle tookest order to haue it made known to all posterity wouldest thou so much abase him as not onely to take from him the honour thou hadest bestowed vpon him by making him inferiour to S. Peter to whom before he was equall in authoritie and dignitie but also to appoint him to lacky if occasion fell out vpon foure Popes one after another to learne of them what was diuine reuelation or the word of God what was not Wherefore didst thou solemnely promise thy Apostles and Iohn amongst the rest that thou wouldest send them the comforter the holy Spirit to lead them into and to direct them in all truth Alas it was a poore comfort for them so to be taught by him that they must be faine to trauell or send to Rome to know whether he had taught them right or no. But who can be patient in this indignity offered to the holy Spirit Shall a wretched and ignorant man that I say no worse sit in iudgement to giue sentence of thy diuine Maiestie whether thou hast inspired thy seruants with truth or no Diddest thou instruct the Apostles as the deuills amongst the heathen did their counterfit prophets that they either knew not what they vttered or could not be assured what they meaned without the Pope like an Oracle made them vnderstand themselues as Daniell told Nebuchadnezar his dreame and the interpretation thereof If these things seeme to be as indeed they are absurd monstrous impious blasphemous what is the doctrine thinke you vpon which they are grounded I will repeate it againe that all men may learne to know and detest such foolish wickednesse and wicked folly S. Peter saith Bellarmine was made by Christ ordinary pastour of the whole Church his ossice was to determine what was matter of faith The Bishops of Rome Peters successours haue the same authoritie of ordinarie pastourship which he had Whosoeuer will not be thus fed by Peter and his successours belongeth not to the sheepefold of the Lord Iesus This is the arch whereon the Popes supremacie is built For the vpholding of this all the Romish Clergie are in armes If you hold not this whatsoeuer you hold you can be no true Roman Catholike From whence ariseth the impossibility of reconciliation betwixt vs and them wee cannot bee members of their Church but we must ioyn with them in this acknowledgment of this Papall authoritie They cannot renounce this opinion but they must withall viterly dissolue their Church the forme whereof as we heard out of Bellarmine consisteth in this very manner of gouerment This is thâ— boÌ„d these the ligameÌ„ts by which the whole body of their Church is coupled and knit together From the Pope thus feeding that is teaching and gouerning as from the head all life and motion is conueyed into the rest of that huge chaos take away the head all life and motion ceaseth and the parts fall asunder one from another that it can no longer be accounted the Church it was nor as they hold any Church at all We see the prophecie of the Apostle Paul fulfilled God hath sent these men strong delusions to beleeue lyes 2. Thes â— 11. For what greater delusion can there be then for a man to beleeue that of euery Pope that no Pope euer beleeued of himselfe or of any of his successours And shall we notwithstanding all this still halt betwixt two opinions Shall we suffer our selues to be so swallowed vp by the cares of this world that we can haue no leasure to know what belongeth to our saluation Shall wee so melt away in continuall voluptuousnesse that we will not spare one houre to learne which is the right way to true happinesse Shall we so please our selues in wilfull ignorance that we despise the knowledge of truth in matter of religion Doe these things concerne Preachers onely If our fore fathers had been of that minde the troups of holy Martyrs that now gloriously follow their puissant victorious leader the Lord Iesus in triumph would haue beene very thinne Oh that you could see them with your bodily eyes How many blessed Saints should you behold now triumphing in heauen that were as you are not Preachers but ordinary professours of the truth Brethren deceiue not your owne soules cast not your selues away wilfully Are not the people to be saued by the same meanes by which the Preachers are Is not the same faith in the Lord Iesus which must saue the Ministers required of the people also The Lord indeed hath giuen vs speciall charge to studie and know the holy Scriptures to what end think you surely as for our owne comfort so for your instruction The affaires of the world in your seuerall callings draw you away from oppâ—rtunity of studie the Lord in mercy to you hath commanded vs to labour in it that your want may be supplied by oâ—r aboundance Now especially hee looketh for this dutie of vs because he will now especially make tryall of your knowledge and constancy Do you not see many fall dayly on your right hand and on your left It is not your strength but Gods mercifull prouidence that holdeth you vpright he hath graciously vouchsafed to keepe you hetherto from occasion of being seduced he hath afforded you more time yet before the temptation like an armed man shall assault you if you prepare not now for the day of battell the enemy will surprise you are you be aware when you shall not be able to make resistance Many of you scarce know a friend from an enemie you are not able to discerne which be your owne colours It is an easie matter to carry you into the middest of Dothan while you seeke for the Prophet whom you know not if you meete him As he that walketh into the fields where there grow as well poysonous weeds as wholesome herbs if he know not the one from the other may as easily light vpon that which shal kill him as that which shal nourish him So he that is ignorant
what is true what false in matters of faith is as like to be led into errour that shall damne him as to be taught truth that shall saue him If then there be any desire in vs to obey the commandement of God if any feare of erring to damnation if any care of beleeuing aright to saluation let vs labour to vnderstand the misterie of iniquitie in the Romish faith that knowing it we may abhorre it and may auoide auoiding it we may embrace the loue of the truth and be saued What is it that leadeth thee out of the way to destruction doth the glorious outward shew of the Popish Churches blinde or dazle thine eyes It may perhaps admit some excuse in children that they haue beene deceiued by such toyes and gewgawes But it is ridiculous and vntollerable for men to runne after sights and shadowes Surely if thou hadst liued in our Sauiour Christs dayes or his Apostles times thou wouldest haue chosen the Temple and the beauty thereof with the Priests Scribes and Pharises rather then the barren mountaines or wildernesse with our Lord and his Disciples But what is it that maketh thee a papist discontent that thou art not honoured or inriched as thou desirest to be Perhaps thou ouerualuest thine owne worth and thinkest there is more due to thee then indeed there is but say thou hast not thy due doest thou not know that these things are ordered by the prouidence of God shalt thou haue no cause of discontent if thou become a papist are all papists râ—spected and rewarded I could name two great Earles the experience of whose miserie aboundantly refuteth this conceite Well say thou attaine to all thou hopest for the reckoning is behind What shall it profit a man though he winne the whole world if he loose his owne soule Antigone Math. 8. 36. in Sophocles was so wise that when her sister Ismente demanded of her how she durst bury her brother Polinices body against Creons commandement she answered her resolutely like a noble Lady that she knew it was a duty acceptable to the gods with whome she was to liue longer then vpon the earth with men and therefore had more care to please them Shall not this Lady this heathen condemne many men many Christians that choose rather to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season then to raigne eternally in the glory of the Lord Iesus in his heauenly Kingdome Doth antiquitie vniuersalitie visibilitie consent like a looâ—stone draw thee after them Antiquitie is then onely a rule of truth when the pedegree of it can be fetched from the beginning For if euery opinion be truer as it is ancienter why should not the Scribes and Pharises traditions be of more account then our Sauiour Christs instructions certainely they had beene receiued and vsed in the Church of the Iewes many yeares before he was borne yea they had vniuersally the approbation and allowance of the whole Church and continued in good liking except with a few that followed our Lord for all his preaching to the end of his life what greater consent could there be all the Iewish Clergie Priests Leuites Scribes and Pharises agreed as one man to maintaine their owne superstitions and keepe downe the religion of our Lord Iesus These men the people depending vpon them were and had beene time out of minde the visible Church Oh that they had been as wise and learned as our papists now are to haue called to our Sauiour for a Catalogue of their names that had from time to time professed the Religion which he sought to bring in contrary to that they held doubtlesse he must haue beene faine vnlesse he had vsed his diuine knowledge to confesse that at the least for the last 300 yeares there was no such beadroll of names to be found I confessest Saint Luke in the geneallogy of our Sauiour rehearseth the names of his ancestours who were questionlesse holy and religious worshippers of God and trusted in the Messiah to come But I suppose it could hardly haue beene made plaine by any record of the Iewes and yet they were more diligent and carefull in such matters then Christians haue beene that the points wherein our Lord dissented from the Scribes and Pharises were distinctly knowne and publikely professed by them one after another But of this matter so much as concerneth the difference betwixt vs and the Church of Rome I said enough in the former Chapters and will not repeate it needlessely This one remaineth for conclusion that I humbly intreate all men which haue any true care of their own saluation that they would not be carried away with words but indeuour to enable themselues to iudge how those plausible fancies with which they are seduced may be applied to proue that which is vndertaken thereby To this end I haue employed my selfe in this course they that are desirous to see the truth may find direction therein for the iudging of it and thereby arme themselues against tho assaults and vndermining of furious souldiers and craftie pioners by obseruing their approches and discouering their works to the defeating of all their enterprises The greatest matter of all is that you would embrace the loue of the truth and resolue with your selues as those glorious martyrs I spake of did rather to indure torments and death then to forsake the religion of the Lord Iesus or to ioyne in profession with the Church of Rome This resolution will bring safetie in peace in war victorie that no ill tidings shall affright you no losses discourage you no discontent turne you out of the right way The Lord Iesus himselfe like the Angell in Iosua will march on the head of your troupes and be as a cloud to refresh you in the heate of Summer and as a fire to warme you in the cold of winter your swords shall eate the flesh of your enemies your pikes and bullets shall be drunke with their blood one of you shall chase a thousand and an hundred of you put ten thousand to flight Babylon shall be cast like Math a milstone into the sea and be found no more you shall reward the scarlet-coloured strumpet as she hath rewarded you and giue her double according to her vvorkes and in the cup that she hath filled to you fill her the double to the glory of God that hath appointed her this punishment the increase of religion the safety of the State and your honour in this life and euerlasting saluatioÌ„ in the life to come through Iesus Christ our Lord to whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit one God in three Persons be all glory praise obedience and thanksgiuing now and for euer Amen FINIS
must be thus ordered a Bellar. de verbo Dei non script lib. 4. cap. 5. sect Secundum testâ— monâ—im The ordinances which the Apostle speaketh of 1. Cor. 11. 2 are not written for they concerne the manner of praying and receiuing the Sacraments and these we find not written any where The ordinances which the Apostle there speaketh of are sauing truths for he commendeth the Corinthians for keeping them Therefore some sauing truths are contained in vnwritten tradition The proposition taketh it for granted that whatsoeuer the Apostles taught is committed to posteritie But this we denie as I shewed cap. 12. n. 7. How then shall this argument proue that the conclusion is an article of faith Well admit it were true yet is the proposition vncertaine as the proofe sheweth For out of doubt it is noâ— manifest of it selfe The proofe lieth thus Whatsoeuer was deliuered to the Apostles and is not found written any where that is kept in vnwritten tradition The ordinances the Apostle speaketh of were deliuered by him and are not found written any where Therefore the ordinances the Apostle speaketh of are kept in vnwritten tradition The proposition of this Syllogisme is vntrue For although it be not found yet it may be written diuers things are contained in the Scriptures which are not knowne to be there contained but may in time be manifested as I signified cap. 11. n. 2. Now concerning the principall assumption n. 1. The ordinances which c. I answer that it is neither cleere in it selfe nor proued by Bellarmine For euery precept of the Apostle the keeping whereof deserueth commendation it is not therefore a sauing truth Obedience to any commandement or aduise of an Apostle touching but a rite or ceremony yea the smallest matter that can be imagined though it be no sauing truth deserueth due coÌ„mendation and Bellermin hath nothing else in this disputation that may be applied to the proofe of that point But say we grant Bellarmine that the precepts signified verse 2. are sauing truths as we may doe with great likely hood vnderstanding thereby the doctrine deliuered in the former part of the Epistle to that 11. Chapter What will it auaile him seeing the assumption then will conuince the proposition of falsehood because the precept is there written Therefore this second argument is to as small purpose as the former I come to the third argument in the same place Those things which the Apostle disposed 1. Cor. 11. 34. Bellar. de verbo Dei non scripto lib. 4. cap. 5. sect alteram quastioâ—em are contained in tradition for we find them not written any where But the things he there disposed were sauing truth Therefore some sauing truth is contained in tradition Both the faults of the former proposition are in this also first that he taketh it for granted that whatsoeuer the Apostles taught is recorded which we alwaies denie Secondly that he saith confidently these things are not written and yet knowes not what they are so that he may find them and not know of it Let vs passe by the proposition yet will Bellarmine come short of his conclusion because the assumption is full of doubt for how will he be able to proue that the things disposed by the Apostle were sauing truth He confesseth that some of them were matters belonging to rits ceremonies but he telleh vs with all that Catholiks worthily thinke that he deliuered also some greater matters concerning the ordination of Ministers the sacrifice of the Alter and the matter and forme of other Sacraments and hee addeth that The hereticks cannot disproue them That we may the better iudge of these worthy thoughts of Bellarmins Catholickes we will set his reason in frame Whatsoeuer Catholickes worthily thinke and hereticks cannot disproue that is to be holder for true But that the Apostles disposed of those weightie matters Catholickes worthily thinke and the hereticks cannot disproue Therefore that the Apostles disposed of those weightie matters it is to be holden for truth A stout argument and well worthy such Catholickes who seeth not the absurditie of the maior Truth is not to be measured by their affirmation or conceite and our vnablenesse to disproue but by the adaequation or full agreement of the thing and our apprehension of it For a man then onely speaketh the truth of a thing when hee speaketh as the thing is indeede But the assumption presumeth we cannot disproue it That were hard Why should not our saying we thinke he did not meane those matters be as good a disproofe of it as their saying you thinke he did is a proofe Such answers are good enough for such arguments But surely me thinketh we may bring some likelyhood of reason for our opinion For who would imagine that the Apostle would spend so many lines as he doth in this chapter about matters of so small importance as long haire and bare heads which were not for the perpetuall practise of the Church as experience sheweth and put off matters of so great weight till his comming to them which might haue been neuer And that they may not say we conjecture this without any likelihood as Bellarmins Catholiks worthily doe let them heare what Chrysostome saith upon the place He Chrysost Homil. 28. ad 1. Cor. 11. meaneth either some other things or the same that he hath mentioned For seeing it was likely that they would bring other cases and he could not redresse althings by letters Let those things saith he that I haue admonished you of be obserued and if any other thing need redresse let is be referred till my comming He speaketh as I said either of the same thing or some matter not greatly urgent He speaketh saith Theophilact of some other faults of Theophilact ad 1. Cor. 11. theirs which had need of correcting or of some which he had mentioned It is likely saith he that some men are praparing to defend themselues against that which I haue said but in the meane time let thom obserue that I haue charged them to keepe ad 1. Cor 11. When he had written of those things that were more necessary he reserueth the rest for his praesence with them The Interlinear glosse expoundeth it thus Other things concerning the Sacrament I will order when I come but you might not be without direction for those things that I haue deliuered ad 1. Cor. 11. Other things saith Lombard which perteine to order in the same Sacrament I will order when I come ad 1. Cor. 11. Other things which are not of so great danger I will order â—â—resence Thomas ad 1. Cor. 11. CHAP. XIIII Of some other Arguments of Bellarmine to the same purpose LET vs see if Bellarmines fourth reason be any better then the former That which the Apostle commanded the Thessalonians to Bellar. ubi supra Sect. tertium keepe 2. Thess 2. 15. is contained in tradition for it was not written but deliuered by word of mouth