iudgeth of them who cannot erre in the Faith though all these Traditions tend onely to his profit 8. I affirme the same of the title of the whole Bible being called the Testament or Covenant of God which Title must bee changed if the Scripture be but a part of Gods Testament It were deluding of the World to call contract of marriage a parchment that containeth but the moyetie of the clavses of the contract or to call Testament that which is but a part of the disposall of the last will 9. Towards the conclusion of the Apocalips the Lord Iesus speaks as followeth I testifie vnto euery man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this booke If any man shall adde vnto these things God shall adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this booke Vpon which passage the Councell of Friuly speaketh thus Concilium Porojuliense Nam in Apocalypsi Iohannes Apostolus sub vnius libri appellatione de tota vtriusque Testamenti se is contestatus est dicens Si quis apposuerit ad hac apponet Deus omnes plagas scriptas in libro hoc In the Apocalips Iohn the Apostle vnder the name of one booke hath protested concerning the whole series or prosecvâ—ion of both Testaments saying If any man adde to these things God shall adde to him the plagues that are written in this booke 10. The Apostle Saint Iohn at the 20. Chapter of his Gospell 31. saith These things are written that yee might beleeue that Iesus is the Christ and that beleuing yee might haue life through his Name Vpon which passage Cyrill of Alexandria Cyrill lib. 12. in IohaÌ„ cap. ultimo Non igitur omnia qua fecit Dominus coÌ„scripta sunt sed qua scribentes taÌ„ ad mores quaÌ„ ad dogmata putaverunt sufficere vt recta fide operibus as virtute rutil aÌ„tes ad regnum coelorum pervâ—niamus speaketh in this maner All things which our Lord hath done are not written but those things onely which they that did write them haâ—e beleeued to be suffâ—cient to the end that shining in true faith workes and vertue wee may attaine to the Kingdome of heauen 11. Our Lord Iesus at the 15. of Mat. 3. spake to the Pharisees Why doe ye transgresse the commandement of God by your Tradition Observe here that hee saith not yee contradict but ye transgresse the commandement of God by your Tradition Foâ— indeed the Pharisaicall Traditionâ— were for the most part simple aditions to the Law of God having appearance of devotion thingâ— no otherwise forbidden but aâ— God forbiddeth to adde to hiâ— word as to fast twise in a weeke to lengthen out their fringes anâ— Phylacteries of their garments tâ— wash themselues at returne froâ— market scrupulously to cleane thâ— pots and to accompt their pacâ— vpon the Sabbath 12. The Apostle to the Coloâ— chap. 2. 8. Beware lest any man spoâ— you through Philosophy and vaine â—â—ceit after the Tradition of men Aâ— that our aduersaries may not comâ— here to distinguish humane Trâ—ditions from those which â—â— Church of Rome will have to â—â— imbraced for divine and Apostolicall the Apostle specifieth and chiefely condemneth certaine traditions found to be amongst those that are taught by the Church of Rome to wit service of Angels observation of Feasts and the ordinance of those who vsing a distinction of meats did say eate not touch not tast not And this not because they thought the meates to be hurtfull or polluted in their nature but as the Apostle saith teaching these doctrines through voluntary deuotion and humblenesse of spirit in that they no way spare the body nor haue they respect to the fulnesse of the flesh 13. The same Apostle to the Ephesians 2. chap. 20. groundeth our faith upon the Prophets and the Apostles Being built saith he vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles If our faith be grounded upon the unwritten word it is behouefull there be another foundation then the Prophets Apostes For if our adversaries say that S. Paul understandeth the Church to be grounded upon the word of the Apostles aswell written as unwriten they oblige themselues to say the same of the doctrine of the Prophets and also to forge unto us Prophetical Traditions unwritten which were never mentioned or spoken of about Saint Pauls time morâ—ouer we have formerly heard our adversaries maintaining that there are more things essentiall in Religion then the Apostles have taught by mouth or writing 14. At the 16. chapter of Saint Luke 26. the wicked rich man being in hell requesteth Abraham that one amongst the dead should be sent to his brethren to give them advertisement and warne them of their duties least that they should tumble into the like torment to whom Abraham maketh answere They haue Moses and the Prophets let them hearken to them Which is cleerely to say that they ought to content themselves with the Doctrine of Moses and the Prophets which was read in the Synagogues every Sabbath without expecting other revelation For Iesus Christ speaketh of â—he unhappie rich man as of a man that had lived under the old Testament during the time that the Church had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no other Doctrine but that of the bookes of Moses and the Prophets Chrysostome doth so understand it in his Commentary upon Galat. 1. Abraham being required to send Lazarus answereth they have Moses and the Prophets if they hearken not to them nâ—ither will they beleeve the dead raised up to life Now Iesus Christ bringeth in Abraham speaking thus to declare that hee would have more faith ascribed to the Scriptures then if the dead were called backe to life 15. At Gal. 1. 8. Though we or an Angel from heaven preach any other Gospel unto you then that which wee have preached unto you let him be accursed The vulgar translation of our Adversaries interpreteth this passage as we doe Licet nos aut Angelus de coelo evangelizet vobis praeterquam quod evangelizavimus vobis anathema sit Consider now that this translation which the Councell of Trent declareth to be onely authenticall rendereth it praeterquam not contra that is to say other then but not contrary For though this word praeter sometime signifieth contra yet praeterquam cannot be so taken and praeterquam quod can import nothing else but other then that So though the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoph. in Ep. ad Gal. Nâ—que enim si contraria soluÌ„ praedicaverint intulit sed si Evangelisaverint praeter id quod ipsi evaengeli savimus hoe est fi plusculum quippiam ipsi adiecerint Tertull. de praescr ca. 8 Hoc â—rius credimus non esse quod vltra credere debeamus Et cap. 14. Nihil vltra scire omma scire est Et cap. 29. Etsi Angelus de coelo aliter evangelisaverit vltra quaÌ„ nos anathema sit signifieth sometimes contra yet our
lawfull to adde diminish or change Hereby we intend not absolutely to reject all Tradition for if there bee a Tradition that addeth nothing to the Scripture but serveth onely to maintaine her authoritie and perfection wee imbrace that most willingly Such a Tradition is that the Books of the old and new Testament are sacred and Canonirall This Tradition is so far from adding to the Scripture that on the contrary it sayeth that nothing ought to be added thereunto Neither is it without the compasse of the Scripture seeing that it springeth and results from the perfection of the Scripture it selfe and the credit or testimony that a Church bee it true or false conferreth upon these Bookes is but a probable and humane testimony vntill God giving efficacie to this Scripture to touch and stirre vp devotion imprinteth in it a more effectuall perswasion For it is not the Church that giveth faith but the spirit of God that worketh in our hearts by his powerfull word As a river that passeth through a towne is sufficient to refresh and water it throughout yet notwithstanding is it behoouefull that some Pipe or channell should conduct it from the source into the place so the holy Scripture is sufficient to instruct vs to salvation neverthelesse it must come to vs as it were by the course of successiue Tradition Such a Tradition addeth no more to the Scripture then the channell addeth to the water of the River Also when wee reject unwritten Traditions we intend not to reject all the words that are not found in the Scripture in regard that wee may there finde the matter in substance and equivalent termes and that these words doe add nothing to the doctrine of salvation contained in the Scriptures Such are the termes of Gods providence and of the Immortalitie of the soule Likewise the words of Trinitie Consubstantiall and the Procession of the holy Ghost words profitably imployed by our forefathers to make that perspicuous which is contained in the Scriptures and to shut vp heretikes into a more narrow strait Also wee willingly admit of unwritten Traditions which concern not the doctrine but onely the Ecclesiasticall pollicie and outward order in regard that such Lawes and Customes are not given for absolutely necessary and equalled with the doctrine of salvation as also because they serue not the Pastors use for traffique avarice or ambition and that in this order and outward pollicie there is nothing dishonest and contrary to good morality or that may expose the Christian Religion to ridiculousnesse and lastly because that with these Ceremonies and observations the multitude is not excessiue neither doe they divert the piety by postures of the countenance or the spirituall service by corporall exercise For as the Romans having conquered a Province did amuse the people with Sports and pompous Triumphes feasting them with their spoyles whilst they were then busie in plotting and aggravating the peoples servitude so doth the enemie of our salvation amuse the people by the splendour of Ceremonies whilst hee then inthralleth consciences and tacitely insinuateth idolatry to which the very inclination of the people doth much contribute For a man naturally loveth rather to recreate his sense then to instruct his understanding to behold publike spectacles then heare wholesome doctrines to admire pictures then edifie by good precepts and findeth lesse difficultie to shape stones to the image of man then to unshape or reforme man to the image of God Our confession then rejecteth onely the Traditions that adde something to the doctrine of faith manners contained in the Scripture and which are given forth to supply that which is thought to be wanting in the doctrine of the holy Scriptures The Iesuire Regourd in his booke Pag. 786. 787. intitled Catholike Demonstrations in the sixt Demonstration proposeth salsely our Beliefe Hee alledgeth the wordes of the fift Article of our confession of the faith where hee makes vs say that the Word of God contained in the Bookes received by vs is guided with all veritie and containeth all that is necessary for the service of God and for our owne salvation and that by it all things ought to be examined and squared Antiquity Customes the Multitude humane Wisdome Iudgements Sentences Edicts Decrees Councells Visions Miracles But he changeth the words of our Confession by a most notorious falsification for we say only that these things must not bee opposed against the Scripture Marke our very words It is not lawfull for men nor Angals to adde thereunto nor diminish nor change Whence it followeth that neither Antiquitie nor Customes nor the Multitude c. ought to be opposed against the holy Scripture We condemne not Antiquitie nor Councels as Regourd imposeth upon vs but wee say that hee that would oppose these things against the Scripture ought not to bee beleeved Wee affirme this because our Adversaries say that the Romish Church may change that which God hath commanded in the Scripture dispense Gods word contrary to the Apostle and estaâ—lish new Articles of Faith wherof we haue set downe multitudes of proofes in the forepart of our first Booke and will produce more here following CHAP. IV. The opinion of the Romish Church That our Adversaries with one consent accuse the Scripture of insufficiency and of not containing all the doctrines necessary to salvation WHen our Adversaries dispute against Pagans and compare the holy Scripture with humane wisedome they exalr the sanctitie perfection authoritie perspicuity and divine efficacy of the holy Scripture yea you would imagine they accorded with vs and borrowed our termes But when the question is of comparing the Scripture with the church of Rome then alter they their language debasing the dignitie of the Scripture to the end to magnifie the authoritie of the Pope They vphold that the Scripture is not Iudge that this title appertaines unto the Pope and to the Prelates which he authoriseth then I say they make all authoritie of the Scripture to depend upon the power and testimonie of the Romish Church They accuse the Scripture of incertitude of being depraved of obscuritie of insufsiciencie and imperfection But if one represent vnto them their owne proper words wherein they commend the perfection of the Scripture and acknowledge that it containeth all that is necessary to salvation they haue an evasion ready at hand for they say that the Scripture may bee called â—erfect because she referreth to the â—hurch which supplyeth all her â—efects Wherein they apparantly â—putradict themselues For if the Scriptures send back to the church to learne of her wherein they are de fectiue by the same message and â—â—nding backe they confesle their â—wne imperfection The Merchant that sendeth away his Chapman to another shop to finde that which hee hath not in his owne by this dismission hee confesseth that his owne shop is ill furnished And if it be sufficient for the Scripture to be called perfect when as she sends is to the Church it
added thereunto much more cleerenesse and light 4. Yet the same Apostle at Act. 20. 27. speaketh to the Ephesians I have not shunded to declare unto you all the counsell of God Whereupon it followeth that the essentiall things of faith which Salmeron formerly told us were added since the Apostles time and not taught of them either by mouth or by writing are not of the counsell of God Of which additions in matters of religion of the greatest importance we have already vouched many examples especially out of the confession of our Adversaries themselves It would bee impertinent to reply that by the same reason it should bee said that the Gospel of Saint Iohn and the Apocalypse are not of the counsell of God because they were noâ— then written when Saint Paul said he had declared all the counsell of God For these two bookes containe not any doctrine which is not found in the other bookes of the new Testament and which the Apostles have not taught by mouth and by writing 5. At Deut. 4. 2. and 12. 3. God speaketh thus Ye shall not adde to the word which I command you neither shall you diminish ought from it Hee doth not say you shall not change or alter any part or you shall not teach any thing to the contrary but you shall adde nothing and diminish nothing As to diminish defalse something from the Law of god is not to foist in a contrary câ—mandement so also to adde doth not signifie to impugne Put the case it were not forbidden to adde and that it should bee spoken thus You shall change nothing of my word yet the Pope would still be culpable of having infringed this restraint by attributing to himselfe the power of changing the Lawes and Ordinances of God and of dispensing against the Apostle In the bookes of the hourely prayers of our Lady according to the custome of Rome the ten Commandements of God are placed in the entrance The third is couched in these termes Remember that thou keepe holy the Sabbath and festivall dayes Can any thing bee more plainely added to the Commandement of God Therefore if it were prohibited to adde to the Law of Moses without which was then no Doctrine of salvation there is no colour or appearance that at this time the Law of Moses the Prophets the Evangelists and Apostles are not sufficient and that it is lawfull to adde unwritten Traditions thereunto And let it not seeme strange that the bookes of Moses alone were then sufficient unto salvation for whosoever will examine the books of Ioshua of the Iudges of the Prophets who did set forth their writings afterwards shall finde that they adde nothing to the Doctrine of salvation which is contained in the bookes of Moses onely they adde some confirmatory examples of the promises and menaces of God some histories of the chastisements judgements and deliverances of the Chuâ—ch some Prophecies and future events some particular expositions of that which the law of Moses spake in generall and some commaundements made to some particular one which were not generall Lawes nor perpetuall in the Church As for the Oracles which God gave amongst the Cherubins they were not Doctrines nor Canons of Religion but answeres upon future successes or upon the estate of the present affaires of peace or warre It is true that Iesus Christ and the Apostles have since given a more ample instruction but I say that whilst the Church had no other divine bookes but those of Moses they were sufficient to salvation for the Church ought to be contented with that measure of knowledge which God hath revealed But in succeeding ages if God revealeth something more then he had done before and pâ—esenteth himselfe more obviously to humane understandings this falleth out necessary for those unto whom Gods pleasure is to have himselfe manifested That Noses hath not distributed unwritten Traditions to the people see his owne testimony at Deut. 31. 24. in these words And it came to passe when Moses had made an end of writing the words of the Law in a booke untill they were finished that he commanded the Levites which bare the Arke of the Covenant of the Lord saying Take this booke of the Law and put it in the side of the Arke c. 6. After the death of Mâ—ses God gave to Ioshua no other precept or document â—hen this very booke as hee himselfe speaketh to Ioshua in the first Chapter Be strong and courageous that thou mayest observe to doe according to all the Law which Moses my servant commanded thee turne not from it to the right hand or to the left that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest This booke of the Law shall not depart out of thy mouth but thou shalt meditate therein day and night Surely God in this Law of Moses commandeth to obey the Soueraigne sacrificing Priest as also the Leuites and the Iudges not when they should adde to the Law of God but when they should teach this Law as it is said at the 17. of Deut. 9. and 11. Where also the Kings are commanded to haue the booke of the Law of God alwayes before their eyes and to read therein all the dayes of their life verse the 18. and the 19. 7. None of our adversaries durst yet deny that the doctrine of the Gospell is sufficient to salvation or gaine-fay that the Gospell is found whole and entire in the new Testament Otherwise the title were false and we should be forced to change the inscription and set it downe part of the Gospel untill the Pope doth publish the second part or else bee compelled to seeke the other part of the Gospel in the unwritten word which is not to bee found For our aduersaries would never suffer it to bee compiled and reduced into one body nor doe they divulge any booke which is called the word of God except the Holy Scripture Some answere that the bookes Iehan Iaubert p. 308. of the Gospell which are in the new Testament doe containe all the Gospel but implicitely that is to say after an involued and imbroyled manner the force of conscience hath extorted those words from them for if the service of Images adoration of Reliques Pardons of one hundred thousand yeeres single life of Priests succession of the Pope in the Apostleship of Saint Peter restraint of reading the Scripture c. are contained in the bookes of the new Testament they must bee lurking after an inveloped and obscure manner for no man could euer descry them to bee therein Those that extract oyles and salts out of the stones would idly imploy their knowledge therein For to speake in generall without any specification that the Scripture approoueth Traditions is but a mockery under this vaile or shaddow there is neither tyranny nor idolatry nor bartering traffique but may abound and bee practised in the Church presupposing without proofe that these are the Traditions which the Scripture meaneth for the Pope so
prove the insufficiency of the Scripture whose actuall perfection and absolute sufficiency they exalt above all upon all occurrences and tracts concerning the doctrine of salvation Clemens Alexandrinus in the sixt booke of his Stromata Wee say nothing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without the Scriptures Tertullian in his booke against Hermogenes wrote before hee became Scriptum esse doceat Hermogenis officina Si non est scriptum timeat vae illud adijcientibus auâ— detrahentibus destinaetum a Montanist Hereticke in his 22. chap. The shop of Hermogenes declareth to us that it is written but in case it be not written let that woe denounced against those which adde or diminish be a terrour vnto them But when hee afterwards slid away into heresie he betooke himselfe to maintaine his doctrine by vnwritten Traditions For in his booke of Monogamy which he compiled being an Hereticke at the 2. chap. hee transmitteth vs to Tradition alledging these words of our Lord I have many things to tell you but you cannot carry them away at this time which is the passage that our adversaries ordinarily produce for Hippol. tome 3. Biblioth PatruÌ„ pag. 20 21. Edit Col. Vnus Deuâ— est quem non altunde agnâ—scimus quam ex S. 〈◊〉 Qutadmodum n. si que vellet sapientiam huius saculi exercere non aliter hoc coÌ„sequt poterit nisi dogmata Philosophorura legat sie quicunque volumus pietateÌ„ in Deum exercere non aliunde discemus quam in Scripturis divinis Athan. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ambros Quae in scripturis sanctis non reperimus ca queÌ„admodum â— surpare possemus Hillar Te admiror fideÌ„ tantum secuÌ„dum ea qua scripta sunt desideranteÌ„ Basil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyrill Hier. Catech. 4 c. de Spir. S. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cvrillus Alexandr Gla. Phyr Dist 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their Traditions Saint Hippolytus There is but one God whom wee know not by other meanes but by the sacred Scriptures Even as he that would exercise the wisedome of this age cannot seeke and obtaine it but by reading the opinions and precepts of Philosophers so all of us that would practise true Piety towards God can learne and comprehend it no way else but by the holy Scriptures Saint Athanasius in the beginning of his oration against the Gentiles The holy and devinely inspired Scriptures are sufficient to cause the truth to bee vnderstood And in his booke of our Saviours Incarnation Are you so inordinatly desperate as to relate things that are not written and to keepe your vnderstanding at such distance from true piety Ambrose in his first booke de officijs cha 23. How can wee alledge things not found to be in holy Scriptures Saint Hilary in his second booke against Constantius I doe admire thee O Emperour Constantius shewing thy desire that men should beleeve according as it is written Basile is excellent heereupon towards the end of his Ethicks which are among his Ascheticks If saith hee all that is not of Faith be sinne as the Apostle speaketh and faith commeth by hearing and hearing from the word of God all that is without or beside the holy Scripture devinely inspired not being of faith is sinne And againe in his Treatise concerning Faith It is a manifest revolt from the faith and a capitall crime of pride and presumption to reject any thing that is written or to bring in any thing unwritten See also the same Father amongst his more compendious rules in the 95. definition Saint Cyrill of Ierusalem is no lesse expresse This good man in his fourth Catechisme instructeth people in this manner Touching the divine and sacred misteries of the faith the least matter is not to bee taught without the holy Scriptures nor suffered to be brought in after any sort whatsoever either through probability or through words fitly disposed Yea put no confidence in mee that speake unto you these things unlesse I give you proofe of that which I preach unto you out of the holy Scriptures for the integrity of our faith consisteth not in designes or conferences artificially invented but in proofe drawne from the divine Scrptures And Cyril of Alexandria in the 2. booke upon Genesis How can we admit of that which the holy Scripture hath not said or range it amongst absolute verities And in his seventh booke against Iulian The holy Scripture is sufficient to make those wise most approved and of able understanding who are therewith educated and instructed Theodoret in his first Dialogue Theod. Dialog 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et Dial. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Corysost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et in Psa 95 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bellar. dâ— verbo dâ—i lib. 4. cap. 11. intituled De Immutab Bring not humane reasons to me for I beleeve not in any thing but the holy Scriptures And in his second Dialogue I am not so rash as to affirme any thing wherein the sacred Scripture is silent Chrysostome upon the second Epistle to the Thessalonians the second Chapter All things that are in the divine Scriptures are cleere and sincere every thing that is necessary is therein plaine And upon Psalm 95. When any thing is spoken without the Scripture the very cogitations of the hearers are lame The same Father in his third Homily upon the second to the Corinthians calleth the Scripture an exact ballance the rule and square of all things He saith not as Bellarmine falsifying this passage doth make him that the Scripture is the most exact rule of all but that it is the ballance square and rule of all things Saint Hierome upon the first Chapter of the Prophet Aggay Hieron Sed alia qua absque authoritate testimonie scripturarum quasi traditione Apostolica sponte reperiunt percutit gladius Det. Ecclesia Christi c. non est ogressa de finibus suts id est de Scripturis sanctis The things which they invent and forge of themselves as by an Apostolicall Tradition without the authoritie and testimony of the holy Scriptures are stroken and dashed by the very sword of God And upon the Prophet Micah l. c. 1. The Church of Christ is not strayed out of its limits that is to say from the holy Scriptures So as to bring any thing from without the Scripture in the Doctrine of salvation is to wander out of the bounds that God hath prefixed to the Church The same Father against Helvidius As wee deny not that which is Hiero in Heluid Vt hac quae scripta hunt non negaâ—us ita ea â—ua non sunt script a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deum esse de â—â—gane credimus quia legimus Maria â—â—â—â—â—sse post portum non eredimus quia non legimus August Evangalista tastatur multa Dominum ChristuÌ„ it dixisse et secisse qua non scripta sunt electa sunt autem qua scriberantur qua salutâ— cradentium
recte de Ecclesia sentit qui nihil admit tit nisi quod expresse in veteri Ecclesia sumpenÌ„ aâ—t factuÌ„ essâ— legit quasi Ecclesia osterioris temporis aut desierit esse Ecclesia aut facuitate non habeat explicaâ—â— et acclarandi costiruenat etiam 〈◊〉 qua au 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christianon perâ—â—onâ— doctrine defendeth himselfe in this manner He judgeth not rightly of the Church who admitteth nothing but what hee expresly readeth to haue â—en practised or done in the ancient â—hurch as if the Church of these â—tter times had câ—ased to be a Church â— had not power to vnfold and dâ—clare â—a to establish and ordaine the things â—â—at appertaine to fayth and manners â—f Christians This power then of â—he Pope over the life and crowne â—f Kings is not a divine Tradition â— or Apostolike but Ecclâ—siasticall â—rought in by the church of Rome â—n latter times that is to say by â—he Pope And when our adversaries attribute to the Pope the power of adding to the Creed and of making articles of Faith it is apparant that they hold the Pope able to bring in Traditions essentiall to Christian faith which the Apostles haue neither written nor taught by word of mouth This is that which Thomas Aquinas Them 2. â—â— qâ— 1. are 10. Ad solam ar theritate 〈◊〉 â—â—◠〈◊〉 is pertinot noua editie symboli sicut alia omnia qua pertinent ad toram Ecclâ—siam teacheth in the second part of his Summs saying It belongeth sâ—lely to the authority of the soveraigne Pope to make a new edition of Creed as also all things that concerne the vniversall Church Vpon which passage Andradius that assisted at the Counsell of Trent spake thus in the second Booke of the defence 〈◊〉 Pontifices â—â—lte defini 〈◊〉 qua anto 〈◊〉 symbolâ— fidei 〈◊〉 consu 〈◊〉 of the Tridentine faith The Romane Pontifies in defining many things which had been formerly hidden haue accustomed to augment the Creed This question hath been moved to the Councell of Florence betweene the Greekes and Latines the Latines maintaining against the Greekes that the Pope and church of Rome may adde to the Creed Finally in the last Session is concluded in favour of the Latines Ipsi necessitate â—â—gente iure suo particulaâ— illam ex filioque symbolo app◠〈◊〉 licuisso that the Church of Rome hath right of power to adde to the Creed and in the margent is noted Rom Pontificis potestas the power of the â—ope for by the church you must â—understand the Pope To this doth the Iesuite Vasques â—gree who disputing of the Apoâ—les commandement that biddeth â—he people of Corinth 1. Cor. 11. vers 28 to eate of this bread and Vazques Tom. 2. Disp. 216. NuÌ„ 60. Licet coÌ„cederemus hoc fuisse ApostoloruÌ„ praceptuÌ„ rithilomâ—n us Ecclesia summus PoÌ„tifex potuerunt illud iÌ„ustis de causis abrogare Neque enim maior fuit porestas Apostolorum quam Ecclesia Pontificu in ferendu praceptis drinke of this cup speaking thus Though we should graunt that it hath been the Apostles commandement yet neverthelesse the Church and the sove raigne Pope were able to abolish this commandement vpon just reasons for the power of the Apostles to giue commaundements hath not been greater then that of the Church and the Pope Seeing therefore that the Pope hath as much power over the Church as the Apostles and that the Apostles haue had the power to forme a Creed and to establish in the Church Articles of Faith which had not beene written before nor taught by word of mouth in the Church it followes that the Pope hath the same power and that he can forma a Creed or adde to that which the Apostles haue formed and can ordaine matters which the Apostles haue neither written nor taught by mouth Whereupon Leo the tenth in his Bull Exurge which is annexed to the end of the last Lateran Councell thundereth and pronounceth an anathema again â— Luther for having spoken amongst other things Certum est in manis Ecclesis aut Papa proorsus noÌ„ esse 〈◊〉 artiâ—ulos fides that it is no way in the power of the Church or of the Pope to establish articles of faith Salmeron the Iesuite is expresse in his 13 Tome and the third part Disp 6. â— est ergo Doctrina â—dei admitit additioneÌ„â— essentialius of the sixth Disputation saying The doctrine of faith suffereth addition in the things that are essentiall These words are worth observation for if you beleeue this Iesuite the Pope and Church of Rome â—â—ay adde to the Traditions that â—re called Apoâ—tolicall and to the â—â— written word not only matters â—ccidenâ—all but also essentiall not â—aught by the Apostles Which â—ikewise doth iâ—feere that the Aâ—ostles haue not taught all that is â—ecessary to Christian Religion â—nd that then there wanted someâ—hing that was essentiall in the doctrine of the Apostles § Atque hoc c. Nec sub Apostolu omnia occur runt vt possent ab en omnia decidi Et in alio statu erat Ecclesia sub Apostolu quam sit modo vel fuenâ—â— post illa tempra Deinde natura nostra non omnia simul doceri potest c. In iniurtam igitur spiritus sanctâ— qui vngit vnctione â—a membra Christi qui vsque modo operatur reiicitur quicquid non est dudum ab Apostolis c. Possunt ergo esse nâ—uae traditiones ad fidem mâ—res spectaÌ„tes licet ab Apostolu noÌ„ sint conditâ— aut explicatâ— The same Iesuite in his 8. Disputation giues a reason why the Apostles haue not written nor preached all things The affayres saith hee in the Apostles time diâ— not so hit and fall out as that all things could bee decided and the Church at that time was of a condition differing from her now prâ—sent estate and from her estate since that very time Moreouer our nature cannot apprehend all things at once but by progresse and succession of time neither is it capable of all truths at a time c. It were then to abuse the holy Ghost that anâ—oynteth Christs members with oyntment and that operateth vntill thiâ— instant to reject all that hath not beeâ— spoken by the Apostles Whereupon he concludeth therefore may therâ— bee new Traditions concerning faith and manners though they were never made or explicated by the Apostles Now I leaue to judge with whaâ— conscience it may be maintained that the Traditions are ancient and Apostolicall seeing that our adversaries doe confesse that there are many of them moderne and new whereof the Apostles never spake word And to the ende that no man may conceaue these new Traditions to be spungie of no weight unnecessary or unessentiall to christian Religion he speakes directly that the new Traditions are touching faith and manners and that the â—â—ctrine of the Christian faith reâ—â—veth yet an addition even in â—ings that are essentiall
defaults are therein found and giueth God thankes for it to the end that men finding no stedinesse or certainty in the Scripture may subiect themselues to the tyrannie of the Church that is to say of the Pope and there to find instruction these are his words The prouidence Demonstr 2. § 5. p. 128. of God to constraine vs yet more powerfully to vndergoe the yoke of the Church with humility and simplicity permitteth that there bee not only some alteration in certaine parcels of the Scripture and in some copie but the more the bookes of the Scripture are dispersed the more they shall alter and perish by tract of time whether they be in originall tongues or translations Without doubt hee that reioyceth at the deprauations which he imagineth to bee in Scripture and at the losse of some bookes and prayseth thererein the prouidence of God would much more solace himselfe and reioyce if all the Scripture were abolished For to what purpose serveth it if Tradition of the Church of Rome bee a perfect rule more certaine and of more authority then the holy Scripture and if the Pope iudge soueraignly and infallibly of all the points of faith for hee hath forbidden the people to reade the Scripture as a booke not onely unnecessary but also dangerous and that which hath made a great breach in the Popedome The same Iesuite pleaseth himselfe with this conceit of his inculcating it with often repetition As in the third Demonstration when he hath said that a man cannot assure himselfe of the sense of the Greeke Testament because it first was written without accents and distinctions whereon depends the sense hee addeth It is a worke of the providence of God to stoope our mindes and inclinations to the soveraigntie of the Church that is to say of the Pope who by consequence hath more authoritie then the Apostle S. Paul speaking to the Corinthians not that wee have dominion over your faith 2. Cor. 1. 24. But may not wee affirme it with more probability to be a worke of Gods providence that hee hath suffered so many schismes and heresies so much simony uncleannesse of life and crueltie to haue infected the seat of Rome whereby to referre us to the Scripture to make vs forsake those wicked guides and to subject us to his holy word and that God by his providence hath permitted that the Popes themselues haue confessed their owne errours And lastly that the Popes sycophants haue recorded unto us their crimes and heresies as I haue proved in my first Booke In short to bee throughly informed with what spirit this Iesuite is lead it is but to reade the same that hee hath written in his third Demonstration pag. 190. They cause them saith he to renounce the Church pretending that it consisteth of men that are faultie and lyers vnder a faire semblance of Scripture and vnder a plausible promise to governe all by the word of God But the truth is they depute a bleare-eyed Leah vnto them in lieu of a faire Rachel and submit faith to the soveraigne command of the will of Ministers who put into their hand a Scripture that is humane erronious mutable subject to correction c. This miserable Iesuite wil one day render an account to God of so damnable a speech wherein hee compareth the holy Scripture to bleare-eyed Leah and the Church of Rome to beautifull Rachel It is very false that wee renounce the Church but yet we maintaine that it ought to be subject to the Scripture and we renounce the doctrine of those who say that the Scripture is subject to the Church of Rome for God cannot be subject to men As for the soveraigne power of the Ministers function that might well bee retorted upon us for a reproach if wee boasted amongst us that they cannot erre that they haue power to change Gods commandements conteined in the holy Scriptures to adde to the Creed and to make new articles of faith or if we should stile our selues Iudges infallible and soveraigne of the poynts of faith Wee leaue these usurpations and proud titles to the Pope by the which hee exalteth himselfe aboue God Onely wee exhort the people to beleeue the Word of God contained in holy Scriptures wherein if wee finde any obscure passages wee take not upon us to bee Iudges of the sense and to determine it with authoritie It is enough that as much as therein is perspicuous and plaine not needing the helpe of an Interpreter is sufficient for our salvation And to contest much about Translations wee busie not our selues for the Translation approved by the Church of Rome fufficeth us discovering clearely therin the very condemnation of Papistry All Translations agree in the matters necessary to salvation and the originall texts both Hebrew and Greeke are at this day familiar and agreeing to our Translation Of these things haue I treated at large in my first Booke of The Iudge of Controversies and haue discussed all the slender objections wherein our Adversaries doe side with Pagans and Infidels and endeavour to extenuate the firmnesse and authoritie of the Scripture which Saint Paul calleth The divine Oracles Rom. 3. 2. and The Scripture diuinely inspired 1. Tim. 3. 16. which I say Iesus Christ himselfe hath uttered holding vp his owne vocation by the testimony of the Prophets and by it hath repelled the temptation of the Deuill Math. 4. Yea S. Paul saith that the Scripture can make a man wise to saluation and is most proper for mans accomplishment in euery good worke without it wee haue not meanes to know that God will haue but one Church in the world And when our aduersaries haue wretchedly reuiled it yet are they afterwards constrained to returne vnto it and to beg of it though with an ill stomacke some clauses of Text to found their Church vpon the Scriptures authority without it Christianity had beene long since abolished The diuine efficacy of it is manifest in this that the Pope hath suppressed it so as the people may not see it yet when God is pleased to lay it open to the peoples view and that it be translated into vulgar tongues Papistry doth immediatly vanish in many Prouinces Yea if Emperours and Kings had not hastened to succour vsing both fire and sword and the rigour of Inquisitions without doubt Papistry had beene vtterly extinguished Wherefore it is no maruell if the Pope by his scouts labour to blemish the Scripture rendring it doubtfull and without authority which vngodly instruments at this day borrow the weapons of Pagans who to restore Paganisme and ruine Christianity haue had no surer course then to difsame the holy Scripture Loe whither Satan strives to leade vs Hee striues to shake the only foundation of Christian religion to the end that the people distasting the Scripture may for their faith and saluation relye vpon the conductors of the Romish church wherein haue liued multitudes of Popes notorious heretickes and so iudged by the
prescribed any Law to the Church of Rome when as all the Councells haue beene made and haue taken their force by the authority of the Church of Rome and in their statutes the authority of the Pope is cleerly excepted Who doth not perceiue that in these words by the Church of Rome the Pope alone is vnderstood for our Aduersaries deny not but that the people and Clergie of the Church of Rome are subject to the Councells The Iesuite Gregory of Valence in Pontifexiâ—â— Romaâ—â— eâ—t in quâ— authâ—ritas illa râ—â—det quâ— in Ecclesia extat ad iudgâ—anduÌ„ de omnibus omnino controversis fidei the title of the seuenth booke of his Analysis The Pope of Rome is he in whom resideth all authority of the Church to iudge entirely of all doubts of the Faith Andradius in his first booke of the defence of the Tridentine faith Fide Papae nostra continetur ex eius vnjus authoritate salus omnium pendet Our faith consisteth in the faith of the Pope and vpon his authority alone dependeth all mens saluation Iudge whether mans saluation bee not well deriued Whereupon hee Non minor est Papae ad controversias dirimendas quaÌ„ Ecclesiae totius authoritas speaks there againe that the authority of the Pope to decide all controuersies is not lesse then the authority of the whole Church And wee haue formerly heard the Iesuite Vasques affirming that the authority of the Pope is not lesse then that of the Apostles and that hee can abrogate and cancell the Apostles commandements In the second Session of the last Lateran Councell these words are expresse Behold Ecce adest Divi Petri successor Iâ—â— lius noÌ„ minor authoritate Iulius the Successour of Saint Peter no lesse in authority then him It is true that when the Pope will hee ioyneth some Prelates with him to assist him in his decreeing But whereas hee cals and chooseth whom hee will these Prelates haue not authority but by him and the Pope an enact all without them This is that which Cardinall Bellarmine hath in his third booke of Iste iudex non potest esse scripturae c. Igitur Princeps Ecc esiasticus vel solus vel cum consilto et coÌ„sensu coepiscop orum the word of God Chap. 9. That iudge cannot bee the Scripture therefore is it the Ecclesiasticall Prince either alone or with the aduice approbation of the brother Bishops For so our Aduersaries doe joyntly hold that when the Pope iudgeth in the Apostolicke chaire and as Pope his sole opinion and decree is as firme and certaine as if a Councell had voted vpon it And to remoue all doubt our adversaries blush not openly to affirme that by this word Church Grego de Valent Tom 3. in Thom. disput 1. q. 1. pusto 5. sect â— the Pope is to bee vnderstood Gregory of Valence the Iesuite after hauing said that the full authority of Hane authoritatem pleue in Romano Pontifice c resâ—dere qui scilicet de sides et morum controverstis ad vniversaleÌ„ EcclesiaÌ„ pertinetibus vel per se vel cuÌ„ generali Concilio sufficienter coÌ„stituat Iam igitur quuÌ„ dicimus propositionem Ecclesiae esse conditionem necessariam ad assansu â—â— fidei nomine Ecclesia intelligimus eius caput id est RomanuÌ„ PontificeÌ„ per seâ—vel vna cuÌ„ Concilio iudging controuersies of the faith and manners which concerne the vniuersall Church doth plenarily reside in the Pope of Rome Christs Vicar hee addeth Now therefore when wee say that the Proposition of the Church is a condition necessary to oblige the Faith to one agreement by this word Church wee vnderstand her head which is to say the Pope of Rome either alone or with the Councell For hee is not of opinion that the Councell bee necessarily required Bellarmine expoundeth it thus in his second booke of the Councels Chap. 19. The Pope saith hee ought to speake it to the Church that is to say to himselfe And Pope Innocent the third in his Chapter Novit extra de iudicijs attributeth to himselfe the taking notice of a difference betweene Philip the second surnamed Augustus King of France and Iobn King of England for it is written tell it to the Church Now S. Peter was one of those to whom Iesus Christ spake Tell it to the Church was this Apostle able to divine that Iesus Christ vnderstood Tell it to thy selfe and that Iesus Christ would haue the party complainant to be iudge see then the Church which is a word that signifieth an assembly reduced to one man And the sense of this Article of the Creed I beleeue the Church shall bee I beleeue the Pope who sometimes cals himselfe god sometimes Iesus Christ and sometimes the Church so he shall bee Bridegroome and Spouse and one man shal cal himselfe an assembly And tell me to what purpose are Councels assembled so long and so painfull seeing nothing is to bee done but to consult the Papall Oracle with in one instant can decide al controversies without possibilitie of erring seeing I say that in one man wee haue the vniversall Church that the Councell can doe nothing without the Pope and that the Pope can doe all and judge of all without the Councell Whereupon Bellarmine affirmeth Bellar. lib. 4. de Roman Pontifice ca. 2. Sect. videntur IpsaÌ„ insallibilttatem non esse in coetu consiliariorum vel in concilio E. piscoporum sed in solo Pentisice with all the Doctors that the Infallibilitie of a Councell is not in the assembly of the Counsellers nor in the Councell of Bishops but in the Pope alone and yet in the meane time the Popes themselues never appeare not in the Councels This Advertisment was very necessary to the end that the Reader might know that as by the authoritie of the Church is understood the authoritie of the Pope so by Traditions of the Church nothing is understood but the Ordinances made or approoved by the Pope for they subsist not but by his authoritie and though they haue passed through a Councell yet the Pope can change abolish them and institute new in their stead without wayting for a Councell For should he haue lesse authoritie over Traditions then over the holy Scripture wherein he can alter the Ordinances and Institutions of our Lord He can dispense against the Apostle should not he be able to dispense against a Councell or against the custome which hath authorised a Tradition It is the same that Andradius expresly teacheth in the second Booke of his Defence of the Tridentine Faith Liquet minime eos â—rrasse qui dicunt Romanos Pontifices posse nonnunquam in legibus dispensare a Paulo et a primis quaetuor Concilys Greg. 1. lib. 1. Epist 24. Those saith hee erre not who affirme that sometimes the Popes in their lawes can dispence contrary to that of S. Paul and the foure first Councels which are the
with all her house And that in the same Chapter the same Apostle baptizeth all the family of the Goaler That Saint Paul baptized the family of Stephanus 1 Cor. 1. 16. If these proofes are bad Why doe they make use of them If they be good in their mouthes Why should they not be good in ours As for holding Baptisme of Heretikes to bee good wee account not this article as necessary to salvation Agrippine a man of holy life and Doctrine and Saint Cyprian Saint Firmilian Saint Denis Alexandrine and Saint Basil have dissented in this point from the Church of Rome yet neverthelesse they are held for Saints by our Adversaries Yea more many Councels approved by the Church of Rome ordaine that some Heretikes should be re-baptized by name the Paulianists the Samosetanians the Montanists the Eunomians the Sabellians the Eucratites c. as is to be seene at the nineteenth Canâ— of the first Councell of Nice At the eighth Canon of the Councell of Laodicea At the seventh Canon of the first Councell of Constantinople And in the Epistle of Saint Basil to Amphilochius at the 47. Canon Yet this question shall be found decided in the Scripture by all probability For Circumcision did still continue among the Israelites of the ten idolatrous races who were no more circumcised when they were converted to the true Religion The custome of circumcising the Samaritans againe that were ranged into Iudaisme wherof Epiphanius speaketh in his booâ— of measures and weights practizeâ— upon Symmâ—chus a Traducer of thâ— Scriptures was invented afterwards The same reason is for Baptisme Concerning the procession of of the holy Spirit from the Father and the Sonne it is to be seene in the Councell of Florence that the Latines defending themselves against the Greekes upon this question doe alledge Scripture but this controversei was devised and is sustained with animosity to strengthen the Schisme and it is an easie matter to accord them therein For those who say that the holy Spirit proceedeth from the Father by the Sonne doe say also that it proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne In a matter that passeth our capacities it is better to say little then too much and rather to be ignorant then to contest The change of the Sabbath and observation of the Lords day are plainely enough collected out of the Scripture The Apostle to the Colos 2. 16. saying Let no man judge you in meat or in drinke or in respect of an holy day or of the new Moone or of the Sabbath dayes forbiddeth to condemne any man that doth not observe a distinction of meats and keepeth not the new Moones not Sabbaths And by the placing of new Moones and the Sabbaths in the same ranke he sheweth cleerely that as Christians were not obliged to keepe the new Moones so were they no more strictly bound to keepe the Sabbaths At the first Chapter of the Apoc. 10. is mention made of our Lords day Vpon which passage the Iesuite Ribera Ribera in cap. 1. Apocal Videmus hîe etiam tempore Apostolorum Sâ—bbaths solemaitatens muâ—aâ—am esse in Dominicam diem speaketh thus Wee see here that in the time of the Apostles the solemnity of the Sabbath was changed to the Lords day This is the first day of the weeke whereon the Christians made their solemne assemblies to celebrate the holy Supper and to contribute their almes as is to be seene at the 20. of the Acts 7. and in 1 Cor. 16. 2. as Thomas and Lombard have declared in their Commentaries upon this Epistle and Estius Comment in 1. ad Corin. cap. 16. Ecclesia iam ab illo tempore caepit vacare diem Dominicam quod in ea resurrexisset Dominus a morte Sic enim appellatur a lohanne Apostole Adocal 1. vt proinde diet Dominica nomen institutioneÌ„ ad Apostoles referendam esse non sit dubium after them one Estius speaking thus The Church from that time began to call it the Lords day because on that day the Lord was raised from the dead For it is so called by Saint Iohn at the first of the Apocalypse Where fore it is not to be doubted but that the name and institution of the Lords day ought to be fathered upon the Apostles Neverthelesse let us grant that no mention is made of this in the Scripture what availeth it against us who affirme that all the Doctrines of the Christian faith are contained in the Scripture For the observation of our Lords day is not a Doctrine but a Law of Ecclesiasticall government The perpetuall Virginity of the blessed Virgine is beleeved in our Churches by way of decencie though it bee not a Doctrine of faith nor a point necessary to salvation Basil in his Homily of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nativity of Christ saith That if it were otherwise yet would it bee nothing prejudiciall to our salvation Howsoever Helvidius had not his perfect senses about him to move so impertinent a question and call into doubt a matter which were better supposed to be true then argued on either side As for singing of Psalmes in our Churches as well by men as by women it is no Article of the Christian faith but an Ecclesiasticall policie and custome which neither addeth to nor substracteth from the Doctrine of faith And this custome is not practised in all our Churches for there are Churches which doe assemble secretly to avoid persecurion as heretofore did Christians under the Pagan Emperours These poore Churches have not the liberty of singing yet are they not the lesse amiable in the sight of God The Apostle to the Colos 3. 16. commandeth us to exhort one the other by Psalmes Hymnes and Spirituall Songs Hee wrote this to the Colossians without distinction of Sex The same Apostle in 1 Cor. 14. 14. and at 1 Tim. 2. 12. forbiddeth women to teach in the Church but not to sing For seeing they partake of the prayers and preaching why not of the praises and actions of thanksgiving If it be a seemely thing and religious in them to chant forth the glorious commendations of God in their house at home why not also in the house of God The termes of Consubstantion and Trinity are words but no Rules nor Doctrines and these words as they adde nothing to the Scripture so they import nothing that is not contained in the Scripture in othertermes The terme of Person is found in Heb. 1. â— for this word hypostasis in Greeke signifieth person They have but little modestie who blush not to demand a passage of Scripture where the word Sacrament may be found The Apostles writing in Greeke regarded not to provide themselves of a Latine word Surely these men speak as properly as if they enquired whether this very word horse is found in Virgil. In the Latine vulgar translation the word Sacramentum is rehearsed some dozen of times and signifieth a mystery or secret Whence it commeth that the mystery of
demonstrative they deride and jeere it saying that syllogismes are but humane discourse and an invention of Aristotle unfit to regulate our faith But those of our adversaries who are better stored with knowledg as Thomas Bellarmin Baronius Perron Salmeron Vasques rejecteth this wrangling Philosophy froward reasoning which carpeth at syllables and is made for nothing else but to bring foorth nothing and to brave and swagger in the speed of running away Now what an unjust case it is that those who attribute to the Church of Rome the power not only of adding to the Scripture but also to alter that which God hath ordained in the Scripture and who hold that their Church hath no obligation to the Scripture should use such rigor against us to bind us precisely to the words and syllables of the Scripture though wee change nothing in the substâ—nce It were an easie matter for vs to proceed against them after the same wise replying to the first word they offer us Shew mee what you say in as many words in the word of God written or unwritten for they take both for the rule of their instruction And if they make use of these words therefore and then to tell them these are your reasons and consequences and in stead of giving satisfactory answere to injoyne them that they proove unto us that wee are bound to proove to them what they demand and so to breake off with laughter and insultation this were the way as the proverbe hath it to counterfet the fooles with mad-men If in handling points of the Faith it be not permitted to make use of other wordes besides those that are found in the Scripture it shall not be suffered to preach nor to write commentaries nor to conferre the passages of the Scripture together for this collation cannot bee made without imploying some other words which forme the comparison and shew the resemblance It shall not likewise be suffered to recite the Creed nor to say there are but foure Evangelists in the new Testament for the Scripture speaketh not this in so many words Moreover by this pedanticall cavilation neither Charles nor Anthony nor any particular man shall bee obliged to beleeve in Iesus Christ nor to obey him For the Scripture neither speaketh of Charles nor Anthony But the duty of particular men is drawne by necessary consequence from the generall rules that are in the Scripture So our adversaries beleeve that Pope Vrbane is lawfull successour in the supremacie of Saint Peter which neverthelesse they derive by consequence of this generall Maxime that the Bishops of Rome are lawfull successors in the Primacy of S. Peter If from an imaginary Tradition they draw consequences why should not wee draw them from the holy Scripture When I say that Purgatory and the primacy of the Bishop of Rome are Traditions whereof the Scripture maketh no mention how should I shew this in so many sillables seeing I hold that it is not found therein at all for if there were found a passage that saith there is no such thing as Purgatory the Scripture should make mention of Purgatory These men require the same as when I should say that nothing is spoken of Iesus Christ in Virgils Aeneades some trifling Sophister urgeth mee to shew in the Aeneades a passage affirming that Iesus Christ is not therein mentioned This peevish wrangling no lesse injurious then troublesome taketh from the Christians all meanes of proving to a lew by the Prophets that Iesus is the Christ for the name of Iesus Christ is not found in the Prophets yet certaine it is that the thing it selfe is therein explained in equivalent termes To be short in such jugling Theology it is impossible to prove by Scripture thâ—t an Ape or Cat is not to be adored for this is not found totidem verbis in the Scripture but it is drawne from necessary consequence of passages wherein God alone will be worshipped If I say that the soule is immortall and that God governeth the World by his providence will these venerable Doctors take mee by the throate to shew them this sillabically in so many wordes Indeed it is not found in the same words but in some other equivalent speaking of the life eternall in this manner God maketh all things according to the counsell of his will Ephes 1. 5. And a sparrow falleth not the ground without the will of God Matt. 10. 29. And God himselfe pronounceth My counsell shall stand and I will accomplish all my pleasure Esay 46. 10. If the Scripture saith that God descendeth or runneth or is inflamed with choller or sleepeth shall it not be lawfvll to use plaine and intelligible words in expounding these figures Likewise I find not in the Scripture the word Trinity but I have found the word three Saint Iohn telling us that there are three in heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Spirit 1. Iohn 5. 7. I find not in the Scripture tolidem verbis that the soule of the thiefe was not in Limbo But I find that Iesus Christ assured him Thou shalt this day bee with mee in Paradise I find not in the Scripture in the same termes that the Saints know not our hearts but I find there how God alone knoweth the hearts of men 2. Chron. 6. 30. There is no mention made of single life of Prelates in the same words but there it is sayd Let a a Bishop bee husband but of one wife 1. Tim. 3. 2. Furthermore Iesus Christ disputing with the devill Matth. 4. 11. told him It is written thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve Which is a passage of the 6. of Deut. 13. Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and shalt serve him and swere by his Name To which passage the Lord joyneth another of the 1. of Sam. chap. 7. 3. Subject your hearts to the eternal God and serue him alone Iesus Christ made no scruple or difficulty to speake the same thing in sundry phrases At the 18. Acts 28. It is related that Apollos a lew demonstrated by the Scriptures of the old Testament that Iesus was the Christ though it bee not therein expressed in so many words And S. Peter at the 10. Acts 43. speaketh thus To Iesus Christ give all the Prophets witnesse that through his name whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall receive remission of sinnes Yet this is not found among the Prophets in expresse words but in equivalent termes and by necessary consequence Shall we then bee rebuked if wee alledge the Scripture after the same wont and forme as Iesus Christ and the Apostles have done The Apostle S. Paul in the 2. to Tim. 1. 13. commanding us to hold fast the forme of sound words doth not bind us to sillables for soundnesse and purity of doctrine may copiously and in full sense dwell under the signification of severall sorts of words as health of body may be clothed vnder another habit It is so taught by Hierome
upon Ne putemus in verbis scripturarum esse Evangelium led in sensu non in superficie sed in medulla non in sermonum folijs sed in radice rationis the 1. chap. to the Galat. Let us not thinke that the Gospel consisteth in the bare words of the Scripture but in the true meaning and signification not in the superficies but in the very marrow not in the leaues decked with words but in the roote of solid reason The Fathers and ancient Councells were ignorant in such kind of importunate and unmannely divinity when they defined by the Scripture in the first Nicene councell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the Sonne is consubstantiall with the Father And when the first Councel of Ephesus decreed against Nestorius that the Virgin Mary might and ought to bee called the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deipara Mother of God The Arians pressed Athanasius to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quomodo â—â—cu in Scripturis 〈…〉 Ego de 〈◊〉 Pater vnum sumus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non potest aliquid certü esse certitudine fidei nisi aut immediate contineatur in verbe dei aut ex verbo dei per avidentem coÌ„sequentiam deducatur c. Neque de hoe principio vel Catholici vel haretici dubitant Salmer proleg 9. prima quinquagena Can. 7. Non tantuns diuinam authoritatem habent siâ—â— ea tenenda Sunt qua in Scripturis expresse conâ—â—entur sed etlam ea omnia qua exilla necessaria euidenti consequentia deducuntus qua doctrina a magno ille Theologo Gregorie ad nos deriuat a est Et Paulo post Dupliciter aliquid esse in Scriptura dicitur aut quia est expresse in ea contentum et in sensu literals deinde omne quod virtute in ea coÌ„tentum est necessaria consequentia extractum Atque his duobus modis agere licet in haeretieos Vazq in 1. Partem Thomae Tomo 2. Disp 110. cap. 1. §. Quarto Nihil refere haue vacam non esse in Scriptura fi vox â—â— signifieat quod Scriptura decet shew them this word consubstantiall in the Scripture to whom Athanasius answereth in his booke of the decrees of the Nicene councell Though the very words be not so couched in the Scripture yet they haue the sence and vnderstanding of the Scripture Gregory of Nazianzen at the end of his Sermon touching Cyprian calls the verbalists 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hunters after syllables and words And in his 37. Oration which is the fifth concerning Theology he faith that the loue of the letter is to them a shadow or cloake for impiety Ambrose in his booke concerning the Faith written against the Arians chap. 5. How doe you say that consubstantiall is not in the divine Scriptures as if consubstantiall were any thing else but I am issue of the Father and the Father and I are one We learn out of Photius his Bibliotheca that Theodoret composed an expres treaty vpon this subject the inscription whereof is Against these who affirme that wee ought to relye on the words without having regard to the matter signified Touching this point we have the most learned of our adversaries on our side Bellarmine in his 3. booke of justification chap. 8 Nothing can bee sure in certainty of Faith unlesse it bee contained immediatly in the word of God or drawne from the word of God by some evident consequence Salmeron in his 9. Prolegomenon Not onely the matter which is immediatly conteined in the Scriptures hath divine authority and ought to be allowed with faith but also all things that are drawn from thence by necessary euident consequence which doctrine hath bin derived vnto us from Greg. that great Divine And a little after a thing is sayd to be in the Scripture two manner of wayes partly because it is therein contained expressely and in the litter all sence partly because it is contained vertually therein and is drawne from thence by necessary consequence now it i Ì„s lawfull to dispute with Heretickes both these wayes Hee bringeth Purgatory merrits and satiffactions for examples wordes that himselfe confesseth not to be in the Scripture but may be drawn from thence by consequence Iesuite Vasquez It importeth not whether the word be in Scripture or no so as that which it signifieth be in the Scripture Iansenius Bishop of Gant affirmeth the same at the 107. Chapter of his Harmony Our confession is frivolously obiected unto us which saith in the 5. Article that the Scripture is the Rule of all verity containing all that is necessary for the service of God and our salvation to the which it is not lawfull to adde diminish or alter For if these Novice Doctors affoorded themselues the leasure to read the following lines they should there find that wee avow the three Creeds to wit the Apostles the Nicene and the Athanasian Which notwithstanding are not found in the Scripture in such and so many words And in the Article following wee approve of that which hath bin determined by the ancient councels touching three persons in one individuall essence yet the determinations of Councels are not found to bee in the Scripture in the same termes Our confession confineth uâ—â—â— more to the Scripture then the Councell of Trent bindeth our adversaries to the word written and unwritten Yet they would not be interrupted thereupon nor that we should enjoyne them to shew euery word spoken by them to be in so many syllables in the written word or in that which is not written Whereas they suffer us not to bring one passage of Scripture for exposition of another unlesse wee suddenly bring a third that saith this passage expoundeth that By such proceeding they take away and extingnish all meanes of expounding Scripture by Scripture wherein also they contradict the Elders and Doctors of the Church of Rome who grant that Scripture shall bee interpreted by Scripture as we have mentioned in my former booke of the Iudge of Controversies Chap. 4. For the exposition of these words This is my body we allege the passage of the Apost saying This Bread which we breake Is it not the Communion in the body of Christ Likewise When youshall eat of this Bread or drinke of this Cup you shall declare the death of the Lord. Hereupon these youngsters require a passage which saith that these two last passages are the exposition of the first Wee answere that it is not needfull for it is sufficient that these three passages speake of the same thing For to understand the Doctrine of the Euchariâ—â— it is behoovefull to collect together all that the Scripture maketh thereof mention seeing that passages so comparatively united doe manifest and interpret one the other These new Disputants in rejecting all syllogismes and all arguments are obstinate and unexcusable For by what reason can they banish the use of reason from Divinity It were fitter for them to addresse themselves to the Thomists and Scotists
after the Apostles did reject all Traditions not contained in the holy Scriptures much more and with stronger reason it standeth that after so many ages transacted there should be lesse probability of cause to make new additions For when shall there be any cessation of adding Bellarmine in his 3. chapter against Barkley perceiuing that the Popes power to depose Kings is destitute of all Testimony of antiquity Non rectâ— dâ— Ecclesia sentit qui nihil admittit nisi quod exprâ—ssâ— in vetâ—râ— Ecclesia scriptuÌ„ aut factum â—sse legit Quâ—sâ— Ecclesia posterâ—â—ris temporis auâ— desiâ—rit essâ— Eclesia aut facultatâ— non habuerit explicandi declarandi constituendi â—tiam et iubâ—ndâ— quâ— ad fideÌ„ et mores Christianos pertinent saith that hee judgeth not soundly of the Church of Christ who admitteth nothing but what he readeth expressely to haue beene done or sayd in the ancient Church As if the Church of the latter time had either discontinued and left off to be a Church or had not the faculty of explicating or declaring constituting and ordaining matters which concerne the faith and manners of Christians Whence it followeth that the Church of Rome is not yet compleate and finished in her perfection seeing that precepts touching the faith and rule of moralitie may be added thereunto as indeed there are yet many that are hot in the forge and freshly hammered upon the anvile of avarice and ambition But this Cardinall ought to consider that seeing this Tradition touching the Popes power to depose Kings maketh the Pope King of Kings It is not just or reasonable that the Pope should be judge thereof nor that he should bee permitted without rendering accompt to any other person to introduce such Traditions without the word of God whereby to enveagle the temporall wealâ—h and to make himselfe the moâ—arch on earth By this very doctrine the Iesuite equalleth in authority the Romish Church of this time to the Church of the Apostles time Yet it is the Church of the Apostles time which regulateth the succeeding ages And those first Heraulds of grace in Iesus Christ are yet seated vpon the twelue thrones ludging the twelue Tribes of Israel From this source proceeded the Bull Exurge which is at the end of the last Lateran Councell placing this amongst the heresies of Luther when he sayd that It is not in the power of the Pope and Church of Rome to establish Articles of faith Hence also proceeded the remonstrance Syn Flor. Sess vlt. Romana Ecclâ—siâ— nâ—cessitatâ— vrgente iurâ— suo partâ—culâ— illam ex filioque Symbâ—lâ— appâ—nere liâ—u â—ssâ— which the councel of Florence published that the Church of Rome had just power to adde to the Creed CHAP. XXIIII How the Texts and Passages of the Fathers which our adversaries alledge for the unwritten Traditions ought to be understood SEeing that in matter of Christian faith and the points necessary to salvation the Fathers doe unanimiously cleaue to the sole word of God contained in the Holy Scriptures it were a strange thing if after this they should seeke to ground themselues upon Traditions and to surmise in matter of salvation another word unwritten Certainely the Doctors who should destroy that which they have built vp ought not to be beleeved by no meanes should they bee credited who credit not themselues Now for the better purging of Three sorts of good Traditions them from this blame it would be necessary to remember that which wee have formerly spoken to wit that we reiect not all sorts of Traditions for the Scripture it selfe is a Tradition which is one reason A second is because there are Traditions which are not matters of Faith nor necessary to salvation but customes and reglements touching Ecclesiasticall policy which wee willingly approove when wee see that they have beene receiued in the auncient Church by a generall consent And Satan having alienated any one of these customes and turned it to Idolatry or converted it to any other end unpractised before wee doe not beleeue that in deserting such a custome Christian Religion is a whit impaired but it were wisely done to barge up that gate against the devill A third is because there are also Doctrines taught in the Scripture which are there not found in the same termes as the Ancients propose them but are therein found in equivalent words or are deduced from thence by necessary consequence If any man will call these doctrines Traditions wee will not quarrell him thereupon provided that he allow such Traditions to be bottomed with the Scripture and there to be found in substance I say then as often as the Fathers mention and give way to Traditions their meaning is of those three sorts afore recited that is to say either of the Scripture it selfe or of customes and reglements of Ecclesiasticall policy and of matters not necessary to salvation or of occurrences contained in the Scripture yet not there found in the same words as the auncients propose them but in substance and â—y consequence to proove the which wee have employed the Chapter following CHAP. XXV A proofe of that which went before SOme doe object Irenaeus unto us who wrote abou the end of the second age that in his 3. book 4. chap. disputing against Hereticks that gave no admission to the Scriptures laboureth to convince them by Traditions that is to say as he expoundeth himselfe by the succession of the doctrine left from hand to hand in the Churches erected by the Apostles What Quid auseÌ„ si neque Apostoli Scripturas quidem reliquissent nobis nonne oporteret ordinem sequi traditionis quam tradiderant â—â—s quibus coÌ„mittehant Ecclesias saith he If the Apostles had not left us the Scriptures would it not have beene needfull to follow the order of Tradition which they delivered to those unto whose trust they committed the Churches And to good purpose he sayd it for if wee had not the holy Scriptures wee should have been constrayned to have recourse vnto weaker meanes and of lesse certainty And it behooveth that when he speaketh in that manner it bee to such as are refractary and averse from the Scriptures but not to vs who cordially embrace them and set up our last rest upon them Moreover from the time of Irenaeas the succession was but short and the memory of things taught by the mouth of the Apostles fresh of the which the remembrance would bee razed and put out if we had not the writings of the Apostles For the continuation of time and the subversion corruption and schisme of so many Churches which then unamimously concurred and are now at variance boasting of their succession maketh this search and examination impossible to the Christian people and full of uncertainty But at length what are these doctrines which Irenâ—us would have to bee taught and learned by Tradition if we had not the Scripture Is it invocation of Saints service of Images adoration of Relickes the