A TREATISE OF THE IVDGE OF CONTROVERSIES WRITTEN In Latin by the R. Father Martinus Becanus of the Society of Iesus Professour in Diuinity AND Englished by W. W. Gent. IHS Permissu Superiorum M. DC XIX THE PRINTER TO THE READER GENTLE Reader hauing perused this short Treatise trāslated into English and sent vnto me by a friend I was straight moued with earnest desire to set the same forth in Print hoping that many wold reape great benefit by reading it come to be resolued in the may nest of the Controuersyes that now disturbe the Christiā world yea such a Cōtrouersy as the knowledge therof is the beginning of al Truth contrarywise Errour therein the fountaine of all Contentions For if both sides Protestants as well as Catholikes would admit some visible Iudge liuing on earth endued with full authority to decide their controuersyes about the sense of holy scripture by sentence infallible not obnoxious vnto deceit Contentions might be soone ended and an vniuersall peace throughout Christendome for in matters of Religion established Now the contrary currant perswasion That Scripturs are cleare and perspicuous in all points of Controuersy and their true sense apparent obuious to euery simple man that shall attentiuely peruse the Text hath opened a wide gap for all Heresyes to enter into Christendome rending in peeees the Peace Vnity therof and depriuing the same of all meanes by which Cōtentions may be brought to some finall end For men being once perswaded that they see the Truth in all points of Religion controuerted no lesie cleerly shining in the Holy Scriptures then the Sunne doth at noone day they must needs condemne as erring wanting the light of Gods spirit all others that shal vnderstand the Scriptures otherwise then they do And this so peremptorily as they will contemne the sentence of any Pastour or Pastours that shal sit in iudgment vpon the Cōtrouersy This presumption of light to vnderstād the Scriptures aboue their Elders so much proclaymed in Protestāts pulpits makes our Aduersaryes disagree implacably and without hope of reconcilement not only frō vs but also betweene themselues Yea as a Protestāt of great name well acquainted Hook Eccles folis pag. 119. with the proceedings of their Churches complaines this conceit hath made thousands so headstrong euen in grosse palpable errors that a man whose capacity will scarse serue him to vtter fiue words in sensible manner blusheth not in any doubt concerning matter of Scripture to thinke his own bare Yea as good as the Nay of all the wise graue and learned iudgmēts that are in the whol world which Insolency must be repressed or it will be the bane of Christian Religion Thus he This insolent doctrine is in this Treatise solidely briefly perspicuously confuted and the necessity of a liuing Iudge assisted by Gods special prouidēce infailibly to decide the Controuersyes of Religion is so cleerly demonstrated that I conceaue great hope that many by the perusal therof will cast off the foresayd proud Hereticall perswasion which themselues are forced to confesse to be the bane of Christianity I pray God this my wish may take effect and thou that art a Christian reape as much comfort by the reading thereof as I wish vnto thee OF THE IVDGE OF CONTROVERSIES HEERE We treat of the Iudge of Controuersies in matters concerning Faith Religion about which we Catholikes and our Aduersaries do differ Our Aduersaries for the most part do hould that Scripture alone is the Rule and Iudge of all Controuersies in matters of faith and religion And that out of it alone all controuersies Whatsoeuer may be decided and ended without any other Traditions or authority of the Church This they proue three wayes First because God in the old Testament did send the Iewes to Scripture only as vnto their Iudge for we reade Isa 8. 20 in the Prophet Isaias To the law and testimony The same also doth Christ in the Ioan. 5. 39. new when he sayth Search the Scriptures And the men of Beroea followed this counsell of Christ of whom it is written that they were daily searching the Act. 17. 11. Scriptures if these things were so Secondly because God in the ould Testament hath commanded that nothing should be added to the Scripture Deut. 4. 2. you shall not ad to the word sayth he that I speake to you And againe VVhat I commaund Deut 12. 32. thee that only do to our Lord neither adde any thing nor diminish Likewise Christ him selfe and his Apostles in the new Law do condemne all Traditions will haue vs to be satisfied with Scripture only as in S. Matthew You haue Mat. 15. 6. made frustrate the commandement of God for your Tradition And againe I persecuted the Galat. 1. 13. Church of God sayth S. Paul being more aboundantly an emulatour of the traditions of my sore-fathers And also Beware least any Colloss 2. 8. man seduce you by Philosophy and vaine fallacy according to the tradition of men Thirdly because S. Paul plainly doth confesse that only Scripture by it selfe is sufficient when he saith All 2. Tim. 3. 16. scripture inspired of God is profitable to teach to argue to conuert to instruct in iustice that the man of God may be perfect instructed to euery good worke And the same Apostle accurseth them who thinke that any thing ought to be added to the Scripture If any sayth he Euangelize to you besides that which you haue receiued be he anathema The same also S. Iohn doth witnesse I testify sayth he to euery one hearing the words of the Prophesy of this booke if any man shall ad to these things God shall ad vpon him the plagues written in this booke So far our Aduersaries But Catholikes make a distinction betwixt the Iudge and the Rule They call that the Iudge which giueth sentence betwixt them that contend And that the Rule according to the which sentence is giuen by the Iudge They supposing this distinction teach three things First that the Church is the Iudge of Controuersies Secondly that the Rule which the Church doth follow in giuing of sentence ought not to be the Scripture only but scripture and tradition togeather Thirdly that the Church according to this rule may pronounce sentence two wayes eyther by the Pope who is Head and Pastour of the Church or els by generall Councells approued by him the which do represent the Church By both which meanes the sentence cannot but be infallible For neyther is it possible that the Pope should erre in faith to whom it is sayd in the person of S. Peter I haue praied for thee that thy faith may not saile Neyther the Councells lawfully assembled by reason of the promise of Christ Behould I am with you alwayes euen to the consummation of the world Now to the end I may the better confirme this opinion and conuince the other I purpose to vse six arguments by
about the seÌ„se or meaning thereof which cannot be knowne but by custome or traditioÌ„ that taketh place of which is said in the law For then the best interpreter of the Lawes is Custome and that our Emperour Seuerus hath written how that in doubts Leg. â—7 ff de legibus which proceed from Lawes either custome or the authority of things iudged alwaies in the same manner ought to haue the force of a law Perchance you wil say what if some controuersy occur which neither Ibid. leg 38. can be defined out of the written law nor out of any custome what then shal be the rule that the iudge ought to follow I answere Then the matter must be taken vp according to that equity which doth proceed out of the law of nature But this especially happeneth when some certaine Case doth occur which is vnderstood according to the wordes of the law but not to the meaning of the law-giuer as before was said For then the Iudge is to giue sentence according to that which he thinketh to be iust and right The very same may happen in Controuersies of faith For if any controuersy should arise which cannot manifestly be decided neither by Scripture nor tradition recourse presently were to be made to the help of the holy Ghost who although he assist the Church in al occasions yet in this especially he doth teach her al truth as Christ himselfe hath promised And this remedy also the Apostles haue vsed in that Councel of Hierusalem where they were assembled about circumcision and the obseruation of legall rites and ceremonies Now these be the argumeÌ„ts by which hitherto hath beene proued that the Scripture cannot be ludge of controuersies in faith but that the Church may Now it remayneth that we diligently weigh and consider the testimonies of Scripture which were propouÌ„ded in the beginning and which are obiected and often repeated by our aduersaries against this doctrine but not in that order as they were propounded but as they are placed in the Scripture of the old and new testament one after another And truly by the examining of these as I did before insinuate it wil be manifest that some of them are nothing to the purpose and the rest rather make for vs then for them But to conclude and speake freely as the matter is indeede I affirme that our aduersaries who alwaies so much boast bragge of Scripture vnderstand nothing lesse then the true sense meaning of the Scripture The Testimonies of Scripture brought against vs heere are examined THE I. TESTIMONY YOVV shal not ad to the word that I speake to you And this also VVhat I commaund Deut. 4. 2. Deut. 12. 32. thee that only do to our Lord neither ad any thing nor diminish Out of which the aduersaries generally gather these two poynts First that all Traditions which Catholikes admit ought to be vtterly reiected But what is their reason Because forsooth nothing is to be added to the written word of God Secondly that no humaÌ„ precepts such as are the commandements of fasting lent abstinence from flesh on Fryday and Saturday of the single life of Priests such like ought to be obserued But wherefore Because say they that only is to be done which Christ hath coÌ„maunded whatsoeuer men commaund is not to be done Thus they but very foolishly as I wil shew two waies First by disprouing their false interpretation And againe by shewing the true sense and meaning of these places of Scripture Now first that their interpretation is false they themselues cannot deny vnlesse they will altogeather be accouÌ„ted foolish and impudent For if all traditions ought to be refused the Apostle himselfe must be reiected who saith Hould the Traditions which you 2. Thes 2. 14. haue learned whether it be by words or by our Epistle Likewise if al human precepts should be contemned and that only should be done which God commaundeth What should we say of the Rechabits who most diligently obserued the precept of their Father Ionadab did they amisse therein This truâ—y were to be sayd according to our Aduersaries but it is far otherwise seing that for so doing they are commended by God himselfe If our Aduersaries know not this let them heere Hieremy the Prophet speaking in these words The word that Iâ—e 35. 1. was made to Ieremy from our Lord in the daies of Ioakim the Sonne of Iosias the King of Iuda saying Go to the house of the Rechabits speake to them and thou shalt bring them into the howse of our Lord into one chamber of the treasuries and thou shalt giue them wyne to drinke And I tooke â—ezonias the sonne of Ieremias the Sonne of Habsamias and his brethren and all his sonnes and the whole howse of the Rechabites And I brought them into the howse of our Lord c. And I set before the sonnes of the howse of the Rechabits gobletts full of wyne and cuppes and I said to them drinke wyne who answered we will not drinke wyne because Ionadab the sonne of Recab our Father commaunded vs saying you shall not drinke wyne you and your Children for euer And yow shall not build howses you shall not sow seede and you shall not plant vineyards nor haue any but yow shall dwell in tabernacles al your dayes that yow may liue many dayes vpon the face of the land wherein yow are strangers we therfore haue obeyed the voice of Ionadab the sonne of Rechab our Father in all things that he commaunded vs so that we drinke not any wine all our dayes we and our wiues our sonnes and our Daughters And we builde not howses to inhabit and vineyard and seild and seede wee haue not had but we haue dwelt in tabernacles and we haue beene obedient according to all things that Ionadab our Father commaunded vs c. And the word of our Lord was to Ieremy saying Thus sayth the Lord of Hosts the God of Israell go and say to the men of Iuda and to the inhabitants of Hierusalem VVhy will you not receaue discipline to obey my words sayth our Lord The words of Ionadab the sonne of Rechab haue preuailed which he commaunded his sonnes not to drinke wyne and they haue not drunke vntill this day because they haue obeyed the commaundement of their Father but I haue spoken to you early rising and speaking and you haue not obeyed me And I haue sent to you all my seruants the Prophets rising earely and sending and saying Returne ye euery one from his most wicked way and make your studies good c. And you haue not enclined your eare nor heard me The Children therefore of Ionadab the sonne of Rechab haue firmely kept the precepts of their Father which he commaunded them But this people haue not obeyed me Therefore thus sayth the Lord of hosts the God of Israell behould I will bring vpon Iuda and vpon all the inhabitants of Hierusalem all the affliction which I haue
lib. post collation cap. 7. Church is that the sonne who is not partaker of the sinne of his Father shall not carry the iniquity of his Father But if he be partaker of it he shall of necessity carry it But now it is certaine that all Adams posterity were partakers of his sinne according to that of S. Paul in whom all sinned But in what manner Rom. 5. 12 all sinned in Adam is to be taught in another place yet here in the meane tyme I say that all sinned in Adam because God conditioned with him as with the first origen common roore head of his whole posterity that if the commandement which God had giuen him to wit that he should not taste of the fruit forbidden both he and his posterity should remaine in Paradise but if not then both he and all his posterity being guilty transgressours of Gods law should be cast out of paradise which afterwards so fell out There were also some ancient Heretikes who altogether denied the resurrection of our flesh because they found it written It is the spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing Which place Ioan 6. 63 they vnderstanding only according to the outward letter not searching any Refert Tertull. in lib deresur car c. 37. further into the inward sense and meaning thereof argued in this manner To what purpose should the flesh rise at all sith it profiteth nothing And out of the selfe same place the Caluinists conclude against another verity To what purpose say they should Christ impart to vs his flesh in the Eucharist if the flesh profit nothing But truly they both are deceaued by looking only into the bare letter which killeth Otherwise one might conclude in like manner if the flesh doth profit nothing Vide Maldonatum in cap. 6. Ioan. at all to what end did Christ take flesh to redeeme man To what end was the word made flesh To what end did he suffer in it vpon the Crosse Certainly he did not all this to no purpose That the Scripture according to the sense and meaning thereof cannot be Iudge BVT this being sufficient about the former part where it is manifest both by the authority of the Apostles and also by diuers sundry examples that the Scripture if we respect only the bare and outward letter thereof cannot be the infallible Iudge in matters of Controuersy because that the bare letter killeth and bredeth great errours and heresies But now let vs proceed to the latter part of this our argument wherein I wil declare that if we regard the very sense and meaning of the Scripture the same can be noe competent Iudge of all Controuersies in matters of fayth and Religion The which I proue in this manner The Scriptures according vnto the true sense thereof often tymes is obscure and very hard to be vnderstood oftentymes about discerning the true sense and meaning of it great Controuersies do arise But euery Controuersy doth require some iudge to determine the same it is therefore necessary that some Iudge be appoynted who certainly may determine which is the true sense of the Scripture which cannot be the Scripture it selfe for of the sense and meaning thereof there is Controuersy and therefore it is necessary that some other be assigned besides the Scripture In this discourse are certain principles grounded which are to be explicated and proued in particuler one after another The first is That the Scripture often tymes according vnto the sense is obscure hard to be vnderstood THIS S. Peter doth testify in his later Canonicall Epistle where speaking of the Epistles of S. Paul he 1. Pet. 3. 16. Luc. 24. 27. vseth these wordes In the which sayth he there are some things hard to be vnderstood Also it may be confirmed diuers waies First by the example of the disciples going vnto Emaus who vnderstanding not the Scriptures were taught by Christ Secondly by the Eunuch in the 8. Chapter of the Acts 13. verse who being asked of S. Philip whether he vnderstood the Prophet Isay which he was then reading answered in this maÌ„ner How can I sayd he vnlesse some man shew Act. 8. 31. me Thirdly by the example of the Apostles who vnderstood not many Mat. 13. 36. things which Christ had taught them For his Disciples coming to him sayd Mat 16. 11. expound vs the Parable of the Cockle seede Againe why do you not vnderstaÌ„d that I sayd not Luc. 18. 34. of bread to you and they vnderstood none of these things and this word was hid from them they vnderstood not the things thâ—t were sayd Fourthly by the common consent of all the interpreters For if the Scripture were easy what neede were there of so many interpreters so many commentaries so many questions and controuersies Fiftly by many particuler places and bookes of Scripture I proue it hard For who doth not perceaue Ezechiels prophesy about the visioÌ„ of the foure beasts to be most obscure Moreouer it plainly appeareth Daniels prophesy of the 70. weekes and of the abhomination of desolation to be most hard sith that in the searching into it and in the explaining of it it hath hitherto euen yet doth put many to their wits end as concerning the which Christ himselfe sayd he that readeth let him vnderstand Mat. 24. 15. Furthermore euen in the whole Apocalips of S. Iohn many obscure places and full of secret mysteries may be found And S. Hierom also affirmeth in a certaine epistle of his to Paulinus that in it there are as many Sacraments or secret mysteries as wordes But that in the other bookes of Scripture also many obscure and difficult places are to be found is wel known to such as read them to omit others let them speake who in tymes past notwithstanding their daily reading of Scripture with great diligence coÌ„fessed themselues to haue beene very ignorant in many passages thereof in which to be instructed and resolued they had recourse to S. Augustine S. Hierome and other most learned Fathers of the Church Whereof the Epistles of the auncient Fathers themselues do giue ample testimony out of the which I will put downe some We reade then that Pope Damasus asked counsell of S. Hierome about these Questions 1. What signified this whosoeuer shall Gen. 4. 15. Epist 124. 125. inter Epist Hiero. Ibidem kill Cain shal be punished seauen fould 2. If all things which God had made were very good to what end did he commaund Noë to take into the Arke as well those beasts which were vncleane as those which were cleane sith that nothing can be good which is vncleane 3. Wherefore did Abraham receaue Circumcision for a signe or seale of his fayth And wherefore did Isaac though Ibid. a iust man and deare to God deceaued by errour blesse not whom he would but whom he would not 4. What was the interpretation of Isay Epist 142. the Prophets
the sense thereof is obscure and doubtfull which falleth out often as I haue shewed aboue cannot so plainly pronounce sentence that it may be vnderstood of both parties at variance For if it should clearly pronoūce sentence in any such case the sense of the Scripture should not be obscure but plaine and manifest which is contrary to our supposition Therefore in such a case the Scripture cannot be iudge Perchance you will say that although the sense of the Scripture in one place be obscure yet notwithstanding in some other place it is very playne and therefore the Scripture by that place which is cleare may pronounce sentence of that place which is obscure I answere The heretikes harpe on this string but in vaine For first if it be so wherefore by that meanes do they not end all controuersies betwene them wherefore I say do not the Lutherans and the Caluinists seing they so long contend about some obscure place run presently to another which is plaine or if they do so why make they not an end of all their strife Here they are at a non-plus and know not what to say Furthermore that the words of the Scripture are playne is one thing but that the sense is plaine is another For the plainesse of the words dependeth vpon the knowledg of grammer but the sense vpon the intention and counsell of the holy Ghost And doubtlesse oftentymes it may happen that one may be perfect in the knowledg of his grammer and yet very ignorant of the meaning of the holy Ghost So that it may fall out very well that the words of the Scripture may be plaine yet the sense of the words as they be intēded of the holy Ghost may be obscure To shew this to the eye I will declare it with this example The words of Christ in the scripture be these This is my body This is my bloud Which words if they be taken according to their proper signification are so manifest and plaine that they may be well vnderstood of all men whether they be Christians Iewes Turkes or Ethnicks But about the sense of them intended by the holy Ghost almost infinite controuersies are amongst Christians The like is to be found in those words of S. Iohn Mary Magdalen cōmeth earely to the monument when it was yet darke And in those of S. Mark She came to the monument the sunne being risen Then the which wordes nothing could be spoken more plainly yet because the first do seeme to be contrary to the second it may be doubted and that with great reason what the proper sense of them is and how they may agree one with another Moreouer I say that oftentymes it happeneth that the one party thinketh that place cleare and manifest which the other houldeth to be obscure and intricate Now then what is to be done in such a case or what iudge is to be admitted doubtlesse the scripture cannot be the iudge seing the controuersy is about the sense of it when some thinke it plaine others obscure and of some it is construed in this sense of others in another What counsell shall we take therefore must not then another iudge be sought out For example There is contention betwixt vs and the Caluinists as concerning the true descending of Christ into hell which they deny we mantaine and do for our beleife bring a double testimony The one is out of the Creed He descended into hell the other out of the acts Thou wilt not leaue my soule in hell We say that both of these be cleare and euident The Caluinists deny both and with their obscure interpretation they make both places most obscure For they interpret the first in this sense He descended into hell that is say they he suffered vpon the Crosse most cruell and horrible torments of a damned forlorne man that pressed with anguish he was forced to cry out My God why hast thou forsaken me So Caluin But Cal. lib. 2. inst c. 16. §. 10. 11. catechism◠Hidelberg◠quaest 44. they take the latter in this sense Thou shalt not leaue my Carcase in the graue What is to be done here To what iudge shal we appeale If we aske counsell of the Scripture it will say the same that it sayd before It will not ad so much as any one iote to that set downe Now of that which is sayd before is the controuersy which can neuer be ended by that which is sayd before If then after the Controuersie begun the Scripture say no new thing at all but remaine still in the same ancient tearmes truly by it the contention cannot be decided but of necessity we must eyther go to some other Iudge or one of the parties contending must yield voluntarily or els they are forced still to continue in their endlesse strife and contention The other argument is this There are many testimonies of the Scripture which can by no meanes be interpreted according to the true sense but by the authority and tradition of the Church Therefore if a Controuersy should arise about these testimonies the Scripture only cannot be iudge but we ought to fly to the tradition authority of the Church as for exāple Christ sayth Teach ye all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost The true and lawfull sense is that in baptisme we are to pronounce these wordes I baptize thee in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost And that baptisme without such a verball and expresse pronuntiation of those words is no true baptisme We and our aduersaries agree in this But if one should deny this to be the sense and should say that these words were not needfull In the name of the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost but that an inward will and intention of baptizing him in the name of the holy Trinity were sufficient how should he be confuted only out of the words of the Scripture Nothing lesse seing the wordes be these baptizing them in the name of the Father c. where there is not any vocall inuocation of the blessed Trinity insinuated to be of necessity From whence haue we then that it ought to be verily from the practise and tradition of the Church If thou dost reiect this thou shalt not haue helpe against the aduersary who shall deny the pronouncing of these words to be necessary Another example is this Christ sayth Vnlesse a man be borne againe of water and spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God This place according to the true and lawfull sense is vnderstood of the necessity of baptisme with water as the Lutheranes themselues do confesse yet the Caluinists notwithstanding deny it How therefore can they be confuted of the Lutherans Truly not out of the Word alleadged For although water be named there yet it is not so expresly named as though it ought to be vnderstood of true and
naturall water For in another place it is called fier as in S. Luke He shall baptize Lue. 3. v. 1â— you in spirit and fier and yet it is not vnderstood of true fire Therefore how can it appeare that in the former place true water is to be vnderstood or how will the Lutherans proue it against the Caluinists Not by any other meanes then by the practise order and tradition of the Church Another Christ in his last supper did not only institute the blessed Sacrament but also he adioyned the washing of feete and in the institution of the blessed Sacrament he sayd Eate and drinke but in the washing of eete and you ought one to wash the feete of another Here the Aduersaries say that in the first words there is a precept but not in the last And so the faythfull by Gods commaundment are obliged to receaue the blessed Sacrament in both kindes but not so to the washing of feete Now I aske how they are certaine of this or by what pretence do they thinke themselues bound to the receauing of both kyndes and yet free from the washing of feet Certainly they cannot pretend the words of Scripture For they seeme rather to shew the contrary For these words Eate and drinke seeme to signify no more of themselues then if a hous-keeper should say to his guests eate and drinke and be merry And if the hous-keeper should say so it would not be thought that be meant thereby to bynd them by a precept Therefore seing Christ spake in the same manner how is it certaine that he intended by that manner of speaking to oblige all the faythfull to the receauing of both kinds But these wordes You ought to wash the feete of one another seeme to signify a precept no lesse then if the maister should say to the seruant Thou must couer the table How therefore know they that by these words they are not obliged to wash the feete of one another seing the words themselues do shew plainly an obligation Only by the practise and Tradition of the Church For the Church neuer hath vsed this washing as necessary which notwithstanding she would haue done if shee had thought that she had beene obliged to it and that by Christs commaundment I omit many like examples which are easy to be found And out of these I conclude thus The Scripture may be considered two waies 1. According to the bare and outward letter 2. According to the inward sense which is intended of the holy Ghost But neyther of these two waies can it be iudge of Controuersies Not the former way as we haue proued in the first part of this second argument Neither as it is taken in the second way because the sense of the Scripture often tymes is so obscure and doubtfull that there is need of some other iudge who may define this to be the true meaning which is intended of the holy Ghost and not any other contrary And this is sufficient about the second Argument drawne from the Scripture THE III. ARGVMENT Which is drawne out of the Controuersies them selues THIS argument thus I propound There are many Controuersyes about fayth and Religion of the which in the Scripture there is no mention made at all or at least not so much as is sufficient so that the Scripture may giue sentence of them therefore in deciding of them some other iudge is to be sought Such Controuersyes be these The first whether the Bookes of Toby Iudith VVisedome Ecclesiasticus the Machabees be Canonicall land diuine The Lutherans and the Caluinists say no. But the Catholikes say the contrary Now who must be iudge to decide this contention The Scripture cannot be Neither the Lutherans nor the Caluinists which is well to be noted do appeale to the Scripture but to the Canon and tradition of the Iewes They say therefore that those Bookes cannot be found in the Canon of the Iewes which is extant in S. Hierome and therefore they are not to be accouÌ„ted Canonicall and Diuine Hence they confesse that in this case there ought to be some other iudge besides the Scripture And who is that The tradition of the Iewes say they But is not this strang to see our Aduersaries make more reckoning of Iewes then of Christians For although they be desirous to be accounted Christians they are deadly enemyes to the traditions of Christ and his Apostles and yet notwithstanding make great accompt of the Iewes traditions Wherefore say they not rather with S. Augustine Not August l. â—8 de ciuit Dei c. 36. the Iewes but the Church holdeth the Bookes of the Machabees for Canonicall or with Isidorus The Iewes do not receaue the bookes of Toby Iudith and the Machabees but the Church doth number them among the Canonicall Scriptures Ifidor in l. Proâ—m de lib. vet noâ— Test And in the same place The Booke of VVisedome and Ecclesiasticus are knowne to haue the like authority that other Canonicall Bookes haue The second is how many Sacraments there be of the new Law Our aduersaries say but two Baptisme and the Lords supper The Catholiks beleeue seauen But what sayth the Scripture Nothing as concerning any certaine number and therefore it cannot be the Iudge in this Controuersy From whence therefore receaue the Catholikes the number of seauen if not out of Scripture From the tradition and consent of the Church From whence the aduersaryes the nuÌ„ber of 2. Let them looke from whence Truly they haue it not from the Scripture but if they thinke they haue let them performe these three things First let them shew out of Scripture that the name of a Sacrament is attributed to Baptisme and to the Eucharist and not as well to Confirmation Order Pennance Matrimony and Extreme Vnction Secondly out of Scripture let them define a Sacrament Thirdly let them shew that the definition agreeth fitly with Baptisme and the Eucharist and not as well to the rest If they can do this they do something but that they neither wil nor euer can do this I am most certaine For first where will they find in Scripture that the name of a SacrameÌ„t is attributed to Baptisme and the Eucharist Truly in no place But I will find where it is applyed to Matrimony For so writeth the Apostle For this cause shall man leaue his Father and Mother Eph. 5. 31. shall cleaue to his wife and they shall be two in one flesh This is a great Sacrament But I speak in Christ in the Church As though he had sayd That a man shall leaue his parents and cleaue to his wife This is a great Sacrament because it is a signe of the vnioÌ„ of Christ with his Church that is the mariage of Christ and his Church Secondly where will they find Luth. in l. de captiu Bab â— vlt Melan. in ep Conf. August art 13. Mel. in locis ommunâ—â—us tit dâ— numero Sacramentorum in the Scripture the definition of
waies Some of them thus All scripture is profitable to teach and to argue Therefore traditions are superfluous which is much like vnto this All meat is profitable to nourish Luc. 11. 41. Dan. 4. 24. Therefore drinke is needlesse or els thus All alsmedeedes are profitable to Saluation therefore prayer is needlesse and the Sacraments are needlesse Alas who will not pitty such follies Or thus All scripture is profitable that is sufficient therefore traditions are needlesse But what an exposition is this Is it the same to be profitable and to be sufficient if it be so one may also interpret that place of S. Paul in the 1. Tim. 4. 8. same place Piety is profitable to all things that is Piety is sufficient for all things therefore all other things are needlesse And likewise that Take 2. Tim. 4. â—1 Marke and bring him with thee for he is profitable to me for the ministery that is sufficient Therefore Timothy Titus and Onesimus and all the rest were needlesse But who doth not now euidently perceaue that if this licence of interpreting the Scripture were once permitted how easy it were to corrupt it all But that the matter may appeare more plainly the text of the Apostles is well to be considered For the Apostle in the cited Chapter doth exhort Timothy the Bishop that he should instruct his subiects in fayth and good workes and that he should reprehend his aduersaries who being corrupted in mynd and reprobate concerning fayth 1. Tim. 3. 16. did resist the truth And that he might shew that he was able to performe it he addeth But thou continue in those things which Ibid. paulo post thou hast learned and are commtted to thee knowing of whome thou hast learned And because from thine infancy thou hast knowne the holy Scriptures which can instruct thee to Saluation by the fayth that is in Christ Iesus For all Scripture inspired of God is profitable to teach c. Where by the holy Scripturs which he sayth Timothy to haue knowne he meaneth the Scripture of the old Testament For at that tyme when Timothy was a Child the Scripture of the new Testament was not extant Therefore the Apostle in that text thus doth argue All Scripture inspired of God is profitable to teach subiects reprehend aduersaries But the Scripture of the old Testament which thou hast knowne from thy infancy is inspired of God Therefore it is profitable to teach thy subiects and to reprehend thy aduersaries And when thou art well instructed with the knowledg of that Scripture thou wilt obtaine great aide thereby to performe that which I haue tould thee And from the same head one may conclud in this manner All Scripture inspired of God is profitable to teach and argue And whosoeuer is instructed with the knowledg of this Scripture shall obtaine great aide thereby to performe them both Now out of both these arguments it followeth that these three propositions are true according to the Apostle 1. All Scripture inspired of God is profitable to teach and argue 2. That the Scripture of the old Testament is profitable to teach and to argue 3. That the Scripture of the new testament is profitable to teach and to argue As therefore it doth not follow the Scripture of the old Testament is profitable therefore the Scripture of the new Testament is needlesse superfluous Nor the contrary The Scripture of the New Testament is profitable therefore the Scripture of the old Testament is superfluous So also it doth not follow that tradition is superfluous because the old and the new Testament are profitable THE VIII TESTIMONY FOR I testify to euery one hearing the words â—po 22. 18. of the Prophecy of this booke If any man shall add to these things God shall add vpon him the plagues written in this booke And if any man shall diminish of the word of the booke of this Prophecy God shall take away his part out of the booke of life Heereby our aduersaries conclude in this manner If any man shall add to the words of this Apocalypticall Prophecy he shal be punished of God But the Catholikes add traditions Therefore the Catholikes shal be punished of God They may also conclude in this manner If any man shall add to the words of this Apocalipticall prophecy he shal be punished of God But the Caluinists add Ghospells Epistles of the Apostles the institutions of Caluin the Cathechisme of Hidelberge Athanasius Creed and also the first foure generall Councells Therefore the Caluinists shal be punished of God Or in this manner If any man shall diminish of the words of this Apocalipticall prophecy he shal be taken out of the booke of life But the Lutherans do not only diminish of the words of this Apocalipticall prophesy but also bring it into question whether it be true or no and not acknowledging it to be diuine and Canonicall tell vs in plaine termes that it is counterfait Apocalipticall Therefore they shal be taken out of the booke of life But now to the purpose S. Iohn forbiddeth nothing els but onely that the words of the Apocryphall prophecy be not corrupted of any Which he insinuateth to be done two wayes first by addition as if one should add any thing to the Apocalipticall prophecy to be as a part of it which is not Secondly by diminishing as if one should take something from it although it did not belong to it which certainly doth The Catholikes do neither But with an example I will declare it better S. Iohn foretelleth that in a certaine tyme two Prophets shall come clothed with sackcloath who shall prophesy a thousand two hundred sixty dayes and shall haue power to shut heauen that it raine not in the dayes of their prophesy and to turne the water into bloud c. To which prophecy the catholikes ad nothing at all which doth not belong vnto it nor take any thing away which is added therto but leaue it whole as it was prophesied of S. Iohn But our aduersaries do the contrary especially those who say that Luther and Caluin were the two Prophets For these who say this must of necessity diminish of the words of this prophecy seing that it is certaine that Luther and Caluin were not cloathed in sackcloathes nor had any power of shutting heauen nor also had those properties which follow The Conclusion of all that is contained in this Booke TWo things I haue hitherto endeauoured to performe The one is to shew that the Scriptures cannot be the iudge of Controuersies but the Church And this I haue declared six wayes First by the office of the iudge which is not fitting for the Scripture because the Scripture caÌ„not pronounce sentence in that manner betweene two at variance so that the one party may see it is for him and the other perceaue it is against him Secondly out of the scripture it selfe in the which two things are to be considered the
the hairy crowne of them that walke in their sinnes Likewise when the Apostle sayth Epist 4. 11. Ibid. He gaue some Apostles and some Prophets and some Euangelists and some Pastours Doctours His Question was how these names might be distinguished and also what office and function was due to each one What office for the Apostles what for the Prophets what for the Euangelists and what for Pastours and Doctours Moreouer he asked him this that Ibidem 1. Tim. 2. 1. seing the Apostle writeth I desire therefore first of all that obsecrations prayers postulations thanksgiuings be made for all men what difference could be made in these wordes Also what that signified that the Ibid. Rom. 11. 28. Apostle sayth of the Iewes According to the Ghospell indeed enemies for you but according to the election most deare for the Fathers Againe What that other place of S. Paul Ibid. Colo. 2. 18. meant Let no man seduce you willing in the humility and religion of Angells walking in the things which he hath not seene in vaine puffed vp by the sense of his flesh and not holding the head Euodius the Bishop asked of him Epist 98. 99. 1. Pet. 3. 19. what spirit it was of whom S. Peter spake in his first Canonicall Epist In the which spirit comming he preached to them also that were in prison Epist 120. Psal 120. Honoratus also what that speach of our Lord signified Deus Deus meus quare me dereliquisti Moreouer how that other place of Ibid. Eph. 3. 17. S. Paul was interpreted Rooted and founded in Charity that you may be able to comprehend withall the Saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth Who were also the fiue foolish Virgins and who were the wise Mat. 25. 2. Againe what was the outward Ibid. darknesse Matth. 22. 13. And how that place of S. Iohn was vnderstood the word was made flesh Ioan. 1. 14. Simplicianus asked him what that lib 1. ad Simpli quaest â— Rom. 7. 7. place of the Apostle meant where he sayth VVhat shall we say then is the law sinne God forbid and to that vnhappy man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death Ibid. quaest â—â— Rom. 9. 10â— lib. 2. quaest â— 1. Reg. 10. 10. 1. Reg. 16. 24. What was the meaning of that in S. Paul But Rebecca conceiuing of one copulation of Isaac our Father and all the rest forward to that Vnlesse the Lord of Saboath had left vs seed And how it is sayd in one place that the spirit of our Lord seized vpon Saul seing in another place it is written that a wicked spirit vexed him Ibid. quest 2. 1 Reg. 15. 21. Ibid. quaest 3. And in what sense it is sayd by God in the booke of Kings it repenteth me that I haue made Saul King And againe Whether that vncleane spirit which was in Pythonissa could make Samuel who was dead before come to see Saul and speake with him Also he asked him as concerning Ibid. quaest 5. 3. Reg. 17. 20. that speach of Elias O my Lord what euen the VVidow also by whom I am after a sort susteyned hast thou afflicted that thou would st kill her sonne Now by these questions it appeareth manifestly that the Scripture in many places is obscure and hard to be vnderstood And that many most learned men of whom we haue here made mention confessed themselues not to vnderstand many things without being instructed by more learned then themselues Now therefore let vs go forward in explicating what may be the causes of so great obscurity What are the causes why the Scripture is obscure I find two causes especially The one is drawne from the things themselues which are treated of in the Scripture The other from the manner of treating of them The things of the which the Scripture treateth are of foure kindes 1. Histories as in the booke of Genesis Exodus Numeri Deuteronomi Iosue the bookes of Iudges of Kings Paralipomenon Esdras Iudith Tobias Hester the Machabees also the Ghospel and the Acts of the Apostles Secondly Prophesies such as for the most part are contained in the psalmes in the greater and lesser Prophets and in the Apocalips of S. Iohn Thirdly misteries of our faith especially about the blessed Trinity the Incarnation of Christ about predestination and reprobation about the force and efficacy of the holy Sacraments about the presence of Christ in the Eucharist about iustifying fayth about the Resurection of the dead such like other poynts Fourthly Precepts and morall documents as concerning vertues and vices For albeit that neyther in these nor in histories there is perchance any great obscurity in regard of the things treated of yet notwithstanding there is great obscurity in the prophesies and misteries of fayth For these are aboue mans capacity and vnderstanding so that we 1. Cor. 13. 12. cannot perceiue them but after a darke manner as the Apostle sayth Now the manner of treating of these things oftentymes is obscure for these causes First because there be many improper speaches in the Scripture as figures allegories and parables vnder the whichly hidden many truthes the which are not presently vnderstood of the reader Also the obscurity thereof is increased by some word which is taken sometymes in the same sentence one while properly and another while figuratiuely as in this place for example Euery one that drinketh of this water shall Ioan. 4. 13. thirst againe but he that shall drinke of the water that I will giue him shall not thirst for euer Where to drinke of water and to thirst in the former part of the sentence is taken corporally and in the latter part spiritually And againe in the very same Chapter Do not you say that yet there are Ibid. v. 35. foure monthes and haruest cometh Behould I say to you lift vp your eyes and see the countries that they are white already to haruest For heare in the first place the word haruest is taken in it proper signification but in the latter figuratiuely And againe in the same Apostle Ioan. 9. 39â— For iudgment came I into this word that they that see not may see and they that see may become blind where the former part is taken for corporall sight and the latter for spirituall And in S. Paul Him who knew no sinne 2. Cor. 5. 21. for vs he hath made sinne Where sinne in one place is taken properly for sinne but in the other place figuratiuely for a sacrifice offered for sinne for the sense Vide. Orig 3. com in Epist ad Rom. Augu. lib. 2. de consen Euangelist cap. 30. of that place is that it was Gods will that Christ who neuer had sinned should be a sacrifice for the sinne of mankind Secondly not only figures are found in the words as I haue already shewed but also in the very things themselues For one
you their iudgments 13. Answere not a foole according Pro. 26. 4. Ibid. Sap. 1. 13. to his folly least thou be made like to him contrary to that Answere a foole according to his folly least he esteeme himselfe to be wise 14. God hath not made death contrary Eccles 11. 14. to that Good things and euill life and death pouerty and honesty are of God Sap. 11. 25. 15. Thou louest all things that are hatest nothing of those which thou hast made contrary to that Iacob I loued Rom. 9. 13. Eccl. 10. 15. 1. Tim. 6. but Esau I hated 16. The beginning of all sinne is prvde contrary to that the roote of all euill is couetousnesse 17. Do good to the humble giue Eccl. 12. 6. Luc. 6. 30. not to the impious prohibite to giue him bread contrary to that giue to euery one that asketh thee 18. They that eate me shall yet Eccl. 24. 28. Ioan. 4. 13. hunger and they that drinke me shall yet thirst contrary to that he who shall drinke of the water which I will giue him shall not thirst for euer 19. As yet fourty dayes and Niniue Ioan. 3 4. Ioan. 4. 11. shal be subuerted contrary to that shall not I spare Niniue the great Citty 20. Gratis you haue receiued Gratis Mat. 10. 8. Luc. 10. 7. giue you contrary to that the workman is worthy of his wages 21. Take nothing in the way neyther skrip shooes nor rod contrary to Math. 10. 10. Marc. 6. 8. that and he hath commaunded them that they should take nothing in the way but a rod only 22. After 6. daies Iesus tooke Peter Mat. 17. 1. Luc. 9. 28. Iames and Iohn contrary to that It came to passe after these words almost eight dayes and he tooke Peter c. 23. But if thy brother shall offend Mat. 18. 15. against thee go and rebuke him betweene thee and him alone contrary to 1. Tim 5. 20. that Them that sinne rebuke before all that the rest also may haue feare 24. None is good but one God Mar. â—0 19. Luc. 6. 45. contrary to that The goodman of the good treasure of his hart bringeth forth good 25. Go preach the Ghospell to euery Mar. 16. 15. Math. 10. 5. creature contrary to that Into the way of the Gentiles do not go and into citties of the Samaritans enter yee not But go to the sheepe that are perished of the house of Israell 26. You are they that haue remained Luc. 22. 28. Math. 26. 31. with me in my temptations contrary to that you shall all suffer scandall in me 27. If I giue testimony of my selfe Ioan. 5. 31. my testimony is not true contrary to Ioan. 8. 14. this Although I giue testimony of my selfe my testimony is true 28. I do not receaue testimony of Ioan. 5. 34. Ioan. 15. 27. man contrary to this And you shall giue testimony of me 29. He that eateth my flesh and Ioan. 6. 55. Ibidem v. 63. drinketh my bloud hath life euerlasting contrary to that It is the spirit that quickneththe flesh profitteth nothing 30. All things whatsoeuer I haue Ioan. 15. 15. Ioan. 16. 1â— heard of my Father I haue notified vnto you contrary to this I haue yet many things to tell you 31. Mary Magdalen came earely to Ioan. 20. 1. Mar. 16. 2. the monument when it was yet darke contrary to that she came to the monument the sunne being now risen 32. Circumcision indeed profiteth Rom. 2. 25. if thou obserue the Law contrary to that Behould I Paul tell you that if you be circumcised Galat. 5. 2. Christ will profit you nothing 33. VVe account a man to be iustified by Rom. 3. 28. Iames 2. 20. 24. Rom. â— v. 19. Act. 7. v. 51. Rom. 11. v. 34â— 1. Cor. 2. v. 16. 1. Cor. 13. v. 3. faith without works Contrary to that of S. Iames Fayth if it haue not workes is dead in it selfe And againe you see that man is iustified by workes and not by fayth alone 34. For who resisteth his will contrary to that you alwaies haue resisted the holy Ghost as also your Fathers 35. VVho hath knowne the mind of our Lord contrary to that But we haue the sense of Christ. 36. If I shall distribute all my goods to be meate for the poore and haue not charity it doth Luc. 11. v. 41. profit me nothing contrary to that giue almes and all things are cleane to you 37. And as in Adam all dy so also in Christ 1. Cor. 13. v. 32. Ioan. 5. v. 21. Galat. 1. v. 10. 1 Cor. 10. v. 33. all shal be made aliue contrary to that The Sonne quickneth whom he will 38. Do I seeke to please men If I yet did please men I should not be the seruant of Christ contrary to that be without offence euen as I in all things do please all men 39. Beare ye one anothers burden Galat. 6. 2. Ibid. v. 5. contrary to this Euery one shall beare his owne burden 40. God inhabiteth light not accessible contrary to that Come to him 1. Tim. 6. 16. Psal 33. 6. 1. Iohn 1. 8. 1. Ioan. 3. 9. and you may be illuminated 41. If we shall say that we haue no sinne we seduce our selues contrary to that Euery one that is borne of God commiteth not sinne These and such like apparent contradictions which are found in many places of the Scripture oftentimes do trouble the reader and cause excessiue paines and labour euen to the most learned of all The auncient Fathers do giue testimony of this who spent much tyme in the according of these and such like contradictions as S. Augustine for example wrote certaine bookes of the agreement amongst the Euangelists and diuers others also who tooke great paines in interpreting the Scripture whose labours if we had not beene partaker of we should haue yet beene ignorant and blind in many matters of great importance And thus far about the third cause of obscurity in Scripture The fourth ariseth vpon this that often tymes the words of Scripture make a doubtfull sense by reason of the want of some distinction For sometymes where a distinction is needfull there is none at all Which most commonly happeneth in these cases 1. When it maketh mention of God 2. When of Christ 3. When it insinuateth the coming of Christ 4. When it speaketh of the Church For there belongeth vnto God eyther Vnity of essence or Trinity of persons To Christ eyther the humane nature or diuine Moreouer Christs comming is twofould the one in his natâ—uity the other in the day of IudgmeÌ„t Also the Church is eyther militant vpon earth or triumphant in heauen Therefore when the Scripture maketh mention eyther of God or of Christ or of the Church it is doubtfull and obscure in what sense there they are to be taken as if it speake of God whether it
Christ that is of the Church And also that to the Corinthians Are all Apostles are all Prophets are all doctours do 1. Cor. 12 29. all interprete as though he had sayd in no wise For it is the office of some to teach and interpret of others to learne and giue eare which in the same place is declared with a noble example taken from mans body For euen as in a mans body there be many members yet not all of them are exercised about the same office euen so in the Church which is Christs body there bee many faythfull yet all are not partakers of the same grace proceeding from God For to one 1 Cor. 12. 8. 9. is giuen the worke of wisdome to another the working of miracles to another the discerning of spirits to another the interpretation of languages And as the same Apostle speaketh in another place To euery one as God hath Rom. 12. 5. diuided the measure of his fayth where he addeth in the same place I say to all that Rom. 12. 3. are among you not to be more wise then behoueth to be wise Which is as much to say euen as the eyes haue not the office of hearing nor the eares of seing nor the armes of walking nor the feete of eating because it is not graunted them so by nature euen so in the Church not all ought to vse the office of teaching not all of interpreting the scripture not all of working miracles for that were to be more wise then behoueth to be wise but euery one doth that which he ought to do euen as it is giuen him from God in diuision of graces But our aduersaries do erre exceedingly against this diuine ordination who permit the liberty of reading and interpreting of Scripture to all as to all meere lay men yea to poore and silly women For seing that they be not called of God to the office they do appeare most vnfit to thrust themselues into it For now it is come to that passe that there is not one whether he be Tapster Tayler or Tinker Lutheran or Caluinist who doth not thinke himselfe skillfull inough in vnderstanding and interpreting the Scripture only by his owne labour without the helpe and instruction of any other But let them heare what the Apostle sayth the eye cannot say to the 1. Cor. 1â— 21. hand I neede not thy help or againe the head to the feete you are not necessary for me Let them heare that of the first to 1. Tim. 2. 11. 1. Cor. 14. v. 34. Timothy Let the women learne in silence withall subiection But to teach I permit not the woman nor to haue dominion ouer the man but to be in silence And to the Corinthians Let women hold their peace in the Church for it is not permitted them to speake but to be subiect But if they list to learne any thing let them aske their owne husbands at home But to what end al this Truly to this that the order set downe of God in his Church ought to be obserued Are all Doctours do all interprete No For there are diuisions of graces from hence followeth that those silly women who pratle much out of the Scriptures and blush not to blab out their owne priuate opinions concerning controuersies of fayth do most foolishly arrogate vnto themselues that which neither they haue on or belongs vnto them But in this they imitate their Mother Eua who could not hold her peace in paradise but her husband being silent she begaÌ„ to dispute with the serpent and presently was ouercome by him and deceaued as her husband also by her and many such Eues are found in this age which do the same The second reason yf the Scripture were easy it would be vnderstood not only of the faithfull who are in the Church but also of those who are Infidells no members of the Church and so by little and little the Maiesty authority of it would be ouerthrowne To this purpose is that which is sayd in S. Math. Giue not that which is holy to dogs Math. 7. 6. neyther cast yee your pearles before swyne least perhaps they tread them which their feete As D. Thomas 1. p. q. 1. art 9. ad 2. S. Aug. aut quisquis aut hoc ille est hom 7 in Apocalip It is vnderstood by S. Augustine and S. Thomas If the Scripture were plaine and easy doubtlesse it would be lesse esteemed both of the infidells Christians then is fitting Moreouer to many it would be an occasion of pride and arogancy For if they â—hould perceaue that these things which treate of profound mysteries were plaine and apparent they would brag of themselues excessiuely imagin nothing to be so hard which they could not by their owne wit and learning conceaue and vnderstand But now contrariwise they see the obscurity of the Scripture to be so great that by no meanes they are able to ouercome it and therefore finding themselues ignorant and wanting the instruction of others they fly seriously to God to the end that he may open their eyes and illuminate their vnderstanding that his diuine misteries may be layd open vnto them As Dauid did who sayd Open my eyes and I will consider Psal 118. vers 18. 34. the wonders of thy law And a little after Giue me vnderstanding and I will search the law And againe in the same Psalme Illumimate thy face vpon thy seruant and teach me thy iustifications And very well for the sense of the Scripture can proceed from none but from the Author of the Scripture But the author of the Scripture is the holy Ghost and therefore it is called the word of God the sense therefore of the scripture can come from none but from the holy Ghost to which that place of S. Peter doth belong no prophecy 2. Petr. 1. 20. of Scripture is made by priuate interpretation The cause headdeth For not by mans will was prophecy brought at any time but the holy men of God spake inspired with the holy Ghost And thus it cometh to passe that proud and arogant men who are wise in their owne iudgments and attribut much to their owne wits do neuer obtaine the true sense because God resisteth the proud and giueth grace to the humble And Math. 11. 25. this is it that Christ spake of in the Ghospell I confesse to the O Father because thou hast hid these things from the wise and the prudent and hast reuealed them to little ones And also the Apostle saying themselues wise they become foolish It followes necessarily out of the obscurity of the Scripture that many Controuersies arise amongst Christians THIS is another principle of those which I set downe before And truly it needeth no other confirmation then daily experience For it is generally well known that in all ages euen from the Apostles tyme vnto this our present age that there hath sprung out alwaies new controuersies
about the true and lawfull sense of Scripture But now letting passe all those which haue beene set abroach in the tyme of Arius Macedonius Donatus and other auncient heretikes Infinite they are that occur in this present tyme of which I will set downe some as for example there is a controuersy 1. In what sense those words of Christ are to be vnderstood This is my body The Lutherans vnderstand it so this bread is my body The Caluinists this bread signifieth my body The Catholikes agree with neither of them 2. How that of S. Iohn is to be vnderstood Ioan. 3. 5â— Vnlesse a man be borne againe of the water and the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God The Catholikes and the Lutherans do vnderstand thereby the necessity of baptisme with water and also out of it do gather that infants without baptisme can in no wise be saued The Caluinists deny all this 3. What Christs meaning was when he spake these words to the young man of whom mention is made in S. Matthew If thou will enter into life keepe the comaundments Caluin interpreteth it to be spoken in iest the Catholikes hould it to haue beene sayd in earnest 4. Whether out of these words Iesus came the doores being shut and stood in the Ioan. 20. 26. midst of them may be gathered that Christ pierced the doores shut The Catholikes affirme it Others deny it And surely Oecolampadius he thinketh that whilest the doores were shut Christ crept in at the window others imagin I know not what chinkes by the which they say he entred in 5. Whether Christ spake of the Sacrament of the Eucharist when he sayd Vnlesse you eate the flesh of the sonne of Ioan. 6. 53. man and drinke his bloud you shall not haue life in you The Catholikes affirme it the Lutherans deny it 6. Whether Christ bindeth all lay men to receaue the Chalice when he saith Drinke yea all of this Caluin Cal. lib. 4. Instit c. 17. §. 47. §. 48. holdeth he doth There is a decree sayth he from the eternall God that all drinke And a little after They are wordes of him commaunding Drinke yee all of this Chalice But the Catholikes teach that these words only belonged to the Apostles as S. Marck declareth when he sayth Mark 14. 24. and they all dranke of it 7. Whether sinne he taken properly Rom. 6. 12. of the Apostle Let not sinne therefore raigne in your mortall body The Lutherans and the Caluinists hould that it is and from thence they gather that concupiscense of the which the Apostle there speaketh is originall sinne but the Catholikes teach that the word sinne is there improperly taken to wit for the cause of sinne because concupiscense though it be not properly a sinne yet it doth prouoke to sinne 8. Whether out of that place of S. Paul we account a man to be iustified by Rom. 3 28. fayth without the workes of the law may be gathered that only fayth iustifieth The Lutherans affirme it The Catholikes deny it 9. Whether that place of the Apostle But he shal be saued yet so as by fier be vnderstood of Purgatory fier The Catholikes do affirme it with S. Aug. vpon the 37. Psalme and other more ancient Fathers The Lutherans and the Caluinists deny it 10. Whether it may be gathered out of S. Paul that the Apostles had wiues where he sayth Haue we not 1. Cor. 9. 5. power to lead about a woman a sister as also the rest of the Apostles The Lutherans affirme it out of Luthers Glosse which is this of leading about a woman wiâ—e But truly the Catholikes will not admit this glosse 11. Of what fayth Christ speaketh when he sayth belieue only and she Luc. 8. 50. shal be safe The Lutherans interpret it to be iustifying fayth whose effect is the remission of sinne But the Catholikes vnderstand it of that fayth which Iarus Prince of the Sinagogue did beleeue that his daughter then dead could be raised againe by Christ 12. And what the sense of that place is Do good or euill if you can Out of Isay 41. 23. which Luther proueth that men haue not free will because they cannot do good and ill as they list The Catholikes laugh at this their argument because those words are not spoken to men but to the Idols of the Gentills which although they be worshiped of the Gentills as Gods yet they be not Gods because they can neyther profit their worshippers nor hurt their contemners 13. Whether out of that which is written of S. Iohn Baptist The infant in Luc. 1. 44. my wombe did leape for ioy may be gathered that all infants when they are baptized haue actuall fayth The Lutherans say yea the Catholikes no. 14. Whether God commaunded all to be maried when he sayd Increase Gen. 1. 28â— and multiply The Lutherans hould that in those words are implied a precept to marry But the Catholikes take it as Gen. 9. 1. a blessing giuen to mariage already contracted as appeareth in the text it selfe 15. Whether this place of S. Paul 1. Tim. 2. 5. There is one mediatour of God and men man Christ Iesus doth exclude the inuocation and intercession of Saints as the aduersaries affirme Or do not as we Catholikes maintaine and proue because it doth not exclude the inuocation of Saints vpon earth otherwise the Apostle world not haue sayd Brethren pray for vs. 1. Thess 3. 25. 16. Who are these two witnesses of whom is made mention in the 11. of the Apocalips And I will giue to my two wittnesses and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred sixty daies clothed with sack-clothes Some of our aduersaries say that Luther and Caluin are meant thereby Others the old and the new testament but the Catholikes say Henoch and Helias or Moyses and Helias 17. What that signifieth which is written of Antichrist in the Apocalips And he did great signes so that he also made fier to come downe from heauen Our aduesaries do vnderstand by fier descending Pow. lib. 1. de Ant. cap. 26. Bald. in dispu de Antiâ—h cap. 6. from heauen the Pope his excommunication as Powell the Caluinist and Balduinus the Lutheran do hould and hereby they proue that the Pope is Antichrist The Catholikes contemne these follies The Scripture cannot be the Iudge of these and the like Controuersies IT is certaine that in these and such like Controuersies which are about the sense of the Scripture some certaine iudge is needfull who may decide the same and plainly pronounce that this is true and not the other But now I will proue with two arguments that the Scripture it selfe cannot be this iudge The first is drawne out of that which I sayd before in this manner The Iudge so ought to pronounce sentence that both parties at variance may well vnderstand it otherwise he should pronounce it to no purpose But the Scripture when
of the Romaine Church 5. Whether the Creed be Canonicall and Apostolicall 6. Whether in the old Testament there was some outward remedy for women against originall sinne THE IIII. ARGVMENT Which is taken out of the vse and practise of the old Testament where not the Scripture but the Bishop was acknowleged for the Iudge IT is certaine that in the old Testament all legall controuersies which were of great moment were to be ended and decided by the High Priest as by the supreme Iudge vpon earth and not by the Scripture only Witnesse of this is Ioseph in these wordes The high Priest doth offer vp sacrifice to God before all other Priests he keepeth the lawes he is iudge of controuersyes he punisheth offenders whoseuer is disobedient to him is punished as impious against God And this is plainly deduced out of that place of Deuteronomy If thou perceaue Deut. 17. 8. that the iudgment with thee be hard and doubtfull betweene bloud and bloud cause and cause leprosy and not leprosy and thou see that the words of the Iudges within thy gates do vary arise and go vp to the place which thy Lord thy God shall choose and thou shalt come to the Priests of the Leuiticall stocke and to the Iudge that shall be at that tyme and thou shalt aske of them who shall shew thee the truth of the iudgment neither shalt thou decline to the right hand nor to the left hand but he that shall be proud refusing to obey the Commandment of the Priest which at that tyme ministereth to our Lord thy God and the decree of the Iudge that man shall dye About this passage we must note first that amongst the Iewes there were diuers Controuersyes in this two especially are recorded The one concerning bâ—oud The other concerning leprosy but in other places we find foure as in the second of Paral p. in these words VVheresoeuer there is question of the 2. Paral. 19. v. 10. Law of the Commandment of Ceremonyes of iustification Where Lyranus tells vs that some did arise out of the Law of the Decalogue some out of the morall Commandments which are not in the Law of the Decalogue some out of the Ceremonial Precepts belonging to the worship of God Some lastly out of those which were iudiciall and very conuenient for the preseruing of outward peace and iustice Againe we must note that in euery Citty there were placed inferiour iudges who according to their office were bound to decide such Controuersyes as is set downe in the 16. of Deuteronomy Deut. 16. 18. Iudges and Maisters shalt thou appoint in all thy gates which our Lord thy God shal giueÌ„ thee in euery of thy Tribs that they may iudge the people with iust iudgement and not decline to either part And againe he appointed iudges of the Land in all the fenced Cittyes 2. Paral. 19. 5. of Iuda in euery place Moreouer we must obserue that when inferiour Iudges could not agree amongst themselues nor decide those conferences which were presented to them for some peculiar difficulty then they were forced to repaire to HierusaleÌ„ to those who were superiour iudges ouer whome the high Priest was President or supreme iudge to whose sentence all were bound to obey vnder paine of death This is plaine out of the words which are set downe before Duet 17. 8. From hence we gather that there was a double Tabernacle seat or CouÌ„cell amongst the Iewes the one was greater the other lesse Between them there was great difference First because the greater was only at HierusaleÌ„ the lesser in euery Citty 2. In the greater were decided matters of greater moment in the lesser those which were easy 3. In greater the high Priest was President not so in the lesser 4. It was lawfull to appeale from the lesse to the greater not so from the greater to the lesser 5. In the greater there was 70. persons besides the high Priest in the lesser 23. 6. The greater was called Mark 14. â—5 Luc. 9. 22. Act. 4. 5. Sanedrin or Synedrion or the Councell of the Elders the lesser not so Of the greater is often made mention in the Ghospell Both these Councells had their beginning vnder Moyses The lesser was ordayned according to the Counsell of Iethro but the greater according to the Commandment of God The occasion of ordeyning the lesser is described in Exodus in these wordes And the next day Exod. 18. 13. Moyses sate to iudge the people who stood by Moyses from morning vntill night which thing when his Allyed had seene to wit all things that he did in the people he sayth VVhat is this thou dost in the people VVhy sittest thou alone and all the people attendeth from morning vntill night To whome Moyses answered The people cometh to me seeking the sentence of God and when any Controuersy chanceth among them they come vnto me to iudge betweene them and to shew the Precepts of God and his lawes But he sayd Thou dost not well thou art tyred with foolish labour both thou and this people that is with thee the busines is aboue thy strengh thou alone canst not susteine it But heare my words and counsells God shall be with thee Be thou to the people in these thinges that pertaine to God to report their wordes vnto him and to shew to the people the ceremonyes and rite of worshipping and the way wherein they ought to walke and the worke that they ought to do and prouide out of all the people men that are wise and do feare God in whome there is truth and that do hate auarice and appoint of the Tribunes and Centurions and Quinquagenarians Decanes which may iudge the people at all tymes and what great matter soeuer shall fall out let them referre it to thee and let them iudge the lesse matters only Of the Institution of the greater Councell thus we read And our Lord Num. 11. 16. sayd to Moyses Gather me seauenty men of the ancients of Israell whom thou knowest to be the ancients of the people and Maisters and thou shalt bring them to the dore of the Tabernacle of Couenant and thalt make them to stand there with thee that I may descend and speake to thee and I will take off thy spirit and will deliuer it to them that they may sustaine with thee the burden of the people and thou only be not Ibid. v. 24 burdened And in another place Moyses therfore came and tould the people the words of our Lord assembling seauenty men of the ancients of Israel whom he caused to stand about the Tabernacle and our Lord descended in a cloud and spake to him taking away off the spirit that was in Moyses giuing it to the seauenty men And when the spirit had rested on them they prophesied neither ceased they any more But when the Councell was almost ouerthrowne it was restored againe by Iosaphat King of Iuda as is related in
spoken against them because I haue spoken to them and they haue not heard I haue called them and they haue not answeared me but to the howse of the Rechabits Ieremy sayd Thus sayth the Lord of Hosts the God of Israell For that yow haue obeyed the commaundment of Ionadab your Father and haue kept all his commaundments and haue done all things that he coÌ„maunded yow Therefore thus sayth the Lord of Hosts the God of Israell There shall not want a man of the stocke of Ionadab the sonne of Rechab standing in my sight all dayes In this example three things are to be noted First that the precept which was giuen to the Rechabites was most hard For what is harder then that husbands and wiues young men and young maides not only for a short tyme as the Nazareans did but as long as euer they liued should abstaine from all kynde of wyne and neuer should dwell in howses nor sow their grounds nor plant any vineyards Secondly that this precept was not diuine but humane it appeareth by the opposition which God made For thus he argueth The Rechabits did obserue the precept which they receiued from man how much more ought the Iewes to keep the precept which they receiued from God Thirdly that the Rechabits not only did well and commendably in obseruing the precept of their Father Ionadab but also thereby deserued a peculiar blessing from God whereas contrare wise the Iewes deserued nothing but great punishment For it is sayd to the Rechabits There shall not want a man of the stocke of Ionadab the sonne of Rechab standing in my sight al daies But to the Iewes I will bring vpon you affliction Now from hence let our aduersaries if they be wise infer these few verities First that the Catholikes obseruing the precepts of the Church do no lesse well and laudably then did theRechabites by keeping the precept of their Father Ionadab For doubtlesse it is no lesse commendable to obey the Church our common mother then it was for them to obey a priuate man their Father And euen as the Rechabites did not sinne against that aforsaid place what I commaund you that only do to our Lord euen so neyther the Catholikes sinne against it Secondly the cause why Catholikes haue continued and do continue still is because they keep diligently the commaundments of the Church and how much more diligently one doth obserue them so many more benefits he shall receiue from God and that some others do not prosper because of the one side they contemne the precepts of the Church in the which they are not so perfect as the Rechabits were And on the other they do not obserue the tenne commaundments in the which they are like the Iewes But that they may pretend some kind of excuse for this their damnable lasinesse they hould that the ten commaundement are impossible to be kept In the which they make God a tyrant as though he would commaund man that which is not in his power to fullfill But this may suffice to ouerthrow their false interpretation The true interpretation therefor is this You shall not Deut. 4. 1. ad to the word that I speake to you neyther shall you take away from it Which is generally to be vnderstood of ceremoniall and iudiciall precepts which were giuen of God by Moyses And this is the sense I haue giuen ceremoniall precepts to you which prescribe the rites of worshiping God and Iudiciall which prescribe the rites of keeping iustice in Ciuill matters and those which belong to the Common wealth Both of which you ought perfectly and entirely to obserue for this is the signification of that You shall not ad nor take away Which truly in other words but in the same sense is explicated in another place where it is sayd do not decline eyther from the right Deut. 2â— 14. Deut. 17. 20. hand or the lest And againe That he may learne to feare our Lord his God and keepe his wordes and ceremonies nor decline to the right side nor to the left And a little after For I Deut. 31. 29. know that after my death you will do wickedly and will decline quickly from the way that I haue commanded you and like wise in the Iosue 7. booke of Iosue Take courage and be strong that thou keepe and do all the Law which Moyses my Seruant hath commaunded thee decline not from it to the right hand or to the left Therefore our of that place so vnderstood as truly it ought to be vnderstood the aduersaries cannot argue otherwise then thus The Iewes ought to obserue the precepts of God wholly and entirely not declining from them neyther to the right hand nor to the left therefore we Christians besides the Scripture ought not to admit any tradition which we haue receaued from the Apostles Spectatum admissi c. But that place in Deuteronomy Deut. 11. 32 VVhat I commaund thee this only do to our Lord neyther add any thing nor diminish is especially vnderstood of one ceremoniall precept to wit of the precept of sacrificing as appeareth Of which this is the sense and meaning When thou comest into the land of Palestine in the which thou goest and thou shalt offer a sacrifice to thy Lord thy God thou shalt not imitate the Gentills who offer their sonnes and daughters to false Gods by fyer But this only thou shalt offer the which I commaund thee as of Beasts Sheepe Goats Kidds Oxen Calues Pigeons Sparowes and Turtle-doues of fruits of the Earth Bread Meale Salt Frankincense a bundle of greene eares of Corne and wheat of Liquors Bloud Wyne Oyly and Water Do this only that is offer to our Lord Neyther ad any thing of the sacrifices of the Gentills nor diminish any thing of them which were now particulerly set downe Now out of this place the aduersaries can no otherwise conclud then in this manner The Iewes ought only to offer those things in sacrifice which were prescribed of God therefore we Christians may not keepe the precepts of the Church which is euen as foolish as the former THE II. TESTIMONY ISAY 8. 20. Rather to the law and to the testimony From hence the aduersaries gather that the Iewes in the old Testament when any controuersy did arise were sent presently to the law and testimony that is to the Scripture euen as to their iudge But they erre grosly First because it hath beene shewed before that the Iudge of controuersies in the old Testament was not the Scripture but the High Priest Secondly because those words to the law and testimony much other wayes are to be vnderstood then our aduersaries suppose as appeareth by the precedent words which are these And when they shall say to you Aske of Pythoâ—s and of Deuiners which whisper in their 1. cap. 8. 19. inchantements shall not the people aske vision of their God for the liuing of the dead To the law rather and to the
testimony And if they speake not according to this word they shall not haue the morning light Where it is plainly spoken against them who aske counsell of the Pythones and Deuiners about future euents and are remitted plainly to the law which forbiddeth it VVhen thou art entred the land which our Deut. 1â— â— Lord thy God shall giue then beware thou be not willing to imitate the abhominations of those nations Neither let there be sound in thee any that consulteth with Pythoâ—s or Deuiners and seeketh the truth of the dead partly to the testimony of the Prophets who where placed of God to foretell future things as in the third of Kings we may see And Iosaphat said is their not heer some Prophet Râ—g â— â—ap 22. v. 7. of our Lord that we may aske by him Therefore the sense of the words to the law and testimony is this If you will be certified of future euents yow ought not to aske Counsell of the Pythons as 1 Reg. 28. 7. Saul did because God hath forbidden this to be done by his law vnto the which I remit you but aske Counsell of the Prophets of our Lord whose office is to pronounce of future euents But what is this to the iudge of the Controuersies Verily nothing at aâ—l Vnlesse our aduersaries will argue in this manner As concerning future euents it is not lawfull to aske Counsell of the Pythones therefore only the Scripture is the iudge of Controuersies Truly most foolishly and yet which is to be admired their very cheife Rabbins of all are not ashamed to vse such manner of arguing of whom Christ himselfe hath forewarned vs sayiâ—g Let such followes alone for they are blind themselues and leaders of them that are blind THE III. TESTIMONY YOV haue made frustrate the commaundment Math. 15. â— Colos 2. â— 1. â—et 1. 18. of God for your owne tradition And the other place in S. Paul Beware least any man deceaue you by Philosophy and vaine fallacy according to the tradition of men And that in S. Peter You are redeemed from your vaine conuersation of your Fathers tradition From hence our aduersaries gather that all traditions are condemned of Christ and his Apostles and that Scripture alone is sufficient But it is not so For these cited places are vnderstood of the Iewes traditions which were obserued of the Pharisies but not of the traditions of Christ and his Apostles which our aduersaries oppugne and we defend But that there were diuers traditions of the Iewes appeareth out of the Scripture The first was that their hands were to be washed before taking of meat as in this place Then came to him from Hierusalem Math 15. Scribes and Pharisees saying why do thy disciples transgresse the traditions of the ancients For they wash not their hands when they eate bread The second is that this washing was often to be vsed whylst they were eating as in S. Mark The Pharisees and all the Iewes vnlesse they often wash their hands Mark 7. 3. eate not holding the traditions of the ancients Also at the marriage in Cana in Galilee six water pots were put according to the purification of the Iewes In the which water potts there was water wherewith they washed their hands at dinner The third was that vnlesse they ware washed they could not take meat coming from the market as S. Marck recordeth And from the market vnlesse they Mar. 7. 4. bee washed they eate not and many other things there be that were deliuered vnto them to obserue as the washing of Cupps and Cruses and of brazen vessells and Bedds The fourth is that meate was not to be taken with sinners as is written in S. Matth And the Pharisies seing this sayd Math. 9. 11. to his Disciples why doth your maister eate with Publicanes and sinners And in S. Luke Luk. 5. 30. The Pharisies and Scribes murmured saying to his Disciples why do you eate and drinke with Publicanes and sinners The fifth was that none should be permitted to be touched of sinners as S. Luke recordeth And the Pharisee that Luk. 7. 39. had bid him seing it spake within himselfe saying this man if were a Prophet would know certes who and what manner of woman she is which toucheth him that she is a sinner Where it manifestly appeareth that the Pharisee wondred that Christ should suffer himselfe to be touched of a woman that was a sinner because it was contrary to the custome and tradition of the Pharisees whose speach was this Depart from me thou shalt not came neere me because Isa 65. 5. thou art vncleane The sixt was that vpon the Sabaoth it was not lawfull to cure the sicke as S. Luke sayth The Scribes and Pharisees Luk. 6. 7. watched if he would cure on the Sabâ—th that they might find how to accuse him And likewise S. Iohn writeth that certaine of the Pharisees Iohn 9. 16. sayd This man is not of God that keepeth not the Saboath Where they spake of Christ who on the Saboath restored sight to a man that was blind from his natiuity The seauenth was that those who were hungry might not gather and eate eares of Corne on the Saboath as it is sayd in S. Matth. Iesus went through Math. 12. 1. the Corne on the Saboath and his disciples being hungry began to pluck the eares and eate And the Pharisies seing them said to him Lo thy Disciples do that which is not lawfull for them to do on the Saboath day The eight was that they should fast and pray often as is recorded in S. Math. VVhy do we and the Pharisees fast often Math. 9. 15. but thy Disciples do not fast And in S. Luke VVhy do the Disciples of Iohn fast often and make Luk 5. 35. obseruations but thine do eate and drinke The ninth was that the tythes of all things euen of the very least should be offered to God as we reade in S. Math. that Christ sayd VVo to you Scribes Math. 23. â—â— and Pharisees Hipocrits because you tith mint and anise and cummin and haue left the weightier things of the law iudgment and mercy and fayth these things you ought to haue done and not omitted those Heere to tyth is taken for to giue tythes and this is the true sense You Pharisees giue tythes of all thinges whatsoeuer euen of the very least of all which you do not as by a precept in the law of Moyses but by your one tradition which is not written and in the meane tyme you omit those things which are commaunded in the law these things you should do and not omit the other Where it is to be noted that there was no precept in the law of Moyses about giuing of tythes of the least things of which mention is here made but only of the tythes of wyne wheat and oyle Notwithstanding Deut. 14. 2â— the Pharisees in this had a peculiar custome and
search diligently giue testimony of me that I am the true Messias promised of God Wherefore then do ye not beleeue Heere hence I conclude that our aduersaries oppugne themselues more then vs. For they contend that Scripture only is the iudge of Controuersies and that Christ remitteth vs to the Scripture alone But the quite contrary is true For Christ in the Controuersy which he had with the Iews to wit whether he were the Sonne of God sent them not only to the Scripture but first to the testimony of S. Iohn Baptist Secondly to the testimony of Miracles which shew him to be God Thirdly to the testimony of God the Father who confirmed the same with a voice from heauen And after al these at least he sends them to the Scriptures We Catholikes do follow Christ in this matter For in these controuersies which we haue with our aduersaries not only we vse the testimony of Scripture but also that of the holy Fathers that of the Church our Mother and likewise that of Miracles which oftentymes are wrought for the confirmation of our fayth But our aduersaries as though they were wiser then Christ will heare nothing but that which is conteyned in the Scripture In the which they resemble not a lâ—tâ—le those Iewes with whom Christ had to do For these reiecting all other testimonies did only admit the scripture the which they neyther then vnderstood nor do yet if we may beleeue S. Paul for their senses are dulled 1. Cor. 3. 1â— sayth he a little after vntill this present day when Moyses is read a veyle is put vpon their hart All this in this case may be not vnsittly applied to these our moderne aduersaries as to faythfull schollars and iust cosen-Germans to those most ignorant blind obstinate Iewes THE V. TESTIMONY DAILY searching the Scriptures if thâ—se Acts. 1â— â—â— thinges were so But heere againe our aduersaries cry out that the men of Beroea did not hastily and rashly beleeue those things with the Apostles tould them but examined all things according to the rule of the Scripture and therefore say they it is also fitting that we should follow their example and acknowledg the Scripture only to be the rule iudge But al this is in vaine which will easily be seene if we consider the matter it selfe whereof they spake For thus it was S. Paul the Apostle as it is expressely shewed in the same Chapter first at Thessalonica and after with them of Beroea did discourse out of the Scriptures declaring and insinuating that it behoued Christ to suffer and to rise againe from the dead and that this is Iesus Christ whom I preach to you But now what did those of Beroea in the selfe same place it followeth they receaued the word with all greedinesse daily searching the Scriptures if these things were so This therefore is the true sense of that place The men of Beroea when they heard S. Paul cite certaine testimonies of the Scripture in the old Testament by the which he affirmed Christs death and resuriection they searched whether the doctrine of S. Paul were agreeable to those testimonies Not truly as though they doubted of the death and resurrection of Christ for it was sufficiently confirmed by the force of many Miracles wrought by 1 Thes 1 5. the Apostle But that they might be more stedfastly confirmed in faith if they should see those things which S. Paul had preached to haue beene tould and signified long before by the Prophets Now what thinke you can our aduersaries conclude by this Nothing doubtlesse to the purpose Vnlesse peraduenture they conclude in this manner The men of Beroea searched the testimonyes of the Scripture cited of S. Paul therefore the Scripture only is the iudge of controuersies which is euen like vnto this the Lutherans search out the testimonies of S. August cited by Bellar. therefore S. Aug. only is the iudge of controuersies Or thus The Clownes search out the testimonies of Luther cited by the ministers therfore Luther only is the iudge of all Controuersies Or thus Kemnitius in the examen of the Councell of Trent searcheth out the traditions alleadged of Catholiks therefore traditions are the only iudge of Controuersies Or Lastly Schollars search out the testimonies of Cicero cited of their maister therefore Cicero only is the author of the Latin tongue Away with such consequences which are not all worth a rush And yet our aduersaries make great accompt of them because they haue no better THE VI. TESTIMONY IT any euangelize to you besids that which you Galat. 19. haue receaued be he anathema Therefore say our aduersaries besids the Ghospell we must not admit any traditions but infer the quite contrary in this manner If any shall Euangelize to you any thing besides that which S. Paul hath Euangelized be he anathema But the Lutherans and the Caluinists do euangelize something besides that which S. Paul euangelized because they oppugne traditions which he hath commaunded when he sayd keepe 2. Thes 2. 14. the traditions therefore the Lutherans and the Caluinists are anathema But now let vs see the drift of the Apostle for thence it will appeare whether traditions are altogether to be condemned or no. Truly the drift of the Apostle is this The Galathians were taught of S. Paul that the ceremonies Gal. 2. 15. of the law of Moyses were abrogated that none could be iustified by those ceremonies but by fayth in Christ but afterward they were brought from this doctrine by certayne false Apostles who taught them that they could not be saued by fayth in Christ vnlesse they were also circumcised and obserued the other ceremonies of Moyses law as is manifest by the course of the whole Epistle but especially in these chapters 1. v. â— c. 3. v. 1. 4 v. 9. â— v. 1. cited in the margent And against these false Apostles doth S. Paul here dispute when he sayth If any euangelize to you besides that which you haue recaued be he anathema As though he had sayd You haue receiued of me that a man is iustified by faith in Christ and not by the obseruation of the law of Moyses If any do teach you otherwise affirming that faith in Christ doth profit nothing vnlesse circumcision and other legall ceremonies be adioyned be he anathema But from hence it doth not follow that the Apostolicall traditions are to be reiected but rather that they are to be retained because they are not contrary to that which S. Paul hath euangelized to the Galathians of iustification but rather they are the same which he hath euangelized to the Thessalonians when he sayd keep the traditions with you haue learned THE VII TESTIMONY ALL Scripture inspired of God is profitable 2. Tim. 3 16. to teach to argue to correct to instruct in iustice that the man of God may be perfect instructed to euery good worke Out of which place our aduersaries argue two
letter and the sense The letter killeth as the Apostle sayth and is cause of many heresies as was shewed by diuers examples The sense oftentymes is obscure and doubtfull both for the apparent contradictions which are found in euery place also for many other causes which before were numbred and therefore there is need of some Iudge who may manifestly desine that this is the lawfull sense and that the vnlawfull Thirdly out of the Controuersies themselues because there are many controuersies of the which no mention is made in the Scripture and so consequently can neyther be defined out of Scripture Fourthly out of the vse and custome of the old TestameÌ„t where the Scripture did not vse the office of a Iudge but high Preist who was Prince of the Sinagogue whose precept was to be obeyed vnder paine of death Fiftly by the vse and practise of the new Testament wherein all Controuersies hitherto haue beene decided by the Prelates of the Church Sixtly out of the proportion of Ciuill causes which are not decided by the written law but by the Prince of the Common wealth nor according to the rule of the written law only but also according to the ancient customes not written The other is to shew that the testimonies of Scripture which are obiected against vs eyther to be nothing to the purpose or to be rather for vs theÌ„ Isa 8. 20. against vs and not to be expounded truly by them as for example To the law testimony is nothing to the purpose because it is not vnderstood of Iâ—an 5. 39. Controuersies of fayth but of the future euents of casuall things And also that other place Search the Scriptures doth rather helpe vs then our aduersaries For Christ when he sayd this to the Iewes did not dispute with them out of Scripture only as our aduersaries would haue vs beleeue but also out of the testimony of S. Iohn Baptist to the which he added the testimony of Miracles and also the voice of God the Father speaking downe from heauen therefore he neuer dreamed that Scripture only was the Iudge of Controuersies The rest as I haue shewed are no better expounded by our aduersaries as out of our confutation the Reader if he bâ— but indifferent may easily perceaue himselfe An Obiection of the vulgar people aginst all that hath beene hitherto sayd MANY that be of the more simple 〈◊〉 thus obiect against vs. The Iudge of Controuersies in matters of fayth ought to be so infallible that he cannot erre Because if he erre all others following him should be deceaued in imbracing his opinion But now it is most plaine manifest of the one part that the scripture is infallible seing it is the very word of God which can by no meanes erre and of the otherside that no man can be infallible is no lesse certaine seing that euery man is a lyar and not any one can be found who is Rom. 3. 4. not subiect to errour According to that of S. Paul God is true but euery man a lyar Therefore the Scripture may be an infallible iudge Men seing they be lyars cannot But the Pope is a man the Church is nothing but a congregation of men Therefore the Pope the Church are lyars and may erre And so consequently none is safe and secure in matters of fayth who followeth their doctrine This obiection if there be any force in it is no lessle against our aduersaries then against vs. For if euery man be a lyar and may erre it followeth also that Moyses all the Prophets Apostles Euangelists Luther also and Caluin al the Lutherans and Calumisticall preachers are lyars and subiect to errour because they are men therefore they are not to be beleeued or trusted in any thing whatsoeuer and they ought to bee doubted of accounted as vncertaine Where then is fayth Neyther doth it help them to say that they preach the word of God and not of man for if they be lyars euen in so saying they may ly Nothing therefore is certaine But God forbid that we should eyther say so or thinke so For it is far otherwise And first we confesse that the scripture is certaine and infallible because it is the word of God But this we add that seing it is obscure the lawfull sense thereof is not manifest to euery one And therefore that there is need of some other iudge who may infallibly deliuer which is the true and lawfull sense of scripture But euery priuat man cannot be this Iudge because otherwise there would be as many diuers Iudges as there be diuers heads and opinions And so no controuersy could euer be composed For euery one would say that he vnderstood it rightly and al other falsly Therfore it is necessary that there be some publique Iudge who with authority may haue power to decide and end the matter betwixt the parties at contention Moreouer we affirme that men may Gen. â—â—1 â— psal â—â— 6. be considered two waies First as they are the Children of Adam subiect to diuers corruptions of nature And so by that meanes may be prone to lying and falsity Secondly as they are directed gouerned by the holy Ghost for the instruction of others and so they may be infallible and voyde of all errour Such an one in the old Testament was Moyses and the whole Senate of the Seniors Such also were the high Priests who followed theÌ„ Such were the Prophets Isaias Ieremy Ezechiel Daniel and Num. 11. 7. Deut. â—â— â— Agga â— 1◠〈◊〉 â—0 7. Ierem. r. 7. Ioan. 15. 16. Ioan. 16. 1â— others Such in the new Testament were the Apostles to whom it was said of Christ I will send you from my father the spirit of truth And also this VVhen that spirit of truth shall come he will teach you all truth But where there is all truth certainly there cannot be any falshood or errour To conclude such hath beene and at this day is the Church which by reason of the perpetuall assistance and direction of the holy Ghost neuer hitherto hath erred nor euer can erre heereafter Matth. 1â— â—8 1. Tim. 3. 1â— Isa 54. 4. Ibid. v. â—2 Ibid. v. 17. For it is built vpon a firme rocke and the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it It is the pillar and ground of truth It shall neuer be consounded nor blush The Iasper stone is the munition of it And it shall iudge euery tongue resisting it in Iudgment Therefore it is the infallible Iudge which we seeke But now there is a question whether all who are in the Church haue so much assistance and direction of the holy Ghost that they cannot err or no. Which truly is very easy to be resolued For all certainly haue it but with a certaine kynde of dependance from the Church Therefore as long as they remaine vnited to the Church they cannot erre but if they once depart from it then they beginne to erre