be beleeued as profitable and necessarie to saluation And these they say are two fold Apostolicall namely such as were deliuered by the Apostles and not written and Ecclesiasticall which the Church decreeth as occasion is offered We holde that the Scriptures are most perfect containing in them all doctrines needfull to saluation whether they concerne faith or manners and therefore we acknowledge no such traditions beside the written word which shall be necessarie to saluation so as he which beleeueth them not cannot be saued Our reasons Testimonie I. Deutr. 4. 2. Thou shalt not adde to the wordes that I command thee nor take any thing there from therefore the written word is sufficient for all doctrines pertaining to saluation If it be said that this commandement is spoken as well of the vnwritten as of the written word I answere that Moses speaketh of the written word onely for these very words are a certen preface which he set before a long cōmentatie made of the written lawe for this ende to make the people more attentiue obediēt Testimonie II. Isai 8. 20. To the lawe and to the testimonie If they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Here the Prophet teacheth what must be done in cases of difficultie Men must not runne to the wizard or southsaier but to the lawe and testimony and here he commends the written word as sufficient to resolue all doubtes and scruples in conscience whatsoeuer Testimonie III. Iohn 20. 31. These things were written that ye might beleeue that Iesus is the Christ and in beleeuing might haue euerlasting life Here is set downe the full ende of the Gospell and of the whole written word which is to bring men to faith and consequently to saluation and therefore the whole scripture alone is suffient to this ende without traditions If it be said that this place must be vnderstood of Christs miracles onely I answere that miracles without the doctrine of Christ and knowledge of his sufferings can bring no man to life euerlasting therefore the place must be vnderstood of the doctrine of Christ and not of his miracles alone as Paul teacheth Gal. ◠1 8. If we or an Angel from heauen preach vnto you any thing BESIDE THAT which we haue preached let him be accursed And to this effect he blames them that taught but a diuers doctrine to that which he had taught 1. Tim. 1. 3. Testimonie IIII. 2. Tim. 3. 16 17. The vvhole Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach to improoue to correct and to instruct in righteousnes that the man of God may be absolute beeing made perfect vnto euery good vvorke In these words be cōtained two arguments to proue the sufficiencie of Scripture without vnwritten verities The first that which is profitable to these foure vses namely to teach all necessarie truth to confute all errours to correct faults in manners and to instruct in righteousnes that is to informe all men in all good duties that is sufficient to saluation But Scripture serueth for all these vses and therefore it is sufficient and vnwritten traditions are superfluous The secōd that which can make the man of God that is Prophets and Apostles and the ministers of the word perfect in all the duties of their callings that same word is sufficient to make all other men perfect in all good workes But Gods word is able to make the man of God perfect Therefore it is sufficient to prescribe the true and perfect way to eternall life without the helpe of vnwritten traditions V. The iudgement of the Church Tertull saith Take from heretickes the opinions vvhich they maintaine vvith the heathen that they may defende their questions by SCRIPTVRE ALONE and they cannot stande Againe We neede no curiositie after Christ Iesus nor inquisition after the Gospell When we beleeue it we desire to BELEEVE NOTHING BESIDE for this we first beleeue that there is NOTHING MORE which we may beleeue Hierome on Matth. 23. writing of an opinion that Iohn Baptist was killed because hee foretold the comming of Christ saith thus This because it hath not authoritie from Scriptures may as easily be contemned as approoued In which wordes there is a conclusion with a minor and the maior is to be supplied by the rules of logick thus That which hath not authoritie from Scriptures may as easily be contemned as approoued but this opinion is so therefore Beholde a notable argument against all vnwritten traditions Augustine booke 2. c. 9. de doct Christ. In those things which are plainely set downe in Scripture are found ALL THOSE POINTES VVHICH CONTAINE FAITH AND MANNERS of liuing well Vicentius Lirinen saith the Canon of the Scripture is perfect and fully sufficient to it selfe FOR AL THINGS Beside these testimonies other reasons there be that serue to prooue this point I. The practise of Christ his Apostles who for the confirmation of the doctrine which they taught vsed alwaies the testimony of Scripture neither can it be prooued that they euer confirmed any doctrine by tradition Act. 26. 22. I continue vnto this day witnessing both to small and great saying NONE OTHER THINGS THEN THOSE which the Prophets and Moses did say should come And by this we are giuen to vnderstand that we must alwaies haue recourse to the written word as being sufficient to instruct vs in mattes of saluation II. If the beleeuing of vnwritten traditions were necessarie to saluation then we must as well beleeue the writings of the auncient Fathers as well as the writings of the Apostles because Apostolicall traditions are not else where to be found but in their bookes And we may not beleeue their sayings as the word of God because they oftē erre being subiect to errour and for this cause their authoritie when they speake of traditions may be suspected and we may not alwaies beleeue them vpon their word Obiections for Traditions First they alleadge 2. Thess. 2. 15. where the Apostle biddes that Church keepe the ordinances which he taught them either by worde or letter Hence they gather that beside the written worde there be vnwritten traditions that are indeede necessarie to be kept and obeied Ans. It is very likely that this Epistle to the Thessalonians was the first that euer Paul writ to any Church though in order it haue not the first place and therefore at the time when this Epistle was penned it might well fall out that some things needefull to saluation were deliuered by word of mouth not being as yet written by any Apostle Yet the same things were afterward set downe in writing either in the second epistle or in the epistles of Paul Obiect II. That Scripture is Scripture is a point to be beleeued but that is a tradition vnwritten and therefore one tradition there is not written that we are to beleeue Answ. That the bookes of the old and new Testament are Scripture it is to
an Idol And Isidore saith that the heathen vsed the names of image and idol indifferently in one and the same signification And S. Steuen in his apologie Act. 7. 41. calls the golden calfe an Idol Hierome saith that idols are images of dead men Ancient Diuines accorde with all this which I haue said Lactantius saith Inst. lib. 2. cap. 19. Where images are for religions sake there is no religion The Councel of Elibera can 36. decreed that nothing should be painted on the walls of Churches which is adored of the people Origen We suffer not any to worship Iesus at altars images and temples BECAVSE IT IS VVRITTEN Thou shalt haue none other Gods And Epiphanius saith It is against the authoritie of the Scriptures to see the image of Christ or of any Saints hanging in the Church In the seauenth Councel of Constantinople these wordes of Epiphanius are cited against the Encratitae Be mindfull beloued children not to bring images into the Church nor set them in the places where the Saintes are buried BVT ALVVAIES CARRIE GOD IN YOVR HE ARTS neither let them be suffered in any common house for it is not meete that a Christian should be occupied by the eyes but by the meditation of the minde Arguments of the Papists The reasons which they vse to defend their opinions are these I. In Salomons temple were erected Cherubins which were Images of angels on the Mercieseat where God was worshipped and thereby was resembled the maiestie of God therefore it is lawefull to make images to resemble God Ansvv. They were erected by speciall commandement from God who prescribed the very forme of them and the place where they must be set and thereby Moses had a warrant to make them otherwise he had sinned let them shewe the like warrant for their images if they can Secondly the Cherubins were placed in the holy of holies in the most inward place of the Temple and consequently were remoued from the sight of the people who onely heard of them none but the high priest saw them and that but once a yeare And the Cherubins without the vayle though they were to be seene yet were they not to be worship ped Exo. 20. 4. Therfore they serue nothing at all to iustifie the images of the Church of Rome Obiect II. God appeared in the forme of a man to Abraham Gen. 18. 1 â—3 and to Daniel who sawe the auncient of daies sitting on a throne Dan. 9. Nowe as God appeared so may he be resembled therefore say they it is lawful to resemble God in the forme of a man or any like image in which he shewed himselfe to men Ans. In this reason the proposition is false for God may appeare in whatsoeuer forme it pleaseth his maiestie yet doth it not followe that man should therefore resemble God in those formes man hauing no libcrtie to resemble him in any forme at all vnles he be commanded so to doe Againe when God appeared in the forme of a man that forme was a signe of Gods presence onely for the time when God appeared and no longer as the bread and wine in the sacrament are signes of Christs body and blood not for euer but for the time of administration for afterward they become againe as common bread and wine And when the Holy Ghost appeared in the likenes of a dove that likenesse was a signe of his presence no longer then the holy Ghost so appeared And therefore he that would in these formes represent the Trinitie doth geeatly dishonour God and do that for which he hath no warrant Obiect III. Man is the image of God but it is lawfull to paint a man and therefore to make the image of God Ans. A very cavill for first a man cannot be painted as he is the image of God which standes in the spirituall gifts of righteousnes and true holines Againe the image of a man may be painted for ciuil or historicall vse but to paint any man for this ende to represent God or in the way of religion that we may the better remember and worship God it is vnlawfull Other reasons which they vse are of small moment and therefore I omit them II. Differ They teach and maintaine that images of God and of Saintes may be worshipped with religious worship specially the crucifixe For Thomas of Watering saith Seeing the crosse doth represent Christ who died vpon acrosse and is to be worshipped with diuine honour it followeth that the crosse is to be worshipped so too We on the contrarie hold they may not Our principall ground is the second commandement which containeth two parts the first forbiddeth the making of images to resemble the true God the second forbids the worshipping of them or God in them in these wordes Thou shalt not bowe downe to them Now there can be no worship done to any thing lesse then the bending of the knee Againe the brasen serpent was a type or Image of Christ crucified Ioh. 3. 14. appointed by God himselfe yet when the people burned incense to it 2. King 18. 4. Hezekias brake it in pieces and is therefore commended And when the deuill bad our Sauiour Christ but to bow downe the knee vnto him and he would giue him the whole world Christ reiects his offer saying Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue Math. 4. 10. Againe it is lawfull for one man to worship another with ciuill worship but to worship man with religious honour is vnlawfull For all religious worship is prescribed in the first table and the honour due to man is onely prescribed in the second table and the first commandement thereof Honour thy father which honour is therefore ciuill and not religious Now the meanest man that can be is a more excellent image of God then all the images of God or of Saints that are deuised by men Augustine and long after him Gregorie in plaine tearmes denieth images to be adored The Papists defend their opinions by these reasons I. Psal. 99. 5. Cast downe your selues before his foot stoole Ans. The words are thus to be read Bow at his foot stoole that is at the Arke and Mercyseat for there he hath made a promise of his presence the wordes therefore say not bovv to the Arke but to God at the Arke Obiect II. Exod. 3. 5. God saide to Moses Stand a farre off and put off thy shooes for the place is holy Now if holy places must be reuerenced then much more holy images as the crosse of Christ and such like Ansvv. God commanded the cermony of putting off the shooes that he might thereby strike Moses with a religious reuerence not of the place but of his owne maiestie whose presence made the place holy Let them shewe the like warrant for images III. Obiect It is lawfull to kneele downe to a chaire of estate in the absence of the king or Queene therefore much more to the images of
Euphrates where was the confusion of languages and where the Iewes were in captiuitie which Babylon is in Scripture reproched for Idolatry and other iniquities The second Babylon is in Egypt standing on the riuer Nilus and it is now called Cayr of that mention is made 1. Pet. 5. v. 13. as some thinke though indeede it is as likely and more commonly thought that there is meant Babylon of Assyria The third Babylon is mysticall whereof Babylon of Assyria was a type and figure and that is Rome which is without question here to be vnderstood And the whore of Babylon as by all circumstances may be gathered is the state or regiment of a people that are the inhabitants of Rome and appertaine thereto This may be prooued by the interpretation of the holy Ghost for in the last verse of the 17. chapter the woman that is the whore of Babylon is said to be a citty which raigneth ouer the kings of the earth now in the daies when S. Iohn penned this booke of Reuelation there was no citie in the world that ruled ouer the kings of the earth but Rome it then beeing the seate where the Emperour put in execution his Imperiall authoritie Againe in the seuenth verse shee is saide to sit on a beast hauing seuen heades and ten hornes which seuen heads be seuen hills v. 9. whereon the woman sitteth and also they be seuen kings Therfore by the whore of Babylon is meant a citie standing on seuen hills Now it is well knowne not onely to learned men in the Church of God but euen to the heathen themselues that Rome alone is the citie built on seuen distinct hills called Caelius Aventinus Exquilinus Tarpeius or Capitolinus Viminalis Palatinus Quirinalis Papists to helpe themselues doe alledge that old Rome stood on seuen hills but nowe is remooued further to the plaine of Campus Martius I answer that howsoeuer the greatest part of the citie in regard of habitation be not nowe on seuen hills yet in regard of regiment and practise of religion it is for euen to this day vpon these hills are seated certaine Churches and Monasteries other like places where the Papal Authoritie is put in execution and thus Rome beeing put for a state and regiment euen at this day it standes vpon seuen hills And though it be come to passe that the harlot in regard of her later daies euen changed her seate yet in respect of her yonger times in which shee was bred and borne shee sate vpon the seuen hills Others because they feare the wounding of their own heads labour to frame these wordes to an other meaning and say that by the whore is meant the company of all wicked men in the world wheresoeuer the deuil being the head thereof But this exposition is flat against the text for in the second verse of the 18. chapter shee is opposed to the kings of the earth with whome shee is said to commit fornication and in the last verse shee is called a citie standing on seuen hills and raigning ouer the kings of the earth as I haue said therfore must needes be a state of men in some particular place And the Papists themselues perceiuing that this shift will not serue their turne make two Romes heathenish Rome and that whereof the Pope is head now say they the whore spoken of is heathenish Rome which was ruled by cruel tyrants as Nero Domitian and the rest and that Rome whereof nowe the Pope is head is not here meant Behold a vaine and foolish distinction for Ecclesiasticall Rome in respect of state princely dominion and crueltie in persequuting the Saints of God is all one with the heathenish Empire the See of the Bishop beeing turned into the Emperours court as all histories doe manifest But let the distinction be as they suppose yet by their leaues here by the whore must be vnderstood not onely heathenish Rome but euen the Papall or Ecclesiasticall Rome for v. 3. of this chapter the holy Ghost saith plainely that shee hath made all natious drunke with the wine of the wrath of her fornication yea it is added that shee hath committed fornication with the kings of the earth whereby is signified that she hath endeauoured to intangle al the nations of the earth in her spirituall idolatrie and to bring the kings of the earth to her religion Which thing cannot be vnderstoode of the heathenish Rome for that left all the kings of the earth to their owne religion and idolatrie neithet did they labour to bring forraine kings to worshippe their Gods Againe chapt 18. v. 16 it is said that the ten hornes which be ten kings shall hate the whore and make her desolate and naked which must not be vnderstoode of heathenish Rome but of popish Rome for whereas in former times all the kings of the earth did submit themselues to the whore nowe they haue begun to withdrawe themselues and make her desolate as the king of Bohemia Denmarke Germanie England Scotland and other parts therefore this distinction is also friuolous They further alledge that the whore of Babylon is drunke with the bloode of the Saints and Martyrs chap. 17. 6. shedde not in Rome but in Ierusalem where the Lord was crucified and the two prophets beeing slaine lie there in the streets Rev. 11. â—8 But this place is not meant of Hierusalem as Hierome hath fully taught but it may well be vnderstoode of Rome Christ was crucified there either because the authoritie whereby he was crucified was from the Romane Empire or els because Christ in his members was and is there dayly crucified though locally in his owne person he was crucified at Ierusalem And thus notwistanding all which hath bin said we must here by the whore vnderstand the State and Empire of Rome not so much vnder the heathen Emperours as vnder the head thereof the Pope which exposition besides the authority of the text hath the fauoure and defence of auncient and learned men Bernard saith They are the ministers of Christ but THEY SERVE ANTICHRIST Againe The beast spoken of in the Apocalyps to which a mouth is giuen to speake blasphemies and to make warre with the Saints of God is now gotten into Peters chaire as a lyon prepared to his praie It will be said that Bernard speakes these latter wordes of one that came to the Popedome by intrusion or vsurpation It is true indeede but wherefore was he an vsurper he rendreth a reason thereof in the same place because the Antipope called Innocentius was chosen by the kings of Almaine France England Scotland Spaine Hierusalem with consent of the whole Cleargie and people in these nations and the other was not And thus Bernard hath giuen his verdict that not onely this vsurper but all the Popes for this many yeres are the beast in the Apocalyps because now they are onely chosen by the colledge of Cardinalls To this agreeth the decree of Pope Nicolas the second
onely serueth to supply the absence of the principall whereas Christ is alwaies present with his Church by his word and spirit for where two or three be gathered together in his name he is in the middest among them It may be saide that the ministers in the worke of the ministerie are deputies of Christ I answer that they are no deputies but actiue instruments For in the preaching of the word there be two actions the first is the vttering or propounding of it to the eare the second is the inward operation of the Holy Ghost in the heart which indeede is the principall and belongs to Christ alone the action of speaking in the minister being onely instrumentall Thus likewise the church of God in cutting off any member by excommunication is no more but an instrument performing a ministerie in the name of Christ and that is to testifie and pronounce whome Christ himselfe hath cut off from the kingdome of heauen whome he also will haue for this cause to be seuered from the company of his own people till he repent And so it is in all ecclesiasticall actions Christ hath no deputie but onely instruments the whole intire actioÌ„ being personal in respect of Christ. This one conclusion ouer throwes not onely the Popes supremacy but also many other points of popery Reason II. All the Apostles in regard of power and authoritie were equall for the commission apostolicall both for right and exequution was giuen equally to them all as the very wordes import Math. 28. v. 19. Goe teach all nations baptizing them c. and the promise I will giue to thee the kâ—â—es of the kingdome of heauen is not priuate to Peter but is made in his person to the rest according as his confession was in the name of the rest Thus saith Theophylact. They haue the power of committing binding that receiue the gift of a bishop as Peter And Ambr. saith What is said to Peter is said to the Apostles Therfore Peter had no supremacy ouer the rest of the Apostles in respect of right to the coÌ„mission which they say beloÌ„ged to him onely and the execution thereof to the rest But let all be granted that Peter was in commissioÌ„ aboue the rest for the time of his life yet hence may not any superioritie be gathered for the Bishopps of Rome because the authoritie of the Apostles was personall consequently ceased with them without being conueyed to any other because the Lord did not vouchsafe the like honour to any after them For first of all it was the priuiledge of the Apostles to be called immediatly and to see the Lord Iesus Secondly they had power to giue the gift of the holy ghost by the imposition of handes Thirdly they had such a measure of the assistance of the spirit that in their publike sermons and in writing of the word they could not erre and these things were all denied to those that followed after them And that their authoritie ceased in their persons it stands with reason also because it was giuen in so ample a manner for the founding of the Church of the new Testament which being once founded it was needfull onely that there should be pastours and teachers for the building of it vp vnto the ende of the world Reason III. When the sonnes of Zebedeus sued vnto Christ for the greatest roomes of honour in his kingdome deeming hee should be an earthly king Christ answers them againe ye knovv that the Lords of the Gentiles haue dominion and they that are great exercise authoritie over them but it shall not be so vvith you Bernard applieth these very wordes to Pope Eugenius on this maner It is plaine saith he that here dominion is forbidden the Apostles Goe to then dare if you will to take vpon you ruling an Apostleship or in your Apostleship rule or dominion if you will haue both alike you shall loose both Otherwise you must not thinke your selfe exempted from the number of them of vvhome the Lord complaineth thus they haue raigned but not of me they haue beene and I haue not knowne them Reason IV. Eph. 4. mention is made of gifts which Christ gaue to his Church after his ascension whereby some were Apostles some prophets some Euangelists some pastours and teachers Now if there had beene an office in which men as deputies of Christ should haue gouerned the whole Church to the ende of the world the calling might here haue beene named fitly with a gift thereto pertaining and Paul no doubt would not here haue concealed it where he mentioneth callings of lesser importance Reason V. The Popes supremacie was iudged by sentences of Scripture and condemned long before it was manifest in the world the spirit of prophesie foreseeing and foretelling the state of things to come 2. Thess. 2. v. 3 4. The man of sinne which is that Antichrist shall exalt himselfe aboue all that is called God c. Now this whole chapter with all the circumstances thereof most fitly agrees to the sea of Rome and the Head thereof and the thing which then staied the reuealing of the man of sinne vers 6. is of most expounded to be the Romane Emperour I will alleadge one testimonie in the roome of many Chrysostome saith on this place As long as the Empire shall be had in awe no man shall straitly submit himselfe to Antichrist but after that the Empire shall be dissolued Antichrist shall invade the state of the Empire standing voide and shall labour to pul vnto himselfe the Empire both of man and God And this we finde now in experience to be true for the See of Rome neuer flourished till the Empire decaied and the seat thereof was remooued from the citie of Rome Againe Rev. 13. mention is made of two beasts one comming out of the sea whome the Papists confesse to be the heathenish Romane Emperour the second coÌ„ming out of the earth which doth all that the first beast could doe before him and this fitly agreeth to the Popes of Rome who doe and haue done all things that the Emperour did or could doe and that in his vety sight Reason VI. The iudgement of the auncient Church Cyprian saith Doubtlesse the same were the rest of the Apostles that Peter was indued vvith EQVAL fellowshippe both of honour and of POVVER but a beginning is made of vnitie that the Church may appeare to be one Gregorie saith If one be called vniversall Bishop the vniversall Church GOETH TO DECAY And chap. 144. I say boldly that whosoeuer calleth or desireth to call himselfe vniuersall priest in his pride is a FORERVNNER OF ANTICHRIST And Beholde in the preface of the Epistle which ye directed vnto me you caused to be set a PROVVD TITLE calling me vniversall Pope Bernard Consider that thou art not a lord of Bishops but one of them Churches are MAIMED in that the Romane Bishop draweth all povver to himselfe Again Gregorie himselfe being