were not sufficient of themselves to expiate the sinnes but that they drew their vertue from the death of Iesus Christ and that those which did eate of the Paschall-lambe were to have respect to Iesus Christ and to understand the signification of this Lambe Now say these men they could not learne this from the bookes of Moses nor from the Prophets therefore they learnt it by the unwritten Tradition In speaking thus they falsific the words of the Apostle Saint Peter who at the 10. of the Acts 43. saith that To Iesus Christ all the Prophets give witnesse that through his name whosoever beleeveth in him shall receive remission of sinnes And they contradict Saint Paul who at the 26 of the Acts 22. Saith of himselfe that he speaketh no other things then those which the Prophets and Moses did foretell should come to passe They also abuse themselves to thinke that it was then necessary to every one of the faithfull to have a cleere insight and vnderstanding of the sacrifices of the Law and of the Paschall Lambe for the faithfull are not bound to beleeve of Iesus Christ more then that which God by his Word hath revealed unto them If any one about the time of Moses offering sacrifice according to the Law were not instructed in the doctrine of the death of our Redeemer but only beleeved that God through the meanes which hee knoweth to be most agreeable and convenient will forgiue vs our trespasies it were rashnesse to goe about to exclude such a man from salvation and it is certaine that then the faithfull were not without instruction as touching this point for they were prompted by the Scriptures to expect this seed of the Woman which should crush the head of the Serpent and the seed of Abraham wherein all Nations should be blessed Cardinall Perron is aduised of a third Tradition not written in the old Testament which neuerthelesse if we could beleeue it was necessary to saluation He supposeth that it was necessary for the Iewes to beleeue that the fire of their sacrifices after the captiuity was descended from Heaven and that the same continuall fire which was vpon the Altar was conserved by miracle during the tranfmigration Whereupon I say that 2. Macc. I. this miraculous conseruation of the fire being but a Iudaicall fable the Iewes were not bound Hac de revâ—de Rabbi Shelomo in ea 1 Aggai Talmud Tractatu Tukasin 1. fol. 21. Rabbi Moshe Ren Meâ—mon tractat de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to beleeue it The charge of the Sacrificers was to put the fire vpon the Altar as it is sayd Leuit. 1. 7. The sonnes of Aaron Nadab and Abihu did sinne not because they placed strange fire vpon the Altar but in putting into their Censers the fire which they tooke from else-where and not from off the Altar Leuit. 10. 1. Looke vpon the 8. of the Apoc 5. Moreouer put the case this fable were admitted for true yet is it not a rule of Religion nor a doctrine of Faith but only a meere History whereof whosoeuer had bin ignorant had not incurred eternall damnation And admit that vnder the old Testament the Church had vnwritten Traditions it should not therefore follow that it was lawfull for the Church of Rome to forge new ones and to equall them in authority to the writings of the Prophets and Apostles CHAP. XX. An answere to our Adversaries affirming that wee receive many Traditions contained in the Scripture OVr Adversaries upbraid us in that we who reject traditions are neverthelesse constrained to admit of many Ye beleeve say they that these bookes are canonicall ye allow of baptizing such as are Heretikes and the baptisme of little infants yee beleeve the procession of the holy Spirit from the Father and the Sonne and the translation of the Sabbath to the Dominicall day and the perpetuall virginity of Mary the mother of Christ yee beleeve that women ought to sing in the Church yee grant the words of Consubstantiation of Trinity of Person and of Sacrament which are not found in the holy Scripture I have already said that we reject not all unwritten Traditions but only those which adde something to the doctrine of salvation contained in holy Scriptures For answere to their objection that wee receive this unwritten Tradition to wit These bookes are canonicall to say so much of the bookes is not to adde to the canonicall bookes And speaking in that manner we are so farre from adding to Scripture that on the contrary it is a declaration that nothing is to be added thereunto and that it is the perfect rule of our faith Yet to have a complete certainety of the sacrednesse of these bookes there must be a stronger testimony then this Tradition An illiterate man not instructed in the knowledge of God receiveth the testimony of the Church of his owne countrey which telleth him that these books are canonicall as a probable testimony and which hee should not willingly contradict but then hee beginneth to have of it a divine testimony and of soveraigne efficacie when the Spirit of God by the Doctrine contained in this Scripture hath enlightened his spirit and inflamed his heart with a secret vertue whereof it is in vaine to dispute with those that feele it not the which cannot serve for a Law to another but serveth to every one of the faithfull in particular to assure his conscience It is also to bee considered that the testimony of shewing such and such bookes to bee canonicall might proceed as well from an hereticall as from an orthodox Church The Apostles received the holy Scripture from the Pharises and Sacrificers who were enemies to Iesus Christ Whence it appeareth that the testimony which the Church affordeth to the Scriptures is not of supreme authority and indubitable but invalid It is by faith that we beleeve that the contents of the Scripture are the word of God which faith is not given by the Church for it is an effect of the Spirit of God Touching the other points I speake of them in generall that if they bee Doctrines and Rules of the Christian faith not contained in the Scripture we are not bound to beleeve them But when every one of these points shall be examined asunder some will bee found contained in the Scripture others are not Doctrines nor Lawes or Rules of the Christian faith nor things requisite or necessary to salvation I am astonished to behold how our Adversaries dare to insert the Baptisme of little infants amongst the unwritten traditions seeing that their selves disputing against the Anabaptists prove it by many passages of Scripture Bellarmine in his eighth Chapter of the first Booke of Baptisme bringeth these proofes of Scripture that Baptisme succeeded Circumcision which was applied to little infants That Iesus Christ at the ninth of Saint Matthew saith Suffer the little ones tâ— come to me c. That in the sixteenth of the Acts Lydia is baptized by Saint Paul
nor that hath the Spirit of God in equall measure nothing remaineth more for us but to be instructed by their writings wherein the Apostles speake unto us and their word is yet alive and full of efficacie since their death and departure It is a profane presumption or affected negligence to speake of these writings divinely inspired as of unnecessary scripts and scroles for they which talke that language doe it for this end to withdraw the people from the holy reading thereof as from a frivolous businesse and for the end to distribute the rules therein contained unattentively and in hugger-mugger Shall we call them unnecessary meanes which God hath chosen to informe us concerning his will The which if they were not absolutely necessary of their owne nature yet they are made altogether necessary by the will of God and by the counsell of his providence for hee hath left but this infallible meanes to instruct us And men that speake in the Chaires may erre they are likewise subject to avarice and ambition the two ports thorow which errours doe enter by troops and throngs the Pastours ever accommodating religion to their profit And truly whosoever shall know what was the estate of the Romish church some six score yeres passed and how it consisted only in fabulous Legends in adoration of Reliques in miracles made by images in vertues and perfections of the Frocke or Cowle of S. Francis and Saint Dominick and that Iesus Christ scarce appeared amongst the S t s and that the holy Scripture was utterly estranged unknown will easily acknowledge that the maine barre which hath hindred Papistrie that it should not passe into Paganisme whereinto it was running post hath beene that these holy Bookes were drawne forth of darke ignorance and translated into the vulgar Tongues He will I say acknowledge that the people of the Romish Church owe unto us that little knowledge which remaineth with them and that we have diminished their servitude CHAP. XIX That the Church of the old Testament after the Law given by Moses untill Iesus Christ hath had no unwritten Traditions To the maintenance and increase of their Traditions our Adversaries doe joyne some examples of them which they say have been received in the Church of the old Testament without forme of Scripture since the Law written by Moses Cardinall Perron putteth forward Du Perron coÌ„tre le Roy de la Grand ' Bretagne Pag. 776. some histories and certaine commandements made to particularmen as the commandement to carry the Arke of the Covenant in procession the transferring of the Arke of God from Shilo to another place the charge made to Salomon to build a Temple and yet neuerthelesse the first of them is found in the 3. chap. of Ioshuae verse the 3. and 6. the second at the 78. Psalme verse the 60. the thrid in the 2. of Sam. chap. the 7. verse the 13. and 1. of Kings 5. 5. So little was this Cardinall versed in Gods booke A and though these passages were not found in the Scripture yet could it not bee preiudiciall to vs for they are Histories and commaundements made to particular men not rules and doctrines of Religion Also he octiecteth vnto vs and others after him the immortality of the soule which they say appeareth not in the fiue bookes of Moses these men without doubt scaree turne ouer the Sacred Pages of the Scripture At the 23. chap. of Numbers Balaam speaketh Let mee die the death of the righteous and let my last end be like vnto theirs He that calleth death a dissolution acknowledgeth that the soule suruiueth the body he that accompteth the death of the Righteous to bee blisse-full doeth not beleeue that their soules perish as they do of Beasts At the 59. chapter of Gen. verse the 18. Iacob dying speaketh O eternall I haue vnderstood thy salnation And at the 35. of Gen. 18. it is sayd of Rachel dying and as her soule was in departing Which perpetuity cannot be sayd of soules in Beastes for they perish with the body At the 31. of Deut. 16. God speaking to Moses Behold thou shall keepe with thy Fathers Which doth fully make good that the soules haue their repose after death Neuer did man in his right wits call the estate of some horse after death a sleepe At the 47 of Genef Iacob calleth his life in this world and that of his fathers a pilgrimage and acknowledgeth himselfe a stranger in the world The Apostle to the Hebrews chap. 11 14. declareth that they which say such things declare plainly that they seeke a countrey that is to say a cel estiall one as it appeareth by the 16 verse Icsus Christ at the 22 of S. Matthew to the same purpose and to prooue the Resurrection alleageth the words of God himselfe at the 30 of Exodus I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac the God of lacob for saith hee God is not the God of the dead but of the living But what moveth these men to perswade that the immortalitie of the soule is not fovnd at all in the bookes of of the Law of God except it bee because they themselues doubt of it or because they endeavour to make the Sacred bookes contemptible as failing in a point without the which the same that is called Religion is a meere fallacy and imposture and all the seruice of God is a supersluous toyle and care To the same purpose they adde Iohn Iâ—â—bert chap. 26. p. 324. that the resurrection of bodies the finall Iudgement Paradice and Hell are not contained evidently in all the old Testament whereby it appeareth that the whole study of these men is to reade onely the writings of their doctors in coppying forth their reasons without the paines of comming to the fource which is to finger ouer the leaues of the Scriptures for when should wee have done collecting together the passages of the old Testament which speakes of these things the very Psalmes alone might suffice and consider with me some passages among the rest Psal 16. 12. Thou shalt shew me the path of life in thy presence is the futnesse of toy and at thy right hand there is pleasure for euermore And at the 17. Psal 16. I will behold thy presence in righteousnesse and when I awake vp after thy likenesse I shall bee satisfied with it Gods face is not to bee seene with satiety but after the last alarme of the resurrection And in the 49. Psal 16. God shall redeeme my soule from the Tyranny of Hell meaning of death When hee shall take me vnto him And at the 73. Psal 23. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsell and after that receiue me with glory At the 31. Psal 6. Into thy hands I commend my spirit for thou hast redeemed me O Lord thou God of truth At the 50 Psal 3. 4. 5. Our God shall â—â—me having a consuming fire before him and a mighty tempest shall bee stirred vp round about him
hee shall call the heauen from aboue and the earth that hee may judge his people saying Gather my Saints together vnto me c. At the 102. Psal 26. The heauens shall perish but thou shalt enaure The Prophet Daniel at the 12. 2 Many of them that sleepe in the dust of the earth shall awake some to euerlasting life some to shame and euerlasting contempt At the 26. of Esay 19. Thy dead men shall liue together with my dead body shall they arise awake and fing yee that dwell in the dust At the 65. chap. verse 17. Behold I create new heauens and new earth and the former shall not be remembred nor come into minde Iob aâ— the 19. the 25. 26. 27. Speaketh amply of the comming of his redeemer vpon the earth and of his resurrection after his body shall bâ— deuoured with wormes and of thâ— assurance hee hath to see God one day with his eyes The Prophet Esay at the 66. pronounceth this of reprobates Their worme neuer dieth and their fire shall neuer bee extinguished Baalam desiring to dye the death of the iust At the 23 of Num. 10. Accompreth the death of the wicked to bee wretched and wofull These passages as I conceiue are expresse and punctuall concerning Paradise the resurrection the torment of the damned and the eternall judgement They offer yet more that in the Booke of the old Testament no mention is made of the Creation nor of degrees of Angels nor of the Creation and essence or being of deuils which neuerthelesse are points clearely found to bee therein as in Iob the 2. the 1. And at the 38. 7. The Angels are called the sonnes of God whereupon it followeth that God is their Father that he hath formed them and when the Scripture saith Let the Angels doe worship to him Psalme the 97. 7. And let them execute his commandement and obey his word Psa the 103. 20. It presupposeth that God created them for if God had not created them injustice would have beene layd to his charge for vsurping an Imperiall Dominion ouer the workemanship of another power Yea this alone where in the Scripture affirmeth that there are Angels is sufficient to proue that God created them for it is impossible that they should create themselues As for the degrees of Angels it is a meere vanity for any man to distill and consume the braine therein It concerneth neither faith nor morallitie And for the essence of deuils the olde Testament sufficiently doth determine it in saying that there are deuils Hee that confesseth there is a Sunne presupposeth that the Sunne hath a beeing and there is no necessiity that wee should bee skilled in the knowledge of their nature As for their fall seeing God hath made nothing but what is very good the 1. of Genes 31. It followeth that these evill spirits in the beginning were good and consequently that they are lapsed from their integrity how and by what occasions or by what degrees they are fallen are matters which God hath not reuealed for they are not reputed necessary to saluation Du Perron an livre cótre le Roy de la grand ' Bretagne pag. 776. 2. Tim. 3. 8. They also report many Histories which they say are not found written in the old testament As for that The Magicians which withstood Moses were called Iannes and Iam. Hebr. 12. 21 bres That Moses being at the foot of the mountaine spake I exceedingly feare and tremble The placing Hebr 9. 4. of the Censer in the Arke of the Covenant and the combat of Michael the Archangell with Satan for Iude 9. the body of Moses Which are not rules either of good beliefe or good life but only histories of things happened wherein consiâ—teth not the substance of our salvation As much may be sayd of some Ceremonies practised in Israel once or oftner but not ordinary or indifferent customes in their nature as washing of the feete before they went to eate of the Paschal-Lambe which was a custome that the Iewes ordinarily observed before the repast And the mixture of water with blood for the purification of the People as the Apostle intimateth to the Hebrews at the 10. chap. which was not a law in the ancient Church but a Ceremony practised once by Moses They also object unto us some depraved and lewd customes as the pardon of a capitall malefactour at the feast of Easter though he be a murtherer a custome contrary to the law of God Nu. 35 31. and some other scrupulous and vaine observations as was that custome of not journeying above two miles on the Sabboth grounded Iosh 3. 4. upon an act of Ioshua passing over Iordane when hee kept the people at distance from the Arke of the Covenant being remooved from thence about two thousand cubits by measure Wee are well contented that our adversaries uphold their Traditions with such poore and vnworthy examples Some of them thinking to bee more subâ—ile object unto us that in the bookes of the old Testament three things are wanting which are necessary to salvation There is not found say they a remedy in the old Testament that God hath provided to purge and clense the feminine sexe from originall sinne for none are circumcised but the Males I answere that Vide Thomam par 3. q 70. in eaÌ„ Vasquez de Valentia our adversaries themselves doe not beleeve that originall sinne was taken away by vertue of circumcision but by the faith of the Parents applyed to the children by forme of impetration and by the merit of him that circumciseth For they hold that circumcision did not justifie nor conferre grace but only that it was a signe of grace and not necessary to salvation The Iesuite Vasques speaking of Children that under the law of Moses dyed without being circumcised Vasquez in Thom. partem 3. Disp 163. cap. 2. Nequâ— incoÌ„moduâ—â—liquod â—rat pueruÌ„ fine Sacramento decâ—aerâ— cuâ— iâ—â—ud ad â—alutem non â—sset necessarâ—um saith If a Child died without any Sacrament there was no hurt therin for it was not conducible and necessary to salvation It is certaine that remission of originall siâ—ne is necessary to salvation Wherefore I say that origiâ—all sinne was remitted and forgiven aswell to the Male as to the Female people of Israel by vertue of the alliance which God had contracted with Abraham saying I shall be thy God and to thy posterity after thee Ge. 17. 7. for women were also fo the posterity of Abraham The Circumcision of the Males was sufficient to signifie that all the people were taken into confederation with God to discerne Gods people from the other nations And for this there needed no such particular signe or token in the Women The Iewes writing of their Traditions speake nothing of such a signe or Sacrament nor have our adversaries produced any They say in the second place that the Israelites to be saved were to beleeve that the sacrifices