Works of all Catholick Writers but chiefly those of the ancient Fathers to be purged and made clean from blots and stains of Errours that is from every thing that contradicts the Superstitions of the Roman Church But if it were a thing indeed so commendable to purge the Fathers yet is it a thing praise-worthy to falsifie and forge them too St. Chrysostom left upon record an Expression which the Roman Church doth no way like and that was this In times of Heresie there is no means to find out the Truth save onely the reading of the Scriptures Bellarmine confesseth Totus hic locus è quibusdam codicibus nuper emendatis sublatus est This whole Passage is left out of some Editions newly set forth and corrected But how comes St. Chrysostom thus to deserve the Spunge The Cardinal gives this Reason Hoc Testimonium non est Chrysostomi This Testimony is not Chrysostom's but whose then Ab Arrianis locus hic insertus This place was inserted into St. Chrysostom's Works by the Arrians and therefore deserved rather to be expunged then believed We see what liberty the Romanists take to themselves to raze and blot out such and such Passages of the Fathers which make against them upon a groundless pretence that those Passages were inserted by some Heretick or other and can they then justly complain of us if we are not willing to credit some Expressions of ancient Authours upon which they ground those Doctrines and Practices of theirs which we reject since we have too much reason to believe that those Expressions are corrupted falsified and forged and that by some of their own Church That the Roman Catholicks have indeed miserably corrupted the ancient Writers in their Editions we are sufficiently convinced by the Testimony of our learned Doctour Featly who hath traced them through the several Ages of the Church and discovered to the world this unworthy dealing of theirs by giving us particular Instances and naming the Treatises and Expressions of several Fathers which their Adversaries as well as ours have abused perverted and corrupted thus or thus That of Ignatius is one who bespeaks Virgins thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. In your Prayers set Christ before your eyes and his Father c. To evacuate this great and ancient Testimony against the Invocation of Saints and Angels a late Popish Edition printed at Lyons reads it thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In your Souls set Christ before your eyes c. Again those words of our Blessed Saviour The flesh profiteth nothing Tertullian thus expounds Caro nihil prodest ad vivificandum scilicet The flesh profiteth nothing that is to quicken so saith the true Tertullian but a former Edition of theirs set forth at Paris though mended since by Rigaltius contrary to the meaning of Christ and Tertullian too reads it thus Caro nihil prodest sed ad vivificandum The flesh profiteth nothing save onely to quicken Once more our learned Authour mentions those words of St. Cyprian too Post gustatam Eucharistiam After the eating of the Eucharist which the Popish Edition at Paris to countenance a Ceremony of theirs changeth thus Post gestatam Eucharistiam After the Circumgestation of the Eucharist Nor can this Change be imputed to the mistake of the Presse because their Authours own and endeavour to justifie the Alteration These and a great many more Corruptions Forgeries and Falsifications of the ancient Fathers are reckoned up in that learned Treatise which give us fair warning not to believe every Testimony which our Adversaries pretend to produce out of such and such old Writers set forth by themselves for the justification of those Traditions for which they can bring no good warrant from the written Word of God For since 't is undeniable that they have notoriously abused the Records of Antiquity by suppressing changing and inserting what and where they pleased we have abundant cause to believe that these Alterations are made in those very places which they commonly cite in their own defence they being too wise to forge any counterfeit Deeds and suborn any other false Witnesses then such as are designed to speak for their Advantage But IV. The Champions of the Roman Church endeavour to justifie their Traditions by the Testimony and Authority of such and such Councils To which we have two things to reply 1. We cannot imagine but that whole Councils may erre in their Judgments and be mistaken in their Canons Decrees and Constitutions That no meer man save onely the Prophets Evangelists and Apostles ever was Infallible is acknowledged by some learned persons even of the Roman Church If Cajetane were not perfectly of this mind what means that Expression of his Solis Sacrae Scripturae Authoribus reservata est haec Authoritas ut ideo sic credamus esse quia Ipsi sic scripserunt That we should certainly believe things to be thus and thus barely because 't is so written by such and such is a Privilege peculiar to the Pen-men of Holy Writ alone Surely then that Assertion of Gratian mentioned by Bellarmine seems somewhat sawcy Epistolas Pontificum Decretales numerari debere inter Scripturas Canonicas The Pope's Decretal Epistles ought to be reckoned amongst the Canonical Scriptures And methinks the Cardinal himself seems somewhat confident when he speaks thus indifferently of Scriptures and Councils Vtraque sunt infallibilis Veritatis aequè certa They are both of infallible Truth and equally certain But if Cardinal Cajetane were in the right if all those Bishops and Doctours of whom Councils have consisted were but men subject to Mistakes and Errours in their own particular persons how the whole collective Body of any Synod should in the result prove infallible the Church of Rome will never be able to shew by any such clear Evidence as may satisfie a sober and impartial man We do not deny but that there is much of Truth in that Assertion of St. Austine Conoiliorum in Ecclesia saluberrima est Authoritas The Authority of Councils is of great Advantage to the Church of God we do with all thankfulness to Heaven acknowledge and own the Four first General Councils that of Nice which vindicated the Divinity of Christ against Arrius that of Constantinople which asserted the Divinity of the Holy Ghost against Macedonius that of Ephesus which maintained the Unity of Christ's Person against Nestorius and that of Chalcedon which asserted the double Nature of Christ against Eutyches So venerable is the Authority of these Four Councils that we do not quarrel with that high Expression of that good Emperour Justinian if rightly understood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We receive the Doctrines of these Four holy Councils even as not in equality but similitude the Holy Scriptures and observe their Canons as so many Laws Accordingly Evagrius tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Emperour commanded that the Decrees of these Four Councils should be read
non dixit temerarium est velle praesumere dicere To affirm what those things were which Christ himseIf did not now declare were rash and bold Quis nostrûm dicat ista vel illa sunt Who of us can tell whether it were this or that And yet for all this whatever St. Austine thinks that Jesuite Maldonate as if he knew what Christ was pleased as yet to conceal tells us with more of Confidence then Truth Dicimus ex hoc loco constare Christum non omnia dixisse quae ad salutem nostram putabat pertinere idémque fecisse Spiritum Sanctum credendum c. From the warrant of this Text we do affirm that Christ told not his Disciples whatever he thought pertinent to our Salvation and that the Holy Ghost did not afterwards doe it neither we have cause to believe Nay to make way for Ecclesiastical Traditions and the Pope's Authority to create new Articles of Faith he makes bold to adde thus much Idem ab Apostolis factum ut non omnia scripta multa etiam nè vivâ voce traderent The same thing was done by the Apostles too insomuch that they did not deliver all matters of Salvation in their Writings no nor many so much as by word of mouth 'T is strange to think into what Absurdities and Contradictions the Romanists do run themselves that they may justify those Doctrines and Practices which they are loath to part with For this Jesuite Maldonate declares his opinion that there are some matters of Salvation that were neither taught by Christ nor by his Spirit nor by his Apostles either by Writing or Tradition and yet Cardinal Bellarmine doth positively affirm that the Church of Rome holds no Doctrines maintains no Traditions save onely such as they can clearly prove to be from Christ or his Apostles But as to those forenamed Discourses wherein our Blessed Saviour did privately instruct his Apostles and whereupon the Roman Church doth mightily ground their Doctrine of Tradition though it cannot be certainly discovered what was the very Subject and particular Arguments of our Saviour's frequent Talk with his Disciples at his several Apparitions to them after his Resurrection yet perhaps some probable guesses may be given and accordingly several Conjectures are offered us by Interpreters So Origen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. What were those many things which Christ had to say to his Apostles which they could not bear He answers thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. It was the design of our Blessed Saviour to teach his Disciples the utter abolition of the Ceremoniall Law and the Mosaicall Ordinances So St. Chrysostom guesseth too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Whether our Saviour speaks of the Abrogation of the Law c. And to this Christ might well refer when he said I have yet many things to say but ye cannot bear them now considering how hard it was for them who were Jews and the professed disciples of Moses to embrace a new Religion and quit the Principles of that wherein they had been born and bred Nor indeed had this Discourse as yet been seasonable because the Ceremoniall Law was not abrogated till the Sacrifice Death and Passion of Christ which then was not actually accomplished But besides this Guesse of Origen's and Chrysostom's St. Austine gives us some ground for another when he tells us Mori pro Christo nondum idonei erant Apostoli The Apostles were not as yet fit and strong enough to die for Christ Which expression giveth us a fair Intimation of St. Austine's Judgment concerning our Saviour's words I have many things yet to say but about what probably about their Sufferings and Martyrdom but saith Christ ye cannot bear them now But why not now Surely it was now a time of trouble and sorrow with them their hearts were almost broken already with the consideration of their dear Master's approaching Death and Passion and therefore saith St. Austine Nunquid debuit illis ovibus dici in illo Tentationis articulo quòd certare usque ad mortem pro veritate oportebat pro Christi nomine vel Doctrina sanguinem fundere Was it seasonable for Christ to tell his Apostles in this juncture of time and hour of Temptation since as yet they were but as sheep infirm and weak that they must expect to shed their bloud and suffer death for the Truths Doctrines and Name of Christ No our Saviour was pleased to reserve these Lessons that as yet might have seemed too harsh as Origen words it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a fitter Opportunity namely the time after his own Passion and Resurrection That these Opinions of Origen Chrysostom and Austine concerning the matter of our Saviour's personall Discourses with his Apostles betwixt his Resurrection and Ascension which the Romanists urge for their Traditions are but conjecturall we do acknowledge but withall we do avouch that they are ten times more probable then that of Lorinus For that the many things which the Apostles could not yet bear and therefore Christ did not deliver till after his Resurrection should be such as concerned the Abolition of the Mosaicall Law or the Disciples own Sufferings rather then the Authority of the Romane Bishop the Invocation of Saints and other superstitious Doctrines and Practices now taught and used in the Roman Church as delivered by Christ in his forenamed private Discourses with his Apostles is much more consonant to Christian Religion humane Reason and the Authority of the written Word And if so if we may take the Judgment of Origen Chrysostom and Austine whose Opinions in this matter are countenanced by Holy Writ rather then the Judgment of Lorinus whose Opinion in this case the Scriptures themselves oppose though there be in this business no Certainty on either side yet if we have fairer Probabilities on our part then the Romanists have on theirs if it be more likely that the many things which Christ had to say before his Passion but did not for prudentiall considerations actually declare till after his Resurrection might concern as the forenamed Fathers probably thought the Abrogation of the Jewish Religion the Calling of the Gentiles and the Martyrdom of his Apostles rather then those unwarrantable Traditions for which the Romanists do now contend how then comes Bellarmine to assert that they are not written But upon the whole matter the Truth is this Since 't is altogether impossible to find out what those many things were which Christ had to teach his Disciples before his Death but did not doe it because as yet they could not bear them till after his Resurrection 't is equally impossible to prove that they are or are not registred But if the Romanists are of another mind and will undertake by infallible Testimonies to demonstrate to us what were the particular matters of our Saviour's severall Discourses at the time of his severall Apparitions to his Apostles before his Ascension then will we also
publickly in the Churches But although these Councils deserved this great Respect as keeping close to the Word of God yet other Councils which the Roman Church makes much of did not so That Councils may possibly erre and recede from Scripture-Rules St. Hierom declared his Judgment in that Expression of his cited by Chemnitius Spiritûs Sancti Doctrina est quae Canonicis literis prodita est contra quam siquid statuant Concilia nefas duco That is the sure Doctrine of the Holy Ghost which is delivered in the Canonical Writings against which if Councils determine this or that I count it wicked And did not their famous Council of Constance when three Popes were upon the stage at once John set up by the Italians Gregory by the French and Benedict by the Spaniards define contrary to the Word of God not to mention the case of John Husse and Jerom of Prague when they forbad all Priests under the Penalty of Excommunication to administer the Eucharist in both Kinds to the Laiety And was not this Canon so contrary to the general Custom of Antiquity that we must either grant the Primitive Church to have been mistaken in their old universal Practices or else this Council to have been erroneous in this new Constitution Indeed the Roman Church doth very well approve the Council of Constance in their Sacrilegious Decree which robs the People of half the Sacrament but I remember the Roman Church doth also condemn the self-same Council for that Definition of theirs whereby they robbed the Pope of more then half his Authority For when the Council of Constance had passed their Judgment and declared that the Authority of Councils is superiour to that of Popes and when the Council of Basil had ratified and solemnly confirmed the same Assertion in opposition to these two Councils the last not then dissolved Engenius the Fourth calleth a Council at Florence which by a contrary Vote sets the Pope above the Council So then here is Council against Council Canon against Canon directly contradicting one another in the self same matter and since 't is so we have all reason to conclude either that some of these Councils were in an Errour or else that all Logicians are certainly so who tell us that two contrary Propositions though possibly both may be false yet both can never be true together But the truth is 't is observed that there was such Ambition such Animosities and Factions discovered in several Councils that were convened in several Centuries that Gregory Nazianzene had he lived in later Ages might have had far more just occasion for those Complaints of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I never saw an happy Issue of any one Synod whatsoever which did not rather augment then remedy Evils Upon which score he thus resolves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If I may but write the Truth my purpose is to decline all Conventions of Bishops whatsoever But what is his Reason 'T is clear enough that this excellent Person did highly esteem the Council of Nice for he doth not onely call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Holy Council but he also tells us that those three hundred and eighteen Bishops were such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom the Holy Ghost had brought together and as for the Council of Constantinople the Argument of his Epistle to Procopius tells us that he himself was magna Concilii pars a very great man in it and if so what occasion had he to write such unkind things of Councils Himself informs us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There was so much Dissension and such Ambition in them as was beyond expression And certainly if such an eminent Person as Gregory Nazianzene who was deservedly styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Great Theologue or Divine of that Age found cause enough to blame some early Councils of those Times had he lived to see the Decrees and Canons established by the several Factions of later Conventions he would never have thought them as the Romanists contend to be Infallible True it is St. Austine tells us Concilia posteriora prioribus apud Posteros praeponuntur Men that live in later times are apt to prefer later Councils before those that are more ancient but what reason is there for it That of Justellus is certainly true concerning these later Councils Non sunt ejusdem fidei dignitatis cum prioribus illis Quatuor Oecumenicis c. They are not of the same Credit Faith and Honour with the Four first General Councils And if so since there are some just grounds of Suspicions and Jealousies concerning their Determinations who shall perswade us that they are Infallible But 2. What if it appear that Councils are not onely fallible but that they have been most miserably corrupted and forged too What sure warrant have we for such and such Practices not recommended in Sacred Writ from the Authority of Councils when such and such Constitutions Decrees and Canons have been ascribed to such and such Councils which indeed were never theirs We reade that Zosimus Bishop of Rome sent his Legats to the sixth Council of Carthage with Instructions to maintain the Primacy of the Roman Bishop as the onely Judge in cases of Controversies and Appeals and for that Prerogative of his they pretended a Canon of the first Nicene Council which was indeed a very fair Plea had it been true because the Acts of that Council were not onely confirmed by the Emperour but received by the universal Church What particular Canon of the Nicene Council was pleaded for the Primacy of the Roman Bishop Bellarmine tells us Habemus Nicaenum Concilium illum ipsum sextum Canonem c. We have on our side the Nicene Council and that very sixth Canon c. The Canon is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Design of this Canon was onely this that the Bishops of Alexandria and Antioch and all other Metropolitans should still govern the Churches within their respective Provinces as the Bishop of Rome was wont to govern those within his These being the express words and this being the undoubted Sense of the Canon the Council of Carthage answered Faustinus Philippus and Asellus who were the Pope's Legates that although they had strictly searched all Registers and examined the most authentick Copies of the Acts of the Nicene Council which they had received from Cyril Bishop of Alexandria and Atticus Bishop of Constantinople yet they could find nothing done by that Council to establish or countenance the Primacy of the Roman Bishop nor that the Bishops of Africa were obliged by any Canon of the Nicene Council to appeal and be subject to the See of Rome But the Primacy of the Pope being a Point of great Concern to the Roman Church and there being nothing more likely to establish it then the Authority of the Nicene Council which is received by the universal Church what greater Service could any man doe for the Bishop of
with a Sentence of Tertullian against Zephyrinus who was Bishop of Rome had little else to reply but onely this Non esse omnino fidem habendam Tertulliano in hac parte Tertullian in this matter because Bellarmine did not like it is not at all to be believed No nor St. Chrysostom neither if he deliver any thing that contradicts the Romish Faith Alium scopulum vitare Lector debet nè Chrysostomum legens c. saith Maldonate The Reader must avoid another Rock lest perhaps reading St. Chrysostom he run into an Errour And as for those two great Worthies of the Christian Church St. Ambrose and St. Austine Lorinus did not think them infallible when he ventured to say Memoriâ lapsum oportet Ambrostum idémque statuendum de Augustino c. St. Ambrose forgot himself and so did St. Austine too Indeed whatsoever is delivered by Tertullian Chrysostom Ambrose Austine or any other ancient Father how agreeable soever it be to the written Word of God yet if it be inconsistent with the present Traditions and Practices of the Roman Church they will not grant it to be a Truth And if so if the Romanists themselves whenever their Interest doth so require do make so bold with the Fathers as to suspect their Judgments and deny their Authority methinks they should be so ingenuous as to allow us the same liberty of Dissent which they take to themselves If they dissent from Tertullian Chrysostom Ambrose Austine and other Fathers and that in those very matters wherein those Fathers have clearly dogmatically and designedly delivered their Judgments why may not we dissent from Clemens Alexandrinus Origen and some others especially in those things which they have onely rhetorically and accidentally mentioned and yet are now violently drawn forced and wrested to countenance those Articles of the Trent Faith whereof those Fathers did never dream But however what just ground we have to dissent from such and such particular Fathers in such and such particular cases especially in those Points now in Controversie betwixt the Reformed and Roman Church we shall shew in two Particulars 1. The first Reason and that which indeed our Adversaries may justly plead as well as we why we cannot think our selves obliged to comply with every particular Father in every particular thing which they have delivered is Because they were but Men and so might erre and indeed often did and some of them foully too 'T is very usuall with the Champions of the Roman Church to produce the Testimonies of severall persons who are men of great Name and Authority in the Church of God to justifie severall of those Traditions with which we can by no means comply I remember Bellarmine produces and cites Ignatius Dionysius Justin Martyr Irenaeus Origen Clemens and others for whom we have that signal Respect and Veneration which is justly due to their Piety Learning and Antiquity but withall we cannot forget that the very best of the Fathers were subject to Mistakes and Errours whereby they shewed themselves to be but men And the truth is we have so many and so sad Examples of Learned and Pious persons before us who have been miserably deceived by meer Pretensions of Antiquity that we shall not easily suffer our selves to be seduced by the same Delusions into the Belief and Practice of any Traditions except we can find in them what Irenaeus found in those mentioned by Polycarp 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Agreeableness to the written Word of God We cannot forget what great Mischiefs to the Church of God the Authority of Papias Origen and some others did in Primitive times That this Papias was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Disciple of the Apostles the Auditour of St. John the Companion of Polycarp is I think universally granted and that he received such and such Traditions from the Daughters of Philip the Evangelist at Hierapolis was as Eusebius tells us his own Assertion and yet for all that the same Historian informs us that this very man relying too much upon Tradition was so far surprized as to vent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strange Doctrines And if so shall we think our selves so far obliged to espouse and own all his Opinions because they are old ones as to become Chiliasts and to be imposed upon as Irenaeus himself and many more then were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from that Respect and Veneration which they had for his Antiquity And as for Origen whose Testimony the Church of Rome makes exceeding much of as a great Patron of some Traditions which are advantageous to them we do give him all that Respect which becomes him to receive and us to shew his learned Disputations against Celsus his Confutations of the Psycho-Pannuchists his Conviction and Conversion of Beryllus that Arrian Heretick his readiness to Martyrdom his labours in Preaching Catechizing and Writing have made his Name famous and his Memory venerable in the Church of God But withall had this excellent Person nothing of Errour to allay and stain his Glory Doth the Church of Rome indeed think us or themselves either obliged to embrace every Opinion as an undoubted Truth that hath the Patronage of Origen's Name What if Origen seem as our Adversaries contend to countenance their Doctrine of Purgatory which was doubtless the golden Dream and Invention of Plato must we therefore acknowledge it to be as certain a Truth as that there is an Heaven for Saints and an Hell for Sinners Why doth not Bellarmine give the same Credit to Origen when he discourseth of the Creation of many Worlds as when he discourseth of Purgatory I remember Photius mentions some Doctrines broached by Origen and afterwards promoted by Didymus and Evagrius that were his Followers which I hope the greatest Sticklers for the Roman Religion will not allow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They determined that there should be an end of Hell's endlesse Torments they taught that the very Devils themselves should one day be restored to their former Dignity These Opinions being so welcome to the worst of men grew apace but withall being so destructive to the Christian Religion Justinian the Emperour in the year 551. called the fifth Oecumenicall Council at Constantinople where this Errour of Origen and his Followers by the joynt Suffrages of one hundred and sixty five Bishops was exploded condemned and anathematized as being what Photius rightly calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Encouragement to all manner of Villany even the chief of those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wicked Opinions which were broached 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Origen when he was out of his wits as Nilus doth inform us And certainly that Doctrine of Purgatory for which the Testimony of Origen is so much urged by the Roman Church deserves the same Censure too as being a considerable Provocation to the Commission of those pleasing Sins the Punishment whereof how long or how short it shall be is according to their Doctrine
at the Pleasure of the Pope's Mercy and the Offender's Purse And methinks 't is strange that such a Tradition as this which can never be delivered from the just imputation of encouraging Vice should because mentioned by Origen and his Followers be declared Apostolicall and equalled to that written and sure Word of Christ from which it receives sufficient Confutations but nothing of Countenance whatever the Romish Church may pretend But alas Origen is but one of many that are cited as Patrons and Abettours of the Romish Traditions there is another Person as well as Origen who lived as Eusebius words it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the very next Age to the Apostles whose Testimony is often urged in this matter too I mean Clemens Alexandrinus who flourished in the reign of Commodus and was the Scholar of Pantenus which two were the first that I meet with who delivered the Principles of Christian Religion in a Catecheticall way in publick Schools and for that deserve an Honour What Eusebius reports concerning this Clemens cannot be denied 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This man's Books are full of much excellent Learning so excellent that Chemnitius saith expresly of him In tota Antiquitate habitus fuit vir celeberrimus In all Antiquity there was not a man so famous as he But yet for all that he fell into many strange and heterodox Opinions such I suppose as our Adversaries themselves will by no means allow He telleth us that our Blessed Saviour preached but one year onely that the Apostles being departed from the World preached to the Dead and converting some of them raised them to life again He countenanced the Tenets of Anabaptists that Christians ought not to swear nor implead one another before any Tribunal whatsoever He affirmed that if men who were once Baptized and enlightned fell into Sin God perhaps might grant them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 place of Repentance for once or twice but no more for ever and yet notwithstanding as if he had forgot himself and were not constant to his own Opinion he saith elsewhere that if men repent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is no place either in this world or in the next void of the Goodness of God And methinks if this excellent and learned Person were betrayed into such gross and absurd Opinions as are directly contrary to the written Word through those Traditions which had even thus early crept into the Church and were fathered upon St. Paul St. Peter and other Apostles we must beg and may justly expect our very Adversaries pardon if we still suspect that such and such Traditions mentioned by this Clemens are very far from being as Bellarmine contends Apostolicall But although Clemens Alexandrinus fell into such erroneous and fond Opinions that they have given the Church just occasion in doubtfull matters to like his Testimony so much the worse yet what hath Tertullian done to forfeit his Credit and so far to blemish his Reputation that the large Testimony which he also gives in the case of Traditions should be questioned too Tertullian was indeed a learned Preacher of the African Church a man that confuted Marcion and wrote excellent Apologies for the persecuted Saints of God a man that is styled by Eusebius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most famous of all the Latine Writers and yet notwithstanding when he treats of Religious matters not contained within our Bibles we have too much ground in some things to suspect his Judgment too and for so doing Bellarmine himself hath given us his own Example 'T is notoriously known that this Person of excellent Parts shewed himself to be but a son of Adam when not finding that Respect from the Roman Clergy which he might have expected through Discontent and Anger he miserably fell off from the Orthodox Christians and took up the detestable Opinions of that Phrygian Heretick Montanus What were the Opinions of this Montanus Apollonius in Eusebius tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. This was he that taught the world to dissolve that sacred bond of Wedlock this is he that taught his Disciples such and such Doctrines tanquam à Paracleto traditas saith Chemnitius as if he had received them from the Blessed Spirit of God this is he whom his Followers took to be the Paraclete but whom sober persons looked upon as Eusebius tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a man possessed and acted by the Devil who had two women Priscilla and Maximilla to be his Prophetesses And certainly if this Montanus were such a monstrous Villain 't is as well sad as strange to think that such a man as Tertullian was should ever be so much transported with Passion upon such and such Neglects or perhaps Indignities received from some Clergy-men at Rome as to make such a Defection from the true Faith as if for some Affronts received from some particular persons he meant to revenge himself upon the whole Christian Church by patronizing the cursed Doctrines of so vile an Heretick But however since 't is clear that he did so we are by no means bound to believe what indeed he himself doth never affirm that all those Traditions which we find recorded in his Writings are of Divine Originall because we have ground enough to suspect that he might receive some of them at least from Montanus or some other unwarrantable hand rather then from Apostles or Apostolicall men But may not St. Cyprian pass for an unquestionable Witness if Tertullian do somewhat fail Was not this Cyprian the renowned Bishop of Carthage the stout Champion of Christ's true Religion yea and his faithful Martyr too And doth not this eminent Person give Testimony to justifie some of those Traditions and to prove them Apostolicall which are now received in the Roman Church and yet have not the least Countenance from the written Word of God What Great St. Basil once said of Dionysius Alexandrinus may without any Affront or Injury to St. Cyprian's name be affirmed of him too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We do not admire whatever that man said but some things we condemn too We are of St. Austine's mind who writes thus of Cyprian Cypriani literas non ut Canonicas habeo sed ex Canonicis considero Quod in eis Divinarum Scripturarum Authoritati congruit cum laude ejus accipio quod autem non congruit cum pace ejus respuo I do not take St. Cyprian's Epistles to be Canonical but I judge of them according to those which are such indeed Whatever therein agreeth with the Authority of Divine Scriptures to his honour I do applaud but whatever agreeth not with his leave I do reject 'T is evident by this Expression that although St. Cyprian were indeed what Nazianzene thought fit to style him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great Name of the whole world though he were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great Champion of the Truth yet it was St. Austine's Judgment
that sometimes he dropped from his Pen some things that did not well consist with the written Word of God The Scriptures tell us that there is One Baptism accordingly the Council of Carthage thus defined 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Baptism ought not to be administred the second time no not to Hereticks so Arsenius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Persons baptized by Hereticks must not be baptized again Such was the Judgment of Fathers and Councils and yet St. Cyprian was of his mind who said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If Baptism be at first administred by such Hereticks as deny the great Articles of the Christian Faith as they in Nazianzene did the Divinity of the Holy Ghost then give me a second Washing And although Bellarmine tell us that St. Austine excuseth Cyprian from being an Heretick yet sure we are he did not excuse him from being in an Errour for thus he saith Cyprianum aliter sensisse de Baptismo quà m Forma Consuetudo habet Ecclesiae in suis in Concilii literis invenitur That Cyprian did not think of Baptism as the Church doth 't is clear both from the Council's Letters and his own too And if St. Cyprian might erre about Baptism why not about the Eucharist too when he saith Debet Aqua Vino misceri Water must be mingled with the Sacramental Wine If Cyprian were mistaken about the Government of the Church when he said Ipsa plebs maximè habet potestatem vel eligendi dignos Sacerdotes vel indignos recusandi The very common people have the chief Power to chuse good Bishops or refuse bad ones why might he not be mistaken about the Ceremonies of Baptism when he said Vngi necesse est eum qui Baptizatus sit c. 'T is necessary that every person who is Baptized should be Anointed too If St. Cyprian might be and certainly was in an Errour in one case what security have we but that he may be mistaken in some other matters too We can never admit all the Doctrines and Usages received in the Roman Church to be of Apostolicall Authority though countenanced by St. Cyprian's Testimony except we shall first forget that even Donatus and his Followers did shelter themselves and their erroneous Opinions under the name and Patronage of the same St. Cyprian too And truly we cannot wonder that Clemens Alexandrinus Origen Tertullian Cyprian and other good men before and after them were overseen in some Particulars since out of that great Respect and deserved Veneration which they had for the Apostles themselves and their immediate Successours they became too prone without any strict Examination to give credit to such Traditions which were either delivered to them by word of mouth or contained in any such Writings as bore the Apostles names or were pretended to be derived from Apostolical men That there were such forged Writings sent abroad into the world and that very early too several Authours have informed us Thus St. Austine Non defuerunt qui sub Apostolorum nominibus multa confingerent c. Some there were who forged many things in the Apostles names so he And in that Edition of the Septuagint printed at Basil by John Hervagius I find the Lives of the Evangelists and Apostles written by Sophronius prefixed before their respective Gospels and Epistles where in the Life of St. Peter there is mention made of several Writings wherein St. Peter was concerned either as the Authour or at least as the Subject matter of them and thus they are named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The first was inscribed The Acts of St. Peter the second was named The Gospel of St. Peter c. Of all these the Writer of his Life passeth this Judgment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They are all rejected as Apocryphal Writings And yet in the Life of St. James there is mention of a Book entitled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Gospel according to the Hebrews a Book saith the Authour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Origen often used And certainly if Origen and other Fathers did reade and believe such Apocryphal books we cannot wonder that they fell into some absurd Opinions and have transmitted to posterity such fond Traditions as are far from being Apostolicall I remember St. Paul tells us that Christ after his Resurrection was seen of James and upon what occasion Christ was pleased to appear singly to St. James alone that forenamed counterfeit Gospel thus informs us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 St. James had sworn that he would not taste one morsel of Bread from that hour wherein Christ died till he should see him risen from the dead again Upon this score saith the Authour of that Book Christ appeared to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and taking bread and having given thanks he brake it and giving it to St. James the Just said My brother eat thy bread for the Son of man is risen from the dead c. So inconsistent is this Tradition in its several Circumstances with the written Word that Estius himself styles it Narrationem fabulosam a fabulous Narration and Lorinus confesseth Hanc Historiam non admittit Augustinus St. Austine doth not admit this Story and yet Estius observes that St. Hierom doth use some other Passages of that false Gospel wherein this Tale is recorded And what need I mention those other counterfeit Gospels of St. Thomas St. Bartholomew and Nicodemus What need I mention the forged Acts of St. Andrew and that pretended Epistle of St. Paul to the Laodiceans the true one if yet there were ever any such being acknowledged by Bellarmine to be lost What should I mention that Protevangelium fathered upon St. James and yet full of such Traditions as are no way reconcilable with Christ and his Apostles St. Luke tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things c. Theophylact here puts the Question 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who were these many that thus undertook to write the Gospel He answers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were false Apostles and he tells us farther 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Many even then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without the Grace and Spirit of God wrote several counterfeit Gospels as the Gospel according to the Egyptians the Gospel of the Twelve c. And certainly albeit those good men the Fathers of the Church out of too much Credulity and Veneration shewed towards their Predecessours were pleased to give so much Credit to those spurious Writings which deserved rather to be expunged then believed as to transcribe something of them into their own Works and thereby transmit them to Posterity yet all such Passages derived from uncertain and deservedly-suspected Authours can be no more authentick nor claim any greater Authority then the Originals from which they were borrowed And as for some other things which the Fathers wrote upon their
own Judgments delivering the sense of their own Understandings they have sufficiently evidenced themselves to be too fallible as our Adversaries themselves do acknowledge It is true where the Fathers do but seem to countenance the fond and superstitious Doctrines of the Roman Church if there be found any Passage in them that can possibly be pretended to favour that absurd and incredible Assertion of Transubstantiation or those advantageous Doctrines of Purgatory Indulgencies auricular Confession or the like every such Passage how ambiguous soever must pass for a certain Truth as if it proceeded ex Tripode even from an Oracle But in common cases and especially in those Controversies wherein the Fathers contradict the Opinions and Practices of that Church they are esteemed no more then other men and how clear and plain soever their Expressions are they are counted doubtful and fallible enough Thus Lorinus Gentiles ignorantiâ Linguae Hebraeae lapsi sunt ac nonnulli etiam Patres The Gentiles being ignorant of the Hebrew Tongue did erre and so did some of the Fathers too And in the same place he speaks thus of Clemens Alexandrinus Longè abest à vero quod arbitratur Clemens Alexandrinus The Opinion of this Clemens is far from being a Truth And as for St. Basil he giveth us this Caution too Tanti Patris Doctrina cum Cautione intelligenda est The Doctrine of so great a Father must be understood with Caution And why pray with so much Caution certainly some nice and tender Point lieth at stake and that was this Nè justissimis Pontificum Decreâ—is adversetur Lest St. Basil should perhaps contradict the Pope Well since 't is granted on all sides that the very best of the Fathers were subject to mistakes we have reason to believe that they might more probably erre in the case of Traditions sooner then in any other Point whatever and upon that score such Traditions as have no Countenance from the written Word nor the general Testimony of Antiquity we cannot receive as Apostolicall though such and such a particular Father may seem to recommend them But 2. The Second Reason why we cannot comply with every thing which we find recorded in the Works of such and such ancient Fathers is Because the Writings of these Fathers have been miserably abused corrupted falsified or forged Such Abuses have the most early Fathers met with So Ignatius who was as Eusebius tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amongst most men renowned the second Bishop of Antioch being the immediate Successour of St. Peter But though this excellent Person were indeed so ancient that his gray hairs might justly challenge a Veneration yet have they not secured him from several gross and foul Affronts We find some Bastards laid even at this old man's door 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 supposititious and spurious Epistles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. ascribed to Ignatius though none of his And as for those Epistles collected by Polycarp and mentioned by Eusebius which notwithstanding all the Cavils of Blondel Walo and other Antiepiscopal persons our learned Pearson and Hammond 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have sufficiently vindicated and proved to be his we find even these as worthy Isaac Vossius well expresseth it ità interpolatas ut plurimùm Ignatium in hoc Ignatio frustrà quaeras so interlarded and stuffed with such numerous Insertions that in this new Ignatius the old one can scarce be found And as for Origen though it is generally granted that his Writings even as they dropped from his own Quill are many times to blame yet 't is easily believed that some Corrupters and Falsifiers of his Works have made them worse Thus Daniel Huetius who hath given the world a solemn account of Origen's Life and Opinions doth assure us Cùm ab Haereticis violata esse constaret Origeniana volumina c. Since it was evident that Origen's Books were abused by Hereticks c. And doth not Valesius tell us Clementis Romani libros qui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inscribebantur ab Ebionaeis corruptos fuisse atque falsatos that the Books of Clemens Romanus named The Journals of Peter were corrupted and falsified by the Ebionites And this our Adversaries of Rome do not deny when-ever it makes for their Advantage to confess it Cornelius à Lapide a learned Jesuit finding that St. Hierom's Epistle to Damasus made against him flieth to this Refuge Epistola Hieronymi ad Damasum non videtur esse Hieronymi sed conficta The Epistle of Hierom to Damasus seems not to be really his but a meer counterfeit Well sure we are there are no persons to be named throughout the world that have shewed themselves shall I say more ingenious or more impudent in imitating their Forefathers Hands and counterfeiting their Voices and that to very ill Purposes too then the men that we have now to deal with 'T is the great Shame of the Roman Church and such a Blemish as is not to be wiped off for ever that they put unsavoury words into their Fathers mouths and cite the Dead to bear Testimony to those Follies and Falshoods which when alive they would have abhorred with just Indignation and Zeal 'T is well observed and unanswerably proved by an eminent Divine of our own Church that the Romanists have used several Tricks to corrupt the Fathers and make them speak even as they themselves would have them For sometimes they insert illegitimate and bastard Treatises into the Fathers Works hoping that these spurious Brats will pass for their lawful Children because found within their doors Sometimes again they do falsifie the known and undoubted Writings of ancient Authours by adding one thing detracting a second and changing a third Sometimes also they do cite and alleage such and such Passages out of such and such Fathers so miserably wrested from the Sense of the Authour that they offer Violence and commit a sacrilegious Rape even upon the Dead The Purging of the Fathers by suppressing razing and blotting out such and such Passages which do not please them the Roman Church doth own Thus they tell us concerning the Venetian Edition of St. Austine Curavimus removeri illa omnia quae fidelium mentes Haereticâ pravitate possent inficere aut à Catholica Orthodoxa fide deviare We have taken care for the removal out of St. Austine all those Passages of his which might infect the minds of the faithful with Heretical Pravity or make them turn aside from the Catholick Orthodox Faith We are also told in the Preface to the Paris Edition of St. Austine Ex sanctissimo Concilii Tridentini Decreto veterum Patrum Codices expurgandi By the most holy Decree of the Council of Trent the Books of the ancient Fathers are to be purged And for so doing doth Sixtus Senensis thus commend Pius the Fifth Expurgari ema culari curâsti omnium Catholicorum Scriptorum praecipuè veterum Patrum scripta Thou hast caused the