greater sinne for a Priest to be married to a wife then to live in fornication with many whores that it is worse for a Lay-man not to make his auricular confession once in the yeare then to live in sinne all the yeare that it is a greater sinne to eate flesh in Lent then to be drunken in the Lent and to breake a Saints day then the Lords day these Traditions are contrary and repugnant to the truâh of the holy Scriptures * Chrysostoâe and Hierome answered Sect. 3. Diâis â Repây pag. 128. Thirdly that our Traditions doe not any way derogate from the fullnesse or perfection of the written Word 3. Traditions are additions to the written word if they bee so then they derogate some way from the perfection of it for that that is perfect needeth no addition And this addition of unwritten doâtrines to the written Word not onely crosseth the truth of the Scripture in the generall commaund which forbiddeth a âevel ââ ââ âeuter 12 3â Addition and Substraction but likewise derogateth from the perfection of it for if the Scripture be a covenant then b Gal â 15. No man must adde unto it c Chrysost hom 12 in Philip. If it bee a Canon it admitteth neither addition nor substraction if it should it ceaseth to bee a Canon saith Châysostome They rather bring unto us the whole complement of Reply pag. 1â8 Scripture as this example follâwing will most plainely declare His Majâstie sendeth over into thâs Kingdome our of his trustie Counsellours wiâh his Royall Letters unto his Subjâcts wher in hee prâscribâtâ unto them not onely expresse Lawes himselfe but also commaundeth them to fullfill whatsoever shal be enjoyâed them by his said Counseller to whom hee hath imparted his whole will and pleasure Can it bee said I pray you that the subjects of Ireland by obeying unto such things as are commaunded by the said Embassadour doe derogate any thing unto the fulnesse and perfection of His Majesties Letter This his royall argument like Goliaââ sword shall undoe himselfe Be it to The Scriptures are the royall letteâs or the grand commission and the Church is the trusty frâânâ the Embassadour or Commissioner Now I demauâd 1. Is not the authority of the Commissioner or of the Embassadour from his commission or his letters and not the authority of the commission or letters from the commissioner or Embassadour So if this similitude hold the authority or credite of the Church is from the Scriptures and not the authority or credite of the Scriptures from âhe Church 2. May not an Embassadour as many have goe beyond his commission and deliver things contrary to the trust committed to him and so become an Impostor So the Church of Rome is gone beyond her commission hath delivered these things which are contrary to the written word and in this she is a grand Impostor Similitudes are a weake foundation to uphold this pillar of Traditions upon which the weight of all other controversies doth depend especially such a similitude as this which wanteth feet to uphold it selfe 1. Kings of themselves know not all things which are fit for their subjects neither can they fore-see what passages will happen betweene their Commissioners and their people and therfore they are forced to leave many things to the discretion of their Embassadours but it is not so with the King of Kings hee hath revealed all things necessary for his people to the pen-men of Scripture and they according to that revelation have written all things d Aristot de Rhetor. l. 1. c. 1 The best Lawes saith Aristotle determine all things themselves and leave very little to the discretion of the Iudges The Law of God is the best and the most perfect Law how then can there be so many and so great things left to the discretion of the Church 2. The Lawes of Kingdomes are subject to mutation and addition so that his Majesty may send over Commissioners for this purpose but the Law of God is an e Revel 14. 6. eternall Gospell the faith of the Church was f Iude vers 3. at once delivered unto the Saints in the holy Scriptures as it is here confessed by the Iesuite In these letters it is true he hath expressed his Lawes and Commaundements himselfe yet forasmuch as all things are not so manifestly therein described that our feeble understanding may attaine unto the knowledge of his heavenly will by the same alone he himselfe commaundeth us to be ruled by his Church Can any Protestant say more God himselfe hath expressed his Lawes and Commandements in the Scripture And againe All things are therein described though not so manifestly This I confesse doth not derogate from the perfection of Scripture but it over-throweth the Iesuite and his cause because all things are therein described and there is onely required the interpretation of things obscure which no Protestant denyeth because all things are not therein so manifestly described 4. The truth hath convinced the Iesuite yet malice hath set his witts a raveing and his tongue a rayling on his Adversary of most grosse vanity of great madnesse of ostentation and of not touching the point at all But who can with patience endure to heare this animal bray thus It seemeth he is touch'd to the quick and that maketh him kick as if he were madde if he be not it is because his owne conscience is past feeling and yet he taketh upon him to be the Iudge of an other mans conscience He that citeth Scripture more for shew then to purpose taxeth his Answerer For alledging so little Scripturâââ ãâã Reply pag. 119. and to so little purpose for bringing in his proofes out of Scripture so scanâly who sometimes is puft up with no thing but Scripture The Roman Tradition mongers have lâarned the trick of the Iewish Cabbalists to call those of the adverse part Scripturians or men puft up with Scripture Call them as you will I had rather be filled with Scripture then with the puft-paste of Traditions or the puftcrust of humane inventions Neither is the most reverend Primate to be blamed for alledging in this point but a few texts of Scripture because brevity was the thing which he intended in the beginning of this Worke. If he alledged but one text to the purpose Chrysostome pleadeth 1 Chrysoâââ hom â6 ad ââpul Aââotheâ his excusetâ What have I to doe with multitudes I had rather have one pâââious ãâã thââ many halfe ãâã And I thinke a judicious Reader will like better of his little to great purpose then of the Iesuites great deale to little purpose But it is to little purpose for first that text of Matth. 15. In vaine doe they worship me teaching for Doctrines Reply pag. 119. the commaundements of men is farre from proving any thing against us seeing that by it onely such humane Traditâous are reproved aâ are repugnant to the Law of God 5. Iewish Traditions
of them forty dayes and spake to them of the things appertaining to the Kingdome of God Can any man tell where those things are written which our Savior spake al those forty dayes 9. All is not at all in the Text neither is it true that our Saviour spake All those forty dayes The Text telleth us of what he spake namely of the Kingdome of God And have not g Act. 28. 23. Moses and the Prophets written of this Doe not the Gospels and the Epistles treate of this It was of the Kingdome of God therefore it was not of Popish Traditions Popish Traditions are of meates but the Kingdome of God is not of h Rom. 14. 17. meates It is profitable to know all that our Saviour spake because he never spake in vaine but it is necessary for us to know all It is lesse necessary to know where the things are written which Reply pag. 119. he spake at such and such a time it is enough to know that there is i Cyrill l. 12. ââ Ioh c. 68. Aug tract 19. in Ioh. Enough written of all Christs words and workes for our salvation And our Lord before his passion told his Disciples that * Ioh. 16. 1â He had many things to say unto them which then they could not comprehend but should learne them after of the Holy Ghost yet none of them ever wrote what those many things were S. Augustine telleth us that k Omnes inââplentistimi haeretici and act as sigmentorum suorum colorare occasione ejus sententis Adhuc ââlta habeâ c. Aug. tract 97 in Ioh. All foolish Heretickes use to colour their bold fictions with this saying I have yet many things to say unto you Thus S. Augustine putteth both the Foole and the Hereticke upon the Iesuite l Lenseus l. 3. de verbo Dei non script c. 1. Lenseus whose eyes were as good as the Iesuits professeth that he can see nothing in this Text for unwritten Traditions But we deale with a Iesuite who can see further into a milstone then an other and maketh himselfe wiser then the Apostles understanding what those things were which the Apostles could not comprehend I may better conclude this of him that he never wrote this Reply himselfe because he could not doe it untill he went over seas for helpe then he can conclude of the Apostles that they wrote not all things because they were not able to understand all things untill they went to Ierusalem to receive the promise of the holy Ghost It is more then he is able to proove that the things which Christ and the holy Ghost taught the Apostles were not the same m Ioh. 15. 15. Christ taught them all things which he heard of his Father But at the first they were not so ripe of n Ioh. 20. 9. understanding nor so tenacious of o Ioh. 2. 22. memory as they were afterwards The holy Ghost therefore first opened their understandings not teaching them any new things but p Iansen in Ioh. c. 16. by a new way more fully opening their understanding saith Iansenius They were not taught q Aquin in Ioh c. 16. Altiora sed altiord mode saith Aquinas And afterwards brought r Ioh 14. 26. Those things to their memories which Christ first taught them So that wee say with Cyrill Å¿ ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Cyril Catech 16. Christ did not teach one thing and the holy Ghost an other thing but the very same things And the t 1 Ioh. 1. 3. 4. same things they might write afterwards although they did not comprehend them at the first And Eusebius relateth of S. Polycarpe * Euseb l 5. c. 20. That he made knowne some words spoken by our Saviour which are not recorded Reply pag. 119 in Scripâure 10. This is a silly shift to argue à verbis ad res from words to Doctrines We dispute of Doctrines but the Iesuite first flyeth unto Things as in the title of this Section appeareth From things againe he flyeth unto words He saith Eusebius saith that * For Eusebius relateth Irenaeus his words Irenaeus saith that Polycarpe said That Christ spake some words not recorded in the Scripture This is a verball argument this is to shrinke quite from the question Is any man so mad as to say that all the words are recorded in Scripture which our Savior spake Or will any wise man inferre that all the doctrines which he taught are not written because all the words which he spake are not recorded Let him be recorded for an asse that argueth so This Irenaeus saith of Polycarpus u ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Euseb ibidem Polycarpus spake all things consonant with the Scripture Any truth is not dissonant from the Scriptures as that Malone is a Iesuite but this is not consonant with the Scriptures onely those things are called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which are the same or are spoken of the same things as Thucydides Diodorus Siculus are said ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to bee consonant because both have written the same of the same namely of the Peloponnesian warre The things then which Polycarpus spake being consonant with the Scriptures could not be any unwritten Traditions which are plainely dissonant to the Scriptures either crosse the truth or the perfection of them The occasion why Irenaeus alledged the words of Polycarpus was because both he Florinus the heretick against whom he disputed had heard the doctrin which Polycarpus delivered which was consonant with the Scriptures not because the heresie which Florinus held that God created evill natures could not be coÌvinced by Scripture * Iust Martyr Apolog. 2â Iustin Martyr likewise layeth down many unwritten Reply pag. 109. Traditions delivered by our Saviour unto his Disciples when he appeared unto them upon the day of his resurrection These things saith he Christ delivered unto his Disciples And he sheweth what those things were That the Christians must meete together to sanctifie the Lords daye This is a point delivered unto us in the I Act. â0 7. 1. Cor. 16. â Scripture That the ministerie of the word must goe before the administration of the Sacrament This is likewise taught us in the y Act. 2. 42. Scriptures That the Communion must be given unto none unlesse that they have beene baptised The same hath sufficient warrant in the z 1. Cor. 12. 13. Scriptures All the rest of which hee writeth are either doctrinall points written or âiâuall points unwritten which belong not to this present Controversie But what say you to the Apostles S. Iohn and S. Paul S. Reply pag. 120 Iohn would not commit all * â epist verse 1â To paper and inke And S. Paul gave unwritten commandements to the Corinthians * 1. Cor. 11. 2. praysing them because thây kept such precepts as hee delivered unto them And againe * verse 23. I received
Lord God of Israel hath entred by it And so are many of our Adversaries who defend that shee vowed perpetuall virginity by these words p Luc. 1. 34. How shall this be seeing I know not man That Sunday ought to be kept holie Reply 14. This is a doctrine warranted by the Scripture S. Augustine thinketh that it was tipisied q August epist 1 9. ad âanâaâ â 13. by the âight day appointed for Circumcision and that it was taught by Christs resurrection upon that day We finde in Scripture that it is called r Revel 1. 10. The Lords day and upon this Ribââ observeth that I may oppose one Iesuite to another that which this Iesuite cannot see Å¿ Videmus hic etiam tempore Apostolorum Sabbathi solemnitatem mutatam esse in dieâ Dominicum Riber in Apoc. c. 1. We see even here that in the times of the Apostles the Sabboth was changed into the Lords day We finde that day ordained by S. Paul for t 1. Cor. 16. 1. holy duties so Chrysostome Ambrose Remigius Primasius and many others expound that place And we find the observance of it u Act. â0 7. by the Apostles themselves in preaching of the word and administring of the Sacrament upon that day That Easter day be celebrated alwayes upon Sunday Reply pag. 126. 15. It is a decent order in the Church to observe the feast of Easter and there is no day fitter then Sunday for it but we deny the observing of it upon Sunday upon another day or upon any day to be a point of faith It is only a custome or ordinance of the Church and therefore commeth not within the compasse of this Question x Controversia de die Paschatis diu âeterum Ecclesias exercuit Socrat. l. 5. c. 22. This Question about Easter day saith Socrates troubled the Churches a long while The Churches of Asia unto which S. Iohn wrote pleaded his Tradition for the 14. day other Churches observed Sunday alledging the Tradition of Peter and Paul at the last it was determined in the Councell of Nice that it should be kept upon Sunday not as if it were a point of faith but because it was a decent order ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã c It is a comely order saith Constantine in his letters written to the Bishops that were absent which the Churches of the West North and South doe observe And Epiphanius saith of the Audians y Epiphan in Anacephal They are of the same faith in all things with the Catholicke Church And yet they kept the Passeover as did the Iewes And truely they that deny this to be sound Doctrine cannot Reply possibly have any sure ground for their Faith For how can they prove that they have any word of God at all but onely by the Tradition and authority of holy Church how will they know which bookes of Scripture be canonicall which not c How shall those Heretickes be disproved who denied the Canticles the foure Gospells c How shall those five Gospels attributed unto Thady Thomas Barnabe Bartholomew and Andrew be disproved c but by the authority of the Church Why then doth he condemne such Traditions 16. Such Traditions we condemne not In the stateing of this Question it doth appeare that we allow modum tradendi the manner of delivery of the volume of Gods written word by the authority or testimony of the Church and all this concerneth the manner of deliverie In this the Iesuite not onely belyeth our Doctrine but also shrinketh from the Question hee should prove that unwritten Traditions are the word of God but he goeth about to prove that by an unwritten Tradition namely by the authority and testimony of the Church a man may know that there is a word of God and which bookes are the word of God and which are not All Questions are not to be disputed of saith z Aristot l. 1. Topic. c. 9. Aristotle Of all things this is most sure and ought to be beleeved that the Scripture is the word of God As he that a Hebâ 11. 6. Will come to God must first beleeve that God is so he that will come to the knowledge of Gods word must first beleeve that there is a word of God and that the Scripture is this word To doubt of this is to deny a most sure principle and to dispute of this is to take away the very ground of this Question If this Question were given Whether Heaven covereth all things if the opponent should argue thus It doth not cover it selfe therefore it doth not cover all things Wee would judge him a sillie Sophister The trifling Iesuite disputeth after the same manner The Scripture doth not discover all points of faith because it doth not discover it selfe to be the word of God But this point is excepted by the Question it selfe for when the Scripture saith b 1. Cor. 15. 27. That all things are put downe under him it is manifest that he is excepted which did put downe all things under him So when we say that the Scripture declareth all points of faith it is manifest that this is excepted it needeth not declare it selfe to be the Scripture or the word of God As the first good is to beloved for it selfe so the first truth is to be beleeved for it selfe saith c Aquinas in Prolog in sent Aquinas The Scriptures are accounted among those things which are ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to be beleeved for themselves yea they are ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã most worthy of beleife being like Principles in an Art which oportet discentem credere the Learner must beleeve as d Basil in Psal 115. Bafill saith So that in this disputation this must be datum a thing granted and taken pro concesso that the Scripture is the word of God e August Confessâl 6. c. 5. Heare them not saith S. Augustine who demaund How doe you know the Scripture to be the word of God for that is a thing to be beleeved Yet we wil be content to answere this foolish demaund and to shew by what meanes we know which bookes are canonicall and which are counterfeit We know the Scriptures to be the word of God by those arguments which we finde in them They neede not testify for themselves but it is to be presupposed as a pracognitum that they are the word of God yet they beare witnesse for themselves The Scripture is a witnesse to it selfe saith f Testis est ipsa Scriptura Bellarm de verb Dei â 1 c. 2. Bellarmine g Humana dicta argumentis testibus cgeââ Dâi auâem sermo ipse sibi testis est Salvian de gubernatâ Dei Humane sayings saith Salvian neede arguments and witnesses but the word of God is a witnesse to it selfe h Scotus in prolog in l. 1. sent q. â Scotus proveth it by eight arguments taken out of the Scripture it selfe the
because they are all one with those things that be expressely written As for example Whether Children shal be baptised or no Or whether the baptised by Heretickes shal be rebaptised or no We read no expresse commandement nor evident practise either way yet by sound consequence these points may be determined out of the Scripture And of this in this testimony S. Augustine disputeth against the Dââatists Reply pag. 14â The third is against the Non-conformists * Aug Epist ââ ad Casul In thâse things whereof the Scripture hath deliveâââ ãâã the ãâã of Gods people and the ãâã of our Aâââestârâ are to be held for a law In this he disputeth of the rites customes or constitutions of the Church and specially of the Saturdayes fast concerning which in the same Epistle âe giveth this advice Let the âaith of the universâll Church ââ one alâhough the unity of faith be ââânded upon with diverse observations by the ãâã thââ which is true in the faith is ââ way ãâã Here he distinguisheth these observations of the Church from ââth ââith is one they are diverse they are not of faith but attend upon faith So that they are to bee held for ãâã yet not for the law of faith which is of divine âight universall and bindeth all but as the law of man which is but of humane right particular to some places like the Law of Gââall kinde and bindeth not all like the by-lâwes of a Corporation The fourth testimony which he citeth out of Augustine I finde it in his 118. Epistle and it is * Sect 2. Div. 6. formerly answered * Aug ad Inquisit laââaâ l. 1. c. 1 All those things which we hold without writing onely by unwritten Tradition were commended and ordained either by the Apostles themselves or by generall Councells All such things are not Doctrinall but Rituall Traditions not points of faith but orders and constitutions for the Church This appeareth both by the words allâadged and by the subsequent words in the same Epistle Wee see in the words alleadged S. Augustine cannot well tell upon whom to father such things but he leaveth it doubtfull it may be they were from the Apostles and it may be they were ordained first of all by generall Coâââlls But all points of faith are elder then the eldest Councell The Iesuite himselfe telleth us out of Aâhanasius * Pag. 140. It is not nâwâdayes that our faith received its beginning but it is derived from the Lord himselfe And Athanasius himselfe was one of the first generall Councell That of Gerson iâ most cârtaine c Nec Papa neâ generale Concilium potest facere aliquid esse de side quod antè non âuât Gerson part 1 de err cirâa pâaecept Non Occides Neither the Pâpâ âor any generall Councell can make that to be a point of faith which was not so before And in the words immediately following S. Augustine declareth what such things were as were delivered without writing As the Passion reââârection and ascensâââ of our Lord and the descânsion of the holy Ghost are yâârely solemnely celebrated These Feastâ put us in minde of greater things but the Feasts themselves aââ to be accounted but as rites and ordinances belonging to the Church The fifâ is against the Doâatists and it is like wise * Sect. 4. Div. â formerly answered The Apostles have not commanâded any thing in this poinâ but that customâ which was opposed unto Cyprian must be held to have taken its originall from their Tradition The point of rebaptization is the point of which he dispâteth concerning which we oft declared the judgment of S. Augustinâ to be this that the Apostles expressely commaunded nothing in this point and yet that this point may be determined by sound inference out of the holy Scripture The sixt is this He would not beleeve the Gospell it selfe but that the authority of the Church moved him The summe of our former * Sect. â Div. 2 answere unto this is this S. Augustine spake this of the time when he was a Manichee but after his conversion he maketh a better confession He speaketh of the primitive Church not of the now Roman Church That power which he ascribeth unto the Church is to be a mover to perswade us to beleeve not to be a law-giver to coyne Articles of our beleefe The 7th is likewise * Sect. 4. Div. 8 answered Although we have no certaine example hereof out of Scripture yet we hold the truth of the Scripture in this thing when wee doe that which now pleaseth the universall Church The Example which is sought for is an example how those were received when they returned to the Church who were baptised by Heretickes whether they were rebaptised or no We confesse the Scripture giveth no example how they were received but none can inferre because the Scripture containeth not an example in this point therefore it containeth not the Doctrine of this point The 8th is likewise * Sect 2. Div. â formerly answered This neither thou nor I can fiâde plainly and evidently in the Scripture This is against the Dânatists in the same point and I returne the same answere This that is an example of this how they were received into the Church that were baptised by the Heretickes neither thou nor I can finde in Scripture Yea we confesse the point of Doctrine is not written plainely evidently and expressely word for word but by sound consequence it is deduced from the Scripture And now let the understanding Reader judge of the reason that moved the Iesuite to object all those testimoniâs which were formerly answered surely it was onely to make his promise good to heape up a number without any regard of their nature He mustereth his testimoniâs as some Captaines when their companies are not full muster their Souldiours presenting some of them three or foure times over The 9th is this * Aug. l. â cont Crese â I receive not that which Cyprian held because Reply p. 14â it is not received by the Church And I receive not that which is held by the Iesuite because it is not received by S. Augustine Doe I therefore hold unwritten Traditions Cyprian held rebaptization Augustine held the contrary and confuteth him by the authority of the Church but doth the use of one meanes exclude the power of another Because he confuted him by the authoritie of the Church could he not therefore confute him by the authority of Scripture Cyprian would have this question to be tried by the Scripture f Cypâian epist 74. ad Pompâium whence saith he is this Tradition Is is descended from the authoritie of our Lord and the Gospell or doth it come from the Acts or Epistles of the Apostles And a little after Let us goe to the fountaine to the Evangelicall and Apostolicall Tradition This is so evident that Bellarmine confesseth g Bellar de verbo non script l.
Christian people commâth by divine Tradition 22. In both these places Leo writeth of Rituall Traditions as of set dayes of fasting concerning which we confesse wiâh S. Augustine m ââceptum esse Iejunium qââbus autem diebus non oporteââejunare qâbââo porteâ praece to Domini vel Apostolorâm noânâenio de ãâã Aug. cââst ââ ad Casul Thââ the duty of fasting is comman ded but on what dayes we must fast and when we must not fast we finde nât this determined by prâcept of the Lord nor of his Apâstlâs What then shall we dââ in this case May wee conteââe the obâervance of aây fasting day No for if we live in such a place where such dayes are by tradition decreed and by custome established it is our duty to obey authority in such a case Remembring alwayes to distinguish these customes as Leo there calleth them from Gods commandements And if Leo spake any thing hyperbolically concerning such Rituall Traditions we doe excuse him because having taken upon him to defend them he strained his wits to finde out arguments to commend them He maketh no difference betweene Divine Apostolicall Traditions wholly taketh away all Eccleâiastical Traditions whereby he overthroweth that knowne division of Traditions into Divine Apostolicall Ecclesiasticall our Adversaries have need to excuse him in this The two subsequent testimonies the one of Chrysâstome the other of Epiphantus being * Chrysoââ Sect 3. Divis aâ Epiphan Sect. 2. Divis â1 already answered I proceede to that which hee objecteth out of Epiphanius concerning the custome of praying for the dead at the time of administration of the divine mysteries * Epiphan hâres 76. It is haeres 7â The Reply p. 149. Church performeth this necessarily having received it by Tradition from the Fathers and who may dissolve the ordinance of his mother or the Law of his Father God the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost hath tâught both in the Scriptures without writing the Church our mother hath inviolable statutes laide up in her which may not be broken 23. The mâaning of Epiphanius in this place is most evidently declared by the most learned Primâte in his * pag. 23â Answer Such prayers for the dead as were generally used by the Primitive Church want not the testimony of the Scripture to consirme the lawfulnes of theÌ As S. Paul prayed for Oâesiphârus while he was alive so may we pray for him being dead n 2. Tim. 1. 18. The Lord grant unto him that he may finde mercy of the Lord in that day But such prayers as are used by our Adversaries for the dead are not warâanted by Scriâture nor by the Tradition of the Church Not by Scriptures because this is one of their unwritteÌ TraditioÌs Not by the Tradition of the Church because the Primitive Church denyed Purgatârie and yet held Prayer for the dead but our Adversaries hold o Aquinas contgent l. 4. c 91. That if Purgatâry be not admitted prayer for the dead is unprofitable I need not light my candle to give light to this truth for the light of this truth shineth as bright as the Sun in the Answer to this Article The doctrine how the dead may be prayed for differeth from the practice in praying for them at such a time namely at the administring of the sacred mysteries Epiphanius writeth of the latter of these for not observing of this ordinance of the Church hee condemneth Aerius in the words alledged The Church doth performe this having received it by Tradition from the Fathers and who may dissolve ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the ordinance of his mother As wee have * Sect. 4. Divis 10. shewed formerly so here we see it againe this practice to pray for the dead at such a time is placed by Epiphanius among the ordinances of the Church and of this nature are all those things which he saith were delivered and taught without writing These are not the Traditions against which we bend our forces Cassiodorus also readeth this lessân * Cassiod Instiâ divin l. 1 Let us not doubt to Reply pag. 150. mount up into the height of the Scriptures by the approved exposition of the Fathers as it were by a certaine ladder of Iacobs vision 24. Wee have ascended so high upon the ladder of the Fathers approved expositions that we descry the falshood of your Traditions This ladder saith Cassiodorus should bring us to the sight of our Lord. But behold the Pope sitteth on the top of this ladder to over-turne all the expositions of the Fathers but onely such as are approved by him yea all the Fathers the Scripture too hath hee put under his feet So that whatsoever exposition he giveth of Scripture Though it crosse the sense the Fathers gave yet saith p Cusân ad âo ãâã epist 7. Cusânus it must be believed because the sense runneth with the practise and the Scriptures follow the Church and not the Church the Scripture Reply p. 150. S. Basil perswadeth thus * Basil hââ coââ ãâã Let the Tradition of our Lord terrifie thee Our Lord himselfe hath given this lessân the Apostles have preached it the Fathers have observed it and the Martyrs have confirmed it 25. That the holy Ghost is God this is the point which S. Basil prooveth And lest thou shouldest separate the holy Ghost from the Father the Son saith he let the Tradition of our Lord terrifie thee c. This should terrifie the Iesuite to sin against the holy Ghost in holding it is not written that the holy Ghost is God Our Lord himselfe had given this lessân Iohn 14. 26. The Apostles have preached it written it 1. Iohn 5. 7. S. Basil observeth it in the words precedent by the forme of Baptisme which is laide downe Math. 28. 19. And all Gods Saints are ready to confirme it with their blood He is an Arch-haereticke deserveth the stake rather then an answer that accouÌteth it no written doctrin In the end he concludeth with the sayings of * Basil epist 61 Basil and of * Hormisd epist 67. Hormisda applyed unto us that we condemne the Doctrine of the Fathers despise Apostolicall Traditions sell the inventions of upstarts have none of that Charitie which is commended are so puffed up with ârrogancie that we imagine that all judgement of Heaveâ and earth ought to yeeld to our opinion that worldly wisedome detesting the glory of Christ his Crosse domineâreth in the first and cheifest place 26. S. Paul describeth the worst of men that ever were or shal be by these properties q â Tim. 3. 3. They are false accusers intemperate fierce despisers of them that are good Traitors c. These are the proper markes of Iesuites they are alwayes false accusers therefore it is no wonder that this detracting standering carping Moâus should accuse us thus falsely Nero set Rome on fire and laid the blame
A REIOYNDER VNTO WILLIAM MALONE'S REPLY TO THE FIRST ARTICLE Wherein The Founders of unwritten Traditions are confounded out of the sure foundation of Scripture and the true Tradition of the Church By ROGER PUTTOCKE Minister of Gods word at Novan ACT. 24. 14. After the way which they call heresie so worship I the God of my Fathers believing all things which were written Theop. Alexand. in 2. Paschal Diabolici spiritus est extra Scripturarum sacrarum authoritatum divinum aliquid putare Printed at Dublin by the Company of Stationers Anno Domini 1632. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE THOMAS LORD VICE-COVNT VVENTVVORTH LORD DEPVTIE GENERALL of the Kingdome of IRELAND LORD PRESIDENT of his MAIESTIES Councell established in the North parts of England and one of the Lords of his MAIESTIES most Honourable Privie Councell RIGHT HONOVRABLE THE Pope affecting a terrestriall Monarchy to be exalted above all that is called God aspiring to a celestiall Hierarchy as God to sit in the Temple of God had never effected the former * 2. Thes 2. â if the Pope had not eaten up the Emperour might for ever have despaired of the latter if that Church had not overtopt the Scriptures a Omnium Bibliothecas unus mihi videtur 12. Tabularum libellus authoritatis pondere utilitatis ubertate superaââ Tul de Orat. l. 1. I am of opinion saith the Oratour that the little booke of the twelve Tables farre surpasseth all Libraries whatsoever both for authoritie and for perfection If the two Testaments had as they ought to have beene thus accounted of that Church had never b Is 14. 14. ascended aboue the heights of the clouds to be like the most High in her authority and if that Church had not mounted up so high aboue her owne Spheare unwritten Traditions had never gained the credite to be compared for authoritie with the written word and if unwritten Traditions the pillar of Poperie had not beene set up Popery had long ere this fallen to the ground The Persian Magi found out a law that The Kings of Persia might doe what they list by this generall law they concluded c Herodotâ in Thaââa That the Persian Monarch might marry his Sister Soule-cheating Iesuites have likewise found an unwritten law that whatsoever the Church doth it must not be questioned and by this generall law they conclude that a man may eate his God and kill his King by this they prohibite the Scriptures and the Cup in the Sacrament by this they condemne marriage in some in a word by this unwritten law they make new lawes which shall bring a man to greater perfection then the Scripture can This is that Trojane horse out of whose bellie there arise these and many more cursed doctrines This is that sandy foundation of the towre of Babell This little which I bring into the Lords store-house may serve as a mattocke to digge up this foundation or as an engine to batter downe this towre And though it bee but little yet a little mite may well bee cast into the Lordes treasurie Among the Heathens as Plinie writeth hee that had not frankincense to offer might offer milke and hee that wanted milke might offer salt And in holy Writ d Levit. 1â â hee that had not a Lambe might offer turtles and hee that had not turtles might offer two yong pigeons Whatsoever it is it is the first fruites in this kinde of my labours and the Prodromus of this Kingdome which commeth to Your Honour for protection as the sparrow sledde for shelter to e Aelian l. 13. c 31. Zeâocrates bosome It commeth not as an informer for Your Lââ is f Act. 26. 3. expert in all customes and questions which are among us Nor as a confirmer for no Bariesus or Iesuite of them all is able to turne away Sergius Paulus a prudent g Act. 13. 8. Deputie from the faith But as an humble suppliant 1. Craving pardon of this bold presumption And yet in this I was directed by a * Pindarus famous Poet ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to beginne with a glorious Preface If then for the beautifying of the frontispice of this Worke I have beene too bold to praefixe the name of so great a Vice-Roy blame not mee but my director Neither in this have I beene so bolde as this blinde Bayard or proud Iesuite who durst presume to dedicate his Reply unto his sacred Majesty in which hee assigneth no other lott to any * pag. 490. Protestant whatsoever but the very pit of hell 2. Some respect and acceptance of the Worke. As for the Workeman if any glimpse of Your favourable aspect and countenance shall at any time shine upon him it is more then hee can deserve The acceptation of the Worke is the full satisfaction of the Workeman or in the wordes of Seneca h Seneca de benefic l. 2. c. 12. Si gratè hoc non beneficium sed officium meum accipias ejus pensionem solvisti This acceptation and approbation of it may proove profitable unto others howsoever it bee unto mee who by Your example though the subject deserve it not may be drawne to doe the same And yet the subject of this little is great and deserveth no little respect and regard If it were a needelesse i Act. 18. 15. question of wordes or of names Gallio the Deputy would not regard it but it is the greatest Question the ground of all Questions the foundation of Poperie not one braunch but the roote of the Romane superstition the Master-veyne which feedeth all the rest the Goliah of Gath with whom if wee k 1. Sam. 17. â bee able to fight and to kill him they confesse they will bee our servants for ever And in this beholde a sandie foundation a rotten roote a veyne bleeding and a Goliah vanquished All these are nothing to those two Allectives Your personall indowment and Your Honourable imployment which like two attractive Load stones have drawne it to Your Honourable protection God hath honoured you with grace this grace being wrought in you by the holy Scriptures the word of grace he may haue hope of your gracious acceptance that laboureth to vindicate the Scriptures from that disgrace which gracelesse Tradition mongers bring upon them His Maiestie hath graced you with honor to be under him and over us the defender of the faith That faith which you are to defend by the sword that faith I defend by my pen namely the faith which was once delivered to the Saints and is contained in the holy Scriptures Stapleton would have had the Duke of Parma l D. Staplet Epist dedicât before his worke of lustification to cut all knots with Alexanders sword rather then to appease contention with the harpe of Apollo S. Augustine would have both the sword and the harpe joyned together giveth his reason m August Epist 8. Siterrerentur non docerentur
Luther by the Scriptures that we might shew our wit and learning this combustion which wee greive to see is stirred up By this wee may see why they flye from Scripture even as the dog flyeth from the whip wherewith he is beaten The Scripture is no freind of theirs and therefore they will not be freinds with it but speake evill of it as of an inky Gospell a leaden rule a nose of wane a dumbe Iudge and an imperfict Law And they have invented this Doctrine of unwritten Traditions as a Sanctuary to slye unto which they call c Salutis castrum propugnaculum Lindan de optim gener in terpret The towre and fort of salvation d Andrad orthodox explicat l. 2. The maine pillar of Religion * pag. 169. And upon it saith the Lesuite in this his hotch-potch doth podge the whole frame of all differences controversies in Religion which now adayes are disputed betwixt Protestants and Catholickes Seeing then this is his Master-piece in which he fighteth Tanquam pro focis aris let him shew his skill and reading Hee giveth good testimony of his vaine skil and reading If I may use his owne words who hath read no more then his â A. Andradius B. Bellarmine C. Coccius A. B. C. And such a fibolist by whole sale I never read yet this impudent Iesuite compareth him whose learning his learned Adversaryes doe acknowledge unto * pag. 151. Esopes Iacdaw trimmed with the gay feathers of other birds but now remaining in his doublet and hose Whenas he fluttereth in others feathers having of his owne not so much as one feather or a fig-leafe to cover his nakednesse but onely a robe of lyes of raylings of malice and of impudencie e Quem veritate non potest vincere lacerat convitijâ Ambros in Psal 118 In truth hee cannot overcome him yet by raylings hee would wound him It is no marvaile that he should slaunder and belye him that standeth for the perfection of Gods written word seeing he slandereth and belyeth the written word it selfe with imperfection A whipp is fitter for a foole then an answer for his follye f An non justius os loquens talia fustibus tunderetur quam rationibus refelleretur Bernard epist 190. A cudgell is more fit to stoppe then reasons are to confute a mouth that speaketh such things I might refuse to aunswere his foolish Reply as g Ierem. â8 11. Ieremie did to Hannaniah but then the Philistims will vaunt that none dare meete with their Goliah and therefore I who am but the least in the Campe of Israel will grapple with him and by GODS assistance leave him groveling on the ground 2. Sir Wiseakers in his haulting simile taxeth the pag. 115. most reverend Primate for frameing of the Question A witlesse cavill Is it not the part of an Answerer to lay downe the state of the Question that the truth may bee the better discovered If the Iesuite had stated the Question better or if hee had shewed wherein his Answerer had framed the Question amisse he had not spoken non-sense but to doe neither the one nor the other this Declareth how idlely his Answer wil be shaped It is his policie Dolosus versatur in generalibus to dispute at randoâ and not to state the Question at all lest the truth should bee discovered h Vanitas potest plus clamare quam veritas August de Civit. Dei l. 5 c 27. Vanitie saith S. Augustine may out-cry the truth So doth the Iesuite crying out of vanitie and of grosse vanitie in the most reverend Primate when he himselfe most vainely triumpheth as Victor That unwritten Traditions are embraced by the Catholicke Church as the undoubted Word of God this is one of his vaine flourishes this is no better then petitio principij a vaine begging of the Question 3. Hee can doe little that cannot belye his Adversarie This the Iesuite hath done first perswading the Reader to beleive that the Answerer engaged himselfe to tell When unwritten Traditions first beganne The most reverend Primate hath shewed their * pag. 40. Originall although hee sheweth that it is a * pag. 2. 3. vaine and a foolish demaund Tell us when those Iewish Traditions which the Scripture condemneth beganne and who was the Authour of them and then wee will doe the same for Popish Traditions This is as true as the next that the Answerer hath not produced so much as one onely Authoritie out of the Fathers against unwritten Traditions Not one onely why Is it because hee hath produced many more then one And those so direct so cleare so evident against them as that the Iesuite could not invent any false glosse to obscure them In answering many testimonyes of the Fathers hee hath made use of that Counsell which the Divines of Doway gave i Commodum ijs sensum affingamus dum oppoâuntur nobis in disputationibus Index Enpurg Bolg Let us invent some commodious sense for the Fathers when as they are objected against us in disputations But many others he hath answered onely with a noli me tangere dealing with them as Antony the unskilfull Oratour did with troublesome points k Mar Tul. l 2. de Orat. passing them over in silence It will not be unseasonable here to give a taste of them Can there be a more direct testimonie then that of S. Basil * Basil pag. 11. l. Every word and action ought to be confirmed by the testimony of holy Scripture And againe * pag. 38. ctm. Neither reject nor adde any thing thereunto for it whatsoever is not of faith be sinne as the Apostle saith and faith is by hearing and hearing by the word of God then whatsoever is without the holy Scripture being not of faith must needes bee sinne Gregorie Nyssen saith * Greg. Nyss pag. 39. ct o. Forasmuch as this is upholden with no testimony of Scripture as false wee will reject it Unto these I might adde that of S. Benedict * Benedict pag. 42. n. The Abbot ought to teach nothing that is without the precept of the Lord. That of S. Anthony * Anthon. pag. 43. 0. The Scriptures are sufficient for Doctrine And that of S. Basil * Basil pag. 43. p. It is necessary that every one should learne out of the holy Scriptures that which is for his use both for his full settlement in godlinesse and that hee may not bee accustomed unto humane Traditions These are direct testimonyes and unto those the Iesuite answereth nothing but mumme never expect truth from a Iesuite in defending of his Religion for as it is compounded of lyes so it is maintained by lying What Traditions doe you admit Reply 4. If he had eyes to see he might see that All Traditions are not promiscuously strucke at by our Religion Wee cavill not at the use of the word Tradition we finde it both in
were not more repugnant to the Law of GOD then Popish are yeâ even to every commandement That title given to the Pope ãâã Dââââoster Papa The Lord ãâã God the Pope is repugnant to the 1. That Images are to be worshipped iâ repugnant to the 2. That unwritten Traditions doe supply the defâct of the written word is adiâââon our to it and repugnant to the 3. That a Saints day is more duely to be observed then the Lords ãâã iâ repugnant to the 4. That a man may give his goods unto the Church and let his parents starve ââ repugnant to they That ân some âases the subject may kill his King is repugnant to the 6. That the Stewes may be permitted and Preists allowed their Concubines is repugnant to the 7. That religious persons may enâise and steale such children from their parents as wil be fit for their turne is repugnant to the 8. The doctrine of Aequivocation is repugnant to the 9. And that lust without consent is no sinne is repugnant to the last Can these be repugnant to the Scriptures and be Traditions deduced by sound inference from the Scriptures This the Iesuite affirmeth of them his reason is The Scripture commaundeth us to obey the Church and Reply pag. 130. the holy Ghost teacheth the Church all truth and Christ is present with his Church unto the worlds ând and hee that heareth the Church heareth God and the Scripture commândeth Traditions and commaundeth us to holde fast what the Apostles have delivered withâââ writing And the Church in all ages hath taught unwritten Traditions c. This is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã his ââckow song and all these texts of Scripture we have already * Sect. â answered This is a budget wide enough to holde all the trash of Romish Traditions it is his gladius Delphicus which serveth for all uses If this argument be found there needeth no more Scripture then this Obey the Church This giveth you power quidââbââ addendâ to say what you list and it will beare you out But it is a false argument consisting of quatuor termini for the Scripture speaketh of one Church and the Iesuite of an other the Scripture commendeth written Traditions and the Iesuite is all for unwritten Traditions The holy Scriptures not onely are able to make us * â Tim. 3. wise Answer unto salvation which they should not be able to doe if they did not containe all things necessary to salvation but also by ãâ¦ã of God that is the * 1. Tim. 6. 11. Minister of Gods word ãâã whom iâ ãâã to * Act. 20. 27. declare all the counsell of God may bee perfectly instructed to every good worke which could not be if the Scripture did not containe all the counsell of GOD which was sit for him to learne or if there were any other word of GOD which he were bound to teach that should not bee contuined within the limites of the Books of GOD. Thus saith the Answerer The Iesuite would willingly writ he himselfe out of these words he windeth and turneth himselfe every way like an Eele that is taken he snatcheth and catcheth like a man ready to be drowned yât every thing that commeth in his way His first shift is this There is no such saying in the Apostles writings as this Reply pag. 131. The Scriptures are able to make us wise unto salvation He saith indeed that they are able to make Timothy wise unâo salvation ât lessâ he will say thââ whatsoever S. Paul affirmeth of Timothy may be applyed unto us all which is most absurd For who will say that the Apostle * 1. Tim. 5. 23. forbidding Timothy to drinke water doth thereby forbid us all in like manner 6. There is not the least word in Scripture spoken of the Church of the Apostles and of Traditions but our Adversaries doe apply it generally unto themselves onely this because it concerneth the power of the Scriptures must be peculiar unto Timothy and not applyed unto all But evill should not the Scriptures be as able to make us at Timothy wise into Salvation either it must be because hee had better meanes to be made wise then wee have or because having the same meanes he was more to ãâã of this wisedome Not the first if it be true which the Iesuite observeth That Timothy ãâã onely the old Testament ãâã wee have both the old and the h 1. Cor. 2. 14. Psal 119 18. new Nor the second because the understanding is alike corrupted in all ãâã it is not â capable of this saving wisedome untill GOD â ãâ¦ã it And this ãâã of his absure instance of Timothyes not drinking ãâã which declareth his braines to be as weake us Timothyes stomack because all stomackâ arâ not âike weake but all menâ understandings untill they are sanctified are alike wicked and uncapable of holy things What therefore S. Paul here affirmeth of Timothy may be applyed unto all and it is applyed unto all by Chrysostome on this text saying Verily the Apostle speaking this of Timothy ââth thârâpy admonish all men His second shift is this Though we should graunt this that the Scriptures are Reply pag. 1â1 able to make us wise unto salvation yet is doth not follow from thence that they containe Expressely all things necessary to Salvation 7. Expressely is an expresse lye an addition of his own for the Answerers inference is this Therefore they containe all things necessary for Salvation Now things are contained in Scripture not onely expressely but like wise by inference His third shift is this It is confessed the cheifest of our Aduersaries that the Reply pag. 131 Apostle in that place meaneth none other but the old Testaâent onely as himselfe declareth plaint enough Thou hast learned the holy Scriptures of a child which are able to make thee wise And the new Testament was not written when Timothy was a childe And will our Answerer graunt that the old Testament alone containeth all things necessary to Salvation then consequently the new Testament iââââdâlesse 8. It is the better for our cause if the Apostle hââre speaketh onely of the old testament that it is able to make in wise unto Salvation for then both old and new being joyned together must needs containe all thing ãâ¦ã Salvation It is confessed that when Timothy was a childe he learned onely the old Testament and then the new was not written but ãâã when Paul wrote this â d 1. Thrâ 4. 6. Epistle unto him he was a ãâã he was Bishop of Ephesus this Epistle was write him a little before S. Paule death and then all the new Testament was written but onely that which ãâã added If I should say of an old Iudge that he hath knowne ãâã of a young Student this doth not exclude his knowledge of such laweâ as were made in after times so S. Pauls speech of Timothy that he knew the Scriptures of a child doth
therefore though they be glorious things in your eyes they are not holy That of Origen which the Iesuite alledgeth concerning the baptising of Children that it is a Tradition from the Apostles is * Sect. 4. divis 11. formerly answered Hippolytus the Martyr in his third Homily against the Heresie of Noetus There is one God whom we doe not otherwise Answer acknowledge but out of the holy Scriptures For as hee that would professe the wisedome of this world cannot otherwise attaine hereunto unlesse he reade the doctrine of the Philosophers sâ whosoever of us will exercise piety towards God cannot learne this elsewhere but out of the holy Scriptures c. All this runneth upon the same straine with that which Reply pag. 13â you even now produced out of Origen and therefore as you repeate the same so wee returne you the same Answer And withall wee desire you with this holy Martyr to understand whatsoever the Scriptures doe teach For they teach you to holde such Traditions as the Apostles gave whether by writing or by word They teach you to hearken unto the Church 4. Hippolytus here taketh the same oath with Origen both give their verdict against unwritteÌ Traditions This is the same strain upon which they run His answer unto that of Origen is already confuted if this be the same as indeed it is no wiser then the former but threed-bare and worne out at the elbowes I need not againe confute it It cannot fit with the wordes of this holy Martyr for as it were ridiculous to say The wisdome of this world may be attained unto by reading the doctrin of the Philosophers then to interpret this Not immediatly by reading their writings but mediatly by going to the living Philosophers So it is as absurd to say Our piety towards God may be learned out of the holy Scripture then to interpret this not immediatly out of the Scriptures themselves but mediatly by going to the Church Yea it is more absurd because the writings of the Philosophers are not so wel able to make a man wise for the world as the Scriptures are to make a man wise unto salvatioÌ The scriptures teach us to ââld such traditioÌs as the Apostles gave but they taught the same doctrines both by Scripture and by word of mouth This maketh nothing for Popish Traditions such the Apostles never gave by writing or by word of mouth They teach us to hearken unto the Church when the doctrine of the Church is consonant with the doctrine of the Scriptures and not to hearken unto the Church when it teaâheth otherwise Å¿ Ien â3 16. Thus saith the Lord of hostes Hearken not unto the words of the Prophets that prophesiâ unto you and teach you vanity they speak the vision of their owne heart and not out of the mouth of the Lord. Athanasius in his âratian against the Gentiles The holy â Answer Scriptures given by inspiration of God are of themselves sufficient for the discovery of Truth 5. This is an evident testimony directly opposite to the position of our Adversaries which they have learned from condemned Heretickes t Iren. l. 3. c. 2. That truth canâot be found out of the Scriptures by them that are ignorant of Traditions And yet the Iesuite painteth this likewise with false colours answering First the Scriptures discover this truth That wee must Reply p. 139. âold fast unwritten Traditions We have oft discovered this to be an untruth and for the better discovery of it wee will observe one thing more from the force of the Greek word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which Athanasius useth ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifieth not a mediate sufficiency as if the Scriptures were sufficient for the discovery of truth because they send us to the Church nor such a sufficiencie as needeth any other helpe as if the Scriptures were sufficient for the discovery of truth by having the helpe of unwritten Traditions joyned with them but as Lambine in his notes upon Aristotles Ethickes observeth u Plurâbus verââis haec vox ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã cui nulla respondet Latina est de claranda Est autem ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is qui ââs bonis contentur satisque copiosè instructus est quique nullas externas opes desiderat Lamb. in Arislot Ethic. ââ c. 7. This word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã must be expressed by more words for there is no one Latin word that can fully declare it He is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is conâent with his owne store and is furnished with enough and with abundant and desiteth no other helpâ It is such a selfâ-sufficienciâ as is in the heavenly Kingdome of which Theophylact saith x ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Theophyl in Ioh. 18. It is sufficient and needeth nothing Such then is the fulnesse and the selfe-sufficiencie of the holy Scripture that it hath store in it selfe it is fully furnished yea so abundantly that it needeth not the helpe of unwritten Traditions to discover any truth Athanasius here speaketh not of all Truth but of Two speciall Reply p. 130. points of faith onely to wit That Idols are not Gods and that Christ is the onely true God concerning which two articles he wrote thâse two bookes to Maearius And for the discovery of those two points the holy Father saith that the Scriptures are sufficient As in these two bookes to Macariâs he wrote of these two points and also of many other points for in the first he wrote of the deity of the Father of the immortality of the soule c. And in the second of Christs manhood his incarnation death resurrection c. So here he speaketh not onely of those two points but of all truth in generall that The Scriptures are sufficient for the discovery of truth And therefore in his Tractate of Christs incarâation he taxeth them of great iââdestiâ which speakâ the âhings which are noâ written Athanasius in that plaâe maketh mention not onely of the Reply p. 13â holy Scriptures but also of the bookes of holy Fathers and to both doth he attribute this sufficiency forasmuch as a man by reading of those bookes may discover the true sense and meaning of the Scripture This is not the true sense and meaning of this Father In the words following though hee maketh mention of the bookes of the Fathers yet he never inteÌded to impart any part of this sufficiency unto them or to make them equall with Scripture as you doe with Traditions but he declareth that they are good coÌmenâaries or helpes for the understanding of the holy Scriptures His words are these There are also many bookes of the holy Fathers in which if a âan imploy himselfe he may in some sort aâtaine unto the interpretution of the Scripture It is one thing to say that by reading of the bookes of the Fathers a man may in some sort attain unto the interpretation of Scripture
an other to teach that the bookes of the Fathers are to be compared with the Scripture If the Iesuit would say no more of unwritten Traditions then Athanasius saith of the books of the Fathers then the coÌtroversy were ended for you see he brings not the commentary into the Text but distinguisheth between the coÌmentary the Text you make no difference between the one the other but make the interpretation Pag. 124. as authenticall as the Text even as S. Iohns Gospel He attributeth unto the scriptures the sufficiency to discover al truth to be learned to the Fathers the interpretatioÌ of Scripture as an help that the same truth may be more easily learned you attribute to the Scriptures a sufficiency only to teach some truths not all truths which are to be learned teach that those truths must be taught by unwritten Traditions Vnwritten Traditions are not therfore only interpretations of Scripture but even additions to it In the last place he objecteth out of Athanasius in this manner Athanasius disputing against the Arians did most frequently Reply p. 119. beate them downe with the authority of the Church of unwritten Traditions Yea hee thought it * Athanas Epist ad Epicteâ sufficient for their confutation to tell them without any more adoe that their Doctrine was not agreeable to that of the Catholickâ Church nor yet was held by the Fathers of former ages I thinke it sufficient for your confutation to tell you Opârtet mendacem esse memorem You told us even now in your second Answer That the Scripture was sufficient for the discovery of two truthes whereof one was this That Christ is truely God Did not the Arianâ deny this article of faith And yet now you tell us That the Arians could not be everthrowne but onely by the help of unwritten Traditions Sir where was your memory when you wrote this Yet for your more full confutation I tell you that in the same Epistle hee saith The fââth confirmed in the Nicen Councell at which he was present according to the Scriptures was sufficient to beat downe the Arian Heresie And in an other place hee declareth his minde saying y Athanas in Exhort ad monach Let us thinke that the well ordered Canon is sufficient to attaine the knowledge of God And not onely by the Scriptures but likewise by the authority and Tradition of the Church that is the succession of the truth of this doctrine doth he confute them Now good Sr Wiseakers tell me in your wisdome If this holy Father had onely used the Tradition of the Church and not the authority of the Scriptures to beat downe the Arian Heresie would it follow that he could not beat it down by the Scriptures Doth the use of one meanes exclude the possibility of the other Because now we are beating down unwritten Traditions by the Fathers have we not or can we not therefore beat them down by the Scripture Seeing the Arians held such a wicked and manifestly perverse a doctrinâ therefore saith this holy Father it is sufficient to tell them c. so we thinke it sufficient for confutation of unwritten Doctrines to tell you This Doctrinâ is not agreeable to that of the Catholicke Church nor yet was held by the Fathers of former ages so farre are we from condemning the Doctrine of the Catholicke Church that by it we condemne this new Doctrine of unwritten Traditions Againe * Idem de decret Synod Nic. cont âuseb Let the Arians answer me if they can where doe Reply p. â4â they fiade in the Scriptures this solemne word by what reason doe they hold God to be unbegotten Behold we have evident demonstrations that this our Doctrine was delivered by Traditions from hand to hand by the Fathers We confesse with Athanasius that the wordes unbegotten or âoessentiall are noâ written but yet the Doctrine signifiâd by these words as we have * Sect. 4. Divis 1â formerly shewed is written in other words Is the doctrine unwritten because the word is unwritten And is the Doctrine not taught in Scripture because it was preserved in the Church and delivered by Tradition from hand to hand â Athanasius shall answere for us z ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Athanas Epistol de Senten Dionys con Ariaâ Although I cannot find that word in the Scriptures yet gathering the Doctrine ouâ of the Scriptures I knowe that hee that is the Sonne and the Word cannot be of an other substance then the Father Lastly * Idem in Epist ad ubique Orthodox The constitutions of the Church saith hee are no novelties lately brought in but they were delivered by our first Fathers Neither did our Faith now beginne but it descended from our Lord by his Disciples unto us When the Arian persecution was so hote against the Catholickes as that Athanasius was thrust out of his Bishoprick and an Arian by Simonie purchased it then this holy Father wrote this Epistle This made him complaine Reply p. 140. that the Constitutions of the Church were overthrowne and a new faith set up by these Intruders What doth this make for unwritten Traditions If it be because the Church hath Constitutions wee graunt it but these are nihil ad rem no points of faith If it be because our Faith descended from the Lord by his Disciples unto us wee graunt this likewise but what is this Even the forme of wholesome Doctrine contained in the Scriptures as it was taught first by the Disciples of our Lord and after preached vivâ voce by the Church Wee plead for the same Faith which was at onâe delivered unto the Saints We acknowledge no faith but that which from Christ by his Disciples is descended unto us And wee deny that the Church in after ages had any power to coyne a new Article of faith With you are the Novelties Traditions of a later invention not so old as from the time of Athanasius nor descended from our Lord by his Disciples You have coyned many new Articles of faith What will you say for your Ecclesiasticall Traditions which you make to be of the same faith authority with the written word By the judgement of Athanasius they cannot be points of faith Because our faith descendeth from the Lord by his Disciples unto us S. Ambrose * S. Ambros offi l 1 c. 23 The things which wee finde not in the Answer Scriptures how can we use them And againe * Idem in virgin instit c. 11. I read that hee is the first I read that he is not the second they who say hee is the second let them shew it by reading S. Ambrose instructing Churchmen how they ought to Reply p. 140. carry themselves in their conversation propoundeth the question whether they may use such pleasant mery jests in their speech as the Philosophers doe commend Whereunto he answereth negatively in these words The things which we find
among Christians wee could easily have shewed not onely the Grandfathers of this Doctrine to be Heretickes among the Christians but also that the Sâducers among the Iewes were the great grand Fathers of it In a booke of theirs called Pirke Aboth Capitula Patrum we reade thus God gaue by Moses not onely the written Law but also an unwritten Law And e Peres de Tradit eccles part 2. asseâ 1. Peresius citeth this out of Rabbi Moyses That God gave unto Moyses severall Doctrines by word of mouth besides the written Law which Moyses delivered to Ioshua Ioshua to the 70. Elders the 70. Elders to the Prophets and the Prophets to the chiefe of the Synagogues These Traditions the Apostles condemned as f Iâen l. 4. e. 25. Irenâuâ declareth Not the Law of Moyses but the Traditions of the Elders corrupting the Law of Moyses were condemned by them These were condemned by the Prophets g Isaâ 29. 13. As Doctrines âf men even then when the Ceremoniall Law was of force And these were received in the dayes of S. Peter not from the Law of Moyses but h 1. Pet. 1. 18 By the Tradition of the Fathers namely those Seducers among the Hebrowes Neither doth S. Hicroââ in that Epistle cite this tâxt at all therfore his words are here impertinently alledged Shortly after them started up other Heretickes who taught Answer that * Iren. l. 3. c. 2. the truth could not bee found out of the Scriptures by those to whom Tradition was unknowne for as much as it was not delivered by writing but by word of mouth for which cause S. Paul also should say we speake wisedome among them that be perfect This sticketh so close unto the Iesuite that with all his idle shifts he cannot shake it off ââ He answereth ex concessis Those Heretickes were so Reply pag. 153 madde as to say that they were wiser then the Apostles themselves c. How then can they have any part with us who adâit all Apostolicall Doctrine 3. Are you not likewise tolde that All of them did not breake forth into that open impiety Some of them and not all of them were so madde as to say They were wiser then the Apostles And you may bee stareing though not starke madde Doe you admit all Apostolicall Doctrine Why then doe you not admit the Communion sub utrââ specie The inconstant Councell of Constance saw good reason to take away the Cup and to make it a dry Feast although as the i Concil Constan Sess 13. Councell confesseth Christ appointed it and the Primitive Church used it This declareth that you are as badd as the worst and as madde as the maddest Heretickes that ever were How could you doe this to make a new law contrary to the law given by Christ observed by the Apostles and by the Primitive Church if in this point ye did not thinke your selves wiser then the Primitive Church then the Apostles yea then Christ himselfe Cardinall Hosius breaketh forth into this impietie k Hosius Confess Petricoviââsâ de Tradit 9â That the Church which now is hath more revealed unto it then was revealed unto the Apostles And thus The same mysterie of iniquity which wrought in the fore-runners of Antichrist thââ is discovered in his ministers now His second shift is to put the Hereticke upon us You are in the same predicament with those Heretickes in denying unwritten Tradition Whatsoever can be proved to have beene delivered by the Apostles either by writing or by word of mouth we deny it not we willingly receive what soever is truly an Apostolical TraditioÌ But ãâ¦ã nomine it is you that are in the same predicaââââ for we can evidently prove it and our l Concil Constan ses 13. Bellarm. l. 4. de Sacram. Lucharist c. â4 Adversaries confesse it that the Church received this written Tradition froÌ the Apostles and did likewise observe it to administer the Cup in the Supper of the Lord this Apostolicall Tradition delivered both by writing by word of mouth is litle couÌted of by you and therefore you may take up your standing among those Heretickes and enter your name in Catalogâ Hareticorum His last shift is this This holy Father Irânâus was accustomed Reply pag. 153 to urge the Hereââckes with the Tradition of the Apostles which is preserved in the Churches by the succession of Priests And if he were now alive he would as earnestly ârge you with the same looly Traditions With what weapons Irenaus fought against the Heretickes we have * Sect. 4. Div. 5 already shewed Traditions are either written or unwritten unwritten Traditions were the hereticks plea they spake disgracefully of the scriptures that they were obscure might be diver sly interpreted could not be understood without Traditions and that Traditions were before them the same spirit possesseth our Adversaryes as if those Heretickes by some ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã were transformed into them Against these Heretickes Irenâââ fought first by the Scriptures then when they appealed unto Traditions he fought against them by the Tradition of the Apostles preserved in the Churches If Irenâus were alive he needed not ârge iâ against us wee urge it against you wee are now upon triall by it we say that we follow the Tradition of the Apostles preserved in the Churches that is the succession of true doctrine in the Churches as it is contained in the Scriptures But what is this to Popish Traditions They are not from the Apostles they are not contained in the Scriptures nor preserved in the Churches but onely maintained contrary to the Scriptures and the Tradition of the Churches as they were of old by Hereticks so in latter times by an Antichristian faction They confessed indeed as witnesseth Tertullian * Tertul. de prâscripâ c. 25. that the Apostles Answeâ were ignorant of nothing and differed not among themselves in their preaching but they say they revealed not all things unto all men some things they delivered openly to all some things secretly and to a few Because that Paul useth this spââch unto Timothy O Timothy keepe that which is committed to thy trust And againe That good thing which was committed unto thee keepe I confesse in one thing our Adversaries are not like thâse Heretickâs they confâssed that the Apostles were ignorant of nothing but our Adversaries hold this That there is more revealed unto the Church which now is then was revealed unto the Apostles as we have heard from Hosius the Cardinall Setting aside that part of the testimonie in all things elfe they are as like those Heretickes as if they had beene spit out of their mouth and therefore lest their agreement should be discovered the Iesuite in his wisedome thought it the best way not to lay downe these words of the Answerer but onely to returne a blind answere unto them It is confessed that Tertullian was a maintainer of unwritten Reply pag.
at all it was written above a thousand yeares after the beginning of the Church and it is but the calumnie of Schismaticks against a man whose sanctitiâ and miraculous life is commended by many * Anton S. 21. Lamb Schaâh Onuphrius c writers 9. Is it to no purpose because it was written above a thousand yeares after Christ Can the writers of the 1. 2â or 3â age declare what was done in the 6. 7. or 8. age To what purpose doe you alleadge writers not so auncient as Bernard Thomas Waldensis and some but of yesterdayes birth as Cochlaus and Bellarmine Neither can it be an invective or calumny of Schismaticks seeing it is backed with the testimonies of S. Benedict * Benedict in Regulae That the Abbât ought to teach nothing which is without the precept of the Lord. Of S. Authonie * Athanas in vita âââon The Scriptures are suffiââânt for doctrine And of S. Baâil * Basil in Regul brevior It is fit that every one should learne out of the holy Scripture that which is for his use both for his full settlement in Godlinâsse and that he may not be accustomed unto humanâ Traditions Were these men likewise Schiâmatickes If not why doe you make no answer at alâ unto their testimonies You onely âell us that Hildebrand was a man of sanctity and of a miââculous life And to prove tââs you alleadge the favourers of his faction and the âaââââers of the papall dignitie yet such was the open impiety of this Hildebrand or brand of hâll who set the whole world on fire that those authors cited by you have published it to the world Antoninus reâateth his confession of his sinfull life on his death-bed i Vâlde peâcavi in Pastoralicura sâadente Dâabolo contra âmanum gennâ iram odâuân concitatari Anton ibid I have sinnâd exceedingly in my Pastorall care and the Devill perswading me I have kindled anger and hatred against mankindâ Lambertus confesseth that k Lambert schaph in hist an 107â the Clergy called him an Herââicke And that the world spake fouly of âim about his dealing with Mathââdis who left her husband and prostrated her selfe so unto him * Idem in hist an â077 Quòd die ac noâte impudenter Papa in ejus âoluturetur amplexibus Onuâhrius relateth that which all men know l Onuph in vita Grâgor â He was the first Pope that ever excommunicated the Emperour tooke away his Crowne and gave it to another If any man desire to hearâ the âanctity and miraculous liââ of this Hildâbrand or Gregory the 7th commended by many writers let him read the 5â Chapter of that * De Christ Eccles success staru pag 104. unanswerable worke long sinââ published by the most learned Primate In the Râman faââion tâings are thus decreed All Iesuites shal be inâhrald to their Generall all Generalls to the Pope this Pope hath decreed it m Conâ l. âditâ Binijââoâ 3. part â The Pope may absolve subjects from their âidelity unto heretical Kings By the judgment of the Pope our gracious Lord and King whom the Lord long preserve from such dâsloyall Loyolists is of the hereticall Religion Let the world judge if such a man as defendeth the sancâity of this Pope who deposed the Emperour and gave away his Crowne to another be fitâ to live within his Majesties Kingdomes Marke here the difference betwixt the Monkes of S. Basil Answer and Pope Hildebrands brâeding The Novices of thâ former were tâayâed in the Scriptures to the end they might not bee accustomed unto humane Traditions those of the âatter were kept backâ from the study of the Scriptures that they might be accustomed unto humane Traditions For this by the foresaid author is expressely noted of those Hildebrandine Monkes that they * lib. de vnitas Eccles permitted not yong men in their Monasteries to study this saving knowledge to the end that their rude wit might be âourished with the huskâs of Divels which are the customes of humane Traditions that bâing accustomed to such filth they might not taste how sweâte the Lord was And thus in the times following from Monkes to Friars and from them to secular Preists and Prelates as it were by Traditiân from hand to hand the like ungoâly policie was continued of keeping the common people from the knowledge of the Scriptures as for other reasons so likewise that by this meanes they might bee drawne to humane Traditions which was not onâly observed by * Erasm in eânar in 1. Psal Erasmââ before ever Luther stirred against the Pope but openly in a manner confâssed afterwards by a bitter adversary of his To all this the Iesuite likewise replyeth nothing Petrus Sutor a Carâhusi in Monkâ who among other inconveniences Answer for which hee would have the people debarred from reading the Scripture alleadgeth this also for one * Sâtor de tra Bibl c. 22. Whereas many things are openly taught to be observed which are not expressely to be had in the Scriptures will not the simple people observing these things quickely âurmure and complaine that so great burdens should be imposed upon them whereby the liberty of the Gospell is so greatly impaâred Will they not also be drawen away from the observation of the oâdinances of the Church when they shall observe that they are not contâined in the law of Christ Thus Sutor hath cut out the doctrine of the Church of Româ after the new fashion and stitched together the practise in debarring the common people from reading of the Scriptures with the reason of it least they should see that the Traditions of the Church â not in the law of Christ Neither â this observation of Sutâr be disliked Reply p. 157. 10. How doe you like this that many things are taught to be observed which are not expressely to be had in the Scriptures And againe that by reading of the Scriptures the common people will see that the Traditions of the Church are not contained in the law of Christ How unlike is this to your usuall answere That the Scripture expressely commandeth and commendeth the use of Traditions And that they are not out of the Scriptures not passed in silence but virtually contained in them in that the Scriptures send us to the Church and the Church unto unwritten Traditions Thus Sutor the Monke and this Iesuite differ in their opinions the Monke thinketh the Traditions or ordinances of the Church are not in Scripture the Iesuite answereth that they are And if they be why then doe you not suffer the common people to read the Scriptures The Iesuite answereth because of the great myââeries contained in the Scripture and because of the great inconveniences which come thereby But Sutâr would have the common people debarred from reading not for feare of seeing too much but for feare of seeing too little not because of the great mysteries contained in the Scriptures