not the Bishop not their Ministers onely but the common people even all that professed the Faith of Christ too The first thing considerable in the Text and which alone I shall here handle is the Matter or Object of that Study whereunto St. Paul doth here invite the Colossians and all Christians whatsoever and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word of Christ the Law and the Gospel Moses and the Prophets the Evangelists and the Apostles the Old Testament and the New Now that whatsoever is contained in any of these most certainly is and may therefore most justly be styled The Word of Christ is evident upon a twofold ground 1. Christ is the Efficient Cause of all the Scripture each of the Testaments hath him for its Authour See this distinctly in three Particulars First Christ is the Great and undoubted Authour of the Law The Evangelist indeed tells us The Law was given by Moses but how that was Origen tells us who thus distinguisheth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We understand that the Law was given by Moses but not from him Doubtless Origen means the same thing which Erasmus thus expresseth Moses Legis Author non fuit Moses was not the Authour of that Law no Castalio tells us Quòd Lex data est Divini fuit Beneficii The giving of the Law was from the Kindness of God As for Moses 't is said he received the lively Oracles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith St. Chrysostom he received the Law from another and so proved not the Legislator to establish and make the Law but a Minister an Herauld a Scribe to receive proclaim and write it So that Ebion that pestilent Heretick had no reason to think Moses who is said to have given the Law to be upon that score a greater man then Christ But although the first Promulgation and Delivery of the Law upon Mount Sinai cannot possibly be ascribed unto Moses yet it seems very clearly to be attributed unto Angels Thus St. Paul For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast c. What word was that Theophylact tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Apostle means either the Decalogue or generally all Commands dispensed by Angels under the Old Testament Thus St. Chrysostom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Decalogue the Commandments Lex Mosis the Law of Moses so Grotius And of this Law the Apostle doth elsewhere thus affirm 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was ordained by Angels How so Ministerio Angelorum by the Ministery of Angels so Clarius 'T is the observation of Grotius that the Law was pronounced by some one of the Angels others attending round about him And that the Law was indeed delivered by some one single Angel we learn from that of St. Stephen This is that Moses who was in the church in the wilderness with the angel that spake to him in the mount Sina 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the Angel the expression imports that it was some one particular Angel who pronounced the Law But what and who this Angel was 't is somewhat uncertain Grotius saith it was unus ex praecipuis Angelis one of the chiefest Angels it was such an Angel as was counted worthy to represent the person and bear the name of God So Moses tells us God spake all these words And as Moses gives him this glorious Title so doth this Angel himself assume and own it I am the Lord thy God c. And that he was so indeed the people believed The Lord our God hath shewed us his glory and we have heard his voice we have seen this day that God doth talk with man c. From these expressions several Interpreters do gather that this Angel who delivered the Law was the Second Person in the Trinity whose various Appearances under the Old Testament were nothing else but as St. Austine calls them Symbola Praeludia Incarnationis the Symbols Tokens and Essays of his Incarnation This is that which Nazianzene confidently affirms Filium Dei in Monte Sina cum Mose locutum esse scimus That the Son of God upon Mount Sina did discourse with Moses is a thing that we know And to this purpose doth St. Chrysostom expound that passage of St. Stephen He was in the wilderness with the angel What Angel means he St. Chrysostom answers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 'T is the Son of God whom he calleth an Angel and again a little after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the expression sheweth that the Angel who appeared to Moses was the Angel of the great Counsel and who is that Dionysius the Areopagite answers thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jesus himself And indeed that it was some Person of the Blessed Trinity that delivered the Law was the Opinion not onely of Philo the Jew but of St. Cyprian Justine Martyr Tertullian and some other Fathers of the Christian Church who affirmed with one consent revera fuisse Deum that it was God indeed But let us admit the Opinion of these learned and pious men to be a mistake and that of St. Dionysius to be a Truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Scriptures teach us that the Divine Law was handed to us by Angels so Josephus too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our most excellent Doctrines and most holy Precepts were delivered to us by Angels Well suppose it be certain that Angels properly so called had to doe with the delivery of the Law yet this doth no way hinder but that Christ may be and surely is the Legislatour still for whatever this Angel whoever he was delivered upon Mount Sina was the Dictate of God So the same Authours tell us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Law was given by God so Dionysius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Law was delivered by Angels who had learn'd and received it from God so Josephus And what Person of the Godhead it was Saint Austine thus informs us Quemadmodum Verbum Dei quod est Christus loquitur in Propheta sic in Angelo loquitur As the Word of God which is Christ speaks in a Prophet so doth he speak in an Angel too I remember Caelius Rhodiginus tells us that the Law-givers of the Nations were very ambitious to make their Subjects believe that all the Laws which they established were derived from some Deity or other Thus Trismegistus fathered his Laws upon Mercury Draco and Solon theirs upon Minerva Zamolxis his upon Vesta Plato his upon Jupiter and Apollo Numa his upon Egeria c. Now that Divine Honour which they sought for their Laws ours hath which undoubtedly is the Law of a God or as my Text words it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word of Christ that Glorious Law-giver with whom those of this World whom Seneca mentions for the wisest Solon Lycurgus Zaleucus Charondas c. are not once to be named Secondly All the Prophecies of the Old Testament have Christ for their
deserves our Faith See this especially in three Particulars 1. Since the whole Scripture is undoubtedly the Word of Christ we are obliged to believe it in all the matter of History which is contained therein There are indeed such and such Historicall Narrations found in the Prophets Evangelists and Apostles so strange and miraculous that were they found in any Book besides we might perhaps without any blame suspect the Writers Faith and warrantably suspend our own Did we reade in Herodotus what we reade in Moses that this glorious fabrick of Heaven and Earth was created without any more adoe then onely this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And God said Let there be this and that where is the man that barely upon such an Authority would believe it Had Plutarch written the Life of Moses as he did the Lives of Greeks and Romans had he recorded the wonderfull Works of God in Egypt at the Red Sea and in the Wilderness had he told us of a Rod that became a Serpent of Waters that were consolidated into a Wall of Rocks that were rarefied and melted into Wells of Bread dropped down from Heaven the Tast whereof was gratefull to the various Palates of every one that ate it or had Ovid told us and onely he or some other Authour like him that the whole World was once drowned with water and shall one day be burnt with fire that a Woman was turned into Salt that a King became a Beast and fed on grass like an Oxe had he told us that the Chariot of the Sun that wheels round the world with so strong and quick a Motion stood still at one time and went back at another or had some Humane Authour who is of the greatest Credit told us what the Prophet Daniel peremptorily doth namely that a man was cast into a Den of hungry Lions and yet remained untouched that three persons were thrown into a flaming Furnace that was heated seven times more then ordinary on purpose to consume them and yet remained not onely unburnt but even unsindged too or had any such Writer told us what the Evangelist doth The blind receive their sight the lame walk the lepers are cleansed the deaf hear the dead are raised up Such stories as these had they been delivered by any humane and vulgar Authour must needs have exceeded all the faith of the most credulous person which the whole World affords But although these Stories to carnall Reason may seem very strange and improbable though the matter of fact be in it self so hard and difficult that it doth rather discourage then induce us to believe them yet since we find these things expresly and clearly delivered in our most holy Writ since we find them strongly attested by Prophets Evangelists and Apostles we cannot with any shew of Reason without a great deal of guilt and sin not onely deny our Assent but even so much as suspend our Faith and that because the whole Scripture which contains these historicall Narrations how strange soever is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word of Christ that Christ who did not will not can not lie 2. Since the whole Scripture is undoubtedly the Word of Christ we are obliged to believe it in all the Promises which it contains What those Promises are St. Peter tells us Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises The Promises of God are exceeding great in their number and exceeding precious in their nature too there is not any one amongst them but is of more reall value then the whole world besides so many so sweet so excellent are they that a poor humble soul who hath the greatest Interest in them scarce knoweth how to believe them as if they were too good to be true That an offended God upon the shedding of a few penitentiall Tears upon a little Humiliation Contrition and Reformation which cannot possibly make the least Satisfaction for those frequent Injuries which man hath done him should ever be so gracious as to promise him that signal and inestimable Blessing even the full Remission of all those Transgressions which would otherwise have certainly damned him for ever That upon the Submission of a Sinner God Almighty should promise to advance that Rebell to a Throne whom he might have justly laid in that infernall Gaol to be wrapped up in flames and chains of darkness and that for ever That upon some few Acts of such and such an inconsiderable service which adds nothing to the ever-blessed Majesty of Heaven the Great God should promise no less a Reward then an immortall Crown of Glory Certainly were such Promises as these reported by some mere man like our selves nay more were they delivered to us barely by an Angel from Heaven they would not easily be believed For when some dejected and contrite Soul doth seriously consider with it self the dreadfull nature of its Sin the worthlesness of its Repentance the manifold imperfections and small value even of its highest Services it can hardly enter into its head that the one should so easily be forgiven and the other so highly rewarded But although the Sinner from the sad apprehension of his own Guilt and his great Vnworthiness of those unvaluable Privileges which are the Subject matter of the grand Promises of the Gospell may find in himself just cause to fear their Performance yet when he seriously considers whose Promises they are and where they stand recorded he hath far greater reason to conclude their full Accomplishment St. Paul tels us He that hath promised is faithfull and again All the promises of God in Christ are Yea and Amen True it is Man is but a poor Worm a Sinner a Rebel unworthy to share in those glorious Promises that stand recorded in our Bibles but what then shall we take occasions from the Demerits of Man to suspect and question the Truth and Faithfulness of God We must acknowledge that Promises of Pardon Life eternal Blisse and Glory are such mighty things as pass our Vnderstanding but must they therefore exceed our Faith Methinks it should be as easie for us to believe them as it is to reade them Certainly if there be nothing too great for God to promise there is nothing too hard for God to doe whatever good words his Mercy hath made him speak his Power and his Truth confirms and for all this we have the Great Charter of Heaven a sure word of Prophecy even that blessed Security which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word of Christ But 3. Since the whole Scripture is undoubtedly the Word of Christ we are obliged to believe it in all the Threatnings which it contains That the various Menaces recorded in Holy Writ are indeed most dreadfull things whosoever doth but reade them must presently acknowledg The Prophet tells us The soul that sinneth it shall die What a sad condition then is the incorrigible Sinner in The Psalmist tells us The wicked shall be
that Gospel which St. Paul had published So Irenaeus saith again Evangelium quod quidem tunc praeconiaverunt postea per voluntatem Dei in Scripturis nobis tradiderunt That Gospel which the Apostles had then preached they did afterwards deliver to us in the Scriptures and that by the will pleasure and command of God And doubtless St. Paul intimates as much in that expression of his Hold the traditions which ye have been taught whether by word or our epistle What he had formerly taught them by word of mouth and what he had already delivered in his former Epistle is here equally called a Tradition For the truth is the Substance of St. Paul's Sermons and Epistles the Subject matter of his Preaching and his Writing was all one This seems clear from that expression of his To write the same things to you to me indeed is not grievous but for you it is safe What same things doth he mean St. Hierom tells us Eadem repetere quae praesens dixeram To repeat the same things with my Pen which I delivered with my Tongue when I was present with you And thus did other Apostles and Evangelists too what they spake at one time that they wrote at another Thus dealt St. Luke with his dear friend Theophilus whom he first instructed by word of mouth but afterwards by writing So Theophylact tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I formerly catechized thee without writing but now by giving thee a written Gospel But what doth this written Gospel contain new lessons or old ones did St. Luke speak one thing and write another No the reason why he wrote Theophylact gives us thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I do by writing strengthen and secure thy mind lest it should forget what things had been formerly delivered by word of mouth So he tells us again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have therefore written thee a Gospel that thou mayest the more firmly remember and keep the things which thou hast been taught by word of mouth And that St. Paul dealt thus with the Churches to whom he preached and wrote we have ground enough to believe 't is more then probable that the self-same Traditions in all necessary points of Faith which he taught them by word of mouth at one time he also penned at another Methinks we may very rationally collect this from what St. Chrysostom saith concerning that speech of St. Paul ye keep the traditions as I delivered them to you Hence that Father thus infers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Therefore at that time St. Paul delivered them many things without writing We grant it but withall we must observe St. Chrysostom's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then at that time an expression doubtless that hath little of savour in it if he doth not mean that what St. Paul did thus deliver by orall Tradition at one time he also wrote at another And although the Epistles of St. Paul being written to particular Churches or Persons upon particular matters in answer to such and such particular Questions and against such and such particular Opinions and Heresies he had not a fair occasion in every or perhaps in any one single Epistle to give an account of every thing relating to Christ and his Religion yet we do affirm that if we take all his Epistles collectively and together we shall find that the whole Summe of that Gospel which St. Paul preached to the world by word of mouth is so fully delivered in them that whosoever shall believe the Truths and perform the Duties contained in them though he know no Scripture besides shall certainly be saved Nor indeed was it necessary that St. Paul should undertake to set down the whole Doctrine of Christ in every or any one of his short Epistles since it was sometimes his command and might always be his just expectation that that Epistle which he wrote to one Church should be communicated to others also for their farther Information too And certainly if all the necessary Points and substantial Parts of that Religion which St. Paul preached to the world by word of mouth were afterwards recorded either by himself in his own Epistles or as Eusebius and Irenaeus testifie by St. Luke in his Gospel the Roman Church will never be able to justifie their unwritten Traditions those at least which they urge as necessary from any one Instance or Expression of St. Paul But 3. We shall enquire whether the Traditions now contended for in the Roman Church be the same or of a like nature with those the observation whereof St. Paul requires from the Thessalonians and commends in the Church of Corinth This Consideration is of great concern for if the Traditions of the Roman Church be of another kind if they shall prove to be the late and new Inventions of men not so much as thought of in the Apostles days the whole case is so altered that I do not see how it is possible for them to find the least Countenance from St. Paul For all that St. Paul doth either require or commend in this matter is the observation of those Traditions onely which he himself who was guided by God's infallible Spirit had delivered to such and such Churches they are his own words Ye keep the traditions as I delivered them and again Hold the traditions which ye have been taught by word or our epistle Here St. Hierom notes Quando sua vult teneri non vult extranea superaddi Whereas St. Paul commands them to observe his Traditions he doth in effect forbid them to introduce strange ones of their own Now whatever Traditions the Church of Rome pretends to have been delivered by St. Paul to the Churches of Christ without being written are of these two kinds 1. 'T is pretended that St. Paul and other Apostles too delivered some unwritten Traditions that concerned necessary Points of Faith Worship Manners and Rules of Righteousness Thus he tells the Corinthians I delivered unto you that which I also received how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures c. and again I received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread c. 'T is evident from these Texts that these Traditions which St. Paul delivered to the Church concerning matters of Faith and Worship he received from God and found them suitable to the written Word Now let us consider whether the present Traditions of the Roman Church about matters of Faith and Divine Service be such too if they are we oppose them not They tell us that the Observation of the Lord's day is an Apostolicall Tradition we contradict it not because we find ground for it in the written Word we also find it mentioned by the Primitive and early Fathers Ignatius if yet that Epistle of his be not corrupted tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Jewish Preparation
Titulus the Title of his whole Book which comprehends the summe of all his following Discourse and sheweth that his design was to treat of nothing else but Christ is the acknowledgement of Erasmus who denieth St. Matthew's Title so to be and doe And what is the Subject Matter of St. Luke's Gospel himself acquaints his friend Theophilus The former Treatise have I made of all that Jesus began both to doe and teach Partitus est omnem Christi Vitam in Facta Doctrinam saith Erasmus St. Luke doth here divide the whole Life of Christ into the Miracles which he wrought and the Sermons which he preached and tells Theophilus that these two were the great Contents of his former Book Thus Grotius Haec verba brevem Evangelii descriptionem continent These words contain a short description of St. Luke's whole Gospel and shew that Christ is the Subject of it And as for the Acts of the Apostles Quid aliud est quà m Evangelii pars saith Erasmus What is it else but a part of the Gospel What contains it but an History of what the Apostles did and suffered upon the Account of Christ And what Saint John our fourth Evangelist treats of the very first line of his Gospel tells us In the beginning was the Word 'T is but one Word that makes up his whole Book and that Word is Christ So then 't is clear enough that Christ is the onely Subject of all four Gospels but what do the Epistles treat of St. Matthew Mark Luke and John do write of Jesus but what doth St. Paul doe 'T is sure that no Apostle preached no Apostle wrote so much as he but what 's his Subject The Text answers He preached Jesus himself confirms it We preach not our selves but Christ And as he preached so he wrote too 't is easily seen that in all his Epistles there are but few Passages to be found that do not one way or other relate to Christ So that upon the whole matter we may safely say as Maldonate doth Tota Scriptura Christum loquitur The whole Scripture speaks of Christ So Cornetius à Lapide too Tota Scriptura pro Argumento suo habet Christum tota circa Christum versatur All the Bible the Old Testament and the New Moses and the Prophets the Evangelists and the Apostles do all treat of Christ as Christ is the Authour of all Scriptures so is he their great Subject matter too And if so we may well conclude that the whole Bible is what the Text styles it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word of Christ And since 't is so these Inferences will undeniably follow I. That the Scriptures have in them more of Excellence Wisedom Purity and Holiness then any or all other Writings whatsoever Indeed there may be and certainly is somewhat of worth in many other books besides 't is possible sometimes to find Gold among rubbish and a Jewel may lie upon a dunghill That there are many things of great use in Humane nay in Heathenish Authours no sober person that reads and understands them will deny So excellent are the Writings of Plato that I find him styled alter Moses a second Moses and the Ancients commonly surname him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato the Divine Such are the Morals of Plutarch a man styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Venus of all Philosophy that it was judged the fittest book to be preserved if all books were to be burnt but one Nay so choise an Authour is that very Poet Homer that Dionysius calleth him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most Divine And methinks that little Poem of Pythagoras deserves its name and those few lines of his are justly styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verses of Gold What great use may be made of Heathenish Moralists Historians and Poets we learn from those great Examples and learned men the Primitive Fathers Justine Martyr Clemens Alexandrinus Origen Epiphanius c. and amongst the Latins Tertullian Austine Hierom Cyprian Lactantius and many others who overthrew the Idolatry of the Gentiles and convinced the Nations of their abominable Superstitions and Practices by the clear Testimonies of their own Writers And in so doing these great Luminaries of the Christian Church did but follow the Example of St. Paul who to convince Pagans and Infidels took Arguments from their own Authours and translated some Verses of Callimachus Epimenides Menander and Aratus into the Word of God and thereby made them sacred And doubtless there is a great truth in that expression of Scultetus Fructuosè ancillantur Sacris c. The Testimonies of Humane Authours do contribute a great deal towards the Confirmation of many Truths and the better understanding of the Oracles of God And if there be such a worth in the writings of other Authours who were but Men what value shall we set upon the Scripture which is the undoubted Word of God If the Laws of Solon be choise what is the Law of Moses If the Ethicks of Aristotle Epictetus Hierocles Cicero Seneca and many others be excellent what then are the Proverbs of Solomon If the Discourses of Plato be Heavenly what then are the Sermons of Christ Nay if the Epistles of St. Austine St. Hierom St. Bernard and other Fathers be even Divine what are St. Paul's then Remember other Writings are but the Writings of Men but these are God's other Books at best contain but the word of such and such a Saint whereas our Bible contains 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word of Christ II. That every man stands obliged readily and firmly to believe whatever the Scriptures contain and assert to be a Truth I remember St. Paul demands of Agrippa Believest thou the Prophets and our Blessed Saviour himself demands of Martha Believest thou this Certainly were not man grown strangely sottish such demands as these would have no place and yet methinks 't is a stranger Question which Christ put to the Jews How shall ye believe my words But what should hinder Is it possible for man to pretend any reason why the words of Christ should be so much as once suspected So great is his Authority so unquestionable is his Veracity that his bare affirmation is a sure ground of Faith Thus the Evangelist The man believed the word But what moved him so to doe the Text answers and assigns this Reason of his faith The man believed the word that Jesus had spoken And such is every word which our Bibles contain 't is the Word of Jesus and upon that score if we are the Disciples of Jesus we stand obliged to doe what his other Disciples formerly did They believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said The truth is the whole Scripture is nothing else but a Systeme of Words and Sentences which Jesus hath said and caused to be written and if so there is not a Verse there is not a Line to be found but requires and
Be never merry but onely then when ye see your Brother in Charity These and some few more Sentences not found in Sacred Writ are imputed to our Blessed Saviour and so is that too by some to Christ by others to some Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be skilfull Exchangers which words are styled in Eusebius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Apostolicall expression And the truth is that the Apostles might receive from Christ betwixt his Resurrection and Ascension directions to ordain Rites and Ceremonies that concerned the Administration of God's publick Worship and the exteriour Discipline of the Church and that these Orders and Determinations of his touching the Circumstances of God's Service were delivered to their Successours by word of mouth and were not presently registred we are not forward nor indeed any whit concerned to deny But withall the Church of Rome stands much obliged to prove and that with clear Evidence and unquestionable Authority that those present Traditions of theirs which they do so stifly contend for equall to and in some cases prefer before the written Word are indeed those very Traditions which were recommended to the Church by Christ or his Apostles This I confess the Romanists do pretend and promise to doe but if they fail what then 'T is the confident expression of Bellarmine Non est Audaciae aequare aliquid non scriptum Verbo Scripto 'T is no sawcy thing at all to equall something unwritten to that Word which is written nor doth he think that expression of his too bold Traditio sola sufficit Scripturae non sufficiunt Tradition alone is enough but the Scriptures alone are not sufficient Methinks such persons are much obliged to prove that these Traditions of theirs are indeed of Divine Authority since they have a greater esteem for them then for the known and sure Word of God For if it should happen that these Traditions which are so highly magnified should be found and proved the bare Inventions of men those persons would appear somewhat too bold and sawcy indeed who have preferred them before the certain and infallible Decrees of Heaven This Aquinas well understood and therefore knew himself concerned to maintain the Divine Authority of those Traditions whereof he doth thus pronounce Verbum Dei bifariam dividitur in Scripturam Traditiones The Word of God is twofold Scripture and Tradition Thus Bellarmine too who styles Tradition Verbum Dei non scriptum the unwritten Word of God And their Conventicle of Trent saith that their Traditions were vel ore tenus à Christo vel à Spiritu Sancto dictatae delivered immediately by Christ's own mouth or dictated by his Holy Spirit Thus doth the Church of Rome pretend a full and Divine Authority for several Traditions which they hold though not recorded in our Bibles And if this Assertion of theirs in favour of their Traditions can be proved with as convincing Arguments as those whereby the Authority of the Scripture is confirmed we shall with equall Respect even as the Romanists do embrace them both For though it be certain that the committing of the Word of God to Ink and Paper was an excellent means to preserve it entire and to secure it and us from Frauds Cheats and Falsifications yet the Members of the Reformed Churches have not so far lost their Religion and Reason as once to imagine that the bare writing of the Scripture should create and give it that Authority which is inherent in it Insomuch that if any Traditionall Doctrine or Practice that is now taught and used in the Roman Church can be sufficiently proved to have been originally delivered by Christ or his Apostles we shall as readily believe and doe it as any thing else whatsoever that is required or delivered in any part of the Written Word But if bold and confident Affirmations be enough to justifie Unwritten Doctrines and Vsages what Religion what Sect what Heresie will want such and such Pretences to plead for the Vindication of it self 'T is well known that the very Heathens pretended that as Plato words it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Disposition and Institution of their Laws such especially as concerned their Religion how absurd soever was from God It is the observation of Bellarmine himself In Alcorano passim legimus ipsum Alcoranum de Coelo à Deo missum It was it seems the pretence of that grand Impostour Mahomet that even his Alcoran came down from Heaven and was dictated by God Eusebius tells us that Menander who was indeed but a Sorcerer and the real disciple of Simon Magus did pretend himself to be sent from Heaven And that famous Heretick Cerinthus whose very presence made St. John fly out of the Bath who was an Enemy to the written Word of God did make his Followers believe that he received his Doctrines though detestable enough by Revelation from Angels But what sober person gave any credit to him And what if the case stand thus with the Roman Church what if those Traditions which they father upon Christ and his Apostles were indeed none of theirs Sure we are it was so with those superstitious Jews who in our Saviour's time owned and stifly maintained as the Papists now do a twofold Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a written Law and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an unwritten Law or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 secondary Laws 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hearings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Law in the mouth and generally styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Traditions These Traditions they received from the great Synagogue that Synagogue derived them from the Prophets the Prophets from the Elders the Elders from Joshua Joshua from Moses and Moses himself from God so they pretended But notwithstanding these fair Insinuations and plausible Pretences of theirs to render their superstitious Rites and Customes the more acceptable to the ignorant and credulous Multitude what was indeed their true Original we learn from Christ and his Evangelists who style them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Traditions of the Fathers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Traditions of the Elders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Traditions of men and our Blessed Saviour speaking to the Pharisees calleth them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your Traditions not Moses his not the Prophets not God's but your own And as it was thus in the Jewish Church so may it well be in the Roman too 't is very probable that many Traditions which there are ascribed to Christ and his Apostles might deduce their Original from some other hand Such counterfeit Traditions do we reade of that were obtruded upon the Church in the Apostles names very early indeed even whilst the Apostles themselves were yet alive So much doth that expression of St. Paul seem to intimate We beseech you brethren that ye be not troubled neither by word nor by letter as from us Grotius tells us Multi fabricabant Epistolas sub Apostolorum nomine There were many
upon record to the contrary If any man hunger let him eat at home Hence Luther tells King Henry the Eighth Apud nos non peccat qui modestè ederit biberit ante Communionem With us the man doth not sin who eats or drinks moderately before the Sacrament And 't is well known that the Primitive Christians who were very tender of all Apostolicall Institutions did at least in some places and upon some days in imitation of our Blessed Saviour receive the Sacrament after Supper So much may we collect from that expression of St. Austine who grants Institutum esse multis locis ut die Paschae post refectionem Deo offeratur c. that it was the Custom of many places to offer the Eucharist to God after meat And Sozomen tells us that some also dined before the reception of the Sacrament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They coming together on the Sabbath towards the Evening and having already dined they partake of the Mysteries From this Authority Cornelius à Lapide is forced to acknowledge thus much Perduravit hic mos in nonnullis Ecclesiis per multa secula This Custom of eating before the Sacrament continued in some Churches for many Ages and yet is fasting an Apostolicall Institution is it indeed Consuetudo necessariò servanda a Custom that must of necessity be observed as Bellarmine contends But since Tertullian hath given us a fair Intimation in that expression of his Non sciet maritus quid ante omnem cibum sumas c. that in his time the Sacrament was received before all other food since Nazianzene hath assured us that the Eucharist was celebrated in his Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before Supper and since St. Austine hath told us Per universum orbem mos iste servatur The Custom of receiving the Lord's Supper fasting is observed by the whole Christian Church throughout the World we look upon it as a laudable Practice and use it as an ancient Rite though it will be hard to prove it an Apostolicall Institution For St. Austine's Placuit Spiritui Sancto c. urged by Bellarmine will not evince it no not upon the Principles of his own Church for 't is well known that the Pope and his Councils do commonly ascribe to the Holy Ghost as well their own Determinations as the Tradition of Christ's Apostles But although our receiving the Eucharist fasting were granted to be the Dictate of God's Holy Spirit signified to the Church either by the Apostles themselves or their immediate Successours in that Age wherein the extraordinary Revelations of the Holy Ghost were as yet continued though I say this Ceremony of receiving the Sacrament fasting were certainly of Divine or Apostolicall Institution yet doubtlesse severall Rites recommended and used by the Roman Church in the Administration of this Sacrament are not so For who commands that the Sacramental Bread must needs be broken into three Pieces as if there were some great Mysteries signified by a threefold fraction Who requires the Circumgestation of the Host Who commands the Priest to sign himself the Altar the Book the Elements and all the Congregation with the Crosse Was it some Apostle or their own Alexander which ordained that the Sacramental Wine should be mixed with Water What warrant can be pretended from the command or example of Christ or any Apostle of his for putting the consecrated Bread not into the Hand but the Mouth of their Communicants I remember that Canon of the Council of Altissiodorum a Town in France Non licet mulieri nudâ manu Eucharistiam sumere 'T is not lawful for a woman to receive the Sacrament with a bare and naked hand no if she want her Dominical her linen Gloves non communicet let her not partake of the Sacrament that 's their law I remember also another Canon established by a Council assembled in Constantinople which runs thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Communicant must frame his hands into the figure of a Crosse And how that must be done too there is a Jesuit who thus instructs us Dexterâ superpositâ sinistrae in modum Crucis c. Certainly these Canons are so superstitious that they savour of a Pope rather then an Apostle but however they give sufficient evidence that the Eucharist of old was received by the Communinicants with their Hands not their Mouths The truth is the Roman Church hath no more warrant from any Apostolicall Tradition for these and some other Ceremonies used therein about the Eucharist then they have for their half-Communion whereby against the Institution of Christ the Discourse of St. Paul and the Evidence of Primitive Practice the Laiety are unworthily robbed of half the Sacrament and are admitted onely to a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a dry Feast indeed 'T is very evident that these and many other Vsages and Doctrines received in the Roman Church are not the Doctrines and Practices taught and required by Christ or St. Paul no such they are as have no Countenance from any clear Text of Prophets Evangelists or Apostles and because 't is so because the Scriptures will never justifie those Practices and Assertions of theirs they are resolved and indeed much obliged in point of honour to seek out for other Arguments to prove them and what they are we shall now consider II. The Champions of the Roman Church do endeavour to prove their Traditions to be Apostolicall by the Testimonies of their own Bishops as if they were Infallible Thus that the yearly Renovation of their Chrism is an Apostolicall Tradition doth Bellarmine offer to prove by the Authority of Pope Fabian who in his second Epistle to the Bishops of the Eastern Church tells them thus Ista à Sanctis Apostolis eorum Successoribus accepimus VobÃsque tenenda mandamus 'T is that which we have received from the Apostles and their Successours and so we require from you its Observation To this he adds the Testimony of Innocent the First who in his first Epistle to Decentius saith Si Instituta Ecclesiastica ut sunt à beatis Apostolis tradita integra vellent servare Domini sacerdotes c. If our Lord's Priests would entirely observe the Institutions of the Church as they were delivered by the blessed Apostles c. Now to these and the like Testimonies of the Roman Bishops which are cited in the defence of such and such Traditions we have two things to answer 1. The Roman Bishops that have pleaded for the unwritten Traditions of that Church are not competent Witnesses nor doth their Testimony deserve to be admitted in matters of this Concern 'T is notoriously known that there are severall Traditions maintained by the Roman Church that are very advantageous to their Bishop and others of their Clergy too and that upon severall accounts That Doctrine which teacheth the Pope's Primacy and Supremacy over all other Bishops and Secular Princes makes much for