is most cerâ—aine that instead of all the Scripâ—ure one sole line might suffice spcaking thus Goe but to the Church of Rome and shee will teach you all things infallibly Now to vnderstand what is the imperfection where of our adversaries accuse the Scripture let vâ—â— obserue what they discourse vpon the same The Councell of Trent in the fourth Session pronounceth that the Church shall receâ—ue and honour the vnwritten Traditions with equall affection of piety and reverence as the holy Scripture The hallowed Synod say these Fathers Omnes libros tam veterus quam novi Testamenta nec non Traditiones ipsas tum ad fiaem tum ad mores pertinentes tanguam vel ore tenus à Christo vel à Christo vel à spiritu sancto dictatas pari pietatis affectu ac reve reÌ„tia suscipit ac veneratur receaues and honoureth with like affection of godlinesse and reverence all Bookes as well of the Old as the New Testament and the Traditions appertaining to faith and manners as dictated onely by the mouth of Christ or by his holy spirit Yea by this decree the commandements of the Church of Rome are equall to the Law of God and the doctrine of the Gospell contained in the New Testament By this rule the Invocation of Saints commanded by Tradition ought to bee done with like pietie and reverence as the Invocation of God commaunded in the holy Scripture By the authoritie of this Councell Catechismus ad pa ochos ex Decrete Conâ—tly arid Py 4. Pont. Max. iussis editus Omnis aoctrinae ratio quae fidelibus trâ—aeda sit quod in Scripturam traditionésque distributum est a Catechisme was framed which in the very entry and be ginning placeth this Maxime that all doctrine which ought to be given to the faithfull is contained in the Word of God which is divided into Scripture and Traditions whence grew vp the distinction of the word written and unwritten Gregory de Valentia the Iesuite in the fift Booke of his Analysis and Scripturans non esse sufficientem fides regulaÌ„ quta non continet omnia Title of the third Chap. The Scripture is not a sufficient rule of faith for it containeth not all things Cardinall Bellarmine a Iesuite in his Booke of the Vnwritten word Scripturas sine Traditioniâ—us nec fuisse fimpliciter necessarias nec sâ—fficientes Chap. 4. The Scriptures without Traditions are not simply necessary nor sufficient And there againe he calleth the Scripture regulam non totalem sed partialem a rule not entire but a piece or parcell of a rule The Iesuite Baile in the 9 question of his Catechisme I will make you poynt it with your finger that the Scripture is not sufficient Peter Charren in the fourth Chap. of his third Verity saith that to require all to bee proued by Scripture is an vniust demand And not much after The Scripture is nothing but a little par cell of truth revealed Part. 3. disp 8 § 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Stultum est omnia ab Apostolus scripta putare vol omnia abâ—â—is tradita 〈◊〉 Etin iniurtam vergerat agentis râ—velantis Spiritus Et insuave esset natura nostre quae omnia simul non capit Salm ron the Iesuite in his 13. Tome of the first Booke of his Commentaries vpon the Epistles of Saint Paul It is a sottishnesse to thinke that the Apostle haue written all things or haue given all by Tradition that would turne to an injury against the holy Ghost operating and revealing and it would bee a thing repugnant to our nature that comprehenaeth not all things at a clap Of which vn written Traditions that haue been started since the Apostles time he fercheth some examples to wit the Ecclesiasticall § Quint. opus Hierarchy that is to ay the Papall Monarchy with the subordinate degrees the service of Images and §. Postremo the suffrages of the dead the Masse and manner of sacrificing and the §. Porro Tradition that Iesus Christ hath made a sacrifice in bread and wine that he then made the Chrisme c. Hee rendreth the reason why these things should not be written to the end that the Commandement §. Quint. opus Haec literis coÌ„signari minimè debuerisnt â—â— soruaretu praecepiuÌ„ Christi Nolite dare sanctum canibus of Iesus Christ bee kept who chargeth in this manner Giue not to dogs that which is holy Vpon this Iesuites reckoning the doctrine of the birth and death of our Saviour was given to dogs when it was digested in writing And God gaue his Law to dogs when he wrote it in two Tables But as for the Papall Hierarchy Image-service Romish Indulgences Invocation of Saints c. God would not haue such holy things to be cast to dogs nor hath he permitted them to be written And there againe Waxing insolent § Tertio Protervire voientes scriptuâ—â— refelli non possunt idea una tradiâ—â—one lugulandi sunt and froward they cannot bee vanquished by the Scriptures therfore must their throats be cut with one Tradition alone Coster a Iesuite in the Preface of Pâ—aefat Enchiâ—â—d Nostri toporis haretici ad solas Sâ—ipturas tanquam ad laxum adharescunt Idem cap de sacra script In membranis tam nâ—vi guae veteris Test aÌ„ multa desiderantur In ea tamen oâ— nta non contineri valde impudeÌ„ter affirmare non verentur A Christe videtur cautum ne omniâ— fider dogmata scriptu coÌ„mendarmtur dum ait Nolite dare sanctum canibus his Manuell The Heretiques of our time doe sticke to the Scriptures as to a rock That displeaseth the Doctor for saith hee In the Parchments as well of the Old as New testament many things are wanting And further they feare not to affirme with great impudence that all things are contained in the Scripture And a little after It seemes that Iesus Christ forbad all the doctrines of Faith to be couched in writing when hee sayd Giue not to â—ggs that which is holy As if the Scripture were made for the dogs And who may these dogs bee but the Christian people Now seeing that Iesus Christ hath given the Scripture to these dogs that is to say to the people wherefore doth the Pope take from them that which Iesus Christ hath given unto them in debarring them of the reading Reason would require that our Adversaries specifie vnto vs what are the Doctrines that are wanting in the Scripture and that they make us a catalogue of their Traditions But they haue not dared to doe it hitherto fearing to affright the people with the multitude of doctrines which they haue patched to the word of God We learne by the History of the Hist del Concilio Trident. lib. 2. Ann. 1546. Councell of Trent that besides the publike Sessions of the Councell they caused Congregations to be made of Prelates and Doctors to make draughts of the Decree which should bee
is rejected and made odious to the people as a dangerous booke I. We haue seene in the former Chapter how our adversaries affirme openly that the Pope and Church of Rome can alter the Lords Institution and nullifie his Ordinance the which being granted it necessarily followeth that the tradition of the Church which correcteth the holy Scripture and altereth what is therein ordained bee of greater authoritie then the Scripture II. When our adversaries vnanimously affirme that the Scripture is not Iudge but that the authority of judging belongeth to the Church heereby they withdraw us from the Scriptures judgement to rely vpon the Churches Tradition for by the Tradition of the Church they onely understand the Lawes of the Church of Rome by the which they would haue us judged III. When they say that the Stapleton lik 2. de authoritate Scripturae cap. 11. Dixâ— et dâ—câ— non taÌ„ ipsius fidei regulam in se esse scripturaÌ„ quam ipsam scripturaâ—uÌ„ reguâ—aÌ„ esse 〈◊〉 Ecclesiâ— Scripture is not the rule of our faith but that it is the faith of the Church that ruleth the Scripture they manifestly preferre Tradition of the church before Scripture for the faith of the Church and Tradition of the Church are all one IIII. These goodly Maximes wherewith they dull our eares Charron aâ— 2. chap de lâ— troisieme verite Nous voulous l'eglise avoir pour nostre regard plus d'authorite que l'escriture That the Church ought to haue more authoritie over vs then the Scripture That it is the Church which giveth authoritie to the Scriptures and that the authoritie of the Scripture over vs is founded vpon the authoritie of the Church what are their meaning other then that the Scripture oweth that authoritie she hath to the Tradition of the Church For the Tradition of the Church is nothing else but the voice and judgement of the Church whereby shee pronounceth as being a soveraigne and infallible Iudge that the Scripture ought to be received V. If the Scripture must bee Staplet lib. 1 de authorit Scriptura c. 9 Ipsis Prophâ—tis è medio â—ublatu â—â—ruÌ„ prophetâ—as à Deo esse credeâ—duÌ„ non est nisi id Ecclesia confiâ—met Synodus Romana sub Gregor 7. Quod nullus liber Canonicus habeatur sine authoritate Papa beleeved because the Tradition of the Church so ordained it what followeth but that Tradition of the Church of Rome is more credible then the Scripture VI. The Iesuite Coster in his Enchiridion chap. 1. calleth the doctrine imprinted in the heart of the Church an other species or kind of Scripture and compareth it also with holy Scriptures The excellence Huius Scripturae praestantia â—ulâ—is partibus suâ—erat scripturas quas nobis in membraâ—â— Apostoli reliquerunt PrimuÌ„ quod illa exarata sit digito dei hac calamis ApostoloruÌ„ saith hee of this kind of Scripture surpasseth much the holy Scripures which the Apostles haue left vs in parchment especially because this is witten with the finger of God the other was written with Apostles pens By his leaue I would willingly aske him whether the Apostles pennes were not guided by the spirit of God VII Carranza in the second Controversie The Church is a rule Nos diâ—imus quod prior regula et notior et multo latior est Ecclesia quam Scriptura canonica â—t hac ab illa debet regulari non è contra that is elder and more knowne yea much more ample then the Canonicall Scripture and this ought to be governed by that but not on the contrary â—n saying that the Church is a rule â—t is evident that by the Church â—ee understandeth the Tradition and lawes of the Church for the persons are not the rule VIII Bellarmine in his fourth QuadaÌ„ sunt Traditiones maiores quod ad obligationeÌ„ quaÌ„ quadam Scripturae booke of the Word of God chap. 6. There are Traditions that are greater then some Scriptures in poynt of obligation IX Salmeron in his first Prolegomenon § Nunc de Nam etsi Eccclesiae ac Scripturae authoritas à Deo sit illa tamen Ecclesia antiquior est atque adeo dignior siquideÌ„ Scripturâ— propter EcclesiaÌ„ contexta est Though the authoritie as well of the Church as of the Scripture bee of God yet the authoritie of the Church is more ancient yea and more worthy for the Scripture is made for the Church By the same reason one might say that subjects haue more authoritie then Lawes and Kings for the people are more ancient then Lawes and Kings and Lawes and Kings are made because of the people Now the authoritie of the Church of Rome cannot bee promoted aboue the Scripture but that by the same reason the authoritie of Tradition in the Church of Rome is to be advanced aboue the Scripture for Tradition is the law of the Church of Rome X. Cordubensis To decide contrâ—versies Câ—dub Art â— cap. 80. Catholicae Ecclesiâ— Traditiâ— est certissâ—â—a regula of the Faith Tradition of the Catholique Church is the most certaine Rule XI Wee haue formerly heard Coster and Salmeron the Iesuites speaking that God would not haue Traditions that are taught out of the Apostles mouth to bee written for feare lest holy things should be given to doggs Herein doe they not clearely signifie that the Scriptures are for the dogs but that God would not haue Traditions to bee in such danger as being more sanctified things and worthy of greater respect XII To what end doe these men say that Iesus Christ hath commaunded the Apostles to preach and not to write but that unwritten Tradition might be preferred before the Scripture and haue much more authoritie XIII Did it ever happen that any of our adversaries haue reported the same of Traditions which they haue said of Scripture Haue they ever called the Traditions a dumbe rule a part or parcell of a rule an ambidexter sword a stone of scandall a nose of wax haue they ever accused Traditions of obscurity of ambiguity or of imperfection as they haue the Scripture XIV But the Iesuite Salmeron shall suffice for all for in the third part of his 13 Tome and 8 Disputation hee treateth of this matter punctually and at large and thus compareth Scripture with Tradition Tradition saith he is aboue all § Estiginâ—◠〈◊〉 est 〈◊〉 ad salute 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ebidem Pâ—â—â—â— ergo Scriptura â—â—mendat traditione 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scripturaÌ„ et ob id magis est necessaria quia ad 〈◊〉 come adandaÌ„ est Scriptura-Necessaria ost 〈◊〉 ad 〈◊〉 du bra qua expresse in scri 〈◊〉 â—on contiâ—ent or nec 〈◊〉 §. Postreâ—â— Ibidem â—ui noÌ„ creditura dirâ—om in ecclesia receta 〈◊〉 scriptura malo 〈◊〉 similes est â—â—lâ—â—â— aebitum reddere si non osteÌ„datur syngraâ—ha cum satu sit idoneos produceâ—â— restes §. Secunda Seâ—unda coÌ„ditio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quâ—â— sit Ser. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 § 〈◊〉 Trtia conditio
hindred from choosing the best Church amongst many contrary How shall they choose Church from the false shall they know it in examining her doctrine by the Scripture that may not be for the Scripture is a Booke that the people are not permitted to reade and our adversaries affirme that the Church is not subject or bound to the Scripture and that the Church may change the same which God commaunded in the Scripture Shall they discerne the true Church by antiquity and succession nor that for the Syrian and Greeke Churches contrary to the Romish are more ancient then that of Rome deriving their succession from the Apostles and punctually to judge in this succession and antiquitie infinite Histories both Greeke and Latine ought to be read wherein the people vnderstand little or nothing And amongst the Clergie it selfe scarce one of an hundred is found that hath but ordinary or competent knowledge therein Hee that but entreth into the view thereof shall discouer the seat of the Romane Pontifies defiled with heresies and enormous crimes yea mangled and rent with Schismes that are decided by stroke of sword and according to the power of Emperours and Kings doeth the scale weigh downe Shall they haue respect to the generalitie and multitude no Iesus Christ calleth his Church a little flocke Luke 12. 32. and signifieth vnto vs that the multitude and broad way leade to perdition Math 7. 13 14. Shal they giue heed to miracles no the Apostle hath foretold us that the sonne of perdition who is Antichrist shall come with signes and miracles 2. Thess 2. 9. And Iesus Christ admonisheth vs that false prophets shall arise and shall make signes wonders to seduce Math. 24. 24. Now seeing that so many false miracles are wrought and the most predominant Courts of Iustice haue made many Decrees against the workers of them how and by what markes shall the poore people distinguish the true miracles from the false seeing there is no knowledge of the true doctrien declaring Gods will that we should discerne the miracles Deut. 13. v. 1 2 3. Briefly it is certaine that the Scriptures authoritie being no more the foundation and direction of the beleeuers faith all Religion vanisheth and turneth into smoke and there remaines nothing but to beleeue at adventure to follow the generalitie and like blind men to lay hands on him that marcheth next before vs. It is answered that in this perplexitie the people are to follow their Doctors and Pastors for they are the men that vndertake with God for the people What must euery man beleeue the Pastors of his owne countrey must they follow the Church wherein they are borne shall man owe his Religion to his birth or the custome of his countrey or the successe of affaires If it bee answered that by the Pastors and Doctors those of the Church of Rome are to be vnderstood therein lies the poynt of difficultie For the question is if those Doctors bee sound and good teachign the true way of health conformably to the Word of God which they conceale from the people in denying them to reade the holy Scriptures then are the people bound to beleeue that these are good Doctors before they know the good doctrine and that this church is the true church before they know or apprehend the truth They are also bound to beleeue what the church of Rome beleeveth not knowing what that Church ought to beleeue But if it be their tenent that every particular person bee assisted with the Spirit of God to bee able to discerne the true Church why hold they not that hee bee assisted with the same spirit to discerne the true doctrine and to examine it by the holy scriptures seeing that the true Church cannot bee distinguished but by the true doctrine for the true faith is first to be knowne before the true faithfull can be distinguished and the true rule is to be well vnderstood before those that follow it can be knowne Christ must first be knowne before there is possibility of knowing undoubtedly what Church is truely his flocke Adde likewise heereunto that the faith of the Romish Doctors dependeth entirely upon the Popes faith neverthelesse they for the greatest part doe beleeue that the Pope may erre and the Popes themselues doe confesse the same as wee haue elsewhere prooved Yea their errors are condemned by those Councels which the Church of Rome did allow And it is hard to beleeue that he cannot erre who boasteth of his authority and power to change that which God hath ordained to dispense with his commandements Add moreover that the greatest â—â—atterers of the Popes that haue written their histories and liues doe lament the corruption of that seat and complaine of the traffique it exerciseth and of the infamous â—â—ving of many Popes and their intolerable pride for what doth the Pope hee is advanced so far as to call himselfe God and the divine Maiestie to cause himselfe to bee adored to reach forth to Emperours a pantable to be kissed to dispose the crownes and liues of Kings and to release soules out of Purgatory insomuch as from a poore Biship of a citie who in the Primitiue time appeared not but in the martyrdomes is by degrees become a great Monarch of the earth that surpasseth in riches and treasure the greatest Kings of the world These things considered may we fix in our minds a just cause to suppose that the Pope is the same man that the Scripture hath foretold to come into the world to * 2 Thess 2. 7 8. Apoes 13. 11 2. Thess 2. â— 4. 9. Apocal. 17. 3. 4. 9. 18. Apocal. 17. 2. Apocal. 13. 15. lift himselfe up into the shrone of Roman Emperours stile himselfe God vaunt of signes and miracles he that should beâ— cloathed in scarlet should possesse his seat in a towne of seven mountaines which is Romes description should seduce Kings wage war against the Church and vanquish it and all this vnder the name of Christian assuming to himselfe the title and authoritie of Iesus Christ For so saith the Spirit of God in the 13 of the Apocalipse Hee shall haue the hornes of a Lambe but shall speake like a dragon These things having beene foretold aboue fifteene hundred yeares past no man since that time hath so swelled himselfe to so high a pitch as to haue these recived things appropriated vnto him but the Pope of Rome Is it by chance or adventure that such preâ—ogatiues haue met in one man Surely these considerations are sufficient to cause a suspition in â—s that this is the man who should haue more authoritie then the Scripture that would haue himselfe beleeved when hee saith that the Scripture is subject vnto him and that he hath power to change it that is to say to contradict it For no man can extoll himselfe aboue the Scripture vnlesse it bee meerely to impugne it Now though man fearing God and touched with the zeale of his
Scriptures in paper nor was he pleased to committ his mysteries to parchment Salmeron in his second Prolegomenon In the Church of God understanding §. Septimo Scriptura Addimus in Ecclesia Dei esse Spiritum sanctuÌ„ Scriptura authoreÌ„ Non mirum ergo si Ecclesia Dei quae SpirituÌ„ habet subijciatur alwayes the Romish is the holy spirit which is Authour of the Scripture it is no marvell then if the Scripture bee subiect to the Church that hath the spirit What is not the Pope subject to the Scripture is hee not subiect to the Law of God which God hath given us written in two tables Is hee not obliged to obey the Doctrine of the Gospell written in the New Testament Now if the head of the Church of Rome be subiect to the Scripture how much more the Church of Rome that is subject to the Pope But is it not a transcendent blasphemy to defend that the Scripture is subject to the Church of Rome For is not the holy Scripture the Word of God It must otherwise follow that the word of God is subject to men and that Gods commaundements are subordinate to the Pope to whom the Church of Rome is subject Now tell mee after such abhomination whether these men doe beleeue that there is one God and one Religion Thomas Stapleton an English Doctour in his second Booke of the Authority of the Scripture chap. Dâ— non tâ—â—sius siâ—eâ— reguâ—am in se esse scripturam quaÌ„ ipsaruÌ„ scripturaruÌ„ regulam esse fideÌ„ Ecclesiae 11. I haue said and doe say that the Scripture in it selfe is not the rule of faith but the faith of the Church is the rule of Scripture Now the faith of the Church is nothing but Tradition of the Church His scope then is that the Scripture shall bee regulated and examined by the Tradition of the Romish Church and that it shall bee subiect to that rule whence is to bee concluded that God speaking to us in the holy Scriptures is directed by men and subject to their judgment The Prophets whose writings are extant with vs were extraordinarily stirred up to reprehend the church of that time and to chastise the Priestes the Sacrificers and the Scribes that erred in manners and doctrine Now in reason tell me were the prophesies of these Prophets subject to the authoritie of that Church Was the faith of these Sacrificers a rule by which those divine Prophesies were to be examined and which wee haue kept to this present time Goe to then if the prophecies were not subiect to Priests and Sacrificers that lived about the Prophets time how are they now subiect to the Pope by what occasion are they become subiect to the superintendency of the Church of Romes Tradition Briefly wee are now arriued at an age wherein blasphemy is come to the highest degree men openly professing to pull God with violence from his Throne and most insolently to climbe aboue him Surely the Mahometans do speake of the Scripture with more respect and reuerence What is the scope or purpose of Iesuite Regourds late booke intitled Catholicke demonstrations but to proue that to rest vpon the Scripture is the way to all impiety and atheisme If herein he meant only our French Bibles or the diuersity of latine translations or the sundry interpretations which hee discouereth in some of our Doctours though all this which hee saith are but calumnies and a Fardell of vnprofitable trifles which wee haue refuted in a former treatise yet this were to forge vntruths with Method and scarce to touch vpon the question but he meaneth the originals Hebrew and Greeke wherein hee findeth no certainty Hee discouereth in them manifest contradictions Pag. 440. and errour in the calculation of times Hee sayes that S. Paul Pag. 562. vsed fraud but an honest fraud towards the Corinthians He telleth vs Pag. 128. 131. that many bookes of the Scripture are lost that the Scriptures were burnt in time of persecution and the Copies perished that many deuout Doctours Pag. 131. doe affirme that vnder the captiuity of Babylon all the old Testament was depraued rent in pieces and burnt vntill Esdras did newly re-compose the same Scriptures that the Iewes our Sauiours enemies haue made vowells Pap. 183. in the old Testament and so changed the sense of the scripture and made it doubtfull The same saith he is true of the new Testament the which hauing beene written without accents and without markes and distinctions of words no man can assure himselfe of the true sense seeing that the sense dependeth upon the accents c. And a litle further We haue not therfore any true knowledge of the sense of the Scripture and consequently wee are pointed and referred over to the mercy of the contestations of Grammarians to the litigious craft of criticall spirits to the capritious fancies of Dictionary-makers to the Gallimafries and Chimeraes of scholiasts Now for all these difficulties there is but one single remedy to weet we must repaire to the Church that is to say the Pope and whom it shall bee his pleasure to authorise Whereupon it were good to know when there iâ— a question concerning the exposition of an Hebrew or Greeke passage whether a Pope who vnderstands neither Hebrew nor Greeke shall therein be a good Interpreter whether sitting in the Apostoliâ—ke chaire hee shall giue infallible interpretations of a Text whereof he knoweth not a letter whether hauing called the Doctours to instruct him thereupon hee instantly reinuesteth them with an infallible spirit and enableth them with power not to erre in matters wherein hee himselfe vnderstandeth nothing Whence then proceedeth so great a diuersity and contrariety amongst these Doctouâ—s in the Scriptures interpretation why amongst their writings doe they refute the interpretations of one the other Is it not the Pope and the Church of Rome that by the Councell of Trent hath authorised the vulgar â—atine translation and ordained â—hat it should onely be receiued for â—uthenticall although it bee the worst interpretation of all and stuffed with a thousand errours and absurdities haue not the Popes themselues since the Councell of Trent caused multitudes of faults to bee amended therein doe not the most learned of the Romish Church Pagnin Arias Montanus Isidorus Clarius Andradius Sixtus Senensis complaine of the corruption of this translation wherein the Iesuites themselues are not silent especially Salmeron in his Salm. Proâ— 9. Quinqua l. Can. 5. In nouo Testamento sequenda est editio vulgata ac teâ—enda corrigenda tamen emaculanda prius in his in quibus aut temporum iniuria aut labrariorum incurâ—a vel imperiâ—â—a depraâ—â—ta est ninth Prolegomenon of these things wee haue written at large in our first Treatise of the Iudge of controversies The peruersnes of this Iesuiticall sparke is most of all discouered herein that hauing once displayed as hee supposeth the defaults of the Scripture hee reioyceth that such
the Clergy to take up Armes with heretikes to impeach those that goe to Rome to obtaine the great Pardons to play the Pyrate upon the coasts of the Papall territory from the hill Argentara to Terracina of these hainous sinnes none but the Pope can giue absolution for these are transgressions against the Lawes and Traditions broached by the Popes for their profit and to infringe them is rated a matter more grievous and capitall then sinnes against the Law of God contained in holy Scriptures VI. The Canon Violatores in the 25. Cause and 1. Question pronounceth In Spiritum sanctum blasphemant qui sacros Canones violant that those blaspheme against the holy Ghost who violate the sacred Canons Whence it followeth that this sin is unpardonable The sinns then against the Law of God are remiâ—table and the Priests forgiue them but to violate the Canons of the Church of Rome is a sinne unabsolvable This is that which is spoken by Pope Nicholas Can. Si RomanoruÌ„ Diss 19. Vt si quis in illa coÌ„miserit noverit sibi veniam denegari the first If any one sinne against the Decretalls of the Apostolique Seat let him know that it shall not bee forgiven him at the Canon Si Romanorum in the 19. Distinction And there againe he declareth that the Old and Capitulum S InnoccÌ„ty Papae cuius authoritate deecatur à nobis vtrumque testamentum esse recipienduÌ„ quaÌ„vis in ipsis paternis Canonibus nulluÌ„ eorum ex toto contineatur insertum c. New Testament ought to bee receiued although they bee not inserted in the Canons for the holy Pope Innocent hath expressed his opinion touching the same If the Old and New Testament must be receiued because Pope Innocent hath so appointed it we must conclude that the Decree of Pope Innocent is of more authority then the Old and New Testament For that which giueth authority is greater then that which receiueth it Yet the Old and New Testament had their plenary authority before Pope Innocent was in the world VII Pope Gregory the first before Nicholas had beate the path to this pride in his Epistle to Antonine Subdeacon complaineth of one Honorat who saith hee hath not onely Lib. 2. Epist 16. Non solum mandata Dei neglsgens â—ed scripta nostra contemnens neglected the commandements of God but also misprised our writings as if his writings were of more authority then the commandements of God VIII The single life of Priests is a Them 2. seeundae quast 88. art 11. meere humane institution as Thomas acknowledgeth as also Bellarmine in his booke concerning the Clergie Chap. 18. And in very deed the Scripture speaketh nothing thereupon But whoredome is forbidden by the Law of God neverthelesse if a Priest doth play the Fornicatour or Adulterer it is but a laughing matter But if a Priest doe marry to obey the Apostle speaking If they cannot containe let them marry 1. Cor. 7. 9. And let a Bishop bee a husband but of one wife 1. Tim. 2. 2. this mariage is called a sacriledge pointed at as a prodigious thing In lust and whoring hee transgresseth the Law of God and the vow that hee hath made to obey his word In marrying hee transgresseth the Tradition of the Church of Rome and the vow invented by humane Tradition which is accounted the gâ—eater offence For it hath pleased the Pope to allow of obscene whoredome and to forbid mariage which are two Traditions that haue caried him away against the rules of holy Scripture IX Marke yet something worse Innoc. 3. Extra de Bigâ—nou cap Q carea Post lasts per se Apostolica edoceri si presbyteri plures Conâ— binas habâ— bigame ceâ—antur Aâ— qd duicin râ—spondenduÌ„ quod cum irregularitateÌ„ non incurrerint cum eu tanquaÌ„ simplici fornicatione notatu poleru dispensure Navar. Tom. 2 cap. Ad inferendam 23. quast 3. De defeÌ„sione proâ—â—mi cap. 37. sect 15. RespondenduÌ„ est crimon Sodomiae non comprehendi in criminibus quae irregularitatem inducunt c. Quia parum rejert illud crimen esse gravissimuÌ„ et spurcissimuÌ„ cuÌ„ matus sit crimeÌ„ haeresis mentalis edium Dei quoruÌ„ tamen nulluÌ„ irregularitatem inâ—ucit Pope Innocent the third declare h that a Priest hauing many Concubines is not therefore lapsed into irregularity that is to say doth not for this become incapable to exercise the Priesthood Yea for Sodomy a Priest is not degraded as is taught by Nauarras the Popes Penancer But a Priest that marieth is foorthwith degraded is made a publicke execration and chased with more maledictions then the Azazel or Scape-goat although hee haue the Apostle on his side to protect him against the Tradition It is certaine that in the Church of Rome to eat flesh on Goodfriday is accounted an hundred degrees more horrible then to haunt brothell houses and to breake the arme of an Image is more then to breake the heads of ten liuing men For Tradition is more religiously obserued then the Law of God CAP. IX Three reasons wherefore Tradition is preferred before the Scripture in the Church of Rome THe reasons that haue moued the Pope to exalt Tradition aboue the Scripture are three The one is because the succession of the Pope in the primacie of Saint Peter is a Tradition which is the only prop of his dominion And therefore it neerely concernes him to exalt Tradition vpon which his Empire is founded The second is because Traditions depend vpon the Pope and as hee contriued them so can he alter them But hee hath not the Scripture in his power he cannot make another holy Scripture nor change the Hebrew originall which the Iewes who are not obedient to him doe carefully preserue nor the Greeke Testament which the Greeke Churches haue saued for vs. It concernes him therefore that the Traditions whereof hee is both Maker and Master be had in great estimation The third is because all Traditions are gainefull to the Pope and Clergy and serue to extoll the Papall Empire and dignity of the Ecclesiasticks hee and his Clergy rake vp infinite profit by Indulgences priuate Masses Suffrages and Masses for the deceased Dispensations Annates c. By confessions the Priests know the secrets of families make themselues formidable in reseruing the participation of the chalice to themselues and Kings they make themselues companions of Kings and worshipfull to the people by Transubstantiation they attribute to themselue the Gabriel Biel in Can. Miss Lect 15 NeÌ„ volut Dominus aliquâ—m habere potestateÌ„ ligandi vel solvenis super corpus Christi mysticuÌ„ nisi haberet potestateÌ„ super corpus Christi verâ—â— power of making God with words to create their Creatour and to haue Iesus Christ within their jurisdiction locked up in a Pix By the sacrifice of Masse they make themselues sacrificing Priests sacrificing Iesus Christ to his Father By the institution of festiuall dayes the
with all her house And that in the same Chapter the same Apostle baptizeth all the family of the Goaler That Saint Paul baptized the family of Stephanus 1 Cor. 1. 16. If these proofes are bad Why doe they make use of them If they be good in their mouthes Why should they not be good in ours As for holding Baptisme of Heretikes to bee good wee account not this article as necessary to salvation Agrippine a man of holy life and Doctrine and Saint Cyprian Saint Firmilian Saint Denis Alexandrine and Saint Basil have dissented in this point from the Church of Rome yet neverthelesse they are held for Saints by our Adversaries Yea more many Councels approved by the Church of Rome ordaine that some Heretikes should be re-baptized by name the Paulianists the Samosetanians the Montanists the Eunomians the Sabellians the Eucratites c. as is to be seene at the nineteenth Canâ— of the first Councell of Nice At the eighth Canon of the Councell of Laodicea At the seventh Canon of the first Councell of Constantinople And in the Epistle of Saint Basil to Amphilochius at the 47. Canon Yet this question shall be found decided in the Scripture by all probability For Circumcision did still continue among the Israelites of the ten idolatrous races who were no more circumcised when they were converted to the true Religion The custome of circumcising the Samaritans againe that were ranged into Iudaisme wherof Epiphanius speaketh in his booâ— of measures and weights practizeâ— upon Symmâ—chus a Traducer of thâ— Scriptures was invented afterwards The same reason is for Baptisme Concerning the procession of of the holy Spirit from the Father and the Sonne it is to be seene in the Councell of Florence that the Latines defending themselves against the Greekes upon this question doe alledge Scripture but this controversei was devised and is sustained with animosity to strengthen the Schisme and it is an easie matter to accord them therein For those who say that the holy Spirit proceedeth from the Father by the Sonne doe say also that it proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne In a matter that passeth our capacities it is better to say little then too much and rather to be ignorant then to contest The change of the Sabbath and observation of the Lords day are plainely enough collected out of the Scripture The Apostle to the Colos 2. 16. saying Let no man judge you in meat or in drinke or in respect of an holy day or of the new Moone or of the Sabbath dayes forbiddeth to condemne any man that doth not observe a distinction of meats and keepeth not the new Moones not Sabbaths And by the placing of new Moones and the Sabbaths in the same ranke he sheweth cleerely that as Christians were not obliged to keepe the new Moones so were they no more strictly bound to keepe the Sabbaths At the first Chapter of the Apoc. 10. is mention made of our Lords day Vpon which passage the Iesuite Ribera Ribera in cap. 1. Apocal Videmus hîe etiam tempore Apostolorum Sâ—bbaths solemaitatens muâ—aâ—am esse in Dominicam diem speaketh thus Wee see here that in the time of the Apostles the solemnity of the Sabbath was changed to the Lords day This is the first day of the weeke whereon the Christians made their solemne assemblies to celebrate the holy Supper and to contribute their almes as is to be seene at the 20. of the Acts 7. and in 1 Cor. 16. 2. as Thomas and Lombard have declared in their Commentaries upon this Epistle and Estius Comment in 1. ad Corin. cap. 16. Ecclesia iam ab illo tempore caepit vacare diem Dominicam quod in ea resurrexisset Dominus a morte Sic enim appellatur a lohanne Apostole Adocal 1. vt proinde diet Dominica nomen institutioneÌ„ ad Apostoles referendam esse non sit dubium after them one Estius speaking thus The Church from that time began to call it the Lords day because on that day the Lord was raised from the dead For it is so called by Saint Iohn at the first of the Apocalypse Where fore it is not to be doubted but that the name and institution of the Lords day ought to be fathered upon the Apostles Neverthelesse let us grant that no mention is made of this in the Scripture what availeth it against us who affirme that all the Doctrines of the Christian faith are contained in the Scripture For the observation of our Lords day is not a Doctrine but a Law of Ecclesiasticall government The perpetuall Virginity of the blessed Virgine is beleeved in our Churches by way of decencie though it bee not a Doctrine of faith nor a point necessary to salvation Basil in his Homily of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nativity of Christ saith That if it were otherwise yet would it bee nothing prejudiciall to our salvation Howsoever Helvidius had not his perfect senses about him to move so impertinent a question and call into doubt a matter which were better supposed to be true then argued on either side As for singing of Psalmes in our Churches as well by men as by women it is no Article of the Christian faith but an Ecclesiasticall policie and custome which neither addeth to nor substracteth from the Doctrine of faith And this custome is not practised in all our Churches for there are Churches which doe assemble secretly to avoid persecurion as heretofore did Christians under the Pagan Emperours These poore Churches have not the liberty of singing yet are they not the lesse amiable in the sight of God The Apostle to the Colos 3. 16. commandeth us to exhort one the other by Psalmes Hymnes and Spirituall Songs Hee wrote this to the Colossians without distinction of Sex The same Apostle in 1 Cor. 14. 14. and at 1 Tim. 2. 12. forbiddeth women to teach in the Church but not to sing For seeing they partake of the prayers and preaching why not of the praises and actions of thanksgiving If it be a seemely thing and religious in them to chant forth the glorious commendations of God in their house at home why not also in the house of God The termes of Consubstantion and Trinity are words but no Rules nor Doctrines and these words as they adde nothing to the Scripture so they import nothing that is not contained in the Scripture in othertermes The terme of Person is found in Heb. 1. â— for this word hypostasis in Greeke signifieth person They have but little modestie who blush not to demand a passage of Scripture where the word Sacrament may be found The Apostles writing in Greeke regarded not to provide themselves of a Latine word Surely these men speak as properly as if they enquired whether this very word horse is found in Virgil. In the Latine vulgar translation the word Sacramentum is rehearsed some dozen of times and signifieth a mystery or secret Whence it commeth that the mystery of
upon Ne putemus in verbis scripturarum esse Evangelium led in sensu non in superficie sed in medulla non in sermonum folijs sed in radice rationis the 1. chap. to the Galat. Let us not thinke that the Gospel consisteth in the bare words of the Scripture but in the true meaning and signification not in the superficies but in the very marrow not in the leaues decked with words but in the roote of solid reason The Fathers and ancient Councells were ignorant in such kind of importunate and unmannely divinity when they defined by the Scripture in the first Nicene councell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the Sonne is consubstantiall with the Father And when the first Councel of Ephesus decreed against Nestorius that the Virgin Mary might and ought to bee called the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deipara Mother of God The Arians pressed Athanasius to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quomodo â—â—cu in Scripturis 〈…〉 Ego de 〈◊〉 Pater vnum sumus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non potest aliquid certü esse certitudine fidei nisi aut immediate contineatur in verbe dei aut ex verbo dei per avidentem coÌ„sequentiam deducatur c. Neque de hoe principio vel Catholici vel haretici dubitant Salmer proleg 9. prima quinquagena Can. 7. Non tantuns diuinam authoritatem habent siâ—â— ea tenenda Sunt qua in Scripturis expresse conâ—â—entur sed etlam ea omnia qua exilla necessaria euidenti consequentia deducuntus qua doctrina a magno ille Theologo Gregorie ad nos deriuat a est Et Paulo post Dupliciter aliquid esse in Scriptura dicitur aut quia est expresse in ea contentum et in sensu literals deinde omne quod virtute in ea coÌ„tentum est necessaria consequentia extractum Atque his duobus modis agere licet in haeretieos Vazq in 1. Partem Thomae Tomo 2. Disp 110. cap. 1. §. Quarto Nihil refere haue vacam non esse in Scriptura fi vox â—â— signifieat quod Scriptura decet shew them this word consubstantiall in the Scripture to whom Athanasius answereth in his booke of the decrees of the Nicene councell Though the very words be not so couched in the Scripture yet they haue the sence and vnderstanding of the Scripture Gregory of Nazianzen at the end of his Sermon touching Cyprian calls the verbalists 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hunters after syllables and words And in his 37. Oration which is the fifth concerning Theology he faith that the loue of the letter is to them a shadow or cloake for impiety Ambrose in his booke concerning the Faith written against the Arians chap. 5. How doe you say that consubstantiall is not in the divine Scriptures as if consubstantiall were any thing else but I am issue of the Father and the Father and I are one We learn out of Photius his Bibliotheca that Theodoret composed an expres treaty vpon this subject the inscription whereof is Against these who affirme that wee ought to relye on the words without having regard to the matter signified Touching this point we have the most learned of our adversaries on our side Bellarmine in his 3. booke of justification chap. 8 Nothing can bee sure in certainty of Faith unlesse it bee contained immediatly in the word of God or drawne from the word of God by some evident consequence Salmeron in his 9. Prolegomenon Not onely the matter which is immediatly conteined in the Scriptures hath divine authority and ought to be allowed with faith but also all things that are drawn from thence by necessary euident consequence which doctrine hath bin derived vnto us from Greg. that great Divine And a little after a thing is sayd to be in the Scripture two manner of wayes partly because it is therein contained expressely and in the litter all sence partly because it is contained vertually therein and is drawne from thence by necessary consequence now it i Ì„s lawfull to dispute with Heretickes both these wayes Hee bringeth Purgatory merrits and satiffactions for examples wordes that himselfe confesseth not to be in the Scripture but may be drawn from thence by consequence Iesuite Vasquez It importeth not whether the word be in Scripture or no so as that which it signifieth be in the Scripture Iansenius Bishop of Gant affirmeth the same at the 107. Chapter of his Harmony Our confession is frivolously obiected unto us which saith in the 5. Article that the Scripture is the Rule of all verity containing all that is necessary for the service of God and our salvation to the which it is not lawfull to adde diminish or alter For if these Novice Doctors affoorded themselues the leasure to read the following lines they should there find that wee avow the three Creeds to wit the Apostles the Nicene and the Athanasian Which notwithstanding are not found in the Scripture in such and so many words And in the Article following wee approve of that which hath bin determined by the ancient councels touching three persons in one individuall essence yet the determinations of Councels are not found to bee in the Scripture in the same termes Our confession confineth uâ—â—â— more to the Scripture then the Councell of Trent bindeth our adversaries to the word written and unwritten Yet they would not be interrupted thereupon nor that we should enjoyne them to shew euery word spoken by them to be in so many syllables in the written word or in that which is not written Whereas they suffer us not to bring one passage of Scripture for exposition of another unlesse wee suddenly bring a third that saith this passage expoundeth that By such proceeding they take away and extingnish all meanes of expounding Scripture by Scripture wherein also they contradict the Elders and Doctors of the Church of Rome who grant that Scripture shall bee interpreted by Scripture as we have mentioned in my former booke of the Iudge of Controversies Chap. 4. For the exposition of these words This is my body we allege the passage of the Apost saying This Bread which we breake Is it not the Communion in the body of Christ Likewise When youshall eat of this Bread or drinke of this Cup you shall declare the death of the Lord. Hereupon these youngsters require a passage which saith that these two last passages are the exposition of the first Wee answere that it is not needfull for it is sufficient that these three passages speake of the same thing For to understand the Doctrine of the Euchariâ—â— it is behoovefull to collect together all that the Scripture maketh thereof mention seeing that passages so comparatively united doe manifest and interpret one the other These new Disputants in rejecting all syllogismes and all arguments are obstinate and unexcusable For by what reason can they banish the use of reason from Divinity It were fitter for them to addresse themselves to the Thomists and Scotists
in ipsius pastoris vocibus in Euangelistarum praedictionibus loboribus hoc est in 〈◊〉 Caenoniâ— is sanctorum librerum authoritatibus their Bishops and the beleefe of the people saith Such like matters being layd aside let them demonstrate and proue their Church if they be able not in discourses and rumors of Africans not by the Councells of their Bishops nor by the writings of such and such disputants nor by cheating signes and miracles for against those devices we are armed and prepared with the word of God but by the ordinances of the Law by the predictions of the Prophets by the Canticles of the Psalmes by the words of the Sheepheard himselfe by the preachings and paines taking of the Evangelists that is to say by all the Canonicall authorities of the holy Bookes But as concerning another difficulty proposed to wit that there was obscurity in the Scripture and that there was difference and disagreement touching the sense of the passages which were alledged hee doth not in manner of our adversaries who striue to make the Church infallible interpreter for in so doing one of the parties should be judge and the Church should not bee subject to any judgment but he averreth that leaving the obscure passages every one may make use of those that are plaine presupposing that what is said obscurely in one passage is cleerly manifested in others Assuring withall that there is no other way to avoyd doubtfulnesse and Cap. 4. Hoc etiam praedico atque propono vt quaeque aperta manifesta deliga mus quae si in S. Scripturis non inuentreÌ„tur nullo modo essent vnde aperireÌ„tur clauso illustraereÌ„tur obscura Lib. 2. de doct Chri. cap. 9. In his quae aperté posita sunt in Scriptura inveniuntur illa omnia quae continent fideÌ„ moresque vivendi difficulty I propose this saith he to the end we may chuse the passages that are most cleere and manifest the which being not found in the holy Scriptures there should be no further meanes to open things that are shut up and explaine the obscure For as he speaketh in another place In matters that are plainely set downe in the holy Scriptures are found all things that concerne the faith and good manners As Basil hath it in his Breviores Regulae at the 267. Answere The matter that seemeth to bee obscurely mentioned in some passages of the Scripture divinely inspired are interpreted by that which is more cleerly set downe in other places Hee in his third booke against Maximine Chap. 14. disputeth thus Sed nunc â—nec ego Nicanum nec tu debes Ariminensa tanquaÌ„ pâ—aiudicaturus proferre Concilium Nec ego huius authoritatate nec tu illius detineris ScripturaruÌ„ authoritatibus non quoruÌ„cimquo propijs sed vtrique communibus testibus res cuÌ„ re causa cum causa ratio cuÌ„ ratione concertet against an Hereticke Now I ought not alledge the Nicene Councell nor thou the Ariminensian by way of prejudging I am not bound to the authority of that nor thou to the authority of this Let one thing be opposed to another one cause to another and one reason to another reason and this by authorities of the Scriptures which are not particular to such and such but are common witnesses to one and the other party Origen in his Homily upon Ieremie It is necessary that we bring the Necesse nobis est sanctas Scripturas in testimonium vocare SeÌ„sus quippe nostri enarrationes sine his testibus non habent fideÌ„ Bell. lib. de verbo Dei noÌ„ scripto cap. 11. sect 2. holy Scriptures to witnesse for without them our opinions and reports are not worthy to be beleeved Bellarmine answereth that Origen speaketh only of obscure questions concerning which he thinketh it behoovefull that they be taught by the Scripture But besides that the whole proceeding of Origen in this passage maketh the contrary to appeare the Cardinall deceiveth himselfe if hee thinke that the things easie to bee understood as that God hath created the world and that Iesus Christ is dead for us have not as much need of the authority of the Scripture as those that are obscure but on the contrary it is not necessary to penetrate into the knowledge of many obscure things and God hath not deemed it requisite to satisfie curiosity therein Moreover Bellarmine speaking in that manner condemneth a great number of Traditions in the Romish Church which are most obscure as the Tradition of Limbus for the Fathers and that for little infants The Tradition that the Saints know our thoughts and behold all things in Gods face The Tradition of accidents without subject in the Eucharist The Tradition that the Virgine Mary is crowned Queene of heaven which are things wherein mans understanding is benummed all being full of uncertaine presumptions And it were most needfull to have the Scripture testifying for them if it bee so that in obscure things wee ought to bee taught by the holy Scripture Theod. lib. 1. Histor ca. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will adde the opinion of the Emperour Constantine the great for a close who was the man in this world after the Apostles that did most good to the Christian Church Of him Theodoret reporteth that at the overture of the great Nicene Councell exhorting the 318. Bishops assembled to determine controversies hee speaketh in this manner The Evangelicall and Apostolicke bookes and the Oracles of the ancient Prophets instruct us plainely in our Beleefe concerning divine matters Wherefore all unfriendly contention being throwne to the ground let us draw the solving of doubts from the words divinely inspired This holy discourse displeaseth Bell lib. de verb. Dei nâ— scripto cap. 11. §. tertio Eâ—at ConstaÌ„tinus magnus Imperator sed non magnus Ecclesiâ— Doctor And rad lib. 2. Defens Fidei Trid. initio Non advertuÌ„t imprudentes hoâ—ines tantuÌ„ Arianis qui Sâ—leuciâ— convenerunt ist aÌ„ Constanâ—ini â—rationâ—â— arrisâ—ssâ— Bellarmine for he saith That Constantine was a great Emperour but no great Doctor of the Church and that he understood not the secrets of religion And Andradius affirmeth that these words of Constantine pleased none but the hereticall Arians But who was he among the Ancients that ever blamed this Emperour for speaking so Yea doe not all the Historians magnifie his prudence and sage management of affaires in this Councell And verily this Councell hath followed his counsell and refuted not the Arians by other strength of Argument then by the holy Scripture It is evident by this passage that Constantine untill then had allowed no other instruction but by the holy Scriptures and that no man taught after the fashion of the Romish Church at this time wherein men begin with Tradition in saying that the authority of the Scripture is founded vpon the Tardition of the Church If then in matters necessary to salvation these Doctors for three or foure ages
pag. 76. Cha. 8. A proofe of the same by the practice of the Primitive Church p. 110. Chap. 9. Three reasons wherefore Tradition is preferred before the Scripture c. pag. 121. Chap. 10. That in this Question by the word Church our Adversaries understand the Pope alone pag. 129. Chap. 11. Of what sort how weake and how uncertaine the Foundations are whereon the Traditions of the Romish Church are built c. pag. 139. Chap. 12. That our Adversaries alledging the Scripture doe contradict themselves and alledge Scripture for Tradition in generall without touching the particulars wherein they finde the Scripture contrary pag. 165. Chap. 13. That our Adversaries to distinguish the good Traditions from bad doe give vs a plea wherein thâ—y wholly convict themselves p. 175. Chap. 14. A proofe of the same by the Traditions which our Adversars â—s doe â—uppose to be the mist ancient and best grounded in Antiquity p. 195. Chap. 15. The seconâ— marke set by our Adversaries to distinguish the good Traditions from the bad viz. Succession p. 205. Chap. 16. That the Pharisees and ancient Hereticks had recourse to Tradition that Clemens Alexandrius suffered himselfe to be too much carried away in the same p. 217. Chap. 17 An examination of the passages of Scripture whereon they found Traditions p. 223. Chap 18. An answere to that which is objeâ—â—ed vnto us that the Church hath bin sometime without the Scripture pag. 231. Chap. 19. That the Church of the old Testament after the Law given by Moses vntill Iesus Christ hath had no unwritten Traditions p. 236. Cha. 20. An answer to our adversaries aâ—â—â—â—ming that we receive many Traditions contained in Scripture p. 254 Chap. 21. A proofe of the sufficiency and perfection of the Scriptures by the testimony of God himselfe speaking in the Scriptures P. 267. Chap. 22. Whether to ground a Doctrine it be lawfull to use words equivalent to those that are found in the Scripture or to vse consequences and Arguments pag. 298. Chap. 23. Testimonies of the Fathers touching the perfection of the Scripture pag. 322. Cha. 24. How the Texts and passages of the Fathers which our Adversaries alledge for the unwritten Traditions ought to be vnderstood p. 346. Chap. 25. A proofe of that which went before pag. 349. Cha. 26. Three ancient Customes which we are blamed to have forsaken p. 393 Chap. 27. That the Traditions of the Romish Church of this time have nothing in common with the unwritten Traditions mentioned by the Fathers pag. 398. Chap. 28. Of the multitude of Traditions in the Church of Rome p. 403. A LEARNED TREATISE OF TRADITIONS OF THE SACRED Scriptures perfection against the Traditions of the Romish Church CHAP. 1. Concerning the nature of this Controversie OVr Adversaries were accustomed a great while to dispute by way of Scripture but at length perceiving themselues weake in the cause and being much disquieted that the Scripture doth locke them vp into so narrow a roome they spurne against it labouring to make it appeare doubtfull and without authoritie By this meanes our Controversies change their nature for instead of disputing by ground of Scripture we are now led backe to dispute of the Scripture it selfe and to defend the Authoritie and Perfection of it This is now the field wherein our Adversaries doe sport and display the mettall of their conceits They accuse the Scripture of imperfection and insufficiencie of obscuritie and vncapablenesse to determine any difference calling it a dumbe and imperfect rule a nose of wax a rocke of scandall a scabbard that receiveth as well a leaden as a steele blade And though Church of Rome bee partie in the cause yet will it bee Iudge supreame and infallible If the Church bee Iudge shee of Rome will bee Iudge and will haue it appertaine to her to prescribe her taske vnto her selfe and to bee soveraigne Iudge of her owne proper dutie Our Adversaries make the Church of Rome the Iudge infallible of her owne proper infallibilitie and that shee shall bee soveraigne Iudge of the interpretation of the same Lawes wherby God doth judge her sinnes They sticke not to say that the Church of Rome is no way subject to the Scripture that is to say to God speaking by his Prophets and Apostles So on the other side they maintaine that the Scripture is subject to the Church of Rome and ought to be regulated by the Faith of that Church They avow that to bee the singular and onely Church which giueth authoritie to the Scripture and will haue the Scripture inferiour to the Church in Dignity in Stability in Certainty in Antiquitie and in Amplitude Yea so farre they proceed that the Pope may adde to the Creed dispense contrary to the Apostles alter that which God hath ordained in the holy Scriptures and dispose of his Commandements They hold that the sacred Scripture bee therefore entertained and received amongst men because the Pope doth approoue and ordaine it so to be as if the Pope were more to be credited then God speaking in his holy Scriptures or that he were no whit subject to the Law of God contaâ—ned in the Scripture In all this controversie betweene the Scripture and the Church concerning the preheminence by this word Church our adversaries alwayes understand the Romish although there be many other more ancient and more pure namely the Greeke the Syrian the Affrican c. and by the Romish church they understand the Pope alone in whom resideth the soveraigne authoriâ—ie who judgeth all â—hings without possibility to erre yea then especially when hee judgeth alone motu proprio of his owne meere motion and speaking in the Chayre Apostolique and when it is his pleasure to joyne unto him some Prelates for his assistance in Decreeing hee reinvesteth them with infallible knowledge and vnderstanding yea in the poynts which he himselfe understandeth not Whosoeuer will heere open his eyes and not forbid himselfe the use of reason shall easily perceiue that Satan by this proceeding indeavoureth slily to bring in Atheisme and to vndermine the foundations of Christian Religion For by this meanes the Christian Faith is not founded vpon the Word of God contained in the holy Scriptures but vpon humane and uncertaine evidence yea the most uncertaine that can bee conceived they justifying the authoritie of the Church of Rome to be onely established vpon the testimony of the Romish Church making her Iudge witnesse and party in the same cause and endeavouring to make men beleeue that the Church of Rome hath more authoritie then the Scriptures for she her selfe doth say it If it be so that the authoritie of the Scripture bee grounded vpon the authoritie of the Church of Rome why doe they alledge unto us passages of Scripture to support the authoritie of the Church of Rome And when instead of directing the Faith of a Christian by the Word of God speaking in the Scriptures they send him to the Church the simple people are perplexed and
lawfull to adde diminish or change Hereby we intend not absolutely to reject all Tradition for if there bee a Tradition that addeth nothing to the Scripture but serveth onely to maintaine her authoritie and perfection wee imbrace that most willingly Such a Tradition is that the Books of the old and new Testament are sacred and Canonirall This Tradition is so far from adding to the Scripture that on the contrary it sayeth that nothing ought to be added thereunto Neither is it without the compasse of the Scripture seeing that it springeth and results from the perfection of the Scripture it selfe and the credit or testimony that a Church bee it true or false conferreth upon these Bookes is but a probable and humane testimony vntill God giving efficacie to this Scripture to touch and stirre vp devotion imprinteth in it a more effectuall perswasion For it is not the Church that giveth faith but the spirit of God that worketh in our hearts by his powerfull word As a river that passeth through a towne is sufficient to refresh and water it throughout yet notwithstanding is it behoouefull that some Pipe or channell should conduct it from the source into the place so the holy Scripture is sufficient to instruct vs to salvation neverthelesse it must come to vs as it were by the course of successiue Tradition Such a Tradition addeth no more to the Scripture then the channell addeth to the water of the River Also when wee reject unwritten Traditions we intend not to reject all the words that are not found in the Scripture in regard that wee may there finde the matter in substance and equivalent termes and that these words doe add nothing to the doctrine of salvation contained in the Scriptures Such are the termes of Gods providence and of the Immortalitie of the soule Likewise the words of Trinitie Consubstantiall and the Procession of the holy Ghost words profitably imployed by our forefathers to make that perspicuous which is contained in the Scriptures and to shut vp heretikes into a more narrow strait Also wee willingly admit of unwritten Traditions which concern not the doctrine but onely the Ecclesiasticall pollicie and outward order in regard that such Lawes and Customes are not given for absolutely necessary and equalled with the doctrine of salvation as also because they serue not the Pastors use for traffique avarice or ambition and that in this order and outward pollicie there is nothing dishonest and contrary to good morality or that may expose the Christian Religion to ridiculousnesse and lastly because that with these Ceremonies and observations the multitude is not excessiue neither doe they divert the piety by postures of the countenance or the spirituall service by corporall exercise For as the Romans having conquered a Province did amuse the people with Sports and pompous Triumphes feasting them with their spoyles whilst they were then busie in plotting and aggravating the peoples servitude so doth the enemie of our salvation amuse the people by the splendour of Ceremonies whilst hee then inthralleth consciences and tacitely insinuateth idolatry to which the very inclination of the people doth much contribute For a man naturally loveth rather to recreate his sense then to instruct his understanding to behold publike spectacles then heare wholesome doctrines to admire pictures then edifie by good precepts and findeth lesse difficultie to shape stones to the image of man then to unshape or reforme man to the image of God Our confession then rejecteth onely the Traditions that adde something to the doctrine of faith manners contained in the Scripture and which are given forth to supply that which is thought to be wanting in the doctrine of the holy Scriptures The Iesuire Regourd in his booke Pag. 786. 787. intitled Catholike Demonstrations in the sixt Demonstration proposeth salsely our Beliefe Hee alledgeth the wordes of the fift Article of our confession of the faith where hee makes vs say that the Word of God contained in the Bookes received by vs is guided with all veritie and containeth all that is necessary for the service of God and for our owne salvation and that by it all things ought to be examined and squared Antiquity Customes the Multitude humane Wisdome Iudgements Sentences Edicts Decrees Councells Visions Miracles But he changeth the words of our Confession by a most notorious falsification for we say only that these things must not bee opposed against the Scripture Marke our very words It is not lawfull for men nor Angals to adde thereunto nor diminish nor change Whence it followeth that neither Antiquitie nor Customes nor the Multitude c. ought to be opposed against the holy Scripture We condemne not Antiquitie nor Councels as Regourd imposeth upon vs but wee say that hee that would oppose these things against the Scripture ought not to bee beleeved Wee affirme this because our Adversaries say that the Romish Church may change that which God hath commanded in the Scripture dispense Gods word contrary to the Apostle and estaâ—lish new Articles of Faith wherof we haue set downe multitudes of proofes in the forepart of our first Booke and will produce more here following CHAP. IV. The opinion of the Romish Church That our Adversaries with one consent accuse the Scripture of insufficiency and of not containing all the doctrines necessary to salvation WHen our Adversaries dispute against Pagans and compare the holy Scripture with humane wisedome they exalr the sanctitie perfection authoritie perspicuity and divine efficacy of the holy Scripture yea you would imagine they accorded with vs and borrowed our termes But when the question is of comparing the Scripture with the church of Rome then alter they their language debasing the dignitie of the Scripture to the end to magnifie the authoritie of the Pope They vphold that the Scripture is not Iudge that this title appertaines unto the Pope and to the Prelates which he authoriseth then I say they make all authoritie of the Scripture to depend upon the power and testimonie of the Romish Church They accuse the Scripture of incertitude of being depraved of obscuritie of insufsiciencie and imperfection But if one represent vnto them their owne proper words wherein they commend the perfection of the Scripture and acknowledge that it containeth all that is necessary to salvation they haue an evasion ready at hand for they say that the Scripture may bee called â—erfect because she referreth to the â—hurch which supplyeth all her â—efects Wherein they apparantly â—putradict themselues For if the Scriptures send back to the church to learne of her wherein they are de fectiue by the same message and â—â—nding backe they confesle their â—wne imperfection The Merchant that sendeth away his Chapman to another shop to finde that which hee hath not in his owne by this dismission hee confesseth that his owne shop is ill furnished And if it be sufficient for the Scripture to be called perfect when as she sends is to the Church it
body or of making any â—lation to God The Pope then 〈◊〉 the Sacraments changeth essenâ—all things as well as accidentall â—nd by the way obserue but the â—ride of this Councell and detestable impietie to bee of opinioâ— that the Church of Rome knoweth better then Iesus Christ whâ— is expedient for the peoples saâ— vation Doeth not the Councell Constance in the thirteenth Session Lieut in Primitiva Ecclesia hususmodi SacramentuÌ„ reciperetus a fidelibus sub voâ—aque specis c. confesse that in the primitivâ— Church and consequently in thâ—â— of the Apostles this Sacrameâ— is to bee received by the faith full under both kinds yet after wards forbad the Cup to bee â—â—ven to the people This Tradiâ— tion which a little while sinoâ— hath changed the Apostles observation cannot bee an Apostolical Tradition The Glosse vpon the Canorâ— Lector in the foure and thirtieth Distinction of the Romish Decree saith that Papa dispensat contra Apostolum the Pope dispenseth againâ— the Apostle Pope Innocent the third saith in Innocent 3. Decret Deconcess prabend tit 8. cap. Proposuit SecunduÌ„ planitudinem potestat is de iure supra ius possumus dispensate manner Wee may according to fulnesse of our power dispose of the 〈◊〉 and dispense aboue the Law And â—reover the Glosse of the Docâ—rs addeth For the Pope dispenâ— against the Apostle and against the Testament as also in the vowes and â—hs And the Glosse of the Caâ—â— Sunt quidam in the 1. question the 25. cause Papa dispensat in angelio interpretando ipsum the â—pe dispenseth in the Gospell in â—ving it interpretation Cap. Quantà personam Non enim homo sed Deus separat ques Romanus Pontifox qui noÌ„ purs hominis sed veri Dei viceÌ„ gerit in terris EcclesiaruÌ„ necessitate pensata dissolvit In quae verba Glossa sic habet Etiam aliquid est secunduÌ„ quod homo tit de haret cum Christus Et est verus Deus verus homo gerens veri Dei vicem Vnde dicitur habere coeleste arbitriuÌ„ Etiam naturaÌ„ rerum immutat substantialia vnius reâ— applicando aly Et de nullo potest aliquid faecere Et sententiaÌ„ qua nulla est potest facere aliquam Quia in his qua vult ei est pro rations volunâ—as Nee est qui ei dicat cur ita facu ipse enim potest supra ius dispensare IdeÌ„ de iniustitta potest facere iustitiam In the first booke of Gregory the â—nth decretall at the 7. title Chap. â—e 3. wee haue an Epistle of Innoâ—nt the 3. where hee speaketh â—us Those which the Bishop of Rome â—th separate it is not a man that sepaâ—teth them but God For the Pope holeth place on earth not simply of a man â—ut of true God Which the Glosse â—xplaineth by the example of Iesus Christ who is very God at very man informing vs likewiâ— that the Pope though hee bee verâ— God yet leaueth not to bee somâ— thing the same that man is In proâ—secution where of the same Glossâ— declareth how far forth the Pope power doth exâ—end which is Thâ— he hath celestiall goverment and therâ— fore may change the nature of thingâ— applying the substance of the oâ—e to thâ— other of nothing can create something and a Decree that is void hee caâ— make it in force for in matters the hee will haue come to passe his will iâ— his reason and no mâ—n questioneâ— him wherefore doe you that for he caâ— dispense aboue the Law and of in iustice can make iustice and proueth all this by multitudes of Canons and Decrees Cardinall Bellarmine speakes as much in the 31. Chap. against In bono sensu dedit Christus Petro potestatem faciendi de peccato non peccatum de non peccato peccatum Barkley In good sense and judgement â—rist hath given to Peter and conseâ—ently to the Pope the power of maâ—g that to bee sinne which is no sinne It â—d that which is no sinne to be sinne It no wonder then if by the same â—wer he can make iustice to be inâ—tice and sinne to be no sinne that â— can nullifie the Apostles ordiâ—nces and make them vâ—iust as so cancell the old Traditions and Bell. lib. 4. de Pontet cap. 5 Si Papa erraret in pracipiendo vttia vel prohibenao virtutes teneretur Ecclesia credere vitia esse bona virtutes malas nisi vellet contra conscientiaÌ„ peccaro â—stablish new The same Cardinal â—roceedeth so farre as to say if â—he Pope erred in commanding vices â—nd forbidding vertues yet the Church â—hould bee obliged to beleeue that the â—ices are good and the vertues evill â—nlesse it would sinne against the â—onscience Andradius in his second booke of the defence of the Tridentiue Minime vero maiores nostri religione pietate excellentes ApostoloruÌ„ haec quamplurima alta decreta refigere in aniâ—mum induxissent nisi intelleâ—cissent c. Liquet eos minima errasse qui dicunt Rom. Pontif posse nonnunquam in legibus dispensare à Paulo primis 4. Concilijs Cum certuÌ„ sit noÌ„ omnia quae Apostols institueruÌ„t iure divino esse instituta faith acknowledgeth that His ancestors men excelling in piety haue broken and annulled many Decrees of the Apostles And moreover pronounceth this sentence It is evident that those haue not erred who say that the Romish Pontifies can sometimes dispense with obeying the Law of the Apostle S. Paul and the fower first Councells Whereupon Cardinall Tolet in his first booke of Sacerdotall institution Chap. 68. giveth this reason For all that the Apostles haue instituted is not ordained jure diuino that is to say it ought not to bee held for the word of God Now amongst the Apostles ordinances to discerne such as are jure diuino from those as are not the Church of Rome hath no other rule but the Popes will and pleasure who can make a commandement of the Apostle to bee or not to bee held for the word of God This venerable Cardinall giveth vs the Apostles commandement for an example 1. Timot. 3. Let the Bishop bee husband of one wife For the Pope can admit and allow of bigamies to the Priesthood Cardinall Perron in his booke against the King of great Bretaine Lib. 2. Observat 3. cap. 3. pag 674. makes a Chapter expresly to that purpose entitled Of the authority of the Church to alter matters contained in the Scripture And in the same booke in the Chapter that handleth the Communion vnder both kinds hee saith that when in Pag. 1109. 1115. the forme of the Sacraments some great inconveniencies are mett withall the Church may therein dispense and alter And speaking of the Lords commandement Drinke yee all of it hee maintaineth that this precept was not immutable nor indispensable alleadging that the Church hath judged that there may bee dispensation for it Charles Bovius in his obseruations vpon the 24. Chap.
quae traditione commendat est claritas perspa 〈◊〉 Nam primuÌ„ Scripturas 〈◊〉 von cognoscit §. Dâ—â—de Scriptura pâ—test ab haeroticu traili ad qd sibi quisque collibuerit § Tertio quia Scriptura dubioruÌ„ quae pullulabâ—◠〈◊〉 essâ— non â—oterat c. â—â— quia 〈◊〉 aâ—f 〈◊〉 est tum quia muta est c. Hâ—nc in 〈◊〉 Testamento ad EcclesiaÌ„ mettitur qui aliquo 〈◊〉 torquetur oâ— coÌ„stat Act. 15. on autem ad â—â— riptaras quâ— sâ— instar nasi ceret ducuntur quo quis vult c. Ideo protervire voleÌ„tes Scripturis noÌ„ possunt refelli vna ergo traditione â—ugulanaâ— sunt § Quod auteÌ„ Qâ—â—â— hâ—c su fiâ—mior inde â—â—nsâ—are potest quia notior est Ecclesia et ApostoloruÌ„ sanctitas quam scripturae cuÌ„ haec per illam cognoscatur Ibidem Scripturae verae probantur quia sunt coÌ„formes traditioni iam factae things necessary to saâ—vation yea highâ—â— then Scripture it selfe And a little after The Scripture rather recommendeth Tradition then Tradition the Scripture and therefore Tradition is more necessary for Scripture is made to recommend Tradition to vs. And there againe Tradition is necâ—ssary because of many doubts that are not contained nor expresly defined in the Scriptures And againe Hee that beleeveth not the Tradition received in the Church but sâ—archeth the Scripture resemblâ—th an ill debtor who refuseth to pay vnlesse he see a quittance or the bond when as to produce fit witnesses would be enough Which is as much to say as the people may pretermit and balke the Scripâ—ure but must cling close to the Testimony and Tradition of the church of Rome He further alledgeth Tradition is more ancient then Scripture whence hee inferreth that it is more excellent then Scripâ—ure and saith a gaine that the same which recommendeth the Traditions abouâ— Scripâ—ure is their clearenesse and evidence for the people haue no knowledg of the Scripture and the Scripture may bee wrested by the Heretiques to whatsoever they will Hee addeth likewise that the Scripture hath not been able to iudge of doubts because it is difficult and dumbe and that hee that is troubled with any doubt in the new Testament is sent to the Church Actes 15. but not to the Scriptures which like a waxen nose are moulded and twisted at pleasure Whereupon saith hee those that will be perverse cannot bee vanquished by the Scriptures their throats then must be cut by Tradition alone And further That Tradition is more firme then scripture it appeareth in this that the Church and the sanctity of the Apostles is more knowne then Scripture because this is knowne by that Wherein hee speaketh against common sense for it is by the Scripture that wee learne the sanctitie of the Apostles and wee know not that God will haue but one Church in the world if he did not teach it vs in the Scriptures Againe hee dareth to say that the Scriptures are true because they are conformable to the Tradition already made Will wee know if the unwritten Word of God in two Tables ought to be received will we know if the doctrine contained in the Psalmes of David in the Prophets and in the Evangelists bee true let us enquire what the Popes opinion is and what Tradition of the Romish Church is and wee shall soone bee satisfied for say our adversaries the Scripture must be examined by the Tradition of the Church of Rome which is the rule of Scripture and is not ruled by the Scripture Truely these things cannot bee read without horror and detestation Of the selfe same stuffe is that Apostoli non scripserunt omnes quasi ex coÌ„muni consensu partito labore sed tantuÌ„ aliqui pro causa particulari et ad conservandam traditionem which he addeth The Apostles haue not written by one common consent but some haue written for particular respects to preserue Tradition When you heare these kinde of people speake you would say that the Scripture is nothing but a letter of credence to giue authoritie to the Church of Rome and her Traditions Wherefore he concludeth that Ibidem Ideo nen receaenduÌ„ est ab Ecclosia viva traditione erudita vel ob scripturaâ— allegatas no man ought to depart from the Church instructed by living Traditions notwithstanding the allegations of Scripture Hee compareth also the amplitude and large extent of Tradition with the narrow limits of the scripture § Quâ—nâ—ò Traditio multo est vniversalio quam Scriptâ—ra quia ad plura tempora ad plura obiecta et ad lura individua sâ— exteâ—ait Tradition saith hee is much more vnâ—versall then Scripture and reacheth to further time to more matter and more persons then the scripture To bee short if these men were to bee beleeved Tradition comprehendeth all the doctrine of faith and maners but many things are wanting in the Scripture Having in this manner dishonored the Scripture and placed it far below Tradition hee makes them fight and plotteth to haue the allegations of Scripture to be repulsed by Tradition To those saith §. Alias Pâ—tenti scripturaÌ„ opponenda est Traditio hee who demand the Scripture Tradition is to be offered in opposition as if hee should tell us You aske me passages of Scripture but content your sâ—lfe that I alleadge vnto you Tradition and the opâ—nion of the Church of Rome For this is the more necessary rule more ancient more firme more easie more vniversall and by which the truth of the Scripture ought to bee examined Thus is the Word of God handled and it is so come to passe that the same Iesuite in his § Quarto cum Cum Scriptura obscura sit valde nec iâ—dex esse quâ—at c. Proprium ergo et diabolicuÌ„ sensum hâ—bent iâ—â—â—rco peius est illu vacare Scripturis quaÌ„ fabulâ— tenth Disputation having said that the Scripture cannot be Iudge addeth that the Heretiques for so he qualifies us haue a diabolicall sense and doe worse to addict themselues to the Scripture then to apply themselues to fables But nothing doth more plainly shew w th what a loud voice our adversaries cry up the traditioÌ„ of the Church of Rome aboue the Scripture then when they say that the church is not subject nor bound to the Scripture but the Scripture is subject to the church that is to say God is subject to men For our adversaries acknowledge that the scripture is the word of God These Lindan Panopâ—â—n indicâ— tituloruÌ„ lib. 5 cap. 5. are the words of Lindanus in hiâ— Panoplia The Church hath not been EcclesiaÌ„ non esse ex voluntate Christi scripturu allegatam obliged to the Scriptures by Christs will and commandement Coster the Iesuite in his 3. chapter of his Manuall Christ was not willing Christus nec EcclesiaÌ„ suaÌ„ à chartaceâ— scriptis pendere nec meÌ„braâ—is mysteria sua committere voluit that his Church should depend vpon
defaults are therein found and giueth God thankes for it to the end that men finding no stedinesse or certainty in the Scripture may subiect themselues to the tyrannie of the Church that is to say of the Pope and there to find instruction these are his words The prouidence Demonstr 2. § 5. p. 128. of God to constraine vs yet more powerfully to vndergoe the yoke of the Church with humility and simplicity permitteth that there bee not only some alteration in certaine parcels of the Scripture and in some copie but the more the bookes of the Scripture are dispersed the more they shall alter and perish by tract of time whether they be in originall tongues or translations Without doubt hee that reioyceth at the deprauations which he imagineth to bee in Scripture and at the losse of some bookes and prayseth thererein the prouidence of God would much more solace himselfe and reioyce if all the Scripture were abolished For to what purpose serveth it if Tradition of the Church of Rome bee a perfect rule more certaine and of more authority then the holy Scripture and if the Pope iudge soueraignly and infallibly of all the points of faith for hee hath forbidden the people to reade the Scripture as a booke not onely unnecessary but also dangerous and that which hath made a great breach in the Popedome The same Iesuite pleaseth himselfe with this conceit of his inculcating it with often repetition As in the third Demonstration when he hath said that a man cannot assure himselfe of the sense of the Greeke Testament because it first was written without accents and distinctions whereon depends the sense hee addeth It is a worke of the providence of God to stoope our mindes and inclinations to the soveraigntie of the Church that is to say of the Pope who by consequence hath more authoritie then the Apostle S. Paul speaking to the Corinthians not that wee have dominion over your faith 2. Cor. 1. 24. But may not wee affirme it with more probability to be a worke of Gods providence that hee hath suffered so many schismes and heresies so much simony uncleannesse of life and crueltie to haue infected the seat of Rome whereby to referre us to the Scripture to make vs forsake those wicked guides and to subject us to his holy word and that God by his providence hath permitted that the Popes themselues haue confessed their owne errours And lastly that the Popes sycophants haue recorded unto us their crimes and heresies as I haue proved in my first Booke In short to bee throughly informed with what spirit this Iesuite is lead it is but to reade the same that hee hath written in his third Demonstration pag. 190. They cause them saith he to renounce the Church pretending that it consisteth of men that are faultie and lyers vnder a faire semblance of Scripture and vnder a plausible promise to governe all by the word of God But the truth is they depute a bleare-eyed Leah vnto them in lieu of a faire Rachel and submit faith to the soveraigne command of the will of Ministers who put into their hand a Scripture that is humane erronious mutable subject to correction c. This miserable Iesuite wil one day render an account to God of so damnable a speech wherein hee compareth the holy Scripture to bleare-eyed Leah and the Church of Rome to beautifull Rachel It is very false that wee renounce the Church but yet we maintaine that it ought to be subject to the Scripture and we renounce the doctrine of those who say that the Scripture is subject to the Church of Rome for God cannot be subject to men As for the soveraigne power of the Ministers function that might well bee retorted upon us for a reproach if wee boasted amongst us that they cannot erre that they haue power to change Gods commandements conteined in the holy Scriptures to adde to the Creed and to make new articles of faith or if we should stile our selues Iudges infallible and soveraigne of the poynts of faith Wee leaue these usurpations and proud titles to the Pope by the which hee exalteth himselfe aboue God Onely wee exhort the people to beleeue the Word of God contained in holy Scriptures wherein if wee finde any obscure passages wee take not upon us to bee Iudges of the sense and to determine it with authoritie It is enough that as much as therein is perspicuous and plaine not needing the helpe of an Interpreter is sufficient for our salvation And to contest much about Translations wee busie not our selues for the Translation approved by the Church of Rome fufficeth us discovering clearely therin the very condemnation of Papistry All Translations agree in the matters necessary to salvation and the originall texts both Hebrew and Greeke are at this day familiar and agreeing to our Translation Of these things haue I treated at large in my first Booke of The Iudge of Controversies and haue discussed all the slender objections wherein our Adversaries doe side with Pagans and Infidels and endeavour to extenuate the firmnesse and authoritie of the Scripture which Saint Paul calleth The divine Oracles Rom. 3. 2. and The Scripture diuinely inspired 1. Tim. 3. 16. which I say Iesus Christ himselfe hath uttered holding vp his owne vocation by the testimony of the Prophets and by it hath repelled the temptation of the Deuill Math. 4. Yea S. Paul saith that the Scripture can make a man wise to saluation and is most proper for mans accomplishment in euery good worke without it wee haue not meanes to know that God will haue but one Church in the world And when our aduersaries haue wretchedly reuiled it yet are they afterwards constrained to returne vnto it and to beg of it though with an ill stomacke some clauses of Text to found their Church vpon the Scriptures authority without it Christianity had beene long since abolished The diuine efficacy of it is manifest in this that the Pope hath suppressed it so as the people may not see it yet when God is pleased to lay it open to the peoples view and that it be translated into vulgar tongues Papistry doth immediatly vanish in many Prouinces Yea if Emperours and Kings had not hastened to succour vsing both fire and sword and the rigour of Inquisitions without doubt Papistry had beene vtterly extinguished Wherefore it is no maruell if the Pope by his scouts labour to blemish the Scripture rendring it doubtfull and without authority which vngodly instruments at this day borrow the weapons of Pagans who to restore Paganisme and ruine Christianity haue had no surer course then to difsame the holy Scripture Loe whither Satan strives to leade vs Hee striues to shake the only foundation of Christian religion to the end that the people distasting the Scripture may for their faith and saluation relye vpon the conductors of the Romish church wherein haue liued multitudes of Popes notorious heretickes and so iudged by the
Councels which the Church of Rome hath approued and by the Popes favorites themselues Wherein also you may perceiue to the number of three and twentie Schismes and many contrary Popes at the same time mutualy entitling themselues Antichrists Yea wherein haue liued many infamous Popes Necromancers Adulterers Murtherers aduanced to the Popedome by whores by Simony and by violence Such as take vpon them the title of God causing themselues to bee adored and Kings to kisse their feete and the Scripture to bee prostrate before them when they enter into the Councels such as vante they cannot erre that they can make another Creed can change Gods ordinances can transport soules out of Purgatory into Paradise and ranke whom they please in the Catalogue of Saints by canonizing them vnder colour whereof they exercise an abhominable commerce and trafficke by Dispensations Absolutions Indulgences Annates Licences and Benefices So as from a poore Bishop of a Citie who was no way eminent but in martyrdomes the Pope is become a puissant temporall Monarch surpassing in riches the greatest Monarchs of the earth To effect so great an alteration it was needfull that Religion should bee changed for the purity and plainnesse of christianity regulated by the Scriptures could not serue to build vp so great an Empire These things haue I amply handled in my first Booke wherein I maintaine the Authoritie of the Scripture Which work went then forth almost the very day that lesuite Regourds Booke against the Authoritie and Perfection of the Scripture was published These two Bookes if any man will compare together shall finde that I answere all that hee pleadeth against the authoritie of the Scripture and that Regourds Booke satisfieth nothing of all that I propose in mine Before that he published his book a Challenge was brought to the Pastors of this Church of Sedan to enter into conference dispute with some Doctors amongst whoÌ„ was Iesuite Regourd wherein they threatned us Wee accepted the Conference the place and day were assigned with all accommodations that after so many Defiances every mans honour should oblige him not to recant Neverthelesse hee durst not appeare and for two severall times failed at the day appoynted But his humour serving him at last to dispute and being thirstie of reputation hee went some where else to discharge his choler and in Conference seiseth upon Monsieur Mestrezat where he received all sort of disgrace so farre forth as his friends were faine to make use of superiour power to draw him from the combate and to hinder the Conference from Printing for it could not be seene but to his dishonour and that in a place where all things were favourable unto him and where the language of Truth is very new and strange And so retired this wittie Doctor as well contented as satisfied being not so wisely advised but to make trophies and signes of victory considering there were so many witnesses CHAP. VIII A Proofe of the same by the practise of the Primitiue Church WEe haue proved by many passages of our Adversaries that in the Church of Rome Traditions are much more esteemed and of greater authority then the Scripture which they so much under-value and charge with a thousand reproaches and that by injustice and most fraudulently the Councell of Trent seemes to make them equall Now are we to proue the same by the practise and maximes of the Church of Rome I. In the first place when our adversaries ground the authority of the Scripture upon tradition of the Church and would haue the Scripture received and beleeved because the Church doth so ordaine it It is evident that they preferre Tradition before Scripture for they make Scripture to depend upon Tradition esteeme Tradition of the Church more worthy of belife then Scripture and beleeue not the Scripture but because the Church of Rome hath so commanded it II. Let vs looke vpon experience and wee shall informe our selues that in the Church of Rome the people is a thousand fold more carefully instructed in Tradition then in the doctrine of salvation contained in holy Scriptures The most ignorant know the meaning of Lent and the foure Seasons they are instructed in the difference of meats they are skilled in Festivall dayes and Eues they goe in Pilgrimage visite the Reliques gaine Pardons purchase Masses Obits and Suffrages for the dead speake of Purgatory mumble over their Chaplet or Beads and their Rosary or our Ladies Psalter and discourse of the Popes succession in Saint Peters Chaire but they are ignorant in the holy Scripture accounting it modestie and humility not to enquire much after it Aske them upon the doctrine of our Redemption in Iesus Christ upon Iustification by faith vpon our free Adoption upon the correspondencie betweene the Law and the Gospell upon the difference between the old and new Testament upon the causes wherefore it was necessary that our Redeemer should bee God and man in the vnitie of person vpon the ends of their Resurrection and Ascension upon the Doctrine of faith and good works which are the poynts wherein consisteth the essence of Christian Religion and you shall finde them as mute as fishes and altogether uninstructed III. Baptisme is a divine Institution but Confirmation such as is practised in the Church of Rome and confection of the Crisome are humane Inventions Yet are they much more honoured then Baptisme for in the Church of Rome a woman yea a Pagan and Iew may baptize and giue that which they haue not and Confirmation is not administred nor Crisome consecrated but by the Bishop with great solemnitie IV. God hath commanded St. Peter and the other Apoâ—â—les to preach the Gospell but gaue them no command to giue Indulgences nor to canonize Saints nor to release soules out of Purgatory nor to consecrate their Agnus Dei and their blessed Beads The first poynt is a commandement of God the other things are humane Traditions which the Pope doth performe with preparation and solemnitie but hee preacheth not the Gospell esteeming the labour of preaching as a thing vnworthy of his greatnesse Insomuch as the Popes are industrious observers of their owne Traditions and adore their owne proper Inventions but dispense with the Lords commandements V. Hence commeth it to passe that the sinnes committed against Gods Law are held to be light in comparison of those committed against the Traditions Decrees and Canons of the Pontifies The inferiour Priests giue absolution of thest of lying and of whoredome which are sinnes against the Law of God but there are cases reserved wherein no man in France can giue absolution but at the poynt of death and they are specified in the Bull De Coena Domini which the Pope thundereth euery yeere on Maunday Thursday before the Paschall The sinnes that are most enormous and whereof no man but the Pope maketh absolution are not murther parricide incest sodomy and perjury but to appeale from the Pope to a future Councell to withdraw Tythes from
were not sufficient of themselves to expiate the sinnes but that they drew their vertue from the death of Iesus Christ and that those which did eate of the Paschall-lambe were to have respect to Iesus Christ and to understand the signification of this Lambe Now say these men they could not learne this from the bookes of Moses nor from the Prophets therefore they learnt it by the unwritten Tradition In speaking thus they falsific the words of the Apostle Saint Peter who at the 10. of the Acts 43. saith that To Iesus Christ all the Prophets give witnesse that through his name whosoever beleeveth in him shall receive remission of sinnes And they contradict Saint Paul who at the 26 of the Acts 22. Saith of himselfe that he speaketh no other things then those which the Prophets and Moses did foretell should come to passe They also abuse themselves to thinke that it was then necessary to every one of the faithfull to have a cleere insight and vnderstanding of the sacrifices of the Law and of the Paschall Lambe for the faithfull are not bound to beleeve of Iesus Christ more then that which God by his Word hath revealed unto them If any one about the time of Moses offering sacrifice according to the Law were not instructed in the doctrine of the death of our Redeemer but only beleeved that God through the meanes which hee knoweth to be most agreeable and convenient will forgiue vs our trespasies it were rashnesse to goe about to exclude such a man from salvation and it is certaine that then the faithfull were not without instruction as touching this point for they were prompted by the Scriptures to expect this seed of the Woman which should crush the head of the Serpent and the seed of Abraham wherein all Nations should be blessed Cardinall Perron is aduised of a third Tradition not written in the old Testament which neuerthelesse if we could beleeue it was necessary to saluation He supposeth that it was necessary for the Iewes to beleeue that the fire of their sacrifices after the captiuity was descended from Heaven and that the same continuall fire which was vpon the Altar was conserved by miracle during the tranfmigration Whereupon I say that 2. Macc. I. this miraculous conseruation of the fire being but a Iudaicall fable the Iewes were not bound Hac de revâ—de Rabbi Shelomo in ea 1 Aggai Talmud Tractatu Tukasin 1. fol. 21. Rabbi Moshe Ren Meâ—mon tractat de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to beleeue it The charge of the Sacrificers was to put the fire vpon the Altar as it is sayd Leuit. 1. 7. The sonnes of Aaron Nadab and Abihu did sinne not because they placed strange fire vpon the Altar but in putting into their Censers the fire which they tooke from else-where and not from off the Altar Leuit. 10. 1. Looke vpon the 8. of the Apoc 5. Moreouer put the case this fable were admitted for true yet is it not a rule of Religion nor a doctrine of Faith but only a meere History whereof whosoeuer had bin ignorant had not incurred eternall damnation And admit that vnder the old Testament the Church had vnwritten Traditions it should not therefore follow that it was lawfull for the Church of Rome to forge new ones and to equall them in authority to the writings of the Prophets and Apostles CHAP. XX. An answere to our Adversaries affirming that wee receive many Traditions contained in the Scripture OVr Adversaries upbraid us in that we who reject traditions are neverthelesse constrained to admit of many Ye beleeve say they that these bookes are canonicall ye allow of baptizing such as are Heretikes and the baptisme of little infants yee beleeve the procession of the holy Spirit from the Father and the Sonne and the translation of the Sabbath to the Dominicall day and the perpetuall virginity of Mary the mother of Christ yee beleeve that women ought to sing in the Church yee grant the words of Consubstantiation of Trinity of Person and of Sacrament which are not found in the holy Scripture I have already said that we reject not all unwritten Traditions but only those which adde something to the doctrine of salvation contained in holy Scriptures For answere to their objection that wee receive this unwritten Tradition to wit These bookes are canonicall to say so much of the bookes is not to adde to the canonicall bookes And speaking in that manner we are so farre from adding to Scripture that on the contrary it is a declaration that nothing is to be added thereunto and that it is the perfect rule of our faith Yet to have a complete certainety of the sacrednesse of these bookes there must be a stronger testimony then this Tradition An illiterate man not instructed in the knowledge of God receiveth the testimony of the Church of his owne countrey which telleth him that these books are canonicall as a probable testimony and which hee should not willingly contradict but then hee beginneth to have of it a divine testimony and of soveraigne efficacie when the Spirit of God by the Doctrine contained in this Scripture hath enlightened his spirit and inflamed his heart with a secret vertue whereof it is in vaine to dispute with those that feele it not the which cannot serve for a Law to another but serveth to every one of the faithfull in particular to assure his conscience It is also to bee considered that the testimony of shewing such and such bookes to bee canonicall might proceed as well from an hereticall as from an orthodox Church The Apostles received the holy Scripture from the Pharises and Sacrificers who were enemies to Iesus Christ Whence it appeareth that the testimony which the Church affordeth to the Scriptures is not of supreme authority and indubitable but invalid It is by faith that we beleeve that the contents of the Scripture are the word of God which faith is not given by the Church for it is an effect of the Spirit of God Touching the other points I speake of them in generall that if they bee Doctrines and Rules of the Christian faith not contained in the Scripture we are not bound to beleeve them But when every one of these points shall be examined asunder some will bee found contained in the Scripture others are not Doctrines nor Lawes or Rules of the Christian faith nor things requisite or necessary to salvation I am astonished to behold how our Adversaries dare to insert the Baptisme of little infants amongst the unwritten traditions seeing that their selves disputing against the Anabaptists prove it by many passages of Scripture Bellarmine in his eighth Chapter of the first Booke of Baptisme bringeth these proofes of Scripture that Baptisme succeeded Circumcision which was applied to little infants That Iesus Christ at the ninth of Saint Matthew saith Suffer the little ones tâ— come to me c. That in the sixteenth of the Acts Lydia is baptized by Saint Paul
demonstrative they deride and jeere it saying that syllogismes are but humane discourse and an invention of Aristotle unfit to regulate our faith But those of our adversaries who are better stored with knowledg as Thomas Bellarmin Baronius Perron Salmeron Vasques rejecteth this wrangling Philosophy froward reasoning which carpeth at syllables and is made for nothing else but to bring foorth nothing and to brave and swagger in the speed of running away Now what an unjust case it is that those who attribute to the Church of Rome the power not only of adding to the Scripture but also to alter that which God hath ordained in the Scripture and who hold that their Church hath no obligation to the Scripture should use such rigor against us to bind us precisely to the words and syllables of the Scripture though wee change nothing in the substâ—nce It were an easie matter for vs to proceed against them after the same wise replying to the first word they offer us Shew mee what you say in as many words in the word of God written or unwritten for they take both for the rule of their instruction And if they make use of these words therefore and then to tell them these are your reasons and consequences and in stead of giving satisfactory answere to injoyne them that they proove unto us that wee are bound to proove to them what they demand and so to breake off with laughter and insultation this were the way as the proverbe hath it to counterfet the fooles with mad-men If in handling points of the Faith it be not permitted to make use of other wordes besides those that are found in the Scripture it shall not be suffered to preach nor to write commentaries nor to conferre the passages of the Scripture together for this collation cannot bee made without imploying some other words which forme the comparison and shew the resemblance It shall not likewise be suffered to recite the Creed nor to say there are but foure Evangelists in the new Testament for the Scripture speaketh not this in so many words Moreover by this pedanticall cavilation neither Charles nor Anthony nor any particular man shall bee obliged to beleeve in Iesus Christ nor to obey him For the Scripture neither speaketh of Charles nor Anthony But the duty of particular men is drawne by necessary consequence from the generall rules that are in the Scripture So our adversaries beleeve that Pope Vrbane is lawfull successour in the supremacie of Saint Peter which neverthelesse they derive by consequence of this generall Maxime that the Bishops of Rome are lawfull successors in the Primacy of S. Peter If from an imaginary Tradition they draw consequences why should not wee draw them from the holy Scripture When I say that Purgatory and the primacy of the Bishop of Rome are Traditions whereof the Scripture maketh no mention how should I shew this in so many sillables seeing I hold that it is not found therein at all for if there were found a passage that saith there is no such thing as Purgatory the Scripture should make mention of Purgatory These men require the same as when I should say that nothing is spoken of Iesus Christ in Virgils Aeneades some trifling Sophister urgeth mee to shew in the Aeneades a passage affirming that Iesus Christ is not therein mentioned This peevish wrangling no lesse injurious then troublesome taketh from the Christians all meanes of proving to a lew by the Prophets that Iesus is the Christ for the name of Iesus Christ is not found in the Prophets yet certaine it is that the thing it selfe is therein explained in equivalent termes To be short in such jugling Theology it is impossible to prove by Scripture thâ—t an Ape or Cat is not to be adored for this is not found totidem verbis in the Scripture but it is drawne from necessary consequence of passages wherein God alone will be worshipped If I say that the soule is immortall and that God governeth the World by his providence will these venerable Doctors take mee by the throate to shew them this sillabically in so many wordes Indeed it is not found in the same words but in some other equivalent speaking of the life eternall in this manner God maketh all things according to the counsell of his will Ephes 1. 5. And a sparrow falleth not the ground without the will of God Matt. 10. 29. And God himselfe pronounceth My counsell shall stand and I will accomplish all my pleasure Esay 46. 10. If the Scripture saith that God descendeth or runneth or is inflamed with choller or sleepeth shall it not be lawfvll to use plaine and intelligible words in expounding these figures Likewise I find not in the Scripture the word Trinity but I have found the word three Saint Iohn telling us that there are three in heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Spirit 1. Iohn 5. 7. I find not in the Scripture tolidem verbis that the soule of the thiefe was not in Limbo But I find that Iesus Christ assured him Thou shalt this day bee with mee in Paradise I find not in the Scripture in the same termes that the Saints know not our hearts but I find there how God alone knoweth the hearts of men 2. Chron. 6. 30. There is no mention made of single life of Prelates in the same words but there it is sayd Let a a Bishop bee husband but of one wife 1. Tim. 3. 2. Furthermore Iesus Christ disputing with the devill Matth. 4. 11. told him It is written thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve Which is a passage of the 6. of Deut. 13. Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and shalt serve him and swere by his Name To which passage the Lord joyneth another of the 1. of Sam. chap. 7. 3. Subject your hearts to the eternal God and serue him alone Iesus Christ made no scruple or difficulty to speake the same thing in sundry phrases At the 18. Acts 28. It is related that Apollos a lew demonstrated by the Scriptures of the old Testament that Iesus was the Christ though it bee not therein expressed in so many words And S. Peter at the 10. Acts 43. speaketh thus To Iesus Christ give all the Prophets witnesse that through his name whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall receive remission of sinnes Yet this is not found among the Prophets in expresse words but in equivalent termes and by necessary consequence Shall we then bee rebuked if wee alledge the Scripture after the same wont and forme as Iesus Christ and the Apostles have done The Apostle S. Paul in the 2. to Tim. 1. 13. commanding us to hold fast the forme of sound words doth not bind us to sillables for soundnesse and purity of doctrine may copiously and in full sense dwell under the signification of severall sorts of words as health of body may be clothed vnder another habit It is so taught by Hierome
who are full of Schoole brambles and doe subject Saint Paul to the positions of Aristotle and clothe Divinity with a Philosophicall habite Yet these very menwho forbid us to dispute doe make arguments after their manner to the which it is impossible to give answere by the sole words of the Scripture For we are constrained to say I deny the major or the minor which are words not so much as touched in the Scripture What man but a senslesse is ignorant that when two Propositions are soddered together as they should bee the conclusion or inference must necessarily follow And this is not an invention of Aristotle but a worke of God and a naturall impression for peasants make good arguments though il accommodated If of two propositions in an argument one bee drawne from the Scripture the other be knowne by the sense and allowed by the Adversary the conclusion shall follow of necessity As for example speake according to Scripture that every man is a lyer To this proposition Iadde another well knowne by the sense and confessed by the Adversary Philip is a man whereupon the conclusion that followeth therefore Philip is a lier cannot bee denied but by some witlesse Idiot and such a one as will not sticke to contradict himselfe in denying that which necessarily followeth upon the proposition which he hath confessed And to the end it may not bee thought that this Conclusion hath no certainty but by vertue of the two propositions I say that without a formall syllogisme this conclusion Philip is a lyer is contained in that proposition every man is a lyer just as one crowne is contained in ten though there bee no man to say it Thomas ought to have instructed Quaest 1. art 8. Theologiam esse argumeÌ„tatiuam ex articulas fidei procedâ— re ad aliquâ— aliud oâ—â—endendum Sâ— cut Apostolus 1. Cor 1â— a resurrect one Christi argumentaâ— ad 〈◊〉 rosurrectionem probâ—â—dam them hereupon who in the first part of his Summe Quest 1. sheweth that Theologie is disputative and that by the Articles of faith it proceedeth to shew some other thing as when the Apostle in I Cor. 15. disputeth of the resurrection of Iesus Christ to prove the resurrection to bee common Vpon which place Vasquez in the 12. Disputation Chap. 2. maintaineth that in Theologie if one proposition be taken out of a passage of Scripture and the other known by naturall light a conclusion may bee drawne from thence which may serve for a definitive position in the faith It is true say these men that humane reason may be deceived and they say true The same may bee said of the sight and of the hearing But would they dig out their owne eyes under colour that their eyes doe sometimes deceive them Vnder the pretext that reason is sometimes abused shall they withhold us from the use of reason Are there no good consequences and necessary Because some are evill shall they reject those that are good If they will have it so when the Doctors reade to us some passage of Scripture May not we tell them Perhaps it is not there as you reade it you must not beleeve your eyes for the sight of a man may often be deluded and mistaken Therefore the manner of making arguments where reason is not deceived and whence the conclusion cannot bee denied is that which I have said by joyning to a proposition drawne from the Scripture a second that is knowne by the sense or by a naturall light and is allowed by the Adversary The way to put these Disputants of our age to a non plus to stave them off from interrogations and keepe them to a syllogisticall method for then they shall make an argument wherein the second propositon shall bee thus in substance You are obliged by your owne confession to say nothing but what is in the Scripture totidem verbis the which ought to bee denied them It would be easie for vs to touch our Beliefe in termes extracted word by word out of the Scripture fastning one passage to another without knot or connexion The language indeed would ill cohere having neither the word for nor then nor wherefore nor all that serveth to dispose its discourse into parts and to shew the prosecution of the reason Buâ— in doing this we should close up the mouthes of these harebrained spirits who take it in indignity and are offended if a word for used which is not in the Scripture In one thing they speake reasonably But If say they Ye be permitted to make use of consequences why shall it not bee lawfull for us to doe the same This cannot bee contradicted but on condition that they obtrude not unto us non seqâ—itâ—rs for consequences drawing all things out of all things like so many Chymists You may see some paterns of theâ— consequences Christ hath sayd I have to tell you many things but you cannot for the present beare them away Therefore Christ hath taught that Saints ought to be invoked images to bee served and the Trinity to be painted Christ hath sayd doe this therfore the Priest sacrificeth the body of Iesus Christ in the Masse Christ hath sayd tell it to the Church therfore the Churcâ— of Rome cannot erre Christ hath sayd All that you shall loos◠〈◊〉 shall bee loosed in heaven therefore the Pope can let loose vnder ground and release soules out of Pugatory God hath made man after his owne image therfore images ought to be adored Likewise Sin against the holy Ghoast is neither pardoned in this world nor in the world to come therefore there is a fire of Purgatory to purge the soules Consequences that would provoke laughter were it not that thereby the word of God is troden under foot and the service of our Lord vtterly depraved CHAP. XXIII Testimonies of the Fathers touching the perfection of the Scripture AS the authority of the word of God contained in the holy Scriptures is not supported by the authority of men so also its perfection hath no want of their restimony Iesus Christ spake at the 5. of Iohn â—4 I seeke not testimony from men To beleeve that the word of God is perfect because men affirme it is to kindle a lampe to light the noone day for God is not to be therefore trusted because men say the word it must bee so The word of God is as forcible alone as in company yea being alone it better guardeth its owne authority How grosse then and absurd our adversaries should shew themselves in attempting to prove the insufficiency of the Scripture out of the Fathers seeing that to defend her sufficiency by warrant of the Fathers is to derogate from her authority But before we listen to the ancient Doctors in this question give us leave to protest that we alledge them not to defend the Scripture but by way of their justification for they are made the advocates of error contrary to their owne intentioÌ„ They are alledged to
prove the insufficiency of the Scripture whose actuall perfection and absolute sufficiency they exalt above all upon all occurrences and tracts concerning the doctrine of salvation Clemens Alexandrinus in the sixt booke of his Stromata Wee say nothing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without the Scriptures Tertullian in his booke against Hermogenes wrote before hee became Scriptum esse doceat Hermogenis officina Si non est scriptum timeat vae illud adijcientibus auâ— detrahentibus destinaetum a Montanist Hereticke in his 22. chap. The shop of Hermogenes declareth to us that it is written but in case it be not written let that woe denounced against those which adde or diminish be a terrour vnto them But when hee afterwards slid away into heresie he betooke himselfe to maintaine his doctrine by vnwritten Traditions For in his booke of Monogamy which he compiled being an Hereticke at the 2. chap. hee transmitteth vs to Tradition alledging these words of our Lord I have many things to tell you but you cannot carry them away at this time which is the passage that our adversaries ordinarily produce for Hippol. tome 3. Biblioth PatruÌ„ pag. 20 21. Edit Col. Vnus Deuâ— est quem non altunde agnâ—scimus quam ex S. 〈◊〉 Qutadmodum n. si que vellet sapientiam huius saculi exercere non aliter hoc coÌ„sequt poterit nisi dogmata Philosophorura legat sie quicunque volumus pietateÌ„ in Deum exercere non aliunde discemus quam in Scripturis divinis Athan. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ambros Quae in scripturis sanctis non reperimus ca queÌ„admodum â— surpare possemus Hillar Te admiror fideÌ„ tantum secuÌ„dum ea qua scripta sunt desideranteÌ„ Basil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyrill Hier. Catech. 4 c. de Spir. S. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cvrillus Alexandr Gla. Phyr Dist 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their Traditions Saint Hippolytus There is but one God whom wee know not by other meanes but by the sacred Scriptures Even as he that would exercise the wisedome of this age cannot seeke and obtaine it but by reading the opinions and precepts of Philosophers so all of us that would practise true Piety towards God can learne and comprehend it no way else but by the holy Scriptures Saint Athanasius in the beginning of his oration against the Gentiles The holy and devinely inspired Scriptures are sufficient to cause the truth to bee vnderstood And in his booke of our Saviours Incarnation Are you so inordinatly desperate as to relate things that are not written and to keepe your vnderstanding at such distance from true piety Ambrose in his first booke de officijs cha 23. How can wee alledge things not found to be in holy Scriptures Saint Hilary in his second booke against Constantius I doe admire thee O Emperour Constantius shewing thy desire that men should beleeve according as it is written Basile is excellent heereupon towards the end of his Ethicks which are among his Ascheticks If saith hee all that is not of Faith be sinne as the Apostle speaketh and faith commeth by hearing and hearing from the word of God all that is without or beside the holy Scripture devinely inspired not being of faith is sinne And againe in his Treatise concerning Faith It is a manifest revolt from the faith and a capitall crime of pride and presumption to reject any thing that is written or to bring in any thing unwritten See also the same Father amongst his more compendious rules in the 95. definition Saint Cyrill of Ierusalem is no lesse expresse This good man in his fourth Catechisme instructeth people in this manner Touching the divine and sacred misteries of the faith the least matter is not to bee taught without the holy Scriptures nor suffered to be brought in after any sort whatsoever either through probability or through words fitly disposed Yea put no confidence in mee that speake unto you these things unlesse I give you proofe of that which I preach unto you out of the holy Scriptures for the integrity of our faith consisteth not in designes or conferences artificially invented but in proofe drawne from the divine Scrptures And Cyril of Alexandria in the 2. booke upon Genesis How can we admit of that which the holy Scripture hath not said or range it amongst absolute verities And in his seventh booke against Iulian The holy Scripture is sufficient to make those wise most approved and of able understanding who are therewith educated and instructed Theodoret in his first Dialogue Theod. Dialog 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et Dial. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Corysost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et in Psa 95 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bellar. dâ— verbo dâ—i lib. 4. cap. 11. intituled De Immutab Bring not humane reasons to me for I beleeve not in any thing but the holy Scriptures And in his second Dialogue I am not so rash as to affirme any thing wherein the sacred Scripture is silent Chrysostome upon the second Epistle to the Thessalonians the second Chapter All things that are in the divine Scriptures are cleere and sincere every thing that is necessary is therein plaine And upon Psalm 95. When any thing is spoken without the Scripture the very cogitations of the hearers are lame The same Father in his third Homily upon the second to the Corinthians calleth the Scripture an exact ballance the rule and square of all things He saith not as Bellarmine falsifying this passage doth make him that the Scripture is the most exact rule of all but that it is the ballance square and rule of all things Saint Hierome upon the first Chapter of the Prophet Aggay Hieron Sed alia qua absque authoritate testimonie scripturarum quasi traditione Apostolica sponte reperiunt percutit gladius Det. Ecclesia Christi c. non est ogressa de finibus suts id est de Scripturis sanctis The things which they invent and forge of themselves as by an Apostolicall Tradition without the authoritie and testimony of the holy Scriptures are stroken and dashed by the very sword of God And upon the Prophet Micah l. c. 1. The Church of Christ is not strayed out of its limits that is to say from the holy Scriptures So as to bring any thing from without the Scripture in the Doctrine of salvation is to wander out of the bounds that God hath prefixed to the Church The same Father against Helvidius As wee deny not that which is Hiero in Heluid Vt hac quae scripta hunt non negaâ—us ita ea â—ua non sunt script a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deum esse de â—â—gane credimus quia legimus Maria â—â—â—â—â—sse post portum non eredimus quia non legimus August Evangalista tastatur multa Dominum ChristuÌ„ it dixisse et secisse qua non scripta sunt electa sunt autem qua scriberantur qua salutâ— cradentium
sufficere videbantur written so wee reject that which is not written Wee beleeve that God is borne of a Virgine because we reade it but we beleeve not that shee was joyned in marriage after her childe-birth because we reade it not We have the life of Saint Anthony which some attribute to Athanasius speaking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the Scriptures are sufficient for our instruction Saint Augustine in his 49. Treatise upon Saint Iohn The Evangelist testifieth that Iesus Christ both did and said many things that are not written but we have chosen the things esteemed necessary to salvation which have been written Iâ— his second booke De merito Vbi de re obscurissima disputatur non adiuuantibus diuinarum scripturarum certis clarisque do 〈…〉 cohibere se deber humana prasumptiâ— peccatorum remiss Chap. 36. When a matter of greatest obscurity and darknesse is disputed without the assistance of the divine Scriptures evident and most certaine direction humane presumption ought to suppresse it selfe The knowledge that some impute to Saints concerning our cogitations the Limbus for the Fathers and that for little infants are matters very obscure yet concerning these points have we no passage in the word of God In the 142. Epist chap 9. By the Per sol as scripturas potes plenam Dei intelligere 〈◊〉 tem single Scripture alone you may fully know the will of God And if it bee supposed that this Epistle was not written by Saint Augustine but by Pelagius yet it is manifest that Augustine never reprehended him for speaking in this manner Also in his booke of nature and Solu 〈◊〉 eis debeo sâ—â—â— vlla recusatione consensu grace Chap. 61. A Pelagian reciting to him some allegations of the Fathers he answereth I owe my approbation and consent onely to the Canonicall Scriptures without refusall or excuse The same Doctor in his booke of the Vnity of the Church disputeth against the Donatists who affirmed that the true Church was on their side Augustine to know which is the true Church will have the question determined by the Scriptures alone not by the Histories and humane Testimonies whereof the Donatists make their use best advantage These Quid ergo faciuri sumus in verbis nostru eaÌ„ qua situri an in verbis capitis sui Domini nostra Iesu Christi Puto quod in illius potius verbis eaÌ„ quarerâ— debemus qui veritas est are his words in the 2 chap. What shall we doe then shall wee seeke the Church in our wordes or in the words of her head our Lord Iesus Christ I conceiue that we ought rather to seeke it in the words of him who is the truth it selfe Diametrally opposing our adversaries who will have the Scripture notified and receiued by the Testimony of the Church He on the other side will have us take notice and embrace the true Church by the Testimony of the Scripture And in the 3. chapter Sed vt dicere coeperam non andâ—amus hac dico hac dicis sed audiamus Hac dicit Dominui Sunc certi libri dominici quoruÌ„ authoritati vrtique consentimus vtrique credimus vtrique seruimus Ibi quaramus EcclesiaÌ„ ibi discutiamus causà nostrà persuing this discourse But as I began to say let us not heare it spoken I say this thou sayest that but bet vs heare this saith the Lord. There are assuredly bookes of the Lord to whose authority we both subscribe therein we both beleeue to them are we both subject that is the place where wee are to seeke the Church there we debate our cause This pious Doctor spake not as too many doe in these daies that the Scripture is not judge that it is a dumbe Rule that it is ambiguous that it containeth not all things necessary to salvation that the faith of the Church regulates the Scripture and not on the contrary he would have the question of the Church decided by the Scripture alone Wherevpon he 〈◊〉 ergo illa de medio qua aduersus not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex diuiâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed alionde recitaâ—â—â—s addeth Let us despise and cast from â—â— those allegations which we make one against another and are not taken from the divine Canonicall bookes but from else-where For urging further I desire that the Church bee prooved not by humane documents or instructions but by divine Oracles He calleth humane instructions all that is alledged without the Scripture Can our adversaries by this course euer proove that the Church of Rome is onely the true Church rather then the Graecian or the Syrian and that the Pope is Saint Peters successour in the charge of head of the vniversall Church At the last after many passages of Scripture called to mind and uttered in defence of it turning his designe towards the Donatists hee summoneth them to proove their Cap. 6. Legete nobis hoc de Lege de Trophetis de Psalmis de ipso EnaÌ„gelis de Apostolicis literis 〈◊〉 credumus positions by Scripture Read us that in the Law the Prophets the Psalmes the Gospel it selfe or writings of the Apostles and wee shall beleeue Obserue directly how we proceed with our adversaries for we call upon them Reade us invocation of Saints Images of the Trinity adoration of Reliques or succession of the Pope in the Apostleship of Saint Peter in the writings of the Prophets Apostles Evangelists and we will beleeue them But they are so netled at this that following the example of the Donatists they censure this demand to be vnjust remanding us to Tradition which they call the unwritten word taught by the mouth of the Church that is to say the Pope and a few Prelates who dominere by means of these Traditions which are all accommodated to their profit and subdued to their power This holy personage cannot be satisfied with long enough insisting upon this subjâ—ct and if this booke were not to bee found in all Saint Augustines workes or thaâ— it were without a title our adversaries would say that Calvin or Beza had contrived it to their humour Cap. 12. Legat mihi hoc in scripturis sanctis non sit anathema Cap. 15. Legant hoc nobis de scripturis sanctis nos eredenous For he addeth Let Donat read mee that in the holy Scriptures and he shall be no Anathemae Likewise let them read us that in the holy Scriptures and we will beleeue it And a little after rejecting the proofes of the Dotanists who alledged miracles for themselues and the Councells of Cap. 16. Remotis igitur talibus Ecclesiam suam demonstrent si possunt non in sermonibus ruâ—oribus Afrorum noÌ„ in concilijs EpiscoporuÌ„ suorum non literis quoruÌ„ libet disputatorum non in signis prodigijs fallacibus quia etiaÌ„ contra ista verbo Domint praeparati cauti redditi sumus sed in prascripto Legis in Prophetâ— rum praedict it in PsalmoruÌ„ Cantibus
after the Apostles did reject all Traditions not contained in the holy Scriptures much more and with stronger reason it standeth that after so many ages transacted there should be lesse probability of cause to make new additions For when shall there be any cessation of adding Bellarmine in his 3. chapter against Barkley perceiuing that the Popes power to depose Kings is destitute of all Testimony of antiquity Non rectâ— dâ— Ecclesia sentit qui nihil admittit nisi quod exprâ—ssâ— in vetâ—râ— Ecclesia scriptuÌ„ aut factum â—sse legit Quâ—sâ— Ecclesia posterâ—â—ris temporis auâ— desiâ—rit essâ— Eclesia aut facultatâ— non habuerit explicandi declarandi constituendi â—tiam et iubâ—ndâ— quâ— ad fideÌ„ et mores Christianos pertinent saith that hee judgeth not soundly of the Church of Christ who admitteth nothing but what he readeth expressely to haue beene done or sayd in the ancient Church As if the Church of the latter time had either discontinued and left off to be a Church or had not the faculty of explicating or declaring constituting and ordaining matters which concerne the faith and manners of Christians Whence it followeth that the Church of Rome is not yet compleate and finished in her perfection seeing that precepts touching the faith and rule of moralitie may be added thereunto as indeed there are yet many that are hot in the forge and freshly hammered upon the anvile of avarice and ambition But this Cardinall ought to consider that seeing this Tradition touching the Popes power to depose Kings maketh the Pope King of Kings It is not just or reasonable that the Pope should be judge thereof nor that he should bee permitted without rendering accompt to any other person to introduce such Traditions without the word of God whereby to enveagle the temporall wealâ—h and to make himselfe the moâ—arch on earth By this very doctrine the Iesuite equalleth in authority the Romish Church of this time to the Church of the Apostles time Yet it is the Church of the Apostles time which regulateth the succeeding ages And those first Heraulds of grace in Iesus Christ are yet seated vpon the twelue thrones ludging the twelue Tribes of Israel From this source proceeded the Bull Exurge which is at the end of the last Lateran Councell placing this amongst the heresies of Luther when he sayd that It is not in the power of the Pope and Church of Rome to establish Articles of faith Hence also proceeded the remonstrance Syn Flor. Sess vlt. Romana Ecclâ—siâ— nâ—cessitatâ— vrgente iurâ— suo partâ—culâ— illam ex filioque Symbâ—lâ— appâ—nere liâ—u â—ssâ— which the councel of Florence published that the Church of Rome had just power to adde to the Creed CHAP. XXIIII How the Texts and Passages of the Fathers which our adversaries alledge for the unwritten Traditions ought to be understood SEeing that in matter of Christian faith and the points necessary to salvation the Fathers doe unanimiously cleaue to the sole word of God contained in the Holy Scriptures it were a strange thing if after this they should seeke to ground themselues upon Traditions and to surmise in matter of salvation another word unwritten Certainely the Doctors who should destroy that which they have built vp ought not to be beleeved by no meanes should they bee credited who credit not themselues Now for the better purging of Three sorts of good Traditions them from this blame it would be necessary to remember that which wee have formerly spoken to wit that we reiect not all sorts of Traditions for the Scripture it selfe is a Tradition which is one reason A second is because there are Traditions which are not matters of Faith nor necessary to salvation but customes and reglements touching Ecclesiasticall policy which wee willingly approove when wee see that they have beene receiued in the auncient Church by a generall consent And Satan having alienated any one of these customes and turned it to Idolatry or converted it to any other end unpractised before wee doe not beleeue that in deserting such a custome Christian Religion is a whit impaired but it were wisely done to barge up that gate against the devill A third is because there are also Doctrines taught in the Scripture which are there not found in the same termes as the Ancients propose them but are therein found in equivalent words or are deduced from thence by necessary consequence If any man will call these doctrines Traditions wee will not quarrell him thereupon provided that he allow such Traditions to be bottomed with the Scripture and there to be found in substance I say then as often as the Fathers mention and give way to Traditions their meaning is of those three sorts afore recited that is to say either of the Scripture it selfe or of customes and reglements of Ecclesiasticall policy and of matters not necessary to salvation or of occurrences contained in the Scripture yet not there found in the same words as the auncients propose them but in substance and â—y consequence to proove the which wee have employed the Chapter following CHAP. XXV A proofe of that which went before SOme doe object Irenaeus unto us who wrote abou the end of the second age that in his 3. book 4. chap. disputing against Hereticks that gave no admission to the Scriptures laboureth to convince them by Traditions that is to say as he expoundeth himselfe by the succession of the doctrine left from hand to hand in the Churches erected by the Apostles What Quid auseÌ„ si neque Apostoli Scripturas quidem reliquissent nobis nonne oporteret ordinem sequi traditionis quam tradiderant â—â—s quibus coÌ„mittehant Ecclesias saith he If the Apostles had not left us the Scriptures would it not have beene needfull to follow the order of Tradition which they delivered to those unto whose trust they committed the Churches And to good purpose he sayd it for if wee had not the holy Scriptures wee should have been constrayned to have recourse vnto weaker meanes and of lesse certainty And it behooveth that when he speaketh in that manner it bee to such as are refractary and averse from the Scriptures but not to vs who cordially embrace them and set up our last rest upon them Moreover from the time of Irenaeas the succession was but short and the memory of things taught by the mouth of the Apostles fresh of the which the remembrance would bee razed and put out if we had not the writings of the Apostles For the continuation of time and the subversion corruption and schisme of so many Churches which then unamimously concurred and are now at variance boasting of their succession maketh this search and examination impossible to the Christian people and full of uncertainty But at length what are these doctrines which Irenâ—us would have to bee taught and learned by Tradition if we had not the Scripture Is it invocation of Saints service of Images adoration of Relickes the
sinne to fast upon the Lords day and to pray that day kneeling and the custome when they trample and walke abroad in putting on their shooes to marke themselves in the forehead with the signe of the Crosse HaruÌ„ et cateraruÌ„ eiusmodi disciplinaruÌ„ si legem expostules ScripturaruÌ„ nullam invenies Traditio tibi prateÌ„ditur austrix consuetudâ— confirmatrix et fides observatrix summing all vp with this saying If thou expostulate the legall condition of these disciplines and others the like thou shalt not find it Tradition is pretended to thee which increaseth them custome which confirmeth them and faith which observeth them Our Adversaries doe shrowd themselves in the protection of this last passage to establish their Traditions Yet can there not bee a more proper passage alledged to confirme the same which I have said concerning the Traditions which the Fathers have handled that they are not Doctrines of faith nor matters necessary to salvation but onely Ceremonies and Customes and Lawes of Ecclesiasticall policie which the Church of Rome hath forsaken for the most part and regardeth them no more For all the Traditions of Tertullian are but Customes and Ceremonies whereupon hee calleth them Disciplines and there is nothing therein which concerneth the Doctrine of faith or is necessary to salvation And concerning the question which he discusseth in this booke whether a Christian souldier at a day of muster when all the souldiers were crowned with a Lawrell did better in chusing rather to suffer martyrdome then to put the crowne upon his head contenting himselfe to hold it in his hand I say it is not a point of faith but an opinion wherein Tertullian had but a few to second him For the other Christians accused this souldier of temerity and to have drawne persecution upon his companions in a thing indifferent saying That there was nothing in the Scripture that obliged him to it But Tertullian defendeth the action of this souldier by Tradition When we alledge some passages of Tertullian expresse against invocation of Saints and against Transubstantiation our Adversaries on the other side alledge the words of Hierome against Helvidius I have nothing more to say of Tertullian but that he was not a man of the Church that is to say he was an Hereticke Whilst hee was Orthodoxall hee condemned Traditions as it hath formerly appeared unto us But being turned Montanist he falleth into much admiration of Traditions vouching the words of our Saviour I have yet many things to deliver to you but you cannot for the present beare them away Which is the ordinary language of ouâ— Adversaries Now it doth noâ— import us whether he hath written the booke of the souldiers crowne being an Hereticke or being yet Orthodoxall seeing the Traditions which he bundleth together touch not the Christian faith Neverthelesse it is certaine that he was then an Hereticke For in this booke he maliced and repined at the Catholikes because they taught that it was lawfull for any man to save his owne life without exposing it to martyrdome and because they rejected the prophecies of Montanus who stiled himselfe the holy Ghost Hereunto those words of Tertullian at the second chapter seeme to Planâ— superest vt etiam Martyria recusare moditentur qui prophetias eiusdeÌ„ Spirttus sancti respuerunt c. Novâ— pastores eoru in pace leones in praelio cervos have relation It remaines that they who have rejected the prophecies of the holy Ghost doe intend to decline and refuse martyrdomes Also I know their Pastours who are Lions in peace and Harts in battle The same hath likewise beene observed by Pamelius So then these Gamesters have little reason but lesse honesty to borrow the weapons of an Hereticke There are found some other passages of Tertullian wherein by Tradition hee understandeth the Doctrine of the Gospel contained in the holy Scriptures But we willingly imbrace this Tradition To this passage of Tertullian we may compare another of Basil much alike in Chap. 27. of his booke De Spiritu Sancto where hee makes a long recapitulation of unwritten Traditions Hearken to his words Some of the precepts and lessons which the Church observeth and are preached unto us we have by written instruction some others we doe receive by way of mystery having beene conveighed unto us by the Tradition of the Apostles Both of them have like force in matter of piety and no man that hath insight be it never so lâ—ttle in the Ecclesiasticall Lawes will contradict it For if we will reject the unâ—ritten Customes as having but little vertue we shall endammage the Gospel at unawares especially in matters that are commodious and proper or rather we shall reduce preaching to a simple and bare name As for example that I may make mention of the first and most common What writing hath taught us to marke those with the signe of the Crosse who have put their trust in the name of Iesus Christ What Scripture hath taught us to turne towards the East in prayer Which is he of the Saints that hath left unto us by writing the words of the invocatioÌ„ wheÌ„ the Bread of the Eucharist and Cup of benediâ—tion are shewed For wee content not our selves with that whereof the Apostle or the Gospel maketh mâ—ntion but wee adde other things before and after as having great vertue in the mystery which we were taught by unwritten instruction But by what Scripture doe wee blesse the water of Baptisme and the oile used in the Vâ—ction especially that wherewith we baptize Is not this a Tacite and mysticall Tradition Hee addeth the triple plunging in Baptisme and the renouncing of the devill and his angels Also the custome of standing at prayer the first day of the week and from the Paschall unto Pentecost to shew that wee are raised up againe with Christ and doe seeke the things that are above and because seven times seven dayes signifieth the eternity And to make short he inserts the beleefe in God the Father Sonne and holy Ghost amongst the Traditions saying That these unwritten things are of semblâ—ble authority with the written and maâ—ch them iâ— vertue and that the Fathâ—rs have covered them with silence as the more high and more venerable of pâ—rpose to keepe men in more awfull observance by the obscurity and that it is of these as of a most sacred place wherein onely the chiefe sacrificing Priest did enter This passage indeed doth ill accord with those excellent ones of Basil in the which he hath formerly acquainted us that all which is not of faith is sinne and that faith is by hearing of the word of God that whatsoever is without the verge of the Scripâ—ure divinely inspired is not of faith and consequently is sinne and that to shew a forwardnesse in adding to the holy Scripture is a flat revolt from the faith By reason of this contrariety Beilarmine supposeth that these questions which make a part of his Aschetickes
house cannot see the Scriptures that are divinely inspired to bee so injuriously despighted without extreme horrour and griefe and though it bee a very prodigie or wonder of men that call themselues Christians but so powre out their hearts in invectiues against the Scripture whereof neither Porphyry nor Lucian nor the most capitall enemies of the Christian name were ever advised yet to us is it a subject of joy and no little consolation in the midst of reproaches cast upon us to be imployed to speake in Gods behalfe and to defend the honour of his word against men perversly ingenious to defame it For it is better to suffer for him then to triumph without him There is not a more honourable blemish nor more honest disgrace then to bee defamed and oppressed for his name True it is that the staine and disreputation exceed our strength and it is no easie matter to speake worthily of the condigne honour belonging to holy Scripture and with imperfect mindes to defend her perfection it were in some sort to light the day with a candle and to demonstrate the Sanne with the finger as to endeavour to arriue at the bright evidence of the Scripture for at all times all that wee can performe is lesse cleare then her perfection I hold it therefore expedient to publish to the light the scandalls and accusations which our adversaries doe raise against the Scripture and to shew how God hath strucken them with the spirit of amazement as also to compare the wickednes and vanitie of the Romish Traditions with the perfection and sanctitie of the holy Scripture And wee hope that in this so holy and just quarrell God will assist vs and that he will vouchsafe vs the grace to maintaine the honour of his Word by such meanes as are most agreeable to his Word and that he who hath confounded the tongues of the builders of Babel will confound the thoughts and spirits of those that labor daily to rebuild it In my three former Treatises entituled The Iudge of Controversies I haue defended the authoritie of the Scripture and shewen that our adversaries in this cause haue not onely the Scripture contradicting them but also themselues common sense antiquitie and experience and that they are not onely at variance among themselues but every one particularly thwarteth himselfe It remaines now to speak of the perfection of the Scripture and to shew that our Adversaries wrongfully find fault therein and most injuriously accuse it of insufficiencie These two Questions the one touching the authority of the Scripture the other as concerning her perfection are linked together inseparably These two properties of Scripture reciprocally embrace one the other and afford to themselues mutuall succour For the Scripture it selfe by her authoritie maintaineth her sufficiencie and her sufficiencie giveth her authoritie And whosoeuer withstandeth the authoritie of the Scripture fighteth also against her perfection for if the Scripture be soveraigne Iudge it is deficient in nothing to judge well And it is certaine that shee cannot bee Iudge of poynts whereof shee speaketh not If shee bee wanting in any thing some superiour authoritie must supply her default And if our Adversaries haue reason to say that the Church of Rome is the rule of Scripture for a certaine it is of that Church wherein we ought to learne whether there bee any imperfection in the Scripture but the decision of the question touching the Scriptures authoritie levelleth the way for us to the question concerning her perfection which shall bee if God permit this last Treatise wherein wee defend the absolute perfection of the Scripture against the Appendixes and Additions of the Romish Church which men call Traditions yea against men that with a depraved subtiltie search and hunt after defects in Scripture like vnto Holland spectacles that discover spots and staines in the shining sunne When we compare the Romish Traditions with the doctrine of holy Scripture they will be found not onely infinitely beneath the sanctitie and excellencie of the Scriptures and as coales mingled amongst Diamonds but also contrary to them and meere insurrections against Gods commandements vnder colour of addition It will bee found that these Traditions which they deriue and make to descend from the Apostles are forged de novo and resemble the Gibeonites who being very neere spake as if they were come from farre It will appeare that these Traditions which men exalt in generall when they come to a particular scanning they are but a frivolous bundle of human Inventions contrived for gaine and of malicious deceits to subdue the people under the Ecclesiastiques and to retaine them in blind ignorance CHAP. II. Of the word Tradition IT will be necessary to expound the word before wee speake of the matter This word Tradition signifieth a doctrine giuen by succession from hand to hand From whence we conclude that the holy Scripture the Law of God and the Gospell are Traditions The Apostle St. Paul in his first chapter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Galat. v. 14. affirmeth himselfe to be exceedingly zealous of the Traditions of his Fathers calling so the Law of Moses whereof he had been very zealous or at least comprehending it in these Traditions The same Apostle in the second to the Thessal chap 2. v. 15. exhorteth them to preserue the Traditions which they had learned either from his mouth or by his Epistle calling the doctrine which he had written unto them a Traditon And in the 15 chap. to the Corinth the I. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Siergo aut Evangelio praecipitur aut in Apostolorum epistolis aut actibus continetur c. observetur divina haec sancta traditio I have given you by tradition for so is the Greeke word that Iesus Christ is dead for our sinnes according to the Scriptures He then calleth Tradition that which is in the Scripture Iust in the same manner speaketh hee in the same Epistle at the 23. vers of the 11. chapter Thus speake the Fathers Cyprian in his 74. Epist to Pomp. If it bee commanded in the Gospell or contayned * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. in the Epistles of the Apostles or in the Actes let this divine and holy Tradition bee obserued And Basil in the third Booke against Eunomius The Lord himselfe in the tradition of saving Baptisme gaue this order saying As you goe along baptize in the name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost But Custome hath prevayled that by this word Tradition some Document Rule Recitall or Ceremonie in matter of Gods Service not contained in the holy Scriptures bee observed And so shall the word bee taken in all this Treatise CHAP. III. The beleefe of our Churches The calumny of Regourd a Iesuite THe fift article of our confession expresseth that the holy Scripture is the rule of all veritie containing all that is necessary for the service of God and our owne salvation whereunto it is not
of the 7. booke of the Apostles constitutions saith that The Church of Ecclesia Rom na quae Apostolita vtens potestate su gula pro conâ—â—tione temâ—oâ—um in melius mutat Quartae fertae 〈◊〉 quod diu mansit in Ecclesia nunc quod est doleâ—â—uÌ„ at que lugenduÌ„ cum alijs optimis matoruÌ„ institutu in desuetudinem abijt Gregor de Vateâ— Tom 4 disp 6. qa 8. puncto 5. sect 10. Et certè quaedaÌ„ posterioribus temporibus rectiut â—onstituâ—a esse in ecâ—lesia quaÌ„ initio se haberent Id confirmat authoriâ—ate Ambâ—osij Thomae Waldensis Tomo 2. de Sacrament cap. 94. Rome chalenging to her selfe Apostolicall authority can change and alter every thing to better according to the condition of the times yet there complaineth that a custome of the ancient Church to fast on wednesdayes and many other very good Lawes were abolished Gregory of Valence in the fourth Tome of his Commentaries and the sixth Disputation maketh no difficulty to affirme that Many things in these latter times are better ordained in the Church then they were in the beginning that is to say from the Apostles time The sacred Scripture in the 18. and 20. of Leuiticus layeth downe certaine degrees of consanguinity alliance which hinder mariage whereof the most remoued is the mariage of the Vncle with the Neece or the Aunt with the Nephew which are mariages forbidden and declared incestuous by the word of God which permitteth mariages in other degrees De la permission d'espouser les 2. soeurs voyez Almain au li. de la puissance Eccl. larque more remoued But the Pope vsurpeth power to himselfe in giuing liberty to mariages forbidden in the Scripture yea extending so far as to a toleration of marying two sisters as also hee permitteth the Vncle to mary the Neece On the otherside he forbiddeth mariages in more remote degrees and which God permitteth in his holy word as mariages betweene the issues of cosen germanes and betweene cosen germanes remoued Whereupon the Councell of Trent in the 24. Session at the 3. Canon denounceth an Anathema against al those that shall say that the church of Rome cannot forbid mariage in degrees allowed by the word of God and cannot dispense in degrees forbidden Thus runneth the Si quis dixerit cos tantuÌ„ consanguini tâ—tâ—â—t affinitatis gradus qui â—â—uâ—â—ico exprimuâ—tur posse impedire matrimonium contrahendum dirimere contractum nec posse Ecclesiâ— in nonnullu illoruÌ„ dispensare aut censtituere vt plures impediant dirimant Anathema sit Canon If any man saith that there are no more degrees of consanguinity and alliance then what are expressed in Leuiticus that can hinder from contracting of mariage or separate that which is contracted and that the Church cannot dispence in some of these degrees nor ordaine that many other degrees hinder or separate the mariage let him bee an Anathema This Councell curseth those which say that the Church of Rome cannot alter Gods ordinance nor dispense with that which God hath forbidden in his holy Word It is true that in the same Session this Councell giveth an exception in these In secundo gradu â—unquaÌ„ dispensetur nisi inter magnos Prinâ—ipes et ob publiâ—aÌ„â—ausam words Let no dispensation be giuen in the second degree vnlesse betweene great Princes and for publicke cause For the lawes of the Church of Rome open or shut according to the quality and riches of the persons Now it were good to know whether to marry a wiues sister or his â—eece or cosen a dispensation were ever asked of Saint Peter and whether hee gaue dispensation to the rich and sent the poore away According to this power that the Pope arrogateth to himselfe to dispense against Gods commandement contained in the Scriptures â—hee dispenseth with persons concerning their oaths and vowes he dispenseth with subjects and officers of a King for keeping the fidelitie sworne to their Soveraigne Prince Hee separateth marriages lawfully contracted under the shadow of Religion against the Lords commandement speaking of the dissolution of Marriages Math. 19. 6. What God hath joyned together let no man put assunder For the same that Tolet speaketh of the Apostles may bee spoken of Iesus Christ that all that hee hath institutâ—d is not Lib 1. instâ—t Sâ—câ—rd c. 68. Iure divino He exempteth children from obedience to their parents contrary to the Law of God when they are cast into Monastâ—ries against the willes of their fathers and mothers He suffereth whoredome yea in Rome it selfe and there establisheth Brothell-houses against the Law of God He hath forbidden the publike Service in â— knowne tongue appoynted Masses without Communicants and ordained Image-service against the expresse commandements of Iesus Christ and the Apostle Saint Paul and against the practise of the primitiue Church yea against the very Law of God as wee will shew in fit place These things and many more the like doe explaine that the question betweene vs and our adversaries is not alone whether the Apostles haue taught Traditions by mouth which they would not haue to bee set downe in writing and whether besides the Scripture there ought also Apostolicall Traditions to bee received For the principall poynt of difference is touching the Traditions which our Adversaries confesse not to haue beene written nor taught by the mouth of the Apostles and which haue beene long since introduced And touching the Popes power to add to the Creed and to establish new articles of faith Yea especially and above all touching an arrogance without example wherein the Pope and Church of Rome attribute to themselues the power of annulling Gods commandements and of the Apostles contained in holy Scriptures and to alter the institution of our Lord and to judge as Cardinall Perron speaketh that such and such commandements of our Lord are dispensable These kind of Traditions ought to bee called after the Italian word Tradimenti treasons or conspiracies against God CHAP. VII Passages extracted out of the Writings of our adversaries which proue that in the Church of Rome Traditions are without comparison more esteemed and respected then the holy Scripture and the Scripture reviled and charged with iniuries Iesuite Regourds boldnesse to blemish and defame the Scripture THe Councell of Trent in the fourth Session seemeth contented to equall Tradition with the Scripture ordaining that the one and the other be received and honoured with like affection of pietie reverence But this Councell doth now as customarily it doth propose its doctrine in doubtfull termes involving it selfe in darknesse and obsuritie For whosoever is never so little versed in the writings of our adversaries or hath exactly considered the practise and customes of the Romish Church shall easily discover that the holy Scripture is of no comparison with the value and account of Tradition which is exalted with praises and magnificall titles as also most carefully observed whilst the Scripture