mind alwaies the things which they knew and the truth wherein they were settled to wit by his and others preaching Now if he wrote not these things they could not so well remember them after his departure And did Peter care onely for those present or for Gods Church after If he did then surely he so wrote to remember those present of that which they had learned as the same might also instruct others in the same truth such as should afterwards liue and had neuer heard him by word of mouth In 2. Pet. 3. 1 2. Here Saint Peter telleth them what was the end of writing both his Epistles to wit to remember them and to mind them of two things first of the words which were spoken by the Prophets and then of the Commandements of the Apostles he therefore wrote these In 1. Ioh. 4. 13. Saint Iohn writes of Antichrist of whom before they had heard and in Chap. 1. 3. he writeth what he had seene and taught before S. Iude he writeth what they to whom he sends his Epistle before knew and had bin preached by the Apostles v. 15. 17. 18. Saint Luke writes those things which were deliuered by word of mouth for the more certaintie of the things taught Luk. 1. 2 3 4. euen of all that Christ began to doe and to speake vnto his Ascension Act. 1. 1. By all these places it is cleare that what was first taught was afterwards written and our aduersaries cannot shew any necessary point of faith or of good life left out of the written Word which as a point of doctrine before was deliuered by tradition for the Churches necessary instruction from the worlds beginning To this the ancient Fathers giue witnesse Irenaeus lib. 3. cap. 1. The Apostles preached the Gospell and afterwards by the wil of God they deliuered it vnto vs in Scriptures to be the pillar and ground of our faith Saint Ierome on Phil. 3. saith that Saint Paul wrote that is made rehearsall of the same things which he when he was present with them had told them by mouth Theophylact on Luke chap. 1. speakes in Lukes person and saith I instructed thee before without writing now I deliuer vnto thee a written Gospell that thou mayest not forget those things which were deliuered without writing Nicephorus lib. 2. cap. 34. saith that what Saint Paul in presence plainely taught by mouth the same things afterward in absence he called to their minds by his Epistle And that this was not but by Gods commandement S. Austine de consens Euangel lib. 1. cap. 35. witnesseth When the Disciples wrote saith he what Christ shewed and said vnto them wee may not say that he did not write for the members wrote that which they learned by the inditing of the head For whatsoeuer hee would haue vs to reade of the things which he did and said he gaue it in charge to them as his hands to write the same So that we may conclude that true which Saint Paul wrote to Timothy 2. Tim. 3. 16. both of all the old Testament as also of all the new and particularly of that very same place it selfe when hee had written it which is that all Scripture is of diuine inspiration seeing he also wrote by diuine instinct and by Christs commandement and made this attribute of diuinely-inspired to be a property of the Scriptures and so all necessarie things being written which were taught we must acknowledge the Word of God to bee found now onely in the holy Scriptures and not elsewhere And therefore may it be necessarily concluded from the premises and more fully also in the next immediately ensuing questions touching holy Scripture that the onely Rule of our faith is the holy Scriptures We are therefore to be guided by them in matter of faith and religion and not by that which seemeth right in our owne eyes Deu. 12. 8. Numb 15. 39. for there is a way which seemeth right to a man but the end thereof leadeth to death Pro. 14. 12. Not by our owne hearts Ezech. 13. 2. for mans heart is deceitfull aboue all things and desperately wicked Ier. 17. 9. Not by the will of man 2. Pet. 1. 21. for it is peruerse and crooked Not by humane wisedome though faire in shew Col. 2 23. for mans wisdome is enmity with God Rom. 8. 7. and the wisdome which is not from aboue is earthly sensuall and diuelish Iam. 3. 15. Not by our owne spirit Ezech. 13. 3. for we know not of what spirit we are Luk. 9. 55. Not by any priuate interpretation 2. Pet. 1. 20. for this is after man and not from holy Scripture which is not of any priuate interpretation but after the guiding of the holy Spirit 2. Pet 1. 20 21. Not by a pretended reuelation or spirit 2. Thes 2. 2. for this hath deceiued 2. Thes 2. 3. 1. King 22. 23. Not by the commandements nor doctrines of men Col. 2. 2. Mat. 7. 7. for such worship as is performed to God on such grounds is vaine Mat. 15. 18. Mark 7. 8. and God reiecteth it threatning to punish the same with losse of wisdome and vnderstanding Esay 29. 13 14. Not by traditions though receiued from our fathers 1. Pet. 1. 18. for with such deceits false Teachers deceiued the people euen in the Apostles dayes Acts 15. 24. 2. Thes 2 2. Not by writings of men as if Apostolical 2. Thes 2. 2. for so the deceiuets in S. Pauls time sought to beguile the people as this place witnesseth Not by statutes iudgements or examples of our forefathers Ezech. 20. 18. for their hearts might not be aright Psal 78. 8 37 57. Not by custome Leuit. 18. 3. for it may be vaine Ier. 10. 3. and idolatrous 2. King 17. 33 40. And custome which God approueth is that which is kept as it is written a custome obserued from the written Word Esd 3. 4. Not by number and multitude Exo. 23. 2. for here we see they may doe ill and examples in Scripture shew that multitudes haue erred when the fewer haue had the truth Not by the bare credit of any one teaching otherwise then wee haue receiued from the Word Saint Paul in this respect forbids to credit Man or Angell Gal. 1. 7 8. and an old Prophet seduced a young Prophet to his destruction 1. King 13. and that vnder pretended authoritie of an Angell vers 18. 24. Not by any rising from the dead much lesse by supposed apparitions seeming to bee of such as were dead Luk. 16. 31. for this the Lord allowed not of as a sufficient meanes to instruct wee are to be sent to the written Word to Moses and to the Prophets Not by signes and wonders or foreshewing things to come for these may false teachers doe Deut. 13. 1 2. by the power of Satan 2. Thes 2. 9. Reuel 13. 13. deceiuing the people Reuel 19. 20. Not by vaine and falsely so called Philosophy Col. 2. 8. or oppositions of Sciences falsely so
formall obiect of Faith and of infinit force and abilitie to perswade immediately by it selfe without the helpe of any formall inducement whatsoeuer Stapleton saith That all the former writings of the Bible may Defens Eccl. Autho. lib. 1. cap 9. Tripl incoat Aduers Wâ—itak in admonit be assured to vs by the latter the old Testament by the new and the inward Testimonie of the Spirit is so effectual for the beleeuing of any point of faith that by it alone any part may be beleeued though the Church hold her peace and neuer be heard Note this saying well you Papists that perswade your selues that the Scripture is not Scripture to you but because the Church tels you so They haue no Scripture for defence of this their Position to S. N. Guide of Faith chap. 7. num 2. and 3. obiect against vs. Atheisticall obiections some haue made as if they would vphold the Turkish Alcoran vnworthy any Christian and no more worthy any answer then the blasphemie of Rabshekah 2. King 18 36. against which King Hezekias commandement was Answer him not a word Esa 36. 21. VIII Proposition That traditions which they call the vnwritten word are the Rule of Faith Confuted by their owne Bible I. IT hath beene proued before that the word deliuered by mouth both before and vnder the Law and after till the new Testament was written in all substantiall and necessarie points of faith is now either expresly set downe or by a necessarie conclusion comprehended in the Scriptures II. That therefore the Scriptures are the onely Rule of Faith which before also is fully proued III. Their owne Bible in many places diuers wayes doth condemne traditions 1. In calling them traditions of men Col. 2. 8. of Fathers 1. Pet. 1. 18. your traditions that is the traditions of Scribes and Pharises Mat. 15. 1 3. commandements and doctrine of men Mat. 15. 9. Rudiments of the world Col. 2. 8 20. not calling them the tradition doctrines and commandements of God or his Word or the word of his Prophets any where 2. In declaring to vs that the worship which is after such traditions is a vaine worship Mat. 15. 9. and but a shew of wisedome in superstition Col. 2. 23. and that the conuersation also which is after Fathers tradition is but vaine 1. Pet. 1. 18. So as we see traditions may not be either a Rule of worship or of conuersation of life 3. In setting downe the euils which haue come to the Church and true Religion of God by such traditions Their Bible telleth vs that for traditions the Commandements of God were left transgressed made frustrate and his Word defeated Mat. 15. 3. Mar. 7. 8 9 13. It was tradition by which the Scribes and Pharises had diminished the integritie of the Law taken from it added to it and corrupted the meaning thereof which Christ freed it from Mat. 5. 18 20 22 23 28 29 34 35. It was a pretended Apostolicall word which first greatly troubled the Church of Antioch and was the cause of gathering the Councell at Ierusalem to confute and condemne the same Act. 15. 1 2 5 6 23 24. The decrees thereof were written the Epistle sent abroad vers 30. 31. and so they had a written Word to strengthen them against that traditionall corrupt and counterfeit Word Lastly it was a pretended Apostolicall word which troubled the Thessalonians 2. Thess 2. 2. which by his Epistle and so by the written Word was confuted If I should adde out of Storie to this out of Scripture what euils haue hereby happened to the Church in and among Hereticks who vsed traditions to defend their Heresies in and Irenaeus l. 5. c. 66. l. c. 13. â—ert de praescript Epiphan de Haeres l. 1. c. 23. 24 38. among the Fathers misse-led and misleading others by false traditions whereby some of them became Chiliasts and now in and among the Papists who vnder the colour of traditions fill the world full of their inuentions superstitions and Idolatries I should be ouer-long and so proue tedious But let the desirous Reader peruse D. Whitakers De traditionibus 4. In teaching vs that the Apostle giueth the Church warning not to be deceiued by word by Philosophie by vaine fallacie according to mens traditions 2. Thess 2. 1 2 3. Col. 2. 8. Contraried by Antiquitie Iustine in Triphonem If we will be safe in all things we must flie to the Scriptures we must beleeue God onely and rest only vpon his institutions and not on mens traditions Irenaeus li. 3. ca. 13. saith of the Apostles that what they preached by mouth they left vs in writing to bee the pillar and ground-worke of our Faith Tertul. de praescrip It were a folly to thinke that the Apostles knew all things but reuealed the same to few deliuering some things openly to all reseruing some other things to be spoken in secret to some What can more plainely be deliuered contradictorie to Papists and to taxe them of folly and falshood in this point Theoph. Alexand. in 2. Paschali It is a diuelish spirit to thinke any thing diuine besides the Authoritie of the holy Scriptures Basil in serm de fide It is a manifest defection from the faith to bring in any thing that is not written When he vttered this did he dreame of a traditionall word Ierome in Hag. cap. 1. All traditions pretended to be Apostolike if they haue not their authoritie from the Scriptures are cut off by the Sword of God Nazianzen in Epimedio Athanasij calleth this vnwritten word An inuocation and opposite to written Pietie See further Tertul. Origen Hippolytus Athanasius Ambrose Basil Greg. Nissene Ierome Augustine Cyril of Alexan. S. Antonie and Theodoret cited by Bishop Vsher in his last booke in the Controuersie of traditions Gainesaid by some of themselues This is to be seene in the words of Gregory Gerson Petrus See question the first before de Aliaco Clemangis Durandus Picus-Mirandula Aquinas Ferus and other auouching the whole Scriptures to bee the Rule of faith Also of Antoninus Scotus Gerson Trithemius Villa-Vincentius Caictan Lyra and other who maintaine that the the Scriptures be perfect and sufficient euery way their words See question the second before are cyted before and so doe gainesay this traditionall word Obiections out of the Scriptures answered 2. Thes 2. 15. Stand fast and hold the traditions which ye haue beene taught whether by word or by our Epistle Answ This place though in shew at the first sight may seeme to helpe them yet considering well what they in the Question vnderstand by traditions it helpes them nothing at all 1. Traditions here are such as all the Thessalonians receiued and which the Apostles had taught to them all but traditions which the Papists maintain are certaine secret traditions deliuered not to all but to some sorts of men for the better guiding of the Church Therefore these traditions here are not those these being common to all
called 1. Tim. 6. 20. for these be vaine and deceitfull None of these are sufficient to leade vs but we are to be ruled by the written Word The Errors of our time The Romanists maintaine these insuing Propositions I. Proposition That the holy Scriptures are not in all matters necessarie to saluation the onely rule of our faith and life Confuted by their owne English Bible THeir Bible teacheth that there is a Rule Rom. 12. 6. Gal. 6. 16. This Rule one and the same Phil. 3. 16. Now that this Rule is the holy Scriptures which is the written Word of God it is cleare by the same Bible I. It maketh the Word written to bee the rule and guide in matters of controuersie Deut 17 11. In this place the Priests and Iudges are bound to proceed according to the Law But that Law was written in a booke called The booke of the Law of the Lord which the Priests and Leuites had with them in Iehosophats dayes to teach the people 2. Chron. 17. 9. Bellarmine lib. de Verbo Dei cap 2. saith on this place Holy Moses teacheth here that controuersies arising among Gods people are to bee iudged according to the Law II. Their Bible teacheth that God vrgeth To the Law and to the testimony which is written as aforesaid and condemneth them that speake not according to this Word Esay 8. 20. III. By it we are taught that the Church is straightly charged to keepe to the written Word as in Iosh 23. 6. Onely take courage and be carefull that you keepe all things which be written in the volume of the Law of Moses and decline not from them neither to the right hand nor to the left Iosh 1 8. Let not the volume of this Law depart from thy mouth but thou shalt meditate in it dayes and nights that thou mayst keepe and doe all things that bee written in it Is not this testimony cleare What can be spoken more plainely These places vrge to keepe to the written Word and withal not to decline from it S. Paul hauing spoken against diuision schisme and syding with teachers in the Church of Corinth some of them holding of one some of another to remedy this euill he warnes them not to be puffed vp one against another aboue that which is written 1. Cor. 4. 6. To these places may be added Deut. 30. 10. The Lord promised great blessings vnto Israel with this annexed condition saying If thou heare the voyce of thy Lord thy God and keepe his precepts where their obedience is commanded and his voyce made the rule thereof Now lest they should doubt where to find this his voyce and these his precepts Moses addeth these words which are written in this Law which Law he wrote and commanded the same to bee read before all Israel for this end to learne to feare the Lord and to fulfill all his words in that Law Deut. 31. 9 12. yea a curse is denounced against such as keepe not to the Written Word Deut. 27. 26. Gal. 1. 10. and a plague is threatned for not obseruing the same Deut. 28. 58. Hence is it that we shall find the prayses of holy men very often in Scripture That they did according as it was written 2. Chron. 35. 12. they couenanted that they would doethe things that were written 2. Chron. 34. 31. See out of their owne Bible more for this 2. Chr. 23. 18. 1. Esdr 3. 2. 4. and 6. 18. 2. Esdr 8. 14 15. and 10. 34 36. 4 King 23. 21. 3. King 2. 3. 2. King 1. 18. And not to doe as was written was a sinne for which they were to humble themselues and beg pardon of God 2. Chron. 30. 6 18. 1. By their owne Bible we learne that Iesus Christ the chiefe Shepheard and Bishop of our soules did nothing regard traditions he neuer named them but with dislike but aduanced very highly the dignitie of the Scriptures as the only and alone rule and meanes of our instruction in all things necessary to eternall life for thus their Bible telleth vs 1. That hee tooke for the ground of his teaching Scripture Luk. 4. 17. but wee reade not any where that hee taught vpon tradition 2. That he interpreted the Scriptures and out of them taught the things concerning himselfe Luk. 24. 27. not for traditions nor any thing out of them 3. That he opened the vnderstanding of his Disciples that they might vnderstand the Scriptures Luk. 24. 25. Hee neuer did so concerning traditions 4. That he often cited the Scriptures Mark 7. 6 10. Matth. 9. 13. and 12 3. and 13. 14. and in many other places but neuer traditions 5. That he exhorteth to the searching of the Scriptures Ioh. 5. 39. but neuer to the searching of traditions 6. That hee cleared the Scriptures from abuse and corrupt expositions Mat. 5. 21 22 27 28 33. 24. 25 36 37 38 39. c. but neuer traditions 7. That he vsed the Scriptures in disputing with Satan Mat. 4. and in confuting his aduersaries Mat. 22. 31. and 19. 4. Luk. 10 26. neuer traditions 8. That he defended his owne doctrine and his manner of teaching by the Scriptures Mat. 13. 10 15. and also the act of his Disciples in plucking eares of corne Mat. 12. 3 4 5. but neuer by traditions 9. That hee tooke care alwayes in euery thing to fulfill the Scriptures Ioh. 12. 14 15 16. Mat. 4. 14. Luk. 24. 44 46. yea so farre as to suffer death to make good the truth of them Matth. 26. 54. Luk. 22. 37. but no such regard had he to traditions 10. That he did oppose Scriptures against traditions Mat. 15. 4. but neuer traditions against Scriptures or for interpretation of Scripture in matter of faith 11. That he preferred the witnesse of Scripture before the witnesse of men Ioh. 5. 34 39 41. yea the power of them for instruction before the voyce of any that should be raised from the dead Luk. 16. 27. neuer so traditions 12. That he put the triall of himselfe to Scriptures so true and sure a Iudge he tooke them to be Ioh. 5. 39. not to traditions IV. Lastly he taught how his owne words could take no place if the written Word were not regarded Ioh. 5. 47. What traditionall word is there then of any mortall man or of all the mortall men in the world which may receiue so much as equall authoritie how much lesse then supreme authoritie ouer the Scriptures V. Their owne Bible teacheth that the Apostles taught not an vnwritten but a written Word for the Gospell was that which they preached but that was written Rom. 1. 1 2. and was made manifest by the Scriptures of the Prophets Rom. 16. 26. Our Sauiour taught his Disciples out of Moses Prophets See Treneus lib. 4. cap. 66 in fine and a little booke intituled The Messiab already come for the particulars and Psalmes Luk. 24. 27. in which bookes his Names his Natures his Offices his Birth where and when and
and theirs proper to some onely 2. This place speakes of Traditions written which wee maintaine but they in this question vnderstand traditions beside Scripture or a word not written in the Scriptures how then doth this place helpe them 3 This place doth speake indeed of traditions deliuered by word and by writing but not of diuers traditions as one sort spoken and another sort written but of a diuers way of deliuering the very same traditions for first traditions are but once here named and applied to both Word and Epistle Secondly the word Whether may bee as wel taken coniunctiuely as it is in 1. Cor. 15. 11. 13. 8. Rom. 14. 8. Col. 1. 20. as disiunctiuely and albeit here it be taken disiunctiuely yet it proueth not diuersitie of traditions but the same diuersly deliuered 5. By this place it is cleare that traditions were first by word but will it therefore follow that they were not written The contrary is to bee shewed from the beginning 1. Before the Law the Word was not written but as before is proued it was afterwards written 2. Moses and the Prophets deliuered Gods wil first by word of mouth but afterwards the same was written Thirdly Christ taught by word which afterwards the Euangilists wrote Luk 1. 2 3. Fourthly the Apostle Saint Paul taught by word as other did but Saint Paul telleth vs that he was set apart to teach the Gospell Rom. 1. 1. which he calleth the Word of God 1. Thes 2. 2 13. This Word of the Lord Iesus he onely taught euery where and by him it was spred abroad Act. 18. 11. 19. 10. to which he commended the Church Act. 20. 32. This Word and Gospell spred so farre by him Rom. 15. 19. hee telleth vs was written before in the holy Scriptures Rom. 1. 2. so that he taught not an vnwritten but a written Word and a written Gospell Act. 26. 22. and 28. 23. Rom. 16. 26. 5. The traditions here mentioned first taught by word are written traditions which he calleth in 1. Thes 4. 2. Commandements but these Comandements giuen by word of mouth before after in writing to them hee here setteth downe vers 3. 4 5 6 10 11 12. yea what letteth to vnderstand these traditions by word to bee those things which in the 5. verse of this chapter he saith He remembreth them of set downe in vers 3. 4 If so then are these traditions written and not now vnwritten though at the first taught by word 6. Though it were granted that the traditions taught by word were not all written by the Apostle then in neither of these Epistles I demand first how can they be able hence to proue that neither he elsewhere nor any other Apostle wrote them but that they remaine to this day vnwritten Secondly how can they tell what these were if they be not written Thirdly how are they able to proue that these traditions not written and taught by the Apostle are their Popish traditions which they stand for Three necessarie questions vnresolued hitherto 7. And lastly If they thus will reason that there is yet an vnwritten word to be a rule because S. Paul taught traditions first by word then is there much more a written word to be a rule for that those spoken were after written for that which is spoken and written is with all men more certaine and sure then that which onely is spoken Now of one and the same thing to be ruled there cannot be two rules as before is proued Therefore let vs cleaue to the Word written as the most certaine and surest rule because it is both the word spoken and written 2. Thes 3. 6. And not according to the tradition which they haue receiued of vs. Answ Here is mention of a tradition which the Apostle had taught and the Thessalonians had receiued but this is not an vnwritten tradition but written for the Apostle in vers 10. sets it downe and telles vs plainely what it was to wit That if any would not worke let him not eate So as this is nothing for their vnwritten traditions 1. Cor. 11. 2. And I pray you brethren c. that you keepe the precepts as I deliuered them vnto you Answ 1. Wee grant that the Apostle deliuered and taught by word of mouth before he wrote but the question is whether the same he taught be writ or no They say they be not which this place proueth not neither can they bring any place either expressely or by necessarie conclusion To this purpose we say they be and doe proue it by many Scriptures afore set downe as also in answere to the first place of which nature is this Scripture for the Apostle saith here I deliuered them vnto you and in vers 23. hee hath the very same words and withall setteth downe what he deliuered to them in vers 23 24 25. So that what he deliuered by word is now in his writings Secondly this place according to their translation is of precepts they here auoyde the word traditions if it be not for traditions why doe they alleage it And if it be for traditions why doe they not name the Word here as elsewhere in other places But let them bee precepts what then If precepts of necessarie and substantial matters of the Gospell then were the same written for Paul preached them onely out of the Scriptures Act. 26. 22. and 28. 23. according to the Scriptures 1. Cor. 1 5 3 4. For as is proued his Gospell was a written Gospell and what hee preached the same substantiall points himselfe did afterwards write as appeareth in the same Epistle chap. 15. 1 2 3 4 c. And Eadem scrifiere hoc eâ— eadem repetere quae praseus dixeram in Phil. 3. 1. as also Saint Ierome expoundeth the place Being then written precepts here is no proofe for their vnwritten traditions If they vnderstand them of precepts in and about matters of indifferencie rites and decences in the Church c. the place is nothing to the question in hand and yet precepts in such matters are also written 1. Cor. 6. 12. and 8. 9 13. and 10. 23 31 32. and therefore taken which way they please they are now written and not vnwritten precepts 1. Tim. 6. 20. O Timothy keepe the depositum that is say the Rhemists the whole doctrine of our Christianitie and Catholike truth descending from the Apostles by succession of Bishops euen vnto the end is all one with tradition say they in their annotation giuen to the Bishops to keep and not to Lay-men The Gagger alleageth the third verse also and so as it seemeth doth take the word doctrine as here the word depositum that is as Bellarmine expounds it the treasure of vnwritten doctrine Answ 1. Here is no mention of tradition neither doth this place proue that this depositum is now an vnwritten doctrine 2. Hee speakes of a depositum committed to Timothy his trust but whether written or onely
and 8. 20. Â To call vpon the Name of the Lord Gen 4. 26. 21. 23. So in Psal 50. 16. Ioel 1. 14. To eate no blood Genes 9. 4. So in Leuit. 17. 14. Deut. 12 16. To powre out drinke offerings and to offer burnt offerings Gen. 35. 14. and 28. 18. So in Numb 6. 15 17. and 29. 11 16 21. To haue daily burnt offerings Iob 1. 5. So in Numb 28. 3 6. To acknowledge a high Priest Gen. 14. 18. So in Leuit. 8. 6. and 21. 10. To pay tithes Gen. 28. 22. and 14. 20. So in Leuit. 27. 30. To preach and prophecie Iude vers 14. 1. Pet. 3. 19 20. 2. Pet. 2. 5. and to teach the people So in Deut. 33 10. Leuit. 10. 11. Ier. 1. 17. Ezech. 3. 4. Malach. 2. 7. To enquire of God Genes 25. 22. So in 2. King 13. 11. and 22. 13. To make vowes vnto God Genes 28. 20. So in Numb 30. 2 3. Deut 12. 25. To keepe feasts vnto God Exod. 5. 1. So in Leuit. 23. 4. To know the Couenant of God with them Genes 15. 18 17. 2. 8. 21 22 9. 11. So in Deut. 5. 2. To know the promised seed Gen. 3. 15. and 22. 18. and the Messiah Ioh. 8. 56. Gal. 3. 16. Luk. 1. 55. So in Deut. 18. 15 18. Isai 11. 1. and 6. 10. Ioh. 12. 41. To haue faith in comming to God and offering sacrifice Heb. 11. 4. So in 2. Chron. 20. 20. To be iustified and accounted righteous by faith Gen. 15. 6. Rom. 4. 3. So in Hab. 2. 4. To receiue the Sacraments as first Circumcision Gen. 17. 10. then the Passeouer Exodus 12. So afterwards in Iosh 5. 2. Deut. 16. 1. To be vpright-hearted and to walke with God Gen. 15. 22. and 6. 9. and 17. 2. to feare God and to eschew euill Iob 1. 1. So in Deut. 18. 13. Iosh 24. 14. 2. Kin. 20. 3. Eccles 12. 13. To know the commandements of God and to teach others the same Gen. 18. 19. So in Exod. 20. Deut. 5. and 4. 9. and 6. 7. and 11. 19. Lastly Abraham had a charge from God Commandements Statutes and Lawes which he kept Gen. 26. 5. So the Israelites had a charge from God Commandements Statutes and Lawes as Moses and Prophets Psalmes euery where teach Thus we see that what was first by tradition was afterward particularly written and so the vnwritten Word was the same with the written First also before the Word was written with pen and ink the whole moral law written in the hart was to be obserued as may be shewed in the books of Genesis Exod. and Iob as well as the ceremoniall Law and the Sacraments Sacrifices and other parts of Gods worship before mentioned all which afterward were written in books Therefore the traditionall Word before the Law written helps nothing for a traditional Word now seeing God would haue that same written afterwards whereby of a traditionall Word it became the written Word of God Secondly in the time of Moses God spake to him and hee to the people but it is said that Moses wrote all the words of the Lord Exod. 24. 4. Deut. 31. 9 19 24. The Prophets also spake first by word of mouth which were for the most part interpretations and more speciall applications of the Word already written by Moses which also were after written as the bookes extant doe witnesse Thirdly In the time of Christ and his Apostles they taught by word of mouth the Word of God but their Word was not then an vnwritten Word For first Christ taught out of the Scriptures of Moses of the Prophets Psalmes as his interpreting Luk. 24. of them citing them and confuting the aduersaries by them doe shew he therefore taught the written Word And what he himself either did or farther spake in all necessary things touching his life and doctrine they are now written by the Euangelists Luk. 1. 1 5. Act. 1. 1. So in like manner the Apostles before they wrote taught not an vnwritten Word but the Word and Gospell Acts 8. 25. and this same written in the Scriptures of the Prophets Rom. 1. 1 2. and 16. 26. Act. 26. 22. and 28. 23. According as Saint Ierome saith Whatsoeuer the Apostles preached In Mat. 13. in the Gospell they preached it by the words of the Law and the Prophets For if they had preached any thing not in the Scriptures it had been in vaine for the Bereans to haue searched the Scriptures daily to see whether those things which they had heard of them were so or no Acts 17. 11. It is cleare therefore that they taught a written Word and what they receiued from Christ and taught for the effect and vse thereof they also afterward did write as may bee gathered from these insuing places of Scripture In Rom. 15. 15. the Apostle wrote putting them in mind to wit of that which had been taught them by word of mouth In 1. Cor. 11. 23. he telleth them that he deliuered by word of mouth that which he had receiued of the Lord then hee writeth downe in the same verse and the rest following that which he had receiued In 1. Cor. 15. 1. he telleth them that now by writing he declared vnto them the Gospell which hee had preached and which they had receiued so that he wrote that which before he had taught them In 2. Cor. 1. 13. he saith that hee wrote none other things vnto them then that which they did reade or did acknowledge In Phil. 3. 1. he wrote the same things to wit which hee had preached it not being to him grieuous and to them safe In 2. Thes 2. 5. he saith Remember yee not that when I was with you I told you these things to wit which hee then in that Epistle wrote he wrote then what by mouth hee had taught And howsoeuer in the verse 15. of this Chapter he mentioneth Traditions yet those were such as were then by him written there the word traditions is equally and alike referred to word and epistle as if he had said If that I deliuered by word bee forgotten yet haue you now my Epistle to keepe them in your mind and therefore in vers 5. he saith Remember yee not hauing written downe in vers 3. and 4 what he before had told them and so in vers 6. proceeding to set downe the traditions before deliuered vnto vers 13. Then writeth hee to them to stand fast and keepe the traditions taught by word before or by his epistle now as being all one and the same deliuered now both by word and writing In 2. Thes 3. 6. he there also makes mention of tradition but what of a tradition vnwritten Yes before it was written but now Paul wrote it as you may reade in vers 10. where hee telleth vs particularly what it was In 2. Pet. 1. 12. Saint Peter endeuours to put them alwaies in remembrance that they might after his decease keepe in
spoken is not set downe here and so proueth not the point in question 3. Of themselues there be that expound this depositum farre otherwise Caietan expounds it of the flocke committed to him So also Lyra their Glosse takes it to be his office So Hugo Cardinalis Aquinas interpreteth it of euery good thing which any man hath committed to him of God to keepe and to increase Thus they agree not among themselues if they cannot agree about the sense of the word is this then a sound proofe of so great a point as is in question Must a Rule to rule holy Scripture and the holy Church be grounded vpon such an vncertaine meaning 4. But let the Rhemists interpretation of the word goe for sound it is enough to ouerthrow their tenent for this depositum they make the whole doctrine of our Christianitie If this be the Treasure of vnwritten doctrine as Bellarmine will haue it what doth the Scripture containe Saint Paul telleth vs 1. Tim. 1. 11. that the glorious Gospell was committed to his trust as this depositum was committed to Timothy his trust if these two bee one as they are for was another thing committed to the trust of Timothy then was committed to Saint Pauls trust Then the Gospell is the whole doctrine of our Christianity except there be doctrines of Christianity which are not Gospell but the Gospell is written as before is prooued and therefore also is this a written depositum and not an vnwritten doctrine 5. This place wicked heretickes so expounded and to defend Tertul. de praescript aduersus Haeret. ca. 25. their hereticall falsities feigned such a sense of this place of certaine vnwritten traditions as the Papists doe by which they may see whence they be 2. Tim. 1. 13. Haue thou a forme of sound words which thou hast heard of me the same is mentioned Rom. 6. 17. Answ 1. This sheweth that a forme of words were deliuered by mouth but hence will it not follow that the same is not now written Saint Paul instructed by word of mouth Ergo may it be concluded that he wrote not the same How in reason will this follow And yet this is the thing to be proued or else nothing to the purpose 2. The place sheweth in what things this forme of words is to bee kept to wit in faith and in loue but the forme of the words of our beliefe is in the Scripture Ioh. 20. 31. Act. 8. 37. and also of our loue Mat. 22. 37 39. 3. If by forme of words they will vnderstand the compendium of Christianitie concerning Faith Obedience Prayer and forme of administring the holy Sacraments all these be also in the Scriptures as our Creed the ten Commandements the Lords Prayer as before is shewed For baptisme reade Mat. 28. 19. and for the Lords Supper Mat. 26. 26 27 28. 1. Cor. 11. 23 24 25. Therefore here is no forme of words left vnwritten as out of this place the Papists pretend 2. Tim. 2. 2. And the things which thou hast heard c. Answ 1. This still speakes of Pauls preaching but proueth not the same not to be written 2. It hath been before proued that Paul preached openly the Scriptures and therfore by the things heard from him must be meant those which he taught out of the Scriptures 3. It is probable that S. Paul himselfe preaching out of the Scriptures and onely according to the Scriptures also highly commending Scriptures to Timothy to be able to make perfect the man of God to euery good worke 2. Tim. 3. 16 17. that hee would haue any thing commended by Timothy to other Teachers but what was to be found in holy Scriptures This place therefore helpes not for vnwritten traditions Ioh. 20. 30. Many other signes did Iesus c. which are not written in this booke Answ 1. The Euangelist saith they were not written in this booke But what then May they not be written in other Euangelists 2. Here he speakes of signes and Acts of Christ and not of his doctrine by tradition which is the matter in question and so this text is nothing to the purpose Ioh. 21. 25. There are many other things which also Iesus did c. Answ This place also speaketh of that which Iesus did and not of that which he taught Here is not one syllable of a traditionarie word Ioh. 16 12. Many things I haue to say to you but you cannot beare them now Ans 1. This place tels vs not what Christ said but what hee concealed to wit many things which he had to speake but then spake not so as this proueth not a traditionall word nor any word at all except they will conclude that what one can say therefore he doth say it 2. If Christ had said all things to the Apostles then yet would it not follow that the same were not at all written in Scripture for Iesus Christ taught what was written in the Scriptures expounded them cited them and by them confuted the Aduersaries And Saint Luke makes a profession that his Gospell was A Treatise of all that Iesus began both to doe and speake vnto the day of his Ascension Act. 1. 1 2. 3. Can our Aduersaries tell what things Christ had to say If they can first let them shew to vs what they were secondly that they were differing from those things taught by him and written now in the new Testament thirdly that they were neuer written by the Apostles If these they cannot demonstrate to vs they gaine nothing hence for their pretended traditionary August 77. tract in Iohn word This place heretickes abused for their traditions 1. Cor. 11. 16. Wee haue no such custome nor the Church of God Answ 1. This speaketh not affirmatiuely of a custome but negatiuely of no such custome 2. Though it had spoken of a custome what is this to a traditionall word Is custome doctrine Or is it not rather applied to actions as in Gen. 31. 35. Ioh. 18. 39 3. The Scriptures allow not custome to be a Rule Leu. 18. 2. See Doway Translation Ier. 10. 2. 2 King 17. 40. 1. Cor. 11. 34. The rest will I dispose when I come Answ Here is no speech of any word of Doctrine but of order among the Corinthians Ioh. 2. 12. and Ioh. 3. 13. Hauing moe things to write vnto you I would not by paper and inke For I hope that I shall be with you and speake mouth to mouth Answ These places shew indeed that in the two short Epistles Iohn wrote not all those things which he might haue written because he would speake to them of them But can our Aduersaries proue first that Iohn euer came to vtter the things vnwritten If he did what were they If he did not then so much of their conceited traditionall word is lost Secondly that those moe things left vnwritten were either things necessarie or they were not things already written Til they can shew these things this place doth them