The Godly Mans Journey to Heaven, Treatise 7 · Robber 2
THE SECOND ROBBER is the Popish Seminarie, without conscience, and with ashameles countenance, blotting cleane, perfect written Scripture; with the foule blot of imperfection and subtiltie, obtruding to the babes of God …ound Traditions.
THat euill one Satan,Satan ha…eth Scripture deadly being neuer able to forget that sensible foyle he receiued at the hands of yt great Sauiour of the world Iesus (drawing that two edged sword of holy Scripture,Mat. 4. ouer, and ouer, against him, euen while Satan cunningly peruerting Scripture, pressed by bringing of it against him, to abuse it to his ouerthrow) hath alwayes kept in his heart, a deadly vnrecouerable hatred against holy Scripture; and therefore he hath not contented himselfe by the crafty and cruell trauels of the Popish Seminarie onelyonly, to hide vp that cleare light which shineth in holy Scripture, from the eyes of Gods babes. But besides this he hath not bene affraid (so shameles is that great enemie the god of this world, so forward are these his agents first blinded and then sent forth by him) euen to accuse holy Scripture of a most grosse fault, and blast it with a monstrous blemish, holding and affirming, that euen Scripture (the verie inditement of truth) onelyonly louing, onelyonly pitifull, onelyonly towards the babes of God; louing them with a louelove vnspeakable and glorious: pitying them with incomparable compassion: and well knowing what they stand in neede of, for keeping of them from Satan and sinnes snare, and for leading them straightly towards their expected home) is no perfect booke containing in it all things necessarie for mans saluation, but imperfect, which must be supplied (as they alledge) by their traditions and vnwritten verities (as they call them) which they affirme to be worthy of no lesse reuerence, and authoritie then the verie written word of God deliuered by the Prophets of blessed Iesus, and his Apostles: as that shamelesse first decree pronounced from the deceiued and deceiuing hearts, by the foule and defyling lips of those apostat fathers of yt Councell of Trent in that 4. Session plainely speaketh. Now (which thou canst not but iustly admire) ô my soule, the Popish Seminarie hath so farre preuailed in this point also, with the Euahes of this time, with the Sampsons of this time, that as they will not looke, vponupon any condition almost, vponupon a Bible translated in their mother tongue, so they will euen with greedinesse lend both their eares vntounto the found traditions of the Popish Seminaries, albeit they be the corrupt birth of his owne brutish braine. Pitie ô God the Euahes of this our time, hearkening vntounto the Serpent, but not to the Sauiour. Pitie ô God that Sampsons of this time, hearkening vntounto the agents of that trecherous great Dalilah, but not vntounto that true glorious Messias. Oh, ô my soule, what a world of auditors and followers, found those blind leaders of the blind Scribes and Pharises, while thy Lord and Maister teaching in the world, was forsaken of all? and therefore wonder not while he is not teaching in his owne person, but by his base seruants, lying flatterers be honoured and maintained, and that the onelyonly true fathers of the Church be condemned, and murthered.The Pope and his be possessed by a strange spirit. This must be a strang Spirit, ô my soule, which possesseth the Pope, which possesseth his agents, yea, which possesseth those who do follow him and them, that he with them hath taken vponupon them to perfect holy Scripture as if in it selfe it were maimed, and not onelyonly to darken it as if it were not cleare, but besides this that they hauehave found credit in these points with the Euahes and Sampsons of this world. The written word of God my Father I may not reade, I may not heare in my mother tongue. And yet the vnwritten inuentions of man I my reade, I must reade in any tongue I can vnderstand. That Scripture which leades men thus, ô my soule, cannot possibly be the spirit of the Father, the spirit of the Sonne who is from aboue, but must be some spirit who is from beneath, drawing men from the true Father and Sauiour of their soules, to some bastard father and Sauiour, who in the end will proue an vnnaturall Saul, seeking the life of his owne Ionathan, and a cruell Herod murthering those infants he should hauehave maintained. Scripture condemnes, and all ages since that time sensible of God, hauehave abhorred Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat, for attempting (contrarie to the will of God) to erect an altar at Bethel, and another at Dan, lest the people resorting to Ierusalem (where God had appointed sacrifice onelyonly to be offered) should hauehave fallen away from him to the house of Dauid: and shall not God condemne, and should not all men sensible of God abhorre these peart Popish Seminaries who hauehave taken vponupon them to set vp in eueryevery corner where they can be heard, the calfes of their owne traditions, drawing away men thereby from the true oracles of Gods written word, lest that they ceassing to dote after these calfes, and hearkening to Gods oracles, should giuegive themselues to seeke and serue the liuing God, according to his commandement? Now to the effect that the Seminarie may make the calfes of his traditions to shine the more brightly, and to smile the more sweetly on such towards whom they are drawne, they hauehave not bene afraid to lay a most fearefull imputation vponupon our blessed God, and his sacred truth; most lyingly (and yet most boldly) affirming that all things requisite for mans saluation be not contained in holy Scripture. What, ô my soule, if the eyes of men were enlightened with the eyes of Dauid, to see the wonders of the Law of God, and seeing these wonders to perceiue, not that little drop, but that huge quantitie of sweetest honie, the hungrie child of God hath presented to his soule by the Spirit, speaking vntounto him by that 4. verse of the 15. Chapter of that Epistle written to the Romans, and by the 15. and 16. verses of the 3. Chapter of that second Epistle written to Timothie? Beleeue me, ô my soule, couldst thou weigh and consider those two Scriptures aright, thou shouldest find thy selfe euen by fiue words (which I may iustly stile fiue bright diamonds Almightie God will hauehave alwayes to shine vponupon the fiue fingers of his owne, to direct their way wheresoeuer they walke) shortly (yet most substantially) acquainting thee so with the whole vses of that blessed written word of God, that thou shouldst be able to find that nothing requisite to mans saluation is deficient in it,Scripture containes all things requisite for mans saluation. that all things needfull to mans saluation be fully & clearly contained in it. Wilt thou not confesse, ô my soule, that whatsomeeuer can concerne mans saluation possibly, must either looke to doctrine or to manners, or to comfort. If it looke to doctrine, that doctrine is either true which the child of God must seeke after, and embrace, as he would seeke after that meate which is onelyonly able to feede him, and after that medicine which is only able to cure him; or false, which the child of God must flie from, as he would flie from poyson, slaying not his bodie onelyonly, but his soule also. If the doctrine be true, that is abundantly and clearly taught by holy Scripture, and therefore it is said to be profitable to Teach. If the doctrine be false, that holy Scripture discouers clearly and ouerthrowes fully, and therefore it is said to be profitable to Improue. If it looke to manners, these manners be either good, commanded and commended of God: or euill, forbidden and condemned by him. If they be good manners, Scripture instructs them abundantly concerning them: and therefore it is said to be profitable to Instruct in righteousnesse. If the manners be euill, this Scripture reproues and condemnes, and therefore it is said to be profitable to Correct. And lastly, if thou, ô my soule, shalt finde thy selfe cast downe at any time, or weakened by the force of any tentation or crosse lying on thee, or approaching neare thee, shalt thou not find holy Scripture sufficiently able to furnish thee with Patience,Rom. 25. 4. with Comfort, and with Hope, as Paul tels thee? ô my soule, when shall the blind Papist begin to lend his eare vntounto holy Scripture, which is that onelyonly old and true antiquitie, which hath God that glorious Ancient of dayes for the author of it, to the end that he may first see that there is no suspition of imperfection of insufficiencie in holy Scripture, and therefore be moued to confesse, that all things, and euerie thing requisite for mans saluation is onelyonly to be sought out of it, is onelyonly to be found in it. Shall thy God, ô my soule, be so carefull about the building of that outward tabernacle, which he appointed onelyonly to stand for a while, that euen after he had called and fitted Bezaliel & Aholiah for the building of it, he will hauehave it, and euerie thing belonging to it, to be made after that fashion which was shewed by his Maiestie vntounto Moses in the mount? And canst thou, ô my soule, or any other soule with thee, be possibly built (by these men called of God for the worke of the Ministerie) vponupon that onelyonly true foundation, and pretious corner stone Iesus, otherwayes then Almightie God hath taught these men to build them vppon him, in and by that his mountaine of holy Scripture? Are we not thus resolued by that disciple whom Iesus loued, ô my soule:Ioh. 20. 29. 30. Many other things also did Iesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this Booke; but these things are written that we might beleeue that Iesus is that Christ the Sonne of God, and that in beleeuing ye might hauehave life through his name. Heare I not Paul crying with a loude voice to the hearing of Angels and men? Though that we or an Angell from heauen preach vntounto you otherwise then that which we hauehave preached vntounto you, Gal. 1. 8.let him be accursed. If any man teach otherwayes, and consenteth not vntounto the wholsome words of the Lord Iesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godlinesse, he is puft vp and knoweth nothing, 1. Tim. 6. 3. 4. 5.but doteth about questions, and strife of words, whereof cometh enuie, strife, raylings, euill surmisings, vaine disputations of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, which thinke that gaine is godlinesse, from such separate thy selfe. Thinkest thou that it was without cause, ô my soule, that our God directed the Iewes thus by the mouth of Moses, to whom the Law was giuen?Deut. 4. …. & 12. 32. Ye shall put nothing to the word which I command you, neither shall ye take ought therefrom that ye may keepe the commandements of the Lord your God which I command you. Was it without cause that blessed Iesus by whom grace came to vsus, would speake thus to vsus by the mouth of his dearest seruant Iohn? For I protest vntounto eueryevery man that heareth the words of the prophecie of this booke: If any man shall adde vntounto these things, God shall adde vntounto him the plagues that are written in the booke. Reuel. 22. 18. 19.And if any man shall diminish of the words of this prophecie, God shall take away his part out of the booke of life, and out of the holy Citie, and from these things written in this Booke. Oh, ô my soule, when shall the blind Papist proudly (albeit not onelyonly vainely but falsly) bragging of Antiquitie, countenance that Antiquitie penned by men, led of God by Scripture, and in Gods name leading men to Scripture, to the end that they with these men may see the sufficiencie and perfection of Scripture, and with this, the vanitie, the weaknesse, the vilenesse of humane traditions. Origen who was no Papist, albeit he wrote long ago, wrote thus:Origen in Ierem. Nobis necesse est Scripturas sanctas in testimonium vocare; sensus quippe nostri, & enarrationes sine his testibus non habent fidem. We must necessarily call holy Scripture to beare witnesse to vsus, for without them neither can our conceptions nor expositions hauehave any faith. Chrysostome seeing no imperfection in Scripture could say: Si quid dicitur absque Scriptura, Chrysost.auditorum cogitatio claudicat. Whatsoeuer is deliuered or spoken without the warrant of Scripture maketh the mindes of the herers to halt. Damascene agreeing herewith, can say: Cuncta quae tradita sunt per legem, Damas.per Prophetas, per Apostolos, & Euangelistas suscipimus, cognoscimus, veneramur, nihil vltro perquirentes. We receiue and admit, we acknowledge and reuerence whatsoeuer is deliuered to vsus by the Law, by the Prophets, and by the Euangelists, searching out nothing beside. Augustine subscribing hereto could say: Quod è Scriptura authoritatem non habet, August.eadem facilitate contemnitur quae probatur. Whatsoeuer hath not authoritie from Scripture, is as easily contemned as it is allowed. O would to God that those kings and subiects, parents and children, husbands and wiues, maisters and seruants, who superstitiously dote after the Pope and his traditions, could hearken to that of Cyprian, deliuered to the inhabitants of Carthage his auditors: Adulterum est, Cypr. ep. 4. ad pleb. Carth.impium est, sacrilegum est, quodcunque humano furore instituitur, vt dispositio diuina violetur: procul ab huiusmodi hominum contagione discedite, & sermones eorum velut cancer & pestem fugiendo vitate, praemonente Domino & docente, coeci sunt & coecorum duces. Nemo vos fratres à Domini vijs errare faciat; nemo vos Christianes à Christi Euangelio rapiat; nemo filios Ecclesiae de Ecclesia tollat; pereant sibi qui perire voluerunt, qui mandatum Dei reij…iunt, & traditionem suam statuere conantur; fortiter à vobis & firmiter respuantur; vitate linguam diaboli venenatam, qui ab initio mundi fallax semper, & mendax erat; mentitur vt fallat, blanditur vt noceat, bona promittit vt malum tribuat, vitam pollicetur vt perimat. Whatsoeuer is ordained of the furie of man, to the end that the ordinance of God may be ouerthrowne, that is adulterous, impious, sacrilegious; take your selues farre from the infection of such men, by flying, eschewing their speeches as ye would eschue the canker, and the pest; being forewarned and taught by our Lord and Maister saying vntounto you, they be blind leaders of the blind. O my brethren, suffer no man to make you erre from the wayes of the Lord. Let no man pull you Christians from the Gospell of Christ? Let no man take the sonnes of the Church out of the Church; let them perish to themselues who will perish; let those be strongly and constantly reiected and cast off by you, who do cast off the commandements of God, to establish their owne traditions; flie farre from the diuell his poysoned tongue, who from the beginning of the world hath euer bene a deceiuer, and a lyer; he lies, to the end he may deceiue; he flatters, to the end he may hurt; he promises good things, to the end he may giuegive thee euill things: yea, he binds himselfe to giuegive life, to the end he may slay. O when shall the blind Papist hearken to that of Clemens Alexandrinus. In or. ad gent.Quoniam ipsum verbum ad nos venit de coelo, non est amplius eundum, ad hominum doctrinam. Because the very word of God is now come to vsus from the heauens, we must not hereafter take our selues to the doctrine of men. This is that the Spirit would cleare vntounto vsus, when he saith: At sundrie times, Heb. 1. 2.and in diuerse manners, God spake in the old time to our fathers by the Prophets, in the last dayes he hath spoken to vsus by his Sonne, by whom also he made the world. O when shall that be heard and beleeued by the Papist.Iustin. in tryph. Sola Christiana Philosophia eiusmodi est, ex qua rerum diuinarum haurienda est cognitio, cuius authores fuerunt homines iusti, Dei amantes, Deo chari, neminem metuentes, gloriae non cupidi, tantum Spiritus Dei afflatu loquuti. Christian wisedome contained in holy Scripture is onelyonly such, out of the which knowledge of heauenly things is onelyonly to be drawne, the authors whereof were men iust, louing God, dearely beloued of God, fearing no man, no waies desirous of glorie and honour, aud who did speake by the inspiration of the holy Ghost onelyonly.