A Golden Chain, Section 7
The seuenth point. Of Traditions. Traditions, are doctrines deliuered from hand to hand, either by word of mouth, or by writing, beside the written word of God.
Our Consent.
Conclus. I. We hold that the very word of God, hath beene deliuered by tradition. For first God reuealed his will to Adam by word of mouth: and renued the fame vntounto the Patriarkes, not by writing, but by speech, by dreames, & other inspirations: and thus the word of God went from man to man for the space of two thousand and foure hundred yeres, vntounto the time of Moses who was the first pen-man of ho…y Scripture. For as touching the prophesie of Enoch, we commonly hold it was not penned by Enoch, but by some Iewe vnderunder his name. And for the space of this time, men worshipped God, and held the articles of their faith by tradition, not from men but immediately from God himselfe. And the historie of the newe testament (as some say) …or eightie yeares, as some others thinke, for the space of twentie yeares and more, went from hand to hand by tradition, til penned by the Apostles, or beeing penned by others was approoued by them.
Conclus. II. We hold that the Prophets, our Sauiour Christ, and his Apostles, spake and did many things good and true which were not written in the scriptures; but came either to vsus, or to our ancetours onelyonly by tradition. As 2. Tim. 3.8. it is said. Iannes and Iambres were the Magitians that withstood Moses: nowe in the bookes of the old testament we shall not find them once named, and therefore it is like, that the Apostle had their names by tradition, or by some writings then extant among the Iewes. So Heb. 12.21. the author of the Epistle recordeth of Moses, that when hee sawe a terrible sight in Mount Sinai, he said, I tremble, and am afraide: which wordes are not to be found in all the bookes of the old testament. In the epistle of Iude mention is made, that the deuill stroue with Michaell the Archangel about the bodie of Moses: which point (as also the former) considering it is not to be found in holy wine it seemes the Apostle had it by tradition from the Iewes. That the prophet … say was killed with a fullers club is receiued for trueth, but yet not recorded in scripture: and so likewise that the virgine Marie liued and died a virgine. And in Ecclesiasticall writers many worthy sayings of the Apostles and other holy men are recorded, and receiued of vsus for trueth, which neuerthelesse are not set downe in the bookes of the old or newe testament. And many things wee holde for trueth, not written in the worde, if they bee not against the word.
Conclus. III. We hold that the Church of God hath power to prescribe ordinances, rules, or traditions, touching time and place of Gods worship, & touching order and comelines to be vsed in the same: and in this regard, Paul, 1. Cor. 11.2. commendeth the Church of Corinth for keeping his traditions, and Act. 15. the Councel at Ierusalem decreed that the Churches of the Gentiles should abstaine from blood, and from things strangled. This decree is tearmed a tradition, and it was in force among them so long as the offence of the Iewes remained. And this kinde of traditions whether made by generall Councels or particular Synods, we hauehave care to maintaine and obserue: these caueats being remembred: first that they prescribe nothing childish or absurd to be done: secondly that they be not imposed as any parts of Gods worship: thirdly, that they be seuered from superstition or opinion of merit: lastly that the Church of God be not burdened with the multitude of them. And thus much we hold touching Traditions.
The difference.
Papists teach, that beside the written word, there be certaine vnwritten traditions, which must be beleeued as profitable and necessarie to saluation. And these they say are twofold; Apostolicall, namely such as were deliuered by the Apostles and not written; and Ecclesiasticall, which the Church decreeth as occasion is offered. We hold that the Scriptures are most perfect, containing in them all doctrines needfull to saluation, whether they concerne faith or manners: and therefore we acknowledge no such traditions beside the written word, which shal be necessarie to saluation: so as he which beleeueth them not cannot be saued.
Our Reasons.
Testimonie I. Deut. 4.2. Thou shalt not adde to the wordes that I commande thee, nor take any thing thing therefrom: therefore the written word is sufficient for all doctrines pertaining to saluation. If it be said that this commandement is spoken as well of the vnwritten as of the written word, I answer: that Moses speaketh of the written word onelyonly: for these very words are a certaine preface which he set before a long commentarie made of the written lawe, for this end to make the people more attentiue, and obedient.
Testimonie II. Isai 8.20. To the lawe and to the testimonie. If they speake not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. Here the Prophet teacheth what must be done in cases of difficultie. Men must not rūne to the wizard or southsayer, but to the lawe and testimonie, and here he commends the written word, as sufficient to resolue all doubts and scruples in conscience whatsoeuer.
Testimonie III. Ioh. 20.31. Those things were written that ye might beleeue that Iesus is the Christ, and in beleeuing might hauehave euerlasting life. Here is set downe the full ende of the gospell, and of the whole written word: which is to bring men to faith & cōsequently to saluatiō: & therfore the whole scripture alone is sufficient to this end without traditiōs. If it be said, that this place must bee vnderstood of Christs miracles onelyonly: I answer, that miracles without the doctrine of Christ, & knowledge of his sufferings, can bring no man to life euerlasting, and therefore the place must bee vnderstood of the doctrine of Christ and not of his miracles alone, as Paul teacheth. Gal. 1.8. If wee or an angell from heauen preach vntounto you any thing beside that which we hauehave preached, let him be accursed. And to this effect he blames them that taught but a diuers doctrine to that which he had taught, 1. Tim. 1.3.
Testimonie IV. 2. Tim. 3.16,17. The whole Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach, to improoue, to correct, and to instruct in righteousnes, that the man of God may be absolute, being made perfect vntounto eueryevery good work. In these wordes be contained two arguments, to prooue the sufficiencie of Scripture without vnwritten verities. The first: that which is profitable to these foure vses: namely, to teach all necessarie trueth, to confute all errours to correct faults in manners, and to instruct in righteousnes, that is to informe al men in all good duties, that is sufficient to saluation. But Scripture serueth for all these vses: and therefore it is sufficient: and vnwritten traditions are superfluous. The second: that which can make the man of God, that is, Prophets, and Apostles, and the ministers of the word, perfect in all the duties of their callings, that same word is sufficient to make all other men perfect in all good workes. But Gods word is able to make the man of God perfect. Therefore it is sufficient to prescribe the true and perfect way to eternall life, without the helpe of vnwritten traditions.
V. The iudgement of the Church, Tertul. saith, ade resur. rect. carnis.Take from heretickes the opinions which they maintaine with the heathen, that they may defend their questions by Scripture alone, and they cannot stand. Againe, We neede no curiositie after Christ Iesus, nor inquisition after the gospel. When we beleeue it, wee desire to beleeue nothing beside: for this we first beleeue that there is nothing more which wee may beleeue. Hierome on Math. 23. writing of an opinion that Iohn Baptist was killed, because he foretold the comming of Christ, saith thus: This, because it hath not authoritie from Scriptures, may as easily be contemned as approoued. In which wordes there is a conclusion with a minor, and the maior is to bee supplyed by the rules of logicke thus: That which hath not authoritie from Scriptures, may as easily be contemned as approoued: but this opinion is for therefore. Behold a notable argument against all vnwritten traditions. Augustine, booke 2. cap. 9. de doct. Christ. In those things which are plainely set downe in Scripture, are found all those points which containe faith and manners of liuing well. Vincentius Lirinen saith, the Canon of the Scripture is perfect, and fully sufficient to it selfe for all things.
Beside these testimonies, other reasons there bee that serue to prooue this point. I. The practise of Christ and his Apostles, who for the confirmamatiō of the doctrine which they taught, vsed alwaies the testimony of Scripture, neither can it be prooued, that they euer confirmed any doctrine by tradition. Act. 26.22. I continue vntounto this day, witnessing both to smal and great, saying none other things then those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come. And by this we are giuen to vnderstand, that we must alwaies hauehave recourse to the written word, as beeing sufficient to instruct vsus in matters of saluation. II. If the beleeuing of vnwritten traditions were necessarie to saluation, then we must as well beleeue the writings of the auncient Fathers as well as the writings of the Apostles, because Apostolicall traditions are not els where to be found but in their bookes. And we may not beleeue their sayings as the word of God, because they often erre beeing subiect to errour: and for this cause their authoritie, when they speake of traditions, may be suspected: and we may not alwaies beleeue them vponupon their word.
Obiections for Traditions.
First they alleadge 2. Thess. 2.15. where the Apostle biddes that Church keepe the ordinances which he taught them either by word or letter. Hence they gather, that beside the written word, there be vnwritten traditions, that are indeede necessarie to be kept and obeyed. Ans. It is very likely, that this Epistle to the Thessalonians was the first that euer Paul writ to any Church, though in order it hauehave not the first place; and therfore at that time when this Epistle was penned, it might well fall out, that some things needfull to saluation were deliuered by word of mouth, not being as yet written by any Apostle. Yet the same things were afterward set downe in writing, either in the second epistle or in the epistles of Paul.
Obiect. II. That Scripture is Scripture, is a point to be beleeued: but that is a tradition vnwritten: and therefore one tradition there is not written, that we are to beleeue. Ans. That the bookes of the old and new Testament are Scripture, it is to be gathered and beleeued not vponupon bare tradition, but from the very bookes themselues, on this manner. Let a man that is indued with the spirit of discerning, read the seuerall bookes, withall let him consider the professed author thereof which is God himselfe, and the matter therein contained, which is a most diuine and absolute truth full of pietie; the manner and forme of speach, which is full of maiestie in the simplicitie of words: the ende whereat they wholly aime, which is the honour and glorie of God alone, &c. & he shall be resolued that Scripture is Scripture, euen by the Scripture it selfe. Yea, and by this meanes he may discerne any part of Scripture, from the writings of mē whatsoeuer. Thus thē scripture prooues it selfe to be scripture: & yet we despise not the vniuersall cōsent or traditiō of the Church in this case; which though it do not perswade the consciēce, yet is it a notable inducement to mooue vsus to reuerence, & regard the writings of the Prophets and Apostles. It will be said, where is it written that scripture is scripture? I answer, not in any one particular place or booke of scripture, but in eueryevery line and page of the whole Bible to him that can read with the spirit of discerning, and can discerne the voice of the true pastour, as the sheep of Christ can doe.
Obiect. III. Some books of the canon of the Scripture are lost, as the booke of the warres of God, Num. 21.14. the booke of the iust. Iosua 10.13. the bookes of Chronicles of the Kings of Israel and Iuda. 1.King. 14.19. the bookes of certaine prophets, Nathan, God, Iddo, Ahiah, and Semiah: and therefore the matter of these bookes must come to vsus by tradition. Answ. Though it bee granted that some bookes of Canonicall scripture be lost: yet the scripture stil remaines sufficient because the matter of those bookes (so farreforth as it was necessarie to saluation) is contained in these bookes of Scripture that are now extant. Againe, I take it to be a truth (though some thinke otherwise) that no part of the Canon is lost: for Paul saith, Whatsoeuer things were written aforetime, were written for our learning, that wee through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, &c. Rom. 15.4. Where he takes it for graunted, that the whole Canon of holy scripture was then extant. For if he had thought, that some books of scripture had beene lost, he would hauehave said: whatsoeuer was written and is now extant, was written for our learning and comfort. For bookes that are lost serue neither for learning nor comfort. Againe to hold that any bookes of scripture should be lost, calls into question Gods prouidence, and the fidelitie of the Church, who hath the bookes of God in keeping, and is therefore called the pillar and ground of trueth. And touching the bookes before mentioned, I answer thus: The booke of the warres of God, Num. 21. 14. might be some short bill or narration of things done among the Israelites, which in the daies of Moses went from hand to hand. For sometime a booke in Scripture signifieth a roule or catalogue, as the first chapter of Mathew, which containeth the genealogie of our Sauiour Christ is called the booke of the generation of Iesus Christ. Againe, the booke of the iust, and the bookes of Chronicles, which are said to be lost, were but as the Chronicles of England are with vsus: euen politicke records of the acts and euents of things, in the kingdome of Iuda and Israel: out of which the Prophets gathered things necessarie to bee knowne, and placed them in holy scripture. As for the bookes of Iddo, Ahiah, Semiah, Gad, and Nathan, they were contained in the books of the Kings and Chronicles and in the bookes of Samuel, which were not written by him alone, but by sundry prophets, 1. Chr. 29.29. as also was the booke of Iudges. As for the bookes of Salomon which are lost, they did not concerne religion and matters of saluation, but were concerning matters of philosophy and such like things.
Obiect. IV. Moses in Mount Sina, beside the written lawe, receiued from God a more secret doctrine, which he neuer writ, but deliuered by tradition or word of mouth to the Prophets after him; and this the Iewes hauehave now set downe in their Cabala. Ans. This indeede is the opinion of some of the Iewes, whome in effect and substance sundrie Papists follow: but wee take it for no better then a Iewish dotage. For if Moses had known any secret doctrine beside the written law, he would neuer hauehave giuen this commandement of the said lawe, thou shalt not adde any thing thereto.
Obiect. V. Heb. 5. 12. Gods word is of two sorts, milke and strong meate. By milke we must vnderstand the worde of God written wherein God speakes plainely to the capacitie of the rudest: but strong meate is vnwritten traditiōs, a doctrine not to be deliuered vntounto all, but to those that growe to perfection. Ans. We must know, that one and the same word of God is milke and strong meat, in regard of the manner of handling and propounding of it. For beeing deliuered generally and plainely to capacitie of the simplest, it is milke; but being handled particularly and largely, and so fitted for men of more vnderstā ding, it is strong meate. As for example, the doctrine of the creation, of mans fal, and redemption by Christ, when it is taught ouerly and plainly, it is milke: but when the depth of the same is throughly opened, it is strong meate. And therefore it is a conceit of mans braine, to imagine that some vnwritten word is meant by strong meat.
Obiect. VI. Sundrie places of scripture be doubtfull: and eueryevery religion hath his seuerall exposition of them, as the Papists hauehave theirs, and the Protestants theirs. Now then seeing there can bee but one trueth, when question is of the interpretation of Scripture, recourse must bee had to the tradition of the Church, that the true sense may be determined and the question ended.Aug. de doct. Christ. l. 1. & 2. Ans. It is not so: but in doubtfull places scripture it selfe is sufficient to declare his owne meaning: first by the analogie of faith, which is the summe of religion gathered out of the clearest places of scripture: secondly, by the circumstances of the place and the nature and signification of the words: thirdly by conference of place with place. By these and like helps contained in scripture, we may iudge which is the truest meaning of any place. Scripture it selfe is the text and the best glosse. And the scripture is falsely tearmed the matter of strife, it being not so of it selfe, but by the abuse of man.
And thus much for our dissent concerning traditions, wherein we must not bee wauering but steadfast, because notwithstanding our renouncing of poperie; yet popish inclinations and dispositions be rife among vsus. Our cō mon people marueilously affect humane traditions: yea mans nature is inclined more to be pleased with them, then with the word of God. The feast of the natiuitie of our Sauiour Christ is onelyonly a custome and tradition of the Church, and yet men are commonly more carefull to keepe it then the Lords daie, the keeping whereof standes by the morall lawe. Positiue lawes are not sufficient to restraine vsus from buying and selling on the Sabboth: yet within the twelue daies no man keepes market. Againe see the trueth of this in our affection to the ministerie of the worde: let the preacher alleadge Peter and Paul, the people count it but common sluffe, such as any man can bring; but let men come and alleadge Ambrose, Austine, and the rest of the fathers: oh, he is the man, he is alone for them. Againe, let any man be in danger any way, and straight he sendeth to the wise man or wizzard: Gods word is not sufficient to comfort and direct him. All this argues that poperie denied with the mouth, abides still in the heart: and therefore we must learne to reuerence the written word by ascribing vntounto it all manner of perfection.