Run from Rome, Chapter 15
CHAP. XV.
Of two other arguments of Bellarmine.
VVEE hauehave done with the fift Chapter: and are now to examine two arguments, ſet downe chap. 4, the former I frame thus.
That there are Scriptures: that theſe we hauehave he they is …. Bellar de verbo Dei non ſcripto cap. 4 Sect. quarto, quinto, Soxio.contained in tradition; For we cannot find them in the Scriptures.
But that there are Scriptures; that theſe wee hauehave are they, is part of ſauing truth taught by Chriſt and his Apoſtles.
Therefore ſome ſauing truthes taught by Chriſt and his Apoſtles, are contained in tradition.
It hath appeared by my anſwer to Bellarmines arguments, that he can find no place of Scripture, that ſendeth vsus to tradition for any part of ſauing truth, taught by our Lord or his Apoſtles; Wee might therefore conclude, that there are no ſuch traditions, without troubling our ſelues any further. But that we may dit vp the mouths of the Papiſts, wee will beſtow a little time and paines in theſe arguments.
If there had beene no more intended by the Councell of Trent in the decree touching tradition, but to ſignifie that theſe three points are contained in tradition, the danger had not beene great: for then both the number and the particulars had been determined; but the Papiſts by vertue of that Article take authoritie to thruſt what they liſt vponupon the Church, and warrant it by tradition.
Thus much to the argument in generall: Particularly I anſwer, that the firſt part of it and the proofe thereof, ſuppoſe that thoſe two propoſitions, There are Scriptures: Theſe we hauehave be they, are formally, that is expreſly contained either in the Scriptures or tradition; But this ſay we is falſe: they are contained formally in neither; where then ſhall we finde them? Radically and originally in the Scriptures themſelues: which of themſelues afford iuſt occaſion to all men to conceiue, both that There are Scriptures, and that Theſe are they; They are contained formally in the apprehenſion of eueryevery mans vnderſtanding that beleeueth them: and that this beleife is diuine faith, not humane coniecture it appeareth, becauſe it is wrought in men by a ſpeciall prouidence of God, which perſwadeth and draweth men to acknowledge the things to be as they are in themſelues: and is farther grounded vponupon the diuine authoritie, vertually affirming that they are both true indeed.
And yet wee make not a priuate ſpirit the ground or rule of our faith, or the iudge to determine what is matter of faith, what is not; As Bellarmine ſlandereth vsus: and Bellar de verbo Dei non ſcripto lib. 3. cap. 5. Sect. Norum & cap. 9. ſect. quod ….after him Mr. F…ſher, and other. But wee onelyonly attribute to that ſpeciall prouidence the office of in lightening, and mouing the vnderſtanding in lightened, to giuegive aſſent to the bookes of Scripture, that they are the word of God: as indeed and truth they are. Now to this aſſent it moueth vsus by many reaſons fit and effectuall for ſuch a worke: as namely by the continuall conſent and teſtimonie of the Church: by the matter deliuered in the bookes them ſelues: by the ſtile or maner of deliuering it, and the like as diuers of our diuines hauehave ſhewed at large; and that this aſſent of ours is a true faith, it is very manifeſt: becauſe it conceiueth of the thing deliuered as in truth it is: which is the very rule of truth, and wherein the nature of truth conſiſteth.
The aſſumption is falſe. The laſt propoſition, is not part of ſauing truth taught by our Sauiour Chriſt and his Apoſtles. Neither all nor any of the Apoſtles (for ought appeareth in the word) did euer ſet downe a Catalogue of the Bookes of the New or Old Teſtament: neither indeede was it poſſible for any of them to doe it but S. Iohn, who out liued them all, and writt after them all. As for S. Iohn, he neither might nor could doe it, becauſe that was onelyonly Peters office or his ſucceſſors, to declare which were Scriptures, and which were not, as we learned out of Bellar. Chap. 3. 11. 9.P…ar. ubi ſupra ſect, d…nique.
The ſecond and laſt argument lieth thus.
This Propoſition, There is no word of God beſides that which is written, is contained in tradition not written.
This propoſition is a ſauing truth taught by Chriſt and his Apoſtles.
Therefore ſome ſauing truth taught by Chriſt and his Apoſtles, is contained in tradition not written.
Firſt it is to be conſidered, that Bellarmine bringeth this aſſumption as a propoſition of ours, and from thence concludeth for the Church of Rome againſt vsus; For if hee brought it as his owne, and acknowledged by him for true, he ſhould thereby gaine ſay the Councell of Trent, affirming that There is ſome part of the word of God contained in tradition, which is not to be found in the Scriptures. But in this Bellarmine doth vsus wrong: for although we ſay, that there is no word of God but that which is contained in the Scriptures, as aRellar. de verbo Dei lib. 4. cap. 3. Sect. adipſi.Bellarmin alleageth out of bCaluin. Inſtit. lib, 4. cap. 8. …. 8.Caluin; yet we ſay uot, that this propoſition is a ſauing truth taught by Chriſt & his Apoſtles: neither indeed need we ſay ſo; For by that propoſitiō we only deny that which the Coū cell affirmeth, and ſet it downe as a contradictory thereto: and Bellarmine himſelfe in the place for enamed bringeth it to the ſame end. The reaſon of our deniall is, that the Scripture doth no where ſend vsus to tradition, nor hath any word to that purpoſe; as hath appeared in the former diſputation. And this reaſon is very ſufficient: becauſe nothing is to be receiued for an Article of faith, but that which is taught in the word of God.
The like anſwer is to be made to the propoſition. If it be true in Bellarmines iudgement, then the doctrine of the Church of Rome in his iudgement is ſalfe. For the Councell of T…ent teacheth, that There is ſome word of God contained in tradition; but this propoſition affirmes, that There is no word of God beſides that which is written. If Bellarmine would father it vponupon vsus, he accuſeth vsus falſly. For we neuer ſai… nor thought that that propoſition was contained in tradition; but perhaps he thinketh it will follow vponupon that wee ſay: but in ſo thinking, hee thinkes idly; for we doe no more hereby, but denie that which they ſay: and neither do nor neede affirme that it is contained either in the Scriptures, or in tradition. It is enough for vsus in matter of faith, to refuſe whatſoeuer is not taught in the Scriptures.
But it may be ſaid, that this propoſition, There is no word of God beſides that which is written, is either true or falſe; we grant it: becauſe it is certainely true, that in euerie contradiction properly ſo called, the one propoſition is true, the other falſe. What of this? It will farder be ſaid; If it be falſe, then the contradictory to it which we hold, is true. We grant this too: what more? If this be true, it is contained either in the Scripture, or in tradition. This we denie; It may be true, and yet contained in neither of them; For the truth of this propoſition is not poſitiue, whereby one thing is affirmed of, or ioyned to another: but negatiue, by which one thing is denied of, or ſeuered from another. Now propoſitions of this kinde are then true, when the things comprehended in them are indeed ſeuered the one from the other: for then the propoſition ſpeaketh of the thing as it is. Therefore it is enough to make this negatiue propoſition true, that the Scripture is ſilent in that which they affirme, and doth not ioyne Heb. 1. 5.them together, as they doe. And this is the ground of thoſe negatiue diſputations wee find in the Scriptures P. Iewels anſw. to D…. Coles ſecond …. let. O. P.eſpecially, To which of the Angells ſaid be, &c. He that deſireth to ſee more of this, may reade the reuerend Biſhop Iewel in his anſwer to Dr. Cole.
I ſhould now goe on according to the order followed in the Councell of Trent, to examine the reſt of the Articles ſet downe by me chap. 11. num. 3. But for this time I thinke it enough that I hauehave debated theſe two queſtions: becauſe if theſe proue falſe, as I truſt they hauehave done, all the other differences betwixt vsus and the Church of Rome, will eaſily be decided to the confirmation of the truth we maintaine, and the ouerthrow of their falſe and erroneous faith. I hauehave alreadie in another diſputation in Latine, diſcouered and proued the erroneouſneſſe of the faith of that Church in the ſeuenth, and tenth Articles of the eleuenth Chapter before mentioned, touching grace and iuſtification. The like I will doe in the reſt, if it pleaſe God to giuegive me opportunitie and abilitie.