A Defense of the Catholic Faith, Book 2 · Article 3 – Article 4
ARTICLE III. Touching the Authority of the Fathers in particular.
The KINGS Confeſſion.BVt for eueryevery priuate Fathers opinion, it bindes not my conſcience more then Bellarmines; eueryevery on of the Fathers vſually contradicting others, I will therefore in that caſe follow S. *Lib. 2. cont. Creſconium cap. 32.Auguſtines rule in iudging of their opinions, as I finde them agree with the Scriptures: what I finde agreeable thereunto I will gladly embrace: what is otherwiſe I will (with their reuerence) reiect.
Doctor Coeffeteau dooth yet approue of all this for good, ſeeing he ſaith nothing to the contrary. He acknowledgeth then that the Fathers often diſagree among themſelues, and that they doe not alwayes accord with the word of God, neyther muſt we ſettle our ſelues alwayes vponupon what ſome one Father hath taught.Cauſa 12. Quaeſt. 1. Canon Dilectiſſimi. Deni que quidam Graecorum ſapientiſſimus, haec ita ſciens eſſe colam, debeatur ait Amicorum comia eſſe omnia In omnibus autem ſunt ſine du bio & Coniuges. And indeed his Maieſty of England ſaith this with iuſt reaſon: for not we alone, but alſo the Church of Rome doth not allow the opinion of Pope Clement the firſt, who would that mens goods and their wiues ſhould be common among Chriſtians. Neyther doth the Church of Rome approue the opinion of Ignatius who in the Epiſtle to the Philippians, ſaith, that to faſt on the Saterday or on the Sunday, it is to be a murtherer of Ieſus Chriſt: nor the doctrine of Iuſtin Martyr, who ſaith in his Dialogue againſt Tryphon, That God in the beginning gaue the Sunne to be adored. Nor the opinion of Athanagoras in his Apologie, that foreign. That ſecond marriage is but a handſome Kinde exerciſe of Adulterie. Alſo the Church of Rome doth not beleeue with Origen, that the Diuels ſhall be ſaued: Nor with Clemens Alexandrinus in the ſixth booke of his Stromata, that the Greeks were ſaued by their Philoſophy. Nor with Arnobius in his ſecond booke, that God is not the Creator of ſoules: And that the ſoules of the wicked are reduced to nothing. Nor with Ireneus, Lib. 2. cap. 63.64that the ſoules ſeparated from the body hauehave feete and handes. Iuſtin was a Chiliaſt; Tertullian a Montaniſt; S. Cyprian an Anabaptiſt. Saint Hilary in his tenth booke of the Trinity, mayntaineth in diuers places,Virtus corporis, ſine ſenſu paenae, vim paenae in ſe deſaeuientis excepit. Chriſtus cum cibū & potum accepit, non neceſſitati corporis ſed conſuetudmi tribuet. Secundam ducere, ſecundum praeceptumo Apoſtoli licitum eſt, ecundum autem veritatis rationem verè fornicatio eſt. He ſaith the ſame about the end of his booke, De fide & Symholo. that Ieſus Chriſt in his death ſuffered no paine. And that he did not eate becauſe his body had neede of ſuſtenance, but onelyonly by cuſtome. Chryſoſtome alleadged in the Canon, Hac Ratione, in the Cauſe 31. Queſtion 1. he ſaith that S. Paul commaunding ſecond mariages, hath ſpoken againſt truth and reaſon, and that is truely fornication. Saint Auſtin in his fift booke of his Hypognoſticks, and in his Epiſtles 93. and 106. held that the Euchariſt is neceſſary for young children newly borne, that they may be ſaued. And in his booke De Dogmatis. Eccleſ. cap. 11. He ſaith, that the Angels are Corporeal and in his booke of the Chriſtian combat, cap. 32. he ſayth that our bodies after the Reſurrection ſhalbe no longer fleſh nor blood, but an heauenly body. Gregory of Nyſſa, in his firſt Sermon of the reſurrection, teacheth a prodigious errour; namely, that the ſoule of Ieſus Chriſt was already in the graue, euen then whiles he celebrated the Euchariſt, and that his body was already dead. Lactantius in his fourth booke and fourteenth Chapter dooth formally denie the Diuinity of Ieſus Chriſt: and in his ſeuenth booke and one and twenty chapter, he ſaith that the ſoules of men, as well good as bad, In vna communi que cuſtodia detinentur, are detained in one common priſon. Saint Gregory Nazianzen in his Sermon of Baptiſme, willeth, that vnleſſe it be in caſe of vrgent neceſſity, the Baptiſme of young children be deferred vntill ſuch time as they may be capable to aunſwere, and to yeeld account of their faith. Himſelfe in his Epitaph vponupon Baſill, doth preferre him before Enoch, Contemninus. n. Phegor & omnem ignominiam eius; ſcientes quod qui in carne ſunt, non poſſunt placere Deoand compareth him to Abraham. Saint Ierome in his firſt booke againſt Iouinian, often calleth marriage an vnchaſt ſtate of life, and an ignominy, and that the fruite of it is death; and that a woman that doth marry the ſecond time, ought not to participate of the Almes, no nor of the body of the Lord. The Church of Rome doth no longer beleeue the Purgatorie of Gregory the firſt, which hee placeth ſometimes in Bathes, ſometimes in the winde, ſometime in the water. Nor the opinion of Honorius Biſhop of Rome, who was a Monothelite: the Epiſtles whereof are inſerted in the fift and ſixt generall Councels. For all theſe good ſeruants of God were ſubiect to miſtaking, and had their faults and vices like warts in a faire face; to the end that in reading them a man ſhould hauehave alwayes in his hand the Compaſſe of the holy Scripture, and the rule of the word of God. And that a man ſhould beleeue that which they hauehave well ſaid, not becauſe they hauehave ſaid it, but becauſe it is found in the word of God: if they erre in any thing, Antiquity cannot authorize an errour. There can be no preſcription againſt the truth. And a time there was when theſe Fathers were no Fathers; and before they wrote, the Chriſtians were ruled by the word of God.
As touching that which the King of great Britaine ſaith, that they doe contradict one another: the verification of it is eaſie. For eueryevery man knoweth the contentions betweene Chryſoſtome and Epiphanius; the Diſputes betweene Cyrill and Theodoret; the ſharpe Epiſtles, and full of gall of Saint Ierome to Saint Auſtin. And S. Auſtin ſpeaketh farre otherwiſe of Free-wil, of Predeſtination, and of the gift of Perſeuerance, then all the Greeke Fathers of his age. He that will hauehave a cleare mirrour of this their diſcord, let him compare the Commentaries of S. Auſtin vponupon the Pſalmes, with thoſe of Saint Ierome, and he ſhall ſcarcely finde them to agree in two verſes together.
It is then with very iuſt reaſon that Coeffeteau doth graunt this to the King of great Britaine, and doth acknowledge the faults and contradictions of the auncients, whom notwithſtanding we ought to louelove and honour as great lights in their times, and worthy ſeruants of God, who hauing combatted Hereſies in their life time, doe yet beat downe Popery after their deaths.
For we maintaine, againſt whoſoeuer he be, that in the foure firſt ages (and yet wee might diſcend much lower) there ſhall not be found out any one man who hath had a Religion not ſo much as approaching to that of the Romiſh Church now-a-dayes. And in this challenge I will lay downe my Miniſters cloake, ready to be frocked and cladde in a Monks-coule, if I ſhall finde a man that will ſatiſfie me in this point.
And to the end to expreſſe my ſelfe more clearly, I ſay, that betweene vsus and our aduerſaries, there be two kindes of Controuerſies: for ſome there be vponupon which they are wont to produce ſome paſſages for proofes. But eyther they be quotations altogether falſe, or maimed and curtalled, or of no vſe to proue the point in queſtion, or elſe places taken contrary to the authours meaning. Yet being a thing ordinary with theſe Meſſieus to put the ancient Fathers vponupon the racke to make them ſpeake in fauour of an vntruth. Such is the queſtion of tranſubſtantiation, of praying for the dead, or Purgatory, and of the Sacrifice of the Maſſe. But there are other Controuerſies no leſſe important, and more in number: In which they are cleane deſtitute of all authority of the auncient Church; and vponupon which being interrogated, they anſwere beſides the matter. For changing the queſtion, they endeauour to proue that which is not demaunded of them. See here ſome examples:
1. They cannot ſhew that any auncient Church did celebrate the euchariſt without communicants as it is done ordinarily in the Church of Rome, yea and ſometimes alſo without any aſſiſtants.
2. They cannot ſhew that any ancient Church hath excluded that people from the communion of the cuppe or chalice.
3. Or that in any ancient Church, the publike ſeruice was done in a language not vnderſtood of the people.
4 Or that any ancient Church hath hindered the people from reading the holy Scripture. As it is no way permitted in thoſe Countries where the Pope is abſolutely obeyed, without ſpeciall priuilege.
5. Or that in any ancient Church they hauehave made Images of God, and repreſentations of the Trinity in ſtone or in picture.
6. Alſo they cannot proue vntounto vsus that in any ancient Church the people hath beene inſtructed to pray without vnderſtanding that which they ſay, ſpeaking in a tongue not vnderſtood of himſelfe that prayeth.
7. Or that any ancient Church did yeeld worſhip or religious ſeruice to the Images of creatures, kiſſing them, decking them with robes, kneeling before them, and preſenting them gifts and offerings, &c.
8. Or that the ancient Church hath beleeued, that the Virgin Mary is crowned Queene of the heauens, and Lady of the world, as this is painted throughout all their Churches.
9. Or that the ancient Church hath giuen to the Saints diuers charges, as to one the commaund euer ſuch a country; to another the cure ouer ſuch a maladie, to a third to be Patron ouer ſuch a trade and myſterie.
10. Or that the ancient Church hath beleeued that the Pope can giuegive and take away Kingdomes. And diſpenſe with ſubiects for the oath of their alleageance. Can canonize Saints, and diſpenſe with Vowes and promiſes ſolemnly made to God, &c.
11. Or that in the ancient Church the Pope by his pardons did diſtribute ſupererogatory ſatisfactions of the Saints, for the remiſſion of paine and puniſhment of other mens ſinnes.
12. Or that the Pope did then place his pardons in one Church and not in another; In one Towne and not in another, and that ſometimes for an hundred, and two hundred thouſand yeares of pardon.
13. Or that the auncient Church hath beleeued the Limbe of little children.
14. Or that the auncient Church hath adored the hoſt, which the Prieſt holdeth vp, with the worſhip of Latria, which is done to God alone. And to this end the Prieſt hath cauſed the Eleuation of the Hoſt to be vſed at the Maſſe.
15. Or that the auncient Church hath held the bookes of Machabees for Canonicall.
16. Or that the auncient Church hath beleeued that the Biſhop of Rome cannot erre in faith.
17. Or that the auncient Church hath beleeued, that Ieſus Chriſt by his death and ſufferinges did clearely diſcharge vsus of the paine and puniſhment of the ſinnes that went before baptiſme. But as touching the paine of the ſinnes committed after baptiſme, he hath onelyonly changed it from eternall to temporall, and that it lyeth in vsus to ſatisfie the iuſtice of God for the ſame, which is indeede the moſt important point of all Chriſtian religion.
For he that would deſcend to ſmaller things and demaund of Coeffeteau, if in any of the auncients there be mention made of Iubilees, of Agnus Dei, or holy Graines, conſecrated Medals, of Cordelier-Friars, or Iacobins, or Ieſuites, and an infinite ſort of religions and new deuotions I beleeue he would finde himſelfe terribly puzled. In all this as in thoſe other ſeauenteene points before handled, they receiue not the Fathers for Iudges. Thoſe auncient Doctors were not yet arriued to any ſo high point of learning: But theſe meſſieurs our maſters ſupply and ſupport their ignorance in theſe matters. In other controuerſies they admit and receiue the Fathers for Iudges, but with this caution and condition that themſelues may be Iudges of the Fathers. They allow the auncients to be interpreters of the Scriptures; But themſelues will be the interpreters of the auncients, to the end to make them ſpeake thinges contrary to the Scriptures.
ARTICLE IIII. Touching the authority of the holy Scriptures.
The KINGS Confeſſion.I Thinke alſo that no man doubteth but that I ſettle my faith and beleefe vponupon the holy Scriptures, according to the duty of a Chriſtian.
Hereat Coeffeteau holdeth his peace, and by his ſilence approueth the confeſsion of the King of England. For he doth not allow of the blaſphemies which his companions diſgorge againſt the ſacred bookes of the word of God. He hath not dared to ſay with Bellarmine, Bellar. lib. 4. de verbo non ſcripto cap. 12. §. Reſpondeo Scripturae finem propriū & praecipuum nō eſſe vt eſſet Regula Fidei. Dico ſecundo Scripturam eſſeregulam Fidei nō totalem ſed partialem.that the Scripture is but a peece of a Rule, and not the whole entire Rule of faith. And that it was not properly made to bee the Rule of our faith. It may be alſo that he doth not approue of Bellarmines ſaying, who in his fourth Chapter of the fourth Booke of the word not written ſaith,*Quarto. Neceſſe noſſe extare aliquos libros verè diuines, quod certè ex ſacris Scripturis haheri nullo modo poſſunt, &c. that a man cannot know by the teſtimony of the Scripture, that there be any bookes of diuine inſpiration (albeit the Scripture doth ſay it) and his reaſon is, Becauſe we reade aſwell in the Alcoran of Mahomet, that the Alcoran was ſent from heauen. It may be alſo that Coeffeteau hath not dared in this place to vſe the tearmes of Doctor Charron in his booke called La troiſieſme veritè, where he ſaith that the Scripture is a Forreſt to forrage in, where Atheiſts lie in ambuſhments, and that by reading it a man becommeth an Atheiſt. Thou beleeueſt, ſaith he, becauſe thou readeſt ſo, thou art not then a Chriſtian.
It is cleare then that his Maieſty of England doth yeeld a thouſand times more reſpect to the holy Scriptures then the Church of Rome, or the Councel of Trent, which ordaineth in the fourth Seſſion, that Traditions be receiued with like affection of piety and reuerence, with the holy Scripture, equalling mens Traditions with Gods diuine ordinances. For the Pope hath letters of credit. And we muſt preſuppoſe that beſides the new-Teſtament Ieſus Chriſt hath made a Codicill or little booke which the Pope hath in his priuate cuſtody, whence hee draweth the ordinances that are not contained in the Scripture.
Yet this is but little. For Bellarmine goeth farther and ſaith that, Sunt quaedam Traditiones maiores quod ad obligationem, quàm quaedam Scripturae. That there are ſome traditions greater in reſpect of obligation, then ſome partes of Scripture. That is to ſay, to which we are more bound to adhere. Hauing good hope that in the end we ſhall ſee God to become Diſciple to the Biſhop of Rome.