A Learned Treatise of Traditions, Treatise · Chapter 22
CHAP. XXII. Whether to ground a Doctrine, it be lawfull to uſe words equivalent to thoſe that are found in the Scripture, or to vſe conſequences and Anguments.
SOme ſmattering and unquie… Ieſuites perceiving themſelves weake in the combate, by the preſſure of the evidence of truth, have thought vponupon a cavilling and impertinent courſe, whereby to entangle the diſputation at the very entrance, and to prevent ever comming to the true ſcanning or examination of the doctrine.
Their cunning ſleight is alwayes to queſtion and interrogate, inſteed of keeping themſelves to a regular and methodicall argumentation; and as ſoone as wee open our mouthes, they call to us Shew me that which you ſay, word by word in the Scripture. Now if there want but a ſyllable, or if it happen that we uſe theſe words, that is ſay, or by conſequent, they fall into laughter and ſay that a Coach drawne by Horſes is a conſequent, and ſo breake off, alledging they have reduced us to conſequences. If we quote ſome paſſage of Saint Matthew or of Eſay, they aske whether the booke bee Canonicall: if wee anſwer, yea; they require a paſſage of the Scripture that ſaith, Saint Matthew is Canonicall. If wee expound one paſſage by another, they ſay, ſhew mee a paſſage that alloweth this paſſage to bee expounded by that. If we make an argument (though it be demonſtrative) they deride and jeere it, ſaying, that ſyllogiſmes are but humane diſcourſe, and an invention of Ariſtotle, unfit to regulate our faith.
But thoſe of our adverſaries who are better ſtored with knowledg, as Thomas, Bellarmin, Baronius, Perron, Salmeron & Vaſques rejecteth this wrangling Philoſophy & froward reaſoning, which carpeth at ſyllables, and is made for nothing elſe but to bring foorth nothing, and to brave and ſwagger in the ſpeed of running away.
Now, what an unjuſt caſe it is, that thoſe who attribute to the Church of Rome the power not only of adding to the Scripture, but alſo to alter that which God hath ordained in the Scripture, and who hold that their Church hath no obligation to the Scripture, ſhould uſe ſuch rigor againſt us, to bind us preciſely to the words and ſyllables of the Scripture: though wee change nothing in the ſubſt…nce?
It were an eaſie matter for vsus to proceed againſt them after the ſame wiſe: replying to the firſt word they offer us, Shew mee what you ſay in as many words in the word of God written or unwritten, for they take both for the rule of their inſtruction. And if they make uſe of theſe words therefore and then, to tell them, theſe are your reaſons and conſequences; and in ſtead of giving ſatisfactory anſwere, to injoyne them that they proove unto us, that wee are bound to proove to them what they demand: and ſo to breake off with laughter and inſultation, this were the way (as the proverbe hath it,) to counterfet the fooles with mad-men.
If in handling points of the Faith, it be not permitted to make uſe of other wordes beſides thoſe that are found in the Scripture, it ſhall not be ſuffered to preach, nor to write commentaries, nor to conferre the paſſages of the Scripture together: for this collation cannot bee made without imploying ſome other words, which forme the compariſon, and ſhew the reſemblance. It ſhall not likewiſe be ſuffered to recite the Creed, nor to ſay there are but foure Evangeliſts in the new Teſtament: for the Scripture ſpeaketh not this in ſo many words.
Moreover by this pedanticall cavilation, neither Charles nor Anthony, nor any particular man, ſhall bee obliged to beleeve in Ieſus Chriſt, nor to obey him: For the Scripture neither ſpeaketh of Charles nor Anthony. But the duty of particular men is drawne by neceſſary conſequence, from the generall rules that are in the Scripture.
So our adverſaries beleeve that Pope Vrbane is lawfull ſucceſſour in the ſupremacie of Saint Peter, which nevertheleſſe they derive by conſequence of this generall Maxime, that the Biſhops of Rome are lawfull ſucceſſors in the Primacy of S. Peter. If from an imaginary Tradition they draw conſequences, why ſhould not wee draw them from the holy Scripture?
When I ſay that Purgatory, and the primacy of the Biſhop of Rome are Traditions, whereof the Scripture maketh no mention, how ſhould I ſhew this in ſo many ſillables, ſeeing I hold that it is not found therein at all? for if there were found a paſſage that ſaith, there is no ſuch thing as Purgatory, the Scripture ſhould make mention of Purgatory. Theſe men require the ſame, as when I ſhould ſay, that nothing is ſpoken of Ieſus Chriſt in Virgils Aeneades, ſome trifling Sophiſter urgeth mee to ſhew in the Aeneades, a paſſage affirming that Ieſus Chriſt is not therein mentioned.
This peeviſh wrangling, no leſſe injurious then troubleſome, taketh from the Chriſtians, all meanes of proving to a lew, by the Prophets, that Ieſus is the Chriſt, for the name of Ieſus Chriſt is not found in the Prophets; yet certaine it is, that the thing it ſelfe is therein explained in equivalent termes.
To be ſhort, in ſuch jugling Theology, it is impoſſible to prove by Scripture, th…t an Ape or Cat is not to be adored: for this is not found totidem verbis in the Scripture; but it is drawne from neceſſary conſequence of paſſages, wherein God alone will be worſhipped.
If I ſay that the ſoule is immortall, and that God governeth the World by his providence; will theſe venerable Doctors take mee by the throate, to ſhew them this ſillabically in ſo many wordes? Indeed it is not found in the ſame words, but in ſome other equivalent ſpeaking of the life eternall, in this manner: God maketh all things according to the counſell of his will. Epheſ. 1. 5. And a ſparrow falleth not the ground without the will of God Matt. 10. 29. And God himſelfe pronounceth: My counſell ſhall ſtand, and I will accompliſh all my pleaſure. Eſay 46. 10.
If the Scripture ſaith that God deſcendeth, or runneth, or is inflamed with choller, or ſleepeth; ſhall it not be lawfvll to uſe▪ plaine and intelligible words in expounding theſe figures?
Likewiſe I find not in the Scripture the word Trinity, but I have found the word three; Saint Iohn telling us that there are three in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit. 1. Iohn 5. 7.
I find not in the Scripture, tolidem verbis, that the ſoule of the thiefe was not in Limbo. But I find that Ieſus Chriſt aſſured him, Thou ſhalt this day bee with mee in Paradiſe.
I find not in the Scripture in the ſame termes, that the Saints know not our hearts, but I find there, how God alone knoweth the hearts of men. 2. Chron. 6. 30.
There is no mention made of ſingle life of Prelates, in the ſame words, but there it is ſayd. Let a a Biſhop bee huſband but of one wife. 1. Tim. 3. 2.
Furthermore Ieſus Chriſt diſputing with the devill, Matth. 4. 11. told him; It is written, thou ſhalt worſhip the Lord thy God, and him only ſhalt thou ſerve. Which is a paſſage of the 6. of Deut. 13. Thou ſhalt feare the Lord thy God, and ſhalt ſerve him, and ſwere by his Name. To which paſſage, the Lord joyneth another of the 1. of Sam. chap. 7. 3. Subject your hearts to the eternal God, and ſerue him alone. Ieſus Chriſt made no ſcruple or difficulty to ſpeake the ſame thing in ſundry phraſes.
At the 18. Acts 28. It is related that Apollos a lew, demonſtrated by the Scriptures of the old Teſtament, that Ieſus was the Chriſt, though it bee not therein expreſſed in ſo many words.
And S. Peter at the 10. Acts 43. ſpeaketh thus. To Ieſus Chriſt give all the Prophets witneſſe, that through his name, whoſoeuer beleeueth in him, ſhall receive remiſſion of ſinnes. Yet this is not found among the Prophets in expreſſe words, but in equivalent termes, and by neceſſary conſequence. Shall we then bee rebuked, if wee alledge the Scripture after the ſame wont and forme as Ieſus Chriſt and the Apoſtles have done?
The Apoſtle S. Paul in the 2. to Tim. 1. 13. commanding us to hold faſt the forme of ſound words, doth not bind us to ſillables, for ſoundneſſe and purity of doctrine, may copiouſly and in full ſenſe dwell under the ſignification of ſeverall ſorts of words, as health of body, may be clothed vnderunder another habit. It is ſo taught by Hierome uponNe putemus in verbis ſcripturarum eſſe Evangelium, led in ſenſu: non in ſuperficie, ſed in medulla: non in ſermonum folijs, ſed in radice rationis. the 1. chap. to the Galat. Let us not thinke that the Goſpel conſiſteth in the bare words of the Scripture, but in the true meaning and ſignification: not in the ſuperficies, but in the very marrow, not in the leaues decked with words, but in the roote of ſolid reaſon.
The Fathers and ancient Councells were ignorant in ſuch kind of importunate and unmannely divinity, when they defined by the Scripture in the firſt Nicene councell,foreign. that the Sonne is conſubſtantiall with the Father. And when the firſt Councel of Epheſus decreed againſt Nestorius, that the Virgin Mary might and ought to bee called the foreign. Deipara.Mother of God.
The Arians preſſed Athanaſius toforeign Quomodo … cu in Scripturis … Ego de … Pater vnum ſumus. foreign. Non poteſt aliquid certü eſſe certitudine fidei, niſi aut immediate contineatur in verbe dei, aut ex verbo dei per avidentem cōſequentiam deducatur, &c. Ne que de hoe principio vel Catholici vel haretici dubitant. Salmer. proleg 9. prima quinquagena Can. 7. Non tantuns diuinam authoritatem habent, & ſi… ea tenenda Sunt qua in Scripturis expreſſe con…entur, ſed etlam ea omnia qua exilla neceſſaria & euidenti conſequentia deducuntus, qua doctrina a magno ille Theologo Gregorie ad nos deriuat a eſt. Et Paulo poſt: Dupliciter aliquid eſſe in Scriptura dicitur, aut quia eſt expreſſe in ea contentum, et in ſenſu literals: deinde omne quod virtute in ea cōtentum eſt, & neceſſaria conſequentia extractum. Atque his duobus modis agere licet in haeretieos. Vazq. in 1. Partem. Thomae Tomo 2. Diſp. 110. cap. 1. §. Quarto. Nihil refere hauehave vacam non eſſe in Scriptura, fi vox … ſignifieat quod Scriptura decet. ſhew them this word conſubſtantiall in the Scripture: to whom Athanaſius anſwereth in his booke of the decrees of the Nicene councell: Though the very words be not ſo couched in the Scripture, yet they hauehave the ſence and vnderſtanding of the Scripture.
Gregory of Nazianzen at the end of his Sermon touching Cyprian. calls the verbaliſts foreign, hunters after ſyllables and words. And in his 37. Oration, which is the fifth concerning Theology, he faith that the louelove of the letter is to them a ſhadow or cloake for impiety.
Ambroſe in his booke concerning the Faith, written againſt the Arians, chap. 5. How doe you ſay that conſubſtantiall is not in the divine Scriptures? as if conſubſtantiall were any thing elſe but, I am iſſue of the Father, and the Father and I are one.
We learn out of Photius, his Bibliotheca, that Theodoret compoſed an expres treaty vponupon this ſubject, the inſcription whereof is, Againſt theſe who affirme that wee ought to relye on the words, without having regard to the matter ſignified.
Touching this point, we have the moſt learned of our adverſaries on our ſide. Bellarmine in his 3. booke of juſtification, chap. 8 Nothing can bee ſure in certainty of Faith, unleſſe it bee contained immediatly in the word of God, or drawne from the word of God by ſome evident conſequence.
Salmeron in his 9. Prolegomenon: Not onelyonly the matter which is immediatly conteined in the Scriptures, hath divine authority, and ought to be allowed with faith; but alſo all things that are drawn from thence by neceſſary & euident conſequence, which doctrine hath bin derived vntounto us from Greg. that great Divine. And a little after, a thing is ſayd to be in the Scripture two manner of wayes; partly becauſe it is therein contained expreſſely, and in the litter all ſence: partly becauſe it is contained vertually therein, and is drawne from thence by neceſſary conſequence, now it īs lawfull to diſpute with Heretickes both theſe wayes. Hee bringeth Purgatory, merrits, and ſatiffactions for examples: wordes that himſelfe confeſſeth not to be in the Scripture, but may be drawn from thence by conſequence.
Ieſuite Vaſquez: It importeth not whether the word be in Scripture or no, ſo as that which it ſignifieth be in the Scripture. Ianſenius Biſhop of Gant, affirmeth the ſame at the 107. Chapter of his Harmony.
Our confeſſion is frivolouſly obiected unto us, which ſaith in the 5. Article, that the Scripture is the Rule of all verity, containing all that is neceſſary for the ſervice of God and our ſalvation, to the which it is not lawfull to adde, diminiſh, or alter. For if theſe Novice Doctors affoorded themſelues the leaſure to read the following lines, they ſhould there find, that wee avow the three Creeds, to wit, the Apoſtles, the Nicene, and the Athanaſian. Which notwithſtanding are not found in the Scripture, in ſuch and ſo many words. And in the Article following, wee approve of that which hath bin determined by the ancient councels, touching three perſons in one individuall eſſence, yet the determinations of Councels are not found to bee in the Scripture in the ſame termes.
Our confeſſion confineth u… … more to the Scripture, then the Councell of Trent bindeth our adverſaries to the word written and unwritten. Yet they would not be interrupted thereupon, nor that we ſhould enjoyne them to ſhew eueryevery word ſpoken by them, to be in ſo many ſyllables in the written word, or in that which is not written.
Whereas they ſuffer us not to bring one paſſage of Scripture, for expoſition of another, unleſſe wee ſuddenly bring a third, that ſaith this paſſage expoundeth that. By ſuch proceeding they take away and extingniſh all meanes of expounding Scripture by Scripture: wherein alſo they contradict the Elders and Doctors of the Church of Rome, who grant that Scripture ſhall bee interpreted by Scripture, as we have mentioned in my former booke of the Iudge of Controverſies, Chap. 4. For the expoſition of theſe words, This is my body, we allege the paſſage of the Apoſt. ſaying, This Bread which we breake, Is it not the Communion in the body of Chriſt? Likewiſe, When youſhall eat of this Bread, or drinke of this Cup, you ſhall declare the death of the Lord. Hereupon theſe youngſters require a paſſage which ſaith, that theſe two laſt paſſages are the expoſition of the firſt. Wee anſwere that it is not needfull, for it is ſufficient that theſe three paſſages ſpeake of the ſame thing. For to underſtand the Doctrine of the Euchari…, it is behoovefull to collect together all that the Scripture maketh thereof mention; ſeeing that paſſages ſo comparatively united, doe manifeſt and interpret one the other.
Theſe new Diſputants in rejecting all ſyllogiſmes, and all arguments, are obſtinate and unexcuſable. For by what reaſon can they baniſh the uſe of reaſon from Divinity? It were fitter for them to addreſſe themſelves to the Thomiſts and Scotiſts, who are full of Schoole brambles, and doe ſubject Saint Paul to the poſitions of Ariſtotle, and clothe Divinity with a Philoſophicall habite. Yet theſe very menwho forbid us to diſpute, doe make arguments (after their manner) to the which it is impoſſible to give anſwere, by the ſole words of the Scripture. For we are conſtrained to ſay, I deny the major, or the minor, which are words not ſo much as touched in the Scripture.
What man, but a ſenſleſſe, is ignorant, that when two Propoſitions are ſoddered together as they ſhould bee, the concluſion or inference muſt neceſſarily follow? And this is not an invention of Ariſtotle, but a worke of God, and a naturall impreſſion; for peaſants make good arguments, though il accommodated.
If of two propoſitions in an argument, one bee drawne from the Scripture, the other be knowne by the ſenſe, and allowed by the Adverſary, the concluſion ſhall follow of neceſſity. As for example; ſpeake according to Scripture, that every man is a lyer. To this propoſition, Iadde another well knowne by the ſenſe, and confeſſed by the Adverſary, Philip is a man, whereupon the concluſion that followeth, therefore Philip is a lier, cannot bee denied, but by ſome witleſſe Idiot, and ſuch a one as will not ſticke to contradict himſelfe, in denying that which neceſſarily followeth, upon the propoſition which he hath confeſſed.
And to the end it may not bee thought, that this Concluſion hath no certainty, but by vertue of the two propoſitions, I ſay that without a formall ſyllogiſme, this concluſion Philip is a lyer is contained in that propoſition every man is a lyer: juſt as one crowne is contained in ten, though there bee no man to ſay it.
Thomas ought to have inſtructedQuaeſt. 1. art. 8. Theologiam eſſe argumē tatiuam, & ex articulas fidei proced… re ad aliqu… aliud o…endendum: S… cut Apoſtolus 1. Cor 1… a reſurrect, one Chriſti argumenta… ad … roſurrectionem prob… dam. them hereupon, who in the firſt part of his Summe Queſt. 1. ſheweth, that Theologie is diſputative, and that by the Articles of faith it proceedeth to ſhew ſome other thing: as when the Apoſtle in I Cor. 15. diſputeth of the reſurrection of Ieſus Chriſt, to prove the reſurrection to bee common. VponUpon which place Vaſquez in the 12. Diſputation Chap. 2. maintaineth, that in Theologie if one propoſition be taken out of a paſſage of Scripture, and the other known by naturall light, a concluſion may bee drawne from thence, which may ſerve for a definitive poſition in the faith.
It is true (ſay theſe men) that humane reaſon may be deceived; and they ſay true. The ſame may bee ſaid of the ſight and of the hearing But would they dig out their owne eyes, under colour that their eyes doe ſometimes deceive them? VnderUnder the pretext that reaſon is ſometimes abuſed, ſhall they withhold us from the uſe of reaſon? Are there no good conſequences, and neceſſary? Becauſe ſome are evill, ſhall they reject thoſe that are good? If they will have it ſo, when the Doctors reade to us ſome paſſage of Scripture, May not we tell them, Perhaps it is not there as you reade it, you muſt not beleeve your eyes, for the ſight of a man may often be deluded and miſtaken?
Therefore the manner of making arguments, where reaſon is not deceived, and whence the concluſion cannot bee denied, is that which I have ſaid, by joyning to a propoſition drawne from the Scripture, a ſecond that is knowne by the ſenſe, or by a naturall light, and is allowed by the Adverſary.
The way to put theſe Diſputants of our age to a non plus, to ſtave them off from interrogations, and keepe them to a ſyllogiſticall method: for then they ſhall make an argument, wherein the ſecond propoſiton ſhall bee thus in ſubſtance: You are obliged by your owne confeſsion to ſay nothing but what is in the Scripture totidem verbis, the which ought to bee denied them.
It would be eaſie for vsus to touch our Beliefe, in termes extracted word by word out of the Scripture, faſtning one paſſage to another without knot or connexion. The language indeed would ill cohere, having neither the word for, nor then, nor wherefore, nor all that ſerveth to diſpoſe its diſcourſe into parts, and to ſhew the proſecution of the reaſon Bu… in doing this, we ſhould cloſe up the mouthes of theſe harebrained ſpirits, who take it in indignity, and are offended if a word for uſed which is not in the Scripture.
In one thing they ſpeake reaſonably. But If (ſay they) Ye be permitted to make uſe of conſequences, why ſhall it not bee lawfull for us to doe the ſame? This cannot bee contradicted, but on condition that they obtrude not unto us non ſeq…it…rs for conſequences, drawing all things out of all things, like ſo many Chymiſts. You may ſee ſome paterns of the… conſequences: Chriſt hath ſayd, I have to tell you many things, but you cannot for the preſent beare them away: Therefore Chriſt hath taught that Saints ought to be invoked, images to bee ſerved, and the Trinity to be painted. Chriſt hath ſayd, doe this: therfore the Prieſt ſacrificeth the body of Ieſus Chriſt in the Maſſe. Chriſt hath ſayd, tell▪ it to the Church: therfore the Churc… of Rome cannot erre. Chriſt hath ſayd, All that you ſhall looſ… …, ſhall bee looſed in heaven: therefore the Pope can let looſe vnderunder ground, and releaſe ſoules out of Pugatory. God hath made man after his owne image: therfore images ought to be adored. Likewiſe, Sin againſt the holy Ghoaſt is neither pardoned in this world, nor in the world to come: therefore there is a fire of Purgatory, to purge the ſoules. Conſequences that would provoke laughter, were it not that thereby the word of God is troden under foot, and the ſervice of our Lord vtterly depraved.