A Learned Treatise of Traditions, Treatise · Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII. That our adverſaries to diſtinguiſh the good Traditions from the bad, doe give vsus a Plea wherein they wholly convict themſelves.
TO diſcerne the good Traditions from the bad, our adverſaries lay downe certaine Pleas which wee hold fit to have ſtrictly examined. They ſay that the Traditions ought to bee both receaved and beleeved to be divine, which have alwaies beene approoved by the vniuerſall Church, as Vincentius Lyrinenſis confirmeth it, allowing that to bee received for truth which hath ever beene beleeved wholly and by all; and Saint Auguſtine in his Epiſtle. 118. If the Si quid horū rota per orbē frequentat Eccleſia, hoc quin it a faciendū ſit diſputare inſolentiſsima inſaniae eſt. Quod v…iverſa tenet Eccleſia, nec Cō cilijs inſtitutū, ſed ſemper retentū, non niſi au horttate Apeſtolica traditū certiſimè creditur.Church throughout the world obſerve any thing, it is a diſtracted impudence to diſpute whether it ought to be ſo or no; and in his 4. Booke againſt the Donatiſts Chapter 4. That which the univerſall Church holdeth, and hath not beene inſtituted by Councells, but ever maintained, is to bee beleeved in all juſt reaſon, not to have beene ordained by other power then the Apoſtolique Authority.
Now though theſe paſſages of Saint Auguſtine bee unſeaſonably alledged, becauſe they ſpeake of cuſtomes not neceſſary to ſalvation, & indifferent in their nature, or of opinions without the knowledge wherof a man may be ſaved, as we ſhall hereafter diſcover: yet I ſay that by this Plea, the Traditions of the Church of Rome doe fall to the ground, and are not currant or receiueable: for it is eaſie to prove, that they have not beene received from the beginning by the Catholike Church.
How is it that Purgatory (which1. Purgatory is by interpretation, a ſubterraneall fire, where the ſoules of the faithfull are purged by orment) could be beleeved in the ancient church: ſeeing that a great part of the Fathers did beleeve, that the ſoules could not be tormented without the bodies: And that the Maſſe prayeth for ſoules that ſleepe in a peaceable reſt: it being a cleere caſe that when this piece was patched to the Canon of the Maſſe, the Church of Rome did not beleeve that the ſoules of the faithfull were tortured in a fire. Pope Gregorie the 1. In his Dialogues, ſ…ateth Purgatory in the ſmoake of baths, and in the wind; for this underground fire was not yet deviſed: and yet this time was ſo far advanced as to the yeere 590. of our Lord.
Invocation of Sts. was unknown2. Invocatiō of Saints. under the three firſt ages of the Chriſtian Church, and more then halfe of the fourth. Cardinall Befla. in his third booke of worſhipping Saints, Chap. 9. ſaith, that When the §. Pratercacum ſcribetentur ſcriptura ſancta, … coeperat uſus vovends ſanctia.holy Scriptures were written, the cuſtome was not yet to make vowes to Saints. Which is as much to ſay in plaine termes, that about the Apoſtle time, Saints were not called on, nor did the Apoſtles (who ſurvived the Virgin Mary) addreſſe their vowes unto her. And Cardinall Perron (to whom this commendationDu Perron cōrre le Roy de la Grand Bretagne, Pag. 1009. Et quat aux auteris plus proches du ſiecle Apoſtouque, encore qu'il ne s'y trouue pas de veſtages de veſta couſtume, &c. Pag. 994. Quelques particuliers … que les ames des fideles … point la viſin is Di… avant is augament final, &c. L'Egliſe n'avcit point incore prononce la deciſian la deſſus. is due, to be the beſt verſed in the ſtudy of the Father's) confeſfeth freely, that in the Authors neereſt approching to the Apoſtles time, there appeareth no trace of this cuſtome of invoking Saints. Yea, he acknowledgeth that then when S. Auguſtine wrote, (which was ſome 420. yeeres after the birth of our Saviour) the doctrine of thoſe which hold that the Saints know not the occurrences of things acted here below, was not condemned, and that the Church had not yet made a deciſion thereupon: and indeed all that our Adverſaries alledge out of the Fathers of the three firſt ages, and more then halfe the fourth upon this queſtion, are paſſages ſer ving to prove that the Saints pray for us, which is a point that willingly wee condiſcend unto; but not to prove it behovefull for us to invoke the Saints, nor to allow them a religious ſervice.
The approbation of the bookes3. Maccabees of Maccabees (amongſt other books Divine and Canonicall) is inſerted by our Adverſaries, in their unwritten Traditions. Yet this is not a Tradition received from the beginning by all the CatholikeLe Concile de Laodice… Can. 58. Mel… a…gué pur Euſebe … 5. lib… foni hiſtoirà chap. 24. Origene ſur…s primier Pſ… par E…ſeb lib. 6 cap. 24 Tertull. … 4 liure de ſes Carmes. Eujebe Chron. Olymp. 116. … Cateelteſi quarta. Athanaſ. Epoſt. 39. & Synopſ. Na-Zianz. Ca… …n. Epiph. de menſuris et ponderibus. Hilar. prologo Pſalmorum. Church: the Councell of Laodicea rejecteth them: and Meliton Biſhop of Sardius, neere the time of the Apoſtles: and Origen: and Tertullian: and Euſebius: and Athanaſius: and Cyril of Ieruſalem: and Hilarie: and Gregorie of Nazianzene: and Amphilochius Biſhop of Iconia: and Epiphanius Biſhop of Salamine: and Philuſtreus Biſhop of Breſſe: and Saint Ierome in Prolog… Galeato, and in his Preface upon the Bookes of Salomon: and Ruffin upon the Lords Prayer: all of theſe were perſons remarkeable in the third and fourth age…. Yea, and Pope Gregorie the 1. who wrote neere upon the end of the fifth age in the 19. of his Morals, Chap. the 17 as we have proved elſewhere in amplemanner: wherefore, this is no Tradition received wholly and at all times by the Church univerſall.
By this very Plea the Romiſh4. Indulgences. Indulgences ought to be rejected, the which Indulgences I underſtand to bee a Tradtion, wherewith the Pope heapeth up the ſuperfluity of the ſatisfactions of Ieſus Chriſt and the Saints, to the treaſure of the Church, and convertech them to payment for others by his Indulgences: which he hoardeth in certaine Churches of Rome, and cauſeth that the people from all parts repaire thither to purchaſe pardons. I ſay that theſe Indulgences are new and that neither the Apoſtles nor their diſciples did convert the ſuperaboundance of the ſufferings of Abrabam, or of Saint Iohn the Baptiſt, or of the Virgine Mary to payment for others, and kept no treaſury to hold the ſuperabounding ſatisfactions of the Saints, and gave no pardons of one or two hundred thouſand yeeres, as the Pope doth: and that theſe Indulgences have beene altogether unknowne in the firſt ages of the Chriſtian Church, by the plaine confeſſion of our Adverſaries. Cardinall Cajetan in the 2. Chap. of his Treatiſe of Indulgences, hath theſe words; *De ertu Indulgentiarū ſi certitu… habert poſſet, veritati indàganda opem ferret. Verum quia nulla ſacra Scriptura, nulla priſcorū Docto…ū Graecorū aut L…inorū au… asſcripra hane ad noſtrā deduxit notitiam, ſed hee ſolum a treemtis enn… ſcriprurae cōmendatū, & de ve tuſtus Pa…tbus, &c. Gabrtel Biel Lect. 57. Decendum quod ante tempora B. Gregorij modicus vel …ullus fuit vſus Indulgentiarum. Nu… autem crebreſcit … vſu…, quiae ſine dubi… Eccleſia habens ſpiritā ſponſi ſut Chriſti, et idcirco non errans, &c. Navan us Coment. de Iobel …t Indutg. pag. 545 Quate autent apud ant… q…os tam rara, & apud recentiores tā frequens ſit Indulgentiarum mentio, docuit ille vit ſanctiſsimus &c. I…hannis Roffenſis c… … ea de re verborū ſumma eſt; Quod non certo conſtat à …. primū tradi coeperint, &c. Quod multa a… Evangelijs …t alijs ſcripturu nūc ſunt …xcuſa …ucu…ntius & intellectu perſpicacius quā fuerunt olim. Quod nemo … dubitat orthodoxus an Purgat…rium ſit, de quo tamē apud priſcos illos nulla vel quā rariſſima fiebat mentio. Quod non fuit tam neceſſaria ſiue Purgat…rij ſiue Indulg…ti…rum fides explicita in …rimitiua ec…leſia atque …unc eſt, &c. Anton. Sum. … S. Theolog. art. 1. tit. 10. 3. de Indul. l. 202. Ve…tijs ann. …82. 5. bridgeent of Cup.If we could have any certainty concerning the originall of Indulgences, it would helpe as much in the diſquiſition of the truth: but we have not by writing any authority, either of the holy Scripture, or of ancient Doctors, Greeke or Latine, that affordeth us the leaſt knowledge thereof. Gabriel Biel Lect. 57. upon the Canon of the Maſſe: We muſt confeſſe that before the time of Gregory (that is to ſay in the ſix firſt ages) the uſe of Indulgences was very little or none at all: but now the practice of them is growne frequent, for without doubt the Churoh hath the Spirit of Chriſt her Spouſe, and therefore erreth not. Navarrus the Popes Penitentiary: What is the cauſe that among the ancients, ſo little mention is made of Indulgences, and among it the moderne they are in ſuch uſe? Iohn of Rocheſter most holy and reverend for his dignity of Biſhop and Cardinall, hath taught us the reaſon, ſaying: that The explicite faith, whether it bee of Purgatory, or of Indulgences, was not ſo neceſſary in the Primitive Church as now. And a little after: Whil▪ſt there was no heed taken to Purgatory. no man enquired after Romiſh Indulgences, becauſe thereupon dependeth the proper…y and worth of them.
Antonine Archbiſhop of Florence (whom the Pope canonized for a Saint) ſpeaketh to the ſame purpoſe: Touching Indulgences we have nothing expreſly recited in holy Scripture, although the ſaying of the Apoſtle be alledged upon this ſubject, 1 Cor. If I have pardoned any thing, I have done it for your ſake, in the perſon of Chriſt. Nor are found at all in the writings of the ancient Doctors, but of the moderne. It is therefore no ſmall abuſe to place Indulgences amongſt Apoſtolike Traditions.
Of the ſame ranke is that Tradition which excludeth the people from the communion of the Cup: it is a moderne Tradition, and forged de novo: concerning the which wee have the confeſſion of the Councell of Conſtance, held in the yeere 1416. which is the firſt Councell that ever made the abridgement of the Cup to paſſe with legall authority. Marke the words: Though in the Primitive Church this Sacrament was received by the faithfull under both kindes, yet this cuſtome was introduced with good reaſon, that it ſhould be taken in both kindes by thoſe that conſecrate, but by the Laicks under the ſpecies of bread onelyonly. And the Councell of Baſil in the 30. Seſſion: The Laicks are not bound by the Commandement of our Lord, to receive the Sacrament under both kindes. Theſe Councels doe acknowledge, that Gods Commandement, and the cuſtome of the ancient Church, is to give both kindes to the people, but they will not ſuffer the Church to be obliged to this Commandement: and when our Adverſaries endeavour to defend themſelves in this point by antiquity, they vouch examples of ſome ſicke perſons receiving but in one kinde, or of ſome that could not taſte or endure wine, or of ſome ſuperſtitious people, who would carry the conſecrated Bread from the Church home to their houſes, and there locke it up in coffers: but they bring no prohibition of giving the Cup to the Laicks, nor any example of any auncient Church, which hath celebrated the holy Sacrament in the aſſembly of the faithfull, without offering the Cup to the Communicants; nor any example of deniall to adminiſter the Cup to the people: yet this is the point of difference, and which is now in controverſie. It was upon this abridgement of the Cup, that Cardinal▪ Perron and Ieſuite Vaſquez former…y told us, that the Church was a…le to change the inſtitution of our Lord, and the commandement of …he Apoſtle.
As for painting God and repreſenting6. Images of God. the Trinity in ſtone or in wood, this tradition hath not been …eceived by all, nor at all times, and …onſequently is neither Divine nor Apoſtolique, I could produce mul…tudes of paſſages of Ancients …hat condemne this abuſe, but for …he preſent, the teſtimony of Pope Gregory the ſecond, and Cardinall Baronius ſhall ſuffice. This Cardi…all in the yeare 726. of his an…ales, citeth an Epiſtle of the ſame Gregory, wherein are found theſe words: Why doe not wee place before …ur eyes, and ſet foorth in painting the …ather of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt? it is becauſe we know not what he is, and the …ature of God c…nnot bee painted or brought in ſight. VponUpon which words Baeronius noted this ſaying in thePoſtea vſis venit, ut pingatur in Eccleſia Deus Pater et Spi…tus ſan…us. margent: Afterwards it came by cuſtome in the Church, that God the father and the holy Ghoſt were painted, this is therefore new, and hath not beene received by all and at all times in the Catholique Church.
The ſervice of Images was ſo7. Service of Images. generally vnknowne in the primitive Church of the three firſt ages, that the very trades of painting and graving were execrable amongſt the Chriſtians. Tertull… reprocheth Hermogenes his trade of painting as a thing infamous. Clemens Alexandrinas in his doctrinall, and I…ſtin Martyr againſt Tryphon ſpeake of theſe trades as of vnlawfull Arts.
The power of Popes to depoſ… 8. Depoſitiō of Kings.Kings, and give and take Kingdomes, is yet of a freſh date, and there is not ſound any rule for … nor example, nor the leaſt ſigne of footing in all antiquity. Perron in his Oration pronounced before the States of Paris the 15 of Ian. 1615. could not yeeld one example for the five firſt ages, and thoſe which he alleageth before the yere 1076. are all either falſe or uſeleſſe. Gregory the ſeventh in the yere 1076. pronouncing ſentence of depoſition againſt the Emperour Henry the 4. enterpriſed a thing without example, which alſo turned to his confuſion. Cardinall Bellarmine diſputing this ſame queſtion againſt Barkley, perceiving himſelfe deſtitute of all teſtimony of antiquity, hath recourſe to the authority of the Church of the latterBellarm. in Barkl. cap. 3. Non recté d… Eccleſia Chriſts ſentit, qu… nihil admittit, niſi quod expreſsé in veters Ecele… ſia ſcriptum aut factū eſſe legiteur Quaſi Eccleſia poſter toris temporu aut deſi erit eſſe Eccleſia, aut facultatem non habeat explicands et declarandi conſtitutndi etiā et …bc̄di qua ad fidem & mores Chriſtianes pertinent. ages, ſaying: Hee judgeth not rightly of the Church of Chriſt, who receiveth nothing but that which he readeth, to have beene expreſly written or done in the ancient Church, as if the Church of this latter time had ceaſed to be a Church, or had not the faculty of unfolding and declaring, yea of eſtabliſhing, and commanding things appertaining to the Faith and manners of Chriſtians. In briefe, this uſurpation is not a Tradtion received by all, and in all time, nor could be at that time practiſed, when the Chriſtian Emperours depoſed Popes, and made them priſoners, and puniſhed them with death, and tooke of them a ſumme of money for their reintegration in the Biſhoprick, as may be ſeene in the 123. Nov. of Iuſtiniam, chap. 3.
And how can the Cannon o… 9. Canon of the Maſſe.the Maſſe be an Apoſtolique Tradition, when the perſons therein named were after the Apoſtle… time, more then two hundred yeeres? namely Coſmus and Di… mian, who ſuffered martyrdome in the yeere of our Lord, 285. like wiſe wee could produce many autuorsVoyez les liures des myſteres at … Maſſe de Innocent 3. Et Platine en la vte de Sixte 1. Et le Pantiſical de Damaſe. amongſt our adverſaries, who affirme that this Pope and that Pope have added ſuch and ſuch a parceil to the Maſſe, and yet the whole Canon of the Maſſe is contrary both to Porgatory, to the merit of Workes, and to Tranſubſtantiation, for in the Canons of the Maſſe the Prieſt prayeth for the ſoulesCanō Miſſa. Non aſtimator mariti, ſod veniae largitor. that ſleepe in peaceable rest and tran quility, and not for thoſe that are formented in a fire, and craveth atPer quē hac …nia Domine ſ…per bena creas, ſanctificas, benedicu. Supra qua (domne) prepitto ac ſeneno vultu reſpicere digneris et accepta habeas ſicut accepta habere dignatus as … … inſó Abol. Gods hands that he will not weigh our merits, but that hee will grant us pardon, and holding the conſecrated hoſt, ſayth, Theſe are the good things which God alwaies createth ſanctifieth, and bleſſeth, offering them through Ieſus Christ, and humbly beſeecheth that God would as freely accept of theſe gifts and preſents, as of the Calfe or Lamb offered by Abel, of all this there is nothing but may ſort well and agree with Ieſus Chriſt, and true it is that the Maſſe being punctually conſidered, appeacheth and condemneth the Romiſh Church of this time, and (as now it is,) muſt bee farre differing from that of heeretofore; for Gregory the firſt, in the 63. Epiſtle of his 7. booke affirmeth, that the Apoſtles did conſecrate the Euchariſt with only the Lords prayer.
As for Monaſticall profeſſion, it10. Monaſticall profeſſion. can neither bee a Divine nor A. poſtolicall Tradition, nor beleeved alwayes by all, for Paul the Hermite was the firſt of that calling, and made no diſciples at all, but died in the yeere of our Lord 343. Particularly in the Church of Rome, this profeſſion was neither ſeene nor practiſed, untill about the yeere of our Lord 370. for this is the time whereof Saint Hierome ſpeaketh, in his Epitaph of Marcella, No Women (ſaith he) of great parentage knew yet at Rome what this Monacall profeſsion did meane, nor durst take this name, which was ſo vile and ignominious amongst the people, becauſe of the novelty of the thing, as then it was esteemed, moreover the Monkes of that time were of a farr different condition from theſe of this our time.
In ſumme, (not to runne over all the traditions of the Romiſh Church,) I maintaine that in the foure firſt ages (I could deſcend a little lower) no ancient Church can be ſhewen vntounto us, which hath approoved, 1. The Maſſes without Communicants. 2. The images of the Trinity. 3. Or that hath made mention of the treaſure of Romiſh Indulgences. 4. Or that hath forbidden the people to read the ſacred Scripture. 5. Or that hath deprived the people of the Communion of the Cup. 6. Or that hath rendred any Religious ſervice to Images. 7. Or that hath inſtructed the People to pray to God in a tongue not underſtood by him that prayeth. 8. Or that hath called the virgine Mary Queene of heaven, and Lady of the word. 9. Or that hath beleeved the Limbus for little infants. 10. Or that hath taught, that the Pope can give and take kingdoms. 11. Or that the Pope can canonize Saints, and free ſoules out of Purgatory, I could reherſe many more if need were.
Pope Martin in his Canon S… quis Presbiter the 30. Diſt. ordaineth for an Apoſtolicall Tradition, the prohibition of kneeling at Prayer, betweene the Paſchall and Pentecoſt; yet doth it well appeare in the 20, of the Acts ver. 36. and in the 21. ver. the 5. that Saint Paul and the faithfull with him, humbled themſelves upon their knees at that time, whereupon Baronius in his Annales, reprehendeth this Pope for having celebrated the Pentecoſt nequaquam Chriſtiano more, not after a Chriſtian faſhion. Ann. 58. Sect. 102. but if this cuſtome be an Apoſtolique Tradition, why doth not the Church of Rome containe the practiſe thereof?