A Learned Treatise of Traditions, Treatise · Chapter 18
CHAP. XVIII. An anſwere to that which is objected unto us, that the Church hath beene ſometime without the Scripture.
TO undervalue the authority of the Scripture, and to make it anneceſſary, it is objected unto us, that the Church from the creation untill Moſes, for the ſpace of 2454 yeeres, hath beene without the Scripture. And that (as Irenaeus is witneſſe) from the time of the Apoſtles and their Diſciples, … nations whercunto the wrirings of the Apoſtles were not yet at that time come, have not omitted conſerve the purity of the Goſpel.
To which wee anſwere, that when God ſpeaketh from heaven, or ſendeth Angels to inſtruct men concerning his will, the Scripture might eaſily be neglected: if at this day God ſpake from heaven, and publiſhed his Oracles from above, as hee ſpake heretofore to the Fathers and Patriarchs before Maſes, we ſhould not ſeeke for any other inſtruction. But this is no more; and God having fully imparted his will unto us, by the writings of his Prophets and Apoſtles, we are obliged to follow the meanes, wherewith his goodneſſe hath furniſhed us. and it is neceſſary to bee bound and compelled thereunto.
I ſay, the ſame of the Church in the Apoſtles time, whil'ſt it was cleerely illuminated by the preaching and miracles of ſo renowned inſtruments of the holy Spirit, who were inſtructed by God in all verity; thoſe people which were taught by their mouth, made no great eſteeme of their writings: but God having inſpired them to leave in writing the effect of his will, wherein he had well tutered them, and they having not left behinde them one perſon of like authority and knowledge, nor that hath the Spirit of God in equall meaſure; nothing remaineth more for us, but to be inſtructed by their writings, wherein the Apoſtles ſpeake unto us, and their word is yet alive and full of efficacie ſince their death and departure.
It is a profane preſumption, or affected negligence, to ſpeake of theſe writings (divinely inſpired) as of unneceſſary ſcripts and ſcroles: for they which talke that language, doe it for this end, to withdraw the people from the holy reading thereof, as from a frivolous buſineſſe, and for the end to diſtribute the rules therein contained unattentively and in huggermugger. Shall we call them unneceſſary meanes. which God hath choſen to informe us concerning his will? The which if they were not abſolutely neceſſary of their owne nature, yet they are made altogether neceſſary by the will of God, and by the counſell of his providence: for hee hath left but this infallible meanes to inſtruct us. And men that ſpeake in the Chaires may erre, they are likewiſe ſubject to avarice and ambition, the two ports thorow which errours doe enter by troops and throngs, the Paſtours ever accommodating religion to their profit.
And truly whoſoever ſhall know what was the eſtate of the Romiſh, church, ſome ſix ſcore yeres paſſed, and how it conſiſted only in fabulous Legends, in adoration of Reliques, in miracles made by images, in vertues and perfections of the Frocke or Cowle of S. Francis and Saint Dominick; and that Ieſus Chriſt ſcarce appeared amongſt the Sts, and that the holy Scripture was utterly eſtranged & unknown; will eaſily acknowledge, that the maine barre which hath hindred Papiſtrie, that it ſhould not paſſe into Paganiſme, (whereinto it was running poſt) hath beene, that theſe holy Bookes were drawne forth of darke ignorance, and tranſlated into the vulgar Tongues. He will (I ſay) acknowledge that the people of the Romiſh Church owe unto us that little knowledge which remaineth with them, and that we have diminiſhed their ſervitude.