A Learned Treatise of Traditions, Treatise · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. A proofe of the ſame, becauſe our a… verſar…es doe affirme that the Pop… and the church of Rome may chang… that which God commandeth in th… Scriptures, and infringe or null… the Apoſtles commandements.
WHoſoever teacheth thing… contrary to the Apoſtles conſequently teacheth things that are differing and rep…gnant. The Traditions whereby the ordinance of Ieſus Chriſt and the Apoſtles is changed and abrogated, cannot be Apoſtolicall Traditions, unl…ſſe we would hauehave the Apoſtles to be contrary to themſelues. Seeing then the Pope & church of Rome attribute to themſelues the power of altering the Apoſtles ordinances by their Traditions, it followeth that they may make traditions …ich the Apoſtles neuer taught, …er by mouth or writing. This …hat which is practiſed in the …rch of Rome, and that our ad…ſaries doe openly maintaine.
We hauehave already heard the Ie…e Vaſques ſpeaking, that the Vaſques Tom. 3. diſp. 216. Num. 60.…rch and ſoveraigne Pontifie may …iſh and breake the Apostles com…dement, becauſe the Apoſtles power …iue precepts hath not been greater … the Popes.
The Councell of Trent, in theP…ter… … … poteſtat…m p…rpe… in Eccleſia f…iſſ…, vt … Sacra…t…r… diſp. … ſ… v… … ſubſtantia, … ſ… …ueret vel m…tares qua ſuſcipientium vti …ita…i magis exp…r… iudic…et. … Seſſion, chap. 1. & 2. declareth▪ …t this power hath the Church a… …es had in miniſtring of the Sacra…ts, (ſaving their ſubſtance) to …r…e or alter that which ſhee judge… …ſt expedient for the vtility of th…ſe …t receiue them. This Councell …deed ſpecifieth that exception, …eir ſubſtance remaining ſafe; but …e Pope aſſumeth power to him…fe to judge, and define in the authoritie of a Iudge, what things … Sacraments are eſſentiall, or whether they bee ſo or no. By th… meanes hee boundeth his pow… with what limits hee pleaſeth, an… changeth matters eſſentiall in… matters accidentall. As for exa… ple, it is eſſentiall to the Sacrame… of the holy Supper to be a ſignif… catiue ſigne of our participatio… of the body and blood of Ieſ… Chriſt: This ſignification is dim… niſhed to the people, by the priv… tionPerron againſt the king of great Bretany, in his Treatiſe of the Communion under both kinds. p. …108. of the Cup, as Cardinall Perron ingenuouſly acknowledgeth… It is eſſentiall to the Sacrament … bee taken for the remiſſion of ſins … as it was firſt inſtituted by th… Lord: Now this eſſence is cha… ged in the Maſſes that are ſaid … the corne, for horſes and diſeaſe… ſheepe, for the ſucceſſe of a voyag… &c. It is likewiſe eſſentiall to th… holy Supper, to be a communio… …e Apoſtle telleth vsus, 1. Corinth. … The bread which wee breake, is it …he Communion with the bodie of …st? for as much as wee that are …y in number are one bread and one …. This communion is aboli…d in private Maſſes, where no … doth communicate, & where … man doth aſſiſt. And theſe …rds of the Inſtitution, Take, eate, … become ridiculous, ſince no … is there either to take or eate. …e reall and propitiatory ſacri…e of Chriſts body, is it not of … eſſence of the Maſſe? yet is …re an addition to the Lords In…tution, wherein is neither men…n made of ſacrifice, or of ſacri…ing his body, or of making any …lation to God. The Pope then … the Sacraments changeth eſſen…all things as well as accidentall. …nd by the way obſerue but the …ride of this Councell, and deteſtable impietie, to bee of opinio… that the Church of Rome knoweth better then Ieſus Chriſt, wh… is expedient for the peoples ſa… vation.
Doeth not the Councell Conſtance, in the thirteenth SeſſionLieut in Primitiva Eccleſia husuſmodi Sacramentū reciperetus a fidelibus ſub vo…a que ſpecis, &c. confeſſe, that in the primitiv… Church, (and conſequently in th… of the Apoſtles) this Sacrame… is to bee received by the faith full under both kinds? yet after wards forbad the Cup to bee …ven to the people. This Tradi… tion which a little while ſino… hath changed the Apoſtles obſervation, cannot bee an Apoſtolical Tradition.
The Gloſſe vponupon the Canor… Lector, in the foure and thirtieth Diſtinction of the Romiſh Decree, ſaith, that Papa diſpenſat contra Apoſtolum, the Pope diſpenſeth again… the Apoſtle. Pope Innocent the third ſaith inInnocent. 3. Decret. Deconceſſ. prabend. tit. 8. cap. Propoſuit. Secundū planitudinem poteſtat is de iure ſupra ius poſſumus dispenſate. manner, Wee may according to fulneſſe of our power diſpoſe of the … and diſpenſe aboue the Law. And …reover the Gloſſe of the Doc…rs addeth: For the Pope diſpen… againſt the Apoſtle and againſt the Teſtament, as alſo in the vowes and …hs. And the Gloſſe of the Ca… Sunt quidam in the 1. queſtion the 25. cauſe: Papa diſpenſat in angelio interpretando ipſum, the …pe diſpenſeth in the Goſpell in …ving it interpretation.Cap. Quantà perſonam. Non enim homo, ſed Deus ſeparat, ques Romanus Pontifox (qui nō purs hominis, ſed veri Dei vicē gerit in terris) Eccleſiarū neceſsitate penſata diſſolvit. In quae verba Gloſſa ſic habet: Etiam aliquid est ſecundū quod homo. tit. de haret. cum Chriſtus. Et eſt verus Deus & verus homo; gerens veri Dei vicem. Vnde dicitur habere coeleſte arbitriū. Etiam naturā rerum immutat, ſubſtantialia vnius re… applicando aly: Et de nullo poteſt aliquid faecere. Et ſententiā qua nulla eſt poteſt facere aliquam. Quia in his qua vult, ei eſt pro rations volun…as. Nee eſt qui ei dicat: cur ita facu? ipſe enim poteſt ſupra ius diſpenſare. Idē de iniuſtitta poteſt facere iuſtitiam.
In the firſt booke of Gregory, the …nth decretall, at the 7. title, Chap. …e 3. wee hauehave an Epiſtle of Inno…nt the 3. where hee ſpeaketh …us: Thoſe which the Biſhop of Rome …th ſeparate, it is not a man that ſepa…teth them but God. For the Pope holeth place on earth, not ſimply of a man …ut of true God. Which the Gloſſe …xplaineth by the example of Ieſus Chriſt, who is very God at very man; informing vsus likewi… that the Pope though hee bee ver… God, yet leaueth not to bee ſom… thing the ſame that man is. In pro… ſecution where of the ſame Gloſſ… declareth how far forth the Pope power doth ex…end, which is, Th… he hath celeſtiall goverment, and ther… fore may change the nature of thing… applying the ſubſtance of the o…e to th… other, of nothing can create ſomething and a Decree that is void, hee ca… make it in force; for in matters the hee will hauehave come to paſſe, his will i… his reaſon; and no m…n queſtione… him wherefore doe you that? for he ca… diſpenſe aboue the Law; and of in iuſtice can make iuſtice; and proueth all this by multitudes of Canons and Decrees.
Cardinall Bellarmine ſpeakes as much in the 31. Chap. againſtIn bono ſenſu dedit Chriſtus Petro poteſtatem faciendi de peccato non peccatum, & de non peccato peccatum. Barkley: In good ſenſe and judgement …riſt hath given to Peter (and conſe…ently to the Pope) the power of ma…g that to bee ſinne which is no ſinne, It …d that which is no ſinne to be ſinne. It no wonder then if by the ſame …wer he can make iuſtice to be in…tice, and ſinne to be no ſinne, that … can nullifie the Apoſtles ordi…nces, and make them v…iuſt, as ſo cancell the old Traditions, andBell. lib. 4. de Pontet. cap. 5 Si Papa erraret in pracipiendo vttia, vel prohibenao virtutes, teneretur Eccleſia credere vitia eſſe bona & virtutes malas, niſi vellet contra conſcientiā peccaro …ſtabliſh new. The ſame Cardinal …roceedeth ſo farre as to ſay: if …he Pope erred in commanding vices …nd forbidding vertues, yet the Church …hould bee obliged to beleeue that the …ices are good and the vertues evill, …nleſſe it would ſinne againſt the …onſcience.
Andradius in his ſecond booke of the defence of the TridentiueMinime vero maiores noſtri religione & pietate excellentes, Apoſtolorū haec & quamplurima alta decreta refigere in ani…mum induxiſſent, niſi intelle…ciſſent, &c. Liquet eos minima erraſſe qui dicunt Rom. Pontif poſſe nonnunquam in legibus diſpenſare à Paulo, & primis 4. Concilijs. Cum certū ſit nō omnia quae Apoſtols inſtituerūt iure divino eſſe inſtituta. faith acknowledgeth that His anceſtors, men excelling in piety hauehave broken and annulled many Decrees of the Apoſtles. And moreover pronounceth this ſentence: It is evident that thoſe hauehave not erred who ſay that the Romiſh Pontifies can ſometimes diſpenſe with obeying the Law of the Apoſtle S. Paul, and the fower firſt Councells.
Whereupon Cardinall Tolet in his firſt booke of Sacerdotall inſtitution, Chap. 68. giveth this reaſon: For all that the Apoſtles hauehave inſtituted, is not ordained jure diuino, that is to ſay, it ought not to bee held for the word of God. Now amongſt the Apoſtles ordinances, to diſcerne ſuch as are jure diuino from thoſe as are not, the Church of Rome hath no other rule but the Popes will and pleaſure, who can make a commandement of the Apoſtle to bee or not to bee held for the word of God. This venerable Cardinall giveth vsus the Apoſtles commandement for an example, 1. Timot. 3. Let the Biſhop bee husband of one wife. For the Pope can admit and allow of bigamies to the Prieſthood.
Cardinall Perron in his booke againſt the King of great Bretaine Lib. 2. Obſervat. 3. cap. 3. pag 674.makes a Chapter expreſly to that purpoſe, entitled: Of the authority of the Church to alter matters contained in the Scripture: And in the ſame booke in the Chapter that handleth the Communion vnderunder both kinds, hee ſaith, that when in Pag. 1109. & 1115.the forme of the Sacraments ſome great inconveniencies are mett withall, the Church may therein diſpenſe and alter. And ſpeaking of the Lords commandement, Drinke yee all of it, hee maintaineth that this precept was not immutable nor indiſpenſable, alleadging that the Church hath judged that there may bee diſpenſation for it.
Charles Bovius in his obſeruations vponupon the 24. Chap. of the 7. booke of the Apoſtles conſtitutions, ſaith that The Church of Eccleſia Rom na quae Apoſtolita vtens poteſtate, ſu gula pro con…tione tem…o…um in melius mutat. Quartae fertae … quod diu manſit in Eccleſia, nunc (quod eſt dole…ū at que lugendū) cum alijs optimis matorū inſtitutu, in deſuetudinem abijt. Gregor. de Vate…. Tom 4 diſp. 6. qa. 8. puncto 5. ſect. 10. Et certè quaedā poſterioribus temporibus rectiut …onſtitu…a eſſe in ec…leſia quā initio ſe haberent. Id confirmat authori…ate Amb…oſij, & Thomae Waldenſis Tomo 2. de Sacrament. cap. 94.Rome chalenging to her ſelfe Apoſtolicall authority, can change and alter every thing to better, according to the condition of the times, yet there complaineth that a cuſtome of the ancient Church to faſt on wedneſdayes, and many other very good Lawes were aboliſhed.
Gregory of Valence, in the fourth Tome of his Commentaries, and the ſixth Diſputation, maketh no difficulty to affirme that Many things in theſe latter times are better ordained in the Church then they were in the beginning, that is to ſay, from the Apoſtles time.
The ſacred Scripture in the 18. and 20. of Leuiticus, layeth downe certaine degrees of conſanguinity & alliance which hinder mariage, whereof the moſt remoued is the mariage of the Vncle with the Neece, or the Aunt with the Nephew; which are mariages forbidden and declared inceſtuous by the word of God, which permitteth mariages in other degreesDe la permiſſion d'eſpouſer les 2. ſoeurs, voyez Almain au li. de la puiſſance Eccl. & larque. more remoued. But the Pope vſurpeth power to himſelfe in giuing liberty to mariages forbidden in the Scripture, yea extending ſo far as to a toleration of marying two ſiſters, as alſo hee permitteth the Vncle to mary the Neece. On the otherſide he forbiddeth mariages in more remote degrees, and which God permitteth in his holy word; as mariages betweene the iſſues of coſen germanes, and betweene coſen germanes remoued. Whereupon the Councell of Trent in the 24. Seſſion at the 3. Canon denounceth an Anathema againſt al thoſe that ſhall ſay, that the church of Rome cannot forbid mariage in degrees allowed by the word of God, and cannot diſpenſe in degrees forbidden. Thus runneth theSi quis dixerit cos tantū conſanguini t…t… …t affinitatis gradus qui …u…ico exprimu…tur, poſſe impedire matrimonium contrahendum, & dirimere contractum, nec poſſe Eccleſi… in nonnullu illorū dispenſare aut cenſtituere vt plures impediant & dirimant, Anathema ſit. Canon: If any man ſaith that there are no more degrees of conſanguinity and alliance, then what are expreſſed in Leuiticus, that can hinder from contracting of mariage, or ſeparate that which is contracted, and that the Church cannot diſpence in ſome of theſe degrees, nor ordaine that many other degrees hinder or ſeparate the mariage, let him bee an Anathema. This Councell curſeth thoſe which ſay, that the Church of Rome cannot alter Gods ordinance, nor diſpenſe with that which God hath forbidden in his holy Word. It is true that in the ſame Seſſion this Councell giveth an exception in theſeIn ſecundo gradu …unquā diſpenſetur niſi inter magnos Prin…ipes, et ob publi…ā …auſam. words: Let no diſpenſation be giuen in the ſecond degree, vnleſſe betweene great Princes and for publicke cauſe. For the lawes of the Church of Rome open or ſhut according to the quality and riches of the perſons. Now it were good to know whether to marry a wiues ſiſter, or his …eece, or coſen; a diſpenſation were ever asked of Saint Peter, and whether hee gaue diſpenſation to the rich and ſent the poore away.
According to this power that the Pope arrogateth to himſelfe to diſpenſe againſt Gods commandement contained in the Scriptures, …hee diſpenſeth with perſons concerning their oaths and vowes; he diſpenſeth with ſubjects and officers of a King, for keeping the fidelitie ſworne to their Soveraigne Prince. Hee ſeparateth marriages lawfully contracted, under the ſhadow of Religion, againſt the Lords commandement, ſpeaking of the diſſolution of Marriages, Math. 19. 6. What God hath joyned together, let no man put aſſunder. For the ſame that Tolet ſpeaketh of the Apoſtles, may bee ſpoken of Ieſus Chriſt, that all that hee hath inſtitut…d is not Lib 1. inſt…t. S…c…rd. c. 68.Iure divino. He exempteth children from obedience to their parents, contrary to the Law of God, when they are caſt into Monaſt…ries againſt the willes of their fathers and mothers. He ſuffereth whoredome, yea in Rome it ſelfe, and there eſtabliſheth Brothell-houſes againſt the Law of God. He hath forbidden the publike Service in … knowne tongue, appoynted Maſſes without Communicants, and ordained Image-ſervice againſt the expreſſe commandements of Ieſus Chriſt, and the Apoſtle Saint Paul: and againſt the practiſe of the primitiue Church, yea againſt the very Law of God, as wee will ſhew in fit place.
Theſe things and many more the like doe explaine, that the queſtion betweene vsus and our adverſaries, is not alone, whether the Apoſtles hauehave taught Traditions by mouth, which they would not hauehave to bee ſet downe in writing, and whether beſides the Scripture, there ought alſo Apoſtolicall Traditions to bee received. For the principall poynt of difference is touching the Traditions which our Adverſaries confeſſe not to hauehave beene written nor taught by the mouth of the Apoſtles, and which hauehave beene long ſince introduced. And touching the Popes power to add to the Creed, and to eſtabliſh new articles of faith. Yea eſpecially and above all, touching an arrogance without example, wherein the Pope and Church of Rome attribute to themſelues the power of annulling Gods commandements, and of the Apoſtles contained in holy Scriptures, and to alter the inſtitution of our Lord, and to judge, (as Cardinall Perron ſpeaketh) that ſuch and ſuch commandements of our Lord are diſpenſable. Theſe kind of Traditions ought to bee called after the Italian word Tradimenti, treaſons or conſpiracies againſt God.