The Novelty of Popery Opposed to the Antiquity of True Christianity, Book 1 · Chapter 52
CHAP. 52. That the holy Scripture contains the whole doctrine neceſſary to ſalvation. Examination of the Cardinals anſwers.
1. IN this Queſtion we lay for a foundation, that true Religion comes from God, and muſt be ruled by the word of God. Now we have no other book that may challenge that Title but the holy Scripture, and our Adverſaries produce none. Whence it follows that the Traditions not contained in the holy Scripture, though backt with teſtimonies brought from other books, are drawn not from the Word of God, but from the word of men.
If the Word of God contained in the holy Scriptures ſhould want any thing neceſſary for ſalvation, whence or by what means ſhould that defect be ſupplied? Should it be from the Decrees and Decretals of the Popes? but the Roman Church receiveth them not for the Word of God. Should it be by the ancient Councils? but they ſpeak not of the Traditions which the Roman Church hath added ſince, and they condemn the Roman Church in many things. Wherefore the Romane Church receives not the Councils for the Word of God; Neither doth ſhe hold her ſelf ſubject to Councils, but attributes to her ſelf the power of altering that which was decreed by the Univerſal Councils. And before the Councils, the Scripture for many ages was held in the Church the only rule of faith.
2. The very title of the holy Scripture is a proof. For it bears on the front the title of Teſtament and Covenant of God. We ask then whether the Teſtament of our God be whole there, or whether there be but part of it? If it be whole, nothing muſt be added to i…; but if there be but a part of it, we muſt correct the title, and write, Part of the Teſtament or Covenant of God. And indeed our Adverſaries were not ſo bold yet as to affirm that the traditions which they hold forth make part of Gods Covenant.
3. The ſame may be ſaid of the title ſet before the New Teſtament, that it is the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt. Which Goſpel if it be whole, it follows that the unwritten Traditions are no part of the Goſpel: If it be not whole, the title muſt be corrected, and our Adverſaries muſt ſupply that defect, and give us a liſt of the unwritten traditions, that the people may have the whole body of Chriſtian Religion.
4. Now if the Church of this time, and that which ſhall come after, hath the authority to adde more unto Scripture, Chriſtian Religion ſhall never be entire, and there will be ſtill a power to make additions to it, which preſuppoſeth imperfection.
5. Moreover, how ſhall the people be able to learn theſe Traditions, and know the goodneſs of them? Shall they learn it from the mouth of the Church? but before that they muſt be aſſured, that it is an orthodox Church and ſound in the faith; A thing impoſſible for the people to know, ſince the reading of holy Scripture is forbidden to the people, from which Scripture only the doctrine of ſalvation is drawn. And there being many contrary Churches, as the Roman, the Grecian, the Armenian, the Ethiopian, &c. how ſhall the poor people know, which of all their divers traditions they muſt ſtand to?
If one ſay that the good traditions are learned by the conſent of the Fathers, the Fathers are things hidden from the people, who never reade them, becauſe they are Greek and Latine, and of an endleſſe length. And if one ſhould reade them all, he ſhould finde a great number of traditions in the Roman Church, of which the Fathers ſay nothing, and ſome which the Fathers contradict. Can any man finde in the Fathers of the four firſt ages any mention of the power of the Pope to ſend ſouls out of Purgatory? or to give and take away Kingdoms? Do they ſpeak of Roman Indulgences? or of the Jubilee every twenty fifth year? or of the adoration of Images? or of denying the Cup in the Lords Supper unto the people? or of private Maſſes? or of forbidding the people to reade Scripture? and many the like things.
6. If the Church of Iſrael hath lived many ages having no other doctrine of ſalvation but the five Books of Moſes, of which God ſpeaks thus, Deut. 4.2. Ye ſhall not add unto the word which I command you, neither ſhall you diminiſh ought from it: Is it credible that now that we have theſe books of Moſes, the books of the Prophets, of the Apoſtles, and of the Evangeliſts, that theſe ſacred books are not ſufficient, and that we need yet beſides them great number of doctrines? In vain M. du Perron anſwers, that in that place adding and diminiſhing ſignifie tranſgreſſing the Commandments of God, or omitting to fulfill them, for he that kils or ſteals, addeth nothing to the Law of God.
The Cardinal ſaith alſo, that in the alledged place, by the word which I command you, the unwritten word is underſtood alſo; and he brings many commandments practiſed by the Iſraelites, of which no mention is made in the books of Moſes; A reaſon which ſhall be examined in the following Chapter. That Moſes gave no unwritten Traditions to the people, but ſet down in writing the whole Law of God, himſelf teſtifieth it, Deut. 31.24. And it came to paſs when Moſes had made an end of writing the words of this Law in a book until they were finiſhed, That Moſes commanded the Levites which bare the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord, ſaying, Take this book of the Law, and put it in the ſide of the Ark.
7. I add that the whole Service of God conſiſteth in two points, well-doing and well-beleeving: Of the firſt we have a ſummary in the Law, of the ſecond in the Symbol. Many perſons are come to ſalvation with leſs knowledge then that: Jonas did not propound all theſe things to the Ninivites, to whoſe converſion nevertheleſs Chriſt beareth witneſs, Matth. 12.
8. Luk. 16.29. The rich Glutton being in hell, deſireth Abraham that ſome of the dead be ſent to his brothers to warn them of their duty, leſt they ſhould fall into the like torment; To whom Abraham anſwereth, They have Moſes and the Prophets, let them hear them. Abraham will have them to be content with the doctrine of Moſes and the Prophets, which was read every Sabbath in the Synagogues, without expecting other revelation. For Chriſt ſpeaks of that rich glutton as of a man that had lived under the Old Teſtament, under which the Church had no other doctrine but that of the Law and the Prophets: Chryſoſtom underſtood it ſo upon Gal. 1.(a)foreign. Abraham (ſaith he) being required to ſend down Lazarus, anſwereth, They have Moſes and the Prophets, if they will not hear them, no more they ſhall hear dead men raiſed again. Now Jeſus Chriſt brings in Abraham speaking thus, ſhewing that he will have us to give more faith to Scripture then to dead men riſen again.
9. S. John ch. 20. ult. ſpeaking of his Goſpel, ſaith, that theſe things are written that we may beleeve in Jeſus Chriſt, and that beleeving on him we may have life through his Name. We grant to the Cardinall, that theſe words contain not a demonſtrative proof of the perfection of Scripture, but it is a very probable argument, ſince God hath inſpired many of his ſervants to write the doctrine of ſalvation propounded by Jeſus Chriſt, that he hath indited and inſpired unto them, all that he knew to be neceſſary to ſave us. For that which is committed to the ſimple word of men, and to unwritten tradition, is ſubject to be altered and corrupted: Which appears in that Churches have contrary Traditions, though they have the ſame holy Scripture. The Antients made uſe of that Text to prove the perfection of Scripture; So did Auſtin, (b)Aug. de conſenſu Evangeliſtarum. l 1. c. ult.All that the Lord would have us to reade about his words and deeds, he commanded them to write, they being as his own hands. And in another place,(c)Idem Tract. 49. in Johan. Evangeliſta teſtatur multa Dominum Chriſtum & feciſſe & dixiſſe quae ſcripta non ſunt; electa autem ſunt quae ſcriberentur quae ſaluti credentium ſufficere videbantur. Theſe things were choſen to be written which ſeemed to be ſufficient for the ſalvation of beleevers. And Cyrillus, (d)Johan. l. 12. c. 69.All that the Lord hath done was not written, but that which the writers thought to be ſufficient, that ſhining by the right faith, and by works, we may attain to the Kingdom of Heaven.
10. The Apoſtle ſaith to Timothy, 2 Tim. 3.15. From a child thou haſt known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wiſe unto ſalvation. It matters to whether the word foreign be tranſlated to make wiſe, or to inſtruct, as the Cardinal will have it. For the Apoſtle ſpeaks not of an imperfect inſtruction. It is hard to ſay certainly, whether by the holy Letters or Scriptures he underſtands only the books of the Old Teſtament, or whether part of the New was already written. Only I ſay, that if Saint Paul ſpeaks only of the Old Teſtament, the argument is ſo much the ſtronger; For if the Old Teſtament alone can make us wiſe unto ſalvation, how much more the Old and the New?
Pag. 783.But (ſaith M. du Perron) where is the Ordinance for Baptiſm, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Ghoſt, found in the Old Teſtament; and the Ordinance for diſtributing the body and blood of the Lord? I anſwer, that the knowledge of theſe things was not neceſſary under the Old Teſtament; And that even in the beginnings of the Chriſtian Church, that which is revealed in the Old Teſtament about Jeſus Chriſt, might be ſufficient to ſalvation, to him that had wanted means to receive a more ample inſtruction. Beſides, the Old Teſtament doth inſtruct us in theſe things, inaſmuch as it ſends us to Chriſt, and commands us to hearken to him, and by conſequent to receive his Ordinances. And this is it that the Apoſtle addeth, ſaying, the holy Letters are able to make thee wiſe unto ſalvation, through the Faith which is in Chriſt Jeſus; that is, Theſe holy Letters addreſs thee to go unto Chriſt, and will have thee to believe in his Word.
To confound the Reader, he will have that word foreign to be tranſlated in the Praeterit, to have inſtructed, being ignorant that the infinitive Aoriſt is taken almoſt always in the preſent tenſe. See Act. 13.44. & 14.1. & 15.10. Hardly is there a chapter in the New Teſtament without an example of this.
11. The ſame Apoſtle, Acts 20.17. ſaith, that he hath announced to the Epheſians the whole counſel of God. Then the traditions added ſince by the Popes, are not of the counſel of God. And Acts 16.22. He witneſſeth both to ſmall and great, that he ſaid none other things then thoſe which the Prophets and Moſes did ſay ſhould come. Then he reſtrained his preaching to the Scriptures.
12. Mat. 15.3. The Lord Jeſus ſaid to the Phariſees, Why do you tranſgreſs the commandment of God by your tradition? The word tranſgreſſing, foreign, is overpaſſing. He ſaith not, Why do you contradict? but why do you overpaſs the commandment of God? as in effect the Phariſaical traditions were, for the moſt part, ſimple additions unto the Law of God, having an apparence of devotion; Not otherwiſe forbidden, but as much as God forbiddeth to add unto his Word: as to faſt twice in the week, to make broad their phylacteries or fringes of their garments, to waſh themſelves returning from the Town-hall or Market, to make pots clean in a ſuperſtitious way, to number their ſteps on the Sabbath day.
13. The Apoſtle Eph. 2.20. foundeth our faith upon the Prophets and the Apoſtles. Being (ſaith he) built upon the foundation of the Apoſtles and Prophets. If our Adverſaries ſay, that our faith is founded upon the Word both written and unwritten of the Apoſtles, they muſt ſay, alſo, that it is founded upon the word both written and unwritten of the Prophets. Now we have no unwritten Word of the Prophets, and our Adverſaries produce none.
14. Saint Paul 1 Cor. 4.6. ſpeaks thus; Theſe things I have (e)foreign, In have tranſfigured.transferred in a figure to my ſelf, and to Apollo for your ſakes, that ye might learn (f)foreign.not to think to be wiſe above that which is written. The whole context takes away all doubt of the ſenſe of theſe words: For the Apoſtle in the precedent chapter, v. 5. & 6. and in this chapter, called himſelf an Architect, and a Miniſter of Chriſt, and Steward of the Myſteries of God; and had ſaid, that Paul had planted, Apollo had watered, but that God giveth the increaſe; and he had ſent us to Chriſt, who is the only foundation, of the building. Now in this Text, he ſaith, that he hath transferred thoſe things to his perſon, and to that of Apollo, that by that example, the Paſtors of the Church might learn not to aſſume to themſelves more then the Scripture attributes unto them; for their charge and their authority muſt be limited by the Word of God. Whence we infer, that ſince Scripture ſets a rule to the charge of Paſtors, and puts limits unto them, which they cannot overpaſs without offending God, then we muſt make no doubt, but that the ſame Scripture preſcribes unto Paſtors that which they muſt teach, and limits their preaching. Whereby the Peoples duty is alſo limited; For the faithful muſt not preſume to be wiſe beyond that which is written. This Text ſeems to have been purpoſely made againſt the Roman Church; in which, the Pope and the Prieſts aſſume titles beyond that which is written, as the titles of Vicar of God, and head of the Univerſal Church, and ſacrificers of Chriſts body.
15. The ſame Apoſtle Gal. 1.8. ſpeaks thus to the Galatians, Though we or an Angel from heaven preach any other Goſpel unto you then that ye have received, let him be accurſed. The diſpute is vain, whether foreign in Greek ſignifieth beſides or againſt; for who ſo teacheth beſides the Goſpel, teacheth alſo againſt it: And adding to the Goſpel is gain ſaying the Goſpel. Hence it is, that the word tranſgreſſing ſignifies not only overpaſſing, but violating and breaking the Law. Chryſoſtom upon Gal. 1. expoundeth that Text in this manner.(g)foreign. Paul ſaith not, if they announce things contrary to the Goſpel, or if they overthrow all, but if they preach never ſo little beſides the Goſpel which you have received, if they ſhake any thing never ſo little, let them be anathema. (h)Theophylact. in Ep. ad Galat. Neque enim ſi contraria ſolum praedicaverin… praeter id quod ipſi evangelizavimus, hoc eſt, ſi pluſculum quippiam adjecerint.And Theophylactus after him, The Apoſtle hath not ſaid, (i)Hoc prius credimus non eſſe quod ultra credere debeamus.If they preach only things contrary, but if they preach beſides that which we have preacht our ſelves, that is, if they add never ſo little more.
Tertullian in the Book of Preſcriptions, Chap. 8. ſpeaking of Scripture,(i)Hoc prius credimus non eſſe quod ultra credere debeamus. Firſt, we beleeve this, that there is nothing that we ſhould believe beſides. And Chap. 14.(k)Nihil ultra ſcire, omnia ſcire eſt. To know nothing beſides that, is to know all. And truly reaſon in this is evident: For if S. Paul hath taught both by word and writing all that is neceſſary to ſalvation, it follows that he forbids to adde to that which he hath taught, and not only to contradict it.
The Romane vulgar verſion is expreſs to this purpoſe, tranſlating thus, Licet nos aut Angelus de coelo evangelizet vobis praeterquam quod evangelizavimus vobis, anathema ſit: For although the adverb foreign in Greek, and praeter in Latine, ſignifie ſometimes againſt, yet praeter quam quod cannot be ſo taken, and cannot ſignifie but beſides that, or otherwiſe then.
It is vain to reply, that S. Paul ſince that Epiſtle was written, hath added many Epiſtles, and that S. John after him hath written his Goſpel, and the Revelation; For it will not be found that S. Paul in his laſt Epiſtles, or S. John in his Books have added anything to the doctrine of ſalvation, which S. Paul had written and preacht before, and which was already contained in the other Goſpels.
It will not ſerve to anſwer, that Paul forbids to add to that he had taught, but that he did not write all that he had taught. For we have heard the Jeſuits ſaying before, that there are many things eſſentiall unto Chriſtian faith, which the Apoſtles neither writ nor taught, ſo that they finde a defect not only in the writings, but alſo in the preaching of the Apoſtles. Beſides, thoſe that ſpeak this language, oblige themſelves to ſpecifie unto us which are thoſe points neceſſary to ſalvation, which the Apoſtles would not ſet down in writing, and to prove to us by good proofs, that S. Paul having preacht the invocation of Saints, and the ſervice of Images and Relicks, and the Popes Succeſſion in S. Peters primacy, God forbad him to write theſe things.
16. In the laſt Chapter of the Revelation, S. John ſaith, I teſtifie unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this Book; If any man ſhall add unto theſe things, God ſhall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book. The Council of Friuli approved by the Roman Church, ſaith, that this Text is to be underſtood of the whole Scripture, not of the only Book of the Revelation.
17. Generally humane traditions are forbidden in the holy Scripture, Mat. 15. where Chriſt ſpeaks thus to the Phariſees: In vain they do worſhip me, teaching for doctrines the Commandments of men. And the Apoſtle, Col. 2.8. Beware leſt any man ſpoil you through Philoſophy and vain deceit after the tradition of men. And it is very conſiderable that in that Text the Apoſtle ſpecifieth and condemneth eſpecially certain traditions, which the Roman Church of our time obſerveth, namely, the ſervice of Angels, the obſervation of holy dayes, and the diſtinction of meats: Not becauſe they that taught theſe things (ſaying, Eat not, touch not, handle not) thought the Angels to be evil, or the meats to be of their nature unclean, but (ſaith the Apoſtle) in will worſhip and humility, and not ſparing of the body, not in any honour to the ſatisfying of the fleſh.
M. du Perron anſwereth, that Chriſt Matth. 15. ſpeaks not of the Moſaicall and Propheticall traditions, but of the Rabbinicall inſtitutions of Rabbi Sammay, and Rabbi Hillel, Pag. 803.heads of the order of the Scribes and Phariſees. Here he would make a ſhew of his great reading; yet they that have taught him this, have coſened him; for the order of the Scribes comes not from theſe Rabbies, ſeeing that Ezra was a Scribe, who was none of their diſciples, and was more ancient then they. He is abuſed alſo by them that made him think that the Scribes and Phariſees were one and the ſame order: For the Scribes had charge in the Church: but the Phariſees as Phariſees, had none. Phariſaiſm was a voluntary devotion, and a fraternity of profeſſors of works of ſupererogation, and of an auſtere life. The difference between a Scribe and a Phariſee, is ſuch as is in the Roman Church between a teaching Prieſt and a Lay Frier, whom to conceive to be all one order would be a great ignorance: It is another miſtake of the Cardinal, to put Sammay before Hillel, ſeeing that Hillel is far more antient. See Druſius in his ſecond Book of the three Sects, of the Jews. Cha. 10.
But to anſwer the main Queſtion, The words of our Lotd cannot be reſtrained to the Phariſaical Traditions, ſince to condemn thoſe traditions he makes uſe of a Text of Iſaiah more antient then the Phariſees, a Text that condemneth Traditions in general. It matters not upon what occaſion Jeſus Chriſt condemneth traditions which add unto the Word of God, ſince he condemneth them all without exception.
The ſame I ſay of the Text of Col. 2. where by the Traditions of men, one ought not to underſtand the Ceremonies of the Law, ſince God was the author of them: And by conſequent, even after their term was expired, they muſt not be called traditions of men, but Gods laws, which God himſelf had aboliſhed. Beſides the Apoſtle addeth, that thoſe that obſerved theſe traditions, did it out of a voluntary ſubmiſſion, and with a ſhew of humility: whereas they that obſerved the Ceremonies of the Law in S. Pauls time, pretended to do it out of neceſſity, holding themſelves obliged to it by Gods commandment.
In this Queſtion our Adverſaries uſe to ſay, that their Traditions are not contraventions unto the holy Scripture, but ſimple additions. But by ſpeaking ſo, they contradict themſelves. For we have ſeen before the Cardinal and a number of Doctors affirming, that the Pope and the Roman Church can alter, and have really altered Gods Ordinances contained in the Scripture. And we ſhall ſee in this whole Book, that their Traditions are meer contraventions under colour of addition: Conſider alſo that going about to add unto Scripture ſome doctrine neceſſary for ſalvation, is going againſt Scripture, ſince God forbids us to add unto it.