The Novelty of Popery Opposed to the Antiquity of True Christianity, Book 1 · Chapter 69
CHAP. 69. That the Popes have put their Canons and Decrees not only in the ſame rank as Canonical Scriptures, but above.
BEcauſe nothing hinders ſo much the progreſs of the Kingdom of Satan as the word of God contained in the holy Scriptures, the enemy of our ſalvation hath bent all his ſtrength to put it out, and uſed all his craft to corrupt it, and bring down its authority. He made uſe ſometimes of the impiety of the Kings of Juda, and of the prophane negligence of the High Prieſts to aboliſh the books of the Law; ſo that in the beginning of the reign of Joſiah it was an unknown book, which would have been loſt, had not the High Prieſt, looking not for it, found a copy of it hid in a corner of the Temple. Since that time he raiſed Antiochus Epiphanes, who ſpared no endeavours to aboliſh all the copies of the ſame. We read in a hundred places of Auſtin, that before Conſtantines time the perſecutors conſtrained the Chriſtians to deliver to them the holy Scriptures to ſuppreſs them. Whence aroſe the ſchiſm of the Donatiſts, who denyed that Cecilian was the lawfull Biſhop of Carthage, becauſe he had been ordained (as they ſay) by Biſhops that had delivered the ſacred books to the Perſecutors.
If the Popes had undertaken to aboliſh the holy Scriptures, they could never have compaſt it, becauſe the Jews have carefully kept for us the Old Teſtament in Hebrew, and the Greek Churches have faithfully preſerved the New Teſtament in Greek: And over them the Pope hath no power.
All that the Popes could do, was to forbid the reading of them unto the Nations ſubject unto them, and to hinder the tranſlation of that holy book into the vulgar tongues. In Italy and Spain and all the Countreys where the Inquiſition reigneth, it is a crime puniſhable with the fire, to have an Italian or a Spaniſh Bible. To which the Popes and his inſtruments have added all the poſſible means and arts to weaken the authority of the holy Scripture, teaching that it contains not all things neceſſary to ſalvation; that it is obſcure, and that the reading of it is dangerous: Alſo that there is another word not written; and that the tradition of the Roman Church is more antient, more perfect, and of greater authority then the holy Scripture; And that the Church is not ſubject to Scripture, but Scripture to the Church, that is, to the Pope. That Scripture is not the Soveraign Judge of the points of faith, but that unto the Roman Catholick Church that judgement belongs. That from the authority of that Church the authority of Scripture depends, which is a dumb rule, and to be received only becauſe the Church commands it.
But one of the ſubtileſt wiles of Satan to weaken the authority of Holy Scripture, was to foiſt into Scripture fabulous and erroneous books, that the evident untruth and abſurdity of thoſe books might bring in queſtion the truth of the other books divinely inſpired, and that by mingling of falſe coyn the good gold might be ſuſpected, and the whole Scripture loſe credence in mens minds.
The malice and raſh profaneneſs of thoſe whom Satan hath employed in that work, is come ſo far as to go about to put the Decretal Epiſtles of the Popes among the Canonical books, which if they could have compaſſed, we ſhould have the Scriptures increaſed by one half and above, and the ſacred books indited by the Spirit of God, ſhould have been matcht with ridiculous pieces, which many times want common ſenſe.
In the Roman Decree in the ninteenth Diſtinction, the Canon In Canonicis, beareth this inſcription, Inter Canonicas Scripturas Decretales Epiſtolae connumerantur, that is, The Decretal Epiſtles of the Popes are reckoned among the Canonical Scriptures. And that proved by a teſtimony of(a)Ex Auguſt. l. 2. de Doctrina Chriſt. c. 8. Ubi pro quae Apoſtolicas ſedes habere & Epiſtolas accipere meruerunt, Gratianus legit, quas Apoſtolicae ſedes habere & ab eo accipere meruerunt. Auſtin wickedly falſified.
About the year of our Lord 865. Hinckmarus Archbiſhop of Rhemes made difficulty to obey Pope Nicolas the I. and ſpake of the Decretals of the Popes with contempt, ſaying that they are not inſerted in the Code of the Canons of the Church, as not being of the like authority. Againſt that Hinckmarus, Pope Nicolas in the time of King Charles the Bald diſputes with a proud language, in an Epiſtle to the Biſhops of the Gallican Church; where he ſaith that(b)Can. Si Romanorum Diſt. 19. Capitulum ſancti Innocentii Papae cujus authoritate doceatur à nobis utrum que Teſtamentum eſſe recipiendum, quanquam in ipſis paternis Canonibus nullum eorum ex toto contineatur inſertum, &c. Si Vetus Novumque Teſtamentum ſunt recipienda, non quod codici Canonum ex toto videantur annexa, ſed quod de his recipiendi ſancti, Papae Innocentii prolata videatur eſſe ſententia, &c. there is a Chapter of Pope Innocent, by whoſe authority it is taught that the Old and the New Teſtament ought to be received, although they be not inſerted within the Canons of the Fathers. Whence he inferreth, that if the Old and the New Teſtament muſt be received, not becauſe they are annexed to the Code of the Canons, but becauſe the holy Pope Innocent hath pronounced his ſentence that they muſt be received, by the ſame reaſon the Popes Decretals ought to be received, though they be not inſerted in the Code of the Canons, becauſe among them there is a Chapter of the holy Pope Leon, who commands us ſo to keep in force the Decretals of the Apoſtolical Sea, that if any ſin againſt them, he may know that he ſhall not be pardoned. What is all that but a company of blaſphemies heaped up with a beſtial ſtupidity, and deſtitute of common ſenſe? For what can be more abſurd then that Decree of Innocent, which commands that the Old and the New Teſtament be received, as if it had been a doubtfull thing whether they muſt be received, unleſs he had pronounced his ſentence in their favour? Or can there be a greater impiety, then to conclude that the Old and the New Teſtament muſt be received, becauſe ſuch is the Popes ſentence? And that muſt be, although the books of the Old and the New Teſtament be not annext unto the Canons of theſe Roman Church, which preſuppoſeth that the conjunction of Scripture with thoſe Canons was able to add unto Scripture ſome authority. A thing ſo far from truth, that rather, if any thing could take authority from Scripture, it ſhould be that aſſociation of the Canons of the Roman Church with the ſacred books. Was there no ſtronger reaſon then the Popes authority to oblige us to receive Scripture? But what, They could ſpeak no better for their end, which is to equal the Popes Decretals unto the word of God: for ſo they ground both upon the ſame authority. Finally, to fill up the meaſure of impiety, that Pope ſaith that if any diſobey the Popes Canons, it ſhall not be forgiven him. For the offences againſt God Laws are pardoned, but the offences againſt the Popes Laws are not pardoned, as being far more grievous ſins, and committed againſt a greater Maſter; the reaſon whereof is given by Pope Damaſus, Cauſa 15. Qu. 1. Can. Violatores: The inſcription of that Canon is, In Spiritum Sanctum blaſphemant qui ſacros Canones violant. They that tranſgreſs the holy Canons, blaſpheme againſt the Holy Ghoſt. Wherefore that ſin is unpardonable.
To this language is conformable that of Gregory the firſt in his Epiſtle to Antoninus Subdeacon, wherein he complains of a certain Honoratus, (c)Lib. 2. Epiſt. 16. non ſolum mandata Dei negligens, ſed & ſcripta noſtra contemnens.who (ſaith he) not only hath neglected Gods commandments, but hath deſpiſed our writings. Here is the language of the ſervant of ſervants. Here is the Apoſtolical humility.
Bellarmin in the ſecond book of the Councils, chap. 12. maintains that the Popes Canons are Canonical Scriptures.(d)§. Dico Duo Canones Pontificum ſuo modo ſunt & dici poſſunt Scripta ſacra & Canonica. The Popes Canons (ſaith he) in their way, are and may be called holy and Canonical Scriptures. And truly if it be ſo that the Decrees of Popes give authority to Scripture, and that the Pope is Judge of Controverſies, not the Scripture; we muſt grant that the Popes decrees have more authority then the Canonical Scriptures, and muſt be inſerted in the Bible rather then the Epiſtles of the Apoſtle St. Paul. For (if theſe men muſt be believed) the Pope is the only head of the Univerſal Church, which St. Paul was not.
Hinckmarus Archbiſhop of Rhemes in his book of fifty five chapters, alledgeth very often this ſentence of Pope Hilary, who ſaith, that(e)Cap. 18. & 36. Non minus in ſanctarum traditionum ſanctiones quam in ipſius Domini injuriam delinquitur. the ſin committed againſt the Ordinances of the holy Traditions, is not a leſſer ſin then raſhly preſuming to outrage the Lord himſelf. Again,(f)Cap. 27. It is not lawfull to any to violate the divine conſtitutions, and the Decrees of the Apoſtolick Sea.