About Tradition, Part 2
PART II. What Traditions we do not receive.
I. AND in the firſt place we do not believe that there is any Tradition, which contains another word of God: which is not in the Scripture, or cannot be proved from thence. In this conſiſts the main difference between us, and them of the Romiſh perſuaſion: who affirm that Divine Truth which we are all bound to receive, to be partly written; partly delivered by word of mouth without writing. Which is not onelyonly the affirmation of the Council of Trent, but delivered in more expreſs terms, in the Preface to the Roman Catechiſm, drawn up by their order: where we find theſe words (towards the concluſion of it) the whole Doctrine to be delivered to the faithfull, is contained in the word of God: which (word of God) is diſtributed into Scripture, and Tradition.
This is a full and plain declaration of their mind; with which we can by no means agree, for divers unanſwerable reaſons.
1. Not onelyonly becauſe the Scriptures teſtifie to their own perfection; which they affirm to be ſo great, as to be able to complete the divineſt men in the Church of Chriſt, in all points of heavenly wiſedom, 2 Tim. III. 15, 16, 17. but
Secondly, Becauſe the conſtant Tradition of the Church (even of the Roman Church anciently) is, that in the Scriptures we may find all that is neceſſary to be known and believed to Salvation. I muſt not fill up this Paper, with Authorities to this purpoſe: but we avow this, unto the people of our Church, for a certain Truth, which hath been demonſtrated by many of our Writers: who have ſhewn that the ancient Doctours univerſally, ſpeak the language of Saint Paul, 1 Cor. IV. 7. not to think above that which is written. I will mention onelyonly theſe memorable words of Tertullian, who is as earneſt an Advocate as any for ritual Traditions, but having to deal with Hermogenes in a queſtion of Faith, whether all things in the beginning were made of nothing, urges him in this manner. I have no where yet read, that all things were made out of a ſubject matter. If it be written, let thoſe of Hermogenes his ſhop ſhew it; if it be not written, let them fear that woe which is allotted to ſuch, as add or take away. The very ſame anſwer ſhould our people make to thoſe, that would have them receive any thing as an Article of Faith, which is not delivered to them by this truly Apoſtolical Church wherein we live. If it be written, let us ſee it; if it be not, take heed how you add to the undoubted word of God. We receive the holy Scriptures, as able to make us wiſe to Salvation. So they themſelves tell us; and ſo runs the True Tradition of the Church: which you of the Romiſh perſuaſion have forſaken; but we adhere unto.
3. And we have this farther reaſon ſo to doe, becauſe if part of God's word had been written, and part unwritten, we cannot but believe there would have been ſome care taken, in the written Word, not onelyonly to let us know ſo much; but alſo inform us whither we ſhould reſort to find it, and how we ſhould know it; if it be abſolutely neceſſary for us to be acquainted with it. But there is no ſuch notice, nor any ſuch directions left us; nor can any man give us any certain rule to follow in this matter, but onelyonly this: to examine all Traditions by the Scripture, as the ſupreme Rule of Faith; and to admit onelyonly ſuch, as are conformable thereunto.
4. For which we have ſtill this farther reaſon, that no ſooner were they that firſt delivered and received the holy Scriptures gone out of the world, but we find men began to add their own fancies unto the Catholick Truth: which made it abſolutely neceſſary to keep to the Tradition in the holy Scriptures; all other growing uncertain. This is obſerved by Hegeſippus himſelf (in Euſebius L. III. C. 32.) that the Church remained a chaſt Virgin, and the Spouſe of Chriſt, till the ſacred Quire of the Apoſtles, and the next generation of them, who had had the honour to be their Auditours, were extinct: and then there began a plain conſpiracy of impious, atheiſtical errour; by the fraud of teachers, who delivered other doctrine. Which was a thing Saint Paul feared even in his own life-time, about the Church of Corinth (2 Cor. XI. 3.) leſt, the Devil, like a wily Serpent, ſhould beguile them, and corrupt their minds, from the original ſimplicity of the Chriſtian Doctrine wherein they were firſt inſtructed. And if it were attempted then; it was leſs difficult, and therefore more endeavoured afterward: as ſhall appear anon by plain Hiſtory; which tells how ſeveral perſons pretended they received, this and that from an Apoſtle. Some of which Traditions were preſently rejected; others received, and afterwards found to be impoſtures. Which ſhews there was ſo much falſe dealing in the caſe, that it was hard for men to know what was truly Apoſtolical in thoſe days, if it came to them this way onelyonly; and therefore impoſſible to be diſcerned by us now, at this great diſtance of time from the Apoſtles: who we know delivered the true Faith; but we have no reaſon to rely upon mere Tradition, without Scripture, for any part of that Faith; when we ſee what cheats were put upon men by that means, even then when they had better helps to detect them than we have.
It is true, the Fathers ſometime urge Tradition as a proof of what they ſay. But we muſt know, that the Scriptures were not preſently communicated, among ſome Barbarous Nations; and there were ſome Hereticks alſo who either denied the Scriptures, or ſome part of them: and in theſe caſes it was neceſſary, to appeal to the Tradition that was in the Church; and to convince them by the Doctrine taught every where by all the Biſhops. But that (mark this, I pray you) of which they convinced them by this argument, was nothing but what is taught in the Scripture.
5. With which we cannot ſuffer any thing to be equalled in authority; unleſs we would ſee it confirmed by the ſame or equal Teſtimony. This is the great reaſon of all, why we cannot admit any unwritten Traditions to be a part of the word of God, which we are bound to believe; becauſe we cannot find any truths ſo delivered to us, as thoſe in the holy Scriptures. They come to us with as full a teſtimony as can be deſired, of their Divine Original: but ſo do none of thoſe things, which are now obtruded on us by the Romiſh Church under the name of Traditions or unwritten word of God.
For the primitive Church had the very firſt Copies, and authentick Writings, of thoſe Books, called the New Teſtament, delivered by the Apoſtles own hands to them. And thoſe Books confirm the Scriptures of the Old Teſtament: and they were both delivered to poſterity, by that primitive Church; witneſſing from whom they received them: who carefully kept them as the moſt pretious Treaſure; ſo that this written word hath had the general approbation, and teſtimony of the whole Church of Chriſt in every age, untill this day; witneſſing that it is Divine. And it hath been the conſtant buſineſs of the Doctours of the Church, to expound this word of God to the people: and their Books are full of citations out of the Scripture; all agreeing, in ſubſtance, with what we now reade in them. Nay, the very enemies of Chriſtianity, ſuch as Celſus, Porphyry, Julian never queſtioned, but theſe are the writings of which the Apoſtles were the Authours, and which they delivered. Beſides, the Marks they have in themſelves, of a Divine Spirit, which indited them: they all tending to breed and preſerve in men a ſenſe of God, and to make them truly vertuous.
Not one word of which can be ſaid for any of thoſe unwritten Traditions, which the Roman Church pretend to be a part of God's word. For we have no teſtimony of them in the holy Scriptures. Nor doth the primitive Church affirm ſhe received them from the Apoſtles, as ſhe did the written word. Nor have they the perpetual conſent and general approbation of the whole Church ever ſince. Nor are they frequently quoted, as the words of Scripture are upon all occaſiſions, by the Doctours of the Church. Nor do we find them to be the Doctrine, which was conſtantly taught the people. Nor is there any notice taken of them by the enemies of our Faith; whoſe aſſaults are all againſt the Scriptures. In ſhort, they are ſo far from having any true authority; that counterfeit teſtimonies and forged writings have been their great ſupporters. Beſides the plain drift of them, which is not to make all men better, but to make ſome richer: and the manifeſt danger men are in, by many of them, to be drawn away from God, to put their truſt and confidence in Creatures. As might be ſhewn, if this Paper would contain it, in their Doctrines, of Papal Supremacy, Purgatory, Invocation of Saints, Image Worſhip, and divers others.
Concerning which we ſay, as S. Cyprian doth to Pompeius, about another matter. If it be commanded in the Goſpels, or in the Epiſtles of the Apoſtles, or in their Acts, that they ſhould not be baptiſed who return from any Hereſie, but onelyonly be received by impoſition of hands, LET THIS DIVINE and HOLT TRADITION BE OBSERVED. The ſame ſay we, if there be any thing in the Goſpels, in the Epiſtles, in the Acts, concerning Invocations of Saints, concerning the praying Souls out of Purgatory, &c. let that divine, that holy Tradition be obſerved. But if it be not there, what obſtinacy is this (as it follows a little after in that Epiſt. LXXIV.) what preſumption, to prefer humane Tradition, before the Divine diſpoſition or ordinance?
A great deal more there is in that place, and in others of that holy Martyr, to bring all to the ſource, the root, the original of the Divine Tradition; for then humane errour ceaſes: which original Tradition he affirms to be, what is delivered in the holy Scriptures: which delivering to us the whole will of God concerning us, we look after no other Tradition, but what explains, and confirms, and is conſonant to this. For we believe that what is delivered to us by the Scriptures, and what is delivered by true Tradition, are but two ſeveral ways of bringing us acquainted with the ſame Chriſtian Truth; not with different parts of that Truth.
And ſo I have done with the firſt thing; the ſum of which is this. We do not receive any Tradition, or Doctrine to ſupply the defect of the Scripture, in ſome neceſſary Article of Faith: which Doctrines, they of Rome pretend to have one and the ſame Authour with the Scripture, viz. God; and therefore to be received with the ſame pious affection and reverence: but cannot tell us where we may find them, how we ſhall diſcern true from falſe, nor give us any aſſurance of their Truth, but we muſt take them purely upon their word.
Now how little reaſon we have to truſt to that, will appear in the ſecond thing I have to add: which is this,
II. That we dare not receive any thing whatſoever merely upon the Credit of the Roman Church: no not that divine, that holy Tradition before ſpoken of, viz. the Scripture. Which we do not believe onelyonly upon their teſtimony; both becauſe they are but a part of the Church and therefore not the ſole keepers of Divine Truth; and they are a corrupted part who have not approved themſelves faithfull in the keeping what was committed to them.
Let our people diligently mark this, that Traditions never were, nor are now, onelyonly in the keeping of the Roman Church: and that theſe things are widely different; the Tradition of the whole Church, or of the greateſt and beſt part of it; and the Tradition of one part of the Church, and the leaſt part of it; and the worſt part alſo and moſt depraved.
What is warranted by the Authority of the whole Church, I have ſhewn before, we reverently receive: but we cannot take that for current Tradition, which is warranted onelyonly by a ſmall part of the Church, and we give very little credit to what is warranted onelyonly by that part of it which is Roman. Becauſe,
1. Firſt, This Church hath not preſerved ſo carefully as other Churches have done, the firſt and original Tradition, which is in the Scriptures: but ſuffered them to be ſhamefully corrupted. Every one knows that there is a Latine Vulgar Edition of the Bible (which they of that Church prefer before the Original) none of which they preſerved heretofore from manifeſt depravations; nor have been able, ſince they were told of the faults, to purge away; ſo as to canonize any Edition without permitting great numbers in their neweſt and moſt approved Bibles. Iſidore Clarius in his Preface to his Edition, complains that he found theſe holy Writings defaced with innumerable errours: Eight thouſand of which, that he thought moſt material, he ſaith he amended; and yet left he knew not how many leſſer ones untouched: After which (the Council of Trent having vouched this Vulgar Latine Edition, for the onelyonly authentick) Pope Sixtus the Fifth, publiſhed, out of the ſeveral Copies that were abroad, one which he ſtraitly charged to be received, as the onelyonly true Vulgar; from which none ſhould dare to vary in a tittle. And yet two years were ſcarce paſſed, before Clemens the Eighth, found many defects and corruptions ſtill remaining in that Edition: and therefore publiſhed another, with the very ſame charge, that none elſe ſhould be received.
Which evidently ſhews they have ſuffered the holy Books to be ſo fouly abuſed, that they know not how to amend the errours that are crept into them; nor can tell which is the true Bible. For theſe two Bibles thus equally authoriſed, as the onelyonly authentick ones, abound not onelyonly with manifeſt diverſities; but with contradictions, or contrarieties, one to the other. Whereby all Romaniſts are reduced to this miſerable neceſſity, either to make uſe of no Bible at all; or to fall under the curſe of Sixtus if he make uſe the Bible of Clement; or the curſe of Clement, if he uſe the Bible of Sixtus. For they are both of them enjoined, with the excluſion of all other Editions; and with the penalty of a curſe upon them, who diſobey the one or the other: and it is impoſſible to obey both.
This might be ſufficient to demonſtrate how unfaithfull that Church hath been, in the weightieſt concerns. Whereby all the members of it are plunged, beyond all power of redemption, into a diſmal neceſſity, either of laving aſide the Scriptures; or of offending againſt the ſacred decrees (as they account them) of one or other of the heads of their Church (which ſome take to be infallible) and being accurſed of them.
2. But for every one's fuller ſatisfaction, it may be fit farther to repreſent, how negligent they have been in preſerving other Traditions, which were certainly once in the Church, but now utterly loſt. There is no queſtion to be made, but the Apoſtles taught the firſt Chriſtians, the meaning of thoſe hard places which we find in their, and other holy, Writings. But who can tell us where to find certainly ſo much as one of them? and therefore where is the fidelity of this Church, which boaſts ſo much to be the keeper of ſacred Traditions? For nothing is more deſirable than thoſe Apoſtolical interpretations of Scripture; nothing could be more uſefull; and yet we have no hope to meet with them either there, or indeed any where elſe. Which is no reproach to other Churches, who do not pretend to more than is written; but reflects much upon them, and diſcredits them, who challenge the power of the whole Church intirely, and would paſs not onelyonly for the ſole keepers and witneſſes of Divine Truth; but for carefull preſervers of it. For of what ſhould they have been more carefull than of theſe uſefull things; whereof they can tell us nothing? when of unprofitable Ceremonies they have moſt devoutly kept, if we could believe them, a very great number.
3. They tell us indeed of ſome doctrinal Traditions alſo which they have religiouſly preſerved: but mark I beſeech you with what ſincerity. For to juſtifie theſe, they have forged great numbers of Writings, and Books under the name of ſuch Authours, as it is evident had no hand in them: which is another reaſon why we cannot give credit to their reports, if we have no other authority. There are very ſew perſons now that are ignorant how many Decretal Epiſtles of the ancient Biſhops of Rome have been deviſed, to eſtabliſh the Papal Empire: and how ſhamefully a Donation of Conſtantine hath been pretended, wherein he gave away the Roman Empire and all its rights to the Pope. Which puts me in mind (as a notorious proof of this) of the forgeries that are in the Breviary it ſelf: where we reade of Conſtantine's Leproſie, and the cure of it by Sylveſter's baptizing him (which are egregious Fables) and of the Decrees of the ſecond Roman Synod under that Pope Sylveſter; wherein the Breviary affirms Photinus was condemned: when all the world knows, that Photinus his Hereſie did not ſpring up till divers years after the death of Sylveſter. And there are ſo many other arguments which prove the Decrees of that Synod to be a vile forgery, that we may ſee, by the way, what reaſon they have to keep their Liturgy in an unknown Language: leſt the people perceiving what untruths they are taught, inſtead of God's word, ſhould abhor that Divine Service, as juſtly they might, which is ſtuffed with ſo many Fables.
It would be endleſs to ſhew how many paſſages they have foiſted into ancient Writers to countenance their Traditions; particularly about the Papal Supremacy: by which ſo great a man as Thomas Aquinas was deceived: who frequently quotes authorities, which are mere forgeries; though not invented by him, I verily think, but impoſed upon him by the fraud which had been long practiſed in that Church. For we find that the Canons of ſo famous and univerſally known Council as that of the firſt at Nice, have been falſely alledged even by Popes themſelves. Boniface for inſtance, and Zoſimus alledged a counterfeit Nicene Canon to the African Biſhops in the Sixth Council of Carthage: who to convince the falſe dealing of theſe Popes ſought out with great labour and diligence, the ancient and authentick Copies of the Nicene Canons; and having obtained them both from Alexandria, and from Conſtantinople, they found them for number and for ſenſe to be the very ſame, which themſelves already had; but not one word in them, of what the Popes pretended. The ſame I might ſay of Pope Innocent, and others; whom I purpoſely omit, becauſe I ſtudy brevity.
4. And have this farther to add, that as they have pretended Tradition where there is none; ſo where there is, they have left that Tradition: and therefore have no reaſon to expect that we ſhould be governed by them in this matter; who take the liberty to neglect, as they pleaſe, better Tradition than they would impoſe upon us. None are to be charged, with this, if it be a guilt, more than themſelves. For inſtance the three immerſions: i.e. dipping the perſons three times in Baptiſm, was certainly an ancient practice; and ſaid by many Authours to be an Apoſtolical Tradition; and to be ordained in ſignification of the bleſſed Trinity, into whoſe name they were baptiſed. And yet there is no ſuch thing now in uſe, in their Church; no more than in ours: who juſtifie our ſelves, as I ſhewed above, by a true opinion, that Rites and Ceremonies are not unalterable: which it is impoſſible for them to do, unleſs they will ceaſe to preſs the neceſſity of other Traditions upon us, which never were ſo generally received, as this which is now aboliſhed. To which may be added the cuſtome of giving the Euchariſt to Infants; which prevailed for ſeveral Ages; and is called by S. Auſtin an Apoſtolical Tradition: the cuſtome of adminiſtring Baptiſm onelyonly at Eaſter and Whitſontide; with a great heap more, which it would be too long to enumerate. Nor is it neceſſary I ſhould trouble the Reader with them; theſe being ſufficient to ſhew, the partiality of that Church in this matter: and that we have no reaſon to be tied to that, merely upon their Authority; which they will not obſerve, though having a far greater. Nay, all diſcreet perſons may eaſily ſee, what a wide difference there is, between them who have abrogated ſuch Traditions, as had long gone even in their Church, under the name of Apoſtolical; and us who therefore do not follow pretended Traditions now, becauſe we believe them not to be Apoſtolical, but merely Roman. He is ſtrangely blind, who doth not ſee how much more ſincere this Church is, than that; in this regard.
5. Beſides this, we can demonſtrate, that as in theſe things they have forſaken Traditions, ſo in other caſes they have perverted and abuſed them; turning them into quite another thing. As appears to all that underſtand any thing of ancient learning, in the buſineſs of Purgatory: which none of the moſt ancient Writers ſo much as dreamt to be ſuch a place, as they have now deviſed: but onelyonly aſſerted a Purgatory Fire, through which all, both good and bad, even the bleſſed Virgin her ſelf, muſt paſs; at the great and dreadfull day of Judgment. This was the old Tradition, as we may call it, which was among Chriſtians: which they have changed into ſuch a Tradition as was among the Pagans.
6. But it is time to have done with this: elſe I ſhould have inſiſted upon this a while, which I touched before and is of great moment: that the Tradition which now runs in that Church is contrary to the certain Tradition of the Apoſtles and the univerſal Church: particularly in the Canon of Scripture. In which no more Books have been numbred by the Catholick Church in all Ages, ſince the Apoſtles time, than are in the VI. Article of Religion in this Church of England: till the late Council of Trent, took the boldneſs to thruſt the Apocryphal Books into the holy Canon; as nothing inferiour to the acknowledged Divine Writings. This hath been ſo evidently demonſtrated by a late Reverend Prelate of our Church, in his Scholaſtical Hiſtory of the Canon of the Scriptures, out of undoubted Records; that no fair Anſwer can be made to it.
But I muſt leave a little room for other things that ought to be noted.
III. And the next is a conſequence from what hath been now ſaid. That there being ſo little credit to be given to the Roman Church onelyonly, we cannot receive thoſe Doctrines for Truth, which that Church now preſſes upon our belief, upon the account of Tradition. For inſtance, that the Church of Rome, is the Mother and Miſtreſs of all other Churches; that the Pope of Rome is the Monarch or Head of the univerſal viſible Church; that all Scriptures muſt be expounded according to the ſenſe of this Church; that there are truly and properly ſeven Sacraments, neither more nor leſs, inſtituted by our bleſſed Lord himſelf in the New Teſtament; that there is a proper and propitiatory Sacrifice offered in the Maſs for the quick and dead, the ſame that Chriſt offered on the Croſs; in ſhort, the half Communion, and all the reſt of the Articles of their New Faith, in the Creed publiſhed by Pope Pius IV. which are Traditions of the Roman Church alone, not of the Ʋniverſal: and rely ſolely upon their own Authority. And therefore we refuſe them; and in our diſputes about Traditions, we mean theſe things; which we reject becauſe they have no foundation, either in the holy Scripture, or in Univerſal Tradition: but depend, as I ſaid, upon the ſole Authority of that Church, which witneſſes in its own behalf.
For whatſoever is pretended, to make the better ſhew, all reſolves at laſt into that; as I intimated in the beginning of this Diſcourſe. Scripture and Tradition can doe nothing at all for them; without their Churches definition. Though their whole infallible Rule of Faith ſeem to be made up of thoſe three, yet in truth, the laſt of theſe alone, the Churches definition, is the whole Rule; and the very bottom upon which their Faith ſtands. For what is Tradition is no more apparent, than, what is Scripture, according to their principles, without the Authority of their Church: which pretends to an unlimited power to ſupply the defect even of Tradition it ſelf.
In ſhort, as Tradition among them is taken in to ſupply the defect of Scripture; ſo the Authority of their Church is taken in to ſupply the defect of Tradition: but this Authority undermines them both; becauſe neither Scripture nor Tradition ſignifie any thing, without their Churches Authority. Which therefore, is the rule of their Faith: that is, they believe themſelves.
To which abſurdity they are driven; becauſe it is made evident by us that there have been great diverſities of Traditions, and many changes and alterations made, even in things called Apoſtolical, &c. and therefore they have no other way, but to fly to the judgment of the preſent Roman Church, to determine what are Traditions Apoſtolical, and what are not: by which judgment all mankind muſt be governed; that is, we muſt believe them; and they believe themſelves: which they would have done well to have ſaid in one word; without putting us to the trouble of ſeeking for Traditions in Books, and in other Churches. But they would willingly colour their pretences, by as many fair words, as is poſſible, and ſo make mention of Scripture, Tradition, Antiquity: which when we have examined, they will not ſtand to them; but take fanctuary in their own Authority: ſaying they are the ſole judges what is Scripture, and what Tradition, and what Antiquity; nay have a power to declare any new point of Faith, which the Church never heard of before. This is the Doctrine of Salmeron and others of his fellows; that the Doctrine of Faith admits of additions in eſſential things. For all things were not taught by the Apoſtles, but ſuch as were then neceſſary and fit for the Salvation of Believers.
By which means we can never know, when the Chriſtian Religion will be perfected: but their Church may bring in Traditions by its ſole Authority, without end.
Nay, ſome among them have been contented to reſolve all their Faith into the ſole Authority of the preſent Roman Biſhop: according to that famous ſaying of Cornelius Muſſus (promoted by Paul III. to a Biſhoprick) upon the XIV. Chapter to the Romans; to confeſs the truth ingenuouſly, I would give greater credit to one Pope, in thoſe things which touch the myſteries of Faith; than to a thouſand Hierom's, Auſtin's, Gregory's: to ſay nothing of Richard's, Scotus's, &c. for I believe and know that the Pope cannot err in matters of Faith. Which contemptuous ſpeech he would never have uttered, to the diſcredit of thoſe great men whom they pretend to reverence; if he had not known more certainly that the Tradition which runs among the ancient Fathers, is againſt them; than he could know the Pope to be infallible.
There is no Tradition, I am ſure for that; nor for abundance of other things, which reſt merely upon their own credit; as is fairly acknowledged in two great Articles of their preſent Creed by our Countryman Biſhop Fiſher with whoſe words I conclude this particular. Many perhaps have the leſs confidence in Indulgences becauſe their uſe ſeems to have been newer in the Church, and very lately found among Chriſtians. To whom I anſwer, that it doth not appear certainly by whom they began to be firſt delivered. For the ancients make no mention, or very rare of Purgatory: and the Greeks to this very day do not believe it: nor was the belief either of Purgatory or of Indulgences, ſo neceſſary in the Primitive Church, as it is now. And as long as there was no care about Purgatory, no body ſought for Indulgences: for all their eſteem depends upon that. If you take away Purgatory to what purpoſe are Indulgences? Since therefore Purgatory was ſo lately known and received in the Catholick Church, who can wonder that there was no uſe of Indulgences in the beginning of our Religion?
Which is a full confeſſion what kind of Traditions that Church commends unto us: things lately invented; their own private opinions, of which the ancient Chriſtians knew nothing. In one word, their Tradition, is no Tradition; in that ſenſe wherein the Church always underſtood it.
IV. And what hath been ſaid of them, muſt be applied to other particular Churches; though ſome have been more ſincere than they. None of them hath any authority to commend any thing as an Article of Faith unto poſterity; which hath not been commended to them by all foregoing Ages, derived from the Apoſtles. For Vincentius his Rule is to guide us all in this, that is Catholick (and conſequently to be received) which hath been held by all, and in all Churches, and at all times.
V. Which puts me in mind of another thing to be briefly touched; that the Eccleſiaſtical Tradition contained in the Confeſſions or Regiſters of particular Churches in theſe days wherein we live; is not received by us, nor allowed to have the ſame Authority which ſuch Tradition had at the time of the Nicene Council, for the conviction of Hereſie. The joint conſent I mean of ſo many Biſhops as were there aſſembled, and the unanimous Confeſſions of ſo many ſeveral Churches of ſeveral Provinces as were there delivered, hath not now ſuch a force to induce belief, as it had then. The reaſon of which is given by the ſame Vincentius, who ſo highly commends that way which was then taken, of reproving Hereſie: but adds this moſt wiſe caution (in the laſt Chapter but one of the firſt Part of his Commonitorium) but you muſt not think that all Hereſies, and always are thus to be oppoſed; but onelyonly new and freſh Hereſies: when they firſt riſe up, that is; before they have falſified the rules of the ancient Faith, &c. As for inveterate Hereſies, which have ſpred themſelves, they are in no wiſe to be aſſaulted this way: becauſe in a long tract of time many opportunities may have preſented themſelves to Hereticks, of ſtealing Truth, out of ancient Records, and of corrupting the Volumes of our Anceſtours.
Which if it be applied to the preſent ſtate of things, it is evident the Roman Church hath had ſuch opportunities of falſifying Antiquity ever ſince the firſt acknowledgment of the Papal Supremacy that we cannot rely merely upon any written teſtimonies, or unwritten Traditions, which never ſo great a number of their Biſhops met together ſhall produce: which amount not to ſo much as one legal Teſtimony: but they are to be look'd upon or ſuſpected as a multitude of falſe Witneſſes, conſpiring together in their own cauſe.
How then, may ſome ſay, can Hereſies of long ſtanding be confuted? The ſame Vincentius reſolves us in this, in the very next words, We may convince them, if need be, by the ſole authority of the Scriptures; or eſchew them as already convicted and condemned in ancient times, by the general Councils of Catholick Prieſts.
The Tradition which is found there, muſt direct all future Councils; not the opinions of their own preſent Churches.
VI. I will add but one thing more: which is, That the Tradition called Oral, becauſe it comes by word of mouth from one Age to another, without any written record, is the moſt uncertain, and can be leaſt relied upon, of all other. This hath been demonſtrated ſo fully by the Writers of our Church, and there are ſuch pregnant inſtances of the errours into which men have been led by it, that it needs no long diſcourſe.
Two inſtances of it are very common, and I ſhall add a third.
1. The firſt is that which Papias, who lived preſently after the Apoſtles times, and converſed with thoſe who had ſeen them, ſet on foot. His way was, as Euſebius relates out of his Works, not ſo much to reade, as to inquire of the Elders, what Saint Andrew, or Saint Peter ſaid; what was the ſaying of Saint Thomas, Saint James, and the reſt of the Diſciples of our Lord. And he pretended that ſome of them told him, among other things, that after the reſurrection of our Bodies, we ſhall reign a thouſand years here upon Earth: which he gathered, ſaith Euſebius, from ſome ſaying of the Apoſtles wrong underſtood. But this fancy was embraced very greedily, and was taught for two whole Ages, as an Apoſtolical Tradition; no body oppoſing it: and yet having nothing to ſay for it, but onelyonly the antiquity of the man (as Euſebius his words are L. III. Cap. ult.) who delivered it to them: yet this Tradition hath been generally ſince taken for an impoſture; and teaches us no more than this; that if one man could ſet a going ſuch a Doctrine, and make it paſs ſo current for ſo long a time, upon no other pretence, than that an Apoſtle ſaid ſo in private diſcourſe; we have great reaſon to think that other Traditions have had no better beginning, or not ſo good; eſpecially ſince they never ſo univerſally prevailed as that did.
2. A ſecond inſtance is that famous contention about the obſervation of Eaſter; which miſerably afflicted the Church in the days of Victor Biſhop of Rome: by dividing the Eaſtern Chriſtians from the Weſtern. One pretending Tradition from Saint John, and Saint Philip; the other from Saint Peter and Saint Paul. Concerning which I will not ſay, as Rigaltius doth (in his ſharp note upon the words of Firmilian; who pretended Tradition for the rebaptizing of Hereticks) that under the Names and Perſons of great men, there were ſottiſh and ſophiſtical things delivered for Apoſtolical Traditions, by fools and ſophiſters. But this I affirm, that there are many more inſtances of mens forwardneſs, and they neither fools nor ſophiſters, but onelyonly wedded to the opinions of their own Churches, to obtrude things as Apoſtolical, for which they had no proof at all. For when they knew not how to defend themſelves, preſently they flew to Tradition Apoſtolical.
3. A third inſtance of whoſe uncertainty we have in Irenaeus (L. II. C. 39.) concerning the age of our bleſſed Saviour when he died: which he confidently affirms to have been forty, if not fifty years; and ſaith the Elders which knew Saint John and were his Scholars, received this relation from him. And yet all agree, that he beginning to preach at thirty years of age, was crucified about three years and an half after.
The like relation Clemens makes of his preaching but one year; which he calls a ſecret Tradition from the Apoſtles: but hath no more Truth in it, than the other.
Now if in the firſt Ages, when they were ſo near the fountain and beginning of Tradition men were deceived, nay ſuch great men as theſe were deceived, and led others into errours in theſe matters: we cannot with any ſafety truſt to Traditions, that have paſſed, men pretend, from one to another untill now: but we can find no mention of in any Writer, till ſome Ages after the Apoſtles; and then were by ſome-body or other, who had authority in thoſe days, called Apoſtolical Traditions; merely to gain them the more credit. Thus Andreas Caeſarienſis in his Commentaries upon the Book of Revelation, p. 743. ſaith that the coming of Enoch and Elias before the ſecond coming of Chriſt (though it be not found in Scripture) was a conſtant report received by Tradition without any variation, from the teachers of the Church.
Which is ſufficient to ſhew how ready they were to father their own private opinions, upon ancient univerſal Tradition: and how little reaſon we have to truſt to that, which was ſo uncertain, even in the firſt Ages; and therefore muſt needs be more dubious now.
Thus I have endeavoured to lay before the eyes of thoſe, who will be pleaſed to look over this ſhort Treatiſe; what they are to think and ſpeak about Tradition. It is a calumny to affirm that the Church of England rejects all Tradition; and I hope none of her true Children are ſo ignorant, as when they hear that word to imagine they muſt riſe up and oppoſe it. No, the Scripture it ſelf is a Tradition; and we admit all other Traditions which are ſubordinate, and agreeable unto that; together with all thoſe things which can be proved to be Apoſtolical by the General Teſtimony of the Church in all Ages: nay, if any thing not contained in Scripture, which the Roman Church now pretends to be a part of God's word, were delivered to us, by as univerſal uncontrolled Tradition as the Scripture is, we ſhould receive it as we do the Scripture.
But it appears plainly that ſuch things were at firſt but private Opinions; which now are become the Doctrines of that particular Church: who would impoſe her Decrees upon us under the Venerable Name of Apoſtolical Univerſal Tradition: which I have ſhewn you hath been an ancient cheat; and that we ought not to be ſo eaſie as to be deceived by it. But to be very wary, and afraid of truſting the Traditions of ſuch a Church, as hath not onelyonly perverted ſome, aboliſhed others, and pretended them where there hath been none: but been a very unfaithfull preſerver of them and that in matters of great moment, where there were ſome; and laſtly warrants thoſe which it pretends to have kept, by nothing but its own infallibility. For which there is no Tradition: but much againſt it; even in the Original Tradition, the holy Scriptures: which plainly ſuppoſe the Roman Church may not onelyonly err, but utterly ſail and be cut off from the Body of Chriſt: As they that pleaſe may reade, who will conſult the Eleventh Chapter to the Romans, v. 20, 21, 22. Of which they are in the greater danger, becauſe they proudly claim ſo high a prerogative as that now mentioned; directly contrary to the Apoſtolical Admonition in that place: be not high minded, but fear.