The Disarmers Dexterities Examined, Chapter 7 · Section 4
SECT. IIII.
The first ages most competent testifiers of tradition. Scripture a witness of Apostolick practice, and not only Tradition. Scripture as infallibly interpretable as Tradition, or Papal decrees. The foure first Councels preferr'd before all subsequent, Why? The Articles of faith consigned in them, not to be increased. Authority of Councels. Docibleness in a Church no fault. Not learning of Rome our only charge. Belief without Infallibility. Purity the flourishing of a Church.
HIs second Section though well lengthened with exaggeration and scarcasme, is but a recitation, and inlargement of the same mistake of my sense, which the Cath. Gent. had hit on before him, concerning my mention of the first 300. years, and the foure first general Councels, as if I rejected all the rest of the Church, which was not comprised within those bounds, as erroneous, and such as I refused to be tried by, for the Doctrines in Controversie between them and us; Whereas it is most manifest by the occasion, and whole contexture, that I mention'd the Scripture, and those as the safest Depositaries of all that faith which was delivered by Christ and his Apostles, and so as the most competent testifiers of tradit…on, which certainly they must be, if either he that was an ocular witness, or lived nearest the times of such, be more creditable, and authentick for the relating a matter of fact, than any other, no more honest than he, which hath not so good means to attain to the knowledge of it. Do not we caeteris paribus, give more credit to one eye-witness, than to many that were not such, but make distant rela ions from times which were long before them, offering no testimony, or record of any foreign, for what they say? Or indeed is it possible for us at this distance by any optick to discern or judge, what the Apostles did or taught, if it were not convered to us by some who lived in, or soon after their times? Is there any satisfactory motives to induce belief of a matter of fact (such it is, that the Apostle did institute, or teach this or that) but the authority of the Reporter? and is there any proper ground, whereon to build this sort of authority of one man, or society of men above another, but the consideration first of the means, he hath to inform himself rightly, then of his fidelity, that being not deceived himself, he was not presumeable to be willing to deceive others? So that what infallible judgement soever the Church of this or any former age can by deemed to have, yet sure matters of fact, such are all traditions, are not the proper matter whereon to exercise it, 'tis not imaginable that the most inerrable Pope or Councel, should be strength of that, unless they have also (which I suppose they pretend not) immediate revelation, and inspiration annext to it, affirm infallibly, either what S. W. hath written in Schism disarm'd, ar what Simon Zelotes preacht in Britaine, or indeed that ever he was here, or any one Christian Doctor for many hundred years, or consequently what Depositum was intrusted to our Church, any farther than they are advertised by some Records of the times, wherein each thing was done, or of the succeeding times, within such a distance, as it can by some sure means be conveyed to them. What can be more plain and evident than this? What less lyable to those ridiculous consequences, of being judged by those that speak nothing of our differences, of making the whole Church first pure, then impure, then pure again, as it sutes best with my purpose, of expressing a plain tergiversation, and the like which are affixt to my mention of the 300. years, and the 4 general Councels? But of this I have spoken enough, in the Reply, Ch. 8. Sect. 3.
But S. W. hath one special y here, wherein he surpasses the Cath. Gent. His first obiection is against my but naming Scripture for any way of judging of Apostolical doctrines and traditions.] The concordant testifications of the first ages of the Church, and the foure general Councels I had particularly named, as means to conveigh to us the knowledge of Apostolical traditions, only I set Scripture in the front, as verily beleeving that at least some Apostolical practises and doctrines, were conserved there, suppose it were Christs sermon on the mount, or his institution of the Sacraments, or his very death and resurrection &c. And I must be arrained and chastised, and very demure arguments formed against me for no more but this; For first he will ask. Are those doctrines clearer exprest in scripture than in the depositories of the Church, or no? If they be, saith he, what needed we those Depositives? If not, how can we judge of them by scripture?] I answer, what need hath the world of the itch of disputing, which suggests a…guments against the suns giving light at noon day, and S. W. his invention serves him as well on such a theme, as for the defending any of his most precious concernments. Or if a man is bound either to be a schismatick, or to render punctual satisfaction to all such forked dilemnas as these, which like the brute in the fable mistook his own eares for ho…es, it then sufficeth me at the present, that which soever is most obscure, should receive light from the more perspicuous, and so that sometimes the scripture should illustra…e the Depositories of the Church, sometimes receive lustre from them, and such very good friends as are the writings of the Apostles, and the records of their preachings, live amicably and profitably together, and administer each to the others necessities, and we receive our instrustion from both, when they are both willing to afford it, and content our selves with either, when the other is silent, and never question Gods bounty, what need we have, or what benefit we can reape of that which he hath afforded; It being visible both in thesi, that that which is not needfull at one time, may be beneficial, nay necessary at another, and in hi…o h…si, that this is the very case of scr…ptu e, and the faith once delivered to the saints (as that is mentioned by, and so is a disp…ra…e thing from the scripture) that one lords at one time, and at another time borrows light from the other.
As for his singular instance, to prove how difficult a thing it is to judge when things are clear in scripture, when not; from the Doctors not being satisfied from thence, that S. Paul converted Jews, S. Peter Gentiles, 'tis long since demonstrated to be a c…lumnie, and that all that I said was no more than what was affirmed by the plainest words of Scripture, set down as intelligibly, as ever any tradition unwritten can be delivered, or as the Pope or Councel can define any thing. viz. that by compact between those two Apostles and some others, where they met in a City of mixt inhabitants, one should betake himself to the Jews, the other to the Gentiles. And therefore, as to that supernumerary exception, let S. W. but tell me what sure rules he gives us to settle our judgement, when things are clear in the definition of a Pope or Councel, when not, or in case of a doubt, what the meaning is of such supposed infallible decree (which if it want an interpreter, is a barbarian to him that understands it not, though in the spirit, it delivereth never so infallible an oracle) and I will not faile to satisfie his importunity, and direct him to as proper and safe means to interpret scripture also, or else I will not impose on him the beleeving this or that sense of it.
The equality of the authority of all Councels he also presseth, against my naming but the foure first (which the Cath. Gent. was not acute enough to take notice of) But besides many other grounds of difference between those foure first, confestly Oecumenical Councels, and the fourteen more which he sets under that title (which I shall not now insist on) I have already more than intimated the reason which in that part of my discourse gave the deference to those, because those were so near the first times, that they were competent witnesses or judges of the records, which were then produced for the truths, which were there defined as from Apostolical tradition. To which I farther add, because the Creeds or summaries of the credenda were in these so consign'd, as that they might not afterwards be inlarg d by any to any new matters, as appears both by the Nicene Creed, form'd by the Fathers of that first famous Councel (the Athanasian being but an explication of that) and the express words of the Ephesine Councel Can. 7. foreign that it should not be lawfull for any man to produce, write or compose any belief, beside that which was thus establisht by the Fathers of Nice. And that they which should dare foreign, to compose or tender or offer any such other Faith to any that were willing to convert to the acknowledgement of the truth from Judaisme, Gentilisme or any other heresy whatsoever, if they were Bishops, should be degraded, if Laick's anathematized or excommunicated; which as it renders a direct account of my pitching on this way of trial, whether the Church of Rome's conditions of Communion are too severe to us or no, so is it our evidence, that we are not hereticks, who beleeve all this faith of Nice and Ephesus &c. or if we were, and for no less than heresy cast out by the Church of Rome, they must not under pain of degradation and excommunication, I may add the crime and pain of perjury also, (the Pope at his Consecration swearing to observe inviolably all the ordinances made in the eight first General Councels) impose any new articles of belief upon us, (I mean such as were not in substance comprehended in those former Creeds) in the way to our readmission or return to their Churches peace.
By the way, when there have been in the Romanists account so many General Councels above the number of the 8. first, I might aske, whether in the Popes Consecration-Oath he swear the observation of all the whole number indefinitely? Or if he do not, whether I may not as seasonably retort the Question, as S. W. could propose it, whether all the Councels are not of equal authority, there being nothing found to authorize the first eight, which was not found in the ninth, tenth &c. And then sure that answer that can be so easily retorted upon the respondent, is no unrefutable answer.
What now hath been said, demonstrates sufficiently how little ingagement lies upon me by force of the mention of the foure first Councels, to imbark in a new Ocean of Controversie, concerning the sacred and obligatory authority of all Councels, any farther then their determinations appear to be grounded on Apostolick tradition, so far indeed my words obliged me, and to that I have spoken already, (and I suppose, yielded as much, as is demanded by many learned Papists) but to any more my leisure is not so great at this time, as to invite me to expatiate so unnecessarily, though if it were seasonable, I might safely adventure on the question in the very terms, that S. W. hath proposed it unto me, viz. with his interposition of those two exceptions, unless their votes have not been free, or some other known defect have been in the managing of it. In which second rank of exceptions, I should not think fit to name the Primate of England his not consenting to the Canon, as S. W. will be forced to decry the Canon of Calcedon, because the Pope consented not to it, and this after he hath rebuked it in me, as illogical and illegal, to commit the Ʋmpirage to a Party.
The last onset is against my extolling the humble docible temper of our Church, i. e. in plain terms against imitating our Saviour, who did more then commend or extol humility, even foreign, pronounces it a prime ingredient in blessedness, and commands us to learn and transcribe it from him. If it were an hypocritical or false humility that I had thus extol'd, and I were now chid for talking like a saint (as just before I was, when I did but profess, that our ignorance, if we should be found to mistake, is an unaffected ignorance, which S. W. such is his Christian temper, resolves to be a conscientiousness to my self, what pitiful shifts I make use of instead of grounds) If I say, the pretending to the humble and docible temper, whilst it were far from us, had been the matter of the charge, this had been but the old S. W. still, and I could not with reason foreign think strange of it, having been so long so intimately acquainted with his humor, and taught to expect such constructions from him. But it is the very humility which we profess to have, the docibleness which I verily thought had been our strictest duty, which is become S. W. his greatest sco…n. Truly Mr Dr saith he, it is a wonderful commend…ton to yo…r Church, that she is yet to be taught, pray when w…ll she be of age to leave goi…g to school?] I answer to this question, I confess I am forced to speak like a sain… (but that is not indeed like an hypocrite) in the words of S. Paul, when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. For now we see through a glass darkely, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then shall I k…ow even as also I am known. Since I first read those words, I thought I had reason to expect nothing in this world above an imperfect fallible estate, which signifies not any sceptical foreign, any doubt of the truth of any thing, which we beleeve our selves to be taught by the Apostles of Christ, or an imperfectness, or darkness of any truth, which from him either by written or unwritten tradition hath been surely and clearly conveighed to us, (We sure believe all the Articles of the Creed as firmly as any Romanist believes them) but an imperfection in respect of the object or of the light, some things being believed by others, which we do not beleeve, because we have yet no convincing motive to induce the belief of them, other things also, wherein though as far as appears to us, they are false, and not reasonable to be believed by us, at least by divine faith, as long as we have no divine ground of that faith, either from scripture or tradition; yet because we believe our selves fallible, and that we may possibly come, even in this world, to see more than yet we see, therefore humility and docibleness, is in this respect, all that we pretend to, and trust it will finde a more favourable acceptation at his hands, to whom we desire to approve our selves, than here with this disputer it hath met with.
But it is evident enough, that it is not our humility or docible temper, that hath seriously disobliged S. W. If we will but give him leave to choose a mistress for us, we shall then be allow'd to be as humble and docible as we please; For so it follows. Is it docibleness or humility to forsake a mistress which had all the qualities which could give her authority?] To see, whither passion or interest will drive one! Twas even now a fault that we were not out of our Prentice-like Tutorage, that we did not set up for our selves, to profess truth as a Church should do? and that he thought the Church should have been the pillar and fi…me foundation of the tru…h] and lest we should do so indeed, become his scholars, and having …uminated upon this his fi…st lecture, reply to him, that upon that very account our Church acknowledges no mistress upon earth, no not the Totius Orbis Domina, the Ʋniversal Mistress, the Roman See, being for all necessaries sufficiently furnished by that depositum which the Apostles left with us, and for what remains dark and undiscovered to us, secure, that the knowledge or explicite belief will never be exacted of us, Upon this sudden apprehension, …pin is fallen out of the Machine, and the scaene is perfectly changed, we must now be disciplin'd afresh, that we will set up for our selves, that we will ever be of age, that we have at length out grown our Pupillage, that we are not so docible, or rather so tame, as to believe all that can be told us by one, whose Proctor S. W. assures us she is infallible, when in the very truth there is no one thing she doth, or can tell us, that we have less reason or authority to believe, than that the Rom n Church, which is this Mistress all this while, is either infallible, or free from many gross errors, and have no greater prejudice against learning of her, than this, that she hath no other possible means to infer the belief of many of her doctrines, but this fallacious circular one, because she cannot erre.
What yet farther follows in reproach of this magnanimous piece of our docible humility, that we holde Articles of faith upon that authority, which it is an article of our faith that it may deceive us,] hath been answered many times over, viz. that we may reasonably believe without doubting what yet is made known to us, by an authority, which we know to be fallible, having so little reason to distrust its testimony, though it be fallible, that I adventure my life confidently upon no securer terms. And indeed the magnanimity or temerity is not lessened but increased, by my taking up all my belief in gross from S. W. his infallible guide, for that she is truly so, as she pretends, I am far enough from being infallibly ascertaind, so that the balance or competition hangs but thus, betwixt a fallible authority, believed or affirmed by it self to be infallible on the one side, and anothet, or the same fallible authority believed to be fallible, on the other side, and which of these two is really the safest guide, the one that leaves no place for caution to S. W. the other that leaves me as safe, but more cautious (for certainly if these guids are really such, as cannot mislead me, my believing of them, though I think them, as all humane things, fallible, will not render them fallible, if they are not, or me deceivable by them, who really cannot be deceived) I now leave S. W. in his humble pusillanimous fit of believing nothing but what is represented by an infallible authority, to consider, and 'tis possible it may goe for reason, and not for folly or fansie, in his severest retirements.
What he means by asking, why the Primitive times must needs just end then when the Church began to flourish] expounding that by [the times when the fathers began to write against our doctrines] I cannot well divine, who think Christianity may flourish, when the profession of it is outwardly persecuted, ('tis not the grandeur of professors, but purity of Religion, which is the true verdure and flourishing of it) and who am assured, that in the time of the foure general Councels, Christianity was in all respects as flourishing as ever: & that the coming in of new doctrines into the Church, which had not been taught by the Apostles, is the decay and withering, not the advancing or greater flourishing of it. I shall rather ask why the Church must then attain to 'its plenitude of authority with S. W. when it begins as he saith, to write against our doctrines, when it is certain we embrace no doctrines, but what the Church delivers us from the Apostles, and are accused by the Romanists, not for introducing more doctrines, than they acknowledge us to have received, but only for questioning the truth of, and tradition for some which they have introduced, and for which they cannot pretend Apostolical tradition, unless they finde them testified in those first ages which were next the Apostles, (and so are the only competent testifiers of what is Apostolical) which ages if they have testified the truth of all the Romish doctrines, and the Romanists take up their doctrine, upon their testification, then we cannot be blamed by a Romanist, who are by his very objection here acknowledged to believe all that they have testified. And this is all that is due to his second Section.