A defence of M. Perkins booke, called A reformed Catholike against the cauils of a popish writer, one D.B.P. or W.B. in his deformed Reformation. By Antony Wotton.

The difference.

[speaker W. P.] Papists teach, that beside the written worde, there be certaine vnwritten traditions, which must bee be∣leeued as profitable and necessarie to saluation. And these they say are twofold: Apostolicall, namely such as were deliuered by the Apostles and not writ∣ten; and Ecclesiasticall, which the Church decreeth as occasion is offered. Wee hold that the Scriptures are most perfect, containing in them all doctrines needfull to saluation, whether they concerne faith or manners: and therefore we acknowledge no such traditions beside the written worde, which shall bee necessarie to saluation: so as hee which beleeueth them not, cannot be saued.

[speaker D. B. P.] Before we come to the Protestants reasons against Traditions; ob∣serue that we deuide Traditions into three sorts: The first we rearme Diuine, because they were deliuered by our blessed Sauiour, who is God: Thesecond, Apostolicall, as deliuered by the holy Apostles: The third, Ecclesiasticall, instituted and deliuered by the Gouernors of the Curch, after the Apostles daies. And of these three kinds of Traditions, we make the same account, as of the writings of the same Authors: to wit, we esteeme no lesse of our Sauiours Traditions, than of thefoure Gos∣pels, or any thing immediatly dictated from the holy Ghost. Likewise as much honor and credit doe we giue vnto the Apostles doctrine vnwrit∣ten, as written. For incke and paper brought no new holines, nor gaue any force and vertue vnto either Gods or the Apostles words; but they were of the same value and credit vttered by word of mouth, as if they had been written. Here the question is principally of diuine Traditions, which we hold to be necessary to saluation, to resolue and determine many matters of greater difficulty. For we deny not but that some such principall points of our Faith, (which the simple are bound to beleeue vnder paine of damnation) may be gathered out of the holy Scrip∣tures: as for example, that God is the Creator of the world, Christ the Redeemer of the world, the Holy Ghost the Sanctifier: and other such like Articles of the Creed.

[speaker A. W.] Diuine traditions are such as were deliuered by our Sa∣uiour (say you) and are diuers from those that the Apostles left. So that the controuersie is (principally) of those mat∣ters that Christ only spake; and neither the Euangelists nor Apostles haue set downe in writing. But (that we may vn∣derstand what wee doe) it is further to be knowne, that the question is not, whether, if there be any such traditions, wee are bound to beleeue them (for that is out of all doubt) but whether there be any such or no; or whether the Scriptures doe not containe sufficient direction, for the determining of al matters of importance to saluation, and for the substance of religion. You, that you may discredit the Scriptures, to aduance traditions, doe not so much as acknowledge that the maine grounds of doctrine are there plainly taught, but mince the matter, with your some such principall points, and may be gathered out of the holy Scripture: whereas not onely those two you name; but, if not all, yet many more are ma∣nifestly therein declared.

Notes

• O eloquence! So doe we to all knovvne to be the Apostles.
• ••ou confesse afterward that the Gospell comprehendeth the principall points of faith.