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THE fourth argument wherby we proue Traditions, is taken out of the doctrine of our Aduersaries. For all those things which our Aduersaries do affirme to be points of fayth against the Catholike doctrine, they teach and belieue them without any ex∣presse Scripture. For it cannot be found expressely in Scripture, that fayth only iusti∣fyeth, that there are only two Sacraments of
the new law, that none should pray for the de••d &c. for all these things and many others which they teach against vs, they gather only out of Scriptures, and that by some false and very weake consequence; but it is no where expressely written, that fayth only iustifieth, that there are only two Sa∣craments, that we must not pray to Saynts or for the dead &c.
2. Moreouer there can no Catholike be found who doth not receaue and assu∣redly belieue the whole authenticall text of the holy Scripture: why do they ther∣fore condemne vs, when they affirme that nothing is to be belieued besi•••• the text of Scripture, wheras the whole Controuersy betwixt them and vs, is of the vnwritten points of fayth, which we affirme, & they deny?
3. Our Aduersaries being conuinced by this argument, do now at the last con∣fesse, that not only that is to be admitted and belieued as the pure word of God which is expresly written in holy Scri∣pture, but all that also which by a neces∣sary consequence may be gathered out of it.
4. But when they answere thus, they are forced to depart and forsake that their first principle, whe•• by they affirm••d that
all the poynts of fayth are expresly con∣teyned in Scriptures, and that they were set downe in writing by the A∣postles.
5. Furthermore not per••auing so much, they ioyne in opinion with vs, so that they must needes indeed confesse that the Traditions of the Church are altogeather necessary. For such things as are gathered out of Scriptures do rather belong to Tra∣ditions then to expresse Scripture. For that which only, consequently, & by reasoning & discoursing is gathered out of Scripture albeit it very well, and necessarily may be deduced from thence, is not expressely in Scripture, but only obs••urly, secretly, or ver∣tually is conteined therin. For no man can truly say, that the conclusion which is only inferred out of the premisses is ex∣presly conteined in the same premisses, for otherwise our discourse and arguing were vayne, and to no purpose. But ther∣fore do we reason and discourse, to the end, that, that which lieth hidden vertu∣ally in the premisses, may be expresly ma∣nifested in the conclusion.
6. And that we may alleadge an ex∣ample out of the Scriptures themselues, when God the Father sayd, this is my welbe∣loued Sonne, heare him: Out of these wordes
we may very well gather, and by a necessa∣ry consequence, that the whole doctrine of Christ our Lord is to be heard and re∣ceiued of all: yet none will say, that al the doctrine of Christ is conteyned expresly in these few wordes. And truely the holy Scripture is so fertill & plentifull, that many points of faith do as yet lye hid∣den and vnknowne therin, which hither∣to haue neuer byn gathered togeather by any, but these thinges are conteyned ver∣tually, and not expressely in it.
7. Moreouer, after so many debates and contentions, after so many bookes set forth against vs, after so many slaunders wherby our Aduersaries charge vs, as though we taught that the Scriptures are imperfect, they at the last returne to our opinion. For we do not deny, yea we willingly acknowledge, that all those things which rightly and without errour are deduced or gathered out of the expresse wordes of the holy Scriptures, do belong vnto the written word of God, and are contayned in holy writ obscurely not ex∣pressely, vertually and not plainly. For in that God doth reueale any thing in ex∣presse wordes▪ consequently and vertually he reuealeth all things which necessarily and without any errour may be deduced
from thence.
8. We graunt also that the Scripture consequently, mediatly, & vertually, as in a generall principle conteyneth all things necessary to saluatiō, yea in that one only article of the Creed, I belieue the holy Catholike Church; in those few words also of Christ, he who heareth you, heareth me, if the collection be rightly framed, as we haue also said be∣fore in the 25, Chapter. But when these thinges are gathered togeather which are not expressely in Scripture, there is scarse any of them which is not vncertayne & doubtful without the authority and Tra∣ditions of the Church. Wherefore these col∣lections do manifestly conuince the ne∣cessity and authority of Traditions.
9. But that these collections may be vncert••yne and deceytfull, both experiēce & reasō teacheth vs: experiēce, because al∣most all Heresies haue had their beg••n∣ning not from the Scripture alone in it selfe, but from these collections badly framed and made. For there is not almost any one heresy which is only grounded on the expresse wordes of Scripture with∣out some other collection, seing that al∣most all Heretikes both in tymes past as now al••o, go about to proue and gather their heresies from the Scripture, by cer∣tayne
deceytfull & sophistical arguments. Arius for example, out of those wordes of Christ, the Father is greater then I, did gather but badly, that Christ euen according to his diuine Nature was inferiour to his Fa∣ther. The new Arians out of those words of the ten cōmaūdemēts, thou shalt not haue strāge Gods before me, do gather but foolishly, that the Sōne is not God, the holy Ghost is not God. So the Diuell himself against Christ vsed this reason, It is written, God hath giuen his Angells charg•• of thee, therfore cast thy selfe downe headlong. Lastly all the arguments indeed which our Aduersaries at this tyme alledge against vs out of Scriptures, and all the errours which they haue inuē∣ted, do take their beginning and strength from their new illations and reasons, and not out of the bare and playne words of Scripture, as will manifestly appeare in e∣uery one of these Controuersies.
10. The reason also is manifest why these their collections and reasons are vncertaine and doubtfull. For in nothing can one more easily, or more often erre, then in these illations. The which may proceed of many causes; ey∣ther because the illation it selfe is bad and Sophisticall, or because the place of Scripture from whence it is gathered, is
falsified by some false exposition therof, or because the proposition which is assumed and adioyned to the wordes of Scripture is false and ambiguous, or because one or more wordes in that collection are vsed doubtfully, that is to say, in one sense in the premises, and in another in the con∣clusion; or lastly because there hapneth some errour to be in the collection which maketh it weake, Sophisticall, and erro∣neous.
11. Besides that, there are so many and so contrary illations of diuers men, that the authority of the Church is alto∣geather necessary in maters of faith, that there may arise a certayne and an vndoub∣ted faith of these matters, of which sort Traditions are, that is to say, the doctrine of the whole Church.
12. But when one belieueth such an illation with a diuine or Catholike faith, he must needes know two thinges, the one is, that the expresse place of Scripture from whence this conclusion is deduced, must certainly be well vnderstood by him which disputeth: the other is, that he who maketh such a deduction and colle∣ction, can neyther deceiue others, nor be deceyued himselfe. But none can know eyther of these, without the Traditions of
the Church, seeing that otherwise there is none which may not be deceiued some∣times. All collections therefore which produce or breed fayth in vs, do most clear∣ly conuince, and shew the authority and necessity of Traditions.
Beza de n••••i•• Ec. pag. 137. volū. 2. Theol. Tract. ••dit. an. 1581.
Matt. 17. v. 5.
Luc. 19. v. 16.
Ioan. 14. v. 28.
Exod. 20. v. 3.
Matt. 4. v. 6.