A sermon preached in the Savoy, July 11, 1675 by Mr. de Luzancy licentiat in divinity, on the day of his abjuration.

THE FIRST PART.

Let us begin then, Brethren, with the first of these things, to evince to you, that the Roman Church has not known the Truth, because she has not sought it there where it is to be found, and has sought it where it is not to be found.

The Holy Scripture is the only Fountain of all Truths necessary for Salvation: It includes all within it self, and is that Treasure, out of which the Man of God takes all things new and old: 'Tis the foundation and rule of our Salvation: It entirely comprehends all the Words of God, who having in the former times spoken by the Patriarks and Prophets, has at last spoken in the fulness of times by his own Son, whom He appointed the Heir of all things, by whom also He made the Worlds.

But how great soever and unchangeable the testimony of the Lord is in it self, the Roman Church has not received it as such; she has sought after other assurances, and other founda∣tions for her salvation, than the Word of God, and as if this Divine Word had need of the testimony of men, she has joyned the authority of Tradition with that of the Scripture. To colour this (which upon the first view must ap∣pear odious to all men) it has been found neces∣sary to give to the first that weight that the other has of it self, and pretend that Tradition is not less the Word of God than the Scripture, with this difference only, that the last is writ∣ten, and the first trusted to the memory of the Pastors of the Church, who from age to age have transmitted it to their successors.

Therefore we must here examin the Reasons that moved the Roman Church to this; and this Question is of such importance, that its resolution would make the agreement in all the rest easie. The most considerable are the following:

The first is, That the Holy Scripture has no Authority of it self, but stands in need of another Authority for its determination. The second, That it is obscure in it self, and has need of another light to discover it. The third, That though it had all the authority and clearness necessary, yet it is insufficient of it self, and wants another voice to declare unto us what it does not declare.

Let us see then if the Holy Scripture has suffi∣cient

Authority to be received, clearness enough to be understood, and comprehensive enough to exclude all other means.

When I speak, Brethren, of the Authority of the Holy Scripture, I mean a certain Character, of Majesty, Holiness, Truth, and Excellency, which cloaths it from the beginning to the end, that causeth us to perceive those things in it, that are not to be found in any other Book besides this of Life and Salvation, and perswades us at the same time of its Authority, without the help of any other testimony.

Its Authors were Prophets and Apostles, equally inspired by God; never was any thing observed in their life, that could bring them under the suspition of any lye or corruption; it was always consonant to the holiness of their writings. They saw with their eyes, they felt with their hands, and heard with their ears, what they have taught us of the Word of Life. They were neither esteemed great by their birth, nor distinguished by their employments. God has chosen neither the Nobles nor Wisemen of the world, but he has chosen the weak things of the world, to confound the things which are mighty; and instead of employing Orators and Consuls (as says St. Austin) he made use of the poorest sort of people; that his Word might be received for it self, and not for the greatness and eloquence of men. These sacred Authors never acted upon the account of interest or reputation; they were af∣flicted,

afflicted, they were stoned, they were sawed asun∣der. And as the world was unworthy of them, so they renounced all its pomp. Their fiercest ene∣mies have born witness in all times to the things they preached.

Which things are either deep mysteries, and incomprehensible by all the strength of human reason; or wonderful miracles, which no less a∣stonish than the mysteries themselves; or histories fill'd up with variety of circumstances; or weighty truths, which represent the life, the conduct, the conversation, and passions of men.

Their way of writing, answers to admiration the matter they handle: Never men spake after that manner. There is an unimitable sweetness, together with a Majesty, in their Discourses; and to use the Apostles expression, their word is a word quick and powerful, more sharp and piercing than any two-edged sword.

But these Characters of Truth, visible all a∣long in the Scripture, will perswade us entire∣ly, if we joyn to so many outward circumstances, the inward assurance of the Holy Ghost.

Which inward assurance is absolutely necessa∣ry, either by reason of the darkness sin has spread over our mind, or by reason of the weakness of our nature, that of it self can do nothing.

Jesus Christ has told us of this necessity in these words, joyning to His own Authority that of the Old Testament: No man can come to me, unless the Father that sent me draw him: 'Tis writ∣ten

in the Prophets, they shall be all taught of God: Whosoever has heard of the Father, and learned, cometh to me. No man (saith the Apostle) can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. God has revealed these things to us by his Spirit, (says he in another place) for the Spirit searches all things, yea the deep things of God; but the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. We should write out all the Epistles of St. Paul, if we would alledge all the places that prove this Truth; but from these we may infer several con∣sequences of great importance.

1. That all those which see, do see by the Spirit of God. 2. That without that Holy Spirit, the Scripture is wrapt up in a cloud, which no authority of man can break. 3. That this Spirit is no private Spirit, that is in any man of himself, but an universal one, spred through all the Saints, which God imparts to whom he pleases, when he pleases, as he pleases, and is never to be gotten by our own strength; which made the Prophet cry out, Lord open thou mine eyes, that I may see the wondrous things of thy Law.

The manner in which this Spirit moves in us is invisible. We are certain of his motion, for all those that are the children of God, are led by the Spirit of God; and he that hath not His Spirit, is none of His. But we cannot perceive the manner

of it; He does not speak by articulate sounds and set syllables, to tell us, this is true, and that false; but He enters the bottom of our heart, pierces our thoughts, and perswades us to what∣ever He proposes, though never so seemingly opposite, not only to our own apprehensions, but to those also of all the world.

Therefore Christ has a voice, called eminently by him his own voice, which his sheep alone do hear; My sheep, says he, hear my voice. The same anointing teaches you all things, says St. John. When this voice speaks, all human voices hold their peace; man submits himself to God, who is instructing him Himself; his own thoughts va∣nish away, as the shinings of the night do before those of the day.

If then the outward characters of this Divine Word, if the inward assurance of the Holy Ghost, make up the authority and certainty of the Holy Scripture, to what purpose should one admit Tradition, that must needs overthrow it? For this Tradition is no more, than the common agreement of some men, assuring us they are Trustees of an unwritten Word of God. But no human assurance can be the object of our Faith: the Faith of Christians must be grounded upon an eternal and infallible testimony; we re∣ceive what God reveals unto us, only because these qualities are in Him; He is the same at all times, He can never deceive, nor be deceived, and He accompanies His Word with the same

beams of light that are always round about Him, by which we know that it is from Him. The testimony of men has none of these things, 'tis liable to change and errour, it carries every where the character of that weakness and deceit, which is natural to it, and our Faith cannot be infallible upon so shaking a foundation.

Is our Faith of another nature than that which the Apostles did preach? That could not be grounded upon Tradition, since there was no Tradition yet extant: And must we say, that that man has no Faith, who has received it by reading only the Scripture, without ever hearing a word of the authority and testimony of the Church.

What Pope, what Council, what Assembly of Fathers, has such divine marks for their au∣thority as the Scriptures? Are they as much to be valued for the holiness of their Doctrine, the sublimity of their Stile, the greatness of their Miracles, the Life of their Apostles, the Suffe∣rings of their Martyrs, the fulfilling of their Prophecies, and the testimony of their very E∣nemies?

It will be to no purpose to say, that indeed the Scripture is certain in it self, but that in re∣lation to us it has no authority, unless we be assured by the Church, that it is the Scripture, and that same Church offers it to us as the Ob∣ject of our Faith. That is to say, it is certain as to its Doctrine, but it is uncertain what books

include this Doctrine, and the Church must tell us what are these books, that we may receive them.

But, Brethren, there is nothing more known than the Scripture, and nothing more unknown than the Church; every one agrees concerning the true Scriptures, but no body agrees concer∣ning the Church. The Armenians, Ethiopians, Romans, and Protestants agree, almost about all the Canonical Books, they all receive them with the same veneration: But none of these agree about the Church; and all of them with∣out exception, pretend as much as the Romans to be a part of it.

Have not the Apostles relyed more upon the testimony of the Scripture, than on their own? St. Peter having assured the new Saints, that he himself had heard the Eternal Father declaring Jesus Christ to be his Son, does he not send them back to the Prophets, which he tells them to be surer than all that he could say? Does not Jesus Christ seem to have taught them this by his Ex∣ample? St. John Baptist having born witness of him, does he not tell them plainly, that he has a testimony far greater than that of John the Baptist; his Miracles; the word of his Father, and the voice of the Scriptures? In a word, are not all the words of Councils and Fathers tryed by the rule of Scripture? Are the deci∣sions of those Councils, and thoughts of those Fathers, more Sacred and Divine than those of

St. Paul: yet the Saints at Berea are commended in the Acts, for trying if the Preaching of this Apostle was according to Scripture.

But how should the Scripture take its autho∣rity from the Church, if the Church her self has all hers from the Scripture. 'Tis thereby she knows her self to be the true Church. 'Tis by it the Fathers laboured to bring the Hereticks into her Bosome. 'Tis from that St. Austin de∣sires the Donatists to prove they were the true Church: And was not this conduct very just? since three hundred years had passed, before ever the Church thought upon framing a Canon of the Books of the Scripture. The Laodicean Council is the first that marked which they were: The first and third Council of Carthage, the Popes Innocent and Gelasius, have done the same, thinking it enough to shew the number of them, without pretending to give them any authority.

But if the Scripture has its Authority from it self, it has also its clearness from it self. The Testimonies of the Lord are pure, enlightning the Eyes, says the Prophet: they spread all over our Souls, the Beams they are filled with; and as the Light of the Sun fills the Eyes of our Body at our opening them; so this heavenly Light, fills the eyes of our Heart, when the Grace of the Holy Ghost opens them. 'Tis St. Peter's sence, who compares the word of the Prophets to a Light that shineth in a dark place,

until the day dawn, and the day Star arise in our Heart. 'Tis also St. Paul's, who bids the Saints read his Epistles with great care, and tells them, that whatsoever things were written afore time, were written for our learning. 'Tis also Moses's, who teaches us, that the Law of the Lord, is not in Heaven, that we may not say, How can we go up to Heaven? 'Tis not beyond the Sea, that we might not say, How can we go over the Sea? But the Word is very nigh unto us, in our Mouth and in our Heart. In a word, 'tis that of God himself, who commands, that his Law be read not only to Kings, and Wise men, but to all Israel, to the poorest sort of People, to Women and Children, as not being hid from any, and free from that darkness the World fan∣cies in it.

Not that I intend by this to oppose the Prea∣ching of the Gospel, which is the most ordi∣nary mean of Converting and enlightening Souls. Jesus Christ has established Ministers in the Church, to feed the People with sound and uncorrupted Doctrin. We ought to hearken to them with great respect, and pay them all the honour that is due to them. Nay, 'tis dangerous to oppose the universal consent of Pastors: And this has drawn from St. Austin's mouth that fa∣med saying so often used in Controversies; I should not believe the Gospel without the Authority of the Catholick Church.

I do not intend to deny that there are things

in Scripture, which are not easily understood: St. Peter affirms it of some places in St. Paul's Epistles. Those difficulties have given colour to all Heresies, and by them it is, that the same Jesus Christ, who has been precious to some, has been a Stone of stumbling, and a Rock of offence to others.

But I maintain, that these difficult places con∣tain nothing essential to Salvation. That God (as St. Austin says excellently well) has left them there to bring down our Pride, to enflame our desires, and make us earnestly pray him to open the Scripture to us, and such places that con∣cern our Salvation, are explained by other pla∣ces, so clear and perswading, that every one may understand them. Yes, Brethren, the Word of God brings in it a Light which none can take from it: So that this Divine Word made David more Learned than the Antients, and more Prudent than his Enemies. So in the Acts, a Heathen believed through astonishment, or as another Version has it, through admiration of the Doctrine of the Lord. And you will find it fear and trembling, to be more pure and more shining than Gold, or precious Stones.

Nothing remains then for the entire over∣throwing of Tradition, but to prove it use∣less, and that the Scriptures include either in express words, or by consequences clear, easie, and sure, all that is necessary to Salvation. This

is taught by the great Apostle, in these terms, All Scripture is given by the inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, and throughly furnished unto all good works. If the man of God be thoroughly furni∣shed unto all good works, if he be corrected when he fails, if he be instructed in what he is ignorant, if there be no Duty in the Christian Life in which he is not taught and thoroughly instructed; can one doubt of the sufficiency and fulness of the Scripture? For how can he be convinced by the Scripture, if it cannot satisfie his doubts? how can he be corrected, if it can∣not shew him all his faults? how can he be in∣structed, if it does not contain all that is neces∣sary to his instruction? how can he be fitted unto all good works, if it is deficient in any thing.

'Tis to stop the pride of men, and to keep them to their only rule, that the same Apostle forbids us expresly to presume any thing beyond what is written; from whence it may be con∣cluded, either that all that is necessary is written, or that the Apostle intended to keep men from their salvation, in forbidding them to seek what was necessary towards it. This is a consequence to be abhorred by all Christians, as pernicious and damnable.

It would be easie to make out this by other places, that are no less clear to the same purpose, but time will not give leave to discuss them

exactly, it will be enough, Brethren, to omit nothing of moment against this Tradition, to prove that it can have no force, since it does not stand upon a firm and fixed Principle, the same in all Ages, to whom we might refer our selves, as to an immutable Judge.

If this unwritten Word of God hath been in∣violable, if this Consent of the Fathers has been without exception, it must especially be so in the first Ages, when the memory of the Apostles was so fresh, when the Martyrs blood began to be shed so plenteously in defence of the Truth, and men learned more to suffer than to dispute; yet Tradition never appear so contrary to it self as then.

Papias, Bishop of Hierapolis, a man of the A∣postle's times, has written five Books of the un∣written Words of our Lord, but Eusebius af∣firms them to be full of Fables and Lies.

The Western Church differs from the Eastern in the time of keeping Easter; the first will have it, that it ought to be kept at one time, accor∣ding to the Tradition of St. Peter and St. Paul; the second will have it kept at another time, according to the Tradition of St. John and St. Philip.

Tertullian, Basil, with many others, main∣tain, that the Apostles have set times apart for fasting and not fasting: St. Austin asserts they have not done it, affirming besides, that those disputes about the Traditions of the Apostles,

were fit to raise new questions, but not to re∣solve them.

The Custom of giving the Eucharist to Chil∣dren, has been received in the Church as neces∣sary to their salvation, being grounded upon the Tradition of many Ages, and received with∣out opposition by all the world: St. Cyprian, Innocent the first, Gelasius, and St. Austin, assure us of it. This notwithstanding, that custom has been abrogated in the following Ages, and condemned by the Council of Trent.

But to give more light and force to this con∣sideration, I must tell you, that the Fathers had never that opinion of themselves, that Rome would have us believe of them. They always looked upon themselves as private Authors, who indeed had great lights, but were subject to er∣rours, and did really err many times. So St. Am∣brose, St. Austin, St. Justin, Tertullian, Theodoret, and Origen, believed that the Saints should not enjoy the sight of God before the Resurrection of the Dead. So many of the Ancients admitted of no material Creatures. We find many places in St. Anathanasius, Chrisostom, Origen, and Je∣rome, forbidding all sorts of Oaths whatsoever. So according to what St. Jerome relates, in his Book of Illustrious Persons, Severus, Ireneus, Apollinaris, &c. did believe Christ should come one day in his flesh, to reign with his Saints for some time upon earth. So St. Epiphanius opposed St. Chrisostom, St. Jerome opposed St. Austin, Po∣licrates

Victor, St. Cyprian Stephen, to pass by thousands of other examples of this nature.

But the Popes and Councils will (it may be) have better luck, and that Tradition which wanders every where else, shall there shine as in her Throne; for if the Pope is infallible, if his Heart is a Temple never without the Holy Ghost, if he speaks by the force and power of God; though many times he be found subject to the passions and miseries of other men, there is no room for a further dispute. Again, if God rules all in the Council, and utters his Oracles by the Mouth of the Bishops that compose it, we must submit to its Decisions and its Decrees. But neither the one nor the other are infallible.

I will not instance, as to the Council, that to prove it infallible, they ought to give us those assurances which men are not able to give, con∣cerning both the intention of the Legislators, and the canonical way of their meeting. I will neither speak of the Intrigues nor the Subtilties of the Roman Court. I will not instance, that we can find nothing almost uncorrupted of the first Ages, that the misery of the times, the ig∣norance of men, the inundations of the Barba∣rians, the ambition of Popes, have almost cor∣rupted all. I will not say, that nothing is so hard, as the discerning of true Councils; that the Meeting at Rimini, and the second Council at Ephesus, pretend both to be no less Oecume∣nical, than the first at Ephesus, and first at Nice;

that the Grecians do canonize their Councils, as well as the Romans.

I will affirm only, that both Pope and Coun∣cil are equally Enemies to their own Infallibility. The Pope pretends no Council ought to be re∣ceived, if 'tis not called by his Summons, and confirmed by his Authority, though we find many universal ones, wherein he had no part at all.

Again, the Council pretends to the power of deposing Popes, and forcing them to give an account of their behaviour, many Popes having done it already; nay, they have proceeded even to the condemning them after their death, and anathematizing the Errours they held during their lives. So the Council of Constantinople de∣clared Honorius a Monothelite. So Boniface, Xystus, Marcellus, cleared themselves before Councils of what they were charged with. But without going higher, the Council of Constance did de∣clare the Pope to be under the Council; though it be true, that that decision lasted but to the Lateran Council under Leo the tenth, it being then declared, that the Council was under the Pope.

'Tis evident, that either the Pope or the Coun∣cil is mistaken, not only in one of the points of Tradition, but in the essential point thereof. The Council must be no more referred unto, since they contradict themselves so visibly and absurdly. The Pope also must be no more re∣ferred unto, since the Council makes it self Judge

of his Authority and his Doctrine. Whither will they have us then, Brethren, to go in quest of this unwritten word? Here we might en∣large upon the pretended Infallibility of Popes; upon the means by which their authority is grown so high; upon the dominion they are so willing to usurpe over Souls, though it belongs to none but to him who purchased it by his Death and Blood. We might mention the quar∣rel of the two Apostles, that of Policrates with Victor, and that of Cyprian with Steven. We might give an account of the falls of Tiberius, Honorius, and Felix; we might recount all the violent intrusions, the false Revelations, the Spirit of Blood and War, which appeared all along in the Alexanders and Julius's, we might in this, hear what has been told us by the Au∣thors of the Romish Church, that were most commendable for their Holyness and Doctrin.

In a word, without searching into the first ages, we should hearken unto a Pope, who be∣ing consulted upon an essential point of St. Au∣stin's Doctrin, freed himself of that trouble, saying with a more infallible certainty than that they pretend to, I understand it not, I am no Di∣vine. How can one be so, after he has forsaken the Fountain of true Divinity, the Holy Scrip∣ture; or rather, how can one avoid being ex∣posed to all the errors I shall speak of, in this my second part.

Notes

• 1 Cor. 12.
• 1 Cor. 2.
• Rom. 9.
• Rom. 6.
• John 10. 1 John 2.
• 2. Pet. 1.
• Joan. 5.
• Act. 19.
• Aug. ad Par.
• Conc. Load. ca. de Ser.
• Conc. Cor. 1. c. a. 3. c. 19. Deer. 1. sect. 3.
• Psal. 19.
• 2 Pet. c. 1.
• Rom. 15.
• Deut. 30.
• Deut. 30.
• Tit. 2.8.
• Aug. advers. Manich.
• 2 Peter, 3.
• 1 Peter, 2.8.
• Aug. de civit. cap. 3. l. 12,
• Aug. de doct. Christ. cap. 6.
• Psal. 119. Act. 13.
• 2 Tim. 3.
• 1 Cor. 4.
• Euseb. lib. 3. cap. ult.
• Euseb. lib. 5. cap. 23.
• Socr. lib. 5. cap. 22.
• Tert. lib. de corona mill. Basil. lib. de Sp. Sanct. Aug. Ep. 86. ad Casul.
• Cypr. serm. de laps. Iunoc. epist. ad concil. Mil. Gelas. in ep. ad epist. in Picen. August. lib. 1. contra Jul. cap. 2.
• Aug. ep. 12. & seq. P••ct. de vita Christi. Euseb. l. 5. hist Eccl cap. 2. Cypr. epist.
• Conc. Constan. D•…•…gen. Act. 34. & seq.