Original Douay–Rheims Annotations2 Thessalonians 2

As though the day.

^◦ The curiosity of man fed by Satan's deceits, hath sought to know and to give out to the world, such things as God will not impart to him, nor be necessary or profitable for him to know: so far, that both in the Apostles' days and often afterward, some have feigned revelations, some falsely gathered out of the Scriptures, some presumed to calculate and conject by the stars, and given forth to the world a certain time of Christ's coming to judgement. All which seducers be here noted in the person of some that were about to deceive the Thessalonians therein. And S. Augustine (in his 80. Epistle ad Hesychium) proveth that no man can be assured by the Scriptures of the day, year, or age, that the end of the world or the second Advent shall be.

• ◦ The day of judgement uncertain, and to be left to God's secrets.

unless there come a revolt first.

^◦ Though we cannot be assured of the moment, hour, or any certain time of our Lord's coming, yet he warrenteth us that it will not be before certain things be fulfilled, which must come to pass by the course of God's providence and permission before. which are diverse, whereof in other places of Scriptures we be forewarned. Here he warneth us of two specially, of a revolt, defection or an apostasy, and of the coming or revelation of Antichrist. Which two pertain in effect both to one, either depending of the other, and shall fall (as it may be thought) near together, and therefore S. Augustine maketh them but one thing.

This apostasy or revolt, by the judgement in a manner of all ancient writers, is the general forsaking & fall of the Roman empire. So Tertullian li. de resur. carnis. S. Hierom q. 11. ad Algasiam. S. Chrysostom ho. 4. and S. Ambrose upon this place, S. Augustine De Civit. Dei li. 20. c. 19. All which fathers and the rest ^[1] Calvin presumptuously condemneth of error and folly herein, ^[2] for that their exposition agreeth not with his and his fellows blasphemous fiction that the Pope should be Antichrist. To establish which false impiety, they interpret this revolt or apostasy to be a general revolt of the visible Church from God, whose house or building (they say) was suddenly destroyed, and lay many years ruined, and ruled only by Satan and Antichrist. So saith the foresaid Arch-heretic here, though for the advantage of his defence and as the matter else-where requireth, he seemeth (as all their fashion is) to speak in other places quite contrary: but with such colour and collusion of words, that neither other men nor himself can tell what he would have or say. And his fathers Wicleffe and Luther, his fellows and followers Illyricus, Beza, and the rest, are (for the time of the Churches falling from Christ) so various among themselves, and so contrary to him, that it is horrible to see their confusion, and a pitiful case that any reasonable man will follow such companions to evident perdition.

• 1 Calvin in hunc locum.
• 2 The heretics' interpretation of this apostasy, & their condemning of the Fathers.
• ◦ Two special signs before the later day: a general apostasy, and the coming of Antichrist.

^[1] But concerning this error and falsehood of the Church's defection or revolt, it is refuted sufficiently by S. Augustine against the Donatists in many places. Where he proveth that the Church shall not fail to the world's end, no not in the time of Antichrist: affirming them to deny Christ, and to rob him of his glory & inheritance bought with his blood, which teach that the Church may fail or perish. Li. de unit. Ec. c. 12. 13. De Civit. li. 20. c. 8. In Psal. 85. ad illud, Tu solus Deus magnus, Ps. 70. Conc. 2. & Psal. 60. De util. cred. c. 8. S. Hierom refuteth the same wicked Heresy in the ^[2] Luciferians, proving against them that they make God subject to the Devil, and a poor miserable Christ, that imagine the Church his body may either perish or be driven to any corner of the world. both of them answer to the Heretics' arguments grounded on Scriptures falsely understood, which were too long here to rehearse. It is enough for the Christian reader to know, that it is an old deceit and excuse of all Heretics and Schismatics, for defence of their forsaking God's Church, that the Church is perished, or remaineth hidden, or in themselves only and in those places where they and their followers dwell: to know also, that this is reproved by the holy Doctors of the primitive Church, and that it is against Christ's honour, power, providence, and promise.

• 1 There can be no apostasy of the visible Church from God.
• 2 * Dialog. adv. Lucifer. c. 6.

If the Adversaries had said that this revolt which the Apostle foretelleth shall come before the world's end, is meant of great numbers of Heretics & Apostates revolting from the Church, they had said truth of themselves and such others, whom S. John ^[1] calleth Antichrists. ^[2] And it is very like (be it spoken under the correction of God's Church and all learned Catholics) that this great defection or revolt shall not be only from the Roman empire, but specially from the Roman Church, and withal from most points of Christian religion. not that the Catholic Christians, either in the time of Antichrist or before, shall refuse to obey the same, but for that near to the time of Antichrist and the consummation of the world, there is like to be a great revolt of kingdoms, peoples, and Provinces from the open external obedience and communion thereof. Which revolt having been begun and continued by Heretics of diverse ages, resisting & hating the Seat of Peter (which they called cathedram pestilentiæ, the chair of pestilence, ^[3] in S. Augustine's days) because it is Christ's fort erected against Hell-gates and all Heretics, and being now wonderfully increased by these of our days the next precursors of Antichrist, as it may seem, shall be fully achieved a little before the end of the world by Antichrist himself. though even then also, when for the few days of Antichrist's reign the external state of the Roman Church and public entercourse of the faithful with the same may cease, yet the due honour and obedience of the Christians toward it, and communion in heart with it, and practise thereof in secret, and open confessing thereof if occasion require, shall not cease, no more than it doth now in the Christians of Cypres and other places where open intercourse is forbidden.

^◦

This is certain and wonderful in all wise men's eyes, and must needs be of God's providence, & a singular prerogative, that this Seat of Peter standeth, when all other Apostolic Sees be gone: that it stood there for certain ages together with the secular seat of the Empire: that the Popes stood without wealth, power, or human defence, the Emperors knowing, willing, and seeking to destroy them, and putting to the sword above thirty of them one after another, yea and being as much afraid of them as if they had been æmuli Imperii, Competitors of their Empire, as S. Cyprian noteth ( epist. 52 ad. Antonianum. num. 3 ) of S. Cornelius Pope in his days, and Decius then Emperor: again, that the Emperors afterward yielded up the city unto them, continuing for all that in the Emperial dignity still: that the successors of those that persecuted them, laid down their crowns before their Seat and sepulchres, honouring the very memories and Relics of the poor men whom their predecessors killed: that now well near these 1600 years this Seat standeth, as at the beginning in continual misery, so now of long time for the most part in prosperity, without all mutation in effect, as no other kingdom or State in the world hath done, every one of them in the said space being manifoldly altered. It standeth (we say) all this while (to use S. Augustine's words de util. cred. c. 17. ) Frustra circumlatrantibus hæreticis, the Heretics in vain barking about it, not the first Heathen Emperors, not the Goths and Vandals, not the Turk, not any sacks or massacres by Alaricus, Gensericus, Attila, Borbon, and others, not the emulation of secular Princes, were they kings or Emperors, not the Pope's own divisions among themselves and manifold difficulties and dangers in their elections, not the great vices which have been noted in some of their persons, not all these nor any other endeavour of scandal could yet prevail against the See of Rome, nor is ever like to prevail till the end of the world draw near, at which time this revolt (here spoken of by the Apostle) may by in such sort as is said before, and more shall be said in the Annotations next following.

• 1 1. Io. 2. v. 18.
• 2 It is very like, the Apostle speaketh of a great apostasy from the See of Rome, and from most articles of the Catholic faith.
• 3 li. 2. cont. lit. Petil. c. 51.
• ◦ The wonderful providence of God in preserving the See of Rome more than all other states, notwithstanding manifold dangers and scandals.

The man of sin.

^[1] There were many even in the Apostles time (as we see by the 4. Chapter of S. John's first epistle and in the writings of the ancient Fathers) that were forerunners of Antichrist, and for impugning Christ's truth and Church were called antichrists, whether they did it by force and open persecution, as Nero and others either Heathen or Heretical Emperors did, or by false teaching and other deceits, as the Heretics of all ages. in which common and vulgar acception S. Hierom saith, all belonged to Antichrist that were not of the communion of Damasus then Pope of Rome. Hiero. ep. 57. ad Damas. and in another place, ^[2] all that have new names after the peculiar calling of Heretics, as Arians, Donatists (and as we say now, Calvinists, Zuinglians, &c.) all such (saith he) be Antichrists. Dial. cont. Lucifer. c. 9. Yea these later of our time much more than any of the former, for diverse causes which shall afterward be set down. Nevertheless they nor none of them are that great Adversary, enemy, and impugner of Christ, which is by a peculiar distinction and special signification named, the Antichrist, 1. Io. 2. and the man of sin. the son of perdition, the Adversary, described here & elsewhere, to oppose himself directly against God & our Lord Jesus Christ. The Heathen Emperors were many, Turks be many, Heretics have been and now are many, therefore they cannot be that one great Antichrist which here is spoken of, and which by the article always added in the Greek ^[3], is signified to be one special and singular man: as his peculiar & direct opposition to Christ's person in the 5. chapter of S. John's Gospel v. 43. the insinuation of the particular stock and tribe whereof he should be born, to wit. of the Jews (for of them he shall be received as their Messias Io. 5. v. 43. ) and of the tribe of Dan ^[4]. Iren. li. 5. Hieron. com. in c. 11. Dan. August. q. in Ios. q. 22: the note of his proper name Apoc. 13; the time of his appearing so near the world's end; his short reign, his singular waste and destruction of God's honour and all religion, his feigned miracles, the figures of him in the Prophets and Scriptures of the new & old Testament: all these & many other arguments prove him to be but one special notorious Adversary in the highest degree, unto whom all other persecutors, Heretics, Atheists, and wicked enemies of Christ and his Church, are but members and servants.

• 1 Many Antichrists, as forerunners of the great Antichrist.
• 2 The great Antichrist shall be one special and notorious man.
• 3 ὁ ἀντίχριςος. ὁ ὑιὸς ἀπωλείας. ὁ ἀνθρωπος ἁμαρτίας, ὁ ἀντικέιμενος.
• 4 Gen. 49, 17.

And this is the most common sentence also of all ancient Fathers. Only Heretics make no doubt but Antichrist is a whole order or succession of men, which they hold against the former evident Scriptures and reasons, only to establish their foolish and wicked paradox, that Christ's chief Minister is Antichrist, yea the whole order. Wherein Beza ^[1] specially pricketh so high, that he maketh Antichrist (even this great Antichrist) to have been in S. Paul's days, though he was not open to the world. ^[2] Who it should be (except he mean S. Peter, because he was the first of the order of Popes) God knoweth. And sure it is, except he were Antichrist, neither the whole order, nor any of the order can be Antichrist, being all his lawful successors both in dignity and also in truth of Christ's religion. Neither can all the Heretics alive prove that they or any of them used any other regiment or jurisdiction Ecclesiastical in the Church, or forced the people to any other faith or worship of God, than Peter himself did preach and plant. Therefore if the rest be Antichrist, let Beza boldly say that S. Peter was so also, and that diverse of the ancient Catholic Fathers did serve and work (though unwares) towards the setting up of the great Antichrist: for so doth that blasphemous pen boldly write in his Annotations upon this place; ^[3] and an English printed book of late coming forth out of the same school, hath these words: ^[4] As for Leo and Gregory Bishops of Rome, although they were not come to the full pride of Antichrist, yet the mystery of iniquity having wrought in that Seat near five or six hundred years before them, and then greatly increased, they were deceived with the long continuance of error. Thus writeth a malapert scholer of that impudent school, placing the mystery of Antichrist as working in the See of Rome even in S. Peter's time, and making these two holy Fathers great workers and furtherers of the same. whereas another English Rabbin doubted not at Paul's cross to speak of the self-same Fathers as great Doctors and Patrons of their new Gospel, thus: ^[5] O Gregory, o Leo, if we be deceived, you have deceived us. Whereof we give the good Christian Reader warning, more diligently to beware of such damnable books and Masters, carrying many unadvised people to perdition.

• 1 Beza in hoc cap.
• 2 The Calvinists place Antichrist in the see of Rome, in S. Paul's days.
• 3 They make S. Leo & S. Gregory, great furtherers of Antichrist's pride.
• 4 Against D. Sanders rock pag. 248 & pag. 278.
• 5 Iuel.

Extolled.

^[1] The great Antichrist which must come near the world's end, shall abolish the public exercise of all other religion's true and false, and pull down both the B. Sacrament of the altar, wherein consisteth specially the worship of the true God, and also all Idols of the Gentiles, and sacrifices of the Jews, generally all kind of religious worship, saving that which must be done to himself alone, which was partly prefigured in such kings as published that no God nor man but themselves should be prayed unto for certain days, as ^[2] Darius and such like. How can the Protestants then for shame and without evident contradiction, avouch the Pope to be Antichrist, who (as we say) honoureth Christ the true God with all his power, or (as they say) honoureth Idols, and challengeth no divine honour to himself, much less to himself only, as Antichrist shall do? He humbly prayeth to God, & lowly kneeleth down in every Church at diverse altars erected to God in the memories of his Saints, and prayeth to them. He sayeth or heareth Mass daily with all devotion; he confesseth his sins to a Priest as other poor men do; he adoreth the holy Eucharist which Christ affirmed to be his own body, the Heretics call it an Idol (no marvel if they make the Pope his Vicar Antichrist, when they make Christ himself an Idol:) These religious duties doth the Pope, whereas Antichrist shall worship none, nor pray to any, at the least openly.

• 1 Antichrist shall suffer no worship or adoration, but of himself only: therefore the Pope cannot be Antichrist.
• 2 Dan. c. 6.

In the temple.

^[1] Most ancient writers expound this of the Temple in Hierusalem, which they think Antichrist shall build up again, as being of the Jews' stock, and to be acknowledged of that obstinate people (according to our Saviour's prophecy Io. 5) for their expected and promised Messias. Iren. li. 5. in fine. Hyppolyt. de consum. mundi. Cyril. Hieros. Catech. 15. Author op. imp. ho. 49. in Mat. See S. Hierom in 11. Dan. Grego. li. 31. Moral. c. 11. Not that he shall suffer them to worship God by their old manner of sacrifices, (all which he will either abolish, or convert to the only adoration of himself; though at the first to apply himself to the Jews, he may perhaps be circumcised and keep some part of the law) for it is here said that he shall sit in the Temple as God, that is, he shall be adored there by sacrifice and divine honour, the name and worship of the true God wholly defaced. And this they think to be the abomination of desolation foretold by Daniel ^[2], mentioned by our Saviour ^[3], prefigured and resembled by Antiochus ^[4] and others, that defaced the worship of the true God by profanation of that Temple, specially by ^[5] abrogating the daily sacrifice, which was a figure of the only sacrifice and continual oblation of Christ's holy body and blood in the Church, as the abolishing of that, was a figure of the abolishing of this, which shall be done principally & most universally by Antichrist himself (as now in part by his forerunners) throughout all Nations and Churches of the world (though then also Mass may be had in secret, as it is now in nations where the secular force of some Princes prohibiteth it to be said openly.) For although he may have his principal seat and honour in the Temple and city of Hierusalem. yet he shall rule over the whole world, and specially prohibit that principal worship instituted by Christ in his Sacraments, as being the proper Adversary of Christ's person, name, law, and Church, the profanation and desolation of which Church by taking away the sacrifice of the altar, is the proper abomination of desolation, and the work of Antichrist only.

• 1 In what temple Antichrist shall sit.
• 2 Dan. 9.
• 3 Mat. 24.
• 4 1. Mach. 1.
• 5 The abomination of desolation consisteth chiefly in abolishing the sacrifice of the altar.

S. Augustine therefore li. 20 de civit. c. 19. and S. Hierom q. 11. ad Algasiam, do think, that this sitting of Antichrist in the temple, doth signify his sitting in the Church of Christ, rather than in Salomon's temple. ^[1] Not as though he should be a chief member of the Church of Christ, or a special part of his body mystical, and be Antichrist and yet withal continuing within the Church of Christ, as the Heretics feign, to make the Pope Antichrist (whereby they plainly confess and agnise that the Pope is a member of the Church, ^[2] & in ipso sinu Ecclesiæ, and in the very bosom of the Church, say they:) ^[3] for that is ridiculous, that all Heretics whom S. John calleth Antichrists as his precursors, should go out of the Church, and the great Antichrist himself should be of the Church, & in the Church, & continue in the same. and yet to them that make the whole Church to revolt from God, this is no absurdity. But the truth is, that this Antichristian revolt here spoken of, is from the Catholic Church: and Antichrist, if he ever were of or in the Church, shall be an Apostata and a renegate out of the Church, and shall usurp upon it by tyranny, and by challenging worship, religion, & government thereof, so that himself shall be adored in all the Churches of the world which he list to leave standing for his honour. And this is to sit in the temple or ^[4] against the Temple of God, as some interpret. If any Pope did ever this, or shall do, then let the Adversaries call him Antichrist.

• 1 How Antichrist shall sit in the Church.
• 2 Beza.
• 3 Neither Antichrist nor his precursors, are members of the Church.
• 4 * ἐις τὸν ναὸν.

^[1]

And let the good Reader observe, that there be two special causes why this great man of sin is called Antichrist. The one is, for impugning Christ's kingdom in earth, that is to say, his spiritual regiment which he constituted and appointed in his Church, and the form of government ordained therein, applying all to himself by singular tyranny and usurpation, in which kind S. Athanasius ( ep. ad Solit. vit. degentes: ) is bold to call the Emperor Constantius being an Arian Heretic, Antichrist, for making himself Principem Episcoporum, Prince over the Bishops and President of Ecclesiastical judgements, &c. The other cause is, for impugning Christ's Priesthood, which is only or most properly exercised in earth by the sacrifice of the holy Mass, instituted for the commemoration of his death, & for the external exhibition of godly honour to the B. Trinity, which kind of external worship by sacrifice no lawful people of God ever lacked. ^[2] And by these two things you may easily perceive, that the Heretics of these days do more properly and nearly prepare the way to Antichrist and to extreme desolation, than ever any before, their special heresy being against the spiritual Primacy of Popes and Bishops, and against the sacrifice of the altar, in which two the sovereignty of Christ in earth consisteth.

• 1 Antichrist (by interpretation, One against Christ ) why so called.
• 2 Protestants & Calvinists the near forerunners of Antichrist.

What letteth.

^[1] S. Augustine ( li. 20 c. 19 de civit. Dei. ) professeth plainly that he understandeth not these words, nor that that followeth of the mystery of iniquity, and least of all that which the Apostle addeth, Only that he which holdeth now, do hold &c. Which may humble us all and stay the confident rashness of this time, namely of Heretics, that boldly feign hereof whatsoever is agreeable to their heresy and phantasy. The Apostle had told the Thessalonians before by word of mouth a secret point which he would not utter in writing, and therefore referreth them to his former talk. ^[2] The mystery of iniquity is commonly referred to Heretics, who work to the same, and do that that Antichrist shall do, but yet not openly, but in covert and under the cloak of Christ's name, the Scriptures, the word of the Lord, shew of holiness, &c. Whereas Antichrist himself shall openly attempt and achieve the foresaid desolation, and Satan now serving his turn by Heretics underhand, shall toward the last end utter, reveal, & bring him forth openly, and that is here, to be revealed, that is, to appear in his own person.

These other words, Only that he which now holdeth, hold: Some expound of the Emperor, during whose continuance in his state, God shall not permit Antichrist to come, meaning that the very Empire shall be wholly desolate, destroyed, and taken away before or by his coming: which is more than a defection from the same, whereof was spoken before: for there shall be a revolt from the Church also, but it shall not be utterly destroyed. Others say, that it is an admonition to all faithful, to hold fast their faith and not to be beguiled by such as under the name of Christ or Scriptures seek to deceive them, till they that now pretend religion and the Gospel, end in a plain breach, revolt, and open apostasy by the appearance of Antichrist, whom all Heretics serve in mystery, that is, covertly and in the Devil's meaning, though the world seeth it not, nor themselves at the beginning thought it, as now every day more & more all men perceive they tend to plain Atheism and Antichristianism.

• 1 S. Augustin's humility in interpreting the Scriptures.
• 2 The mystery of iniquity is the covert working of heretics toward the manifest revelation of Antichrist himself.

In all power.

^◦ Satan whose power to hurt is abridged by Christ, shall then be let loose, and shall assist Antichrist in all manner of signs, wonders, and false miracles, whereby many shall be seduced, not only Jews: But all such as be deceived and carried away by vulgar speech only, of Heretics that can work no miracles, much more shall follow this man of sin doing so great wonders. And such both now do follow Heretics, and then shall receive Antichrist, that deserve so to be forsaken of God, by their forsaking of the unity and happy fellowship of Saints in the Catholic Church, where only is the Charity of truth, as the Apostle here speaketh.

• ◦ What kind of men shall follow Antichrist.

Traditions.

Not only the things written and set down in the holy Scriptures, but all other truths and points of religion uttered by word of mouth and delivered or given by the Apostles ^[1] to their scholars by tradition, be so here approved and else-where in the Scripture itself, that the Heretics purposely, guilefully, and of ill conscience (that be like reprehendeth them) refrain in their translations ^[2], from the Ecclesiastical and most usual word, Tradition, ever-more when it is taken in good part, though it express most exactly the signification of the Greek word ^[3]: but when it soundeth in their fond phantasy against the traditions of the Church (as indeed in true sense it never doth) there they use it most gladly. Here therefore and ^[4] in the like places, that the reader might not so easily like of Traditions unwritten ^[5], here commended by the Apostle, they translate it, Instructions, Constitutions, Ordinances, and what they can invent else, to hide the truth from the simple or unwary Reader, whose translations have no other end but to beguile such by art and conveyance.

• 1 * See S. Denys Areop. Ec. Hier. c. 1.
• 2 Heretical translation.
• 3 παράδοσις.
• 4 * 1. Cor. 11. 2. Thes. 3.
• 5 Traditions unwritten.

^[1] But ^[2] S. Chrysostom ( hom. 4. in 1. Thes. 2. ) and the other Greek schoolies or commentaries say hereupon, both written and unwritten precepts the Apostles gave by tradition, and both be worthy of observation. ^[3] S. Basil ( De Sp. Sancto c. 29 in principio. ) thus, I account it Apostolic to continue firmly even in unwritten traditions. and to prove this, he allegeth this place of S. Paul. In the same book c. 17. he sayeth, If we once go about to reject unwritten customs as things of no importance, we shall, ere we be aware, do damage to the principal parts of the faith, and bring the preaching of the Gospel to a naked name. And for example of these necessary traditions, he nameth the sign of the Cross, praying towards the east, the words spoken at the elevation or shewing of the holy Eucharist, with diverse ceremonies used before & after the consecration, the hallowing of the font, the blessing of the oil, the anointing of the baptized with the same, the three immersions into the font, the words of abrenunciation and exorcisms of the party that is to be baptised &c. what scripture (saith he) taught these and such like? None truly, all coming of secret and silent tradition, wherewith our fathers thought it meet to cover such mysteries.

• 1 Their authority & estimation, & examples of some peculiar traditions out of the Fathers.
• 2 S. Chrysostom.
• 3 S. Basil.

^[1]

• 1 S. Hierom.

S. Hierom ( Dialog. cont. Lucif. c. 4. et ep. 28. ad Liciniu. ) reckoneth up diverse the like traditions, willing men to attribute to the Apostle's such customs as the Church hath received in diverse christian countries. ^[2] S. Augustine esteemeth the Apostolic traditions so much, that he plainly affirmeth in sundry places, not only the observation of certain festivities, fasts, ceremonies, & whatsoever other solemnities used in the Catholic Church, to be holy, profitable, and Apostolic, though they be not written at all in the scriptures: but he often also writeth, that many of the articles of our religion and points of highest importance, are not so much to be proved by scriptures, as by tradition, namely avouching that in nowise we could believe that children in their infancy should be baptized, if it were not an Apostolical tradition. De Gen. ad lit. li. 10. c. 23. Tradition caused him to believe that the baptized of heretics should not be rebaptized, not withstanding S. Cyprian's authority and the manifold scriptures alleged by him, though they seem never so pregnant. De bap. li. 2. c. 7. By tradition only, he and others condemned Helvidius the heretic for denying the perpetual virginity of our Lady. And without this, be the Scriptures never so plain, no Arian, no Macedonian, no Eutychian, no Pelagian, no Zuinglian will yield. We must use tradition, (saith ^[3] S. Epiphanius hær. 61. Apostolicorum. ) For the Scripture hath not all things: and therefore the Apostles delivered certain things in writing, certain by tradition. And for that he allegeth this place also of S. Paul. And again hær. 55. Melchised. There be bounds set down for the foundation and building up of our faith, the tradition of the Apostles, and holy Scriptures, and succession of doctrine, so that truth is every way fenced.

^[1]

• 1 The Scriptures given us by tradition, and the sense thereof.
• 2 S. Augustine.
• 3 S. Epiphanius.

S. Irenæus (li. 3. c. 4.) hath one notable chapter, that in all questions we must have recourse to the traditions of the Apostles: teaching us withal, that the way to try an Apostolical tradition and to bring it to the fountain, is by the Apostolic succession of Bishops, but specially of the Apostolic See of Rome: declaring in the same place that there be many barbarous people, simple for learning, but for constancy in their faith most wise, which never had Scriptures, but learned only by tradition. ^[2] Tertullian. ( li. de corona militis, nu. 3. ) reckoneth up a great number of Christian observations or customs (as ^[3] S. Cyprian in many places doth in a manner the same) whereof in fine he concludeth, Of such and such if thou require the rule of Scriptures, thou shalt find none. Tradition shall be alleged the author; custom the confirmer, and faith the observer. ^[4] Origen also of this matter writeth in plain terms, that there be many things done in the Church (which he there nameth) whereof there is no easier reason to be given than tradition from Christ and the Apostles. ho. 5. in Numer. S. Dionysius Areopagita referreth the praying and oblation for the dead in the Liturgy or Mass, to an Apostolical tradition. in fine Ec. Hierarch. c. 7. parte 3. So doth Tertullian De coron. militis. S. Augustine De cura pro mortuis C. 1. S. Chrysostom ho. 3. in ep. ad Philip. in Moral. S. Damascene Ser. de defunctis in initio.

^[1]

• 1 S. Irenæus.
• 2 Tertullian.
• 3 S. Cyprian.
• 4 Origen.

We might add to all this, that the Scriptures themselves, even all the books and parts of the holy Bible, be given us by tradition: else we should not nor could not take them (as they be indeed) for the infallible word of God, no more than the works of S. Ignatius, S. Clement, S. Denys, and the like. The true sense also of the Scriptures (which Catholics have & heretics have not) remaineth still in the Church by tradition. ^[2] The Creed is an Apostolic tradition. Ruffin. in expo. Symb. in principio. Hiero. ep. 61. c. 9. Ambros. Ser. 38. Aug. de Symb. ad Catechum. li. 3. c. 1. And what Scriptures have they to prove that we must accept nothing not expressly written in Scriptures? We have to the contrary, plain Scriptures, all the Fathers, most evident reasons, that we must either believe traditions or nothing at all. ^[3] And they must be asked whether, if they were assured that such and such things (which be not expressed in Scriptures) were taught and delivered by word of mouth from the Apostles, they would believe them or no? If they say no, then they be impious that will not trust the Apostles' preaching: if they say they would, if they were assured that the Apostles taught it: then to prove unto them this point, we bring them such as lived in the Apostles' days, and the testimonies of so many Fathers before named near to those days, and the whole Church's practice and asseveration descending down from man to man to our time. which is a sufficient proof (at least for a matter of fact) in all reasonable men's judgement. specially when it is known that S. Ignatius the Apostles' equal in time, wrote a book of the Apostles' traditions, as Eusebius witnesseth li. 3. Ec. hist. c. 30. And Tertullian's book of prescription against Heretics, is to no other effect but to prove that the Church hath this vantage above Heretics, that she can prove her truth by plain Apostolic tradition, as none of them can ever do.

• 2 The Creed an Apostolical tradition.
• 3 An invincible argument for the credit of Traditions.