MARTIN, 1. See the an notations of tament, CHAPTER II. Heretical Translation of Holy Scripture against Apostolical Martin. THIS is a matter of such importance, that if they should grant any traditions of the apostles, and not pretend the written word only, they know that by such traditions, mentioned in all antiquity, their the new tes- religion were wholly defaced and overthrown. For remedy whereof, 2 Thess. ii. 15, and for the defacing of all such traditions, they bend their translations against them in this wonderful manner. Wheresoever the holy scripture speaketh against certain traditions of the Jews, partly frivolous, partly repugnant to the law of God, there all the English translations wapádoris. follow the Greek exactly, never omitting this word "tradition." Contrariwise, wheresoever the holy scripture speaketh in the commendation of traditions, to wit, such traditions as the apostles delivered to the church, there all their said translations agree, not to follow the Greek, which is still the selfsame word; but for "traditions," they translate "ordinances," or "instructions." Why so, and to what purpose? We appeal to the worm of their conscience, which continually accuseth them of an heretical meaning, whether by urging the word, "traditions," wheresoever they are discommended, and by suppressing the word wheresoever they are commended, their purpose and intent be not to signify to the reader that all traditions are naught, and none good; all reproveable, none allowable. FULKE, 1. Fulke. Traditions indeed is a matter of such importance, as if you may be allowed whatsoever you will thrust upon us under the name of unwritten traditions, the written word of God shall serve to no purpose at all. For first, as you plainly profess, the holy scripture shall not be accounted sufficient to teach all truth necessary to salvation, that the man of God may be perfect, prepared to all good works. Secondly, with the Valentinian heretics, you accuse the scriptures of uncertain understanding without your traditions; under pretence of which you will bring in what you list, though it be never so contrary to the holy scripture's plain words, by colour of interpretation, as you do the worshipping of images, and many other like heresies. As for the mention that is made of apostolical traditions in divers of the ancient fathers, some of them are such as you yourselves observe not, and not for the tenth part of those that you observe can you bring any testimony out of the ancient fathers; as is proved sufficiently by so many propositions as were set down by the bishop of Salisbury, M. Jewel, whereof you can bring no proof for any one to have been taught within 600 years after Christ. Now concerning the traditions of the apostles, what they were, who can be a better witness unto us than Ignatius, the disciple of the apostles, of whom Eusebius writeth, that when he was led towards Rome, where he suffered martyrdom, he earnestly exhorted the churches by which he passed, to continue in the faith, and against all heresies, which even then began to bud up, he charged them to retain fast the tradition of the apostles, which by that time he protested to be committed to writing; for by that time were all the books of the new testament written. The words of Eusebius concerning this matter are, Lib. III. cap. 35: πроотрежé те άπpič τε ἀπρὶξ ἔχεσθαι τῆς τῶν ἀποστόλων παραδόσεως, ἣν ὑπὲρ ἀσφαλείας καὶ ἐγγράφως ἤδη μαρτυρόμενος διατυποῦσθαι ἀναγκαῖον ἡγεῖτο. "And he exhorted them straitly to keep the tradition of the apostles, which, testifying that it was now for assurance committed to writing, he thought necessary to be plainly taught." Against this tradition of the apostles, which for certainty and assurance is contained in their holy and undoubted writings, we say nothing, but strive altogether for it. But because the word "traditions" is by you papists taken to signify a doctrine secretly delivered by word of mouth, without authority of the holy scriptures, we do willingly avoid the word in our translations, where the simple might be deceived, to think that the Holy Ghost did ever commend any such to the church, which he would not have to be committed to writing in the holy scriptures; and instead of that word so commonly taken, although it doth not necessarily signify any such matters, we do use such words as do truly express the apostle's meaning, and the Greek word doth also signify. Therefore we use the words of "ordinances," or "instructions," or "institutions," or "the doctrine delivered," all which, being of one sense, the Greek word napádoσis doth signify, and the same doth "tradition" signify, if it be rightly understood: but seeing it hath been commonly taken, and is urged of the papists to signify only a doctrine delivered beside the word of God written, in such places where the Holy Ghost useth the Greek word Tapadoots in that sense, we translate by that word "tradition;" where he useth it for such doctrine as is grounded upon the holy scriptures, our translators have avoided it, not of any heretical meaning, that all Tapádores, "traditions," are naught, but that all such as have not the holy scripture to testify of them, and to warrant them, are evil, and to be avoided of all true Christians; which cannot without blasphemy acknowledge any imperfection in the holy scriptures of God, which are able to make a man wise unto salvation, if they should think any doctrine necessary to salvation not to be contained therein. MARTIN, 2. Martin. For example, Matt. xv.', thus they translate, "Why do thy Tapádoσw. disciples transgress the tradition of the elders?" And again, Why do you also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?" And again, "Thus have you made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition." Here, I warrant you, all the bells sound "tradition," and the word is never omitted; and it is very well and honestly trans2 Thess. ii. 15. lated, for so the Greek word doth properly signify. But now on the παραδόother side, concerning good traditions, let us see their dealing. The apostle by the selfsame words, both in Greek and Latin, saith thus: "Therefore, brethren, stand and hold fast the traditions which you have learned either by word, or by our epistle." And again, "Withdraw 2 Thess. iii. 6. yourselves from every brother walking inordinately, and not according to the tradition which they have received of us3." And again, according 1 Cor. xi. 2. to the Greek which they profess to follow: "I praise you, brethren, σεις, traditiones. [ Διατί οἱ μαθηταί σου παραβαίνουσι τὴν παράδοσιν τῶν πρεσBuTépwv; Matt. xv. 2.] [ Καὶ κρατεῖτε τὰς παραδόσεις ἃς ἐδιδάχθητε. 2 Thess. ii. 15. "Tenete traditiones quas didicistis," Vulg. "Tenete traditam doctrinam, quam edocti estis," Beza. "Hold ye the traditions that ye have learned," Wiclif. Keep the ordinances which ye have learned," Tyndale, Cranmer. "Keep the instructions which ye have learned," Geneva. "Hold the traditions which you have learned," Rheims. "Hold the traditions which you have been taught," Authorised version.] [* Καὶ μὴ κατὰ τὴν παράδοσιν ἣν παρέλαβον παρ' ἡμῶν. 2 Thess. iii. 6. "Et non secundum traditionem quam acceperunt a nobis," Vulg. "Et non ex tradita doctrina quam accepit a nobis," Beza. "And not after the teaching that they received of us," Wiclif. "And not after the institution which he received of us," Tyndale, Cranmer. "And not after the instruction which he received of us,' Geneva. "Not according to the tradition which they have received of us," Rheims. "Not after the tradition which he received of us," Authorised version.] that in all things you are mindful of me, and as I have delivered unto kabws you, you keep my traditions"." Fulke. No marvel, though you cannot avoid the bells sounding against man's traditions; which sound must needs pierce your conscience more than it offendeth your ears, seeing you know that many of those things which you defend under the name of traditions, against the holy scriptures, have not God for their author, which forbiddeth to be worshipped in such sort, but man, or rather Satan, which hath inspired such things unto men, thereby to dishonour God, and to discredit his holy and most certain written word. Yet you say it is well and honestly translated. God knoweth how fain you would there were no such text extant in the gospel against your superstition and will-worshipping. But now let us see our crafty dealing (as you count it) against good traditions. In the first text, 2 Thess. ii. 15, you may see your understanding of traditions quite overthrown. For the apostle speaketh of such traditions as were delivered to them partly by preaching, and partly by his epistle. Therefore tradition doth not signify a doctrine delivered by word of mouth only. But yet you will say it signifieth here a doctrine delivered by word of mouth also, which is not written. How prove you that? because all that the apostle preached was not contained in his epistles to the Thessalonians, therefore was it nowhere written in the scriptures? What the tradition was in the second text, 2 Thess. iii. 6, is expressed by and by after: "that he which will not labour must not eat." Was this doctrine never written before? when God commandeth every man to labour in his vocation. As for the third place, 1 Cor. xi. 2, your own vulgar Latin translator both teacheth us how to translate it, and also dischargeth our translation of heresy and corruption; for he calleth apádoσes in that place, "præcepta"," precepts, or instructions, or commandments, or ordinances: I see no great difference in these words. By which his translation he sheweth, that in the other places, 2 Thess. ii. and iii., he meaneth the same thing by traditiones, "traditions," that we [· Ἐπαινῶ δὲ ὑμᾶς, ἀδελφοί, ὅτι πάντα μου μέμνησθε, καὶ καθὼς παρέδωκα ὑμῖν, τὰς παραδόσεις κατέχετε. 1 Cor. xi. 2.] [ "Et sicut tradidi vobis, præcepta mea tenete," Vulg.] παρέδωκα, τας παρα δόσεις κατέχετε. FULKE, 2. MARTIN, 3. do by "ordinances" or "instructions", and might as well have used the word præcepta in those two places, as he did in this one, if it had pleased him. Martin. Here we see plain mention of St Paul's traditions, and consequently of apostolical traditions, yea, and traditions by word of mouth, delivered to the churches without writing or scripture. In all which places look, gentle reader, and seek all their English translations, Yet M. Fulke and thou shalt not once find the word "tradition," but instead thereof, saith, it is found there, ordinances," ," "instructions," "preachings," "institutions," and pag. 153. against D. Sander's Rocke. If us stance, let him give himself the any word else rather than "tradition." Insomuch that Beza, their master, translateth it "traditam doctrinam," "the doctrine delivered," putting the he give not singular number for the plural, and adding "doctrine" of his own: so framing the text of holy scripture according to his false commentary, or rather putting his commentary in the text, and making it the text of scripture. Who would think their malice and partiality against traditions were so great, that they should all agree with one consent so duly and exactly in these and these places to conceal the word, which in other places do so gladly use it, the Greek word being all one in all the said places? lie 2 Thess. ii. and iii. παραδό σεις. FULKE, 3. Fulke. There is no question but the apostles by word of mouth, that is, by preaching and teaching, delivered the doctrine of the gospel to the churches; but that they preached, taught, or delivered any doctrine as necessary to salvation, which they proved not out of the holy scriptures, and which is not contained in the new testament or the old, this is not yet proved, neither ever can it be proved. Such matters of ceremonies, order, and discipline, which are mutable, no man denies but they might and did deliver; but yet in them nothing but agreeable to the general rules set down in the scripture. But in all these places the word "tradition" cannot once be found. Yet M. Fulke saith it is found. Yea, doth? where saith he so? You answer, p. 153, against D. Saunders' Rocke. Therefore, if he give not an instance, let him give himself the lie. But he that chargeth Fulke to say it is found, lieth the more. not read the place who will. He speaketh against Saunders, who affirmed that the very name of "tradition" used in the better part, cannot be suffered to be in the English bible, as though there were some decree of the synod, or act of parliament against it; and saith, it may be and is suffered in that sense which the Holy Ghost useth it, but not to For so he saith |