William Whitaker, Regius Professor of Divinity, Cambridge University and Master of St. John's College. "A Disputation on Holy Scripture Against the Papists, Especially Bellarmine and Stapleton," 1588. He was hostile to a growing sense of Arminianism, although formally, this would later gain visibility and traction, to some degree, on the Continent.
This work, we believe, will stand alongside Martin Chemnitz's towering work on the Council of Trent. We may have reason to believe that it will tower over Princeton's "Lion," B.B. Warfield, on the subject of Scripture from a Reformed perspective. We will hold that in suspension for now. He was a Prayer Book man, a Calvinist, and an Anglican of the first order magnitude. We believe he's better than Hooker.
In any case, this work still should be studied by any Reformed Churchman, espeically Anglicans.
Available at, freely and downloadably:
http://books.google.com/books?id=PhYXAAAAIAAJ&pg=PR7&dq=william+whitaker&output=text
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PREFACE TO THE CONTROVERSIES,
DELIVERED
TO THE AUDIENCE AT CAMBRIDGE.
I This day enter upon a new undertaking, often demanded by many and not unworthy of our university, the attempt to go through those controversies, both numerous and great, as ye all perceive, which are agitated between the Roman popish synagogue and our churches reformed according to the word of God. Accustomed as I have hitherto been to handle a sedate quiet kind of theology, I here come suddenly upon the sternest strifes and most violent contentions. I hope that this will appear matter of surprise or censure to none of you ; at least I should desire that the object of my intentions and design should meet with approbation from you all. For I have not been led to this undertaking through any rashness, or unreasonable and fickle impulses and movement of my feelings, through disgust of old subjects to look out for new ones; but have proceeded with thought and deliberation, and not without the authority and encouragement of those who have the greatest influence in our church and university. Upon these grounds, I am confident that I shall undertake the task upon which I am now entering, not only without blame from any one, but with the highest satisfaction to all except the papists: which consideration inspires me with still greater alacrity for these controversies, although I am by no means ignorant that the toil which I shall have to undergo in managing them is at the same time increased and doubled. But for your interests I should willingly do anything, and spare no labour which I can perform. Indeed, if I wished to indulge myself, or had any concern for my own leisure, I should never have launched out upon this most stormy sea of controversies, in which I shall be exposed to such a tossing as I have never yet experienced in fulfilling the duties of my office, and where all the diligence must be applied, which is required by a business of the highest difficulty. But since our undertaking is both noble and necessary, and long and earnestly desired by you, it did not become me to balk your desires on account of the trouble of the task, but to lay out for the common good whatever strength and ability I may possess.
Now of this discourse I perceive that the utility, or rather the necessity, is three-fold. In the first place, we have to treat not of the opinions of philosophers, which one may either be ignorant of, or refute with commendation,—not of the forms of the lawyers, in which one may err without damage,—not of the institutions of physicians, of the nature and cure of diseases, wherein only our bodily health is concerned,—not of any slight or trivial matters; —but here the matter of our dispute is certain controversies of religion, and those of the last importance, in which whosoever errs is deceived to the eternal destruction of his soul. In a word, wo have to speak of the sacred scriptures, of the nature of the church, of the sacraments, of righteousness, of Christ, of the fundamentals of the faith; all which are of that nature, that if one be shaken, nothing can remain sound in the whole fabric of religion. If what these men teach be true, we are in a miserable condition ; we are involved in infinite errors of the grossest kind, and cannot possibly be saved. But if, as I am fully persuaded and convinced, it is they who are in error, they cannot deny that they are justly condemned if they still persist in their errors. For if one heresy be sufficient to entail destruction, what hope can be cherished for those who defend so many heresies with such obstinate pertinacity ? Therefore either they must perish, or we. It is impossible that we can both be safe, where our assertions and belief are so contradictory. Since this is so, it behoves us all to bestow great pains and diligence in acquiring a thorough knowledge of these matters, where error is attended with such perils.
Besides, there is another reason which renders the handling of these controversies at the present time not only useful, but even necessary. The papists, who are our adversaries, have long since performed this task; they have done that which we are now only beginning to do. And although they can never get the better of us in argument, they have nevertheless got before us in time. They have two professors in two of then* colleges, Stapleton at Douay, Allen at Rheims, both countrymen of ours, (besides other doctors hi other academies,) who have explained many controversies and published books, Stapleton on the Church and Justification, Allen on the Sacraments. But beyond them all, in the largeness wherewith he hath treated these controversies, is Robert Bellariiii:j.•. the Jesuit at Rome, whose lectures are passed from hand to hand, and diligently transcribed and read by very many. Indeed I should wish that they were published, and am surprised that they are not. But many copies of these lectures fly about everywhere among the papists, and sometimes, in spite of their precautions, fall into our hands. Shall we then, whilst these men defend their own side with such activity and zeal, lie idle and think nothing of the matter? These things, although they were in a fragmentary manner explained by the papists, in many commentaries and separate books, yet are now handled in one single volume by themselves ; the object and design of which proceeding cannot possibly be a secret to any one. Why then should not we do the same, and put a complete body of controversies into men's hands, collecting and compacting into one book whatever hath been disputed in defence of the truth against popery, by writers of our own or of any other party ? It is not every one that can at once form a judgment of an argument, or find out a fitting reply in the books of our divines. We must take measures for the security of these persons, and especially at the present time, when so many, partly by the reading of such books as are every day published by our adversaries, partly by too great a familiarity with papists, have fallen under a deplorable calamity, and deserted from us to the. popish camp.
Indeed, when I compare our side with the papists, I easily perceive the great truth of Christ's saying, that " the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light." Mark well, I beseech you, with what solicitude, vigilance, and cunning, these men maintain their own kingdom! They prevent their people from reading our books, and forbid them to have any intercourse with us, that so they may provide against the influence of that contagion which they fear. Surely this is wisely done. Who can deny it ? For if we be heretics, as they, though falsely, exclaim, it is but a just consequence of that opinion of us to denounce us, as persons to be carefully avoided by all who are under their control. In the meanwhile we buy, read, peruse all the productions of those whom we justly esteem heretics, and never suspect the possibility of any damage accruing from our conduct. Hence unskilful persons are easily deceived; especially if there be any encourager at hand to lend an impulse, as there are at present everywhere too many. We avoid the acquaintance of no one ; yea, we take a pleasure in conversing with papists. This is all well, if your aim and desire be to reclaim them from their errors, and if you are able to do this, and see that there is any hope of them remaining. Those who are perverse and desperate should be left to themselves; you can do them no service, and they may do you much damage. I commend courtesy in every one, specially in an academic or man of letters; but courtesy should not be Bo intent upon its duties towards men as to forget piety and its duty towards God. Bellarmine compares heresy to the plague,and rightly. For the plague does not hang about the outward
limbs, but attacks the heart, immediately poisons it with its venom,and suddenly destroys him who but a little before was in health; then it spreads a fatal contagion to others also, and often pervades a whole family, sometimes fills the state itself with corpses and funerals. In like manner heresy especially assails the heart, and expels faith from the mind; then creeps further and diffuses itself over many. If then you tender your salvation, approach not near so deadly a pestilence without an antidote or counterpoison.
Speaking of Alexander the coppersmith, Paul gives this admonition, 2 Tim. iv. 5, " Of whom be thou ware also;" and subjoins as the reason of this caution, " for he hath greatly withstood our words."
Those, therefore, who not only cherish in their own minds a perverse opinion in religion, but cry out against and oppose sound doctrine, and resist it to the utmost of their power, with such persons it is
perilous and impious to live on pleasant and familiar terms. For, as the same apostle elsewhere directs, Tit. iii. 10, " A man that is a heretic, after the first and second admonition, must be avoided. For he is subverted, and sins against his own conscience, and is condemned by his own judgment." Tertullian, in his Prescriptions against heretics, declares that heresy should be " avoided as a deadly fever." Now "fever," says he1, "as is well known, we regard as an evil, in respect both of its cause and its power, with abomination rather than with admiration; and, as far as we can, strive to avoid it, not having its extinction in our own power. But heresies inflict eternal death, and the burning of a still intenser fire." And Cyprian, Epist. 402, "Fly far from the contagion of such men, and shun by flight their discourses as a canker or a pestilence; since the Lord hath forewarned us, saying, ' They are blind, and leaders of the blind.'" Similar to this is the admonition of Jerome, in his Epistle to Pammachius and Oceanus: " Beware, reader, of reading: fly the viper'." Thus it behoves us to fly as poisonous vipers, not only the discourse, but the books and letters of heretical persons. For, as Ambrose says in his 80th Epistle, heretics " shed forth the speech of serpentine discourse, and, turning catholic truth into the madness of their own doctrine, traduce it after the example of the devil, and deceive the simplicity of the sheep2." If this be true at any time, surely we have felt it true of the papists in our time. But let us return to the tenor of our present discourse.
Besides the advantages of this task already enumerated this should be added, in the third place, that, when a fixed method of controversies hath been handled and explained by us, you will be enabled to set down and assign to its proper place and division whatever you may read yourselves in the books of ancient or later divines of any pertinence to these subjects, or whatever arguments against the papists may be suggested by your private meditations. Many things escape us in the course of our reading or reflexion, from our not knowing to what head they should be referred; and many are ill arranged, so that, although we have noted them down, yet they do not readily present themselves at the proper time. But when every thing is duly distributed in meet order, it will be easy both to copy what we please in its appropriate place, and to find it there again whenever we chance to have occasion. And perhaps, in this first essay of ours, some things will be omitted—(though we shall endeavour not to seem to omit many things and those of principal importance)—but if any thing be omitted, it will claim its own place, and (as it were) its proper receptacle, when our work passes under a second review.
And since the new popery, which in general may be called Jesuitism, differs widely from the old, and the former scholastic divinity delivered many things much otherwise than they are now maintained by the Roman church; we must, lest we should seem to construe the doctrines of the papists otherwise than the practice of the Roman church requires, or to take for granted what they grant not, or to ascribe to them opinions which they disclaim, take care to follow this order, namely, first to inquire what the council of Trent hath determined upon every question, and then to consult the Jesuits, the most faithful interpreters of that council, and other divines, and our countrymen at Rheims amongst the rest. And since Bellarmine hath handled these questions with \ accuracy and method, and his lectures are in every body's hands, we will make him, so to speak, our principal aim, and follow, as it were, in his very footsteps.
Our arms shall be the sacred scriptures, that sword and shield of the word, that tower of David, upon which a thousand bucklers hang, and all the armour of the mighty, the sling and the pebbles of the brook wherewith David stretched upon the ground that gigantic and haughty Philistine. Human reasonings and testimonies, if one use them too much or out of place, are like the armour of Saul, which was so far from helping David that it rather unfitted him for the conflict. Jerome tells Theophilus of Alexandria, that " a sincere faith and open confession requires not the artifice and arguments of words3." However, since we have to deal with adversaries who, not content with these arms, use others with more readiness and pleasure, such as decrees of councils, judgments of the fathers, tradition, and the practice of the church; lest perchance we should appear to shrink from the battle, we have determined to make use of that sort of weapons also. And, indeed, I hope to make it plain to you, that all our tenets are not only founded upon scriptural authority, which is enough to ensure victory, but command the additional suffrage of the testimonies of fathers, councils, and, I will add, even of many of the papists, which is a distinguished and splendid ornament of our triumph. In every controversy, therefore, after the sacred scriptures of the old and new Testaments, we shall apply to the councils, the fathers, and even to our adversaries themselves; so as to let you perceive that not only the ancient authors, but even the very adherents of the Roman church, may be adduced as witnesses in the cause. Thus it will be clear, that what Jerome, Epist. 139, applies out of Isaiah to tho
[8 Fides pura et aperta confessio non quterit strophas et argumenta Terborum. Epist. liii. ad Theophil.]
heretics, that " they weave the spider's thread," is pertinently applied to the papists. For, as Jerome says, they weave a web' " which can catch small and light animals, as flies and gnats, but is broken by the stronger ones." Just thus many stick fast in the subtleties of the papists, as flies do in the spider's web, from which they are unable to extricate themselves, though nothing can possibly be frailer than those threads. Such are the reasonings of the papists, even the Jesuits themselves; who, although they seem to spin their threads with greater skill and artfulness, yet fabricate nothing but such cobwebs as may easily be broken by any vigorous effort. Be ye, therefore, of good cheer. We have a cause, believe me, good, firm, invincible. We fight against men, and we have Christ on our side; nor can we possibly be vanquished, unless we are the most slothful and dastardly of all cowards. Once wrest from the papists what they adduce beside the scripture, and you will presently see them wavering, turning pale, and unable to keep their ground. Yet I do not ascribe to myself all those gifts of genius, judgment, memory and knowledge, which are demanded by such a laborious and busy undertaking. I know well and acknowledge how slightly I am furnished with such endowments; nor can any think so meanly of me as myself. But " I can do all things through Christ who strengthened me;" relying upon whoso assistance I enter upon the combat. They come against us with sword, and shield, and armour: we go against them in the name of Jehovah of Hosts, of the armies of Israel, whom they have defied.
But it is now time to distribute the controversies themselves nnder their proper heads, that we may see beforehand the order in which we are to proceed. Bellarmine hath reduced all the controversies to three articles of the Creed;—/ believe in the Catholic Church, t/ie Communion of Saints, the Forgiveness of Sins. In this respect 1 shall not follow Bellarmine. I have another, and more certain, plan and method of my own. He could not frame to his method the controversy concerning scripture, which assuredly challenges the first place for its nobility and importance. He therefore calls it a Proem, and says that he hath set it before the rest in the manner of a preface. But since popery is nothing else but mere antichristianism, it is evident that both must fall under the same rule and method, and that popery must have in it all the heresies which belong to antichristianism. Now antichristianism consists not in the open and outward denial of Christ, or in the worn-out defence of obsolete heresies. For who would not immemediately recognise, cry out against and explode, the patrons of Cerinthus, Valentinus, Arius, Nestorius, and other heresiarchs of the same complexion ? Who could tolerate amongst Christians him who should openly and publicly deny Christ ? Antichrist was not so stupid as to hope that he would gain much by such a course as this. It was not fit, therefore, that antichrist should hold those errors which may be generally described as touching the nature of God, the mystery of the Trinity, the person of Christ. But, sinco antichrist must needs be the opposite of Christ, the same purpose must be gained in a more secret and more artful manner. For it is a certain mystery of iniquity, which in words establishes Christ, but in fact destroys him. This is the very antichristianism of the papists, who leave indeed the natures of Christ intact, but make away with the offices of Christ, and consequently Christ himself. For Jesus cannot be Christ, if he bear not all his offices and merits. Now these offices and benefits are designated by the very names Christ and Jesus. All the heresies of the papists (a very few excepted, which relate to his person,) concern these offices and merits of Christ: on which account it will be no inconvenient distribution of the popish errors and heresies, to set them forth as they are tenets opposed to Christ and Jesus.
Survey now, I beseech you, this whole body of antichristianism, as I shall submit it to your inspection, that you may see, as it were in one view, a monster mis-shapen, vast, horrible, and manifold. For I will present to you the very portraiture and lineaments, drawn out and expressed as it were with one stroke of the pencil; and afterwards distribute and describe its limbs more accurately, when we come to speak severally of each. The name of Christ denotes three offices, as you know, of Prophet, King, and Priest. That of Jesus sets before us the benefits of redemption and salvation; and these latter benefits result from the former offices. For he was anointed to be our Prophet, King, and Priest, in order that he might discharge the function of our Saviour. Now, therefore, we should regard in Christ Jesus his offices and merits as well as hia person. In the former the papists are wholly astray: in regard of his person they hold not many errors, but they have some. There are then two chief heads of these controversies; concerning the offices and benefits of Christ Jesus, and concerning his person. Hear, therefore, what particular heresies they maintain against Christ Jesus.
The first office is that of Prophet, which shews that the function of supreme teacher is to be ascribed to Christ. This saving teaching Christ hath proposed to his church in the scriptures. In defending this office of Christ against the papists we handle these controversies concerning the scriptures; of the number of the canonical books of scripture; of vernacular versions of scripture; of the perspicuity of scripture; of the authority of scripture; of the interpretation of scripture; of the perfection of scripture in opposition to human traditions, upon which our adversaries lay such weighty stress as to equal them even to the scriptures themselves. How far from slight this controversy is, you readily perceive.
The second office of Christ is the Royal, which all the heretical opinions of the papists concerning the church impugn. The kingdom of Christ is the church; in it he reigns and is sole monarch. This controversy is complex, and requires to be distributed into its several parts. The church is either militant or triumphant. We must dispute first of the militant, and afterwards of the triumphant church. Our controversies concern either the whole church militant, or the members of it. Of the whole— what it is; of what sort; whether visible; by what notes distinguished ; whether it may err; what power it possesses; whether the Roman be the true visible church of Christ. Next, we have to speak of the members of the church. These members are either collected in a council (which is the representative church), or considered separately. Here, therefore, we must treat of councils; whether they must needs be assembled; by whom they should be convoked; of what persons they should consist; what authority they have; who should be the chief president in a council; whether they are above the pope; whether they may err. Next, we come to the several members of the church. Now they are divided into three classes. There is the principal member, or head, the intermediate members, and the lowest. They affirm the Roman pontiff to be the head of the church militant: whereupon the question arises of the form of the church's government; whether it be, or be not, monarchical; whether the monarchy of the church was settled upon Peter; whether Peter was bishop of the church of Rome, and died there; whether the pope succeeds Peter in his primacy; whether he may err; whether he can make laws
ecclesiastical; whether he can canonize saints; whether he hath temporal power; whether he be antichrist. The intermediate members are the clergy, of whom they make two sorts, some secular, some regular. Those are called secular, who are engaged in any ecclesiastical function. Now here arise controversies concerning the election and rank of these persons, whether celibacy be necessarily attached to the ministry, whether ministers be exempt from the secular yoke. The regulars are monks and members of religious orders. Here we have to discourse of evangelical counsels, of vows, of retirement, of the dress and labours of monks, of the canonical hours. The lowest members, as they arrange them, are laymen, even kings or emperors. Here we have to inquire concerning the civil magistracy; whether the care of religion appertains to the civil magistrate; whether he may punish heretics capitally; whether he can ever be excommunicated or deposed by the pope; whether civil laws oblige the conscience. And so far of the church militant.
Next follows the church triumphant; which consists of angels and deceased saints. The controversies are, of the hierarchies, ministry, and invocation of angels. When we come to deceased saints, the occasion requires us to dispute, of the limbus patrum, of purgatory; whether saints are to be invoked and adored, of the relics of saints, of the worship of images, of the temples of the saints, of their festivals, of pilgrimages to their places: and these controversies are concerning the royal office of Christ.
His third office is that of Priest, which includes two functions, intercession and sacrifice. It pertains to intercession to inquire, whether Christ be the sole mediator of intercession. In the question of sacrifice, we shall have to explain the whole body of controversy concerning the sacraments; for by the sacraments, as so many means instituted by Christ, the efficacy of that sacrifice is derived to us. We must treat of sacraments, first generally, and then specially : generally, what a sacrament is, how many sacraments there be, what is the efficacy of the sacraments, what the distinction between the old and new sacraments: specially, concerning each of the sacraments by itself; and first, of baptism, whether those who die without baptism cannot be saved; whether laymen or women can baptize; whether John's baptism was the same as Christ's; whether the popish ceremonies are to be used in the administration of baptism. After the sacrament of baptism, we have to speak of the eucharist, which topic contains most important controversies, of transubstantiation, of the sacrifice of the mass, of communion in one kind. Next follow the five sacraments of the papists, upon which great controversies depend, of confirmation, of penance (where we shall have to treat of contrition, confession, satisfaction, indulgences), of extreme unction, of orders, of matrimony; and all these controversies hitherto set forth belong to those three prime offices, which are signified by the name of Christ.
Next we have to handle controversies concerning the benefits of our redemption and salvation, which are indicated by the very name of Jesus. Here first arise questions concerning predestination and reprobation; whether God hath predestinated or reprobated any persons, on what account he hath done so, whether predestination be absolute. Next we have to treat of sin, what it is, how manifold, whether all are born with the infection of original sin, even the virgin Mary ; whether all sins be equal; whether any sin be venial of itself; whether concupiscence after baptism be sin; whether God be the author of sin. Next in order, we must speak of the law, whether it can be fulfilled, and even more done than it commands. Afterwards we must explain the controversy concerning free-will; faith, what it is and how manifold; good works and merits; justification.
In the last place, there remain a few questions concerning the person of Christ, as whether he is avr69e
You have now the principal classes and heads of those controversies which are contested with the greatest earnestness between us and our adversaries at the present day. You see almost the whole mass and body of the popish heresies. In considering, revolving, and explicating these matters it becomes us now to be wholly occupied. We must begin from the first, and proceed through the intermediate to the last, at which we hope at length to arrive, and pray that the issue may correspond to our hope and wishes.
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