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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A17191	A most godly and learned discourse of the woorthynesse, authoritie, and sufficiencie of the holy scripture also of the cleerenesse, and plainnesse of the same, and of the true vse thereof. Wherin is discussed this famous question: whether the canonical scriptures haue authoritie from the church, or rather the church receiue authoritie from the Scriptures. By occasion wherof are touched the dignities and duties of the church, touching traditions, with aunswere to all obiections. Translated out of Latine into English, by Iohn Tomkys: and dedicated to the right honorable Sir Richarde Pipe, knight, lorde maior of the citie of London.; De scripturae sanctae praestantia. English.	Tomkys, John.; Bullinger, Heinrich, 1504-1575.	1579 (1579)	STC 4067; ESTC S112817	96,469	260

HENRICVS BVLLINGERVS A most godly and learned Discourse of the woorthynesse authoritie and sufficiencie of the holy Scripture Also of the cleerenesse and plainnesse of the same and of the true vse thereof Wherin is discussed this famous question Whether the Canonical Scriptures haue authoritie from the Church or rather the Church receiue authoritie from the Scriptures By occasion wherof are touched the dignities and duties of the Church touching traditions with aunswere to all obiections Translated out of Latine into English by Iohn Tomkys and dedicated to the right honorable Sir Richarde Pipe Knight Lorde Maior of the Citie of London Psal. 119. Part 13. ver 4. I am wiser then the Aged because I keepe thy commaundements Printed at London for William Ponnsonby 1579. To the right honorable and woorthy Magistrate Sir Richard Pipe Knight Lord Maior of the Cittie of London Health and peace in our Lord Iesus for euer THere hath beene no age right honorable which hath more plentifully tasted of God his singular benefites and speciall grace than this our age wherein he hath caused his vnspeakeable mercy of the light of his Gospel to shine in the darkenesse of ignorance that our minds might be lightened therby to receiue forgiuenes of our sinnes offred vnto vs in his sonne Christ our only perfect sufficient Sauiour to our endelesse comfort and that our footesteeppes might be directed to walke in the pathes of righteousnesse all the dayes of our life to the glorifiing of his holy name Neither hath he dealt more graciously with any nation then with this our Realme of England wherein the professours of the Gospel liue safe from the foraine enemie and free from persecution at home as it were in a Citie of refuge and a priueledged Sanctuarie when as our neighbours round about vs taste either of the one or feele the smart of the other And this hath hee brought to passe by the administration of his faithfull seruaunt Queene Elizabeth our moste victorious Debora who by the mightie power of her Lorde our God hath woorthily triumphed ouer Idolatrie which is nothing else but spiritual tyrannie whereby the consciences of her subiects were more grieuously afflicted than were the auncient Israelites by the nine hundred iron charrets of cruell captayne Sysara God graunt that shee may iudge vs double the yeeres which Debora iudged Israell and that her hand may still prosper and preuaile against that Roomish Iabin vntill he bee vtterly destroyed and yet all these his gratious giftes so aboundantly bestowed vppon vs notwithstanding such is the corruption of our nature and the vnthankfulnesse of our mindes that in some pure Religion beeing despised the stinking roote of Superstition remaineth still and in other in steade of godly life whiche is the true fruite of Faith is spronge vppe the sharpe bryer of Atheisme euen of the want of the true feare of God so that there is no Shire no Citie no towne almoste no housholde but it is either poysoned with the one or ouergrowen with the other if not fully fraught with both And therfore may the godly well say with Dauid Woe is me that I am constrained to dwell with Mesech and to haue mine habitation among the tents of Cedar One chief cause of the great increase of these twoo grieuous sinnes is the sinister opinion diuersly conceiued touching God his worde when as the supersticious thinke it not sufficient to lead vs to the perfect knowledge of all things necessary for our saluation and the wicked worldlinges so little esteeme it that they make a iest of it If this crooked opinion of both these kinde of men might bee so streightened that they would at the laste reade and heare God his worde with a full perswasion that it is the perfect rule of Faith and the plaine direction of life it is to bee hoped that these two naughtie trees Superstition and Atheisme would bee in short time if not plucked vppe by the roote foorth of the Lordes garden yet at the least so snagged and mangeled that the pleasaunt trees thereof that is to saye the godly should haue the more roume to spreade abrode their fruitefull braunches Neither may we looke to see this happie chaunge in men before God his woord to be read and hearde with confidence and followed with diligence For if the earth be it neuer so fatte it cannot bring forth fruite before it haue receiued seede much lesse can man being by nature barraine grounde bring foorth the fruites of righteousnesse before he haue receiued into his heart Gods word which is the incorruptible seede wherby we are borne anew And as we rest in hope after the seede is throwne into the grounde that God will send downe the dew of heauen to water the same that it may bring forth fruit in due season so if men woulde receiue the seede of Gods woorde into their hearts it were greatly to be hoped that God of his mercie woulde cause it to take roote and woulde with the dewe of his grace so water it that the barraine soile woulde become good grounde and the noysome shrubbes become pleasaunt trees yeelding forth the fruites of faith to GOD his glorie in due season I neede not further to commende this Booke considering that maister Bullinger hath alreadie commended it in his Epistle following Neither shall the Reader repent him of his labour if it shall please him with diligence to peruse it ouer And because your Lordshippe hath beene a meanes of my maintenance in studie whereby I haue obteined that simple talent which GOD hath bestowed vpon m● I esteemed it my dutie to bestow vpon you this my trauaile as a pledge of my gratefull minde towarde you and some part of discharge of my duetie toward my Countrey I trust you will receyue it with suche an affection as I doe offer it and so much the rather because it commeth from your poore countrey man and was translated in the towne where your Lordship was borne chiefly to profite the neighbours therevnto adioyning God keepe your honor in good health and guide you with his heauenly wisedome in the well ordering of the great and weightie affaires vnto your office incident From mine house in Bilston the 10. of Februarie 1579. Your Lordships at commaundement Iohn Tomkis Henrie Bullinger Mini●●er of the Church of Zurich to the gentle Reader wisheth grace and peace from the Lorde THis Booke was brought me gentle Reader from a farre distant famous Citie certaine weekes past without the senders and authours name This ●s his onely request that if this Booke ●ight be thought worthie to be set foorth might bee deliuered to the diligent man ● Christopher Froschouerus to be printed 〈◊〉 him The title of the booke was this A ●scourse whether the holie Scripture ●aue authoritie from the Church or ●●ther the Church receiue authoritie ●●om the holie Scripture collected by a ●uer of godlinesse for the instruction of the ●nlearned and simple Being much delited ●ith this

holy profitable and necessarie argument I began foorthwith to read the Booke with great affection and easily perceiued that the authour being indued with singular humanitie and modestie did of purpose conceale his name not regarding to make it knowen For hee woulde not seeke to gette any praise of the worlde which manie foolishly doe by setting foorth Bookes but was rather willing to further extolle and sette foorth the glorie of GOD onely and of his woorde I sawe also in the man a feruent desire to bringe the syncerenesse of pure Religion to knowledge and to further the manifest profite of the louers of godlinesse To bee briefe I acknowledged the giftes of God to appeare in this man I meane his dexteritie and happinesse in handeling this famous argument hauing beene long in controuersie among the learned and diuersly expounded For whatsoeuer may be spoken thereof necessarily and profitably hee hath wholy conteined it in this booke yea and that briefely euidently plainly and in verie good order For hee hath distinguished the whole matter being otherwise copious into Chapters then hath ●ee placed before euery Chapter the Argument so that euen by these briefe Chapters thou mayest easily perceiue the scope and ende of the whole Booke the summe and maner of the handeling of the ●ame Wherevpon I haue prefixed before this woorke the Title of the Booke fra●ed of the matter handeled therein that thou mayest euen with one viewe and foorthwith in the beginning beholde all thinges in a verie briefe summe whiche are conteined in this Booke He setteth foorth plainely and confirmeth all his matters especially as it is meete by the holie Scriptures then also by fitte testimonies of the blessed auncient Fathers Neither hath this his profitable trauaile ●iked mee onelie but also certaine other godlye and learned men vnto whome thou mayest worthilie ascribe more than vnto mee I haue therefore placed this mine Epistle before this Booke least the woorke beeing sette foorth without ●he Authours name shoulde eyther ●ee little regarded or suspected of thee Neither shall this Booke bee namelesse if it meete with anie stoute aduersarie which can assaile it and oppugne it Those thinges which I haue hitherto spoken in praise of this booke thou shalt by experiēce and with admiration witnesse to be true so that thou reade it diligently and with a sincere minde and also weigh it duely Farewell gentle Reader From Zurich the moneth of August 1571. ❧ A briefe summe of the chiefest pointes handeled in this Booke as it is deuided by Chapters THE reasons of those which doe extoll the authoritie of the Church abooue the Scriptures Cap. 1. Fol. 1 The deceitfulnesse of them is reprooued which doe diminish the authothoritie of the Scripture wherevpon the authoritie of the church doeth depend Cap. 2. Fol. 4. That the authoritie of the Scripture is greatest because it containeth the woorde of God which in the begining was deliuered to the church by liuely voice cap. 3. Fol. 8. The place of Hieremie his 31. chapter is discussed also it is shewed that the Apostles wrote the Gospel by the will of god cap. 4. Fol. 14. That all things which concerne faith godlinesse and saluation are fully and sufficiently contained in the Scripture cap. 5. Fol. 26. That the Scripture was giuen by inspiration to correct euill manners to confute heresies that forth of it onely controuersies must be iudged And that it is neither darke nor doubfull cap. 6. Fol. 30. Whervpon the Scripture is called Canonical Also testimonies of the Fathers touching the most excellent authoritie thereof cap. 7. Fol. 42. That the authoritie of the Canonicall Scripture is more excellent then the Councels the Fathers yea then the decrees and ordinaunces of all men Cap. 8. Fol. 44. That the Canonical Scripture hath the chiefe perfection of her authoritie from the holie Ghoste and of her selfe And cōtrarily that the Church receiueth her authoritie from the Scripture cap. 9. Fol. 51. Howe the Canon of the newe Testament was ordained and that it hath authoritie of it selfe and from the Authors thereof and that the authoritie of the Church is maintayned thereby cap. 10. Fol. 55. Howe vngodly and wicked it is to preach without the warrant of holy Scripture cap. 11. Fol. 11. That the true Church is to bee sought in the Scripture to bee included ded therein and to be esteemed by the Scriptures cap. 12. Fol. 65. Of the dueties of the Church about the Scriptures and first of this that she keepeth the holy Bookes of the scripture as a witnesse cap. 13. Fol. 69. That the Church publisheth the word of god cap. 14. Fol. 70. That the Church discerneth the Books of holy Scripture from Apocryphall and counterfaits cap. 15. Fol. 71. Of the saying of Augustine I would not beleeue the Gospel but that the authoritie of the Church mooueth mee also cap. 16. Fol. 74. Of the gift of interpretation Cap. 17. Fol. 77. Of the the saying of Christ If he will not heare the Church let him be vnto thee as an Heathen man and a Pubcan Mat. 18.19 cap. 18. fol. 82. Of the saying of Paule The Church is the piller and grounde of the trueth 1. Tim. 3.15 Chap. 19. Fol. 84. Of the saying of Paule Brethren stand fast and holde the ordinances which ye haue taught whether it be by our preaching or by our Epistle 2. Thes 2.15 Chap. 20. Fol. 86. That the doctrine which the Apostles taught by liuely voyce and which they deliuered in writing is all one and that this is the fourme of the traditions of the Apostles if they agree with the holie Scriptures Chap. 21. Fol. 88. A perfite proofe of those Traditions which are indeede the Apostles foorth of the moste auncient Writers Irenaeus and Tertullianus Chap. 22. Fol. 91. Of the subtiltie and deceitfulnesse of Sophisters which vse guilefully the woorde Tradition which is diuersly taken Chap. 23. Fol. 101. Of the vncertaintie repugnancie and varietie of Traditions Chap. 24. Fol. 104. That the Church hath beene deceiued euen from the Apostles time vnder the pretence of Traditions Chap. 25. Fol. 106. A Catalogue of the Doctors and writers whose testimonies the authour of this Treatise doth alledge in this Booke Ambrose Athanasius Augustine Basil Chrysostome Clemens Cusanus Cyprian Cyril Epiphanius Enagrius Eusebius Gerson Gratian Hillarie Hyperius Ierome Irenaeus Lactantius Nicephorus Origen Panormitanus Philaster Saluianus Sozomenus Tertullian Theodoretus Theophilactus Whether the holie Scripture haue authoritie from the Church Or whether the Church doe rather take authoritie from the holie Scripture The first Chapter The reasons of those which do extoll the authoritie of the Church aboue the Scripture THE chiefest reuerence after God God his woorde is due to the Churche Christe his spouse whiche God so dearelie loued that his will was that his onely begotten sonne should be a sacrifice for the same whome he endueth with his spirit that the sayde Church may be the temple and image of God wherein his

will is to bee celebrated both heree in the euerlasting life Therfore it is godlinesse diligently to collect with thankful minde to cōsider all the giftes all the riches wherewith the Church is adorned enriched Shee hath the sōne of God for her head spouse and sauiour vnto whom she is maried in faith shee hath the ioyfull newes of the Gospel she hath the holy Ghost for her gouernour shee hath the ministerie prolonged by the Fathers the Prophetes Christ the Apostles which haue most plentifully bestowed vpon her as vpon a riche treasure house as saith Irenaeus all things apperteyning to trueth that euerie one which will may drawe forth of her the drinke of life shee hath Pastours authoritie to call Ministers for the setting forth and conseruing of the gospel of whom it is writtē How beautiful are the feete of thē which bring good tidings of peace bring good tidings of good things Shee hath excellent gifts vnderstanding the inerpretation of doctrine giuen by diuine inspiration shee hath also the administration of Sacramentes a certaine iurisdiction of her own lawes of her owne The holy Scripture adorning her with marueilous prayses calleth her thoroughly ●re The paradise of the great worke●n The citie of the holy king cleare as ●e dawning of the daye bright as the ●orning beautifull as the Moone elect the Sūne who smelleth of ointments ●tandeth at the right hande of the king ●cked with imbrodered gardes of diuers ●●lours who hath no obscure thing and 〈◊〉 through Christ altogither most white Therefore because the sweete name of the Church is ful of worthinesse re●erence herevpon it cōmeth to passe that ●anie eloquent learned men doe with ●ately plentiful gorgious speache ex●ll amplifie exaggerate the maiestie ●reheminence authoritie dignitie ther●f so that they doe affirme that she hath ●orce and power aboue the written word ●f God thinke that Christians ought ●o giue place to her in all thinges For ●herevpon the aduersaries of the trueth gather that the Church is more ancient than the Scripture that the Scripture hath her authoritie from the Church that the Church of the Fathers continued 2449. yeares before anie thing was written touching religion Also that the Church of the new Testament was gathered togither many yeres with the liuely voyce of the Gospell before any thing was written by the Apostles And because the Church receiued the Scripture allowed it by her owne iudgement that the authoritie of the Church which receiued and allowed is greater than the authoritie of the Scriptures which were receiued and allowed And therefore that the authoritie of the Church is not only not inferiour not only equall but rather superiour and better knowen than the authoritie of the scripture For the Church hath approued the chiefest scriptures to be Canonical whiche approbation they neither had of thēselues nor of their authours Otherwise what cause is there why wee should receiue the Gospell of S. Marke whiche sawe not Christ and yet not receiue the Gospell of Nicodemus which nowe also is extant who notwithstanding both saw Christ and was his schollar Moreouer why is the Gospell of Luke the disciple admitted the gospel of Bartholomewe the Apostle reiected Truelie they haue ●r authoritie not from the authours ●n whome they come but from the ●●urch No holy Scripture doth shewe 〈◊〉 the rest of the Scriptures which we ●e are canonical and worthie credite 〈◊〉 cōsent of the Church hath made them ●benticall So that Augustine saieth ●ll I would not beleeue the Gospell ●re it not that the authoritie of the ●tholicall Church doeth moue mee ●o And especially because there were ●e in times past which both reiected ●o written gospels the Euangelistes ●o which wrote them sticking forsooth ●ought false religion to Christ only who ●ither wrote him self neither comman●●d to be written but to be preached and ●●lled his doctrine not scripture that is 〈◊〉 say writing but the Gospell that is to ●y ioyfull newes But if wee giue place ●rein to the Church as by right wee ●●ght al to giue place vnto her why then ●ould we not also giue place vnto her in ●e matter of the holy Sacramentes in ●●her pointes That the Apostles did ●rite certaine things not that their wri●●ngs shold rule our faith religion but ●at their writings should rather serue our faith and religion And that it is not to be thought that the Apostles were able to comprehend in their Epistles al the preceptes and mysteries of our faith and of christian doctrine that Christ and his Apostles in so many yeres preached much more than could be cōprehended within the narow roome of the bokes of the new testament And that therefore so short an abridgemēt of the gospell was put in writing that the greatest part thereof as a rich treasure might be left to the traditions fastened in the inward bowels of the church That therefore many things are to be beleeued which are not written that the constant sentence of the church ought to be accepted as the gospel that therefore in matter of doubt in anie raised cōtrouersie the authoritie of the traditiō of the church is more effectuall to cause credit to be giuen to proue certainly then the scriptures because the tradition is more euident and plaine altogether vnflexible when as contrarilie the Scriptures be oftentimes very obscure and do suffer them selues to be wrested applied to a diuers meaning yea to that meaning which any shall presume with him selfe ●efore hand easily to be shifted of with 〈◊〉 craftie exposition And that therefore the common sentence of the tradition of the church is the certaine and inflexible ●●le of the Scriptures And to be briefe ●hat the exactest squier paterne rule of ●●ith is not the scripture but the iudgement of the Church That the saying of Christe is If hee will not heare the church let him be to thee as an heathē man a Publicane That the church is the piller ground of trueth and that ●he can not erre because Christ promised to her the holy Ghost which shoulde leade her into al truth S. Paul exhorteth vs saying Brethren stand fast holde the ordinances which yee haue bene taught c. To be brief they go about to proue by the testimonie of the Prophete Hieremie that this is the propertie of the doctrine of the newe testamēt which first was published by Christ and afterward by the instruction of the holy ghost was preached by the Apostles spread abroad throughout the whole world wherby God would haue it to be knowen frō the doctrine of the olde testament that it should neither bee ingraued in tables of stone nor written with inke and paper That the Apostles were commāded by Christ to preach not to write Finally they dispute much of the briefnesse insufficiencie flexiblenesse ambiguitie and

foorth of Augustine and Chrysostome wee haue declared What saye you to this that the same Christ the Lorde will hereby chiefly haue his disciples and so consequently and vndoubtedly his church also knowen and esteemed if they keepe his sayings faythfully and obserue them And doeth plainly witnesse that they are cast off which will not keepe his doctrine and followe it As for this power aboue the Scriptures which these felowes claime vnto themselues by their subtile Sophistrie the auncient Fathers neuer knewe nor sought as lately we haue shewed Constantine the Emperour commaunded the Fathers when as they were assembled in the Nicene Councell that they should define the controuersie of the one and selfe same substaunce of the father and the sonne foorth of the Propheticall and Apostolicall Scriptures And yet none withstoode him there saying that the Churche ought to discusse the controuersie by her owne absolute authoritie because shee was not subiect to the Scriptures but had them rather in subiection vnto her Neither did they complaine that the Emperour did anie whitte at all debase the Churche when as hee made her subiect to the rule of the Scriptures And how will these men bring the Scriptures in subiection to the authoritie iudgement and censure of the Church seeing Christ our Lorde doeth not saye that the Churche is iudge of his Doctrine but pronounceth rather that his doctrine shall be iudged of all mankinde in generall And thus maye wee vnderstand that Christe is not to bee iudged by men with what title soeuer or prerogatiue they bee adorned but all mankinde to bee iudged by him according to the Doctrine of his worde The .xix. Chapter Of the saying of Paule The Church is the piller and ground of the trueth THey say that the Church is the piller and ground of truth and that it can not erre The Apostle speaketh not of the Church of anie one time or place but of the Catholike Church of al times and places which also conteineth the Prophets and all the Apostles with all their doctrine and Christ the Lorde himselfe as the chiefe and euerlasting heade and therefore her onely head This Church is the piller and grounde woorke of the trueth of the Prophetes and Apostles doctrine VVherefore we also following Augustine doe confesse that we are mooued by the testimonie of this Churche which also before wee sayde rather to beleeue the Gospel then the Popes and their Decrees and all their Councels But the Church of anie one time or place especially after the Apostles is not the piller and grounde of the trueth but so farre foorth as shee hath the word of God with her preacheth it reteineth it conserueth it and not because she strengthneth it being weak or maketh it to be of authoritie being vnconstant much lesse because she vsurpeth vnto her self a censours rod ouer it or setteth downe any thing concerning it after her owne iudgement Therefore as she speaketh foorth of God his worde she erreth not neither can she erre but either speaking or doing without it she not only can erre but doth erre But these men whilst they cloke their tyranny with the beautifull title of the Church faine vnto vs a Churche which although it ordeine any thing beside or against God his worde yet erreth not And therefore would they that shee should rather be beleeued then the worde of god But whilst they stay them selues vpon this opinion they differ as much as may be from the olde fathers and from the consent of the Catholike Church For the fathers in their councels did alwayes confirme their decrees by the testimonyes of Scripture And although they yeelded no small honour to councels yet ●n the greatest controuersies they did not ●o much appeale vnto councels as to God ●is oracles which are the Scriptures Heereof Augustine is witnesse which would not that the authoritie of the councell And this which Hilarie wrote long agoe may much more truely be applyed to our times For the greeuous and perilous errour in many and the fall of many although it doe vnderstande it selfe yet through shame to rise presumeth authoritie to it selfe hauing this impudencie of the number that wheras it erreth it would haue it esteemed wisedome and where as it erreth with many it affirmeth it to bee the vnderderstanding of the trueth whilest lesse errour is supposed to be in the trueth The xx Chapter Of the saying of Paule Brethren stand fast and holde the ordinaunces which ye haue beene taught whether it bee by our preaching or by our Epistle I Had almoste passed ouer the place of Paule whiche the defendours of superstitions obiect vnto vs as a moste strong and an vnanswearable argument And it is thus 2. Thes 2. vers 15. Therfore brethren stand fast and holde the ordinaunces which yee haue beene taught whether it be by our preaching or by our Epistle By this place it is manifest say they that all things which are necessarily to be holden are not comprehended in the writinges of the Apostles but that those thinges also which beeing deliuered by the Apostles with liuely voice are come vnto vs by traditions are to bee receiued with like reuerence and affection of godlines But when as they can not prooue that those traditions which they defende bee Paules they are woorthy to be laughed at and very foolish whilst they will holde vp their stinking piller of their superstitions by the testimonie of the Apostles And when Paule wrote this Epistle the Canon of the Scripture of the newe Testament was not yet made Which when it was once made by the authoritie of the holy Goost as we haue lately taught after the making thereof we make men the authours of thinges to bee beleeued not without the great reproche of the same spirit Wherfore in this matter we must consider with great heede that which Paule wrote aboute the ende of his life concerning the sufficiencie of the Scriptures when as hee sayth All Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God is profitable to doctrine to reproue to correction to instruction which is in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect instructed to all good woorkes For if the Scripture make the man of God instructed perfecte and throughlye furnished to euerye good work than doth it not leaue him to be instructed to be made perfect and to bee thorowly furnished by traditions in any good worke Wherefore so ofte as they bring in a worke which they contend to be good or any thing necessary to be beleeued which can not be proued foorth of the holy Scriptures I had rather say that that which they bring in is not good or profitable then to pronounce otherwise of the moste excellent authoritie of the Scripture than the Apostle hath appointed concerning the same What saye you to this moreouer that the doctrine which the Apostles taught whether it were by preaching or by Epistle was not contrary not