which thrust vpon vs a doctrine defiled and corrupted with the deuises of men in steade of the true doctrine of Christ and his Church endeuouring to bring to passe with fires with flames with water with swoorde and with halter more cruelly than euer did Nero or Dioclesian that we shoulde receiue the sayde doctrine as God his woorde because it is approued and confirmed by the Decrees and Councels of men So that wee being become the Disciples and scholers not of Christ the chiefe and heauenly maister but of men shoulde hang not of the authoritie of GOD but of men and worshippe him not after that Religion which was appointed by his owne lawes but after that Religion which mans rashnesse and boldenesse hath deuised and counterfeited With so great Religion forsooth is the fiercenesse of crueltie clothed The Samaritanes being moued by a woman of their owne nation after that they had 〈◊〉 Christ themselues answered that did no longer beleue Christ because â—e womans wordes but because they heard Christ themselues But howe â—h more rightly shal we answere these â—cers of mindes which goe about by â—eanes possible not to leade vs to â—ist as did that woman of Samaria to turne vs from him that wee doe beleeue them but Christ and that â—e doe not for their sake imbrace the â—â—spel but because wee haue hearde â—ist himselfe teache and that wee doe 〈◊〉 therefore approoue and receiue their â—â—cked deuises because they set them â—ale vnder the pretence of the Churche 〈◊〉 Councels but that wee doe conâ—ntly refuse and detest them because â—y are manifestly agaynst GOD 〈◊〉 trueth and because they doe their â—st endeuour to make the authoritie 〈◊〉 GOD subiect to the authoritie of â—n And what madnesse is this in that â—â—ey saye that it was done without the â—ill of GOD that the Apostles and Euangelists write the Gospel when as in the first writing of the newe TestameÌ„t that is to say in the Epistle of the Synod of the Apostles this gorgious flower is expressely read It seemed good to the holy Ghost Paule also witnesseth that all Scripture is geuen by inspiration of god To be briefe Iohn in the Reuelation is coÌ„maunded often to write for the instruction of the Church Yea the Lorde himselfe witnesseth It is not yee that speake but the spirite of your Father he it is which speaketh in you And we place speaking writing both in one degree so that he which said God into all the worlde and preach vnderstoode that the Gospel was also spread abroade by writing forsomuche as writing is plainely contained vnder doctrine To conclude the Catholike Church with one consent doeth witnesse that the bookes of the niewe Testament were written by the instinct of the holie Ghoste Doe these men with whom â–ª so ofte as they liste it is a greate offence to departe euen a little from the consente of the Churche not onelie â—â—â—â—rt from it but are directly contrarie 〈◊〉 it I meane in this place to repeate discusse the most beautifull sentence â—â—enaeus lately cited And this is it â—t is the onely true and liuely fayth â—â—â—ch the Church hath learned of the â—â—ostles and distributed to her chilâ—â—â—n For the Lord of all gaue to his â—â—ostles the power of the Gospel â—row whom we haue also knowne truth that is to say the doctrine of 〈◊〉 sonne of God to whom the Lord 〈◊〉 also he that heareth you heareth 〈◊〉 and he that despiseth you despiâ— me and him that sent me For we â—e not knowne the disposing of our â—ation thorow anie other but thoâ—â—w them by whom the Gospel came â—o vs which then they preached â—d afterward thorow the will of God â—iuered vnto vs in the Scriptures to the foundation and piller of our â—th This sentence of Irenaeus speaâ—h generally of the Scripture of the 〈◊〉 Testament the authoritie perfectiâ—â— and sufficiencie whereof he sheweth 〈◊〉 most strong demonstration That is without controuersie the onely true and liuely faith which the primitiue Church receiued from the Apostles and distributed to her children This faith was in the beginning conceiued of that doctrine which the Apostles receiued from the sonne of god And this doctrine whereof the faith of the primitiue Church sprang did the Apostles deliuer first without writing by liuely voice Afterwarde they put the same doctrine in writing By what aduise Was it by the aduise of man No but by the will of god But did they put the same doctrine in writing Euen the verie same which being receiued from the sonne of God they preached with liuely voyce out of the which onely the Primitiue Church receiued the true and liuely fayth from the Apostles and distributed it to her children Wherevnto tendeth this That these particular Churches onely vnto whom the Epistles of the Apostles were writteÌ„ should vse those writings for theiâ— present necessitie onely Not so Vnto vs say I haue the Apostles deliuered in the Scriptures the selfe same which they â—â—â—ached Remember that the Epiâ—s of the Apostles sayth Augustine 〈◊〉 not written for them onely which â—ard them in the same time when â—â—ey were written but for vs also neiâ—â—er are they recited in the Churche 〈◊〉 anie other purpose And what 〈◊〉 of the sayde Scripture woulde the Aâ—â—stles shoulde bee in the Church Ireâ—us answereth that that which they â—iuered to vs in the Scriptures might â—e in time to come the foundation and â—er of our faith euen of that true and â—ely fayth which the Church receiued the Apostles distributed to her chilâ—â—en Therefore we haue the foundation â—d piller of fayth in the Scriptures â—iche the Apostles by the will of God â—â—ue deliuered to vs Therfore that faith â—â—ich is conceiued proued confirmed â—â—th of any other then of the Scriptures â—iuered by the Apostles is not the true â—ely faith the Apostolike faith the faith the Primitiue Church These things most manifestly firmly agre togither 〈◊〉 Irenaeus his demoÌ„stration Therefore â—e â–ª sheweth for what purpose the Apostles deliuered their doctrine to vs in the scriptures and what they would the end of the sayde scripture should bee in the Church euen that it might be the foundation and piller of our faith which hauâ— not heard the liuely voice of the Apostles For wee will hereafter consider those thinges whiche Irenaeus in the same place reporteth of the accusers of thâ— Scriptures And that yet there wicked vanitiâ— may more plainly appeare which darâ— affirme that it was not done by the commandement of Christ that the Euangelists and Apostles committed certainâ— things to writing I will bring concerning this matter the most cleare witneâ— of Saint Augustine Hee in the firsâ— booke of the consent of the Euangelist the last chapter sayeth thus Through the manhoode which he tooke vpon him hee is the heade of all his Disciples as of the members of his own bodie Therefore when they wrote these
did beholde therein the power of God that the Scriptures are come vnto vs euen from the verie mouth of God by the administration of men Therefore the Spouse in the Ballets sayeth with marueilous ioy My beloued sayd vnto me I saye nothing of that which euerie one which is lightned with the light of true fayth must needes finde by experience in himselfe By this experience wrote once Augustine the man of God howe God by a little and a little tempered and disposed his heart with his most meeke and most mercifull hande and at the last thorowly perswaded him so that at the last he knew and beleeued that those bookes were deliuered to mankinde by the spirite and the onely true and most true god Therefore the authoritie of the Scripture doth depend not of the iudgement of the Churche but of the inwarde testifying of the holy Ghost And Iohn witnesseth that Christ sayd thus concerning the spirite If God were your father why do ye not know my speach For it is most certaine that we are adopted to be the sonnes of GOD by the meanes of the holie Ghost Which when we haue obteined Christ witnesseth in this place that wee by the lightning of the same Spirite may so discerne his speache from a strangers that it may be manifest and certaine vnto vs In the which selfe same sense Christ sayth also in another place He that entereth in by the doore is the shepheard of the sheepe To him the porter openeth and the sheepe heare his voyce and he calleth his owne sheepe by name and leadeth them out when he shall put forth his owne shepe he goeth before theÌ„ the sheepe follow him for they know his voice A stranger will they in no wise follow but flie from him for they know not the voice of strangers Neither is it to bee doubted that we become Christs sheepe through the power of the holy Ghost that we follow not falshood errours corruptions and heresies which are the voices of strangers but heare the onely voice of Christ that is to say imbrace the true and naturall sence of the Scripture And Paule saith to the Corinthians The naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirite of God for they are foolishnes vnto him neither caÌ„ he know them because they are spiritually discerned But he that is spirituall discerneth all things And in the same place The spirit searcheth the deepe things of God. And Christ also saith The comforter which is the holy ghost shal bring all things to your remeÌ„brance whatsoeuer I haue said vnto you Also Iohn hath these wordes in his Epistle The anointing teacheth you of al things Againe He that knoweth God heareth vs. To be briefe August in the place lately cited saith Therfore when as we were weake to finde foorth the truth by cleare reason and when as we had need of the authoritie of the holy Scriptures for the same purpose I began to beleue forthwith that thou wouldest by no meanes giue â—o excellent authoritie vnto that scripture throughout al lands but that thy will was that thou wouldest be sought by it and wouldest be beleeued by it Behold it is God I say it is God which hath established his holy bookes with so great authoritie in all nations And August addeth the cause why God will be sought through them why he wil be beleued through them I conclude therfore â–ª that the scripture hath not her authoritie chiefly froÌ„ the Church For the firmnes strength thereof dependeth of God not of men And the word being both firme sure was before the church For the church was called by the word And seeing the doctrine of the prophets of the apostles is the foundation of the Church it must needes bee that the certaintie of the Church must consist in the said doctrine as in her foundation and ground worke before the said Church can take her beginning For if the Church of Christ were founded in the beginning by the writings of the Prophetes and with the preaching of the Apostles wheresoeuer the saide doctrine bee founde certainely the allowing of the doctrine went before the Church without the which doctrine the Church could neuer haue beene And because the spirit of God wrought in the heartes of them which heard the word of God read it that they might acknowledge that it was not the word of man but of God vndoubtedly the worde of God receiueth authoritie from the spirite and not from the Church The .x. Chapter How the canon of the new Testament was ordeined and that it hath authoritie of it self from the authours thereof that the authoritie of the Church is mainteined thereby THey which reason that we haue receiued manie things to be beleeued â—f necessitie by the authoritie of the Church which are expressed in no part â—f the Scriptures make this as a great â—rgument as they thinke that there are â—ut foure Gospels onely which may not â—e discredited without the perill of losse â—f saluation and that it appeareth by no Scripture that the other Scriptures which we haue are Canonicall worâ—hie credite Neither are the titles thereâ—f the titles of the Scripture but put to â—y others Therefore say they if we shall â—eceiue nothing but that which is in the Scriptures then shall wee not receiue â—he scriptures themselues Nowe that I may disclose the deceitfulnesse of this argumeÌ„t the indifferent reader must know â—hat the Canonicall Scripture hath her â—uthoritie chiefly from the holy Ghost â—y whose motion and inspiration it was â—et forth as lately wee did declare And â—fter that from the writers vnto whome God gaue certaine and peculiar testimonies of the truth Wherevnto is added the witnesse of the primitiue Church in whose time those bokes wer published receiued And they which haue the spirit of faith do not dispute peeuishly of the receiuing of the said bookes who receiued them or who reiected them but acknowledge in them the sweete sauouring force of the spirit by whose instinct they were set forth The canon of the new Testament was ordeined by the authoritie of God and receiued by the Church of the Apostles Neither can I sufficiently meruaile at their rashnesse which saye that the authoritie of the church hath giuen canonical authoritie vnto certaine of the scriptures yea and those the chiefest which otherwise neither of themselues neither of their authours they could haue had amongst vs Words Not the authoritie of euery one but of the Apostles is required to make any writing in the new Testament Canonical or giuen by inspiration from God. As well saith Tertul. when as he confuteth the counterfeit gospel of Marcion First we do holde that a true Gospel must haue the Apostles for the authors thereof Iohn sawe the writings of three Euangelists allowed â—hem And by writing his Gospel hee â—ade an ende of writing Gospels And â—herefore saieth hee
And many other â—ignes truely did Iesus before the eyes â—f his disciples which are not written â—n this boke These are written that ye â—ight beleeue that Iesus is Christ the â—onne of God and that in beleuing ye â—ight haue life thorow his name By â—e which wordes if we beleeue the Faâ—hers Iohn coÌ„mended vnto the Church â—ot onely his owne Gospel but also the Gospels of the other three Euangelists Therfore by the euideÌ„t testimony of Iohn â—hose things are written by the foure Eâ—aÌ„gelists with holy choise which might sufâ—se the saluatioÌ„ of men not satisfie their â—uriositie Paule hath signed his Epistles 〈◊〉 a peculiar marke so haue we 2. Thes â— The salutatioÌ„ of me Paul with mine â—wne hand which is the tokeÌ„ in euery â—pistle So I write The grace of our â—ord Iesus Christ be with you all Amen Vpon these words Ambrose saith â—ecause of corrupters of the scriptures â—e witnesseth that he subscribeth the â—alutation himselfe alwayes with his â—wn hand in euery one of his Epistles that the Epistle might not be receiue vnder his name which was not subscribed with his hand And Theodoret sayth This did he adde moreouer because of them which presumed to carie about couÌ„terfeit Epistles teaching them to looke for the subscription For this sayth he is the signe of mine Epistles For I write the salutation my selfe in euery Epistle Therefore hereby we learne that this The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with you all Amen is vsually writteÌ„ by him in stead of fare well Thus farre Theodorete Herevpon is it that in the ende of the Epistle to the Romans when as he had set downe his vsuall subscription The grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ be with you all Amen And had added newe salutations in the behalfe of other brethren he repeateth the subscription the seconde time In the ende of the first Epistle to the Corinthians he subscribeth thus The salutation of me Paul with mine owne hande If any man loue not the Lord Iesus Christ the same be Anathema maranatha The grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ be with you Ambrose vpon the same woordes sheweth the cause The vsuall subscription of his owne hand Also Theodorete sayeth I haue indited the Epistle my selfe and put to the salutation with mine owne hande shewing to all men by those letters that those things which are written are mine He subscribeth the Epistle to the Galathians with these wordes Brethren the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ be with your spirit Amen VpoÌ„ the which wordes Theodoretus sayeth He put vnto his letters his vsual blessing as a certaine seale putting them in remembrance of the gift giueÌ„ them which they receiued not by the law but by faith Ambrose in the ende of the first to Timothe sayeth He subscribed with his owne hand saying Grace be with thee Amen And the Apostle subscribeth the second to Timothe after this maner The Lord Iesus Christ be with thy spirite Grace be with you Amen Vpon the which words Ambr. noteth This is the subscriptioÌ„ of the Apostle for he saith it is his mark in euery epist. And Tert. sayth that the verie hande writings of the Apostles were conserued euen in his time in the Apostolike Churches To be briefe Paule doth not onely confirme his Epistles with so great diligence by subscriptions but also hath set them forth with much more riche and polished inscriptions than other writers are accustomed The same hath Peter done also who hath commended Paul his Epistles to the Churches in expressed woordes Iohn concludeth his canonicall Epistle thus These things haue I written vnto you that beleeue on the name of the sonne of God that ye may know that ye haue eternall life and that ye maye beleeue on the name of the sonne of God. Why should not this Epistle bee canonical which was written to this end by the instinct of the spirite of God that the faythfull might be assured of their saluation in Christ through fayth The Epistle to the Hebrues whether it bee Lukes or Barnabasses or Clements the Church is vncertaine of the Authour but most certaine of the spirit and of the truth sauoureth such a grace of the Apostles diuinitie that it easily defendeth it selfe from being reiected The Epistle of Iames being filled full of most wholsome precepts well sheweth that the authour thereof was Iames the seruant of God and of our Lord Iesus Christ whether he were the sonne of Alphe or that Oblias the matter is not great For they were both worthie men The one an Apostle the other a Disciple the Lords cousin of great authoritie in the Church and among the Iewes also I would therfore that they should tell mee which bee those chiefe bookes of the newe Testament which haue authoritie from the church which they could neither haue of themselues nor of their authours And it may be gathered forth of those thinges which I haue alledged now forth of the newe Testament how the Canon of the Scripture of the newe Testament was made and from whence the Canonicall Scripture hath that excellent authoritie Therefore the Church receiued this Canon from the Apostles confirmed by no Councell and deliuered it as it were from hande to hande vnto the posteritie Wherefore Iohn in the ende of his Gospel addeth both his owne testimony and also the witnesse of the Church when as he saith The same disciple is he which testifieth of these things wrote these things and we know that his testimonie is true And this testimonie of the Church is not the deuise of man but necessarie such a confession as is expressed by the truth of the thing it selfe wherof we will intreate more at large in the place coÌ„uenient And since they do so peeuishly contend that the authoritie of the Scripture doeth depend of the Church why do they not bring forth some canon or decree of some councell whereby holie scripture was approued or confirmed The primitiue Church of the Christians found the bookes of the olde Testament authentical firme and by them approued confirmed the articles of our faith Afterwards succeeded the bookes of the Apostles written by the inspiratioÌ„ of the spirite of God which no decree of man confirmed For Gods word is not subiect to mans will and pleasure but contrarily whatsoeuer the Churches ordeyned they alwayes were careful to proue it by the word of God as it may be proued by the CouÌ„cels of best credite So that well wrote blessed Siluianus Bishop of Marsiles All other things that is to say the sayinges of men haue neede of profes and witnesses but the word of God is a witnesse to it selfe for it must needes bee an vncorrupt witnesse of truth which vncorrupt truth speaketh In deede the Councels haue made a rehearsall of the bookes of holy scripture written by inspiration from God which some
reproue to witnesse and to set forth the holy Scriptures plainely yet doth she not require to be beleued but because she speaketh the words of god And the church hath iiii goodly offices about the Scriptures First shee keepeth safe the bookes of holy Scripture as a witnesse Secondly she preacheth and publisheth them Thirdly she discerneth them from counterfeites Fourthly shee interpreteth them And these functions proue not that the Church hath authoritie ouer the Scripture as many foolishly suppose For whereas the Church keepeth the scripture safe as a witnesse it cannot bee inferred thereby that it is lawfull for the Church to peruert or change anie thing in the holye Scriptures For so should she weaken the force of her testimonie and shew her selfe to be an vntrustie witnesse And this would be a corrupting and not witnesse bearing For the pure and simple fourme of the commandement sayth Ambrose is denounced by earnest testimonies to be kept A witnesse for the most part when as he addeth any thing of his owne deuising to the orderly report of things done staineth the whole credite of his testimonie by the lying report of the part Nothing must therefore be added although it bee neuer so good It is a common vse to committe publike and priuate euidences to recorders whome commonly men call Notaries to keepe and conserue with all diligence and yet no wise man will say that they may lawfully chaunge any thing that is conteined in them And it is not to be beleeued that the authoritie of the sayd Notaries is of greater strength than was their willes which requested that those things might be so recorded Neither is it any matter that the Churche receiued the worde of God deliuered by liuely voyce before it was committed to writing In deede the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say vnwritten in time is before the woorde which afterwarde was written yet both were bestowed vpon the Church being of one authoritie and of like efficacie For the Scripture sayeth of the woorde written They haue Moses and the Prophets let them heare them And as it was then the duetie of the Churche to heare GOD speaking in the writinges of Moses and the Prophetes so is it nowe the duetie of the Church to heare Christ with all reuerence speaking in the writings of the Euangelists and Apostles to imbrace the instructioÌ„ of the spirite Although the honour of the Church be great that shee is chosen of God to be as it were the keeper and defender of this most excellent and worthie treasure yet maye the Churche by no meanes either wreith or change or corrupt those writings but ought as a faithfull keeper with chiefe care and prouision to keepe the bookes of holy scripture vncorrupted for them which shall come after The xiiij Chapter That the Church publisheth the worde of God. WE said that the second dutie of the Church about the Scripture is to publish and preach the wordes committed to her by god Wherein the Church is like to a crier who although he doe proclaime the Edictes and commandements of Princes Magistrates yet is he not aboue them or of equall authoritie with them but all his indeuour is to pronounce all things faithfully as he hath receiued them from the Princes and the Magistrates and if he doe otherwise he may worthily bee holden for a traitour Well sayeth Chrysostome For as the crier proclaimeth to all that are present in the stage so do we saith the Apostle proclaime publikely with this condition that we adde nothing but that we proclaime those thinges onely which we haue heard For this â—s the vertue of a crier to publish those â—hings truly which are committed to him not to adde any thing or to change or to take away Tertullian agreeth with Chrysostome saying We may not follow our owne appetite in deuising any thing of our selues neiâ—her may we choose any thing which â—ny other hath deuised wee haue the Apostles of the Lord for our authors who chose not any thing of their own â—udgement which they might bring 〈◊〉 but faythfully assigned to nations â—he doctrine receiued of Christ Therefore though an Angell from heauen preach otherwise we may call him accursed Let vs therefore auoyde them which intrude mens deuises and traditions as necessarie to bee obserued and beleeued let vs heare with all attentiuenesse the sincere preaching of the Gospel in the Church and reuerence it The .xv. Chapter That the Church discerneth the bookes of holy Scripture from Aprocryphal and counterfeit THirdly forsomuch as the Church is indued with the spirite of God we doe confesse that it is her function to discerne the sincere and true bookes of holy Scripture from the counterfeit and Apocryphal So hath the Church disallowed and reiected the Gospell of Thomas of Bartholomewe of Thaddee of the Nazarites of Nicodemus as also the actes of Peter the diuers reuelations of the Apostles the Booke of the Pastour and such like Contrarily shee hath allowed and receiued the foure Gospels which wee haue and the writings of the Apostles which in these dayes we reade in our Churches And although the conseruation of the assured bookes of the Prophetes and Apostles as of a certaine diuine Treasure be the singular worke and benefite of GOD notwithstanding both the diligence and authoritie of the church is to be acknowledged herein which hath partly giuen foorth her Testimoniall of the assured writinges and hath partly by her spirituall iudgement refused the writinges which are vnworthie and which agree not with the rest of the writinges of the Prophetes and Apostles Which was so much the more easie because as saith Augustine they wrote in suche a time wherein they were thought worthie to bee allowed not onely of the Churche of Christ but also euen of the Apostles who then remayned aliue But to discerne Bookes is not to bee of greater authoritie than are the sayde Bookes as some foolishly dreame For when as the King his letters be brought some gouernours of Cities and presidentes of Prouinces are able by vse and ciuill skill sufficientlie to iudge whether they be true letters or forged which are deliuered them in the Kinges name and yet may they not at their owne pleasure either change or wrest them when they shall perceiue that they are not couÌ„terfeited or feigned And wee may not otherwise esteeme of the Church Who although she haue giuen foorth her faythfull testimonie to the bookes of holy Scripture and not to the workes of other who peraduenture did not onely digresse from the truth of the historie but also reported many things which are cleane contrarie to the olde testament and to the other Euangelists yet may shee not otherwise vnderstande or ordaine any thing then God hath defined and taught in these bookes of holie Scripture But if they which being lighted by the holy Ghost acknowledged the holy Scriptures to be the words of God
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 â—n the greatest controuersies they did not â—o much appeale vnto councels as to God â—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
is that worthie wisedome which hitherto hath filled the mindes of the blinde Iewes with most foolish knowledges and hath caused worthie men otherwise in the Church and a great multitude folowing them to departe from the truth and to goe out of the way So that it is a most sure way to examine all traditions by what title so euer they be commended according to the rule of Scripture that that which hath not authoritie by the Scriptures may be by the same facilitie contemned whereby it is prooued as Hierome his saying well warneth vs. For the counsell of Chrysostome is wise which sayth Therefore the Lord knowing that there would come such a confusion in the last dayes doth commaund that the Christians which are in Christianitie willing to receiue the strength of the true faith shoulde runne to nothing but to the Scriptures otherwise if they shall regarde anie thing else they shall be offended and perish Againe Ierome sayeth The sworde of GOD striketh other things which men finde and deuise of their owne accorde without the authoritie and testimonies of the Scriptures as though they came by the tradition of the Apostles Therefore at all times and in euerie doubtfull matter we must flie to the Scripture which executeth the office of the chiefe Iudge in euerie controuersie of Diuinitie to whose sentence all traditions all Churches all Councels all deuises of men ought to stand and from the which it is not lawfull to appeale to anie other nor to depart from the worde of God and to giue our selues greedily to the traditions of men For he which heareth the scripture heareth the holy Ghost the authour of the Scriptures and reuerenceth him and contrarily he which despiseth the iudgement seate of the Scriptures and the iudgements giuen in the Scriptures will not quiet himselfe therewith despiseth the spirite of God and vseth himselfe more reprochfully against him than can be vttered And he which will not suffer himselfe to be led as it were by the hand by the guiding of the Scripture foorth of the thornes and briers of doubtes errours superstitions corruptions abuses is verie well worthie to wander out of the way he knoweth not whether to stray perpetually The Conclusion I haue prooued by a verie large and contentious disputation that the holie Scripture is God his worde wherein is inclosed a full and a perfect summe of heauenly wisedome Neither is there any thing necessarie to saluation which is not set forth in the Scriptures For if there had beene any thing needfull to be knowne God would not had omitted it since his will was to teache vs thereby not to the halfes but fully whatsoeuer his pleasure was that wee should know and which hee knewe to bee profitable for vs This is the onely foundation and piller of the liuely faith this is the sure bulwarke against the deceites of errours Foorth of this ought Heresies to bee confuted foorth of this ought doctrines chiefly to be discerned foorth of this ought definitions of fayth and assertions to be taken The Scripture is of most cleare and pearelesse authoritie so that all godly and faythfull vnderstanding ought to serue it And it is the Catholike consent of the Fathers yea and of all the Church that the Canonicall Scripture ought to bee preferred before all Churches all Councels although they bee generall all Traditions Decrees deuises writings of all men although they excell in learning and holinesse The Church doeth so reuerence and adore the fulnesse perfectnesse and soundnesse of the Scripture that she doeth accurse as wicked and false witnesses of God as detestable authours of offences Heresies and dissentions as proude vaine and fallen from the fayth so many as do preach beyonde the scripture Yea and she suspecteth euerie reuelation euerie prophecie euerie Tradition to bee briefe euerie rule of faith which is not grounded in the Law and the Prophets and the Gospel And the high perfection of the chiefe authoritie of the Scripture doeth not depende of the Church or of any testimonie of man but chiefly of the witnesse of the holy Ghost For the allowing of this doctrine went before the Church which was called sprong and increased by the worde and which is stayed vp by the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles as by a ground worke or proppe Although we doe not denie that the authoritie of the Church is then of some weight when as it consenteth and agreeth with the authoritie of the Scripture both for this purpose that the scriptures may be beleeued and also for this that the Scriptures may be well vnderstanded But the Church doeth not make newe articles of the fayth or a newe interpretation but is a witnesse and a restorer of the true and incorrupt meaning deliuered in the Scriptures and by the voice of the Apostles and carieth before her the light of the woorde to put awaye the darkenesse brought into the Scriptures by Heretikes And this is the care of the Church alwayes to confirme by Scripture whatsoeuer shee appoint For shee doeth reuerently acknowledge that her authoritie doeth staye it selfe by the woorde and doeth depende of the woorde For the Scripture is a plaine sure and infallible note of the Church For in the Scripture and no where else in so great varietie of sectes and repugnancie of opinions is the Church to bee sought knowne and prooued and by it to bee esteemed Where the Scripture is heard there is the Church there doe the sheepe knowe the voyce of the sheepheard And if the doctrine of trueth bee buried the Church vanisheth forthwith from mens eyes Neither doeth the Church reigne ouer our fayth neither doeth shee require to bee beleeued but so farre foorth as shee speaketh the woordes of god For when as shee doeth confesse that shee receiueth her authoritie and credite from the Scripture onely shee submitteth her selfe obediently to the holie Scriptures Therefore whatsoeuer shee affirmeth or denieth whatsoeuer shee appointeth or commaundeth or disappointeth or forbiddeth shee woulde haue it knowne and beleeued that shee bringeth foorth therein not her owne or anie other mans or creatures but the wordes and sense of God but of Christ Therefore the Church doeth not erre for she followeth her owne iudgement in nothing but euery where and in all thinges obeyeth Gods worde wherein there is no darkenesse no errours And if she do otherwise this saying of Scripture is true Let euerie man be a lyer and God onely true In deede the Church is the piller and ground of truth because she is keeper of sounde doctrine and publisheth it to them which come after least it should faile in the worlde And that is the holie and diuine Scripture which the consent of the Church doeth allowe and approoue but this consent and this approbation is not the deuise of man but a necessarie confession and a testification expressed by the force of the truth which doeth not bring to passe that the authoritie of the
Church is greater or of like credite with the authoritie of the Scripture But the Church of the wicked which not onely heareth not God his worde but most cruelly persecuteth and killeth them which beleeue the Gospel besides this is grounded wholy vpoÌ„ mens traditions declareth manifestly that shee is of him of whom it is written Ye are of your father the Diuel and the lustes of your father will ye doe he was a murtherer from the beginning abode not in the trueth because there is no truth in him For she is knowne what she is by the fruites of her Herodlike crueltie vanitie bewitchings and corruptions But the spouse of Christ heareth the voice of her bridegroome and submitteth her selfe to him as it is meete Her chastitie is not to bee withdrawne from the singlenesse of Christ as Paul witnesseth Therefore shee erreth not which followeth God his trueth for a rule from the which if shee depart shee is no longer a spouse but becommeth an harlot Therefore he which iudgeth that the definitions of the reuolting church ought to be heard without choise any exception compelleth the faithful Christ being denied and Gods trueth forsaken often times to sticke fast to iniquitie so that the iudgement of such a Church can in no respect be a most exact rule of fayth But the holie Ghost sayeth plainly of the Scripture that the man which bestoweth his diligent trauaile in the holie Scriptures becommeth learned to saluation which is prepared after this life then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say perfect lastly furnished instructed and as Ambrose yeeldeth it thorowly appointed and prouided to euerie good worke Thou hast here gentle reader a treatise of the authoritie of the Scripture and of the Church penned by me verie grossely and almost rudely which God graunt it may recompence the largenes thereof with due commoditie and profite I could excuse the infancie and the disordered inditing thereof but that I feare to inlarge it by excusing the same Therfore I beseech the learned eares to pardon my baren want of eloquence the rudenesse of my style For I haue not written these things for the learned but being my selfe rude simple for the rude simple The Lord Iesus breake in peeces the moste hurtfull corde of contention with the spirit of trueth and of true concorde and pluck vppe by the roote and put away from all vs which professe his name the offence of discentions among vs that we may all speake one thing and be ioyned togither with one minde and iudgement in him to whome be praise honour and glorie for euermore Amen FINIS Certaine additions by the Translator AVgustine in his Booke Of the vnitie of the Church the 16. Chapter vrging the Donatistes saith Let them shew none otherwise but by the Canonical books of the Scriptures whether they haue the Church For neither doe we say that we ought heerevpon to be beleeued because we are in the Church of Christ because Melenitanus Optatus or Ambrose of Millane or other innumerable Bishopes of our fellowship commended that Church which we haue Or because it is preached by the councels of our fellowes in office Or because so great miracles either of hearings or of healings are wrought thorowe out all the world in holy places which our fellowship doeth frequent Or that men ought to departe from Donatus his side because such an one sawe a dreame and such an one beeing rauished in the spirite heard a voice Whatsoeuer of this sort are done in the catholike Church are therfore approued because they are done in the Catholike Churche the Catholike Church is not therfore made knowen because these things are done in her The Lord Iesus him selfe when hee rose from the deade and offered his body to be beholden with his disciples eyes and to bee touched with their handes yet leste they should thinke that they were any whit deceiued or deluded iudged that they ought rather to be confirmed with the testimonies of the lawe and Prophetes Psalmes shewing that those thinges were fulfilled concerning him which had bene foretolde so long before So did he commend his Church also saying that repentaunce and remission of sinnes should bee preached in his name c. He hath witnessed that this is written in the lawe and the Prophetes and the Psalmes this doe wee holde beeing commended by his mouth These bee the documentes of our cause these bee the foundations these bee the confirmations We read in the Actes of the Apostles spoken of certaine which beleeued that they searched the Scriptures dayly whether those things were so What Scriptures I pray you but the Canonicall Scriptures of the lawe and the prophets Hereunto are added the Gospels the Epistles of the Apostles the Actes of the Apostles and the Reuelation of Iohn Searche all these and picke out some manifeste Proofe whereby you may shewe that either the Church remained onely in Afrike or that shee should come foorth of Afrike But bring forth somewhat which needeth not an interpreter nor wherby you may be conuicted that it was spoken of an other matter that you goe aboute to wreast it to your owne sense Hierome to Mimerius and Alexander sayth Neither according to the scholers of Pythagoras is the preiudiciall opinion of the teacher to be wayed but the reason of the doctrine But if any of a contrary faction murmure saying Why should I read their eâ—clamations vnto whose opinions I doe not assent Let him know that I doe willinglie heare this saying of the Apostle Examine all things hold fast that which is good â–ª and the woordes of our Sauiour saying try ye the coine so wel that if there be any counterfeit money and haue not Caesar his image neither bee signed with the common coine it may bee reprooued And that that money which doth represent the face of Christe in the cleere light may be layed vp in the purse of our heart And a little after hee sayth My purpose is to reade the auncient Writers to try all thinges to holde those thinges which are good and not to departe froÌ„ the faith of the church Psal. 120.4 The prayse of the Church of Christ Irenaeus aduersus haeres lib. 3. ca. 4 Rom. 10.15 What the aduersaries gather of the authoritie of the Church August contra epist. Manichaeorum fundament cap. 5. Manie things say the aduersaries are to be beleeued which are not written Mat. 18.17 1. Tim. 3.15 Io. 16.7 13. Hierem. 31.33 Matth. 28.19 Mark. 16.15 Against the persons of the aduersarie Why they do attribute so much to the Church and derogate from the Scripture They do imitate herein the olde heretikes Irenaeus lib. 3. cap. 2. Augustin de haerisib ad quod vult Deum Tertul. lib. de haeresib Philaster lib. 1. Euseb Historia Ecclesiae lib. 4. cap. 29. It is a pernicious errour to contend that the authoritie of the scripture must
vppon you and ye shall be cleane yea from all your vncleannesse and from all your idolâ— shall I cleanse you a newe hearte also will I geue you and a newe spirite will I put into you as for that stonie hearte I will take it one of your fleshe and geue you a fleshie hearte I will geue my spirite amongst you and cause you to walke in my commaundementes and ye shal keepe my iudgementes and doe them Of the lightening of the minde is this prophesie of Esaie The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lorde euen as the Sea floweth ouer with water Also And they shal be all taught of God Againe this prophesie of Ioel which Saint Peter interpreteth And it shal be in the last daies saith God of my spirite I will powre out vpoÌ„ all flesh your sonnes and your daughters shall prophesie your young men shall see visions and your olde men shall dreame dreames And on my seruants and on my handmaydens I will powre out of my spirite Of the free remission of sinnes Esaie hath reasoned most plainely in his liii chapter And Daniel in his 9. chapter Micheas also in his last chapter Who is such a God as thou saith he that pardonest wickednesse and forgiuest the offences of the remnant of thy heritage He keepeth not his wrath foreuer for his delight is to haue coÌ„passion He shall turne againe and be mercifull to vs he shal put downe our wickednesses cast all our sinnes into the bottome of the sea But what did the holy fathers of the â—lde testament lacke these benifits Not 〈◊〉 For in obeying the commaundements of GOD and in belieuing rightly they did worshippe God purely which thing they did not performe by the strength of â—ree will nor by naturall power For had it not beene that they had Gods lawes promises written in their minde and vnderstanding by the holie Ghost and also a good wil to obey his commaundements through the grace of God they had not bin able to haue done such things Therefore they wanted not the diuine light which lightened them to beleeue obey And their sinnes also were forgeueÌ„ them through Christ Therefore they also enioyed these good thinges Why then did he promise that he woulde geue these thinges in the new League Truely because the father shewed foorth the power of his spirit much more plentifully vnder the kingdom of Christ and poured foorth his mercie vpon men This excellencie is the cause that that small portion of grace which he vouchesafed to bestowe vpon the fathers vnder the lawe is not to be made accompt of Therefore the difference consisted herein onely euen in the largenesse and plainnesse For at that time those giftes were restrained to verie fewe but now are the Gentils also made partakers of them They were in that age somewhat darke and intricate but vnto vs are they made plaine and cleare so that we neede not anie more the olde schoolemaister like instruction Therefore the difference of the olde and newe Testament doeth consiste in this largenesse playnnesse putting away of the olde schoolemaister like instruction and excellent clearnesse of the Gospel and not in that colde and vnsauourie I will not say wicked deuise of not writing the doctrine of the Gospel which these triflers doe feigne For what Hath GOD powred forth in the time of grace so great giftes by the meanes of immediate inspiration from GOD or without anie meanes That may not be By what meanes therefore hath he brought it to passe Euen by the ministerie of the Gospel For by it hath Christ most effectually shewed foorth the force of his spirit hath most clearly made himselfe knowâ—â— to men and hath moste plentifully â—estowed all the treasures of his heaâ—enly riches vpon mankinde So that â—e ministerie of the lawe and of Moses â—e Lawegiuer in comparison of the miâ—isterie of the Gospel may seeme verie â—arraine and drie and as Saint Paule â—earmeth it onely the deade letter destiâ—ute of the liuely iuyce of God his spiâ—ite Wherefore the same Paule when he woulde commende the efficacie of his ministerie alluded to the Prophesie of Ieremie saying Yee are our Epistle written in our heartes vnderstoode and read of all men Forasmuche as yee are manifestly declared that yee are the Epistle of Christ ministred by vs written not with ynke but with the Spirite of the liuing GOD not in stonie tables but in fleshie tables of the heart Here muste wee diligently note that hee calleth them forthwith the Epistle of Christ whom a litle before he called his Epistle moreouer he doth straightway reconcile expouÌ„d those things which at the first sight semed to be coÌ„trarie the one to the other when as he addeth Ministred by vs. It may be called his Epistle in this respect that the holie Ghost seemeth to vse him in the writing thereof as the writer and the penne and it may also be called the Epistle of Christe because he is the authour of the saide writing and endited it to Paul by his spirite and guided the hande and penne of the writer and moreouer ingraued with his finger the healthfull doctrine of the Gospel in the heartes of the Corinthians by the force whereof it is not nowe printed in stonie tables as was the lawe before but in the fleshly tables of the hearte This is therefore to pertaine to the newe Testament saith Augustine to haue the lawe of God written not in tables but in the heartes that is to say to conteine the righteousnesse of the lawe in the inwarde affection where fayth woorketh through loue This is that sweete goodnesse of the hearte euen a niewe creature in Christe This is that pleasaunt goodnesse of the minde euen lightenyng And this happie and â—â—â—ceiued goodnesse doeth not lead vs â—â—y from the Lawe and testimonie to know not what vnsauerie traditions doeth delight in the law of God and â—geth to passe that our will is in the â—we of the Lord and that we exercise 〈◊〉 selues therin day and night although other law striue still in our members â—â—â—inst the lawe of the minde vntill the â—â—wnesse which from day to day is inâ—ased in the inwarde man all oldnesse â—ng chaunged passe away The grace God thorow Iesus Christ our Lorde â—iuering vs from the bodie of this â—ath Moreouer who is he nowe but hee â—y see by the premisses howe iustly the â—rt may bee turned backe vpon our adâ—rsaries which they foolishly and rashâ— wrested forth of the Prophesie of Iereâ—ie The Lorde giueth his lawe into â—â—r heartes and writeth it in our bowels â—ith his finger and bringeth to passe â—at we walke in his statutes and keepe â—s iudgements and doe them he lighteth our mindes with the knowledge of â—â—m he freely forgiueth our sinnes and putteth away our iniquities Therefore let vs sanctifie and glorifie him and turne from these iuglers
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of the same nature as is Instruction whereof 1. Cor. 10. All these things saith Paule hapned vnto them for ensample but they are written for our admonition This doeth perteine to the instruction and amendment of life the which the examples applied by the Apostle and all the course of his speache doeth witnesse For hee sayth that the Fathers which came forth of Egypt were baptized and that they were refreshed with the spirituall meate and drinke as well as wee notwithstanding when they did not keepe them selues from sinnes that they were grieuously punished through God his iustice and vtterly destroyed by death Therefore doeth the Apostle admonishe all Christians by their examples that although they bee baptized and fedde with the spirituall foode of the bodie and bloud of Christ yet may they not esteeme that sufficient to saluation but desire moreouer to liue godly and innocently whiche except they doe that they shall perishe by the example of the old Fathers 4. Correction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is whereby men are reprooued corrected and reformed if anie negligence or faults appeare in their liues maners â—â—erefore by it are men reproued for deâ—â—â—ing the doctrine of religion for hypoâ—â—â—e pride ambition couetousnesse 〈◊〉 such like And by it is also shewed â—e they which haue offended both â—â—ght and may be amended Consolaâ—â—â—n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is whereby their â—ndes are comforted and confirmed â—â—ich either through errour in doctrine through faulte in actions or through â—ne inconuenience either spirituall or â—porall were discomforted and discouâ—â—ged To be briefe doctrine and reâ—â—oofe are occupied in expounding docuâ—entes instruction admonition and corâ—â—ction treate of life and manners vnto â—ose two are referred the chiefe pointes 〈◊〉 fayth and vnto the other two the â—eties of charitie as vnto consolation â—e pertaine properly those things wherâ—y hope is stirred vp The first two conâ—â—ine speculation instruct the inwarde â—an the other two containe action and â—mploy all their labour in instructing the â—utwarde man The two first discerne â—rue doctrine from false when as the one â—onfirmeth the trueth stoutely the other confuteth falshood pithily The two other discerne godly and honest deedes from wicked and dishonest deedes for the one teacheth and persuadeth honest deedes the other sharpely reproueth dishonest deedes and doth labour and indeuour to amende them And these pointes haue I written foorth of the most learned Hyperius touching al the which since the most plentiful fountaine of the scriptures doth yeelde aboundantly most wholesome and sweete preceptes doeth it not largely minister that whereby the whole man as wel the inward as the outwarde may be rightly instructed in faith charitie hope So that Paule did wholesomely admonishe Timothie to take heede to himselfe and vnto doctrine for in doing this he shall both saue himself them that heare him Therefore the Authours lastly cited and Augustine also do teache right wel that those thinges are written by the Euangelistes Apostles which they iudged to be sufficient for the saluation of the beleeuers as well for manners as for doctrine that they shining in right 〈◊〉 in wordes and vertue might come â—e kingdom of heaueÌ„ through Christ 〈◊〉 whome Chrysostome agreeth disâ—ing of the worthinesse of the Scripâ—es Whatsoeuer saith he is requiâ— for saluation the same is fully conâ—ned in the scriptures Also The Gosâ—â— containeth all things both things â—esent and thinges to come honour â—â—dlinesse faith comprehendeth 〈◊〉 things together vnder the name of â—â—dlinesse Athanasius also accordeth â—rein contra gentes The holy scripâ—â—res saith he geuen from God by in â—iration are sufficient for all instructiâ—n of truth I omit many testimonies â—hich I could alledge here foorth of the â—oly fathers which geue in plaine witâ—es of the perfectioÌ„ fulnes sufficiency â—f the Scripture I doe therefore conâ—lude that all things which concerne the perfection of the man of God are plentiâ—ully contained in the Scripture So that Paule did moste wisely admonishe the Euangelicall pastour that it behoued him to bee wise foorth of the written woorde of GOD onelie wherein are perfectly sette foorth whatsoeuer to pertaine as well to the knowledge establishing of true doctrines and to the ouerthrowing of false doctrines as also to the correcting of euill manners and instructing of good manners Therefore do the aduersaries wrongfully complaine of the straitnesse and imperfection of the Scripture and they doe also vainly contende that all thinges which concerne faith are not contained in the bookes of holie Scripture As by these thinges which followe more plainely shall appeare The vi Chapter That the Scripture was geuen by inspiration to correct euill manners and to confute heresies That foorth of it onelie controuersies must be iudged And that it is neither darke nor doubtful BAsill Archbishoppe of Caesaria in Cappadocia in the beginning of his Homilie vppon the first Psalme sayâ—â—â— All the Scripture being geuen 〈◊〉 God by inspiration and proâ—â—ble is constantly receiued as it is â—â—ten by the holie Ghost for this â—â—ose onelie that euerie one might â—ose foorth of it as foorth of a cerâ—â—e common shoppe for the curing â—oules a medicine healthful and fitt â—his disease Well and wisely said Baâ— forsomuch as all thinges which perâ—â—e to the instruction of true godlinesse 〈◊〉 the framing of our life are fully comâ—â—hended and set forth in the Scripture doeth appeare by those things which â— haue alreadie spoken Scripture is â—e to make the man of God wise vnto â—â—uation through faith which is in â—â—rist Iesus which was therefore giuen 〈◊〉 inspiration of God that foorth of it a and onelie foorth it true doctrine â—â—ght be confirmed and false doctrine â—nfuted and good manners might bee â—ught and euill manners reformed â—s Chrysostome teacheth most finely 〈◊〉 his first Homilie vppon Matthewe It â—ad bene meet saith he that we should â—ot neede the helpe of writinges but that wee shoulde leade so pure a life in all thinges that wee mighte vse the grace of the spirit in steed of bookes But because wee haue put this grace from vs let vs at the leaste sette our mindes on the seconde remedie Euen so God spake to the Patriarches not by writinges but by himselfe because he founde their heartes naked But after that all the people of the Iewes were fallen into the sinke of sinnes then were writinges necessarily geuen and the tables and that admonition which is geuen by them And wee doe vnderstande playnely that this did not onely happen to the holie men of the olde Testament but also of the newe For neither did Christe deliuer anie thing in writing to his Apostles but promised to geue theÌ„ the grace of the holie Ghost in steede of writinges And that this was muche better for them Hieremie chapter 31. and Paule 2. Cor. 3. doe witnesse But because in processe of time some erred
is necessarie for vs to folowe the holie scriptures and in nothing to depart from their determination Ambrose de officiis lib. 1. saith We may vse as we will those things which we finde not in holy scripture In the commentaries vpon the 86. Psalme which are set foorth in Hierom his name wee reade these wordes The Lorde shall rehearse it in the scripture of his people and of the Princes which were in her Howe shall the Lorde rehearse it Not by woorde but by writing By whose writing By the writing of his people that is to say by the holy scripture which is read to all people that is that all may vnderstande it Plato wrote not to the people but to a few for scantly three men vnderstand him But these that is to say the princes of Christ wrote not for a few but for all the people not that a few might vnderstande but that all might vnderstande And he sayth by the writing of his Princes that is to say of the Apostles and of the Euangelistes of them which were in her See what he sayth which were not which are that the Apostles onely excepted what thing else soeuer shall be sayde afterward might be cut off and not haue authoritie Therefore although any one be holy after the Apostles although he be eloquent let him not haue authoritie Because the Lorde rehearseth it in the Scripture of his people and of the Princes which were in her Cyrill or whether it be Origen in Leuiticum cap. 5. sayeth If thou canst not finishe all the flesh of the sacrifice the second day thou shalte eate none of it the thirde day c. I saith he doe suppose that by this space of two dayes may be vnderstanded the two Testamentes wherein euerie woorde which pertayneth to GOD may be sought for and discussed and all knowledge of thinges may be learned foorth of them And if there be any thing ouer the which holy Scripture cannot determine that none other thirde Scripture ought to be brought in for authoritie of the knowledge I coulde bring more suche like sayinges foorth of the Fathers but I trust I haue throughly satisfied the indifferent Reader with these Therefore all the sayinges and writinges of men whatsoeuer they be are to bee examined and tried by the lawe and by the Prophetes and by the Apostles writinges as in the moste certayne balaunce and so haue the moste holie Fathers iudged one and all For greater is the authoritie of Canonicall Scripture then of anie man of anie Byshoppes of anie Synode yea or of all the Churche Neither can the authoritie of the vniuersall church although it be gathered together whollye into one place foorth of all her members which euer were or be or in yeares to come shall bee deserue creâ—ite in anie thing without the testimonies of Scripture So that Panormitane sayde neither foolishely nor falsely More credit is to be yeelded to one Laie man alledging the scriptures then to a general Councell representing the vniuersall Church if it bring no scriptures vnto whom Iohn Gerson agreeth when as he saith That the consent and voice of one learned man alleadging the scripture fittly is to be preferred before a generall Councell And it is prooued by the example of the Nicen Synode which had receiued the superstitious law of the single life of priestes had not Paphnutius onelie withstoode it Therefore if the disputations of the Fathers or their sentences or their expositions of the Scriptures doe disagree with the Canonicall Scripture and rule of fayth there is no cause why any shoulde obiecte their authoritie vnto vs For if the conteÌ„tion be touching learning holinesse and auncientnes the Prophets and the Apostles of Christ be more learned more holie and more auncient Neither is there anie cause why anie shoulde obiect vnto vs the consent of many Churches in this or that opinion For the consent of Christ of the Prophetes of the Apostles yea and of the Patriarches in sincere religion and in the holy sense of religion reuealed manifestly to vs by the Scriptures is more to bee esteemed from whose godly and religious iudgement wee must neuer departe But if anie reckon vp manie and whole kingdomes whiche haue beene of this or that opinion wee oppose against him the laboures of Paule one holie Apostle who filled the greatest partes of the worlde with the simple sense of the Gospel euen from Hierusalem and the coastes rounde aboute vnto Illiricum And forsomuch as by Augustine his authoritie generall Councels must be sometime corrected by the later and those assemblies which are to bee corrected muste needes bee in errour it followeth that all the authoritie of the Churche and of Councels stayeth it selfe by the Canonicall Scripture vnto the which onelie GOD his will is that this happines is peculiar that in it there is none errour The ix Chapter That the Canonicall Scripture hath the chiefe perfection of her authoritie from the holie Ghoste and of herselfe And contrarily that the Churche receiueth her authoritie from the Scripture HEtherto we haue yeelded many reasons for the most excellent authoritie of the Canonicall Scripture Nowe the question is from whence the scripture hath or receiueth this most excellent and perfecte authoritie or by whom the Canon was made whervnto the Canonical bookes pertayne The Papistes saie that the Scripture hath her authoritie from the Churche and that therefore the authoritie of the Churche is greater then the authoritie of the Scriptures As though the worde of GOD which endureth for euer were subiecte to mens decrees or as though GOD his truth shoulde intreate men to authorize it It is not so The woorde of GOD is of it selfe moste sure and needeth not the propping vppe of men but holdeth vp all thinges Heauen and earth shall passe away but my wordes shall in no wise passe away The Scripture receiueth her strength or authoritie chiefely from GOD from whom it was reueiled that is to say that it came not by the will of men but that the men of GOD beyng mooued by the holie Ghoste both spake and wrote whom beeyng chosen and elected for this office GOD adorned with manye and sundrie myracles and diuine testimonies So that there is no doubte at all but that those thinges were geuen from GOD by inspiration whiche they wrote and sette downe And the selfe same spirite which hath caused these thinges to bee written assureth vs that they are not the inuentions of men And when the spirite of GOD doeth herein witnesse to our spirit seale vp the Scripture in our heartes the faythfull soule doeth marueilously reioyce and is greatly confirmed Therefore we being illuminated by the vertue of the spirit doe not nowe beleeue either through our own iudgement or through the iudgement of other that the Scripture is of God but doe most certainlie perswade our selues aboue mans iudgement none otherwise then if wee