therefore stande that I may vse Basill his woordes to the arbitrament of Scripture geuen by inspiration from God and let the sentence of trueth be adiudged vnto them amongest whom doctrines agreeing with God his worde are founde It liketh me to set downe in this place the most beautifull sentence of Cyprian which Augustine affirmeth to bee without doubte moste excellent It is a short way saith he with religious and simple mindes both to lay away errour and to finde foorth and trie out the truth For if we returne to the heade and fountaine of GOD his tradition man his errour ceaseth if the Conduit pipe of water which before did runne plentifully and aboundantly doe faile of a souddeine doe they not goe to the fountayne that the cause of the defecte may foorthwith bee knowen whether it bee drie in the head by meanes that the vaynes of the well are dried vp or whether it runne sounde and full from thence and stoppe in the middle of his passage The which thing also the Priestes of GOD must doe and if in anie thing the trueth shall totter and shake lette vs returne to the fountayne and welspring of the Lorde and of the Euanlistes and to the tradition of the Apostles and from thence let the reason of our doing rise from whence both the order and beginning sprang These thinges are written in his Epistle to Pompeius agaynst the Epistle of Stephanus Therefore by the consente of al the olde writers the writings of the Prophetes and Apostles are the rules of iudgementes in euerie proofe examination and triall of doctrines I knowe Tertullian writeth elsewhere that wee must not appeale to the Scriptures neither offer in them to contende wherein the victorie is eyther none at all or vncertaine or at the least none verie certayne But marke against whom hee reasoneth For so hath hee a little before these woordes This heresie doeth not receiue certayne Scriptures and if it receiue anie it altereth and chaungeth them craftely by putting to taking from for the framing of their purpose Although it doe receaue them yet doeth it not receaue the whole And though it doe receiue the whole after a sorte yet doeth it notwirhstanding peruerte them deuising straunge expositions As greately is an adulterous sense against the trueth as is a corrupt maner of writing Diuerse presumptions will not acknowledge those thinges whereby they are ouerthrowen c. Therefore forsomuch as proofe foorth of the Scriptures coulde nothing preuayle amongest suche he deemeth that controuersies touching faith are to be discussed foorth of the Scriptures because those which were of the right faith wearied themselues without fruite and because the malapertnesse of Heretikes coulde not bee brideled but that they woulde still contende although they were an hundred times ouercommen Hee woulde therefore haue an ende of vayne and vnprofitable strifes and contentions and especially seeing that the Apostle forbidâ—eth after the first or second admonition to reason anie more with him that is â—n Heretike Otherwise what doeth he himselfe in so manie bookes With what swoorde with what weapons hath â—e slaine Marcion Praxeas Hermogenes and others but with the simple woorde of God Therefore when the matter so requireth he proueth not onely the wordes but also by example that we must both dispute and define none otherwise but onely forth of the worde of God it selfe Neither haue all the professours of the right fayth vsed anie other meane when they defended the right â—nd pure faith against Heretikes as we â—aue alreadie shewed The bookes of God are open sayth Augustine let vs not turne away our eyes The Scripâ—ure crieth let vs hearken For they would not haue the authoritie of man â—ut of God to be able to ende controuerâ—ies and to heale men Yet doe the Papistes reclaime afâ—irming that controuersies cannot be deâ—ermined forth of Scripture onely or â—hat iudgement can be giuen forth of it touching the matter of fayth For they say that the Scripture is subiect to the wicked and ambitious expositions of Heretikes and that it may be wrested to diuerse meanings and that it is doubtfull and darke Therefore doe they call vs backe foorthwith to the definition of the Church which as it is without all falsehood so may it be taken for the true and certaine rule of fayth It is a solemne thing amongest these Sophistes to declaime of the doubtfulnesse hardnesse and darkenesse of the Scriptures to turne mens mindes from the Scripture to the traditions of their Church that is to saye from the authoritie of God to the authoritie of men neither is this shift of theirs newe The old Heretikes also vsed the same who when they were reproued by the Scriptures vsed these cauillations that the Scriptures are diuersely spoken that is to saye according to the speech of our aduersaries doubtfull apt to be applied euerie way vncertaine moreouer that the truth can not be founde forth by the Scriptures if a man know not the tradition that is to say as our aduersaries nowe vtter it that the scriptures are not sufficient and that the trueth was not deliuered by writings but by liuely voice For the which cause say they Paule sayde We speake wisedome among them that are perfect not the wisedome of this world Iulianus also the Pelagian with whom Augustine had so great conflictes and whose wordes and argumentes these our aduersaries vse in their disputations verie willingly was wont to stande muche vppon this that the knowledge of holie Scriptures is verie harde and meete for a fewe of the learned sort Neither are these fellowes ashamed to haue the saying of an Heretike in so great admiration But Paule when he affirmeth that faith commeth by hearing God his worde doeth not onely make it the true and certaine rule of fayth but the onely rule thereof But when wee must contend with Heretikes say the aduersaries of the truth then doe the scriptures little preuaile because they can so easily shift theÌ„ off Yet thought I that the word of God is that sword of that spirit wherwith SataÌ„ might be thorowly ouerthrowne But if it be the victorious triumphant sworde agaynst the head Lorde and maister of all Heretikes how commeth it to passe that it is a dull weapon and as it were made of a reede agaynst his members To what purpose is this worthie testimonie of Paule All Scripture is giueÌ„ 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 And although the slienesse of all Heretikes and Sophistes be great in wresting and deprauing of the Scriptures yet doth not God his trueth lie so open to their mockes but that it may stoutely be set at libertie by the sayde Scriptures Clowdes may darken the Sunne for a season but they can neither put out nor choke vp the light thereof but that it wil
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
at the last shewe it selfe againe Nowe since Augustine teacheth that in those things which are plainly sette forth in Scriptures may bee founde all things that conteine faith and maners of liuing that is to say hope charitie â—hat wickednesse is it to accuse the â—cripture of darkenesse Hee did not 〈◊〉 which sayde Thy worde is a Lanâ—erne vnto my feete and a light vnto â—ny pathes Also The Testimonie of â—he Lorde is sure and giueth wisdome â—o the simple Againe I haue more â—nderstanding than my teachers for â—hy testimonies are my studie I am â—iser than the aged because I keepe â—hy commandements Also Peter sayâ—th We haue also a right sure worde â—f prophesie wherevnto if you take â—eede as vnto a light that shineth in â— darke place ye do well vntill the day â—awne and the day starre arise in your â—eartes And will they call the Scripâ—ures so obscure intricate and harde wherevnto Peter ascribeth clearenesse â—s vnto those which are able to guide vs â—ertainly that we go not out of the way â—o not in the greatest darkenesse in the worlde For that Gospel which the Lord commanded to be preached to eueâ—ie creature hath hee also promised to make knowne to euerie creature if one will aske it Therefore those thinges which concerne saluation are so aptly plainly and abundantly proposed expouÌ„ded and repeated in the Scriptures euerie where that for the vnderstanding thereof the onely declaration of the Euangelistes and continuall reading of the rest of the bookes of Scripture may suffice a minde lightened with the light of fayth without the which no poynt of Religion can bee soundely vnderstoode and willing to obey god Whiche two namely fayth and her companion the studie of obedience are verie necessarie for the right vnderstanding of those thinges whiche belong to Christ as these woordes of the Lord doe well shewe My doctrine is not mine but his that sent mee If anie will doe his will hee shall knowe of the doctrine whether it be of GOD or whether I speake of my selfe Also Howe can yee beleeue whiche receiue honour one of another and seeke not the honour that commeth of God only If our Gospel be hid it is hidde in them that are lost In whom the God of this world hath blinded the mindes â—f them which beleeue not least the â—ight of the Gospel of the glorie of Christ should shine vnto them 2. Cor. â— In deed I do confesse that euery one â—an not easily aptly expound the scripâ—ures and I will that the consente of Churches haue their place in determiâ—ing and ending the questions of fayth â—ut yet so that it be not disioyned froÌ„ the Scripture without the which the authoritie of the church hath litle streÌ„gth And â—orsomuch as all points of religion must â—e tried proued by the testimonies of â—cripture as lately we haue declared it must necessarily follow that among all things which concerne religion the said testimonies are most certaine cleare HerevpoÌ„ it resteth that the holy fathers coÌ„mend the scripture vnto vs because of â—he light the clearnes the certaintie the plainnes therof so farre off are they from complaining that it is vncertaine intricate hard apt to be applied both the ways Very wel said August When disputatioÌ„â—s had of an obscure matter if the certaine and cleare instructions of holie Scriptures doe not further the cause man his presumption ought to stay it selfe doing nothing by declining to either part What place I beseech you shall this sentence haue if God his truth haue not firme and constant certaintie in the Scriptures yea and such certaintie as cannot be battered with any engines Therefore doeth he afterward conclude that he doeth beleeue that nothing is necessarie to be knowen for saluatioÌ„ which hath not most cleare proofe in the scriptures We will yet adde herevnto a few testimonies concerning the plainnesse and easinesse of the Scripture Cyrillus contra Iulianum libro septimo answering this obiection That the Scripture hath a base and common stile and manner of speaking saieth That the thinges therein contayned might bee knowen to all little great they are profitably vttered in familiar speach so that they should not passe the capacitie of anie Vnto the which saying Lactantius agreeth who saith What cannot God the framer of the minde and of the voice and of the tongue speake eloquently nay rather his will was of his singuler prouidence that those thinges which be diuine shoulde want painted and fine speach that all might vnderstande what he spake to all And Basilius in Hexameron Homil 3. saith The doctrine of the truth is common in speache but stable and firme in knowledge Chrysostomus Homil. 1. in Iohannem speaking of the Gospel written by saint Iohn saith His doctrine is clearer than the Sunne and plainer And Ambrose sayeth Paule in most points doth expound himselfe in his owne words that he which intreateth of him can finde nothing of his owne which hee may adde or if hee would say anie thing he shal rather vse the place of a Grammarian than of a disputer I cease to recite more testimonies touching the plainenesse and easinesse of the scriptures for what needeth it Truely it is an horrible blasphemie to say that the holy ghost hath so doubtfully set forth this his doctrine which is the onely and true wisdome vnderstanding of the church that it must bee expounded by man his wisdome and left it so obscure that it must bee made plaine by man his cunning This is no lesse absurde then if a man shoulde goe aboute to mende the brightnesse of the Sunne by lighting of Torches Yea holy scripture of it selfe being set foorth of the perfectest doctour of all were able to make a man wise vnto saluation as Paule preacheth But that I may at the last come to the conclusion Forsomuch as all doctrines of Religion are to bee examined and determined by the iudgement of Scripture all questions of faith are to be defined by the same and all poyntes of Religion are to bee tried and proued by the testimonies thereof Truely it cannot bee doubted that the authoritie of the vniuersall Church doeth stand and depende chiefly of the oracles and authoritie of holie Scripture and that the testimonies of GOD his woorde are especiallie to be required in all things which are set foorth in the name and authoritie of the Church The .vij. Chapter Wherevpon the Scripture is called canonicall Also testimonies of the Fathers touching the most excellent authoritie thereof THe name of Canonicall Scripture is of great râ—nowne which wel proueth and confirmeth whatsoeuer we haue hitherto spoken of the authoritie perfection and sufficiâ—ncie thereof Aristotle disputing in his Politikes whether it be better to gouerne a common wealth according to the lawes written or according to the will of the gouernours vseth the woorde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Therefore as the
in the scriptures But these felowes ought to knowe that this sentence giuen foorth by the Logicians hath place in finall causes For if a man for healthes sake vse a medicine he rather desireth health than the medicine But that manner of reasoning is not effectuall in efficient causes excepte the whole and totall cause be conteined in the argument For although men which drinke wine vnmeasurably become drunke we cannot therevpon conclude that the wine is rather drunke than the men because all the cause of drunkennesse is not in the wine for it is required also that it be concocted in the belly and that the vapours be sent vp which may trouble the brayne Molo the Rhetoritian instructed Cicero in Oratours arte and yet is it not concluded thereby that Molo was more skilfull in that science than was Cicero because the maister is not the whole cause of learning for witte studie and diligence is also required for the atteining thereof Euen so the Church is not the totall and whole efficient cause of that credite and authoritie which the holy Scriptures haue among the faithfull God himselfe hath laide the foundation of them with so greate authoritie that their certeintie is confirmed by the inwarde persuasion of the holy Ghost as lately wee shewed The Testimonies of men which are set foorth for the confirmation of Scriptures shall not be in vaine if they followe that chiefe and soueraigne Testimonie of the holy Ghost as second helpes of our weakenes wherfore Augustine wrote wisely Except the authoritie of the Churche mooued me also For hee saide not simplie Mooued me And euen as Augustine among other things mooued by the authoritie of the Church witnesseth that he chooseth rather to beleeue the Gospel â—han the Manichees so ought wee al by good reason to be mooued by the authoriâ—ie of the same Church to beleeue the diuine preaching of the doctrine of the Gospell which shineth nowe againe among vs and of Christ whom the church â—ommaundeth vs alway to beleeue rather then the deuises and decrees of all Popes and all their partakers And thus you see plainely that this saying of Augustine with they wroÌ„gfully wrest for themselues maketh also against them as before we haue prooued The .xvij. Chapter Of the gift of interpretation FOurthly the true vnderstanding or interpretation of the Scripture belongeth to the Church For she holdeth the foundation and hath the gift of interpretation but sometime purely and some time vnpurely According to this gift the Church in times past determined defined most chiefe most graue moste harde controuersies of doctrines foorth of the Scriptures For the church as sayth Irenaeus doth alway preache the trueth is the seauenfold lampe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bearing Christ his light So much the lesse are those wanton wits to be born with which doe despise the catholike vnderstanding and consent of the Church and al councels without difference and deuise newe opinions wickedly wresting the Scriptures Therfore for so much as the gift of interpretation is in the Church it is necessarie to heare the Churche teaching when shee doeth either interpret those thinges which are set foorth in the Scriptures and holdeth foorth the torch to put away the darknes brought into holy Scriptures by heretikes or else proposeth those thinges which although they be not set foorth in expressed woordes are yet prooued by comparing of place with place So doe the godly receiue most willingly all the determinations of the Councels of Nice of Constantinople of Ephesus and of Chalcedon But this gift is not bounde to certaine persons and places being at somtimes in more at sometimes in fewer somtimes better knowen and more pure sometimes lesse knowen and not so pure Euen as saith Paule that some builde on the foundation hay and stubble And two thinges namely the Testimonies of scripture truly agreeing the Catholike consent wil shew who they are which haue this gift And the Catholike consent is the agreement of the Fathers of the Prophetes of the Apostles and of all whosoeuer agree with their Testimonies in iudgement and signification But because this gift is not alway manifest enough and pure in the church many cautions are needefull The same also teacheth that Prophecies that is to say interpretations ought to be according to the proportion and measure of faith Rom. xii Therefore interpretations must be examined whether they be of the proportioÌ„ of faith whether they agreee with the rule of charitie whether they consent with the Scripture giuen from god For if any thing be affirmed without god his word the vaine names of the Church of the fathers of Councels are pretended to no purpose wherein the Angels may not be hearde Neither is it the duetie of the Church to speake but to heare her husbande speake accordinge to this saying of the Psalme Hearken O daughter and consider Incline thine eare And the Fathers of the right faith would not haue their writings to be reade with anie other condition but that they might be corrected in the ballance of God his written woorde as in the apt place we haue taught It is not the parte of Councels to set foorth a new woorde or doctrine but to mainteine the woorde or doctrine receiued from their auncetours against Heretikes which withstand it The Synodes which haue doone otherwise be the councels of the vngodly and the seates of the scornefull which we are commaunded to auoyde that we may be blessed To be briefe so farre foorth doeth the Church holde the true vnderstanding as it doeth carie with her the light of Christ without this light it hath stubble and superstitious constitutions And this may not be affirmed that the true vnderstanding of Scripture is in subiection to them which are willing to rule like tyrants and not to submit them selues to the woorde of God but to haue Gods woorde subiect to their decrees For these fellowes carie not the light of Christ but darken the cleare light by their deuises yea rather choke vp Gods trueth with their most grosse darkenesse These stately men are the wicked deprauers of the truth which doe not apply their minde to the Scriptures but draw and peruert the minde of the Scriptures to their will. And what manner of interpretours they are a man may easely perceiue by these thinges which I will alledge Christ reaching foorth the cuppe in the Supper sayeth Drinke ye all of it Marke addeth And they all dranke of it But they in their interpretatioÌ„ say not al but the Priestes onely The Epistle to the Hebrues pronounceth that Wedlock is honorable among al men They say Not in all men but in Leie men onely Paule sayeth If they cannot absteine let them marry But these felowes by their ordinances and expositions exclude a good part of the world froÌ„ mariage Christ sayeth to his Apostles The Kinges of nations be Lordes ouer them But ye
obscurenesse of the Scripture and rolling in all their pointes of Rethoricke do goe about to proue the necessitie authoritie perfection certaintie plainnesse of vnwritten Traditions that is to say That we should fetch the rule of faith not from the worde of God but from the Traditions of the Church and that there is so much force in the Scripture as is granted therevnto by the consentes voyces of the Church The second Chapter The deceitfulnes of them is reproued which do diminish the authoritie of the Scripture wherevpon the authoritie of the Church doth depend I Do not denie that they which make these reasons are prompt wittie â—â—arned and eloquent woulde to God â—â—ey were all so vpright and gentle minâ—â—d that they would put to their furtheâ—â—nce rather to buyld vp the kingdome 〈◊〉 Christ then to defend the kingdome of â—â—e Pope and that they woulde rather â—llowe the sincere doctrine of the Gosâ—ell then mainteine corruptions and abâ—ses But whilest they are willing to gratifie these antichristian rulers they â—un on so farre through the heate of their contention that through their wicked cursed and prophane Rhetorike they â—laspheme and â—pise the holy Ghost For wheÌ„ they do so beset and besiege the Scripture that they call it a Labyrinth in the which we may go out of the right way A nose of waxe which is apt to be bowed vnto either side A matter of controuersies A nourse garden of discentions obscure doubtfull intricate What is this if it be not a reproch agaynst the holy Ghost the authour thereof But the marke whereat they shoote is this that whereas they may bee perceiued oftentymes to haue decreed and ordeined farre otherwise in the Sacraments and doctrines then holy scripture can beare they are willing to mainteine that it was lawfull for them so to doe because the Church which maketh the holy scriptures to be of authoritie and credite can change therein whatsoeuer shall seeme good vnto her Therefore least the maiestie of the Scripture should let their lust they are not afrayde to diminish the authoritie thereof wherein they do seeme to imitate the craftinesse and naughtinesse of the auncient heretikes who being willing to eschew least they being pressed with the authoritie of the Scriptures shoulde bee ouercome presumed boldely to denie certaine bookes of the Bible to be canonicall reiecting them and with great disdaine disallowing them For when as they are reproued by the Scriptures sayth Irenaeus they do accuse the Scriptures as though they were not well handled neither be of authoritie and because they be diuersly spoken because the truth can not be found forth in them by those which know not the tradition Carpocrates Seuerus Cerdo Manes reiected as August witnesseth the bookes of the law although Tertullian report of Cerdo as also doth Irenaeus of Marcio that they reiected al the Euangelists but Luke Philaster reporteth that Cerinthus allowed Mathew onely We reade in Eusebius that the Seuerians disalowed Paul his Epistles and the Acts of the Apostles For they did suppose it to be an aduantage for the obteyning of victorie if they did condition that they whose dartes they saw were to be feared might bee throwne foorth of the campe of the Church before they should come to the battell Euen so also do these thinke that they shall triumph if they may most vnworthely slander the Scripture of vncerteintie imperfectioÌ„ ambiguitie obscuritie And euen as those old heretikes did coÌ„tentiously affirme that the truth could not be founde by them which knewe not the tradition deliuered not by writing but by liuely voice in like maner do these also mainteine that the Apostles haue not comprehended in their writings all things which wee ought to beleeue and most obstinately contend that all things apperteyning to godlinesse are not conteyned in the Scripture that thou maist vnderstand that both the one and the other are inforced with the selfe same spirite of errour Wherefore we must withstand them by all meanes possible For it is a most hurtfull and perillous errour to holde that the credite of Scripture shoulde hang on the determinatioÌ„ of the Church which being granted Christ shall not be Christ nor the Gospel the Gospel neither shal we take the Apostles for the Apostles nor the writings of the Apostles for the Apostles writings but so farre forth as they be allowed in their Councels by their owne consents and iudgements Here truly must the seruaÌ„ts needs be greater then the Lorde that the Lord may not be beleeued but onely so farre forth as his seruants will that he shall be belieued as though forsooth God his eternall and inuiolable truth shoulde be grounded and staied vpon the iudgement of men Neither is it lawfull nor sure to dallie in diuinitie as shall please mens deuises For the naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirite of God and all the thoughts sayings deedes of men doe more resemble lying then truth for God onely is true Neither â—â—e the argumentes strong and sounde â—hich these patrones of superstitions take for the defence of their opinion â—ut rather feeble and weake as in discussing and examining them shall appeare although the simple being deluâ—ed with the onely shew of truth be holâ—en still in errours and superstitions and â—lienated from the truth But let not vs â—uffer our selues to bee brought to this passe that we graunt that the holy scripture hath receiued credite and authoritie from the Church seeing that the matter â—s farre otherwise For what authoritie or estimation soeuer the Church hath it â—ommeth wholy from the worde of God whereof also the Church hath the beginning Euen as Peter saith Ye are borne â—new not of corruptible seede but of â—ncorruptible by the worde of God which liueth and lasteth for euer And â—aul saith In Christ Iesus I haue begotâ—en you through the Gospel Therfore as is the daughter to the mother so is the Church to the Scripture And since we do all confesse that the Church is susteined by the foundation of the Prophets Apostles truly if the doctrine of the Prophets and the Apostles be the stay of the Church it must necessarily follow that the authoritie of the doctrine doeth excell the authoritie of the Church Neither is there anie cause that they shoulde cauill that the Church was 2449. yeres before Moses before the Scripture because they make Moses his bookes most ancient which in deede I do confesse in respect of those bookes which now are extant But how know they whether that ancient Church which was before Moses had written his Pentatenche had anie bookes of holy Scripture or none Moses doth cite the booke of the warres of the lord And in Iosua is the booke of the Iust cited And it may be that Noah Abraham Isaac Iacob wrote those things which did pertein to their times as Moses did afterward gather them togither and by
thinges which hee shewed and spake it may not be said that he himselfe did not write because his meÌ„berâ— â—…ote that which they knew the head â—…structing them For whatsoeuer hee â—…ould that we shoulde read touching â—…s deedes and wordes that did hee â—â—mmauÌ„d them to write as his owne â—…ndes Whosoeuer shall vnderstande â—…is fellowship of vnitie and ministerie â—f members agreeing in diuerse offiâ—…s vnder one head he wil none otherwise take that which he shall reade in â—he Gospel by the report of the disciâ—les of Christ then if he had beholden â—he verie hand of the Lorde which he â—are in his own bodie writing it Loe what can be more euident then this witâ—esse of this most holie man Christ wrote in his Disciples inasmuch as â—hey wrote that which hee shewed and â—pake yea and whatsoeuer he would that we should reade of his deedes wordes â—hat did he commaund them to write as â—hough they had beene his owne hands â—o that we ought none otherwise to take â—he report of the Euangelists then if we had beholden the verie hand of the Lord writing it Are not these most vaine men ashamed to scatter cloudes in so cleare weather Marcus Scaurus when he was accused of treason openly before the people of Rome by one Varius sayde thus Varius Sucronensis sayeth that Marcus Aemelius Scaurus hath committed treason agaynst the common wealth Marcus Aemilius Scaurus denieth it whether will you beleeue At this worde the people forthwith stopped the accion Howe much more iustly may I in this controuersie appeale to indifferent iudges and say Irenaeus and Augustine being most ancient and holy fathers yea and the consent of all the Catholike Church d ee affirme that the Apostles and Euangelists haue comprehended in writing the doctrine of Christ by the commaundement and will of the lord The Herinates the Pighicâ— the Peresies the Lindanes the Andradies denie it I pray you whether will you beleeue Let them therefore leaâ—◠〈◊〉 to barke against so cleare truth let them reasse to diminish the holy authoritie of Scripture yea rather let them repeâ—t them of their errour and madnesse The fifth Chapter â—hat all things which concerne faith godlinesse and saluation are fully and sufficiently conteined in Scripture NOw our aduersaries are cast forth of their fortresse by the force of Truth we shal haue more liberty to cope with them in the open field It remaineth â—herefore that wee handle now more at â—arge that which lately we touched in â—ewe woordes that is to say that wee proue that all thinges which concerne â—ayth and godlinesse are fully and absolutely conteyned in the Scripture And God hath giuen so perfect a law that he hath straghtly forbid anie thing to be added therevnto And howe seuerely the Lord hath reuenged this presumption if any thing haue beene added in the rites much more in the doctrine so many most graue sermons of the Prophetes which are the interpreters of the lawe made touching these matters all the holie Histories yea and Christ himselfe doe most euidently witnesse There must be the same iudgement touching the Gospel forsomuch as it is much more excellent then the Lawe Except we should peraduenture thinke that God after hee had sent his Sonne into the worlde had lesse care for his Church or shoulde suppose that the Apostles vsed lesse diligence in that poynt then did the Prophetes Tertullian exclaimeth saying Happie is the Church for whome the Apostles haue powred foorth all the doctrine of GOD euen with their bloud Paule witnesseth that he hath expounded to the Ephesians all the counsell of God touching euerlasting saluation without anie shifting dissimulation Can it bee proued that Paul taught anie thing which he did not write Can it bee denied that the full doctrine of the Gospell is plainely comprehended in his Epistles But least I shoulde bee long I will content my selfe to alledge one but yet a verie plaine sentence of Paule For that being thorowly handled will plainely shewe the perfection and sufficiencie of the Scripture Hee â—â—refore aboute the ende of his life â—â—en as the bookes of the newe Testaâ—â—nt were written and set foorth speaâ—â—th thus to Timothie the Bishoppe â—t continue thou in the thinges â—hich thou hast learned which also â—ere committed vnto thee knowing â—f whome thou hast learned them and that from an infante thou hast â—nowne the Scriptures which are aâ—le to make thee wise vnto saluation â—hrough fayth which is in Christ Ieâ—â—s All Scripture is giuen by inâ—piration of GOD and is profitaâ—le to doctrine to reproue to correcâ—ion to instruction which is in righâ—eousnesse that the man of God may â—e perfect throughly instructed vnto â—ll good woorkes Herevnto agreeth â—he place Rom. 15. Whatsoeuer things haue beene written afore time were written for our learning that we thoâ—ough pacience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope Which two places being weyed it will plainâ—y appeare that the Scripture is in â—ll poyntes most perfect For in them doeth the Apostle comprehende all the vse of holye Scriptures and deuideth it into fiue pointes 1. Doctrine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth the documentes of our Religion as when we intreate of God of Gods prouidence of Predestination of the Iustification and glorification of men of the Lawe of sinne of the Gospel of Fayth of charitie of hope of Christes incarnation of his death and resurrection of the resurrection of all the dead and of such like matters 2. Reprofe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is whereby we reproue and conuince them which do not reason rightly and which commit faultes in gathering their arguments Wherevpon Aristotle instituteth that part of Logike wherein he sheweth the way to discouer the guiles and deceytes of Sophistes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Elenghkes that is to say of Reprofes It is therefore Reproofe whereby the errours of Heretikes of Philosophers or of anie other whiche iudge euill of Religion are vanquished and confuted 3. Instruction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conteineth the teaching of godly life 〈◊〉 the informing of manners as when â—n of all degrees are put in minde of â—ir duetie that euerie man maye haue â— care for that whiche belongeth vnto â—m as when wee teache what is seemeâ— for the ministers of the Church what â—r husbandes what for wiues what â—r children what for maisters what for â—â—ruantes what for riche men what for â—oore men It is also instruction when â—xhortations are made to moue men to â—raye to doe almes deedes to fast to oâ—ey the Magistrate to repent and to â—mbrace all kinde of vertues For those â—hinges which perteine to this place are â—erie large For vnder instructions is â—omprehended all doctrine of vertues â—nd vices is comprehended whatsoâ—uer concerneth the gouernement of a man him selfe of his house of a state â—is comprehended whatsoeuer maye bee referred to the Churche to the common wealth to all kindes of life Admonition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
greatly in doctrine some in wickednes of manners that admonition also which is in writing was needefull And he adâ—â—â—h Consider how great madnesse it â—n vs which haue lost that firste digâ—â—tie not to bee willing to vse the seâ—â—nd remedie to saluation but to deâ—ise the heauenly writinges as geuen to no purpose and in vayne This â—ace of Chrysostom doth not only shewe 〈◊〉 what cause and to what ende GOD â—â—ue vnto vs the Scripture not onely in â—e olde Testament but also in the newe â—t also sheweth the vanitie of the mainâ—yners of the Pope which reasoÌ„ foorth 〈◊〉 Hieremie and Paule that it is proper 〈◊〉 the doctrine of the newe Testament â—euen of God to bee possible to be writâ—â—n neither in tables nor in paper neiâ—â—er with pen nor with ynke nor by any oâ—her meanes but that it must be kept with â—ut writing and deliuered from hande to â—and These bee toyes Because by the â—estimonie of Chrysostome we haue lost â—hat first dignitie when as the doctrine â—f the Apostles was deliuered by liuely voyce onelie so that now we haue need of admonitioÌ„ put in writing But because â— haue reasoned of this matter before I will nowe spare to speake anie more hereof And that which Chrysostome spake at large Theophilactus hath comprehended as he is woont in fewe wordes Because saith he There were heresies sprong vp which might haue corrupted our manners it seemed verie expedient that the Gospels shoulde be written that we learning the trueth foorth of them shoulde not bee deceiued by the lies of heresies Hieronymus also agreeth herevnto For as it was necessary saith he that the Gospel should be preached for the confirmation of faith so was it also necessarie that it shoulde be written against Heretikes Herevnto also doeth Augustine geue his consent who vppon the seconde Epistle of Iohn Tractatu 2. hath these wordes You ought chiefly to coÌ„sider and to commit to your remembraunce that God his will was to put a chiefe stay in the Scriptures against deceiptful erroures against the which no man dare speake who in anie sorte is desirous to seeme to be a Christian â—or when he had offered himself to be â—â—ndled it suffised him not but that 〈◊〉 did confirme the hearts of the faith â—ll out of the Scriptures For he did â—rouide for vs which were to come â—hat which we may handle wee haue â—ot but that which wee may reade â—ee haue Loe God his wil was to put â—rong defence against the deceiptes of â—rroures in the Scriptures Therefore â—orâ—th of the Scriptures are all hereâ—es to be confuted and doctrines to be â—â—dged with this shield with this sworde â—ith these weapons must heresies be put â—acke For the Scripture is as it were a â—peciall singular and sure preseruatiue â—efending vs against the paysons of all kinde of errours Herevpon is it that the auncient faâ—hers so often as controuersies rose in reâ—igion fled rather to the Scripture then â—o councels or to anie authoritie of men because the Scripture onelie can iudge firmely soundely and holily Beholde Paule being furnished with the weapons of Scripture onelie disputed against the Iewes although they were roughe and ouerthwarte if Luke reporte the trueth And the holie Ghost commendeth the Iewes of Berrea who when they had receiued the woorde with all readinesse of minde searched the Scriptures whether those thinges were so Worthily sayeth Augustine vnto Maximinus Neither ought I to alledge the Councell of Nice nor thou of Ariminum as by preiudice to hurte one another his cause Neither am I bounden to the authoritie of the one nor thou of the other Let matter contende with matter cause with cause reason with reason by the authorities of Scriptures witnesses not proper to anie but common to either Cresconius the Grammarian disputing with Augustine obiected vnto him the authoritie of Cyprian Augustine answereth I am not bounden to the authoritie of this Epistle for I esteeme not the writinges of Cyprian as Canonicall but I consider of them foorth of the writinges which are Canonicall and that which in them agreeth with the authoritie of holie â—criptures I receiue with his praise â—ut that which doeth not agree I â—efuse by his leaue Against Faustus â—ib 23. he sayeth That which Faustus â—ath sette downe touching the geneâ—ation of Marie which is not Canonicall bindeth mee not Also vpon â—he 57. Psalme he hath these woordes Let our owne wrytinges bee taken away let GOD his booke be brought foorth emongest vs Heare Christ speaking heare the trueth talking And woorthely doeth Augustine the man of GOD write these thinges forsomuche as it is meete to yeelde this honour to the Scripture that all things be tried by the examination thereof Whatsoeuer is proued by the authoritie therof may not anie more bee called in doubt Againe nothing but that which agreeth therewith may be receiued and whatsoeuer is contrary therevnto must bee accompted damnable that all the definitions of faith may depende therevppon and consiste therein So that they are found more vayne then vanitie it selfe whiche dare write that the Apostles wrote certaine thinges not that those their writinges shoulde rule our Faith and Religion but that they shoulde be in subiection therevnto Sozomenus reporteth that the sentences of them which assembled at the Councell of Nice were diuerse Some giuing counsell to alter nothing from the fayth deliuered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the beginning some other affirming that they ought not to sticke to olde opinions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rashely with out search and examination wherevppon the matter was protracted through diuerse questions therefore Constantine the Emperour sitting amongest the Bishoppes exhorted them to conferre quietly and to searche foorth the trueth setting Sophistrie aparte and bannishing the grudging of their mindes There are saith he the bookes of the Apostles and the decrees of the Prophets which doe instruct vs what we ought to thinke of holy matters Therfore setting enuious contention aside let vs search the solution of questions foorth of the Scriptures giuen by inspiratioÌ„ from god Enagrius writing of the Councel of Ephesus Chalcedon doth in like manner rehearse the sentence of Iohn Bishoppe of Antioche approoued by Cyrill Wee doe knowe that holy men haue set downe their determinations touching the Lorde foorth of the woordes of the Euangelistes and of the Apostles And Cusanus writeth that the forme of the olde generall Councelles was to place the holie Gospels in the middest And that the same was also obserued in priuate disputations touching religion Augustine is a witnesse Wheresoeuer saith he the place shall be appointed let vs cause the bookes of Canonicall Scripture to bee readie And if they can bring foorth anie proofes of eyther side all the rest sette aparte let vs make a full ende of so weightie a matter Therefore the examination of Scripture is lawfull for the triall of doctrines Let vs
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
had beene asked whether they would haue preferred their owne authoritie before the scriptures They would neuer haue done it Nay contrarily hauing acknowledged and receiued the said Scriptures they submitted themselues wholy vnto them and esteemed them as the most certaine rule guide and direction of their faith life Wherfore this is a weake and feble argument The Church accepted and discerned the books of holy Scripture from other Therefore the authoritie of the church is more excellēt For we also acknowledge one true God and allow Iesus Christ and put difference betweene him and Idols and betweene him the Diuel and yet cannot inferre herevpon that we are more excellent than Christ or god In like manner our minde alloweth and receiueth the prouocations and motions of the holy Ghost to reade to pray to liue chastly and discerneth them from the wicked entisementes of the worlde of the Diuell and of the fleshe and yet our minde may not therefore be called either better or more excellent than the holy Ghost Againe when a man endued with the perfect knowledge of Philosophie shall receiue Plato or Aristotle or Galen as noble Philosophers and shall preferre them before Epicure Aristippus and Democritus shall hee in consideration of this his iudgement presume to preferre his owne authoritie before Galene or Aristotle or Plato And there be many men of so perfecte iudgement that they can discerne the counterfeite verses of Virgil or Ouid from their true verses yet are they in knowledge farre inferiour to Virgil and Ouid Euen so the Churche ought not for this cause to preferre her credite or authoritie before the holy Scriptures This argument as we saide is weake and the Maxime with they gather hereof is false Those thinges which the Churche hath deliuered and proposed euen without any testimonie of Scripture ought to haue the same authoritie as hath the Canonicall Scripture vnto whō the church haue geuen authoritie In deede the holy Scripture is allowed by the common cōsent of the Church but this consent is not mans deuise but a necessary confession and an expressed testification proceding of the trueth of the matter And yet the Churche by meanes of this testification hath not reputed her selfe greater or more excellent then the Scripture but hath reuerently committed her selfe to the gouernement of the Scripture It is therefore plaine by the premisses howe the Church standeth towarde the worde of God written Shee is the faithfull keeper defendour of the worde she extolleth it by witnessing with it by setting it foorth by preaching it by defending it by mainteining it And yet doeth shee depend wholely of it as of the rule of her fayth shee changeth nothing shee altereth nothing shee addeth nothing shee taketh away nothing Shee is as it were a Notarie which keepeth safely testamentes when as notwithstanding hee hath no authoritie aboue the last will of the testatour for if hee shoulde chaunge or alter it hee shoulde not bee taken for a faithfull Notarie but for a falsifier and a forger of testamentes The .xvi. Chapter Of this saying of Augustine I would not beleeue the Gospel but that the authoritie of the Church mooueth mee also BEcause the Pope his side doe see that the Scripture maketh against them to diminish the authoritie thereof they contende that the authoritie of the Church the title whereof they doe pretende by their deuises and decrees is rather to be esteemed than of the Scriptures because the Scriptures cannot retaine their credit without the Church But how vaynely they dispute heereof we haue alreadie shewed by manie most strong argumentes But they obiect vnto vs the authoritie of the holy man of God Augustine which wrote thus against the Epistle of a Manichee which they call Fundamenti I woulde not beleeue the Gospel but that the authoritie of the Church mooueth me also Notwithstanding Augustine thinketh not that the authoritie of the Church is greater than the authoritie of the woorde of GOD neither doeth hee graunte vnto the Church authoritie to ordeine anie thing against the woord of God or to make newe articles of the faith or to abolish the articles deliuered in the woord of God he onely deemeth the Church to be a teacher and a witnesse We could not beleeue the Gospel were it not that the Church taught vs and witnessed that this doctrine was deliuered by the Apostles The same Augustine in the xxviii booke the second chapter against Faustus writeth that the Manichees ought so to beleeue the first Chapter of Matthewe which those heretikes receiued not to be written by Matthew as he did beleue the epistle which they called Fundamentum to be Manichees because it was so kept by their ancetours and deliuered from hand to hande Hee writeth that he was also mooued by agreeable testimonies of the first Church not to doubt that these bookes were deliuered by the Apostles and by them which are worthie credit Therfore herevpon it is that the Church mooueth vs also to beleeue the Gospel because shee keepeth the holy Scriptures faithfully preacheth them and discerneth them from others And he speaketh of the primitiue and Apostolike Churche as Gerson Chauncellour of Paris a man in his age most excellent doeth in the same place most wisely say Hee taketh the Church for the primitiue congregation of those faithfull whiche hearde Christ and sawe him and were his witnesses For whilest the Apostles and Disciples of Christ were yet liuing when as diuerse Gospels were sette foorth in the Churche they which had seene Christ and hearde his Apostles coulde witnesse what was naturall and what was Bastardlike In like manner Tertullian and Irenaeus commende vnto vs the authoritie of the first Churche receiue the writinges approoued by the Catholike consent of the first Churche and did therefore sende heretikes to the Apostolike Churches because they did not receiue the whole scriptures Wherefore they woulde that they shoulde receiue the estimation of the Scriptures from those churches wherin it was manifestly knowen that the Apostles taught For it was euident that those Churches had bene continually the witnesses and keepers of the bookes of holy Scripture and yet they did not for that cause ordeyne that the authoritie of the Churche ought to be preferred before the Scriptures But if the Apostolike Churche bee not preferred before the Scripture muche lesse ought this congregation of mitred men whiche are not so aptly termed the Churche as the corruption and eating canker of the church to bee preferred before the sayde Scriptures But they obiecte against vs this rule which is commonly spoken of by Logicians Whatsoeuer it is that is the cause that any thing else is indued with a qualitie the same thing shall rather be iudged to bee indued with the same qualitie Herevpon they reason in this maner If the scripture haue her authoritie because of the Churche then doeth it followe that the saide authoritie is rather in the Church then
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