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
certaine boundes and that it is so muche preferred before all the later writinges of Byshoppes that there may neyther doubte be made nor disputation raysed touching it whether anie thing whiche is well knowen to bee written in it be true or righte And that the writinges of Byshoppes which eyther haue beene written after the confirmation of the the Canon or which shall bee written may be lawfully reprooued both by the wyser speach of one peraduenture more skilfull in the Scripture and by the grauer authoritie of other Byshoppes and by the wisedome of the learned and by Councels if anie thing in the sayde writinges doe by chaunce varie from the trueth And that the Councels themselues which are holden by particuler countries or prouinces doe geue place without all doubte to the more generall Councels which are assembled forth of the vniuersal Christian worlde And that the latter generall Councels are ofteÌ„times made better by the further when as by some experimenr of matters that which was shutte vppe is opened and that which lay hidde is made knowen without anie shewe of wicked pride without anie arrogancie of puffed vp flesh without any contention of spitefull enuie with holie humilitie with Catholike peace and with Christian Charitie Hierome vppon the Epistle to the Galathians sayeth It is the doctrine of the holie Ghoste which is set foorth in the Canonicall Scriptures agaynst the which if Councels shall determine any thing I esteeme it wickednesse Again August writing to Hierom hath these wordes For I confesse vnto your charitie that I haue learned to yeeld this feare honor to those bookes of the Scripture onely which are nowe called Canonicall that I beleeue most firmely that none of the authours of them haue committed any fault in writing them And if I finde any thing in any of those bookes which may seeme contrarie to the truth I make none other doubt but this that either there was a fault escaped in writing the booke or that the interpreter did not attaine to that which was spoken or that I doe not vnderstande it But I reade others so that although they doe excell in holinesse and learning I doe not therefore thinke it true because they so thought but because they were able to perswade me either by those Canonicall authours or by probable reason that it differeth not from the truth Neither doe I suppose my brother that thou dost think any otherwise This I say that I doe not take it that thou wouldest thy bookes should be altogether so read as the writings of the Prophets or of the Apostles touching whose writings to doubt whether they want al errour it is a great haynous offence This be farre from godly humilitie c. In like manner in the proeme to his third booke de Trinitate he saith As I wil not haue my reader addict to me so will I not be his correctour Let not him loue me more then the Catholike faith and let him not loue himselfe more then the Catholike trueth As I say to him Be not addicted to my writinges as to the Canonicall Scriptures But when thou shalt finde in the Scriptures euen that which thou didst not beleeue beleeue it without stackering And when thou shalt find in my bookes which thou diddest not esteeme certaine except thou vnderstand it to be certaine doe not firmely hold it So say I to him also Correct not my bookes by thine opinion or contention but by the holy Scripture or by firme reason If thou shalt finde any trueth in them in that it is so it is not mine but in that it is vnderstanded and beloued let it be both thine and mine But if thou shalt proue any falshood in them in that there was an errour committed it shal be mine but in that it is nowe auoyded let it neither bee mine nor thine Hee sayeth also to Fortunatianus For wee ought not to make such accoumptes of the disputations of anie although they be Catholike and laudable men as of the Canonicall Scriptures â–ª as though it were not lawfull for vs sauing the honourable reuerence which is due to suche men to improoue and refuse some thing in their bookes if by chance we shall finde that they thought otherwise theÌ„ the truth is being by God his helpe vnderstanded either of other or of vs Suche am I in other mens woorkes suche woulde I that the vnderstanders of my woorkes shoulde be in mine And againe to Paulina in the sixeteenth Chapter he saith Neither doest thou so beleeue me as thou doest Ambrose â–ª touching whose bookes I haue giuen those so great testimonies Or if thou thinke that thou shouldest beleeue vs both two alike what wilt thou compare vs in any wise to the Gospel or wilt thou matche our writinges with the Canonicall Scriptures Truely if thou be a wise discerner thou seest vs farre of froÌ„ that authoritie me much more But although thou mayest beâ—eeue eyther of vs yet mayst thou not compare either of vs to that excelleÌ„cy Item against Cresconius in the seconde booke and xxxi Chapter he saith For we doe Cyprian no iniurie when we put differeÌ„ce betwene his writings whatsoeuer they be the canonicall authoritie of holy scriptures Neither was the Ecclesiastical Canon without cause sette downe with so wholesome watchefulnesse whervnto the certaine bookes of the Prophets of the Apostles do pertaine which we may not presume to iudge at all and according to the which we may freely iudge of al other writings either of the faithful or of the vnfaithfull In like maner to Vincentius the Donatist in his xlviii Epistle hath these woordes Shew not thy selfe willing to collect pillers forth of the writings of the Apostles against the testimonies of god First because this kind of writings are distinguished from the authoritie of the Canon For they are not so read as though testimonie might so be taken foorth of them that it may not be lawfull to thinke otherwise if perhaps they sauour otherwise Sixe hundred suche testimonies are to be found euerie where in Augustine which teach that the Canonicall scripture is the rule wherby all the writinges and decrees of all men are to be tried Wherfore omitting him let vs heare also the senteÌ„ces of the rest of the fathers agreeing all in one Basill in moralibus summa 72. cap. 1. pronounceth that hearers learned in the Scriptures ought to trie those things which are vttered by the teachers and to receiue those things which agree with the Scriptures but to refuse whatsoeuer doth not agree thervnto And hee applieth to that rule the saying of Paul Gal. 1.8 Though an Angel from heauen preache anie other Gospel vnto you than that which we haue preached vnto you let him bee accursed Epiphanius haeresi 65. saith We can shewe the inuention of euery question not by reasons of our owne but by the consequence of the Scriptures Cyrill de recta fide ad reginas saith It
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
will is to bee celebrated both heree in the euerlasting life Therfore it is godlinesse diligently to collect with thankful minde to coÌ„sider all the giftes all the riches wherewith the Church is adorned enriched Shee hath the soÌ„ne of God for her head spouse and sauiour vnto whom she is maried in faith shee hath the ioyfull newes of the Gospel she hath the holy Ghost for her gouernour shee hath the ministerie prolonged by the Fathers the Prophetes Christ the Apostles which haue most plentifully bestowed vpon her as vpon a riche treasure house as saith Irenaeus all things apperteyning to trueth that euerie one which will may drawe forth of her the drinke of life shee hath Pastours authoritie to call Ministers for the setting forth and conseruing of the gospel of whom it is writteÌ„ How beautiful are the feete of theÌ„ which bring good tidings of peace bring good tidings of good things Shee hath excellent gifts vnderstanding the inerpretation of doctrine giuen by diuine inspiration shee hath also the administration of Sacramentes a certaine iurisdiction of her own lawes of her owne The holy Scripture adorning her with marueilous prayses calleth her thoroughly â—re The paradise of the great workeâ—n The citie of the holy king cleare as â—e dawning of the daye bright as the â—orning beautifull as the Moone elect the SuÌ„ne who smelleth of ointments â—tandeth at the right hande of the king â—cked with imbrodered gardes of diuers â—â—lours who hath no obscure thing and 〈◊〉 through Christ altogither most white Therefore because the sweete name of the Church is ful of worthinesse reâ—erence herevpon it coÌ„meth to passe that â—anie eloquent learned men doe with â—ately plentiful gorgious speache exâ—ll amplifie exaggerate the maiestie â—reheminence authoritie dignitie therâ—f so that they doe affirme that she hath â—orce and power aboue the written word â—f God thinke that Christians ought â—o giue place to her in all thinges For â—herevpon the aduersaries of the trueth gather that the Church is more ancient than the Scripture that the Scripture hath her authoritie from the Church that the Church of the Fathers continued 2449. yeares before anie thing was written touching religion Also that the Church of the new Testament was gathered togither many yeres with the liuely voyce of the Gospell before any thing was written by the Apostles And because the Church receiued the Scripture allowed it by her owne iudgement that the authoritie of the Church which receiued and allowed is greater than the authoritie of the Scriptures which were receiued and allowed And therefore that the authoritie of the Church is not only not inferiour not only equall but rather superiour and better knowen than the authoritie of the scripture For the Church hath approued the chiefest scriptures to be Canonical whiche approbation they neither had of theÌ„selues nor of their authours Otherwise what cause is there why wee should receiue the Gospell of S. Marke whiche sawe not Christ and yet not receiue the Gospell of Nicodemus which nowe also is extant who notwithstanding both saw Christ and was his schollar Moreouer why is the Gospell of Luke the disciple admitted the gospel of Bartholomewe the Apostle reiected Truelie they haue â—r authoritie not from the authours â—n whome they come but from the â—â—urch No holy Scripture doth shewe 〈◊〉 the rest of the Scriptures which we â—e are canonical and worthie credite 〈◊〉 coÌ„sent of the Church hath made them â—benticall So that Augustine saieth â—ll I would not beleeue the Gospell â—re it not that the authoritie of the â—tholicall Church doeth moue mee â—o And especially because there were â—e in times past which both reiected â—o written gospels the Euangelistes â—o which wrote them sticking forsooth â—ought false religion to Christ only who â—ither wrote him self neither commanâ—â—d to be written but to be preached and â—â—lled his doctrine not scripture that is 〈◊〉 say writing but the Gospell that is to â—y ioyfull newes But if wee giue place â—rein to the Church as by right wee â—â—ght al to giue place vnto her why then â—ould we not also giue place vnto her in â—e matter of the holy Sacramentes in â—â—her pointes That the Apostles did â—rite certaine things not that their wriâ—â—ngs shold rule our faith religion but â—at their writings should rather serue our faith and religion And that it is not to be thought that the Apostles were able to comprehend in their Epistles al the preceptes and mysteries of our faith and of christian doctrine that Christ and his Apostles in so many yeres preached much more than could be coÌ„prehended within the narow roome of the bokes of the new testament And that therefore so short an abridgemeÌ„t of the gospell was put in writing that the greatest part thereof as a rich treasure might be left to the traditions fastened in the inward bowels of the church That therefore many things are to be beleeued which are not written that the constant sentence of the church ought to be accepted as the gospel that therefore in matter of doubt in anie raised coÌ„trouersie the authoritie of the traditioÌ„ of the church is more effectuall to cause credit to be giuen to proue certainly then the scriptures because the tradition is more euident and plaine altogether vnflexible when as contrarilie the Scriptures be oftentimes very obscure and do suffer them selues to be wrested applied to a diuers meaning yea to that meaning which any shall presume with him selfe â—efore hand easily to be shifted of with 〈◊〉 craftie exposition And that therefore the common sentence of the tradition of the church is the certaine and inflexible â—â—le of the Scriptures And to be briefe â—hat the exactest squier paterne rule of â—â—ith is not the scripture but the iudgement of the Church That the saying of Christe is If hee will not heare the church let him be to thee as an heatheÌ„ man a Publicane That the church is the piller ground of trueth and that â—he can not erre because Christ promised to her the holy Ghost which shoulde leade her into al truth S. Paul exhorteth vs saying Brethren stand fast holde the ordinances which yee haue bene taught c. To be brief they go about to proue by the testimonie of the Prophete Hieremie that this is the propertie of the doctrine of the newe testameÌ„t which first was published by Christ and afterward by the instruction of the holy ghost was preached by the Apostles spread abroad throughout the whole world wherby God would haue it to be knowen froÌ„ the doctrine of the olde testament that it should neither bee ingraued in tables of stone nor written with inke and paper That the Apostles were commaÌ„ded by Christ to preach not to write Finally they dispute much of the briefnesse insufficiencie flexiblenesse ambiguitie and
the inspiration of the holie ghost set them in order What say you to 〈◊〉 moreouer that Iudas in his Epiâ—… alledgeth certaine things forth of the â—…ke of Enoch Neither is there anie â—…e why ye should say vnto me that that â—…e is apochyphal PeradueÌ„ture that 〈◊〉 was apochyphal which was caried â—…ut after that age wherein the Apoâ—…s liued but those things which Iudas alledged were firme certaine But be â—…or I wil not contend that the word of 〈◊〉 was not written before Moses but 〈◊〉 only vttered by the mouth and as it â—…re deliuered froÌ„ hand to hand What â—…keth this to the matter w we haue in â—…d For the same word wheÌ„ afterward 〈◊〉 was put in writing must needes be so â—…erued and restrained that nothing â—…ght be altered therin by meÌ„ The word 〈◊〉 God is inuiolable cleane without corâ—…tion whether it be deliuered by voice â—…y writing neither can it sound coÌ„traâ—… things I confesse that the vnwritten â—…de was more ancient theÌ„ that which â—…r was put in writing But I acknowâ—…ge onely betweene these two the diffeâ—…ce of time not of efficacy or authoriâ—… But in that the church is gathered by the worde of God it must needes folow that the Church is later then the woorde of God and inferiour to it Wherefore it is most euident that the Church taketh her excellencie and dignitie from the worde of God. The third Chapter That the authoritie of Scripture is greatest because it containeth the worde of God which in the beginning was deliuered to the Church by liuely voyce THe authoritie of holie Scripture is farre greatest because it containeth the worde of God him self and tooke her beginning of the holy Ghost For the doctrine conteined in holie Scripture was not vttered enlarged and plainelie set foorth by Philosophers which liued in Grece or Italie but published by God him selfe and reuealed from heauen to certaine chosen men The heauenly Father did declare it with his owne voyce 〈◊〉 the Patriarchs and Prophets The â—â—erlasting in heauen and in the verie â—ome of his father I meane the onely â—â—gotten sonne of God our Lord and saâ—â—ur Iesus Christ comming downe to 〈◊〉 shewed it The holie Ghost in al ages â—â—spired certaine excellent men who deâ—ered the worde vncorruptly Knowe â—s sayth Peter that no prophesie in tâ—e Scripture is of anie priuate interâ—â—etation For the prophecie came not â—olde time by the will of man but â—â—ly men of God spake as they were â—oued by the holy Ghost Wherefore â—ul defineth this doctrine The wiseâ—â—me not of this world neither of the â—â—nces of this worlde which come to â—ught but the wisedome of God in a â—ysterie euen the hid wisedome which â—od had ordeined before the worlde â—â—ich God hath reuealed by his spiâ—e Therefore all most excellent points â—e to be attributed to the Scripture the â—cles and diuine sayings whereof are â—h in diuinitie as are in euerie science 〈◊〉 principles of the same which must â—edes be supposed and graunted Moreouer vntill Christ came into the worlde the Scripture was conteined in the lawe and prophesies So do wee see that Moses and the Prophets are cited by Christ and the Apostles as approued witnesses whose writings were receiued amongst the people of God without controuersie none otherwise then publike registers The Apostles did first witnesse with liuely voice that which was giuen them in commaundemeÌ„t But after that the doctrine of Christ was spread wide and broade and confirmed with innumerable miracles and wonders and after that the Church was established which tooke her beginning of the preaching of the worde by fayth but yet so that the worde went before when as many false Apostles rose vp who vnder the pretence of reuelations and traditions of the Apostles brought monstrous toyes into the Churche and corrupted the purenesse of God his worde it seemed good to the holy ghost that the summe of the Apostles preaching shoulde bee sette foorth in writing that it might bee left perfect for â—â—em which should come after Whereâ—â—â—e by the instinct of the holie Ghost â—wo of the Apostles wrote as witnesses of thinges which they had seene and two of the Disciples and Apostoâ—â—e men wrote also as witnesses of â—â—ose thinges which they had hearde 〈◊〉 the Apostles whome other doe affirme to haue seene also the thinges that they wrote Those writings make the foure Gospels touching the which â—renaeus debateth manie thinges in the â—leuenth Chapter of his thirde Booke agaynst Heresies where hee shewâ—th that there must bee foure Gospels â—nely not because the Church hath receiâ—ed foure onely but because God hath so appointed Touching the Gospel of Matâ—hewe Saint Hierome writeth this Historie Pantaenus when hee was sent by Demetrius Bishop of Alexandria into India founde that Barâ—holomew did preach there the comming of Christ according to the Gosâ—el of Matthew the which being also written in Hebrue he brought from thence with him to Alexandria Herevnto agree those things which Nicephorus sheweth in the 32. chapter of his 4. booke The same Nicephorus reporteth in the 36. Chapter of his 7. booke that the Gospel of Matthew was founde in Barnabas his tombe written with Barnabas his owne handes Whereby may be gathered how greatly Apostolik men did esteeme this Gospel Eusebius forth of Clement doth report that Peter the Apostle did approue and confirme by his own iudgement the Gospel of Mark and did ordeine that it should be reade in the Churches Nicephorus sayth that Peter indited the Gospel of Marke and decreed that it shoulde from thenceforth be read in the Congregations Irenaeus sayeth Marke the Disciple and interpreter of Peter hath deliuered vnto vs those precepts which were preached by Peter The same Irenaeus writeth of Luke thus The Apostles deliuered to al men simplie and enuying no man those thinges which they themselues had learned of the Lorde And therefore â—â—ke also enuying no man deliuered to vs in like maner those thinges which he had learned of theÌ„ Furthermore Iohn perused ouer the writings oâ—â—he three Euangelists and witnessed tâ—â—t they were true Finally he finished 〈◊〉 writing of the Gospel Therefore he â—cludeth the Historie written by him â—â—is And manie other things truely did Iesus before the eyes of his disciâ—lâ—s which are not written in this â—â—ke These are written that ye might â—â—â—eeue that Iesus is Christ the sonne 〈◊〉 God and that in beleuing ye might â—e life thorowe his name Vnder â—â—th wordes he comprehendeth not onâ—â—is owne Gospel but also the Gospels 〈◊〉 â—he rest of the Euangelistes as also 〈◊〉 olde writers haue vnderstoode this â—ce And then trulie was the truth of 〈◊〉 Gospel acknowledged and receiued â—â—en as yet there remained aliue which 〈◊〉 both heard and seene the Lorde 〈◊〉 selfe in his mortall fleshe or had â—rde the chosen Apostles and Disciâ—â—â—s which were familiar and conâ—sant with him And because also
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
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
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
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
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
will you examine your doctrines and traditions by the Touchstone of the Scripture Are you so mad and blinde that you wil neuer confesse and reuerence with the Catholike Church of God the fulnesse the perfection and sufficiencie of the Scripture will you still be turned from the moste pure wheate of God his worde to the chaffe and coddes of traditions The xxij Chapter A perfect proofe of those traditions which are in deede the Apostles foorth of the moste auncient writers Irenaeus and Tertullian IRenaeus and Tertullian moste auncient writers and neerest to the Apostles time doe moste plainely proue vnto vs what traditions are moste auncient and the Apostles in deede For they when as they did contende with Heretikes about Doctrines doe alledge the tradition of the Apostles and of the Church that they might by the authoritie thereof confirme their cause and doe with great honour make mention of the same But it is worth the while to consider by what occasion for what cause in what sorte and with what moderatenesse they doe it For so shall it plainely appeare that the Churche at that time had no doctrines by traditions no mysteries of Faith but what were grounded in the Scripture Irenaeus had to deale with moste wicked Heretikes whiche were neither mooued with the authoritie of the Scripture nor with the consent of the vniuersall Churche Therefore they did either slylye shifte off or impudently refuse what so euer was obiected If they were ouerthrowen and conuicted by the Scriptures they did debase their authoritie yea they did accuse them as not Authentical or as hauing an obscure and an vncertaine meaning or as insufficient But they bragged that they had by tradition wisedome more high then the Apostles and more perfect If they were called backe to the consent of the Church they said that it was no meruaile if the Church doe not keepe the pure doctrine which receiued it corrupted and sowered with leauen not onely of the Disciples but also of the Lorde himselfe And therefore they boasted that they were the correctours of the Apostles And what sayeth Irenaeus herevnto We haue saieth hee the dispensation of our saluation by none other then the Apostles which what they published by preaching afterward they deliuered vnto vs in writing to bee the grounde and piller of our faith Afterwarde he vrgeth this parte also that all Churches taught and instructed by the Apostles did imbrace the vnitie of Faith grounded in the Scriptures And yet so that hee confuteth the doting opinions of Heretikes by the Scriptures as by the rule of perfect and absolute wisedome Tertullian also stroue with the like monsters Their vsuall maner was to escape by subtile shiftes If they were pressed with the authoritie of the scriptures they did either refuse them or if they did receiue them they did peruert them by putting to and taking awaye for the framing of their owne purpose or else corrupted them by their peruerse interpretations Therefore because Tertullian coulde not well goe forwarde against such mangling of the Scriptures hee doeth his diligence to confirme the doctrine certainly set foorth in the Scriptures among the simple and weake by this note also that the Apostles deliuered it by liuely voyce from hande to hande Wherefore because in these disputations the Heretikes refused the Scriptures as not in all poyntes to bee receiued and as though they were of an obscure and doubtfull meaning by whome onely the trueth coulde not bee knowne except one knewe the Tradition both the sides appealed to the tradition And because both the parties bragge of traditions this question was disputed of Which was the true tradition of the Apostles Irenaeus and Tertullian proue that that is the true traditiō only which Christ receiued of God and deliuered to the Apostles and which the Apostles againe deliuered to the Churches and which was kept in the Churches by the succession of Bishops And doeth this tradition conteine a doctrine contrarie to that which is sette foorth in the Canonicall Scripture No. For for this cause they did condemne those traditions which the Heretikes bragged of as erronious and forged Therefore what doeth the Tradition alledged in disputation againste the Heretikes conteine No doctrine contrarie and disagreeable to that which is taught in the Scripture but the selfe same articles of fayth which doe as it were comprehend the summe of all the Scripture For both of them doe shewe what that Tradition is whiche the Church receiued of the Apostles and also kept sincere and they bee the same poyntes of doctrine whiche the Apostles Creede doeth conteine And no man doubteth but they are sette foorth in the Scripture by manie manifest testimonies They doe not then proue any other doctrine of fayth besides those which are conteined in the Scripture but they shewe and proue by tradition the verie same doctrines which are comprehended in the Scripture And what needeth that Forsooth that they might proue the consent of the true Apostolicall Tradition with the Scripture so that the doctrine whiche the Scripture doeth teach and that which the Primitiue Churche receiued by the preaching of the Apostles is all one And this is diligently to bee considered that our position of the authoritie perfection and sufficiencie of the scriptures is most strongly mainteined by this disputation of Irenaeus and Tertullian and also that the disputations of the Papistes touching Traditions which can bee prooued by no Testimonie of Scripture are refuted For the Traditions of the Apostles and the Scriptures prooue the consente so that the Tradition be not opposite against the Scripture as though the Scripture were either false or doubtfull or vnperfect as the Heretikes quareled but the trueth the authoritie the certaintie and absolute perfectnesse of the Scripture is proued and confirmed by the tradition Wherefore when as there bee traditions proposed whiche doe not agree with the Scripture and which cannot bee shewed and prooued foorth of the Scripture it is moste certaine that those traditions are not the Apostles These are sure and sounde reasons which can not bee ouerthrowen with anie subtile shiftes of Sophisters Now if you aske which that true ancient and Apostolike tradition is it is not needful to search it without the scripture For Irenaeus and Tertullian in that disputation whereof wee spake speake not onely generally but declare specially euidently in expressed wordes what that tradition of the Apostles is Let vs then heare Irenaeus expounding the tradition of the trueth which the Church hauing receiued it from the Apostles keepeth The Church sayth he being sowed throughout the whole worlde vnto the endes of the earth receiued both of the Apostles and of their disciples that faith which is in one God the father almightie which made Heauen and earth the sea and all thinges which are in them And in one Iesus Christ the sonne of GOD incarnate for our saluation in the holy Ghost which preached by the Prophetes the
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