Reims Against Rome, Propositions · Proposition 1
I. Propoſition. That the holy Scriptures are not in all matters neceſſarie to ſaluation, the onelyonly rule of our faith and life.
Confuted by their owne Engliſh Bible.
THeir Bible teacheth, that there is a Rule, Rom. 12. 6. Gal. 6. 16. This Rule one and the ſame, Phil. 3. 16. Now that this Rule is the holy Scriptures, which is the written Word of God, it is cleare by the ſame Bible.
I. It maketh the Word written, to bee the rule and guide in matters of controuerſie, Deut 17 11. In this place the Prieſts and Iudges are bound to proceed according to the Law. But that Law was written in a booke, called The booke of the Law of the Lord: which the Prieſts and Leuites had with them in Iehoſophats dayes, to teach the people, 2. Chron. 17. 9. Bellarmine, lib. de Verbo Dei, cap 2. ſaith on this place: Holy Moſes teacheth here, that controuerſies ariſing among Gods people, are to bee iudged according to the Law.
II. Their Bible teacheth, that God vrgeth, To the Law, and to the teſtimony (which is written as aforeſaid) and condemneth them that ſpeake not according to this Word, Eſay 8. 20.
III. By it we are taught, that the Church is ſtraightly charged, to keepe to the written Word, as in Ioſh. 23. 6. OnelyOnly take courage, and be carefull that you keepe all things, which be written in the volume of the Law of Moſes, and decline not from them, neither to the right hand, nor to the left, Ioſh. 1 8. Let not the volume of this Law depart from thy mouth: but thou ſhalt meditate in it dayes and nights, that thou mayſt keepe and doe all things that bee written in it. Is not this teſtimony cleare? What can be ſpoken more plainely? Theſe places vrge to keepe to the written Word, and withal, not to decline from it. S. Paul hauing ſpoken againſt diuiſion, ſchiſme, and ſyding with teachers in the Church of Corinth, ſome of them holding of one, ſome of another: to remedy this euill, he warnes them not to be puffed vp one againſt another, aboue that which is written, 1. Cor. 4. 6. To theſe places may be added, Deut. 30. 10. The Lord promiſed great bleſſings vntounto Iſrael, with this annexed condition, ſaying; If thou heare the voyce of thy Lord thy God, and keepe his precepts: where their obedience is commanded, and his voyce made the rule thereof. Now, leſt they ſhould doubt, where to find this his voyce, and theſe his precepts, Moſes addeth theſe words; which are written in this Law: which Law he wrote, and commanded the ſame to bee read before all Iſrael, for this end, to learne to feare the Lord, and to fulfill all his words in that Law, Deut. 31. 9, 12. yea, a curſe is denounced againſt ſuch as keepe not to the Written Word, Deut. 27. 26. Gal. 1. 10. and a plague is threatned for not obſeruing the ſame, Deut. 28. 58. Hence is it, that we ſhall find the prayſes of holy men very often in Scripture, That they did according as it was written, 2. Chron. 35. 12. they couenanted, that they would doethe things that were written, 2. Chron. 34. 31. See out of their owne Bible more for this, 2. Chr. 23. 18. 1. Eſdr. 3. 2. 4. and 6. 18. 2. Eſdr. 8. 14 15. and 10. 34, 36. 4 King. 23. 21. 3. King. 2. 3. 2. King. 1. 18. And not to doe as was written, was a ſinne, for which they were to humble themſelues, and beg pardon of God, 2. Chron. 30. 6, 18.
1. By their owne Bible we learne, that Ieſus Chriſt, the chiefe Shepheard and Biſhop of our ſoules, did nothing regard traditions, he neuer named them but with diſlike, but aduanced very highly the dignitie of the Scriptures, as the only and alone rule, and meanes of our inſtruction in all things neceſſary to eternall life: for thus their Bible telleth vsus;
1. That hee tooke for the ground of his teaching, Scripture, Luk. 4. 17. but wee reade not any where, that hee taught vponupon tradition.
2. That he interpreted the Scriptures, and out of them taught the things concerning himſelfe, Luk. 24. 27. not for traditions, nor any thing out of them.
3. That he opened the vnderſtanding of his Diſciples, that they might vnderſtand the Scriptures, Luk. 24. 25. Hee neuer did ſo concerning traditions.
4. That he often cited the Scriptures, Mark. 7. 6, 10. Matth. 9. 13. and 12 3. and 13. 14. and in many other places; but neuer traditions.
5. That he exhorteth to the ſearching of the Scriptures, Ioh. 5. 39. but neuer to the ſearching of traditions.
6. That hee cleared the Scriptures from abuſe and corrupt expoſitions, Mat. 5. 21, 22, 27, 28, 33. 24. 25, 36, 37, 38, 39. &c. but neuer traditions.
7. That he vſed the Scriptures in diſputing with Satan, Mat. 4. and in confuting his aduerſaries, Mat. 22. 31. and 19. 4. Luk. 10 26. neuer traditions.
8. That he defended his owne doctrine and his manner of teaching by the Scriptures, Mat. 13. 10, 15. and alſo the act of his Diſciples in plucking eares of corne, Mat. 12. 3, 4, 5. but neuer by traditions.
9. That hee tooke care alwayes in eueryevery thing to fulfill the Scriptures, Ioh. 12. 14, 15, 16. Mat. 4. 14. Luk. 24. 44, 46. yea, ſo farre as to ſuffer death, to make good the truth of them, Matth. 26. 54. Luk. 22. 37. but no ſuch regard had he to traditions.
10. That he did oppoſe Scriptures againſt traditions, Mat. 15. 4. but neuer traditions againſt Scriptures, or for interpretation of Scripture in matter of faith.
11. That he preferred the witneſſe of Scripture before the witneſſe of men, Ioh. 5. 34, 39, 41. yea, the power of them for inſtruction, before the voyce of any that ſhould be raiſed from the dead, Luk. 16. 27. neuer ſo traditions.
12. That he put the triall of himſelfe to Scriptures: ſo true and ſure a Iudge he tooke them to be, Ioh. 5. 39. not to traditions.
IV. Laſtly, he taught, how his owne words could take no place, if the written Word were not regarded, Ioh. 5. 47. What traditionall word is there then of any mortall man, or of all the mortall men in the world, which may receiue ſo much as equall authoritie; how much leſſe then ſupreme authoritie ouer the Scriptures?
V. Their owne Bible teacheth, that the Apoſtles taught not an vnwritten, but a written Word: for the Goſpell was that which they preached: but that was written, Rom. 1. 1, 2. and was made manifeſt by the Scriptures of the Prophets, Rom. 16. 26. Our Sauiour taught his Diſciples out of Moſes, ProphetsSee Treneus, lib. 4. cap. 66 in fine: and a little booke intituled, The Meſſiab already come, for the particulars. and Pſalmes. Luk. 24. 27. in which bookes his Names, his Natures, his Offices, his Birth where and when, and of whom; his Life, Doctrine and Miracles; his Death, Buriall, Reſurrection and Aſcenſion; his ſitting at Gods right hand, and what benefit we reape by him, are liuely depainted and written. The Apoſtles Sermons were taken out of the Scriptures, Act. 2. 16, 25, 35. and 7. 2, 51. and 8. 35. and 10. 34, 35, 43. and 13. 16, 23, 27, 33, 36, 40. by which Scriptures they confirmed what they did teach, and thereby confounded the aduerſaries, Acts 17. 2. and 18. 28. the decrees of the Councell at Ieruſalem, made by the Apoſtles and whole Church were grounded vponupon Scripture, Act 15. 15 19 Saint Pauls faith and ſeruice to God, was the written Word in the Law and in the Prophets, Act. 24. 14. And thoſe Euangelicall doctrines found in his Epiſtles, which are ſo full of comfort to a true beleeuer, though our aduerſaries ſpurne at them, he found written in the old Teſtament: There could hee finde the Kingdome of Chriſt, Act. 28 23. There hee found written, that the workes of the Law before God iuſtifie not, Rom 4. 2 6. and 3 20. That election is of meere grace, without reſpect to will, or worke of man, Rom. 9 11, 16. That man is bleſſed by imputation through faith, without workes of the Law, and freely iuſtified by grace through faith, Rom. 3. 21. for all theſe he gathereth out of the old Teſtament, as in the quoted places may be ſeene. Saint Peter taught out of the Scriptures remiſſion of ſinnes through faith in Chriſts name, Act. 10. 43. Yea the Saluation of our ſoules, and the grace which ſhould come by Ieſus Chriſt, 1. Pet. 1. 9. 10, 11. Therefore he commendeth to the whole Church, in his ſecond Epiſt, 2. Pet. 1. 19 20, 21. the holy Scriptures, to which they doe well to attend, as to a candle, ſaith he, ſhining in a darke place. This he calleth a Propheticall Word moſt ſure. Now, that this might not be taken for an vnwritten Word, firſt, he telleth them in verſ. 20. what he meaneth hereby, euen the Prophecie of Scripture, a Word written, and then giueth a reaſon, why hee calleth it a moſt ſure Word: for that, ſaith he, it was not by any priuate interpretation, nor brought by mans wil, but it was that which holy men taught, inſpired with the holy Ghoſt, Pſal. 20 21. All Scripture therefore being inſpired of God, (2 Tim. 3. 16. is this moſt ſure Word, which is to bee attended vntounto. And if it be foreign, a Word ſurer then any other, then eueryevery other word muſt be ruled by it. No other word then can equall it, (for two ſuperlatiues of the ſame thing there cannot bee) much leſſe a word to ouer-top it. This is the rule then, and not any traditionall word, which is but a meere popiſh fiction, and ſubtill deuice to deceiue by.
VI. Their owne Bible telleth vsus by way of commendations, that the Church of Berea did hold the Scriptures to be the rule to examine doctrine by, Act. 17. 11. which heard the Word deliuered by preaching, and receiued it, but no otherwiſe then they found it written in the Scriptures, by which they did trie it, daily ſearching the Scriptures, if thoſe things were ſo. Where note, 1. That the Bereans held not themſelues tyed to the Prieſts lips. 2. That they heard that which was taught them with relation to the written Word. 3. That they held the Scriptures to be the triall of the truth of their Teachers doctrine. 4. That they hauing heard, did bring that which they had heard, to the touchſtone of holy Writ, for their greater confirmation in the truth; which things are written for their praiſe, for our inſtruction alſo in imitation. For if the holy Scriptures of the old Teſtament, were then the rule to trie the Apoſtles preaching, is not both the Old and New, the rule to try mens teaching now?
VII. And laſtly, Our Aduerſaries grant vsus, that the Word of God is that one only and infallible rule of Faith, which is vndoubtable true; for what can be the rule to vsus of Gods ſeruice, but Gods will? And how can wee know what is his will, but by his Word? Therefore this Word, now being no where to be found, but in holy Scriptures, as is proued by their own Bible, they muſt needs yeeld, that the Scriptures are then the one onelyonly infallible rule of our faith: which if they will yet obſtinately deny, they muſt deny antiquity, which they ſo vainely boaſt of.
Contraried by Antiquity.
Their owne Clement telleth vsus, lib. 1. Recog. That from the diuine Scriptures the firme and ſound rule of Faith muſt be taken.
Tertul. contra Hermog. calleth the Scriptures the Rule of Faith.
Saint Baſil. lib. 1. Contr. Eunom. calleth the Scriptures the Canon of that which is right, and the rule of Truth.
Saint Ierome, lib. 1. cap. 1. in Mat. The holy Scriptures are the Limits of the Church, out of the which we may not goe.
Chryſoſtome, Hom. 3. in 2. Cor. calleth them a moſt exquiſite Rule, and an exact Square and Balance to trie all things.
Saint Augustine, lib. de bono viduit. cap. 1. The holy Scripture hath fixed the Rule of our Doctrine, that wee may not preſume to bee more wiſe, then we ought.
Greg. Nyſſen. in orat. de eis, qui adiêrunt Hieroſ. calleth the Scriptures, a right and inflexible Rule.
Gregory, the great, Hom. 4. in Ezechiel, compareth the Scriptures to a meaſuring Reed, which meteth out both the actiue and contemplatiue life of man.
By which teſtimonies of the Fathers, wee may ſee how they contrary our Aduerſaries tenent: for in plaine termes the Fathers call the Scriptures a Rule, right, exquiſite, and inflexible, and the onelyonly Rule, the Limits of the Church. But our new Romane Maſters ſticke not to ſlighten and vilifie the ſame, by calling the Booke of God, a piece of a rule, a Lesbian crooked rule, a leaden rule, a noſe of waxe; and we muſt be Heretikes, for not partaking in ſuch blaſphemies. We may therefore conclude with the words of Iſiodorus Peluſiota, lib. 1. Epiſt. 369. who ſaith, We ought to refuſe whatſoeuer is taught, vnleſſe it be contayned in the volume of the Bible; and with that of Cyril. Hier. in 4. Catech. Concerning, ſaith he, the Diuine and holy myſteries of our Faith, not any the leaſt thing muſt be tendered, without warrant of diuine Scripture.
Gaineſayed by their owne men.
Gerſon de commun. ſub vtraque ſpecie: The Scripture is the Rule of our faith. And the ſame man ſaith, Li. de examin. doct. part. 2. conſ. We muſt take heede whether the doctrine bee agreeable to holy Scripture, as well in it ſelfe, as in the manner of deliuery.
Petrus de Aliaco, the Cardinall, calleth the Scriptures, the Sacred Canon.
Clemangis, loc. 3. cap. 29. affirmeth the Scripture to be the infallible Rule of Truth, yea, the meaſure, and Iudge of all Truth.
Durand. Epiſcopus, praefat. in lib. ſent. The holy Scripture, ſaith he, ſetteth out the meaſure of Faith: wee may not write, or ſpeake any thing, which may differ from the ſame.
Picus Mirand. in Apologia, was bold to ſay, that there was no infallible truth without the Bible.
Our faith (ſaith Aquinas) doth ſtay vponupon the Canonicall In ſum. part. 1. q. 1. Art. 8. & 10.books, and the Church doth not decree but of things not neceſſary to Saluation.
Ferus, on Mat. 13. ſaith, that the holy Scriptures are the ſole Rule of verity, and whatſoeuer differs or contradicteth the ſame, it is error and Cockle, with whatſoeuer ſhew it commeth forth.
Franciſcus à Ʋictoria, de Sacra. pa. 120. ſaith, I doe not thinke it ſure and certaine, although all Writers agree thereto, becauſe it is not to be found in the holy Scriptures.
Ʋilla Vincentius teacheth, that the doctrine of the BookesLi. 2. de form. Conci. ca. 2. of the Prophets and Apoſtles is alone the Rule and foundation of Truth.
Their Canon Law tels vsus, that the diuine Scriptures containeDiſt. 37. 6. Relat. the whole and firme Rule of faith.
Andradius, lib. 3. Defenſ. Trid. Con. in initio. Their opinion diſlikes me not, who ſay, that therefore the Scriptures are called Canonicall, becauſe they containe the moſt ample Canon, that is the Rule and Square of Piety, Faith, and Religion.
Bellarmine lets fall this truth; that the ſacred Scripture isDe Verbo Dei, lib. 1. ca. 2. the moſt certaine, and most ſure Rule of Faith.
If ſo in the Superlatiue degree; then nothing there is to ouerrule or equall it: and therefore we may more ſafely cleaue to it, onelyonly as the moſt ſure and the moſt certaine Rule. For nothing (ſaith the ſame man, a little before in the ſame place) is more knowne, nothing more certaine then the holy Scriptures, which are contained in the Propheticall and Apoſtolike writings.
Beſides theſe teſtimonies ſo cleare, as no Proteſtant can ſpeake better in this point; I adde their owne practice againſt themſelues; For whatſoeuer they conceit to be a Rule, whether a Traditionall word, or their Popes Definitiue ſentence, they are conſtrained to runne vntounto the Scriptures for the ground of their aſſertions, and to procure credit to their ſuppoſed rule.
The Gagger hath obiected no Scriptures to diſproue the Scriptures to be the onelyonly Rule of Faith.