Propositions and Principles of Divinity Disputed, Section 52
PRINCIPLES CONCERNING THE WORD OF GOD. LII.
1 VVE hauehave dealt in the former principles with the Church, and it hath bene ſaid that the notes of the true Church, were the Word of God, and the Sacraments: now wee will deale with theſe notes; and firſt of all with the former of them.
2 The word of God (which is the firſt note) wee cal in this place, not whatſoeuer GOD hath ſpoken, but thoſe things onlie, which the Prophetes and Apoſtles, inſpired by Gods Spirite, hauehave in times paſt as taught by worde, ſo committed to writing: & thoſe things, which being comprehended in the bookes of the ould and new Teſtament, are as yet vntounto this day, after ſo manie warres, ſlaughters, & ouerthrowes, extant in Gods Church: in which bookes God hath declared both what he will hauehave vsus to know cō cerning him, and what is to be done of vsus.
3 God onelie is to bee acknowledged the authour of theſe bookes, whence the whole Scripture is ſaid by PAVL to bee giuen by the inſpiration of God: and is alſo called the word of God. And therefore it is vnlawfull to call into queſtion, or to refuſe anie thing that is contained therein: as alſo to bring in anie thing that is not written in the ſame.
Deteſtable therefore was that peruerſnes of the Marcionites, Manichaees, the Valentinians, and of all ſuch as refuſed either all, or ſome of the bookes of the newe Teſtament.
4 Theſe writings by the ſingular prouidence of God hauehave long ſince beene brought by the Church, into a certaine order and Cannon, that they might bee diſcerned from counterfaite, yea, and all other bookes: and that they ſhould bee a rule of faith and obedience, that ſhould hauehave credite of it ſelf, and hence they are called Cannonicall. Other bookes, whoſoeuer hauehave beene the authours of them, though they contain manie wholſome & profitable things are yet but accounted the writings of priuate men, neither hauehave they their credite of themſelues, but as far as they agree with the former bookes, and no otherwiſe.
They therefore both hauehave, and at this day doe moſt greuouſlie offend, who take away this difference, and affirme, that the bookes of the APOCRYPHA are to hauehave no leſſe credite in the eſtabliſhing of Religion, then the Cannonical Scripture, of which number are the Tridentine conſpiratours.
5 This Scripture we acknowledge to be cannonicall, and authentick, not ſo much by the common conſent of the Church, as by the teſtimonie of the Spirite of God, who teacheth vsus, that they are to be embraced, as beeing moſt vndoubtedlie true, and ſuch as hauehave proceeded from Gods own mouth.
6 Now, theſe holie books do whollie containe al thoſe thinges, that are needfull for our ſaluation, in ſomuch that it is altogether vnlawfull to exſpect for anie ſupplie of this doctrine: for the Scripture (as PAVLE doth expreſlie teach) is able to make the man of God abſolute.
Moſt greeuous therefore is their errour, who thinke that the liuelie and the ſauing knowledge of God, is to be elſe where ſought, then in the written word: and doe therefore thruſt vntounto vsus, their vnwritten falſhoods: out of the which they will hauehave neceſſarie arguments to bee drawne in the cauſe of faith and religion.
7 The naturall and proper interpretation of this holy Scripture, is to be drawne from the analogie of faith, and the conference of places. For that which is darcklie in one place, is in an other clearelie taught, that which heere is ſhortlie, is elſewhere largelie ſet down, and ſo the Woord is the rule and the interpretour of it ſelfe.
They are deceauers therefore, who ſay, that the right and authoritie of expounding the worde of God, is in their power, as though it were lawfull for them to interpret anie place as they think good.
8 Neither are the expoſitions of auncient Doctors to bee receaued as vndoubted, anie farther then they agree with the truth: for PAVLE doth command vsus, that we giuegive eare or conſent vntounto none, whoſoeuer he be, that teacheth anie other doctrine.
Wee cannot allow therefore of their opinion, who wil hauehave the interpretation of the fathers, (as they call thē) to hauehave credite of themſelues.
9 It is true indeed, that ſome places of the Scripture remaine euen vntounto this day, ſo obſcure and hard to bee interpreted, as the verie beſt and moſt faithfull interpretours hauehave not agreed among themſelues, vpō their proper meaning: but in theſe things, eueryevery man is to acknowledge his owne ignorance, ſluggiſhnes, or ſome other fault: and the Scripture is ſo plentifull, that the one and the ſelfe ſame place, can admit diuers interpretations, and yet all agreable with the doctrine of faith.
10 This notwithſtanding is moſt certaine, that the grounds and neceſſarie heades of Chriſtian Religion, are ſo clearely ſet downe by the Prophets and Apoſtles, as (the Spirite of God woorking in the Saincts) they are manifeſtlie perceaued in the Church. And therefore wee doe not agree vntounto them, who thinke the Scripture ſo obſcure, as it needeth to be made cleare by ſome other light. Nowe, this light they will hauehave without exception to bee drawne from that pretended Catholick Church: that is, either from the fathers, from the Synods, or from ſome long cuſtome of time: as though the Scripture had not beene vnderſtood, before either the Fathers, or the Synodes were.
11 This Word of God is to be dailie meditated vppon, and all men of what eſtate ſoeuer they bee, ought moſt diligentlie to read the ſame: for no man is to be bereaued of that meanes, whereby hee is to be inſtructed in the knowledge, and the ſure way of his ſaluation.
Wee cannot therefore but condemne the Papiſtes in this point alſo, who holde it vnlawfull for laie-men (as they call them) to employ themſelues in the reading of the Word.
11 Now that the vnlearned and vnskilfull may with fruit bee conuerſant in the reading heereof: it is needfull that the Bible be tranſlated into the mother tongue of all Chriſtian people. Therefore wee doe alſo condemne the ſaid Papiſts, who will not allow of ſuch tranſlations.
13 This ſame word of God, ought to be faithfully and ſincearlie expounded vntounto the people, by euerie Paſtour: and out of the ſame are exhortations, conſolations and reprehenſions to be drawne: whence alſo the gainſayer is to be conuinced and put to ſilence.
14 This worde of GOD is ſaid to hauehave life in it: not that this life is placed in the letters, ſyllables or wordes: (for they are to be counted witches and enchanters, who attribute anie deuine power vntounto the letters and woordes themſelues) but becauſe it is an inſtrument, whereby God doth make knowne vntounto vsus, that which he will hauehave vsus to vnderſtand for our ſaluation.
15 To conclude, this is an abſolute, perpetuall and neceſſarie note of the Church: namely, that the purity of doctrine be maintained therin, and that the pillar & ground of the truth be in the ſame.
Defended by IOHN GIGORDVS Baeterrenenſis.