The Sovereign Judge of Controversies in Matters of Religion, Chapter 11 – Chapter 13
CHAP. 11.
The verification of the second meanes of Nullity against the third and fourth allegation▪
The third accusation of ambiguitie is as vniust as the two former; for if the Scripture had beene ambiguous, and capable of divers interpretations, how had it bin possible for the Apostle S… Paul to convince the Iewes by the Scriptures? can one by any saying having an ambiguous and double meaning, force the vnderstanding and the conscience of an obdurate and obstinate enemy? how could the Iewes of Berea examine by the Scripture the doctrine of the same Apostle S. Paul? That which is ambiguous, and may bee bent too and fro can it serue for a rule? the question not beeing of a Lesbian rule which is rather ruled then doth rule, and measured, then it selfe a measure, which is bowed and bended whither soever wee list, but of a certaine and constant rule which is alwayes the same. And how did our Lord imploy, not only his authority, as the sonne of God, but the Scripture it selfe, when he would proue the resurrection of the dead against the Sadduces, and so pregnantly that even the Deuill himselfe with all his sophistry could not answere the argument, shall we thinke hee proued a truth which he vndertooke to cleare, and put out of all doubt by a passage, the sense whereof was doubtfull and vncertaine? And what, (for we also alleage the Fathers) are not both Athanasius and S. Augustine of this opinion? that by a due consideration had of what goeth before, and what followeth after, and by the consent and agreement it hath with the Principall scope of the matter which is there treated of, the Scriptures are to be interpreted against hereticks. How could it be showne by the same Scriptures which is yet dayly practised that a false and hereticall interpretation doth not agree to the Scripture? And finally is it in conscience seemly in calling the Scriptures ambiguous, to brand them, and disgrace them so farre, as to fasten vponupon them the marke of Satans Oracles? If they had beene such; if Tertullian had beleeued them to be such, the hereticks had never given them occasion to call them, hee himselfe had never called them, Lucifugas Scripturarum, such as shunne and flie the Scripture as the oule or batte doth the cleare sun-shine.
The fourth accusation of the imperfection of the Scripture is noe lesse grevious, and vnjust: for since the Scripture hath beene ordained of God to make men wise unto saluation, …. Timoth. 3. 15. …7.and perfect vntounto every good worke. It must without doubt containe all doctrine necessary to salvation, otherwise it could not attaine its end. And since Scripture it selfe doth promisse this so exact and perfect doctrine, either its witnesse is not of God, or what it testifies of it selfe is true. Nay which is more, God hath expressely prohibited to adde to it, or to diminish any thing from it. And if this hath had place in the old Testament, shall it not in the new which is much more full and perfect? it is not to bee beleeued. Let vsus then adore, as Tertullian speaketh, the fulnesse of the Scriptures, and let vsus not heare (as Athanasius speaketh) neither receiue any thing besides or aboue thē in that which concernes the doctrine of faith. For touching the policy, & ceremonies vsed in the Church; it is another matter, wee avouch that the Fathers did not thinke themselues bound to giuegive an accompt of them by the Scripture. But a great part of those ceremonies vsed in their times hath bin quite abolished, so that they are no longer in vse, no not in the Romish Church, which notwithstanding doth glory so much for keeping & observing of traditions approued by antiquity, & receiued for Apostolicall.
CHAP. 12.
The verification of the second meanes of nullity against the fift allegation.
TOuching the fift allegation that the Scripture cannot be the rule, seeing it cannot put an end to the dissentions of them, who make profession to keepe themselues strictly vntounto it, is also wonderfully perverse. For question is not made of such a rule, as vntounto which, all those should truly and indeed conforme themselues, who make a shew so to do, neither of finding such a Iudge, as all they who professe to yeeld, & referre themselues to his judgement, should in effect performe it: so long as the Church shall be militant here on earth, such a rule, such a Iudge will not be foūd. But the question is of finding a rule, of finding a Iudge, to whom whosoever shall submit himselfe, to which whosoever shall conforme himselfe, shall not disagree frō those who do the like? Otherwise albeit that passion, and malice hinder not that men may seeme to hold themselues to one certaine rule, of which the doctrine is evident and playne, for to disguise the businesse and colour over a bad cause these vices notwithstanding will not suffer vsus in truth to conforme our selues thereunto, as is seene in the example of the heretiques aboue alleaged, who did protest to keepe themselues to the Councell of Nice, and to the traditions of the Fathers. Moreover we do not seeke a rule to which whosoever conformeth himselfe doth it wholy in all points. For it is well knowne that the Fathers did conforme themselues to the patterne of the Scripture, to the consent of the Church, and yet which of them hath done it so exactly? all of them by reason of humaine infirmity, disagreing one with another, and oftentimes from themselues. He that shall say, that therefore God speaking in the scripture is not Iudge, by the same reason should bee forced to conclude, that neither the Church it selfe is Iudge. But the question is of finding a Iudge, a rule which might cause agrement at least in the Principall points, amongst all those who sincerely desire the knowledge of truth.
There were betwixt the Christians and the Iewes great controversies, they protested both the one and the other that the Scripture was the rule. And St Paul that hee taught nothing but what the Prophets had foretold. And the Iewes would receiue no other doctrine, but that of Moses and the Prophets: ceased he therefore to convince the Iewes by the Scriptures, and apply them as the rule against them? And vnderunder colour that the Iewes boasting themselues in Moses writings, agreed not with the Lords, who made as much or more reckoning of them, did he forbeare to tel them,Iohn. 5. 46. 47. had yee beleeued Moses, yee would hauehave beleeued mee, for hee wrote of mee: but if yee beleeue not his writings how shall ye beleeue my words? and in the verse immediately going before.v. 45▪ Do not thinke that I will accuse you to the Father, there is one that will accuse you, euen Moses in whom you trust.
CHAP. 13.
The verifying of the second meanes of Nullity against the sixt allegation.
BVT if hereticks for answere vntounto the sixt accusation, lay claime to the Scripture, it is not in effect and indeede but only in shew. and therefore as those who make some false Demonstrations in the Mathematicks, although they make vse of principles of the science, are notwithstanding refuted and convinced by the same principles, and therefore their errour is no ways preiudicious to the authority and certainty of the Mathematicks: even so the hereticks, albeit for to cloake their heresie, they teere in peeces the Scripture, and wrest it to their sence, ought neverthelesse to bee convinced, no otherwise, then by the same Scriptures of which the Lord hath left vntounto vsus a notable example in his person, when being tempted by Satan who applyed and vsed against him the scripture, he repelled the temptation by the same scripture: the holy Fathers also did they leaue of to beate downe heresie, even so farre as to put it to death, by this sword of the spirit, albeit that heresie also in shew made vse of it. Truly the hereticks forge their heresie first in their heads, and then afterwards seeke it in the Scripture,Tertul. de resur. car. cap. 3. Vt de Scripturis solis quaestiones suas sistant stare non poterunt. which favoureth them so little, that if their controversies were to be determined by it, they would not subsist, as very well said Tertullian, who had never suffered himselfe to be carried away to the vaine fancies of Montanus, if he had firmely held this his Maxime.