Rom is No Rule, Title page – To the reader
Rome is no Rule: OR, AN ANSWER To an Epiſtle publiſhed by a Roman Catholick who ſtiles himſelf, Cap. ROBERT EVERARD And may ſerve for an Anſwer to two Popiſh Treatiſes, the one Entituled, The Queſtion of Queſtions; and the other, Fiat Lux: out of which Books the Arguments urged in the ſaid Epiſtle againſt the Authority of the Scriptures, and the pretended Infallibility of the Roman Church are Collected. In which Anſwer, the authority of the Scriptures is vindicated, and the Arguments for the Romiſh Infallibility Refuted.
By J. I.
Prov. 8.17.
He that is firſt in his own cauſe ſeemeth juſt, but his neighbour cometh and ſearcheth him.
Job. 6.25.
How forcible are right words, but what do your arguings reprove?
LONDON, Printed by T. M. for Livewel Chapman, at his Shop in Exchange Alley in Cornbil 1664.
TO THE READER.
Reader,
SInce the Word of God which he hath exalted above all his Name, to be as a light ſhining in a dark place, and as a Rule try Doctrines, whether they are of Heaven, or of Men, is by Roman Catholicks cried down, as altogether inſufficient for that purpoſe; by reaſon whereof they have, and do daily beguile unstable Souls: I ſhall therefore, as a preface to this enſuing Diſcourſe lay before you the Judgement of Christ and his Apoſtles, and diverſe of the Antient Fathers (who trode in their paths) touching the Authority and Ʋſeſulneſs of the Holy Scriptures, and compare them with the Judgements of the Romane Catholicks, that ſo trying all things, thou mayeſt hold firſt that which is beſt. In the firſt place, it was the Judgement of Christ (whoſe Judgement is believed by all Chriſtians to be Infallible) That Men ought to ſearch the Scriptures, Joh. 5.39. And that the reaſon why the Jews did erre in the Doctrine of the Reſurrection was, becauſe they did not know the ſcripture, Mark 12.24. He judged that the reaſon why the Jews did not believe him, was, becauſe they did not believe the Scriptures, Jo. 5.46. He judged the Scriptures to be Armour of proof againſt the Devil, Mat. 4.6, 7. He confutes his Adverſaries by them, Joh. 8.17. Mat. 12.4, 5. This was alſo the judgement and practiſe of the Apoſtles; therefore they commend the Bareans for ſearching the Scriptures, Acts 17.11. Hence it was that they mightily convinced the Jews, ſhewing by the Scriptures, That Jeſus was the Chriſt, Acts 18.28. The Apoſtle informs Timothy, That they were able to make wiſe to ſalvation, and that they were profitable for Doctrine, for Reproof, for Correction, and for Inſtruction in Righteouſneſſe, 2 Tim. 3.15, 16. And that if we fulfil the Royal law according to the ſcriptures, we ſhall do well, Jam. 2.8. That they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come, 1 Cor. 10 11. And that they were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the ſcriptures might have Hope, Rom. 15.4. This was alſo the judgment of the Fathers, who followed the footſteps of Chriſt and his Apoſtles. St. Auguſtine ſaith, upon the 8. Pſalm, That God hath bowed down the ſcriptures to the capacity of Babes and Sucklings, that when proud men will not ſpeak to their capacity, himſelf might.
And again, the ſame Authour ſaith, That our Faith would reel and totter if the Authority of the ſcriptures did not ſtand faſt, de Doct. Chriſt. Lib. 1. Cap. 37.
St. Chryſoſt. ſaith, The ſcriptures are eaſie to be underſtood, and are expoſed to the capacity of every Servant and Plow-Man, and Widow, and Boy, and therefore God Penned the ſcriptures by the hand of Publicans, Fiſher-men, Tent-makers, Neat-heards, and Unlearned men, that none of the ſimple people might have any excuſe to keep them from reading, Hom. 1. in Mat.
Again be ſaith, That whatſoever is required to ſalvation is all ſet down in ſcriptures, neither is there any thing wanting there, that is needfull for mans ſalvation, Hom. 41. in Mat.
Juſtin Martyr ſaith, That we ſhould hear the words of the ſcriptures, which are ſo plain and eaſie, that they need no Expoſition, but to be rehearſed, Dialogue cum Triphon. 213.
St. Hierome ſaith, Whatſoever things men find and feign without the Authority, and Teſtimony of the ſcriptures, as if they were from Apoſtolical Tradition are ſmitten by the ſword of God, ſee Comment. in Hagg. Cap. 2.
On the other hand, the Roman Catholicks ſay, The ſcriptures are no certain Rule, no Infallible guide; and that all things neceſſary to ſalvation, are not contained in them; See the Books Entituled, the Queſtion of Queſtions, and Fiat Lux, and the Epiſtle Publiſhed by Everard, to which this Anſwer is Directed. They forbid the People to uſe and ſearch them. See Everards Epiſtle pa. 14. He ſaith, Thoſe words in the 5. of John are ſo far from being a Command to ſearch the ſcriptures, that they rather ſeem a reprehenſion to all that have ſuch a conceit of them.
Again they ſay, The ſcriptures are fitted to the time, and are variably underſtood; the ſenſe whereof being one while this, and again, another while that, according as it pleaſeth the Church to change her judgement. See Cuſan. Ep. 2.37.
Again, The Biſhop of Toledo's putting forth the Bible in divers Languages, puts the Latine Tranſlation in the midſt between the Hebrew and Greek, and then ſaith, the Greek and Hebrew he placed of either ſide as two Thieves, and the Latine between them, as Jeſus Chriſt.
Others of them call the Scriptures a noſe of wax, that may be writhed any way, and a dumb Judge, &c.
Now whoever ſhall but impartially lay the judgment, of theſe men concerning the Scriptures in the ballance of the Sanctuary, and compare them with what Chriſt, his Apoſtles, and their followers judged of them, may eaſily ſee that there is more excellency in the gleanings of the Scriptures, then in the full Vintage of the Pope and all his Cardinals; whoſe Vines are like thoſe of Sodom, by reaſon whereof, the Nations have been intoxicated, and made drunk with the wine of her fornication. For if they were not drunk, they would never quit both Scripture and Reaſon, and the Spirit of God, all that by which they become both Men and Chriſtians, to hearken to the voice of the Romiſh Charmers, who rather then they will want water to carry Proſelytes to the Romiſh Sea, care not though they open the flood-gates of Atheiſm and Antiſcripturiſm upon the Chriſtian World. For who ſeeth not (but he that is willing to be blind) that the arguments levied by them for wounding the reputation of Scriptures, are as a ſharp ſword ready to paſs through the reins of Chriſtianity it ſelf. For the prevention whereof, I have publiſhed this enſuing Anſwer, which I do deſire may be impartially conſidered; and the Lord give you underſtanding in all things, and open your underſtanding, that you may underſtand the Scriptures; that ſo taking to your ſelves the ſwords of the Spirit, which is the word of God, you may be able to reſiſt all the adverſaries of your pretious ſouls, who daily ſeek to make merchandize of you; and that you may ſo do, ſhall be the Prayers, and Deſires of thy Friend,
J. I.