Works of Joseph Hall, Section 15 – Section 16
SECTION XV. Of the Inſufficiencie of Scripture.
NEither know I, whether it be more wickedly audacious, to faſten on God thoſe things which be neuer wrote, or to weaken the authority, and denie the ſufficiencie of what he hath written: The Papiſts doe both. We affirme (ſaith Bellarmine) that there is not expreſſely contained in Scriptures, all neceſſary doctrine, either concerning faith,Lib. 4. de verbo non ſcripto, c. 30. ſect. 1. Pari venerati…e, pari pietatis affectu. or manners: And the Tridentine Fathers giuegive charge, that Traditions be receiued with no leſſe Pietie and Veneration, than the Bookes of Scripture.
Vnwritten Truths (ſaith our wittie Chancellour, More) are equiualent to the Word of God: What place is there for peace? There are, we confeſſe, certaine things of a middle nature, indifferent rites, wherein much muſt be yeelded to the Church, much to Traditions: but that thoſe things which are ſimply neceſſary to ſaluation (whetherto be knowne, or to be done) ſhould not be found in the holy Scriptures, either in their words,Per verba, per ſenſum. or in their ſenſe, as Aquinas diſtinguiſhes, we iuſtly hold abſurd, and with Eraſmus, contrary to all true diuinitie: Some Conſtitutions for publike order, are from the Church; but all neceſſary determinations of faith, are to be fetcht from the voyce of God;foreign. In Can. Nic. Graec. con. Piſan. …innius Conc. Tom. 1. foreign. This is as Niſſen truely commends it, the right and euen rule of life: The law of God is perfect, ſaith Dauid; yea, and makes perfect, ſaith Paul: And what can be added to that which is already perfect? or what perfection can there be, where ſome neceſſary points are wanting; yea, (if we may beleeue Hoſius) the greateſt part?
How much is the Spirit of God miſ-taken? Hee wrote theſe things that wee might beleeue, and in beleeuing be ſaued; But now (if Trent may be iudge) although we beleeue what he hath written, yet wee cannot be ſaued, vnleſſe we doe alſo receiue, and beleeue what he hath not written▪ How ill was Conſtantine taught of old? how ill aduiſed, in that publike ſpeech; for which yet we doe not finde that any of thoſe Worthies of …ice, Theod. l. 1. c. …. Tert. de praeſer. & l. …er. Her. Origin c. 16. … Rom. Achae. in ſynopſ. Ambr. lib. 3. Hex. c. 3.did ſo much as iogge him on the elbow, in a milde reproofe, whiles hee ſayd, The bookes of the Euangeliſts & Apoſtles, as alſo the Oracles of the Ancient Prophets doe plainely inſtruct vsus in the meſſage and meaning of God? How miſerably were eueryevery one of the learned Fathers of the Church blinded, that they could neuer, either ſee or acknowledge any other rule of faith? And what ſhall we ſay? Did God enuie vntounto mankinde the full reuelation of his will, in the perpetuall monuments of his written word? Or did he not thinke it expedient to lay vp al neceſſary doctrines in this common ſtore-houſe of Truths, (as Rocheſter calls it?) Or, is that perhaps more vncertaine,Aug. Ego ſolis Scripturis, &c. De nat. & gr. c. 61. Opt. Mileu. l 5. The. in Mag. l. 3. d. 3. 4. 1. art. 1 Citatex Hier. Non mihicreda… ſi quid tibi dixer…, quod ex nou… Teſtamento vel veteri haberi …poſſit. Iren. 1. 2. c. 1. which is faithfully committed to writing, than that which is carried about by the flying rumors of men, and by this ayrie conueiance deriued vntounto poſteritie? What a thing is it (as Irenaeus wiſely ſayd) that we ſhould leaue the voice of the Lord, and his Apoſtles, and attend to theſe tatlers, that talke neuer a true word? Or if this be fitting, how vainely hauehave you ſpent your labors, O all ye Regiſters of God, Prophets, Apoſtles, Euangeliſts? and as hee ſaid of the ointment, To what purpoſe was all this waſte? Theſe Paradoxes are pernicious to the Church, and ſhamefully derogatory from the glory, both of the wiſdome and goodneſſe of God: Hold theſe, who dare. Surely, we can neuer abide that thoſe two markes of Heretikes which Irenaeus long ſince ſet downe (namely, not to reſt in the bare authoritie of Scripture, and to vaunt of other Traditions) ſhould both of them be iuſtly branded on our ſides.
SECTION XVI. Of the Authority of Scripture.
BVt this is yet moſt ſhamefully iniurious, to denie vntounto the Word of God,foreign. credit of it ſelfe; and ſo to hang the Scriptures vponupon the Church, that they muſt needs begge all their authority from the voyces of men. Honeſt Eckius in his reuiſed, and corrected Euchiridi…: The Scripture (ſaith he) is not authenticall without the authoritie of the Church: To which as ſome golden and oracular ſentence,Euchir. Eccij 7. recog…a…. 1586. fol. 8. there is added in the margin, a glorious and inſulting applauſe, An Achilles for the Catholiks. I let paſſe the blaſphemies of Hermannus, and Hoſius, perhaps (as Iunius conſtrues it) in the name of Swinkfeldius: I paſſe ouer the horrible impiety of that ſhameleſſe gloſſe,Achilles pro Catholicis. Animaduerſ. in Bellar. Gloſſe in decretal. l. 2. Tit. 23. foreign. Bell. de …. ſacr. & effect. l. 2 c. 25 p. 300. which teaches, that Salomons Text borrowes his credit from the Popes canonization: Bellarmine alone ſhall ſpeake for all; who going about to ſupport the number of ſeuen Sacraments, by the authority of the Tridentine Councell (for this is euer their laſt hold:) The ſtrength (ſaith he) of all the Ancient Councels, and of all opinions, depends vponupon the authority of the preſent Church; And a little before; If we take away the authoritie of the preſent Church, and of the preſent Councell (of Trent,) the decrees of all other Councels, and the whole Chriſtian faith may bee called into doubt, and queſtion. O miſerable, and miſerably ſtaggering ſoules of the Papiſts! How many, not perſons only, but whole kingdomes, and thoſe (as the Romaniſts themſelues confeſſe, and bewaile) mighty and flouriſhing, amongſt themſelues, do yet ſtill reſolutely reiect all the authority of that Tridentine Councell? The whole Chriſtian faith? All doctrines and opinions? What, euen thoſe which are written by the finger of God? thoſe that are indited by the holy Ghoſt? What is this elſe, but to make God a ſlaue to men; and to arraigne the Maker of heauen and earth, at the barre of humane iudgement? God wil be God, the Scripture of God will be it ſelfe, in ſpight of Rome, Trent, Hell: And vnleſſe we hold this, wee can hauehave no peace with God; vnleſſe we denie it, no peace with the Romaniſts.