A treatise of faith wherin is briefely, and planly [sic] shewed, a direct way, by which every man may resolue, and settle his minde, in all doubtes, questions, or controuersies, concerning matters of faith.

CHAP. VII. That Scripture alone cannot bee this rule of faith.

OVT of these former grounds foure conclusions.

The first cōclusion is, that Scripture alone, especially as it is, by Protestants transla∣ted into the English tongue; cannot bee this rule of faith.

This I proue.

First, for that these translations faile in the first condition; that is to say, they are not infallible; (as the rule of faith must be) for neither were the Scriptures writ∣ten in this language, immediately by the holy Ghost: neither were the translators assisted by the same holy Ghost infalli∣bly. Infallibly (I say) that is, in such sort, as it were vnpossible that they should erre in any point. Sith, therefore, the transla∣tors, as being but men, may erre. (To say nothing of that which by Gregory Martin is proued: and by the often changes of new and variable translations is shewed that some haue erred) how can a man, (and especially an vnlearned man, who hath not sufficient meanes, learning, nor leisure to compare the translations with the prime authentical originall) how can (I say) such a man be infallibly sure, that this particuler trāslation, which he hath, doth not erre? & if in some places it erre; how cā he be infallibly sure, that in those places, which doe seeme to fauour that sect, which he followeth, it doth not erre? vnlesse he will admit an vnfallible aucto∣rity in the Church, to assure vs, that such,

or such a translation doth not erre, in any point, of which auctority, I shall speake more hereafter.

Secondly, they faile in the second con∣ditiō or property, which the rule of faith should haue. For the Scriptures thēselues alone, in what language soeuer, bee ob∣scure, and hard to be vnderstood, at least to vnlearned men, who cānot read them; and therefore the Scriptures alone, can∣not bee, vnto vnlearned men, a sufficient rule to instruct them in al points of faith; as is plaine. For locke vp an vnlettered man, and an English Bible, for a time in a studdy; and he will come forth (I warrant you) as ignorant in matters of faith, as he went in; if wee adde no other meanes to instruct him, but the bare written Word, which he cannot reade. And yet vnlear∣ned men may bee saued: and saued they cannot be, without an entire and vnfalli∣ble faith: and this they cannot haue, vn∣lesse there be some certaine rule and vn∣fallible meanes prouided by almightie God, meet for the capacity, to teach them this faith: and Scripture alone (as is now proued) is not a rule meete for the capa∣city of vnlearned men, or apte to instruct

them sufficiently, in all points of faith. But what speake I only of vnlearned mē? sith, also learned men cannot, by onely reading the scriptures, be vnfallibly sure, that they rightly vnderstand them. For while they vnderstand one way, perhaps they ought to vnderstand another way: that which they vnderstand plainly and litterally, ought perhaps to be vnderstood figuratiuely and mystically; and contra∣ry, that which they vnderstand figura∣tiuely, ought perhaps to bee vnderstood properly. And seeing that it is most cer∣taine, that all do not expound right, sith the exposition of one, is contrary to the exposition of another; (as right is neuer contrary to right) how should one be vn∣fallibly sure, that hee onely expoundeth right; hauing nothing to assure him, but the seeming of his owne sense & reason, which is as vncertaine and fallible, as the iudgments and persuasions of other men, who seeme to thēselues, to haue attained, as well as he, the right interpretation or sense. Moreouer there be many things re∣quired to the perfect vnderstanding of Scripture, which are found but in verie few: and those also in whom those giftes

are, are not vnfallibly sure, that they are so guided by those giftes, but that, both they and others may prudently doubte, least sometimes, in their priuate expositi∣ons, as men, they erre. And consequent∣ly, their priuate expositions cannot bee that rule of faith, which wee seeke for, which must on the one side bee determi∣nately and plainely vnderstood: and on the other side, it must bee vnfallible, cer∣taine, and such as cannot erre.

Thirdly, they faile in the third condi∣tion. For the Scriptures are not so vniuer∣sal, as the rule of faith had need to be. For this rule ought to be so vniuersall, that it may be able, absolutely to resolue & de∣termine all doubtes & questions of faith, which either haue bin, or may hereafter bee in controuersie; for otherwise there were not sufficient meanes prouided, by which, schisme and heresies might bee a∣••oided: vnity of faith, (so necessary to sal∣uatiō) might be conserued among Chri∣stian men. But the Scriptures bee not thus vniuersall. For there bee diuers questions or doubtes, moued now a daies, and those also touching very substantiall matters, which are not expressely set downe, nor

determined, by onely expresse Scripture. For where haue we any expresse Scrip∣ture, to proue, that all those, and onely those bookes which Catholikes or Pro∣testants holde for Scripture, or indeede Gods word, and true Scripture? this wee shall not finde expressely set downe in a part of Scripture. This point, therefore, whereupon dependeth the certainety of euery point, proued out of Scripture, cā∣not be made certaine to our knowledge, or beliefe; vnlesse we admitte some other infallible rule, or auctority, whereupon wee may ground an vnfallible beliefe; which infallible rule if we admitte, to as∣sure vs, that there is, at all, any Scripture: and that those bookes, and no other bee Canonicall Scripture; why should wee not admitte the same to assure vs vnfalliblie, which is the true sense and meaning of the same Scripture. Hereupon S. Austen saith very well Cur non apud eos diligentissi∣me requiram, quid Christus praeceperit, quorum auctoritate commotus, Christum aliquid praece∣pisse iam credidi? Tu ne mihi melius expositurus es, quid ille dixerit? &c. Why should I not most diligently aske, or learne of those, (hee meaneth of the Catholike Church)

what Christ hath commanded, by whose auctority I was moued to beleeue, that Christ cōmanded any thing at all? what Wilt thou expound vnto me better, what he hath saide? that is to say, the meaning of his words. Quae (saith hee) ista tanta de∣••ent••a est, illis crede Christo esse credendum, & •• nobis disce, quid ille dix••rit? multo facilius ••ibi persuaderem, Christo non esse credendum: quam de illo quidquam, nisi ab ijs; per quos ei cre∣didissem, discendum. What a madnes is this in thee, to say, beleeue them (to witte the Catholikes) that we must beleeue Christ (and the Scriptures to bee his word) yet learne of vs, what Christ said? (that is to say what is the meaning of his word) I should (saith S. Austen) much more easily perswade my self, that I ought not to be∣leeue Christ at all, then that I must learne any thing, cōcerning him, of any, except of those, of whom I haue already learned to beleeue in him.

Thus I haue proued, that those english translations, wherupon Protestants com∣monly build their faith, cannot be a suffi∣cient rule of true Christian faith. First be∣cause they are not infallibly free from errour. Secondly, for that all men cannot

reade them; neither can any by only rea∣ding, bee sure to attaine the right sense without which to haue the wordes of Scripture, is to haue them as Austen saith ad specie••, non ad salutem for a shew, but not to saluation Lastly for that all pointes of doctrine, which appertaine to true Chri∣stian faith, are not expresly set downe in Scripture, as, beside my proofe, S. Austen S. Basi••l, and Epiphanius doe affirme. Some of which reasōs haue also force to proue, that Scripture alone, in what language soeuer, is not a fitte meanes, to instruct sufficiently, all sorts of men in al matters of faith. Wherefore I may absolutely cō∣clude, that Scripture alone cannot be that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of faith, which we seeke for.

Some obiect against this cōclusion, that place of S. Paul. Omnis Scriptura diuinitus ••••••spirata, vtilis est ad docēdum &c. vt perfectus 〈◊〉〈◊〉 homo &c. But this place proueth nothing against that which I haue said. For it saith not, that Scripture alone is sufficient to instruct a man to perfection, but that it is profitable for this purpose, as it is indeed & the rather, because, it commendeth vn∣to vs the auctority of the Church, which (as I shall afterwards proue) is sufficient.

Now it is certaine, that to bee profitable, and to bee of it selfe alone sufficient, bee farre different things. Stones & Timber be profitable to the building of an house: yet they alone, without a worke-man to square them, & set them in order, bee not sufficient for this purpose.

Notes

• Lib. de vtilitate credendi, cap. 4.
• Ibidem.
• Aug. l. 5. de bapt. & donat. cap. 23. Basil. lib. de Sp. cap. 29. Epiph. haer. 61.