A replie to Iesuit Fishers answere to certain questions propou[n]ded by his most gratious Matie: King Iames By Francis White D: of Div· deane of Carlile, chaplaine to his Matie. Hereunto is annexed, a conference of the right: R:B: of St Dauids wth the same Iesuit*

ANSWER.

S. Paul himselfe vseth both the word Profitable, Vers. 16. and the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, are able to make wise to saluation, which is equiualent to Sufficient, Verse 15. And Protestants alone are not the men which expound the word Profitable, by Sufficient; for both the Fathers and many learned Papists doe the like. [ C] Vincent. Lirinensis b 1.1, C. Haeres. cap. 2. The Canon of the Scripture is sufficient, and more than sufficient. Cyril of Alexandria c 1.2, C. Iulian. Lib. 7. pag. 150. The Scripture is sufficient to make them wise, which are brought vp in it, &c. Anselm. d 1.3 in his Commen∣tarie vpon 2. Tim. 3. 16. They are able to make thee sufficiently learned, to obtaine eternall saluation. Gerson e 1.4 D. Exam. Doctr. Part. 2. Consid. 1. The Scripture is giuen vs as a sufficient Rule, &c. Scotus f 1.5, 1. Sent. Prol. q. 2. Supernaturall knowledge, necessarie for a wayfaring man, is sufficiently deliuered in sacred Scripture. The same is affirmed by Espencaeus g 1.6, Commentar. 2. Tim. 3. 16. and [ D] by Bonauenture h 1.7, Occham i 1.8, Waldensis k 1.9, and Gabriel l 1.10, Thom. Aquinas m 1.11, Lyra n 1.12, Durand. o 1.13 &c.

But the Aduersarie saith, That graunting the word (Profita∣ble) did signifie Sufficient, yet S. Pauls Text still falleth short, of proouing the Scripture the onely Rule, because it is not said to be suffi∣cient for all men, but for the man of God; and it is not sufficient a∣lone, and by it selfe, but being ioyned with Tradition.

I answere first, That which is Sufficient in genere regulae, as a [ A] Rule for the man of God, either Minister, 1. Tim. 6. 12. or o∣ther spirituall man, 1. Cor. 2.15. is sufficient for all men, because there is but one common Obiect and Rule of Faith for the whole Church, and all the members thereof a 1.14, contayning strong Meat for the Learned, and Milke or plaine Doctrine for Babes. And therefore, if the Scripture be a Rule, and a sufficient Rule, it is such in common, and in respect of all peo∣ple, although the manner of applying and vsing the same, may differ.

Secondly, That which is Profitable, to make the man of God [ B] perfect, and throughly furnished to euerie good worke, is both a sufficient Rule and an onely Rule. First, it is sufficient, be∣cause it makes people which receiuc it by Faith and Obedience, meet for the kingdome of God: Secondly, it is alone suffici∣ent; * 1.15 otherwise, this effect of making the man of God perfect, and throughly instructed, could not be ascribed to it alone, as it is manifestly done in the Apostles speech.

When two persons equally co-worke, we cannot ascribe the whole worke to one of them alone, but to both. Bread alone being one part of Food, is not sufficient to all kind of Nutri∣ment. [ C] The Apostle in the Text alledged affirming, first, That the Scripture is able to make wise vnto saluation: secondly af∣firming, That 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the whole Scripture (as Dionysius Carthu∣sian expoundeth it b 1.16) giuen by inspiration, is profitable to teach, confute, instruct, reproue; and then declaring the great∣nesse of the vtilitic, which is, to make the man of God perfect, and throughly instructed to euerie good worke c 1.17: This effect cannot be ascribed to a partiall cause, neither can the Apostle meane, that the whole Scripture is profitable, or sufficient onely as one part of Diuine Reuelation, but because it containeth the [ D] whole Rule of Faith.

If any shall pretend, That the Scripture is not sufficient of it selfe to these effects, because Diuine Grace, Ecclesiasticall Mi∣nisterie, Docilitie in the Hearer or Reader, are necessarie (toge∣ther with the Scripture) to make the man of God perfect; they must vnderstand, that our question is, Whether holy Scripture alone be a sufficient rule of Faith? Not whether other adiu∣uant causes be necessarie for the receiuing and applying there∣of, that it may produce Faith. The Earth is sufficient to bring forth food for man, Gen. 1. 29. although Husbandmen and [ E] Grasiers be necessarie. Manna, Quailes, and the water flowing from the Rocke, were sufficient to feed the children of Israel in the Desart; yet Bakers and Cookes were necessarie to prepare and dresse this food, Exod. 16.6.24. Sap. 16.21. Euen so, the

holy Scripture is sufficient, as a Rule, to teach all Doctrine ne∣cessarie [ A] for our spirituall nourishment, although the Ministerie of man, and Diuine Grace, be needfull also, that wee rightly vse the same. If the Obiection were good, to wit, Holy Scripture is not the onely Rule, because by it alone, without Diuine Grace and Ecclesiasticall Ministerie, &c. wee cannot beleeue, then Tradition and holy Scripture being conioyned, to make vp the Rule of Faith, the same will yet be insufficient, because without Diuine Grace, Ecclesiasticall Ministerie, and Docilitie in the people, neither Scripture nor Tradition can produce Faith. [ B]

Notes

• b 1.1

  Vincent. Lirin. Cum sit perfectus Scripturae Canon, fibique ad omnia satis superque suf∣ficiat, &c.
• c 1.2

  Cyril. Alex. Suf∣ficit Diuina Scrip∣tura ad faciendum eos qui in illa edu∣cati sunt sapientes & probatissimos & sufficientissimā ha∣bentes intelligen∣tiam, &c.
• d 1.3

  Anselm. Quae literae possunt te 〈◊〉〈◊〉, id est sufficienter doctū reddere ad aeter∣nam salutem con∣sequendam.
• e 1.4

  Gerson. Scrip∣rura nobis tradita est tanquam regula sufficiens & infallibilis, pro regimine totius Ecclesiasistici corporis, & membrorum, vsque in finem seculi.
• f 1.5

  Scot. 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 homini 〈◊〉〈◊〉 est sufficienter tradita in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sacra.
• g 1.6

  Espens. Easque posse hominem ad salutem erudire & sufficienter doctum reddere.
• h 1.7

  Bonauent. Breuiloq. cap. 1.
• i 1.8

  Occham. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Part. 1. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 2. cap. 10.
• k 1.9

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. Wald. Doctr. Fid. Lib. 2. cap. [ E] 20.
• l 1.10

  Aquin. 3. d. 25. art. 1.
• m 1.11

  Aquin. Com. Ioh. 21. Lect. 6. Si quis Euangelizauerit, &c. Gal. 1. 8. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ratio est, quia sola Canonica Scriptura est Regula Fidei. Edit. Paris. An. 1520. per Ioh. d. Porta.
• n 1.12

  〈◊〉〈◊〉, Loc. 16. 29. Illi 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Mosen qui docuit moralia agenda: & Propheras qui docuerunt mystica & eredenda & 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sufficiunt ad salutem, ideo sequitur 〈◊〉〈◊〉 illos.
• o 1.13

  Durand. 3. dist 26. q. 2. n. 7. 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉, in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sacra diffuse contineatur, &c.
• a 1.14

  Alex. Hal. 3. q. 12. m. 2. ar. 3. q 2. Fides quantum ad id quod creditur, est cadem numero in omnibus sanctis qui sunt membra Ecclesiae, &c. Isio∣dor d. Summ. Bon. Lib. 1. cap. 18. vtris∣que maner com∣munis & paruulis & perfectis.
• * 1.15

  Qui effectus pluri∣bus debetur perpe∣ram ascribitur vni.
• b 1.16

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. Com. Omnis Scriptura &c. id est, tota Ca∣nonica Scriptura, &c. Chrysost. 2. Tim. Hom. 9 Si quid vel discere vel ignora∣re op' fit ex illis ad discemus, si argu∣ere falsitatem inde hauriemus: si cor∣rigi, si castigari ad exhortationem & solatium si quid desit & oporteat addipisci, ex 〈◊〉〈◊〉 dis∣cemus.
• c 1.17

  Oecumen. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.