No popery, or, A catechism against popery wherein the heretical doctrins, idolatrous worship, and superstitious practices of the Roman Church are briefly yet plainly refuted, and the Protestant principles proved by testimonies of Holy Scripture, and evidence of reason / by a minister of the Gospell.

SECT. III. Of the Authority of the Scripture.

Q. HAth God established in the Church a So∣veraign Judg with full power to decide matters of Faith without Appeal?

A. None but the Word contained in the Holy Scriptures, and it is by this Jesus Christ hath told us that men shall be judged at the last day, John 12.48. He that rejecteth me hath one that judgeth him, the word that I have spoken, the same shall judg him at the last day: And St. Paul, Rom. 2.16. says, That God will judg the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, ac∣cording to his Gospel, and Believers never acknowledged any other judg, of their Con∣troversies about matters of Faith, but the Word of God; by it the Priests determined about things difficult, Deut. 17.9.11. By it Ezechias and Josaphat reformed the Church, and re-established the pure service of God, 2 Chron. 31. and 17.7.9. By the Scriptures Je∣sus Christ combated Satan, Matth. 4. He proved the Resurrection from the dead to the Saducees. Matth. 22.23.29, 31, 32. And showed to his Disciples the necessity of his Death, and of his Resurrection; Luke 24.46. By

them John Baptist proved his Mission, Matth. 3.3. And by them the Apostles overcame the Jews, and shewed powerfully that Jesus was the Christ, Acts 9.22. and Acts 18.28.

Q. Hath God commanded us to consult the Scriptures as our Judge?

A. The Prophet Esay 8.20. sends to the Law and to the Testimony, and if they speak not according to this word, it is be∣cause there is no Light in them: And Jesus Christ commands the Jews to search the Scriptures, because they testified of him. John 5.39. and Luke 16.29. They have Moses and the Prophets, let them hear them: And St. Peter after having mentioned the voice from Heaven, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, adds, We have also a more sure Word of Prophesie whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, 2 Pet. 1.17, 18.19.

Q. But when there is a difference about the interpretation and sense of the Scripture, is it not ne∣cessary to have a Judge who can judge Infallibly and with Authority of the meaning of the Scripture, and declare it to us for our agreement?

A. God hath not given this power to any in the world, but Scripture must Interpret Scripture, one passage must be Interpreted by another, as they did in the time of Esra, who made them understand the Law by Reading of the Scripture, Nehem. 8.8.

Q. How can you decide matters of Faith by the Scripture, since it is obscure?

A. If our Gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost, of whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds, even Unbelievers, 2 Cor. 4.3.4. But it is not obscure to them who have received the Spirit of God that they might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 1 Cor. 2.12. And to ac∣cuse the Scripture of obscurity, is to accuse it falsely, for David, Psal. 119.105. says, Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my paths.

Q. Yet St. Peter says in the 2 Epistle 3.16. That in the Epistles of St. Paul there are some things hard to be understood.

A. I grant there are many obscure places in the Scripture to exercise the Faith of Belie∣vers, and keep the most Learned humble, but God hath so ordered that all things necessa∣ry to Salvation are clear and easie to be un∣derstood.

Q. But since St. Paul would have Believers to judge of his Doctrine, 1 Cor. 10.15. I speak as to wise men, judg ye what I say; Why should not the Church assembled in Council hvve that Autho∣rity?

A. There are two kinds of judgment, one is a judgment of Authority, the other of discretion, by which particular Believers

ought to try the Spirits whether they be of God, and discern the true Doctrine of Christ from lies, and of this judgment Paul speaks when he says, judge ye what I say; but for the judgment of Authority, God hath not given it to any Mortal man, not to the Coun∣cils themselves, which have no power to make any Canons or Decisions to oblige the Consciences of any, but so far as they are conform to the word of God: Jesus Christ only hath Soveraign Authority in the Church as the well beloved Son that the Fa∣ther hath commanded us from Heaven to hear, Matth. 3.17. and John 5.22. Jesus Christ says, that the Father hath given all judg∣ment to the Son.