John Jewel: Scriptura Ultima

THE AUTHORITY OF THE FATHERS.

But what say we of the Fathers, Augustine, Ambrose, Jerome, Cyprian, &c.? What shall we think of them, or what account may we make of them ? They be interpreters of the word of God. They were learned men, and learned Fathers; the instruments of the mercy of God, and vessels full of grace. We despise them not, we read them, we reverence them, and give thanks unto God for them. They were witnesses unto the truth; they were worthy pillars and ornaments in the Church of God. Yet may they not be compared with the word of God. We may not build upon them: we may not make them the foundation and warrant of our conscience; we may not put our trust in them. Our trust is in the Name of the Lord.

And thus are we taught to esteem of the learned Fathers of the Church, by their own judgment; by that which they have written, either for the credit of their own doings, or of the authority which they have thought due to the writings of others. St. Augustine said of the Doctors and Fathers in his time; "Neither weigh we the writings of all men, be they never so worthy and catholic, as we weigh the canonical Scriptures; but that saving the reverence that is due unto them, we may mislike and refuse somewhat in their writings, if we find that they have thought otherwise, than the truth may bear. Such am I in the writings of others, and such would I wish others to be in mine." Some things I believe, and some things which they write I cannot believe. I weigh them not as the holy and canonical Scriptures. St. Cyprian was a Doctor of the Church, yet he was deceived: St. Jerome was a Doctor of the Church, yet he was deceived : St. Augustine was a Doctor of the Church, yet he wrote a book of Retractations, he acknowledged that he was deceived. God did therefore give to His Church many Doctors, and many learned men, who all should search the truth, and one reform another, wherein they thought him deceived. St. Augustine saith, " Take away from amongst us any of our own books; let the book of God come amongst us: hear what Christ saith: hearken what the truth speaketh'." He is the wisdom of His Father, He cannot deceive us. Again he saith; " Hear this, The Lord saith: hear not this, Donatus saith, or Rogatus, or Vincentius, or Hilary, or Ambrose, or Augustine saith'." All these were learned, most of them were holy: yet saith Augustine, we may not yield to that which is said by learned men, but we must yield our full consent and belief to the word of God. Origen saith, " We must needs call to witness the holy Scriptures; for our judgments and expositions, without those witnesses, carry no credit''." Mark well; our words and expositions and constructions, unless they be warranted by the Scriptures, are not enough, they carry not credit. §£. Augustine saith, " We offer no wrong to St. Cyprian, when we sever any of his letters or writings from the canonical authority of the holy Scriptures'." Thus speaketh St. Augustine, a Doctor of the Church, of St. Cyprian, another Doctor also of the Church. St. Cyprian was a Bishop, a learned Father, a holy man, and a Martyr of Christ: yet, saith St. Augustine, his word is not the Gospel; his word is not the word of God: there is no wrong done to him, though his writings carry not like credit as the holy Scripture.


I could shew many the like speeches of the ancient Fathers, wherein they reverence the holy Scriptures, as to which only they give consent without gainsaying: which can neither deceive nor be deceived. In this sort did Origen, and Augustine, and other Doctors of the Church, speak of themselves and of theirs, and the writings of others, that we should so read them, and credit them, as they agreed with the word of God. " This kind of writings is to be read, not with a necessity of believing them, but with a liberty to judge of them1." St. Paul saith, " Though that we, or an angel from Heaven, preach unto you otherwise than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed'." Out of which place, St. Augustine speaketh thus. " Whether it be of Christ, or of His Church, or of any thing else whatsoever, pertaining either to our life or to our faith: I will not say, if 1 myself, but, if an Angel from Heaven shall teach us otherwise than ye have received in the books of the Law and in the Gospels, hold him accursed"1."

Church: they are judges; they have the gifts of wisdom and understanding; yet they are often deceived. They are our fathers, but not fathers unto God: they are stars, fair, and beautiful, and bright, yet they are not the sun: they bear witness of the light, they are not the light. Christ is the Sun of righteousness, Christ is the light, which lighteneth every man that cometh into this world. His word is the word of truth. He is the Day-spring which hath visited us from on high: He came down from the bosom of His Father: He shall guide our feet into the way of peace. Of Him God the Father spake, " This is my beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased; hear Him0." He is the Lamb without spot, out of His mouth goeth a two-edged sword. This is He in Whom all the ends of the world shall be blessed; hear Him, give heed to His saying, embrace His Gospel, believe His word. Thus much touching the credit and authority which is to be given to the writings of ancient Fathers.

St. Paul, speaking of the word of God, saith, " The whole Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable to teach, to improve,

• Matt. iii. 17.

to correct, and to instruct in righteousness"1." To teach the truth, to improve falsehood, to correct all vice, to instruct in all virtue. Again; " I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believethV St. Basil saith," The Scripture of God is like an apothecary's shop, full of medicines of sundry sorts ; that every man may there choose a convenient medicine for his disease'." There are salves and ointments to cure all maladies. Whosoever cannot be cured by the word of God, his disease is grown desperate, and past cure.

Many think the Apostle's speech is hardly true of the whole Scripture, that all and every part of the Scripture is profitable. Much is spoken of genealogies, and pedigrees, of lepers, of sacrificing goats and oxen, &c. these seem to have little profit in them, but to be vain and idle. If they shew vain in thine eyes, yet hath not the Lord set them down in vain. " The words of the Lord are pure words, as the silver tried in a furnace of earth fined seven times'." There is no sentence,

P 2 Tim. iii. 16. 1 Rom. i. 16. ' Basil.

Prafat. in Psal. » Ps. xii. 6.

no clause, no word, no syllable, no letter, but it is written for thy instruction; there is not one jot, but it is sealed and signed with the blood of the Lamb. Our imaginations are idle, our thoughts are vain; there is no idleness, no vanity in the word of God. Those oxen and goats which were sacrificed, teach thee to kill and sacrifice the uncleanness and filthiness of thy heart: they teach thee, that thou art guilty of death, when thy life must be redeemed by the death of some beast: they lead thee to believe the forgiveness of sins, by a more perfect sacrifice, because " it was not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins'." That leprosy teacheth thee to know the uncleanness and leprosy of thy soul. Those genealogies and pedigrees lead us to the birth of our Saviour Christ. So that the whole word of God is pure and holy: no word, no letter, no syllable, no point or prick thereof, but is written and preserved for thy sake.

Art thou a king ? Read the Scriptures, thou shalt find who hath established thine estate, and what duty thou owest to God. God there ' Heb. x. 4.

telleth thee, " By Me kings rule, and princes decree justice"." I have given thee authority; thou carriest My sword. I have put a crown upon thy head; thou art My servant, walk before Me; let thy heart be perfect in My sight.

Art thou a subject ? Read the Scriptures, they will teach thee to know thy duty. There St. Paul biddeth thee, " Give tribute to whom tribute, custom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour is due. Ye must be subject, not because of wrath only, but for conscience sake. For he beareth not the sword for nought; for he is the minister of God, to take vengeance on him that doth evil1."

Art thou a minister ? Read the Scriptures, they will teach thee thy duty. The prophet saith to thee, " Cry aloud, spare not; lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew My people their transgressions'." The Apostle saith unto thee, " Preach the word, be instant in season and out of season: watch in all things, do the work of an evangelist, make the ministry fully known1." Thou shalt give an

• Prov. viii. 15. *• Rom. xiii. 4. 1 Isaiah Iviii. 1. * 2 Tim. iv. 2, 5.

account for the souls of the people, their blood shall be required at thy hands.

Art thou a father? hast thou children? Read the Scriptures, they will teach thee. " If thou have sons, instruct them"." Again : " He that teacheth his son, grieveth the enemy, and before his friends he shall rejoice of him. Give him no liberty in his youth, and wink not at his folly. Chastise thy child, and be diligent therein, lest his shame grieve thee"." Eli the prophet, " by sparing his wanton children, cast away himself and his children. They were slain, the Ark of God was taken, and old Eli fell down and brake his neckc."

Art thou a child ? hast thou a father ? Read the Scriptures, they will teach thee. " Children, obey your parents in the Lord; for this is right. Honour thy father and mother, which is the first commandment with promise, that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest live long on the earthd." And again: " Children, obey your parents in all things, for it is well-pleasing unto the Lord'." The Wise

a Ecolus. vii. 23. b Ecclus. xxx. 3, 4, 18.

c 1 Sam. iv. 18. d Ephes. vi. 1, 2, 3. e Col. iii. 20.

Man warneth thee: " The eye that mocketh his father, and despiseth the instruction of his mother, let the ravens of the valley pluck it out, and the young eagles eat itf."

Hath God blessed thee in wealth? Art thou rich ? Read the Scriptures, they will teach thee. " Be not high minded, and trust not in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us abundantly all things to enjoy1." Again: " Trust not in oppression and robbery, be not rain: if riches increase, set not your heart thereon"." Thou shalt depart, and leave them behind thee; they shall forsake thee. Thou shalt die, thou knowest not how soon. Solomon sheweth thee " riches avail not in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivereth from death'."

Art thou poor, and sufferest scarcity in this world ? Read the Scriptures, they will teach thee. Say with Job, " Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return again"." Learn of Solomon, " Better is little with righteousness, than great revenues without equity'." And again: " Better is the poor that walkoth in his uprightness, than he that perverteth his ways, though he be rich1"." St. Paul saith, " Godliness is great gain, if a man be content with that he hath; for we brought nothing into the world, and it is certain that we carry nothing out"." And again: "Let him that is poor, labour, and work with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth."

f Prov. xxx. 17. 8 1 Tim. vi. 17. h Ps. Ixii. 10. ' Prov. xi. 4. * Job i. 21. 1 Prov. xvi. 8.

Art thou a merchant? usest thou to buy and sell ? Read the Scriptures, they will teach thee. " This is the will of God, that no man oppress or defraud his brother in any matter0." Thou shalt learn, " that divers weights and divers measures are abomination unto the Lord, and deceitful balances are not goodp."

Art thou an usurer ? Thy case is hard: yet hear the Scriptures, they will teach thee. God commandeth thee thus: " If thou lend money to My people, to the poor with thee, thou shalt not be as an usurer unto him: ye shall not oppress him with usury*1." Again: " If thy brother be impoverished, and fallen in decay with thee, thou shalt relieve him; thou

"» ProY. xxviii. 6. n 1 Tim. vi. 6,7. e 1 Thess. iy. 6. f Prov. xx. 10, 23. 1 Exod. Xxii. 25.

shalt take no usury of him, nor vantage: thou shalt not lend him thy victuals for increase, but thou shalt fear thy God, that thy brother may live with thee'." And, " whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, even so do ye to them'." And, " he that giveth his money unto usury, shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven'."

Art thou a fornicator, and livest in adultery? Read the Scriptures, they will teach thee. " He that committeth fornication," saith St. Paul, " sinneth against his own body. Know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost? Know you not that your bodies are the members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid1." " As He Who hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation," saith St. Peter1. The reason is set down by St. Paul; " For this is the will of God, even your holiness, and that you should abstain from fornication V that you may " be holy both in body and in spirit." And, " whoremongers and adulterers God will judge1;" they shall have no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

' Lev. xxv. 35, 3G. • S. Mat. vii. 12. ' Ps. xv. 5. * 1 Cor. vi. 18, 19, 15. * 1 S. Pet. i. 15. 1 \ Thess. iv. 3.

Art thou a servant ? Read the Scriptures, they will teach thee. " Servants, be obedient unto them that are your masters according to the flesh, in all things, not with eye service, as men pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God. And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily as unto the Lord, and not unto men'." Again: " Please your masters, not answering again : be no pickers, but shew all good faithfulness, that you may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things"."

Art thou proud ? Read the Scriptures, they will teach thee. " Be not high minded, but fearc." " What hast thou, that thou hast not received? If thou hast received it, why rejoicest thou as though thou hadst not received it0?" And, " Learn of Me, that I am meek, and humble in heart6." And, " God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble f."

Art thou in adversity ? Read the Scriptures. " Great are the troubles of the righteous, but the Lord will deliver him out of them all'." And, " he shall call upon me, and I will hear him; I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him, and glorify himb." And St. Peter telleth thee, " The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers'." " God is faithful, Who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will give the issue with the temptation, that ye may be able to bear if." " The Lord is near unto all them that call upon Him; yea, to all that call upon Him in truth1."

1 Heb. xiii. 4. » Col. iii. 22, 23. b Titus ii. 9, 10. e Rom. xi. 20. d 1 Cor. iv. 7. • S. Matt. xi. 29.

' S. James iv. 6.

Art thou a sinner? hast thou offended God? Read the Scriptures, they will teach thee. " Hate the evil, and love the goodTM." And again : " Fly from evil, and do good, and dwell for ever"." " Rise up, and go to thy Father, and say unto Him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before Thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son0."

Dost thou despair of the mercy of God?

8 Ps. xxxiv. 19. b Ps. xci. 15. ' 1 S. Pet. iii. 12. k 1 Cor. x. 13. 1 Ps. cxlv. 18. m Amos v. 15.

n Ps. xxxvii. 27. 0 S. Luke xv. 21.

Read the Scriptures, they will teach thee. Christ telleth thee, " I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentancep." Again: " Come unto Me, all ye that are weary and laden, and I will ease you '." " At what hour soever a sinner doth repent him of his sin from the bottom of his heart, I will put all his wickedness out of My remembrance, saith the Lord'." Again: " I de*ire not the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way, and live'." And, " The Lord is good to all, and His mercies are over all His works'." Art thou going out of this life ? Read the Scriptures, they will teach thee. " I am the Resurrection and the Life; he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth and believeth in Me, shall never die 0." Say with St. Paul, " Christ is to me, both in life and in death, advantage: I desire to be loosed, and to be with Christ1." What should I say more of the Scriptures, how profitable and comfortable they be in all cases and parts of our life? in adversity, in

P S. Mat. ix. 13. 1 S. Mat. xi. 28. ' Ezekiel xviii. 21,22. 'Ezekielxxxiii.il. ' Ps. cxlv. 9. u S. John xi. 25, 26. * Phil. i. 20, 23.

prosperity, in life, and in death, they are our especial comfort. If we must fight, they are a sword; if we hunger, they are meat; if we thirst, they are drink; if we have no dwellingplace, they are a house; if we be naked, they are a garment; if we be in darkness, they be light unto our going.

They are comfortable to kings, to subjects, to old men, to young men, to man and to wife, to father and to child, to master and servant, to captain and soldier, to preacher and people, to the learned, to the unlearned, to the wise, and to the simple.

They are comfortable in peace, in war, in heaviness, in joy, in health and sickness, in abundance, in poverty, in the day time, in the night season, in the town, in the wilderness, in company, and when thou art alone. For they teach faith, hope, patience, charity, sobriety, humility, righteousness, and all godliness. They teach us to live, and they teach us to die.

Therefore hath St. Paul said well, " The whole Scripture is profitable1." It is full of great comfort. It maketh the man of God absolute and perfect unto all good works. Perfect in faith, perfect in hope, perfect in the love of God, and of his neighbour: perfect in his life, and perfect in his death. So great, so large and ample, and heavenly, is the profit which we do reap by the word of God.

1 2 Tim. iii. 16.

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