(Rev) Phil Ashey on Article VI: "Of the Sufficiency of Scripture"

Vintage Thomas Cranmer: "In the scriptures be the fat pastures of the soul"

H/T to Creedal Christian at:  http://creedalchristian.blogspot.com/2012/03/thomas-cranmer-in-scriptures-be-fat.html.  This is vintage Cranmer. 

Thomas Cranmer: "In the scriptures be the fat pastures of the soul"

Wherefore, in few words to comprehend the largeness and utility of the scripture, how it containeth fruitful instruction and erudition for every man; if any things be necessary to be learned, of the holy scripture we may learn it. If falsehood shall be reproved, thereof we may gather wherewithal. If any thing be to be corrected and amended, if there need any exhortation or consolation, of the scripture we may well learn.

In the scriptures be the fat pastures of the soul; therein is no venomous meat, no unwholesome thing; they be the very dainty and pure feeding. He that is ignorant, shall find there what he should learn. He that is a perverse sinner, shall there find his damnation to make him to tremble for fear. He that laboureth to serve God, shall find there his glory, and the promissions of eternal life, exhorting him more diligently to labour.

Here may all manner of persons, men, women young, old, learned, unlearned, rich, poor, priests, laymen, lords, ladies, officers, tenants, and mean men, virgins, wives, widows, lawyers, merchants, artificers, husbandmen, and all manner of persons, of what estate or condition soever they be, may in this book learn all things what they ought to believe, what they ought to do, and what they should not do, as well concerning Almighty God, as also concerning themselves and all other.

Briefly, to the reading of the scripture none can be enemy, but that either be so sick that they love not to hear of any medicine, or else that be so ignorant that they know not scripture to be the most healthful medicine.

The Church of England is Protestant, Reformed & Calvinistic (Boultbee, 47-54, Article VI

The Church of England is Protestant, Reformed & Calvinistic. This is not a heavy-weight systematic, but would be a suitable undergraduate text-book or a text-book for an adult-group study. Regarding Article VI and the Articles in general, Boultbee summarizes: "They may also decide whether Protestantism is a bare negation or the assertion of a living principle, the absolute supremacy of the Word of God, and the right of all men to search that Word. Other Articles protest against individual Roman errors. This Article is the fundamental one which stamps the Church of England as essentially PROTESTANT." As Anglicans, we are Anglo-Reformed.

Thomas Pownal Boultbee’s Introduction to the Theology of the Church of England: Thirty-nine Articles book is free and downloadable at:
http://books.google.com/books?id=1tECAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=boultbee&hl=en&ei=PV3jTLT6GIP88Aavu-mEDw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CCoQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q&f=false
Page 47-51, Article VI and the Sufficiency, Authority and Inspiration of Canonical Scriptures. A few classics from Boultbee, pp.52-54, “It is unnecessary to refer to the Confessions of other Protestant Churches, as they are notoriously one with the English Church on this head…Other Articles protest against individual Roman errors. This Article is the fundamental one which stamps the Church of England as essentially PROTESTANT.

But the Church of the first three centuries never pronounced, or had an opportunity of pronouncing, its judgment on the subject. Hence the historical demonstration of the Canon of Scripture consists, in point of fact, of a collection of the testimony of individual divines and Churches to the reception of the several books from the first age of Christianity downwards. The hesitation of some as to a few of the books has been always justly thought to give the greater value to the final and all but general consent of the whole body. So that the less learned reader may rest satisfied with the result briefly, and somewhat boldly, expressed in our Article, that there has been unanimity from the first as to the authority of every portion of Holy Scripture. Not that every book came at once into the possession of every individual Church with full evidence as to its origin. But that after due communication of the several Churches which possessed the original apostolic writings, the whole Church came to a complete and early agreement; and the hesitation which lingered here or there was very partial, arose out of imperfect information, and before long merged in the general consent. Paley remarks upon this: “When that diversity of opinion which prevailed, and prevails among Christians in other points, is considered, their concurrence in the Canon of Scripture is remarkable, and of great weight, especially as it seems to have been the result of private and free enquiry.”
This subject may be illustrated by the following precept of Augustine:—“In Canonical Scriptures you must follow the judgment of the majority of Churches. You will prefer those received by all Catholic Churches to those which are not received by some; but in those which are not universally received, you will prefer those which the major and graver part receive to those which are received by fewer Churches” De Doctrina Christiana, ii. 8.

The inspiration of Holy Scripture might have naturally found a place among the statements of this Article. But there was no controversy on this head at the time of the Reformation, and thus all reference to it was omitted. It is, however, necessarily implied and assumed throughout the Articles. In particular, the expression “God's word written” (Art. XX.) may be noted.

This Article has been considerably altered from the Fifth Article of 1552, which asserted the sufficiency of Holy Scripture for salvation, but did not enumerate or define the Canonical books. The clause which defines the Canonical books was derived from the Wurtemburg Confession in 1563.

1. Texts which imply or assert the Inspiration of Scripture such as these:

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God” (2 Tim. iii. 16).

“Which He promised afore by His prophets in the Holy Scriptures” (Rom. i. 2).

“The oracles of God” (Rom. iii. 2).

“One jot or one tittle shall in nowise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled” (Matt. v. 18).

“The Scripture cannot be broken “ (John x. 35).

“In the words which the Holy Ghost teacheth” (1 Cor. ii. 13).

“The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and His word was in my tongue” (2 Sam. xxiii. 2).

“Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth” (Jer. i. 9).

“Which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before” (Acts i. 16).

“If any man shall add .... and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life,' &c. (Rev. xxii. 18,19).

'No prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation: for the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost' (2 Pet. i. 20, 21).

2. Texts appealing to the Scripture as authoritative; for example:

“What things soever the law saith” (Rom. iii. 19).

“What saith the Scripture?” (Rom. iv. 3).

“The Scripture saith” (Rom. ix. 17).

“The Scripture foreseeing” (Gal. iii. 8).

“ That the Scripture might be fulfilled”' (John xix. 28, 36).

“ As the Scripture hath said” (John vii. 38).

'This Scripture must needs have been fulfilled which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before" (Acts i. 16)

"Wherefore as the Holy Ghost saith" (Heb. iii. 7).

"David himself said by the Holy Ghost" (Mark xii. 36).

3. Forms perpetually recurring, such as these:

"Thus saith the Lord;" "The Lord hath spoken;" "The voice of the Lord;" "The word of the Lord by the mouth of;"&c.

4. Duties which we owe to the Scripture. Search the Scriptures (John v. 39). Meditation therein (Ps. cxix. 15). Love (Ps. cxix. 97). Obedience (Rom. xvi. 26). They must be taught (Deut vi. 7). They must be used against our spiritual enemies (Eph.vi. 17).

5. Effects of Scripture on the Believer. It makes wise unto salvation (2 Tim. iii. 15). It perfects, thoroughly furnishing unto all good works (2 Tim. iii. 17).

It converts the soul (1 Pet. i. 23).

It causes growth in grace (1 Pet. ii. 2).

It sanctifies (John xvii. 17).

P.52, the Roman Sect on Council of Trent, Session 4

The doctrine of the Roman Church on the authority of Scripture is laid down in the decree of the Fourth Session of the Council of Trent. The following extracts contain those portions which bear most closely on the present subject.

The Council declared that “the truth and discipline” given by Christ and His Apostles “are contained in books written and in unwritten traditions, which having been received from the mouth of Christ Himself by the Apostles, or at the dictation of the Holy Ghost from the Apostles themselves, and transmitted as it were by hand, have come down to us.” That the Council, therefore, “following the example of the Orthodox Fathers, receives and venerates with equal pious affection the books both of the Old and New Testament, and the traditions themselves, whether pertaining to faith or manners, as having been orally dictated by Christ or by the Holy Ghost, and preserved by continuous succession in the Church Catholic.” [Ed. Emphasis added. A boatload of accretions, contradictions, confusions and chaos in doctrine, worship and piety have been imported.]

With respect to the use of the Bible by private persons, the Council decreed (De libris prohibitis) that "he who shall presume to read or to have a Bible without a license, may not receive absolution until he has surrendered the Bible." Much stronger expressions have been used by individual popes or divines, but the above is sufficient as setting forth the unquestionable law of the Roman Church. [Ed. Emhasis added. This Papist restraint--yeah, chokehold--was lifted in the late 20th century. In this scribe’s time, however, I well recall the Papist stronghold on some friends re: Bibles. As a lad, about age seven, I crossed the street after church, went into a Papist synagogue with my Bible in hand to meet my friend, George. The Papist priest took it from me. As a lad, it scared me. My father went and reconfiscated it from the Vicar of Satan, the Priest.]

Page 53-54, The English Church. Boultbee avoids, with Hooker, the “precisionism” of some Puritan RPW-types that appear to “regulate” circumstances and inessentials. A few classics from Boultbee, found below. “It is unnecessary to refer to the Confessions of other Protestant Churches, as they are notoriously one with the English Church on this head…Other Articles protest against individual Roman errors. This Article is the fundamental one which stamps the Church of England as essentially PROTESTANT.

This Article draws a great distinction between things necessary for salvation, and things practically beneficial, but not essential. This distinction is the main subject of the second book of Hooker's Ecclesiastical Polity. He defends it against some extreme Puritans, who demanded Scripture authority for every act of life and for all the minutest matters of Church order. The concluding paragraph of that book draws the distinguishing line with admirable clearness:—“Two opinions there are concerning sufficiency of Holy Scripture, each extremely opposite unto the other, and both repugnant unto truth. The schools of Rome teach Scripture to be insufficient, as if, except traditions were added, it did not contain all revealed and supernatural truth, which absolutely is necessary for the children of men in this life to know, that they may in the next be saved. Others, justly condemning this opinion, grow likewise unto a dangerous extremity, as if Scripture did not only contain all things in that kind necessary, but all things simply, and in such sort, that to do anything according to any other law were not only unnecessary, but even opposite unto salvation, unlawful, and sinful. Whatsoever is spoken of God, or things appertaining to God, otherwise than the truth is, though it seem an honour, it is an injury. And as incredible praises given unto men do often abate and impair the credit of their deserved commendation; so we must likewise take great heed, lest, in attributing unto Scripture more than it can have, the incredibility of that do cause even those things which it hath most abundantly to be less reverently esteemed.”

The sufficiency of Holy Scripture for salvation (as taught in this Article) was a universal article of faith in the first four centuries. This has been abundantly demonstrated by overwhelming collections of quotations from all the primitive writers. The citations in Paley's Evidences, chap. ix. §§ 1, 9, are naturally those which first come before the attention of the student. And these will give him a fair impression as to the usual manner in which the authority and use of the Holy Scripture are handled by the Fathers. But a complete and masterly investigation of this subject will be found in the tenth chapter of the Divine Rule of Faith and Practice, by the late Dean Goode. The general result of that investigation may be summed up in the following well-known quotation from Augustine:—“If it is established by the clear authority of the divine Scriptures, those I mean that are called Canonical in the Church, it is to be believed without any doubt. But other witnesses or testimonies which are used to persuade you to believe anything, you may believe or not, just as you shall see that they have or have not any weight giving them a just claim to your confidence.” Ad Paulin Ep. 147.

For a further declaration of the mind of the Church of England on this subject the First Homily may be consulted. It is in entire harmony with this Article, as may be inferred from the following citation :—“Let us diligently search for the well of life in the books of the Old and New Testament, and not run to the stinking puddles of men's traditions, devised by men's imaginations for our justification and salvation.”

It is unnecessary to refer to the Confessions of other Protestant Churches, as they are notoriously one with the English Church on this head. Much obloquy has been thrown on the word Protestant of late, as if it were a mere negation implying no positive truth. It may, therefore, be useful as well as interesting to quote the following passage from the original Protest presented to the diet at Spires, 1529, by the Lutheran princes of Germany, from which the name Protestant was derived :—“Seeing that there is no sure doctrine but such as is conformable to the Word of God; that the Lord forbids the teaching of any other doctrine; that each text of the Holy Scripture ought to be explained by other and clearer texts; and that this holy book is, in all things necessary for the Christian, easy of understanding, and calculated to scatter the darkness; we are resolved, by the grace of God, to maintain the pure and exclusive teaching of His only Word, such as it is contained in the Biblical books of the Old and New Testament, without adding anything thereto that may be contrary to it. This Word is the only truth; it is the sure rule of all doctrine and of all life, and can never fail or deceive us. He who builds on this foundation shall stand against all the powers of hell, whilst all the human vanities that are set up against it shall fall before the face of God [emphasis added].

“For these reasons we earnestly entreat you to weigh carefully our grievances and our motives. If you do not yield to our request, we PROTEST by these presents before God, our only Creator, Preserver, Redeemer, and Saviour, and who will one day be our Judge, as well as before all men and all creatures, that we, for us and our people, neither consent nor adhere in any manner whatsoever to the proposed decree, in anything that is contrary to God, to His Holy Word, to our right conscience, to the salvation of our souls, and to the last decree of Spires.” [This decree had given liberty of worship to each German State.]

Those who read this noble Protest and compare the doctrines of the Church of England and the Church of Rome on the rule of faith, as given above, can say whether the Church of England is Protestant or no. They may also decide whether Protestantism is a bare negation or the assertion of a living principle, the absolute supremacy of the Word of God, and the right of all men to search that Word. Other Articles protest against individual Roman errors. This Article is the fundamental one which stamps the Church of England as essentially PROTESTANT [emphasis added].

For others, see:
Boultbee (i-xix): Thirty-nine Articles
http://reformationanglicanism.blogspot.com/2010/11/boultbee-i-xix-protestand-reformed.html

Boultbee (i-pg.12): Thirty-nine Articles
http://reformationanglicanism.blogspot.com/2010/11/boultbee-i-pg12-thirty-nine-articles.html

Boultbee (12-51): Thirty-nine Articles
http://reformationanglicanism.blogspot.com/2010/11/boultbee-12-51-reformed-theology-of.html

Cranmer: WHY, HOW, AND THAT EVERYONE SHOULD READ THE BIBLE

Cranmer: WHY, HOW, AND THAT EVERYONE SHOULD READ THE BIBLE

To help people read the Bible, Cranmer wrote a preface to the Great Bible (1540). The Great Bible was appointed by Henry VIII to be placed throughout all the churches of England. It was an answer--we believe--to Tyndale's prayer and final words at the firey stake in 1536 in Belgium, "Lord! Open the King of England's eyes." The Great Bible was based on Tyndale's and was placed in the churches of the Church of England. May we never forget that Rome has counselled the exact reverse of Cranmer's counsel--it has kept the Bible closed to parishioners for centuries, unlike England. It was Vatican 11 (1962-1965) that has loosened the controls permitting parishioners to read His Majesty's sovereign Word.

The Archbishop of Canterbury pastorally counsels two types of parishioners and shows his zeal for and devotion to Scripture.

From Cranmer:

"For two sundry sorts of people it seemeth much necessary that something be said in the entry of this book...

"For truly some there are that be too slow and need the spur; some other seem too quick and need more of the bridle; some lose their game by short shooting, some by overshooting; some walk too much on the left hand, some too much on the right.

"In the former sort be all they that refuse to read, or to hear read the Scripture in the vulgar [common] tongues; much worse they that also let [hinder] or discourage the other from the reading or hearing there-of...

"Neither can I well tell [which] of them I may judge the [greater] offender, him that doth obstinately refuse so godly and goodly knowledge, or him that so ungodly and so ungoodly doth abuse the same...

"And as touching the former, I would marvel much that any man should be so mad as to refuse in darkness, light; in hunger, food; in cold, fire . . . .

"I would marvel (I say) at this, save that I consider how much custom and usage may do. So that if there were a people...which never saw the sun by reason that they be situated far toward the North Pole and be enclosed and overshadowed with high mountains, it is credible and like enough that if, by the power and will of God, the mountains should sink down and give place, [and] the light of the sun might have entrance to them--at the first some of them would be offended therewith...

"Such is the nature of custom that it causeth us to bear all things well and easily wherewith we have been accustomed, and to be offended with all things thereunto contrary.

"And therefore I can well think them worthy pardon which, at the coming abroad of Scripture, doubted and drew back. But such as will persist still in their willfulness, I must needs judge not only foolish, forward, and obstinate, but also peevish, perverse, and indurate.

"But now to...pass [on from] custom, and to weigh, as wise men ever should, the thing in [its] own nature: let us here discuss what availeth Scripture to be had and read [by] the lay and vulgar [common] people.

"And to this question I intend here to say nothing but that was spoken and written by the noble doctor and most moral divine, St. John Chrysostom [the Greek church father of Antioch and Constantinople, 340-407], in his third sermon De Lazaro...

"He exhorteth there his audience that every man should read by himself at home in the mean days and time, between sermon and sermon, to the intent they might both more profoundly fix in their minds and memories that he had said before upon such texts, whereupon he had already preached; and also that they might have their minds the more ready and better prepared to receive and perceive that which he should say from thenceforth in his sermons, upon such texts as he had not yet declared and preached upon...

"In few words [we] comprehend the largeness and utility of the Scripture, how it containeth fruitful instruction and erudition for every man; [how] if anything be necessary to be learned, of the holy Scripture we may learn it. If falsehood shall be reproved, thereof we may gather wherewithal. If anything be to be corrected and amended, if there need any exhortation or consolation, of the Scripture we may well learn.

"In the Scriptures be the fat pastures of the soul; therein is no venomous meat, no unwholesome thing; they be the very dainty and pure feeding. He that is ignorant shall find there what he should learn. He that is a perverse sinner shall there find his damnation to make him to tremble for fear. He that laboreth to serve God shall find there his glory and the promises of eternal life, exhorting him more diligently to labor.

"Herein may princes learn how to govern their subjects; subjects [may learn] obedience, love, and dread to[wards] their princes; husbands how they should behave them unto their wives [and] how to educate their children and servants; and contrary, the wives, children, and servants may know their duty to their husbands, parents, and masters...

"Here...men, women, young, old, learned, unlearned, rich, poor, priests, laymen, lords, ladies, officers, tenants and mean men, virgins, wives, widows, lawyers, merchants, artificers, husbandmen--and all manner of persons, of what estate or condition soever they be--may in this book learn...what they ought to believe, what they ought to do, and what they should not do, as well concerning Almighty God as also concerning themselves and all other.

"Briefly, to the reading of the Scripture none can be enemy, but that either be so sick that they love not to hear of any medicine, or else that be so ignorant that they know not Scripture to be the most healthful medicine...

"Therefore now to come to the second and latter part of my purpose. There is nothing so good in this world but it may be abused and turned from fruitful and wholesome to hurtful and noisome.

"What is there above better than the sun, the moon, the stars? Yet was there [any] that took occasion by the great beauty and virtue of them to dishonor God and to defile themselves with idolatry, giving the honor of the living God and Creator of all things to such things as he had created? What is there here beneath better than fire, water, meats, drinks, metals of gold, silver, iron, and steel? Yet we see daily great harm and much mischief done by every one of these...

"Thus to them that be evil of themselves everything setteth forward and increaseth their evil, be it of [its] own nature a thing never so good; like as contrarily, to them that studieth and endeavoreth themselves to goodness, everything prevaileth them and profiteth unto good, be it of [its] own nature a thing never so bad...Even as out of most venomous worms is made treacle [antedote for poison], the most sovereign medicine for the pre-servation of man's health in time of danger.

"Wherefore I would advise you all that cometh to the reading or hearing of this book, which is the Word of God, the most precious jewel and most holy relic that remaineth upon earth, that ye bring with you the fear of God, and that ye do it with all due reverence, and use your knowledge thereof not to vainglory [or] frivolous disputation but to the honor of God, increase of virtue, and edification both of yourselves and other...

"Every man that cometh to the reading of this holy book ought to bring with him . . . [also] a firm and stable purpose to reform his own self according thereunto; and so to continue, proceed, and prosper from time to time, showing himself to be a sober and fruitful hearer and learner. Which if he do, he shall prove at the length well able to teach, though not with his mouth yet with his living and good example, which is surely the most lively and most effectual form and manner of teaching."