Trollope on Article VI: Of the Sufficiency of the holy Scriptures for salvation

The Articles having been drawn up with an especial reference to the causes of our separation from the Romish Church, their compilers^ after disposing of those leading doctiines of the Christian faith respecting which both

5arties are a^eed, proceed now to lav down the Bide qf ^aithf bv which both the Articles whion precede, and those which follow, are to be tested. This was more particularly necessarv, as on this point Uiere is a wide and most im- portant aifference in the views of the two Churches.

2. What characteristics point out the different views which are taken by Romanists and Protestants respectively on the subject of the Rule of Faith ?

While both Romanists and Protestants acknowledge the divine authority of the Holy Scriptures, the former assert that the books of the New Testament do not contain the entire i*ule of a Christian’s faith and practice; but that there is, in the possession of the Church, a mass of un- written primitive doctrine independent of Scripture, orally deliverea by the Apostles, and faithfully transmitted to the present time, which is equally binding upon the belief and consciences of her members. They assert also that there is an infallible authority vested in the Church, by which the truth or falsehood of Tradition may be ascertained ; and pronounce an anathema against those who call this author!^ m question. The Church of England, on the other hana, demes that the belief of any doctrine is to be enforced as necessary to salvation, which is not supported by the sane- tion of Holy writ.

3. Do the Scriptures give any sanction to this alleged authority of Ecclesiastical tradition ?

The New Testament contains not the slightest intimation of any rules or precepts to be traditionallv superadded to its own revelations ; but, on the contrary, the strongest infer- ences are deducible both from the Old Testament and the

New, afftinst their authority. Even in the patriarchal ages, when the length of human life afforded a eomparative safe- guard against errdr in the transmission of oral records, the rapid corruption «f the true religion rendered a written law necessary ; and ^e Law itself became at length so effect« ually defaced by tlie traditions of the Jews, as to call forth a most severe reprimand £rora our blessed Saviour (Matt. XV. 2.).

4. Are there any expressions in the writings of St. Paul which may seem to bear upon the subject t

St. Paul indeed (1 Cor. xi. 2. 2 Thess. ii 17.) mentions certain vapadoaettf but he is there speaking of his own written instructions, in a sense perfectly distmct from the use of the term as applied to oral tradition,

5. Did the Eeformers absolutely reject the testi- mony of Tradition ; or did they, under certain limi- tations, recognize its importance ?

When the Reformers vindicated to -Scriptural authority its due pre-eminence, they did not mean to abjure all tradi- tional testimony whatsoever. The deference which they paid to the records of the * Old Fathers’ appears fh>m the Preface to the Liturgy; but the appeal whicn they made to them was subordinate to Scripture. They reverenced them as human mtnesses, but thev did not ohej them as divine lawgivers. However credible an early writer may be, or however well authenticated a tradition, they n^ect them at once, if they contradict the divine word. They maintain the necessity of Scriptural proof in all things * necessary to ‘&dvation;’ regarding all beside as liafie to error and misrepresentation. [See Art. xxxiv.]

6. Upon what grounds does the English Church look upon Holy Scripture as the only authorized Rule of Faith ?

Since Qod alone can have the right to prescribe the con- ditions of Salvation, it is presumption in man to demand what God has not demanded: so that Mn vain do they * worship God, who teach for doctrines the commandmento ‘of man’ (Matt. xv. 9.). Hence the strong expression of St. Paul (Gal. i. 8.) : — * Though we or an angel from Heaven

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’ preach any other Gospel unto you, than that which we ’ have preached unto you, let him be accursed.’ Hence also he affirms (1 Tim. iii. 15. sqq.), that the Holy Scriptures are able to make us wise unto Salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus; and ‘all Smpture,’ he continues, ‘is ’ fipiyen by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, ’ for reproof, ror correction, for instruction in righteousness ; ’ that tne man of God may he perfect, thoroughli/fumuhed * unto all good works.’

7. When were the Apocryphal Scriptures written ?

They were written after the time of Malachi, who flou- rished before the Gkispel Dispensation, 420. B. c.

8. What do you understand by the Canumical and Apocryphal Scriptures ; and why are the latter compawtively unimportant t

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9. State the reasons for believing that the books of the Old Testament have come down to us in a state of uncorrupted preservation.

To the Jews were committed the Scriptures of the Old Testament, which they received as the oracles of €^, and ‘read them in the synagogues every Sabbath-day;’ by them they were transmitted, pure and unadulterated, to the Christian Church : for, seyere as are the reprooft which our Lord directs against the Scribes and Lawyers, he neyer charges them with ooirupting their sacred votings ; and, as they were quoted by Christ and his AposUes, so are they found at the present day.

10. What proof have we of the genuineness and int^rity of the writings of the New Testament t

That the several books of the New Testament are the genuine production of those whose names they bear, is attested by a connected series of writers fimmi the Apoe- tdlio age downwards ; and that they have been preserved to us in an uncormpted state, apmears from the fiicts that the quotations made from them by writers of every age and

country, that the comments written upon them, and that the versions into which they have been rendered, are in perfect accordance with the text as it now stands.

11. Describe briefly the nature of the internal

and external evidence, upon which the Intfpiration of

the New Testament rests.

The Infjpiratum of the New Testament is proved by the ifitemal evidence of its moral purity, its fulfilled uropnecy , and the incompetence of its writers to produce works of such a character without the divine assistance ; by the external evidence of the sufferings which its authors underwent in defence of the (Gospel, and of its reception by those who, gifted with the supernatural power of discerning spirits and ascertaining the truth (1 Cor. xii. 10.), rejected at the same time other writers of an apoeryphal nature ; and by the concurrent testimony of all succeeding ages in the Church.

12. Have all the books of the New Testament

equal claims to be received as Canonical.

There have been local doubts respecting particular books ; but the Church at large has. upon the surest grounds, duly settled the Canon as it stands.

13. What are the books described as the first

and second books of Esdras ?

Those which are more commonly known as the Books of .Ezra and Nehemiah.

14. Adduce passages from the early Fathers^

descriptive of the character of the Sacred writings.

Besides the reference to Jerome (Prsef. ad Prov.) in the Article itself, Ignatius observes (ad Phil. c. 9.) that the Gospel is the perfection qfuneorruptness : Irenssus (Hser. ii. 47.), that t?ie Scriptures are peneet^ being dictated by the word of Ood atiahis spirit : Tertulliau (adv. Hermog. c. 22.), that woe is in store for those who add to, or detract fromy the Scriptures : and St. Athanasius (Synop. S. Scr.), that there are other books, besides those qf the Old Testa- ment t which are not eanonicalf but only read to Catechu- mens. See also Justin M. Apol. I. cc. 33. 39. Iren. Hser. IV. 69. Tertul. de Prsesor. Hser. c. 8. Cyprian. Epist. 74. Origen. Philocal. o. 3.

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