Philip Edgcumbe Hughes, Th.D.: "Theology of the English Reformers:" Ch.1...
Thomas Bilney, upon securing Erasmus’s 2nd edition of the Novum Testamentum
(1519) said: “Being allured rather by the Latin that by the Word of God (for at
that time I knew not what it meant), I bought it even by the providence of God.”[1]
“At the first reading,
as I well remember, I chanced upon this sentence of St. Paul (O most sweet and comfortable
sentence to my soul!), `It is a worthy saying and worthy of all men to be embraced,
that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinner, of whom I am the chief’ (1
Tim. 1.15).”[2]
Chrysostom on Colossians 3.16: “…the Apostle requires the people to know the Word
of God, not simply, but in great abundance.”
“…the one great
cause of all evils is ignorance of Scripture…”
Thomas Cranmer, 1539 Preface to the Great Bible: “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 that 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 others. Briefly, to the reading of the Scripture
none can be enemy, but that either so sick 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…Wherefore I would advise you all that come to the reading of this book,
which is the Word of God, the most precious jewel, the most holy relic that remaineth
upon earth, that you bring with you the fear of God, and that you do it with all
due reverence, and use your knowledge thereof not to vainglory or frivolous disputation,
but to the honour of God, increase of virtue, and edification both of yourselves
and of others.”[3]
Jerome on Colossians 3.16: “…the laity ought to have not only a sufficient but abundant
knowledge of the Scriptures, and also to instruct each other.”
John Jewel, Bishop of Salisbury (1522-1571) on the necessity of Scripture
from his Treatise of the Holy Scriptures: “If we seek to know the sacraments
of the church, what are they; if we would be instructed in the sacrament of baptism
or in the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ; if we would learn to know our
Creator, and to put the difference between the Creator and creature; if we desire
to what this present life is and what is that life which is to come; if we would
believe in God, and call upon the name of God, and do worship unto God; if we would
be settled in perfect zeal and true knowledge; if we would have an upright conscience
towards God; if we would know which is the true church of God: it is very needful
that we hear the Word of God. There is no other word that teacheth us salvation.”[4]
Hugh Latimer, in a 1552 sermon: “Master Bilney, or rather Saint Bilney, that
suffered death for God’s Word’s sake, the same Bilney was the instrument whereby
God called me to knowledge; for I may thank him, next to God, for that knowledge
that I have in the Word of God. For I was as obstinate a papist as any in England,
insomuch that when I should be made Bachelor of Divinity, my whole oration went
against Philip Melancthon and against his opinions. Bilney heard me at that time,
and perceived that I was zealous without knowledge; and he came to me afterward
in my study and desired me, for God’s sake, to hear his confession. I did so; and,
to say the truth, by his confession I learnt more than before me in many years.
So from that time forward I began to smell the Word of God and forsook the school-doctors
and such fooleries.”[5]
“Truly we are much
bound to God that he hath set out this His will in our natural mother tongue, in
English, I say, so that now you may not only heart it, but also read it yourself;
which thing is a great comfort to every Christian heart. For now you can no more
be deceived, as you have been I times past, when we did bear you in hand that popery
was the Word of God: which falsehood we could not have brought to pass if the Word
of God, the Bible, had been abroad in the common tongue: for then you might have
perceived yourselves our falsehood and blindness. This I speak to that end, to move
you to thankfulness towards Him who so lovingly provideth all things necessary to
our salvation.”[6]
1552: “Now, I pray
you, how could the lay people have that sword, how could they fight with the devil,
when all things were in Latin, so that they could not understand it? Therefore,
how needful it is for every man to have God’s Word, it appeareth here; for only
with the Word of God we must fight against the devil, which devil intendeth daily
to do us mischief. How could the unlearned fight against him when all things were
in Latin, so that they might not come to the understanding of God’s Word? Therefore
let us give God most hearty thanks that we have God’s Word, and let us thankfully
use the same; for only with God’s Word shall we avoid and chase the devil, and with
nothing else. Our Saviour when he was tempted, what were His weapons? Wherewith
fought He? Nothing else but with God’s Word. When the devil tempted Him, He ever
said, Scriptum est, `It is written’…So likewise we must have God’s Word to
fight with the devil and to withstand his temptations and assaults.”[7]
William Tyndale:
“The Scripture is that wherewith God draweth us to Him. The Scripture
sprang out of God, and flow unto Christ, and were given to lead us to Christ. Thou
must therefore go along by the Scriptures as by a line, until thou come to Christ,
which is the way’s end and resting-place.”
In 1527, Parable
of the Wicked Mammon: “I answer, in burning the New Testament they did none
other thing than that I looked for; no more shall they do, if they burn me also,
if it be God’s it will be so. Nevertheless, in translating the New Testament, I
did my duty, and so do I now, and will do as much more as God hath ordained me to
do.”[8]
“If God spare my
life, ere many years pass I will cause a boy that driveth the plough shall know
more of the Scriptures than thou dost.”[9]
Prof. William Whittaker
of Cambridge (1548-1595), Disputations on Holy Scripture:
a.
Firstly:
“God hath commanded all to read the Scriptures: therefore, all are bound to read
the Scriptures.” Dt. 31.11ff.; 17.18ff; 6.6-9; John 5.39; 20.31; Rom.15.4.
b.
Secondly:
“The people should not be deprived of those arms by which they are to be protected
against Satan. Now the Scriptures are such arms: therefore, the Scriptures should
not be taken away from the people; for taken away they are if the people be prevented
from reading them…If Christ defended Himself against Satan with the Scriptures,
how much more needful are the Scriptures to us against the same enemy! And it was
for this end that Christ used the weapons of Scripture against Satan, that He might
afford us an example; for He could have repelled Satan with a single word. We therefore
ought to resist Satan in the same manner. It is folly to suppose that Satan can
be driven away by bare ceremonies, exorcisms, gesticulations, and outward fopperies.
We must fight with arguments, drawn from Scriptures and the examples of the holy
fathers: the Scriptures are the only arms which can prevail, or ought to be used
against him. Those, therefore, who take the Holy Scriptures away from the people
leave them exposed naked to Satan and hurl them into most certain destruction.”
c.
Thirdly:
“The Scriptures are to be read publicly in such a manner as that the people may
be able to derive some advantage from them. But they cannot be useful to the people
in an unknown tongue: therefore, they should be translated into a language known
to the people.”
d.
Fourthly:
“The Lord commands and requires that the people should be instructed, full of wisdom
and knowledge, and perfectly acquainted with the mysteries of salvation…Therefore
the people ought to read Scriptures, since without the reading of the Scriptures
they cannot acquire such knowledge. Now they cannot read them unless they be translated:
therefore, the Scriptures ought to be translated…a knowledge and acquaintance with
the Scriptures is necessary for all Christians.” Dt. 4.6. Col.3.16; 1.9; 2.2; 2
Cor. 8.7; Num. 2.29; 1 Cor. 14.5; Phil. 1.9l 2 Pet. 1.5.
e.
Fifthly:
“Christ taught the people in their mother tongue; so also, the apostles and disciples
of Christ, as well when upon the day of Pentecost, they published the Gospel in
a known tongue, as afterwards when, scattered over the whole world, they taught
all nations in their native languages. Hence, we draw our conclusion thus: The holy
doctrine of the Gospel is not contaminated when preached or taught in the vernacular
tongue; therefore, not when it is written or read in the vernacular tongue.”
f.
Sixthly:
From the ancient church, “it is evident from history and the books of the holy fathers
that Scriptures were translated into all languages and that the people were always
admonished by their pastors to read them diligently and assiduity. Hence, we draw
our conclusion thus: Formerly the Scriptures were extant in vernacular languages
and were also read by the people. Therefore, the same is lawful at the present day.”
Necessity of Canonical
writings, that writings “preserve the doctrine
and religion of God from being corrupted and destroyed or forgotten.”[10]
Negatively, “less we should fall into danger.”
Positively, (1)
“…that necessary doctrine without which we cannot be saved.” (2) “…lest
we should fall into error.” (3) “…for the obtaining of faith and eternal life, since
it was for that purpose they were written.”[11]
[1] Fox,
Acts and Monuments, 4.633.
[2] Fox,
loc. cit.
[3] Strype.
Memorials of Archbishop Cranmer, Vol. 3: Appendix, 689.
[4] John
Jewel. Works, 4.1179ff.
[5] Latimer:
Works, 1.334.
[6] Latimer.
Works, 1.369.
[7] Latimer.
Works. 1.505f.
[8] Tyndale:
Works, 1.43ff.
[9] Fox,
4.117.
[10] Whitaker,
William. Disputations on Holy Scripture, 235.
[11] Whitaker,
William. Disputations on Holy Scripture, 521ff.
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