Thomas Cranmer, D.D.: Works of Thomas Cranmer (ed. Coxe): 1.30ff.

ST. AUGUSTINE. Again, Lib. 3. of the Christian Doctrine, cap. ult. " How much less the abundance of gold, silver, and clothing, which that people brought with them forth of Egypt, is in comparison of the riches which afterwards they had at Jerusalem, which, above all other, was shewed in king Salomon ; so let all knowledge, which is in deed profitably gathered out of the books of the gentiles, be such, if it be compared to the knowledge of God's scriptures. For whatsoever man learneth without them, if it be evil, there it is condemned; if it be profitable, there it is found. And seeing then every man shall find all things there which he hath profitably learned other where; much more abundantly shall he find those things there, which can nowhere at all else be learned, but only in the marvellous deepness and wonderful humility of those scriptures"."

 

The same, in his book of Nature and Grace, the l6th chapt. “We may lawfully sometimes dissent from other learning; but to the catholic learning every man must give place, every man must subscribe, whether he be layman, priest, king, or emperor.”

 

The same, in his 2nd book of the Christian Doctrine, cap. 9. After that he hath numbered the canonical books, he saith thus: " In all these books they that fear God, and are tamed through godliness, do search the will of God. The first note of which labour and travail, as we said, is to know these books; and if as yet we cannot understand them, yet let us by reading get them in memory, or not to be altogether ignorant in them. Furthermore, those things which be plainly contained therein, whether they be precepts of living, or else of believing, are earnestly and diligently to be searched; which, how many the more every man findeth, so much the more is he apt in his understanding. In these, therefore, which are evidently contained in the scriptures, are found all things, contain faith, manners of living, hope, and love.

 

The same, of the Unity of the Church, cap. 3. "Let us not hear, `I say,’ `Thou sayest;’ but let us hear, `Thus saith the Lord.’ There are, out of doubt, the Lord's  books, to the authority whereof we both consent, we both believe, we both serve. Let us search the church there; let us discuss our cause there.”

 

Again in his second book of Baptism, against the Donatists, cap. 3. " Who is he that knoweth not that the scripture canonical is so contained within his certain bounds of the Old and New Testament, and is so to be preferred above all other writings of bishops, that a man may not at all either doubt or dispute of it, whether any thing be true or right, that he is sure is written in it? but the letters of all other bishops, which are or shall be hereafter written, besides the canonical scriptures, already confirmed, may be reproved either by more grave authority of other bishops or learned men, and by the words of every man that is better seen in the matter

 

Again in his second book of the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, cap. ult. Tom. vii. “Where disputation is had of a doubtful matter, if the certain and clear doctrine of the scriptures of God do not help it, man's reason ought to stay itself, nothing leaning to either in part. For though I know not how to express every one of these things, yet I believe surely that the scriptures of God should be most plain herein, if a man might not be ignorant hereof without the loss of that salvation that is promised him.”

 

Again, in his book of Pastors. “He appointed the hills of Israel, the authors of the scriptures of God; feed there, that you may feed safely. Whatsoever you hear out of scriptures, that, let it savor well to you ; whatsoever is besides that, refuse it, lest you wander into clouds. Get you to the hill of the scriptures: there be the pleasures of your hearts; there is no noisome, hurtful, or venomous things, no inconvenient things; there be most verities fed plentiful pastures.”

 

Again, of Christian Doctrine, lib. 2, cap. 9. "In these things that be plainly set forth in the scriptures are found all things that contain faith and manners of living, that is to wit, hope and charity. Then after a certain familiarity had with the speech of the scripture of God, we must go to expound and discuss those things that be dark, that (to give light to dark speeches) examples may be taken out of the more plain places and some testimonies of places being certain may take away the doubt of the uncertain sentences.”

 

Again, of the Christian Doctrine, the 3 lib. cap. 26. " Dark places are to be expounded by plainer places. That is the surest way, to expound one scripture by another.”

 

Again, to Vincent the Donatist, Epist. 48, "This kind of learning (speaking of the old writers' doings) is not to be read with necessity of belief, but with liberty of judgment.” And after: “There, that is, in the holy scriptures, it is not lawful to say, the author of this book perceived not the truth; but either that the book is false, or the If any man's interpreter hath erred, or thou understandest it not. But in the works of all them that writing come after, (which be contained in innumerable books, yet in no wise to be compared to proved by the most holy excellency of the canonical scriptures,) although in some of them be found the samc truth, yet the authority is far unlike. Therefore, if it fortune any thing in them to be thought to dissent from the truth, because they are not so understand as they man may bc spoken, yet the reader or hearer hath his free judgment, so that either he may allow refuse it, as that that plcascth him, or reject that which oftendeth him. And therefore all such like (except they may be defended either by good reason, or by the canonical authority, that it may be proved that they are so in deed, or may be so, because either it is there disputed or declared), if it displease any man, or if he will not believe it, he is not to be blamed therefore.”

 

The same, in the same place, Epist. 48. " Gather not, my brother, against so many, so clear, and so undoubted witnesses of the scriptures, sentences misunderstanded, out the writings of bishops, either of ours, or of Hilary, or Cyprian, bishop, and martyr of the church: for we must put a diversity betwixt this kind of writing and the canonical f such scriptures. For these are not so to be read, as though a witness might be alleged out them, so that no man might think otherwise, if they fortune to judge otherwise than the truth requireth.

 

The same to Jerome. "I have learned to give this reverence and honour to those writers which be now called canonical, that I dare be bold to believe that none of them did err any thing at all in writing. But if I find any thing in those scriptures that seemeth contrary to the truth, I doubt not but that either the book is false, or the interpreter did not attain the thing that was spoken, or else I understand it not. But all other authors, be they never so excellent both in virtue and learning, I do so read them, not that I think it true that they writ because they thought so; but because they could persuade me either by other canonical scriptures, or by some probable reasons, a thing not altogether abhorring from the truth.”

 

The same against Cresconium, a grammarian, lib. ii. cap. 32. “I am not bound to his authority. For I do not account Cyprian's writings as canonical, but weigh them by the canonical scriptures; and that in them which agrecth with the canonical scriptures, I allow to his praise; but that that agreeth not, by his favour I refuse.”

 

The same to Vincent Victor. " I cannot, nor ought not to deny, that like as in mine elders, so also in my so many books, be many things that by just judgment, without rashness, may be reproved"."

 

The same, in the Prologue of his book of the Trinity. "Be not bound to my writings, as to the canonical scriptures : but if thou find any thing in them, which thou diddest not believe, straightway believe it ; in these that thou art not sure of, except thou certainly understand it, believe it not certainly"."

 

The same to Fortunate, Epist. 198. "Neither ought we to allow the reasonings of any men, whatsoever they be, (although they be catholic and laudable men,) as the canonical scriptures; so that it shall not be lawful for us, saving the reverence that is due to those men, to reprove and refuse any thing in their writings, if it chance that they have judged otherwise than truth is ; the same truth, by God's help, being understand either of other men, or of us. For I am even such an one in other men's writings as I would men should be in mine'"."

 

The same, in the same place. "Let us seek no further than is written of God our Saviour, lest a man would know more than the scriptures witness"."

 

Cyril, lib. vi. upon Leviticus. "There be two offices of a bishop, to learn the scriptures of God, and by oft reading to digest the same, or else to teach the people ; but let him teach those things, which he hath learned of God, and not of his own heart, or by man's understanding, but those things which the Holy Ghost teacheth.”

 

The same, in John, chap. vi. He saith, "By this we learn, that only Christ ought to be followed as a master, and we must cleave unto him only.”

 

The same, in John, chap. xx. " Not all things that the Lord did are written, but those things that the writers thought sufficient, as well to good manners as to doctrine; that we, shining with a constant faith, good works, and virtues, may come to the kingdom of heaven.”

 

Fulgence, in his sermon of the Confessors. " In the word of God is plenty for the words for the strong man to eat; there is enough for the child to suck; there is also milk to drink, your hearts wherewith the tender infancy of the faithful may be nourished; and strong meat, wherewith the lusty youth of them that be perfect may receive the spiritual increasement of holy virtue. There provision is made for the salvation of all men whom the Lord doth vouchsafe to save. There is that that is agreeable to all ages; there is also that which is meet for all states. There we learn the commandments which we ought to do; there we know the rewards which we hope for.”

 

Then Gregory, in Job, lib. xvi. cap. 28. " He that prepareth himself to the office of a preacher, must needs fetch the foundation of his matters out of the holy scriptures; they all are that all that he saith he must reduce it to the first beginning of God's authority, the effect of all his sayings. For, as I have said many times afore, heretics, ordinary rule, when they study to maintain their froward doctrine, surely they bring forth those things that are not contained in the holy scriptures.”

 

Theophylactus, upon this place of Paul, the last to the Romans, " I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause division, and give occasion of evil, contrary to the doctrine which you have learned, and avoid them. For they that are such, serve not the Lord Jesus Christ, but their own bellies; and with sweet preachings and flattering words deceive the hearts of the innocents.” Here saith Theophylactus, that “they bring in divisions and occasions of evil, which bring forth any thing beside the doctrine and learning of the apostles.”

 

Damascenus, lib. i. cap.1. "All that ever was delivered by the law, the prophets, the apostles, and the evangelists, we receive, acknowledge, and give reverence unto them, searching nothing besides them.

 

Bruno, in the second to Timothy. " Doubtless the holy scriptures are able to instruct thee to salvation. For every scripture being inspired from God, that is to say, spiritually understand after the will of God, is profitable to teach them that be ignorant; to reprove, that is, to convince them that speak against the faith; to correct sinners, such as deny not themselves to be sinners; to instruct those that be yet rude and simple; to instruct, I say, in righteousness, that they may be made righteous by putting away their former instructions of infidelity, I say, that he may be so taught, that, as much as in the teacher lieth, he that is taught may be the perfect man of God; so perfect, that he may be instruct to do every good work.”

 

Beda, in the 1st Epistle of Peter, chap. v. “If any man speak, let speak as the words of God.” Fearing lest he say or command any thing besides the will of God, or besides that which is manifestly commanded in the holy scriptures, and be found as a false witness of God, or a committer of sacrilege, or a bringer in of any strange thing from the Lord's doctrine, or else leave out or pass over any thing that pleaseth God; seeing that Christ most plainly commandeth the preachers of the truth concerning them whom they had taught, saying, `Teach them to keep all things that I have commanded you yea, even the same which he had commanded, and none other; and he conmanded his preachers to command their hearers to keep, not some of these, but all.”

 

Anselmus, bishop, in his book of Virginity, cap. xxiv. “God's law forbiddeth to follow the steps of the catholic, or universal faith, any more than the judgment of the canonical truth commandeth to believe. And all other apocryphal lies, the good policies same agree of the best learned fathers have stablislied in their decrees utterly to reject, and to banish word, them clean, as horrible thunderings of words.”

 

Lyrane, upon the last chap, of the Proverbs. “Like as in a merchant's ship are carried divers things necessary for man's life, so in the scripture are contained all things needful to salvation.”

 

Thomas of Aquine. “The holy scripture is the rule of our faith, whereunto it is neither lawful to add, nor take any thing away. But the truth of our faith is contained contained in the holy scriptures diffusely and divers ways; in some places darkly; and to try written, out the truth of our faith by the scriptures, is required long study and exercise; to the which all they cannot come that need to know the truth of the faith, the more part whereof, being occupied with other business, cannot attend to study. And therefore it was needful out of the sentences of holy scripture to gather something into a short sum, which should be set forth for all men to believe; which is not added to the scriptures, but rather taken out of the scriptures'"."

 

Scotus, in the prologue of Sentences, qusest. 2. Question: “Whether knowledge above nature, sufficient for a man in this life, be sufficiently set forth in the holy scripture." The question is not, " Whether any things be true that are not written, or whether God, since the creation and redemption of the world, hath done or said anything that is not written, and received of the church for the holy scripture ;" but this is the question, "Whether the word of God written be sufficient for our salvation ; or whether a christian man be bound to believe anything that cannot be proved by the holy scripture." And this granted, that all things that may be gathered out of the scripture, and every thing that upon any truth granted may be proved by a good argument of the scripture.