Of the Holy Scriptures.
How should one study, teach and learn the true faith?
From some sacred canonical Scriptures contained in prophetic and apostolic books. For thus it is written in the eighth chapter of Isaiah: According to the law and the testimony, if they do not say this, they will not have the dawn. For this reason Christ also says in the fifth chapter of the Gospel of John: Search the Scriptures, for you think that you have eternal life in them, and it is they which testify of me, and you do not want to come to me that you may have life.
But what should we use to discuss the dispute in the church?
Also from certain sacred canonical Scriptures. For it is certain beyond all doubt that God's Word judges and decides the words of men. Now the Scriptures were not produced by human will, but inspired by God and the Holy Spirit, 2 Peter 1, 2 Timothy 3. Therefore Paul says in Galatians 6:16, Peace and mercy be upon them, as many as walk according to this rule. Will the Word of God also be judge in that day, as Christ, John 12, and Paul in Romans 2
clearly say: How much more will it be able to judge and decide the contentious parties in this world? Therefore Christ Jesus also discussed all controversial points against the Pharisees and Sadducees, concerning his divinity, the law and the like, solely from the Scriptures, as can be read in Luke 10, Matthew 19 and 21. Indeed, since the Lord Jesus Christ had to argue with the most hostile adversary, the wicked devil himself, he did not want to deal with him in any other way than with the Scriptures, with the Word of God, through which he also obtained the victory against the devil, Matt. 4. The holy apostles also did this by not only proving their doctrine from the Holy Scriptures, but also by discussing the disputes that had occurred from the prophets. Thus Stephen protects himself, against his enemies, from the Scriptures, Act. 6 and 7. Thus St. Paul appeals to the law and the prophets, Act. 24, 25, and 26. And since he defends the article of justification against the false apostles, also, of the resurrection, he does so from Scripture, as can be seen in his epistle to the Romans, chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, and 10, to the Galatians chapters 2, 3, and 4, and in 1 Corinthians 15. Here also belongs the beautiful little passage from the epistle to the Hebrews in chapter 4, [Heb. 4:12] The Word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of marrow and bones. And is a judge of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Is it not allowed to base an article [of faith], or to make decisions, on traditions and statutes of men?
By no means: For thus says God by the prophet Isaiah in chapter 29, and Christ repeats it in Matthew 15 [:9]. They serve me in vain, because they teach such doctrine, which is nothing but the commandment of men. And again Christ says: Every plant that my heavenly Father does not plant will be uprooted. [Matthew 15:13] St. Paul writes to the Colossians in the second chapter [Colossians 2:20]: "If ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances?
But how can I learn faith from the Scriptures if the Scriptures are dark?
The Scriptures are bright, clear, and understandable enough in matters of faith, not dark, as the unbelieving and
new-believing papists pretend. David says in Psalm 19 [:8]: The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. In the 119th Psalm [:105]: Thy word is a lamp unto my feet. Solomon writes in the 6th chapter of Proverbs [:23]: The commandment is a lamp, and the law a light. See Peter in the 2nd epistle in chapter 1 [:19]: We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place. In these testimonies it is clearly stated that the Scriptures are light and not dark. But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost, in whom the god of this world (that is, Satan) has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they do not see the bright light of the gospel, the clarity of Christ, as St. Paul testifies with these quoted words in the 2nd epistle to the Corinthians in chapter 4.
Nevertheless, St. Peter himself confesses that some things in St. Paul's letters are difficult?
No one disputes this. It is not a question of whether certain things, certain persons, are difficult to understand in Scripture, as they are for the godless Jews and other willful heretics, but whether all the articles of faith in Scripture are so difficult to find according to the letter for pious Christians that one cannot know what to conclude from them or actually believe. St. Peter does not say this, but tells me differently: There are some things in St. Paul's writings that are difficult to understand for those who confuse them, as the unlearned and reckless, as well as other writings to their own condemnation, 2 Pet. 3 [:16], and therefore the popes have nothing to help themselves with this passage of St. Peter.
They further add that the Scriptures are not perfect, therefore one cannot remain with the Scriptures alone in matters of faith?
Their pretensions are vain and completely contrary to divine truth. The holy apostle Paul says much differently, in his 2nd epistle to Timothy in chapter 3 [:16], with these words: All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
David says in the 19th Psalm [:7]: Lex Domini PERFECTA, the law of the Lord is perfect. And all the Christian fathers have at all times accepted as known what a man needs to believe and to know, that it is all contained in the revealed Word of God, which contains all God's counsel concerning our salvation. Therefore Paul says in the 20th chapter of the Apostolic Histories [Acts 20:27]: I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. And John confesses that his gospel is so perfect that one can draw from it the right faith in Jesus, and through such faith have eternal life: John 20 [:31] This is written so that you may believe that Jesus is Christ, the Son of God, and that through faith you may have eternal life.
Tell Christ John on the 16th I still have much to tell you but you cannot bear it now. But when the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, comes, he will guide you into all truth. Is there still something to be expected from the Holy Spirit that has not been said before?
This passage of the Lord Jesus Christ does not prove that the Scriptures are imperfect, but this much can be concluded from it: Christ did not want to tell the disciples more before they received the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, because he did not understand them. But afterwards, on the day of Pentecost, he sent them the Holy Spirit, who led and guided them into all truth. At that time the apostles still had more to wait for, according to the promise of Christ, namely, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on them. But it does not follow from this that we do not now have perfect Scripture, or that all the articles of faith are not contained in Scripture. A child of ten years of age can understand, and therefore this is without need to speak further of it.
Isn't the descent of Jesus Christ into hell an article of faith, but it cannot be proven from Scripture?
Although the clumsy Jesuits are under the impression that Christ's descent into hell could not be proven from Scripture, the contradiction is in evidence. For in various and many places of Scripture, such hell-going of Jesus Christ is commemorated, as Hosea 33 [sic: Hosea 13:14], Psalm 16 [:10], 68 [:20?], and 77, in the first epistle to the Corinthians 15th chapter [:55], to the Colossians the 2nd [:15], Matthew in the 12th chapter [:24?]. In apostolic
histories chapter 2 [Acts 2:27], Ephesians 4 [:9-10], Philippians 2 [:8?], 1 Peter 3 [:19], Hebrews 2 [:14]. But are these not sufficient testimonies to prove Christ's descent into hell?
Can one also prove from Scripture which books should be accepted and be considered canonical in the Old Testament?
You can have this from sacred Scripture: For all and every canonical book of the Old Testament is inspired by God, as Paul says, 2 Timothy 3 [:16], and thereafter the Jews trusted, Romans 3 [:2?], and also all were put on by Christ, and thus canonized, Luke 24 [:45], etc.
In this first piece I would like to know one more thing, whether laymen, secular princes, lords, and other common people are also allowed to read the Bible and search the Scriptures?
Why not? It is not only permitted but also commanded by God that we should all search the Scriptures. For thus Christ John speaks to all in chapter 5 [:39]: Search the Scriptures. And David says without distinction that he will be well who delights in the law of the Lord, and speaks of it day and night, Psalm 1. For what reason the apostles attributed their epistles to all Christians, as especially to be seen from 1 Thessalonians in chapter 5 [:27], where St. Paul writes: I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren. St. John, in his first epistle in the 2nd chapter [:27], clearly testifies that he did not write for the clergy alone, but also for the laity, even for children and young men, when he says: Dear little children, I write to you that your sins may be forgiven through his name: I write to you fathers, because you are the seed of him who is from the beginning. I write to you young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you children, because you know the Father. I have written to you fathers that you may know him who is from the beginning. I have written to you young men that you are strong, and that the word of God abides with you, and that you have overcome the evil one. These few testimonies are a mighty thunderbolt against the papists, not to mention that the noble laity are commended in the
Bereans, that they have searched the Scriptures, and have well considered the preaching of St. Paul, Act. 17 [:11]. Queen Candace's chamberlain in Meroe was a layman, and read in the prophet Isaiah. Acts 8 [:28]. The rich man's brethren were laymen, yet Abraham says they should read Moses and the prophets, Luke 16 [:29-31]. As for the princes and authorities, they also have a clear command in God's Word. Thus it is written in the 17th chapter of Deuteronomy [:18]: When the king sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall take this other law from the priests, the Levites, and have it written in a book: it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God. To the prince Joshua, God says in the first chapter of the book of Joshua [:8], "Do not let the book of this law depart from your mouth, but meditate on it day and night, so that you may observe and do all things according to what is written in it. There you see, dear authorities, how strongly the pope forbids you to do what God requires and wants you to do.
The popes say that there is great danger in the simple-minded reading the Bible, because they can easily fall into error.
The Bible does not make a heretic, nor does the Bible ask for error, nor does it happen with all laymen, but only with some who mix their erroneous thoughts into the Scriptures, and if this objection is valid, the clergy must not read the Bible either, because they often misuse the Scriptures for heresy and error. So much for the first article.
What is the purpose of all that has been said so far?
To this end we must adhere to the recognized truth, and beware of the Jesuit errors, since they pretend 1. that one cannot have faith from Scripture alone. 2. that the Scriptures are obscure and imperfect. 3. that it may not be read by all Christians. From such errors may God the heavenly Father protect us.
Amen.
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