A09453:237
A Reformed Catholic
A reformed Catholic: or, A declaration showing how near we may come to the present Church of Rome in sundry points of religion: and wherein we must for ever depart from them with an advertisement to all favourers of the Roman religion, showing that the said religion is against the Catholic principles and grounds of the catechism.A reformed Catholike: or, A declaration shewing how neere we may come to the present Church of Rome in sundrie points of religion: and vvherein we must for euer depart from them with an advertisment to all fauourers of the Romane religion, shewing that the said religion is against the Catholike principles and grounds of the catechisme.
Cambridge: printed by John Legat, 1598Cambridge: printed by Iohn Legat, 1598
Doctrine 7 › Objections for Traditions.Doctrine 7 › Obiections for Traditions.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Object. III Some books of the canon of the scripture are lost, as the book of the wars of God. Num. 21. 14. The book of the just. Joshua. 10, 13. the books of Chronicles of the kings of Israel and Judah. 1. King. 14. 19. the books of certain prophets, Nathan, Gad, Iddo, Ahiah, and Semiah: and therefore the matter of these books must come to us by tradition. Ans. Though it be granted that some books of Canonical scripture be ⟨p. 146⟩lost: yet the scripture still remains sufficient because the matter of those books (so far forth as it was necessary to salvation) is contained in these books of scripture that are now extant. Again, I take it to be a truth (though some think otherwise) that no part of the Canon is lost: for Paul saith, what soever things were written aforetime, were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, &c. Rom. 15. 4. Where he takes it for granted, that the whole canon of holy Scripture was then extant. For if he had thought, that some books of scripture had been lost, he would have said: whatsoever was written and is now extant, was written for our learning and comfort. For books that are lost serve neither for learning nor comfort. Again to hold that any▪ books of scripture should be lost, calls into question Gods providence, and the fidelity of the Church, who hath the books of God in keeping, and is therefore called the pillar and ground of truth. And touching the books before mentioned, I answer thus: The book of the wars ⟨p. 147⟩of God, Num. 21. 14. might be some short bill or narration of things done among the Israelites, which in the days of Moses went from hand to hand. For sometime a book in scripture, signifieth a roll or Catalogue, as the first chapter of Matthew, which containeth the genealogy of our Saviour Christ, is called the book of the generation of Jesus Christ. Again, the book of the just, and the books of Chronicles, which are said to be lost, were but as the Chronicles of England are with us; even politic records of the acts and events of things, in the kingdom of Judah and Israel: out of which the Prophets gathered things necessary to be known; and placed them in holy scripture.