The Tower conference is here brought in to no purpose.1 Their scope was to show, that in the primitive Church, not only some particular persons, but whole congregations have doubted of many books of Scripture, and yet notwithstanding lost not their dignity of true Churches of Christ: and therefore that Luther doubting, or denying some of them, cannot for that cause justly in any indifferent judgement be condemned, seeing whatsoever they object against Luther in this behalf ⟨p. 33⟩must light upon the ancient Churches & fathers, that have thought herein, as Luther did. Wherefore your conclusion that you set down in the end of this your idle, & wandering talk, is only devised of your self, and not maintained by us. For you father upon us, that we think we may refuse all such books, as of old have been doubted of:2 which is as far from our thinking, as heaven is from earth: and if any man have ever uttered such a thing, as I think none hath, it is his own private conceit, not the approved and constant judgement of our Church. The books in the old Testament, that we refuse, besides that they carry in their foreheads evident notes of Apocryphal writings, have not only been doubted of, but clean cast away by the Church of God, as hath been proved: all the books in the new Testament do we wholly admit as canonical, not refusing any parcel or word thereof, because we acknowledge in them the spirit of God, and see no reason to move us otherwise. For though they have been doubted of in former times, yet it was upon no certain ground, and by few, in comparison of those that received them, ⟨p. 34⟩undoubtedly.3 Thus in a word the neck is broken of all your notes that follow, where in you labour to say as little in many words, as possibly may be said. That we rent from the body of the Scriptures in the old Testament, Toby, Judith, Esther, Baruch, Wisdom, Ecclesiasticus, Maccabees, the prayer of Manasseh, the song of the three children, the story of Bell, herein we do the canonical Scriptures no injury, dividing from them such books as are not of that absolute authority, that they which are in truth canonical, may remain entire, and whole together: no more then the shepherd doth injury to the sheep, in sorting the goats and other cattle from them.
The Tower conference is here brought in to no purpose.1 Their scope was to shew, that in the primitiue Church, not onely some particuler persons, but wholl congregations haue doubted of many bookes of Scripture, and yet notwithstanding lost not their dignite of true Churches of Christ: and therefore that Luther doubting, or denying some of them, cannot for that cause iustelie in any indifferent iudgement be condemned, seeing whatsoeuer they obiect against Luther in this behalfe ⟨p. 33⟩must light vpon the auncient Churches & fathers, that haue thought herein, as Luther did. Wherefore your conclusion that you set downe in the end of this your idle, & wandring talke, is onelie deuised of your selfe, and not maintained by vs. For you father vpon vs, that we thinke we may refuse all such bookes, as of olde haue bene doubted of:2 which is as farre from our thinking, as heauen is from earth: and if any man haue euer vttered such a thing, as I thinke none hath, it is his owne priuat conceite, not the approoued and constant iudgement of our Church. The bookes in the olde Testament, that we refuse, besides that they carie in their foreheades euident notes of Apochryphall writings, haue not onelie bene doubted of, but clean cast awaie by the Church of God, as hath bene prooued: all the bookes in the newe Testament doe we whollie admit as canonical, not refusing any parcell or word thereof, because we acknowledge in them the spirit of God, and see no reason to mooue vs otherwise. For though they haue beene doubted of in former times, yet it was vpon no certaine ground, and by fewe, in comparison of those that receiued them, ⟨p. 34⟩vndoubtedlie.3 Thus in a word the necke is broken of al your notes that follow, where in you labour to saie as litle in manie words, as possiblie maie be sayd. That we rente from the bodie of the Scriptures in the old Testament, Toby, Iudith, Hester, Baruch, Wisdome, Ecclesiasticus, Maccabees, the praier of Manasses, the song of the three children, the storie of Bell, herein we doe the canonical Scriptures no iniurie, deuiding from them such bookes as are not of that absolute authoritie, that they which are in truth canonical, maie remaine intire, and wholl together: no more then the shepheard doth iniurie to the sheepe, in sorting the goates and other cattel from them.
- 1Pag. 25.
- 2pag. 28.
- 3Pag. 29.
