Fifty Godly and Learned Sermons (The Decades)

I know, that the Lord in the Gospel said, I have many things to tell you: but at this time you can not bear them: But therewithal I know to, that he immediately added this saying, But when the spirit of trueth shall come, he shall lead you into all trueth. I know furthermore, that the spirit of trueth did come upon his disciples, and therefore I believe, that they according to the true promise of Christ, were led into all trueth, so that it is most assuredly certain, that nothing was wanting in them.

I knowe, that the Lord in the Gospell sayde, I haue many things to tell you: but at this time you can not beare them: But therwithal I know to, that he immediatly added this saying, But when the spirite of trueth shall come, he shall leade you into all trueth. I knowe furthermore, that the spirite of trueth did come vpon his disciples, and therefore I beléeue, that they according to the true promise of Christ, were led into all trueth, so that it is most assuredly certaine, that nothing was wanting in them.

But some there are, which when ¹they can not deny this, do turn them selves and say, that the Apostles in deed knew all things, but yet taught them not but by word of mouth only, not setting down in writing all those things, which do appertain to true godliness. As though it were likely that Christ his most faithful Apostles, would upon spite, have kept back any thing from their posterity. As though in deed, he had lied which said, These things are written, that in believing, ye might have life everlasting. John therefore did let pass nothing which belongeth to our full instructing in the faith. Luke did omit nothing. Neither did the rest of the Apostles and disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ suffer any thing to overslip them. Paul also wrote fourteen sundry Epistles: but yet the most of them contained one and the self same matter. Whereby we may very well conjecture, that in them is wholly comprehended the absolute doctrine of godliness. For he would not have repeated one and the self same thing so often, to so many sundry men, if there had yet been any thing else necessary, more fully to be taught, for the obtaining of salvation. Those things undoubtedly would he have taught, and not have rehearsed one and the same thing so many times. Verily in the third chapter of his Epistle to the Ephesians he doth affirm, that in the two first chapters of the same his Epistle, he did declare his knowledge in the Gospel of Christ. God (saith he) by revelation showed the mystery unto me as I wrote before in few words, whereby when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ. And this spake he touching that one and only Epistle, yea and that too touching the two first chapters of that one Epistle. Whereunto when the most large and lightsome Letters or Epistles of Saint Paul him self, and also of the other Apostles are added, who I pray you, unless he be altogether without sense will once think that the Apostles have left in writing to us their posterity, a doctrine not absolutely perfect.