The Institution of Christian Religion

¶ The .vii. Chapter. By what testimony the Scripture ought to be established, that is by the witness of the holy ghost, that the authority thereof may remain certain. And that it is a wicked invention to say that the er••yt thereof doeth hangs upon the judgement of the church.

¶ The .vii. Chapter. By what testimony the Scripture oughte to be established, that is by the witnesse of the holy gost, that the authoritie therof may remaine certaine. And that it is a wycked inuention to say that the er••yt therof doeth hangs vpon the iudgemente of the churche.

But before I go any further, it is needful to say somewhat of the authority of the Scripture, not only to prepare mens minds to reverence it, but also to take away all doubt thereof. Now, when it is a matter confessed that it is the word of God that is there set forth, there is no man of so desperate boldness, unless he be void of all common sense and natural wit of man, that dare derogate the credit of him that speaketh it. But because there are not daily oracles given from heaven, and the only Scriptures remain wherein it hath pleased the Lord to preserve his truth to perpetual memory, the same Scripture by none other means is of full credit among the faithful, but in that they do believe that it is as verily come from heaven as if they heard the lively voice of God to speak therein. This matter in deed is right worthy both to be largely entreated of & diligently weighed. But the readers shall pardon me if herein I rather regard what the proportion of the work which I have begun may bear, than what the largeness of the matter requireth. There is grown up among the most part of men a most hurtful error, that the Scripture hath only so much authority as by common consent of the church is given unto it: as if the eternal and inviolable trueth of God did rest upon the pleasure of men. For so, to the great scorn of the holy ghost, they ask of us who can assure us that these Scriptures came from God: or who can ascertain us that they have continued unto or age safe and uncorrupted: who can persuade us, that this one book ought to be reverently received, and that other to be stricken out of the number of Scripture, unless the church did appoint a certain rule of all these things? It hangeth therefore (say they) upon the determination of the church, both what reverence is due to the Scripture, and what books are to be reckoned in the canon thereof. So these robbers of gods honour, while they seek under colour of the church to bring in an unbridled tyranny, care nothing with what absurdities they snare both themselves and other, so that they may enforce this one thing to be believed among the simple, that the church can do all things. But if it be so: