The Books of the New Testament, according to the count
of the Catholike Church.
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4. Ghospels. The Ghospel of S. Matthew. S. Paules Epist. 14. The Epistle to the Romanes. |
The 1. Epistle to Timothee. The 7. cathol. epistles. The Epistle of S. Iames. the Apostle.
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1. The infallible authoritie and excellencie of them aboue al other writings.
S. Augustine li. 11 cont. Faust. c. 5
THE excellencie of the Canonical authoritie of the old and New Testament, is distincted from the books of later Writers: which being confirmed in the Apostles times, by the succession of Bishops, and propagations of Churches, is placed as it were in a certaine throne on high, wherunto euery faithful and godly vnderstanding must be subiect and obedient. There, if any thing moue or trouble thee as absurd, thou maiest not say, The Authour of this book held not the truth: but, either the copie is faultie, or the Translatour erred, or thou vnderstandest not. But in the workes of them that wrote afterward, which are conteined in infinit books, but are in no case equal to that most sacred authoritie of Canonical Scriptures: in which soeuer of them is found euen the same truth, yet the authoritie is farre vnequal.
2. The discerning of Canonical from not Canonical, and of their infallible truth, &
sense, commeth vnto vs, only by the credit we giue vnto the Catholike Church
through whose commendation we beleeue both the Gospel & Christ
himself. Whereas the Sectaries measure the matter by their
fantasies and opinion.
S. Aug. cont. Epist. Fundamenti cap. 5.
I for my part, would not beleeue the Gospel, vnles the authoritie of the Catholike Church moued me. They therfore whom I obiect saying, Beleeue the Gospel; why should I not beleeue them saying, Beleeue not Manichæus? Choose whether thou wilt. If thou wilt say, Beleeue the Catholikes: loe they warne me that I giue no credit
