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. James. the Apostle.
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1. The infallible authoritie and excellencie of them above al other writings.
S. Aug. li. 11. cont. Faust. c. 5THE 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 every faithful and godly understanding must be subject and obedient. There, if any thing move or trouble thee as absurd, thou mayest not say, The Authour of this book held not the truth: but, either the copie is faultie, or the Translatour erred, or thou understandest 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 soever of them is found even the same truth, yet the authoritie is farre unequal.
2. The discerning of Canonical from not Canonical, and of their infallible truth, &
sense, commeth unto us, only by the credit we give unto the Catholike Church
through whose commendation we beleeve both the Ghospel & 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 beleeve the Ghospel, unles the authoritie of the Catholike Church moved me. They therfore whom I object saying, Beleeve the Ghospel; why should I not beleeve them saying, Beleeve not Luther.
Calvin.* Manichæus? Choose whether thou wilt. If thou wilt say, Beleeve the Catholikes: loe they warne me that I give no credit
