“And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”
2 Tim. 3:15-17
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Subsections
Cessationism
Works Against Bellarmine: Scripture
Scripture: Rule of Faith over Nature
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Order of Contents
Articles 22+
Books 10+
Latin 4
Historical 2
Reformed Confessions 11
Rutherford’s Distinctions & Conclusions
Sufficient for Worship & Church Government 2
Does Scripture Regulate All of Life? 1
Taking Scripture’s Sufficiency Too Far 1
Need & Validity of Natural Knowledge 5
Scripture Upholds Nature’s Light & Law 4
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Articles
1500’s
Musculus, Wolfgang – ‘Of Traditions’, fol. 362.b-366.a in Common Places of the Christian Religion 1560 Ext. ToC
Calvin, John – Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 4 trans. Beveridge (d. 1564)
Ch. 8 – ‘Of the Power of the Church’ especially sections 5-9
Ch. 9 – ‘Of Councils & their Authority’ especially sections 2 & 8
Ch. 10 – ‘Of the Power of Making Laws’ especially sections 1-2 & 6-326-32
Vermigli, Peter Martyr – 1st Part, ch. 6, ‘Of the Holy Scriptures, & of the Dignity & Profit of Them, & of the Means how to Understand Them’, pp. 39-44 in The Common Places of Vermigli (1576)
Bullinger, Henry – The Decades (Cambridge: Parker Society, 1849), First Decade
Sermon 3 – ‘Of the Sense & Right Exposition of the Word of God, & by what Manner of Means it may be Expounded’
Junius, Francis – Theological Theses for Exercises in Public Disputations in the Famous Academy at Leiden (1584) at ReformedOrthodoxy.org
2. ‘On Sacred Scripture’
3. ‘Elenctic Theses on Sacred Scripture’
Junius (1545–1602)
Whitaker, William – A Disputation on Holy Scripture, Against the Papists, Especially Bellarmine & Stapleton (1588; Cambridge: Parker Society, 1849)
3rd Question, ‘Of the Authority of Scripture’
4th Question, ‘Of the Perspicuity of Scripture’
5th Question, ‘Of the Interpretation of Scripture’
6th Question, ‘Of the Perfection of Scripture, Against Unwritten Traditions’
Willet, Andrew – Synopsis Papismi (London, 1592), First Controversy, the Holy Scriptures
4th Question, The Authority of the Scriptures
5th Question, The Perspicuity & Plainness of the Scripture
6th Question, The Interpretation of Scripture
7th Question, The Perfection & Sufficiency of Scripture
3rd Part of 7th Question, Whether there be any Traditions, beside Scripture concerning Faith & Manners?
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1600’s
Synopsis of a Purer Theology Buy (1625; Brill, 2015), vol. 1
Walaeus, Disputation 2 – ‘On the Necessity & Authority of Scripture’
Polyander, Disputation 4 – ‘On the Perfection of Scripture & the Futility of Adding Unwritten Traditions to it’
Walaeus, Disputation 5 – ‘About the Perspicuity & the Interpretation of Holy Scripture’
Wendelin, Marcus Friedrich – Christian Theology 3rd ed. (1634)
Causes & Subject of Sacred Scripture
Adjuncts of, pt. 1, 2
Wendelin (1584-1652)
Maccovius, John – ch. 1, ‘Of the Word of God’, especially sections 15-21 in Scholastic Discourse: The Distinctions & Rules of Theology & Philosophy Buy (1644; Apeldoorn, 2009)
Maccovius was a Polish theologian.
Ussher, James – pp. 17-26 of ch. 1 of A Body of Divinity, or, The Sum & Substance of Christian Religion Catechistically Propounded… (London, 1645) There is some controversy over the authorship of this work, as Ussher disclaimed some statements in it.
See also an 1800’s condensation of this work:
Ussher, James & Hastings Robinson – ‘The Properties, Sufficiency & Perspicuity of Holy Scripture’ in ch. 1 of A Body of Divinity, or the Sum and Substance of the Christian Religion (1645; London, 1841), pp. 21-27 This edition is highly edited, summarized and condensed by Robinson
White, Thomas – ‘The Author’s To the Reader’ in Pantheologia, or the Sum of Practical Divinity Practiced in the Wilderness, & Delivered by our Savior in his Sermon on the Mount… To which is Prefixed a Prolegomena or Preface by way of Dialogue, wherein the Perfection & Perspicuity of the Scripture is Vindicated from the Calumnies of Anabaptists & Papists (1653)
Leigh, Edward
A System or Body of Divinity (London, 1654), First Book, ‘Of the Scriptures’
Ch. 2 – ‘Of the Divine Authority of the Scriptures’
Ch. 9 – ‘Of the Interpretation of Scripture’
Binning, Hugh – The Authority & Utility of the Scriptures on 2 Tim. 3:16 in The Common Principles of the Christian Religion in Works, vol. 1 (of 3)
Jacombe, Samuel – The Divine Authority of the Scriptures in Puritan Sermons vol. 5
Manton, Thomas – The Scripture Sufficient without Unwritten Traditions in Works, vol. 5 and Puritan Sermons, vol. 6
Turretin, Francis – Institutes of Elenctic Theology, tr. George M. Giger, ed. James Dennison Jr. (1679–1685; P&R, 1992), vol. 1, 2nd Topic
16. ‘‘Do the Scriptures so perfectly contain all things necessary to salvation that there is no need of unwritten traditions after it? We affirm against the papists.’ 134
17. ‘Are the Scriptures so perspicuous in things necessary to salvation that they can be understood by believers without the external help of unwritten tradition or ecclesiastical authority? We affirm against the papists.’ 143
20. ‘Whether the Scriptures (or God speaking in them) are the supreme and infallible judge of controversies and the interpreter of the Scriptures. Or whether the Church or the Roman pontiff is. We affirm the former and deny the latter against the papists.’ 154
21. ‘Are the writings of the fathers the rule of truth in doctrines of faith and in the interpretation of the Scriptures? We deny against the papists.’ 162-69
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1700’s
Howe, John – The Divine Authority of the Scriptures, 5 Lectures on 2 Tim. 3:16 53 pp.
Boston, Thomas
Works, vol. 1, An Illustration of the Doctrines of the Christian Religion
‘The Divine Authority of the Scriptures’ on 2 Tim. 3:16, pp. 19-37
‘The Utility of the Scriptures as a Rule’, pp. 37-41
De Moor, Bernard – sections 27-31, ‘Sufficiency of Scripture’ in Continuous Commentary on Johannes Marckius’ Didactico-Elenctic Compendium of Christian Theology Buy (Central, SC: From Reformation to Reformation Translations, 2018), vol. 2, Concerning the Principium of Theology, or Holy Scripture
Davies, Samuel – ‘The Divine Authority & Sufficiency of the Christian Religion’ in Sermons, vol. 1 (Philadelphia: Presbyterian Board of Publication, 1864), pp. 71-108
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1800’s
Cunningham, William
Theological Lectures on Subjects Connected with Natural Theology, Evidences of Christianity, the Canon and Inspiration of Scripture (New York, 1878)
Ch. 37 – ‘Perfection & Sufficiency of the Scripture: Scriptural Evidence for it, Popish Arguments Against it’
Ch. 38 – ‘Tradition: its Alleged Necessity Proved by Instances’
Ch. 39 – ‘Tradition: Positive Evidence Against it’
Ch. 40 – ‘Limitations of the Sufficiency of Scripture Stated in Confession – Perspicuity of Scripture’
Spurgeon, C.H. – ‘The Sufficiency of Scripture’ in The Greatest Fight in the World
Peck, Thomas – Miscellanies
The Sufficiency of the Scriptures – the Pharisees & Sadducees – Rationalism & Traditionalism in vol. 1, p. 281 ff.
2 Tim. 3:16 in Sermons Referred to in the Sermon Briefs on Acts in vol. 3, p. 262 ff.
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1900’s
Murray, John – ‘The Finality & Sufficiency of Scripture’ in Collected Writings, 1:16-22 Excerpt
Ferguson, Sinclair – ‘The Authority, Sufficiency, Finality of Scripture’
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Books
1300’s
Wyclif, John – On the Truth of Holy Scripture tr. Ian C. Levy in TEAMS Commentary Series (1377-1378; Medieval Institute Publications, 2001) 365 pp.
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1600’s
Tilenus, Daniel – Positions lately held by the L. Du Perron, Bishop of Eureux, Against the Sufficiency & Perfection of the Scriptures maintaining the necessity & authority of unwritten traditions. Very learnedly answered & confuted… with a defence of the sufficiency & perfection of the Holy Scriptures (London, 1606)
Tilenus (1563-1633) was a German-French Protestant theologian. Initially Reformed, he became a prominent and influential Arminian teaching at the Academy of Sedan. He was an open critic of the Synod of Dort of 1618-9.
Twisse, William – The Scriptures’ Sufficiency to Determine All Matters of Faith, made Good against the Papist: or, that a Christian may be Infallibly Certain of his Faith and Religion by the Holy Scriptures (d. 1646; Dumfries, 1795) 95 pp. no ToC
Twisse was a moderator of the Westminster Assembly.
Ford was a Westminster divine.
Bridge, William – Scripture Light the Most Sure Light: Compared with 1. Revelations & Visions, 2. Natural & Supernatural Dreams, 3. Impressions with and without the Word, 4. Light & Law within, 5. Divine Providence, 6. Christian Experience, 7. Human Reason, 8. Judicial Astrology; in Three Sermons in Works 1.399-462
Bridge (c.1600-1671) was reformed and a leading English Independent minister, preacher, and religious and political writer.
Edwards, John – A Discourse Concerning the Authority, Style, and Perfection of the Books of the Old and New-Testament with a Continued illustration of several difficult texts of scripture throughout the whole work (London, 1693) Table of contents
Edwards (1637-1716) was a reformed Anglican.
Stanhope, George – The Perfection of Scripture Stated, & its Sufficiency Argued in a Sermon Preached at the Public Commencement at Cambridge, Sunday July 4, 1697 (London, 1697)
Stanhope (1660-1728) was an Anglican (not reformed).
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1700’s
Blackall, Ofspring – The Sufficiency of a Standing Revelation in General, & of the Scripture Revelation in Particular: Both as to the Matter of It, & as to the Proof of It… in Eight Sermons (London, 1709)
Blackall (bap.1655-1716) was an Anglican (not reformed).
De Moor, Bernard – Didactico-Elenctic Theology, ch. 2, Concerning the Principium of Theology, or Holy Scripture Buy
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1900’s
Packer, J.I. – Beyond the Battle for the Bible Buy (Westchester, IL: Cornerstone, 1980)
“…deals with the sufficiency of Scripture in a lengthy chapter on how to use Scripture in public and private. It also addresses the current debate on inerrancy.” – Joel Beeke, Reader’s Guide
Weeks, Noel – The Sufficiency of Scripture Buy (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1988)
“Numerous books touch on the sufficiency of Scripture, but none addresses both the long-standing and contemporary issues involved in such an able, engaging and readable manner as Noel Weeks, The Sufficiency of Scripture…
The first part deals with basic issues such as authority, revelation, providence, inerrancy, and contextualization; the remainder of the volume addresses specific points of contention, such as creation, the interpretation of prophecy, women in church offices, psychology, and Bible translation.” – Joel Beeke, Reader’s Guide
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2000’s
eds. Burger, Huijgen & Peels – Sola Scriptura: Biblical & Theological Perspectives on Scripture, Authority & Hermeneutics in Studies in Reformed Theology, vol. 32 (Brill, 2017) ToC
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Latin
1600’s
Voet, Gisbert
Syllabus of Theological Problems (Utrecht, 1643), pt. 1, section 1, tract 1 Abbr.
2. The Necessity of Scripture
4. Integrity & Perfection of Scripture
6. Perspicuity of Scripture
‘On the Judge & Rule of Faith’ in Select Theological Disputations (1669), vol. 5, pp. 419-35
Owen, John – Exercitations for the Sacred Scriptures Against the Fanatics in Works, 16.424-76
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Historical Theology
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Early Church
Book
King, David T. – Holy Scripture: The Ground & Pillar of Our Faith, vol. 3 (Church Fathers) Buy (Christian Resources, 2001) 312 pp.
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Order of Quotes
Irenaeus
Tertullian
Hippolytus
Dionysius
Athanasius
Basil
Cyril
Gregory
Chrysostom
Augustine
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Quotes
Irenaeus of Lyons (d. 202)
Against Heresies, 3.1.1
“We have learned from none others the plan of our salvation, than from those through whom the Gospel has come down to us, which they did at one time proclaim in public, and, at a later period, by the will of God, handed down to us in the Scriptures, to be the ground and pillar of our faith.”
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Tertullian of Carthage (c. 160–235)
Against Praxeas, 11
“It will be your duty, however, to adduce your proofs out of the Scriptures as plainly as we do, when we prove that He made His Word a Son to Himself. . . . All the Scriptures attest the clear existence of, and distinction in (the Persons of) the Trinity, and indeed furnish us with our Rule of faith.”
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Hippolytus (d. 235)
Against Heresies, 9
“There is, brethren, one God, the knowledge of whom we gain from the Holy Scriptures, and from no other source. For just as a man if he wishes to be skilled in the wisdom of this world will find himself unable to get at it in any other way than by mastering the dogmas of philosophers, so all of us who wish to practice piety will be unable to learn its practice from any quarter than the oracles of God. Whatever things then the Holy Scriptures declare, at these let us look; and whatsoever things they teach these let us learn.”
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Dionysius of Alexandria (ca. 265)
Cited in Eusebius, Church History, 7.24.7–9
“We did not evade objections, but we endeavored as far as possible to hold to and confirm the things which lay before us, and if the reason given satisfied us, we were not ashamed to change our opinions and agree with others; but on the contrary, conscientiously and sincerely, and with hearts laid open before God, we accepted whatever was established by the proofs and teachings of the Holy Scriptures.”
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Athanasius of Alexandria (296–373)
Festal Letter 39, 6–7
“[After outlining the Bible’s books:] These are fountains of salvation, that they who thirst may be satisfied with the living words they contain. In these alone is proclaimed the doctrine of godliness. Let no man add to these, neither let him take ought from these.
For concerning these the Lord put to shame the Sadducees, and said, ‘Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures.’ And He reproved the Jews, saying, ‘Search the Scriptures, for these are they that testify of Me.’”
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Basil the Great (330-379)
The Morals in Fathers of the Church, vol. 9, p. 204
“What is the mark of a faithful soul? To be in these dispositions of full acceptance on the authority of the words of Scripture, not venturing to reject anything nor making additions. For, if ‘all that is not of faith is sin’ as the Apostle says, and ‘faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God,’ everything outside Holy Scripture, not being of faith, is sin.”
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Letter, De Synodis, par. 6
“Vainly then do they run about with the pretext that they have demanded Councils for the faith’s sake; for divine Scripture is sufficient above all things.”
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Cyril of Jerusalem (315–386)
Catechetical Lectures, 4.17ff in NPNF2 7.23
“[After defending the doctrine of the Holy Spirit:] We ought not to deliver even the most casual remark without the Holy Scriptures: nor be drawn aside by mere probabilities and the artifices of argument. Do not then believe me because I tell thee these things, unless thou receive from the Holy Scriptures the proof of what is set forth: for this salvation, which is of our faith, is not by ingenious reasonings, but by proof from the Holy Scriptures…
Let us then speak nothing concerning the Holy Ghost but what is written; and if anything be not written, let us not busy ourselves about it. The Holy Ghost Himself spoke the Scriptures; He has also spoken concerning Himself as much as He pleased, or as much as we could receive. Be those things therefore spoken, which He has said; for whatsoever He has not said, we dare not say.”
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Gregory of Nyssa (335–394)
On the Holy Trinity in NPNF2 5.327
“Let the inspired Scriptures then be our umpire, and the vote of truth will be given to those whose dogmas are found to agree with the Divine words.”
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On the Soul & the Resurrection in NPNF2 5.439
“We are not entitled to such license, I mean that of affirming what we please; we make the Holy Scriptures the rule and the measure of every tenet; we necessarily fix our eyes upon that, and approve that alone which may be made to harmonize vvith the intention of those writings.”
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John Chrysostom (344–407)
Homily 33 in Acts of the Apostles in NPNF2 11:210-11
“There comes a heathen and says, ‘I wish to become a Christian, but I know not whom to join: there is much fighting and faction among you, much confusion: which doctrine am I to choose?’ How shall we answer him? ‘Each of you’ (says he) ‘asserts, ‘I speak the truth.” No doubt: this is in our favor.
For if we told you to be persuaded by arguments, you might well be perplexed: but if we bid you believe the Scriptures, and these are simple and true, the decision is easy for you. If any agree with the Scriptures, he is the Christian; if any fight against them, he is far from this rule.”
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Homily on 2 Corinthians 13.4
“Let us not therefore carry about the notions of the many, but examine into the facts. For how is it not absurd that in respect to money, indeed, we do not trust to others, but refer this to figures and calculation; but in calculating upon facts we are lightly drawn aside by the notions of others; and that too, though we possess an exact balance, and square and rule for all things, the declaration of the divine laws? Wherefore I exhort and entreat you all, disregard what this man and that man thinks about these things, and inquire from the Scriptures all these things; and having learnt what are the true riches, let us pursue after them that we may obtain also the eternal good things; which may we all obtain, through the grace and love towards men of our Lord Jesus Christ, with Whom, to the Father and the Holy Spirit, be glory, might, and honor, now and ever, and world without end. Amen.”
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Homily 8 on Repentance & the Church in Fathers of the Church, vol. 96, p. 118
“Regarding the things I say, I should supply even the proofs, so I will not seem to rely on my own opinions, but rather, prove them with Scripture, so that the matter will remain certain and steadfast.”
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Augustine of Hippo (354–430)
The Good of Widowhood, 2
“Whereas, therefore, in every question, which relates to life and conduct, not only teaching, but exhortation also is necessary; in order that by teaching we may know what is to be done, and by exhortation may be incited not to think it irksome to do what we already know is to be done; what more can I teach you, than what we read in the Apostle? For holy Scripture establishes a rule to our teaching, that we dare not “be wiser than we ought;” but be wise, as he himself says, “unto soberness, according as unto each God hath allotted the measure of faith.” Be it not therefore for me to teach you any other thing, save to expound to you the words of the Teacher, and to treat of them as the Lord shall have given to me.”
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Letters, 148.15, quoted in Aquinas, Summa, pt. 1, question 1, article 8
“For the reasonings of any men whatsoever, even though they be [true Christians], and of high reputation, are not to be treated by us in the same way as the canonical Scriptures are treated. We are at liberty, without doing any violence to the respect which these men deserve, to condemn and reject anything in their writings, if perchance we shall find that they have entertained opinions differing from that which others or we ourselves have, by the divine help, discovered to be the truth. I deal thus with the writings of others, and I wish my intelligent readers to deal thus with mine.”
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Epistle to Jerome, 19:1
“Only those books of Scripture which are called canonical have I learned to hold in such honor as to believe their authors have not erred in any way in writing them. But other authors I so read as not to deem everything in their works to be true, merely on account of their having so thought and written, whatever may have been their holiness and learning.”
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Medieval Church
John of Damascus (676 – 749)
Orthodox Faith, bk. 1, ch. 2
“It is impossible either to say or fully to understand anything about God beyond what has been divinely proclaimed to us, whether told or revealed, by the sacred declarations of the Old and New Testaments.”
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Aquinas (1225–1274)
Summa, pt. 1, question 1, article 8
“Nevertheless, sacred doctrine makes use of these authorities as extrinsic and probable arguments; but properly uses the authority of the canonical Scriptures as an incontrovertible proof, and the authority of the doctors of the Church as one that may properly be used, yet merely as probable. For our faith rests upon the revelation made to the apostles and prophets who wrote the canonical books, and not on the revelations (if any such there are) made to other doctors.
Hence Augustine says (Epistle to Jerome, xix, 1): “Only those books of Scripture which are called canonical have I learned to hold in such honor as to believe their authors have not erred in any way in writing them. But other authors I so read as not to deem everything in their works to be true, merely on account of their having so thought and written, whatever may have been their holiness and learning.”
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On the Post-Reformation
Reformed
Muller, Richard – ch. 5.3.B.5 ‘The Sufficiency of Scripture’ in Post-Reformation Reformed Dogmatics: the Rise & Development of Reformed Theology, ca. 1520 – ca. 1725, vol. 2 (Holy Scripture, the Cognitive Foundation of Theology) 2nd ed. (Baker Books, 2003), pp. 318-22
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Lutheran
Preus, Robert D. – ‘The Sufficiency of Scripture’ in The Theology of Post-Reformation Lutheranism, vol. 1 (Prolegomena, Scripture) (St. Louis: Concordia, 1970-1972), pp. 309-11
Preus (1924–1995) was a conservative, American, Lutheran, pastor, professor, author and seminary president.
This work is for Lutheranism what Richard Muller’s later Post-Reformation Reformed Dogmatics has been for reformed historical theology (but written before Muller’s work).
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Reformed Confessions
ed. Salvard, Beza, Daneau, Chandieu & Goulart – First Section, ‘Of the Holy Scripture’ in The Harmony of Protestant Confessions Latin (1581), pp. 1-18
In 1581, the first Harmony of Protestant Reformed Confessions of Faith was published in Geneva. It was the result of a collaboration between the Huguenot ministers listed above.
They published it in response to the publication of the Lutheran Book of Concord in 1580. It included a comparison of eleven Reformed confessions and the Lutheran Augsburg Confession. In 1842, it was translated into English, reorganized and enlarged by Peter Hall.
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Westminster Confession of Faith, ch. 1
“I. Although the light of nature, and the works of creation and providence, do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom, and power of God, as to leave men inexcusable;[a] yet they are not sufficient to give that knowledge of God, and of his will, which is necessary unto salvation:[b] therefore it pleased the Lord, at sundry times, and in divers manners, to reveal himself, and to declare that his will unto his Church;[c] and afterwards, for the better preserving and propagating of the truth, and for the more sure establishment and comfort of the Church against the corruption of the flesh, and the malice of Satan and of the world, to commit the same wholly unto writing;[d] which maketh the holy scripture to be most necessary;[e] those former ways of God’s revealing his will unto his people being now ceased.[f]
[a] Rom. 2:14,15. Rom. 1:19,20. Ps. 19:1-3. Rom. 1:32 with Rom. 2:1.
[b] 1 Cor. 1:21. 1 Cor. 2:13,14.
[c] Heb. 1:1.
[d] Prov. 22:19-21. Luke 1:3,4. Rom. 15:4. Matt. 4:4,7,10. Isa. 8:19,20.
[e] 2 Tim. 3:15. 2 Pet. 1:19.
[f] Heb. 1:1,2.
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VI. The whole counsel of God, concerning all things necessary for his own glory, man’s salvation, faith, and life, is either expressly set down in scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture: unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelations of the Spirit, or traditions of men.[m] Nevertheless, we acknowledge the inward illumination of the Spirit of God to be necessary for the saving understanding of such things as are revealed in the word;[n] and that there are some circumstances concerning the worship of God, and government of the Church, common to human actions and societies, which are to be ordered by the light of nature and Christian prudence, according to the general rules of the word, which are always to be observed.[o]
[m] 2 Tim. 3:15-17. Gal. 1:8,9. 2 Thess. 2:2.
[n] John 6:45. 1 Cor. 2:9-12.
[o] 1 Cor. 11:13,14. 1 Cor. 14:26,40.
VII. All things in scripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike clear unto all;[p] yet those things which are necessary to be known, believed, and observed, for salvation, are so clearly propounded and opened in some place of scripture or other, that not only the learned, but the unlearned, in a due use of the ordinary means, may attain unto a sufficient understanding of them.[q]
[p] 2 Pet. 3:16.
[q] Psalm 119:105,130.”
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Rutherford’s 9 Distinctions & 5 Conclusions on the Sufficiency of Scripture
Divine Right of Church Government (London, 1646), ch. 1, question 2, pp. 101-2
1st Distinction. The Word of God being given to man as a moral agent, is a rule of all his moral actions, but not of actions of art, sciences, disciplines, yea, or of mere nature.
2. Beside the Word, in actions-moral and in God’s worship, is all one with that which is contrary to the Word; and what is not commanded is forbidden, as not seeing in a creature capable of all the five senses is down right blindness.
3. Lawfulness is essential to worship instituted of God, but it is not essential to worship in general: neither is opinion of sanctity, efficacy or divine necessity essential to worship, but only to divine worship and its opinion [that something is divine worship], not actual, nor formal, but fundamental and material.
4. Seeing the apostles were no less immediately inspired of God than the prophets, it is a vain thing to seek a knot in a rush and put a difference betwixt apostolic commandments or traditions and divine commandments, as it is a vain and Scriptureless curiosity to difference betwixt the prophetical truths of Moses, Samuel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, etc. and divine prophecies, which is, as if you would difference betwixt the fair writing of Titus the writer, and the writing made by the pen of Titus, or betwixt Peter’s words, and the words spoken by Peter’s tongue, mouth and lips, for prophets and apostles were both God’s mouth.
5. Worship-essential and worship-arbitrary, which Formalists inculcate, or worship positively lawful, or negatively lawful, are to be acknowledged as worship-lawful, and will-worship, and worship lawful and unlawful.
6. What is warranted by natural reason, is warranted by Scripture, for the Law of nature is but a part of Scripture.
7. Actions are either purely moral, or purely not-moral, or mixed of both: The first has warrant in Scripture, the second none at all, the third requires not a warrant of Scripture every way concludent, but only in so far as they be moral.
8. Matters of mere fact, known by sense and human testimony, are to be considered according to their physical existence, if they be done or not done; if Titus did such a thing or not, such are not in that notion to be proved by Scripture: 2. They may be considered according to their essence and moral quality of good and lawful, bad or unlawful, and so they are to be warranted by Scripture.
9. There is a general warrant in Scripture for worship and moral actions, twofold: either when the major proposition is only in Scripture, and the assumption is the will of men, or when both the proposition and assumption are warranted by Scripture: the former warrant I think not sufficient, and therefore the latter is necessary to prove the thing lawful.
* * *
1st Conclusion. Every worship and positive observance of religion, and all moral actions are to be made good, by [Greek], ‘according as it is written’, though their individual circumstances be not in the Word.
2. In actions or religious means of worship, and actions moral, whatever is beside the Word of God, is against the Word of God; I say in religious means, for there be means of worship, or circumstances physical, not morall, not religious, as whether the pulpit be of stone or of timber, the bell of this or this metal, the house of worship stand thus or thus in situation.
3. Opinion of sanctity, holiness and divine necessi∣ty is not essential to false worship. Formalists will have their ceremonies innocent and lawful, so they be not contrary to the Word of God. 2. So they be not instamped with an opinion that they bind the conscience, and are of divine necessity, holinesse and efficacy…
4. It is a vain and unwarrantable distinction to divide worship in essential, which has God’s, 1. particular approving will to be the warrant thereof, and worship accidental or arbitrary, which has only God’s general and permissive will, and has man’s will for its father…
5. Matters of fact are not, and need not be proved by Scripture: 1. Because sense makes them known to us. 2. Their morality is sufficiently known from God’s Word. 3. In matters of fact there may be invincible ignorance: Christ’s resurrection is not a matter of fact, as Hugo Grotius says, but also a matter of Law, as all the miracles and histories in the Word, and to be believed, because God has so spoken in the Word.
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The Sufficiency of Scripture for Worship & Church Government
Rutherford, Samuel – The Divine Right of Church-Government and Excommunication: or a Peaceable Dispute for the Perfection of the Holy Scripture in Point of Ceremonies & Church Government… (London, 1646)
“Christ Jesus has so far forth set down, and stablished a perfect platform of Church-government in all morals, not only both for the inward, but also for the outward and external government of his House, that He has left no liberty or latitude to magistrates, or Churches whatsoever to choose and settle such an orderly form of Church-government or discipline, as is most suitable to their particular civil government, laws, manners and customs, so [though] this form [that might otherwise be chosen in societies] be not repugnant to the Word of God.” – p. 1
Thornwell, James H. – ‘The Regulative Principle Applied to Church Government’ from “Argument Against Church-Boards” (1841) & “The Argument For Church Boards Answered” (1842), in Collected Writings, vol. 4
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Does Scripture Regulate All of Life?
Samuel Rutherford
The Divine Right of Church Government... (1646), Intro, Section 4, pp. 72-74
“Now I find that Mr. [Richard ]Hooker [an Anglican] says two things to this:
1. That Scripture does regulate all our moral actions, but not scripture only, for the Law of nature and the most concealed instincts of nature, and other principles may warrant our actions: We move (says he), we sleep, we take the cup at the hand of our friend; a number of things we often do only to satisfy some natural desire without present express and actual reference to any commandment of God, unto his glory; even these things are done which we naturally perform, and not only that which naturally and spiritually we do, for by every effect proceeding from the most concealed instincts of nature, his power is made manifest. But it does not therefore follow, that of necessity we shall sin unless we expressly intend the glory of God in every such particular.
[Rutherford’s] Answer: …I answer that as:
[1.] there be some actions in man purely and spiritually, but supernaturally, moral, as to believe in Christ for remission of sins, to love God in Christ: these the Gospel does regulate.
2. There be some actions naturally moral in the substance of the act, as many things commanded and forbidden in the Moral Law; and these are to be regulated by the Law of nature and the Moral Law:
3. There be some actions mixed, as such actions in which nature, or concealed instincts of nature are the chief principles, yet in and about these actions, as in their modification of time, place, and manner and measure, there is a special morality, in regard of which they are to be ruled by the Word;
Such mixed actions as these that are mentioned by Hooker, as to move, sleep, take the cup at the hand of a friend, cannot be called simply moral, for to move may be purely natural, as if a man against his will fall off a high place or off a horse, to start in the sleep, are so natural that I know not any morality in them; but sure I am [that] for Nathaniel to come to Christ, which was also done by a natural motion, is not a mere natural action proceeding from the most concealed instincts of nature; so to sleep has somewhat natural in it, for beasts do sleep; beasts do move; I grant they cannot take a cup at the hand of a friend, they cannot salute one another: (It is Hooker’s instance) but fancy sometimes in men do these, whereas conscience should do them:
What is natural in moving and sleeping, and what is common to men with beasts, I grant, Scripture does not direct or regulate these acts of moving and sleeping; we grant [that] actions natural and common to us with beasts need not the rule of the Word to regulate them:
But this I must say (I speak it, my record is in Heaven, not to offend any) Formalists, as such, and as Prelatical, are irreligious and profane: One of them asked a godly man, ‘Will you have Scripture for giving your horse a peck of oats, and for breaking wind, and easing or obeying nature?’ And therefore they bring in these instances to make sport:
But I conceive, sleeping moderately, to enable you to the service of God, as eating, drinking, that God may be glorified, 1 Cor. 10:31, are also in the measure and manner of doing moral, and so ruled by Scripture and Scripture only, and not regulated by natural instincts…
Whereas being created according to God’s image, especially, he living in the visible Church, he is to do all his actions deliberate, even natural and moral in Faith, and with a warrant from scripture, to make good their morality, Ps. 119:9; Prov. 3:23-24; 2 Cor. 5:7. And truly Formalists give men in their morals to live at random and to walk without taking heed to their ways according to God’s Word.
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Answer: 1. The Law of reason in morals (for of such we now speak) is nothing but the Moral Law and will of God, contained fully in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament; and therefore is not to be divided from the Scriptures; if a man be ruled in that, he is ruled by Scripture: for a great part of the Bible, of the Decalogue, is printed in the reasonable soul of man: as when he loves his parents, obeys his superiors, saves his neighbor in extreme danger of death, because he does these according to the Law of Reason, shall it follow that these actions which are expressly called [in Greek] Rom. 2:14, the things or duties of the Law, are not warranted by express Scripture because they are done according to the Law of natural reason? I should think the contrary most true.”
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On Taking the Sufficiency of Scripture Too Far
Richard Baxter
A Christian Directory... (1673), Part 3, Question 166, ‘Who be they that give too little to the Scriptures, and who too much; and what is the danger of each extreme?’, pp. 912-13
“II. Those give too much (in bulk, but too little in virtue) to the Scriptures: 1. Who would set them up instead of the whole Law, and Light of Nature, as excluding this, as useless where the Scripture is.
2. And they that feign it to be instead of all grammars, logic, philosophy, and all other arts and sciences, and to be a perfect particular rule for every ruler, lawyer, physician, mariner, architect, husbandman and tradesman, to do his work by.
3. And they that feign it to be fully sufficient to all men to prove its own authority and truth, without the subsidiary use of that Church-history and tradition, which tells us the supposed matters of fact and must help us to know what books are canonical and what not; and without historical evidence that these are the true books which the prophets and apostles wrote and the miracles and providences which have attested them.
4. And those that think that it is sufficient for its own promulgation, or the peoples instruction, without the ministry of man to preserve, deliver, translate, expound and preach it to the people.
5. And those that think it sufficient to sanctify men, without the concourse of the Spirit’s illumination, vivification and inward operation to that end.
6. And they that say that no man can be saved by the knowledge, belief, love and practice of all the substantial parts of Christianity brought to him by tradition, parents or preachers, who tell him nothing of the Scriptures, but deliver him the doctrines as attested by miracles and the Spirit without any notice of the Book.
7. And those that say that Scripture alone must be made use of as to all the history of Scripture-times, and that it is unlawful to make use of any other historians, (as Josephus and such others).
8. And they that say, no other books of divinity but Scripture are useful, yea, or lawful to be read of Christians; or at least in the Church.
9. And they that say that the Scriptures are so divine, not only in matter, but in method and style, as that there is nothing of human (inculpable [blameless]) imperfection or weakness in them.
10. And those that say that the logical method and the phrase is as perfect as God was able to make them.
11. And they that say that all passages in Scripture historically related are moral truths: and so make the Devil’s words to Eve, of Job, to Christ, etc. to be all true.
12. And they that say that all passages in the Scripture were equally obligatory to all other places and ages, as to those that first received them (as the kiss of peace, the veils of women, washing feet, anointing the sick, deaconesses, etc.)
13. And they that make Scripture so perfect a rule to our belief that nothing is to be taken for certain, that comes to us any other way (as natural knowledge or historical).
14. And those that think men may not translate the Scripture, turn the Psalms into metre, tune them, divide the Scripture into chapters and verses, etc. as being derogatory alterations of the perfect Word.
15. And those that think it so perfect a particular rule of all the circumstances, modes, adjuncts and external expressions of and in God’s worship, as that no such may be invented or added by man, that is not there prescribed: as time, place, vesture [clothing, such as a grave garment], gesture, utensils, methods, words, and many other things, mentioned before.
16. And those that Jewishly feign a multitude of unproved mysteries to lie in the letters, orders, numbers and proper names in Scriptures (though I deny not that there is much mystery which we little observe).
17. They that say that the Scripture is all so plain that there is no obscure or difficult passages in them, which men are in danger of wresting to their own destruction.
18. And they that say that all in the Scripture is so necessary to salvation (even the darkest prophecies) that they cannot be saved that understand them not all; or at least endeavor not studiously and particularly to understand them.
19. And they that say that every book and text must of necessity to salvation be believed to be canonical and true.
20. And those that say that God has so preserved the Scripture, as that there are no various readings and doubtful texts thereupon, and that no written or printed copies have been corrupted (when Dr. Heylin tells us that the King’s printer printed the Seventh Commandment, ‘Thou shalt commit adultery’); all these err in over-doing.
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IV. The dangers of over-doing here are these:
1. It leads to downright infidelity: for when men find that the Scripture is imperfect or wanting in that which they fancy to be part of its perfection, and to be really insufficient, e.g. to teach men physics, logic, medicine, languages, etc. they will be apt to say, ‘It is not of God, because it has not that which it pretends to have.’
2. God is made the author of defects and imperfections.
3. The Scripture is exposed to the scorn and confutation of infidels.
4. Papists are assisted in proving its imperfection. But I must stop, having spoke to this point before in Question 35 and partly Question 30 & 31 & 33 more at large.”
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On the Need & Validity of Natural Knowledge, contra Biblicism
See also, ‘On the Light of Nature’.
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Quotes
Samuel Rutherford
The Due Right of Presbyteries… (London, 1644), pt. 1, ch. 8, section 8, p. 229
“1st Conclusion. To show that our Church was a visible Church before Luther arose, and that our Reformers were lawfully called of God and the Church, is a question of fact: and cannot be proved by the Word of God. Because the Word of God is not a chronicle of these who were the true Church and truly called to the ministry since the apostles departed this life. 2. Because these must be proved by sense, and the testimony of human writings, who can err.
2nd Conclusion. Yet may it be gathered from human writers that the visible Church of protestants this day, has been since the apostles’ days. I mean the determinate persons may be known by human reasons and signs.”
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The Divine Right of Church Government (London, 1646), ch. 1, question 2, pp. 101-2
“1st Distinction. The Word of God being given to man as a moral agent, is a rule of all his moral actions, but not of actions of art, sciences, disciplines, yea, or of mere nature.
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6. What is warranted by natural reason, is warranted by Scripture, for the Law of nature is but a part of Scripture.
7. Actions are either purely moral, or purely not-moral, or mixed of both: The first has warrant in Scripture, the second none at all, the third requires not a warrant of Scripture every way concludent, but only in so far as they be moral.
8. Matters of mere fact, known by sense and human testimony, are to be considered according to their physical existence, if they be done or not done; if Titus did such a thing or not, such are not in that notion to be proved by Scripture: 2. They may be considered according to their essence and moral quality of good and lawful, bad or unlawful, and so they are to be warranted by Scripture.
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5. Matters of fact are not, and need not be proved by Scripture: 1. Because sense makes them known to us. 2. Their morality is sufficiently known from God’s Word. 3. In matters of fact there may be invincible ignorance: Christ’s resurrection is not a matter of fact, as Hugo Grotius says, but also a matter of Law, as all the miracles and histories in the Word, and to be believed, because God has so spoken in the Word.”
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Richard Baxter
A Christian Directory... (1673), Part 3, Question 166, ‘Who be they that give too little to the Scriptures, and who too much; and what is the danger of each extreme?’, pp. 912-13
“II. Those give too much (in bulk, but too little in virtue) to the Scriptures: 1. Who would set them up instead of the whole Law, and Light of Nature, as excluding this, as useless where the Scripture is.
2. And they that feign it to be instead of all grammars, logic, philosophy, and all other arts and sciences, and to be a perfect particular rule for every ruler, lawyer, physician, mariner, architect, husbandman and tradesman, to do his work by.
3. And they that feign it to be fully sufficient to all men to prove its own authority and truth, without the subsidiary use of that Church-history and tradition, which tells us the supposed matters of fact and must help us to know what books are canonical and what not; and without historical evidence that these are the true books which the prophets and apostles wrote and the miracles and providences which have attested them.
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7. And those that say that Scripture alone must be made use of as to all the history of Scripture-times, and that it is unlawful to make use of any other historians, (as Josephus and such others).
8. And they that say, no other books of divinity but Scripture are useful, yea, or lawful to be read of Christians; or at least in the Church.
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13. And they that make Scripture so perfect a rule to our belief that nothing is to be taken for certain, that comes to us any other way (as natural knowledge or historical).
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IV. The dangers of over-doing here are these:
1. It leads to downright infidelity: for when men find that the Scripture is imperfect or wanting in that which they fancy to be part of its perfection, and to be really insufficient, e.g. to teach men physics, logic, medicine, languages, etc. they will be apt to say, ‘It is not of God, because it has not that which it pretends to have.’
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3. The Scripture is exposed to the scorn and confutation of infidels.”
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Article
Haines, David – “Biblical Interpretation & Natural Knowledge: A Key to Solving the Protestant Problem” in ed. Joseph Minich, Reforming the Catholic Tradition: The Whole Word for the Whole Church (Davenant Press, 2019)
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Video
Belschner, Brad & Alastair Roberts – “Is Biblicism Bad?” 6 min. Davenant Institute
“What does the Bible presume that we already know. There are a lot of things that the Bible presumes that we already know… Biblicism is a term that’s often being used in reference to a specific distinctive of evangelicals…
How do you define Biblicism? I define it as that elevation of the Bible to such a high level that it occludes other things that we need to take into account…
And often in circles that emphasize Biblicism you see prudential categores of thought deemphasized; its not about prudence if you have a divinely inspired verse that commands you to do something about it… in addition to that, there’s also the sidelining of philosophical categories, and systematic categories…
We do teach the sufficiency of Scripture, but sufficiency for the task that God has given it. And so its like talking about the sufficiency of a steering wheel for steering a car. We don’t think of the sufficiency of the steering wheel in detachment from the rest of the steering mechanism, or in detachment from the driver; and so we need all of these things together, and Scripture is something that works along with God’s revelation in nature.”
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Scripture Upholds Nature’s Light & Law
Quotes
Samuel Rutherford
Rutherford’s Examination of Arminianism: the Tables of Contents with Excerpts from Every Chapter tr. Charles Johnson & Travis Fentiman (1668; RBO, 2019), ch. 1, section 17, p. 47
“If the consequence is truly able to be proved according to natural light, then it may yet be proved from the Word of God because the light of reason is contained in the Word of God as a part is in the whole, and so to this extent the Word of God will prove the consequence.
If truly the consequence is proved through natural reason which is not in the Word of God, we desire to hear such an invincible demonstration!”
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The Divine Right of Church Government… (London: 1646)
Intro, p.79
“God in the Law of nature (which I humbly conceive to be a part of the first elements and principles of the Moral Law, or Decalogue, and so a part of Scripture) does so warrant us to do…”
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p. 101
“What is warranted by natural reason, is warranted by Scripture, for the Law of nature is but a part of Scripture.”
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p. 106
“None can deny natural arguments to be a part of the Word of God, as is clear, Rom. 1:19; 1 Cor. 15:36–37; 1 Cor. 11:14. Yea, Christ, Mt. 7:12, teaches that this principle of nature, ‘whatsoever ye would men should do to you, do ye so to them,’ is the Law and the prophets, because it is a great part of the Law and the prophets, and therefore they say in effect ‘As it written in the Scripture,’ when they say ‘as it is written in man’s heart by nature.’
2. Principles of nature are made Scripture by the penmen of the Holy Ghost, and do bind as the Scripture.”
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Intro to Scandal, p. 649
“the light of the Word, or (which is a part of the Word) by nature’s light…”
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