Wesley Corpus

Treatise Roman Catechism With Reply

AuthorJohn Wesley
Typetreatise
YearNone
Passage IDjw-treatise-roman-catechism-with-reply-003
Words399
Means of Grace Scriptural Authority Justifying Grace
de Euchar. So again, Sess. 25, Decret. de Purgatorio. And there are above a hun dred anathemas in that Council in point of doctrine against such as do not so believe. + Hanc veram catholicam fidem, extra quam nemo salvus esse potest: That is, “This is the true Catholic faith, without which no man can be saved.”--Bulla Pii IV., super Form. Juram. / when she requires to bow down before an image, which the Scripture forbids; and forbids to read the Scripture, which it requires. And without doubt the text of the Apostle holds as much against any other, as against himself or an angel from heaven. Q. 5. Doth not the Church of Rome acknowledge the holy Scripture to be a sufficient rule for faith and manners? A. No: For there are some doctrines proposed by that Church as matters of faith, and some things required as necessary duty, which are by many learned men among themselves confessed not to be contained in Scripture. REPLY. We read in Scripture of “the faith once delivered to the saints;” (Jude 3;) and “all” or the whole “Scrip ture is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” (2 Tim. iii. 16, 17.) The Scripture, therefore, is a rule sufficient in itself, and was by men divinely inspired at once delivered to the world; and so neither needs, nor is capable of, any further addition. So Tertullian: “Let Hermogenes show that this thing is written. If it be not written, let him fear the woe pronounced against them that add to, or take from, Scripture.” (Contra Hermog., c. 22.) Q. 6. What doctrines of faith and matters of practice are thus acknowledged not to be in Scripture? A. The doctrines of transubstantiation, (Scotus in 4 Sent. Dist. 11, q.3, et Yribarn in Scot.,) of the seven sacraments, (Bellarm. l. 2, de Effectu Sacram., c. 25, sec. Secunda pro batio, ) of purgatory, (Roffens. contra Luther., art. 18,) and the practice of half-communion, (Concil. Constan., Sess. 13, Cassander, art. 22,) worshipping of saints and images, (Bel larm. de Cult. Sanct, l. 3, c. 9, sec. Praeterea. Cassand. Con sult, art. 21, sec. 4) indulgences, (Polyd. Virg. de Invent., l. 8, c. 1) and service in an unknown tongue. (Bellarm. de Verb. Dei, l. 2, c.