The Catholic scripturist, or, The plea of the Roman Catholics. Shewing the scriptures to hold the Roman faith in above forty of the chief controversies now under debate. No. 1

Abstract

The First Point

That Scripture alone cannot be a rule sufficient to direct us in all necessary controversies.

1. No Roman Catholic doth deny the Scripture to be a sufficient rule to direct us in all controversies, if we take the Scripture rightly interpreted.. And therefore all those many texts which Protestants bring, to prove the Scripture to be our sole rule of faith, are very clearly answered, by saying, that all those texts speak of the Scripture not taken as the letter sounds (for the letter kills, 2 Cor. iii. 6), but they speak of the Scripture as rightly interpreted. And Protestants cannot but grant the Scripture rightly interpreted, to be a sufficient rule of faith. But what are we the nearer? For now comes the great question of questions, Who be those that give the right interpretation to Scripture ?

2. The very ground of all religions, but the Roman, is the Scripture as interpreted by their own selves, after they have carefully conferred one place with another. For I ask; and ask them again, and again, by whom Scripture ought to be interpreted? They will say, by Scripture conferred with Scripture. Here I must yet ask them again, By whom the conference of one Scripture with another can be made so exactly, that from hence we, may come undoubtedly to know the true interpretation?... [Excerpt]