(I.) The Protistant Doct}ine.—l. One of the chief doc- trinal elements of the Reformation was the sufficiency of Scripture for faith and salvation. Wicklifle, indeed, anticipated the Reformation in asserting the authority of Scripture. "When we truly believe in Christ," he says, "the authoritj' of Holy Writ is greater for us than that of any other writing." He makes the ac- knowledgment of the divine word to spring from the immediate relation of the soul to Christ, while Rome puts the Church between the foul and Christ. Luther also rejected all mediation between the soul and Christ. "Yet, before he had consciouslj' developed the princi- ple that the holy Scriptures must be the highest source of knowledge, his doctrine had already been formed upon it, and unconsciously he was guided by the prin- ciple to admit nothing which was at variance with the Scriptures. Controversy first brought him to carry out tills principle with scientific clearness." It was, however, first " scientificall}' stated by Melancthon on the occasion of the Leipsig disputation, in which Eck attacked a statement made by that reformer in one of his letters, which thus acquired u( toricty. He says that it is a duty to abide by the pure and simple meaning of Holy ■\\'rit, as, indeed, heavenly truths are alwaj's the simplest ; this meaning is to be found by comparing Holy Writ with itself. On this account we study Holy AVrit, in order to pass judgment on all human opinions b}' it as a universal touchstone" (font. Eckium Defensio, jNIelancthonii Opera, ed. Bretccbnci-
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der, i, 113, cited by Neander, H'tstortj of Dogmas, [Ry- land], p. C23). Botli tradition and tli3 apocryplial books were rejected by tlie Keformers. While the material princii)le of Protestantism is justification by faith, its formal principle (prindpiiim corjnoscendi, knowledi;e-principle, or principle of cognition) is that tlia word of God, i;ivcn in the canonical books of the Old and New Testaments, "is the pure and proper source, as well as the only certain measure of all saving truth" (Schaff, Principle 0/ Protestan'ism, Chambers- burg, ISio, p. 70).
2. The chief Protestant Confessions agree as to the rul.' of faith. The Aiif/.fbiirij C'onfessim repudiates the traditions of the Cliurchof Home as to penances, fasts, etc. (art. xv), discrimina ciborum, etc. (part ii, art. v) ; and see especially Apo'ogia Confess, cap. viii, p. 20G ; De traditionibus humanis in Ecclesla ; and Prof, ad Conf. August, p. 6, " We offer our confession . . . drawn from the sacred Scriptures and the pure word of God.'' The Formula Concordia, Epit. i, 1, is more definite : " Credimus, confitemur et docemus unicam regulam et normam, secundum quam omnia dogmata, omnesque doctores restimari et judicari oporteat, nul- 1am omnino aliam esse quam prophetica et apostolica scripta cum veteris turn novi Testament!, sicut scrip- tum est Psa. cxix, 105; Gal. i, 8." " Reliqua vero sive patrum sive neotericorum scripta, quocunque ve- niant nomine, sacris Uteris nequaquam sunt sequipa- randj, sed universa illis ita sulijicienda sunt, nt alia ratione non recipiantur, nisi testium loco, qui doceant, quod etiam post apostolorum tempora et in quibus par- tibus orbis doctrina ilia prophetarum et apostolorum sincerior conservata sit." "Cffltera autem symbola et alia scripta, quorum paullo ant') mentionem fecimus, non obtinant auctoritatem judicis ; ha;; ctiam dignitas solis sacris lit?ris debetur, sed dumtaxat pro religione nostra testimonium dicunt, etc." (We believe, confess, and teach that the one rule and criterion \iy which all doctrines and teaching are to be tested is Scripture ... all other writings, whether ancient or modern; all symbols, creeds, etc., are of use [not as of equal au- thority, but only] as witnesses of the preservation of the revealed doctrines, and testimonies for our relig- ion, etc.). Conf. Gall. art. v: "It is not lawful to op- pose either antiquity, custom, multitude, man's wis- dom and judgment, or edicts, or any decrees, or coun- cils, or visions, or miracles, unto this lioly Scripture, but rather that all things ought to be examined and tried hy the rule and square thereof. Wherefore we do for this cause also allow those three creeds, namely, the Apostles', the Nicene, and Athanasian Creeds, be- cause the}^ be agreeable to the written word of God." Conf. Ilelvet. ii, 1: "In controversies of religion on matters of faith, we cannot admit any other judge than God himself, pronouncing l)y the holy Scripture what is true, what is false, what is to be followed, or what to be avoided. So we do not rest but in the judgment of spiritual men drawn from the Word of God." Conf. Belglc. art. vii : " We lielieve also tliat the holy Scrip- ture doth most perfectly contain all the will of God, and that in it all tilings are al)undantly taught what- soever is necessary to be believed of man to attain sal- vation." Westminster Confe.'!sion, art. i : "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 nec- essary conseriuence may be deduced from Scripture; xmto which notliing at any time is to be added, wheth- er l)y new revelations of the Spirit or traditions of men. Nevertheless, we acknowledge the inward illu- mination of the Spirit of God to ije necessary for the saving understanding of such things as are revealed in the word," etc. "All things in Scripture are not alik:^ (ilain in themselves, nor alike clear unto all ; yet tiiose things wliich are necesSar}' to be known, be- lieve 1, and observed for salvation are so clearly pro- pounded and opened in some place of Scripture or