S
"Question II. Are the Scriptures plain to all Christians that read them?
"If the Divine Scriptures were plain to all Christians that read them, the Lord would not have commanded such as desired to obtain salvation to search the same: and Paul would have said without reason that God had placed the gift of teaching in the Church; and Peter would not have said of the Epistles of Paul that they contained some things hard to be understood. It is evident, therefore, that the Scriptures are very profound, and their sense lofty; and that they need learned and divine men to search out their true meaning, and a sense that is right, and agreeable to all Scripture, and to its author the Holy Spirit.
"So that as to those that are regenerated [in Baptism], although they must know the faith concerning the Trinity, the incarnation of the Son of God, His Passion, resurrection, and ascension into the the heavens, what concerneth regeneration and judgment -- for which many have not hesitated to die -- it is not necessary, but rather impossible, that all should know what the Holy Spirit manifesteth to those alone who are exercised in wisdom and holiness. ....." (page 507: The Confession of Dositheus. 1672. CREEDS OF THE CHURCHES: A Reader in Christian Doctrine from the Bible to the Present. Third edition. John H. Leith, editor. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1982.).
Confession of Dositheus (1672 AD), Decree II: "We believe the Divine and Sacred Scriptures to be God-taught; and, therefore, we ought to believe the same without doubting; yet not otherwise than as the Catholic Church hath interpreted and delivered the same. For every foul heresy receiveth, indeed, the Divine Scriptures, but perversely interpreteth the same, using metaphors, and homonymies [homonyms]s, and sophistries of man's wisdom, confounding what ought to be distinguished, and trifling with what ought not to be trifled with. For if (we were to receive the same) otherwise, each man holding every day a different sense concerning the same, the Catholic Church would not (as she doth) by the grace of Christ continue to be the Church until this day, holding the same doctrine of faith, and always identically and steadfastly believing, but would be rent into innumerable parties, and subject to heresies; neither would the Church be holy, the pillar and ground of the truth, without spot or wrike; but would be the Church of the malignant; as it is manifest that of the heretic undoubtedly is, and especially that of Calvin, who is not ashamed to learn from the Church, and then to wickedly repudiate her. ..." (pages 486-487: John H. Leith, editor. Creeds of the Churches: A Reader in Christian Doctrine from the Bible to the Present. Third Edition. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox, 1982.).
"If the Divine Scriptures were plain to all Christians that read them, the Lord would not have commanded such as desired to obtain salvation to search the same: and Paul would have said without reason that God had placed the gift of teaching in the Church; and Peter would not have said of the Epistles of Paul that they contained some things hard to be understood. It is evident, therefore, that the Scriptures are very profound, and their sense lofty; and that they need learned and divine men to search out their true meaning, and a sense that is right, and agreeable to all Scripture, and to its author the Holy Spirit.
"So that as to those that are regenerated [in Baptism], although they must know the faith concerning the Trinity, the incarnation of the Son of God, His Passion, resurrection, and ascension into the the heavens, what concerneth regeneration and judgment -- for which many have not hesitated to die -- it is not necessary, but rather impossible, that all should know what the Holy Spirit manifesteth to those alone who are exercised in wisdom and holiness. ....." (page 507: The Confession of Dositheus. 1672. CREEDS OF THE CHURCHES: A Reader in Christian Doctrine from the Bible to the Present. Third edition. John H. Leith, editor. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1982.).
Confession of Dositheus (1672 AD), Decree II: "We believe the Divine and Sacred Scriptures to be God-taught; and, therefore, we ought to believe the same without doubting; yet not otherwise than as the Catholic Church hath interpreted and delivered the same. For every foul heresy receiveth, indeed, the Divine Scriptures, but perversely interpreteth the same, using metaphors, and homonymies [homonyms]s, and sophistries of man's wisdom, confounding what ought to be distinguished, and trifling with what ought not to be trifled with. For if (we were to receive the same) otherwise, each man holding every day a different sense concerning the same, the Catholic Church would not (as she doth) by the grace of Christ continue to be the Church until this day, holding the same doctrine of faith, and always identically and steadfastly believing, but would be rent into innumerable parties, and subject to heresies; neither would the Church be holy, the pillar and ground of the truth, without spot or wrike; but would be the Church of the malignant; as it is manifest that of the heretic undoubtedly is, and especially that of Calvin, who is not ashamed to learn from the Church, and then to wickedly repudiate her. ..." (pages 486-487: John H. Leith, editor. Creeds of the Churches: A Reader in Christian Doctrine from the Bible to the Present. Third Edition. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox, 1982.).
