The Second Helvetic Confession
CHAPTER II
Of Interpreting The Holy Scripture;
and of Fathers,
Councils, and Traditions
THE TRUE INTERPRETATION OF SCRIPTURE. The apostle peter has
said that the Holy Scriptures are not of private interpretation (2 Pet. 1:20),
and thus we do not allow all possible interpretations. Nor consequently do we
acknowledge as the true or genuine interpretation of the Scriptures what is
called the conception of the Roman Church, that is, what the defenders of the
Roman Church plainly maintain should be thrust upon all for acceptance. But we
hold that the interpretation of the Scripture to be orthodox and genuine which
is gleaned from the Scriptures themselves (from the nature of the language in
which they were written, likewise according to the circumstances in which they
were set down, and expounded in the light of and unlike passages and of many and
clearer passages) and which agree with the rule of faith and love, and
contributes much to the glory of God and man’s salvation.
INTERPRETATIONS OF THE HOLY FATHERS. Wherefore we do not
despise the interpretations of the holy Greek and Latin fathers, nor reject
their disputations and treatises concerning sacred matters as far as they agree
with the Scriptures; but we modestly dissent from them when they are found to
set down things differing from, or altogether contrary to, the Scriptures.
Neither do we think that we do them any wrong in this matter; seeing that they
all, with one consent, will not have their writings equated with the canonical
Scriptures, but command us to prove how far they agree or disagree with them,
and to accept what is in agreement and to reject what is in disagreement.
COUNCILS. And in the same order also we place the decrees
and canons of councils.
Wherefore we do not permit ourselves, in controversies
about religion or matters of faith, to urge our case with only the opinions of
the fathers or decrees of councils; much less by received customs, or by the
large number of those who share the same opinion, or by the prescription of a
long time. Who Is The Judge? Therefore, we do not admit any other judge than
God himself, who proclaims by the Holy Scriptures what is true, what is false,
what is to be followed, or what to be avoided. So we do assent to the judgments
of spiritual men which are drawn from the Word of God. Certainly Jeremiah and
other prophets vehemently condemned the assemblies of priests which were set up
against the law of God; and diligently admonished us that we should not listen
to the fathers, or tread in their path who, walking in their own inventions,
swerved from the law of God.
TRADITIONS OF MEN. Likewise we reject human traditions,
even if they be adorned with high-sounding titles, as though they were divine
and apostolical, delivered to the Church by the living voice of the apostles,
and, as it were, through the hands of apostolical men to succeeding bishops
which, when compared with the Scriptures, disagree with them; and by their
disagreement show that they are not Apostolic at all. For as the apostles did
not contradict themselves in doctrine, so the apostolic men did not set forth
things contrary to the apostles. On the contrary, it would be wicked to assert
that the apostles by a living voice delivered anything contrary to their
writings. Paul affirms expressly that he taught the same things in all churches
(I Cor. 4:17). And, again, “For we write you nothing but what you can
read and understand.” (II Cor. 1:13). Also, in another place, he
testifies that he and his disciples – that is, apostolic men – walked in the
same way, and jointly by the same Spirit did all things (II Cor. 12:18).
Moreover, the Jews in former times had the traditions of their elders; but these
traditions were severely rejected by the Lord, indicating that the keeping of
them hinders God’s law, and that God is worshipped in vain by such traditions
(Matt. 15:1 ff.; Mark 7:1 ff).
Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28