Third, from its material.
Third, from its material.
§ 370. (III) We prove the perfection of Scripture from its material. Whichever scripture sets forth all the counsel of God regarding our salvation and explains all the parts of Christianity in such a way that nothing should be added nor taken away, that scripture is perfect. The logic of the conclusion is obvious, for here the question is properly about this kind of perfection. But now, the God-breathed Holy Scripture, which is included in the prophetic and apostolic books, sets forth the whole counsel of God about our salvation and explains all the parts of Christianity in such a way that nothing should be added nor taken away. Therefore Holy Scripture is perfect.
The minor premise has three parts: (1) That Holy Scripture sets forth the whole counsel of God about our salvation. This is proved from Acts 20:27: “I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.” Add to this passage: Acts 26:22: “To this day I have had the help that comes from God, so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass”; Rom. 1:1-2: “Paul, called an apostle, set apart for the Gospel of God, which He had promised beforehand through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures.” From this comparison of passages, an argument of this sort is formed: Paul declared to his hearers the whole counsel of God regarding their salvation. Paul taught nothing outside the Mosaic and prophetic Scriptures. Therefore the Mosaic and prophetic Scriptures set forth the whole counsel of God concerning our salvation.
(2) That Scripture explains all the parts of Christianity. We prove that from 2 Tim. 3:16-17: “All Scripture is divinely inspired and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, equipped for every good work.” The emphasis of this statement we have explained in the treatise On Scripture, vol. 1 of our Loci [1610 Loci Theologici, locus 1] § 42. We draw the following conclusion here: That from which we can learn faith in Christ and instruction for good works explains all the parts of Christianity. The logic is that faith and works sum up Christianity. John 8:31: “If you continue in My Word, you are truly My disciples.” John 15:14: “You are My friends if you do what I command you.” 2 Thess. 1:3: “Your faith is growing abundantly and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.” Titus 1:1: “According to the faith of God’s elect and the knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness.” Philem. 5: “Because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and all the saints.” Ignatius, Epistle 7: “The whole thing is faith in God and love for one’s kin.” From Scripture we can learn faith in Christ (John 20:31) and instruction in good works, as that is set forth perfectly in the Decalogue, whence we are said to be “equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16).
Therefore Holy Scripture explains all the parts of Christianity. The measure of truth in divine matters is the divine intellect; the measure of goodness in works is the divine will. Therefore a Christian must believe or do nothing unless he is certain from Scripture as the only norm of faith and behavior that God wanted us to believe it or do it. If Holy Scripture quite often teaches one and the same dogma and also sets forth those things of which knowledge is not absolutely necessary for salvation in such a way that ignorance is joined to the peril of damnation, then the consequence is that Scripture sets forth perfectly the dogmas necessary for salvation. The logic is that under no appearance of truth can one say that the Scriptures teach one and the same dogma quite often, and that they abound in superfluities but lack something necessary. Rather, Scripture quite often teaches one and the same dogma and also sets forth those things of which knowledge is not absolutely essential for salvation. Thus the sequence of years of the world is a truth comprehended in the Scriptures; nevertheless the knowledge of that is not absolutely necessary. Therefore Scripture sets forth perfectly the dogmas necessary for salvation.
(3) That nothing should be added to or taken from Scripture. This is clear from the following passages: Deut. 4:2: “You shall not add to the Word that I command you nor take from it.” Deut. 12:32: “Every word that I command you you shall be careful to do; you shall not add to it nor take from it.” Prov. 30:5-6: “Every word of God is pure … do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you and you be found a liar.” Gal. 1:8: “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel other than that which we preached to you, let him be accursed.” Rev. 22:18-19: “If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues written in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part out of the book of life and out of the holy city and from the things that are written in this book.”
Now that we have proved the individual parts of the minor premise, the conclusion stands firm: that Holy Scripture is perfect.