Chapter XXVII.—Granted that the Apostles Transmitted the Whole Doctrine of Truth, May Not the Churches Have Been Unfaithful in Handing It On? Inconceivable that This Can Have Been the Case.

Since, therefore, it is incredible that the apostles were either ignorant of the whole scope of the message which they had to declare,289    Plenitudinem prædicationis. or failed to make known to all men the entire rule of faith, let us see whether, while the apostles proclaimed it, perhaps, simply and fully, the churches, through their own fault, set it forth otherwise than the apostles had done. All these suggestions of distrust290    Scrupulositatis. you may find put forward by the heretics.  They bear in mind how the churches were rebuked by the apostle: “O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you?”291    Gal. iii. 1. and, “Ye did run so well; who hath hindered you?”292    Gal. v. 7. and how the epistle actually begins: “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from Him, who hath called you as His own in grace, to another gospel.”293    Gal. i. 6. That they likewise (remember), what was written to the Corinthians, that they “were yet carnal,” who “required to be fed with milk,” being as yet “unable to bear strong meat;”294    1 Cor. iii. 1, and following verses. who also “thought that they knew somewhat, whereas they knew not yet anything, as they ought to know.”295    1 Cor. viii. 2. When they raise the objection that the churches were rebuked, let them suppose that they were also corrected; let them also remember those (churches), concerning whose faith and knowledge and conversation the apostle “rejoices and gives thanks to God,” which nevertheless even at this day, unite with those which were rebuked in the privileges of one and the same institution.

CAPUT XXVII.

Unam etiam regulam fidei eos instituisse, tam ad ecclesias correptas postea emendatas, quam ad eas quas 0039B commendarunt.

Si ergo incredibile est, vel ignorasse Apostolos plenitudinem praedicationis, vel non omnem ordinem regulae omnibus edidisse, videamus ne forte Apostoli quidem simpliciter et plene , Ecclesiae autem suo vitio aliter acceperint quam Apostoli proferebant. Omnia ista scrupulositatis incitamenta invenias praetendi ab haereticis. Tenent correptas ab Apostolo Ecclesias: O insensati Galatae, quis vos fascinavit? et: Tam bene currebatis, quis vos impediit? ipsumque principium: Miror quod sic tam cito transferemini ab eo qui vos vocavit in gratia, ad 0040A aliud evangelium. Item ad Corinthios scriptum, quod essent adhuc carnales, qui lacte educarentur, nondum idonei ad pabulum; qui putarent se scire aliquid, quando nondum scirent quemadmodum scire oporteret. Cum correptas ecclesias opponunt, credant emendatas. Sed et illas recognoscant, de quarum fide et scientia et conversatione Apostolus gaudet, et Deo gratias agit: quae tamen hodie cum illis correptis unius institutionis jura miscent.