Sola Scriptura

Welcome to the Brickyard. This is a place to find quotes for use in your own research. The bricks are free but the building is up to you. The following quotes are from Robert Preus’ The Inspiration of Scripture: A Study of the Theology of the 17th-Century Lutheran Dogmaticians. Our focus for this post is on some concluding remarks Preus observes concerning Calvo and his treatment of Sola Scriptura. Preus states,

“There is a statement of Calvo’s touching the use of Scripture which tells clearly what this principle [Sola Scriptura] meant to the dogmaticians and how they thought it should be upheld.”

Preus, Inspiration, 12.

Preus observes that Calvo gives five senses in which we ought to understand Sola Scriptura. The first is most germane to our work here. Still, it is important to note the practical application drawn from this first tenet. Calvo writes,

“(1) We are to recognize and accept without reservation the holy Scripture – all of it, the Old Testament no less than the New – as the Word of Almighty God.”

Preus, Inspiration, 12.

“(2) We are devoutly to give audience to God speaking in the Word, we are to reflect upon His Word day and night and we are to explore it with true piety and utmost devotion.”

Preus, Inspiration, 12.

“(3) We are to turn neither to the right nor to the left from Scripture, nor are we to suffer ourselves to be moved to the slightest degree by the solicitation of others or the desire of our own flesh.”

Preus, Inspiration, 12.

“(4) We are to accord faith to the Scriptures in all [their utterances] and place our trust only in the Scriptures, or the Word of God, and bravely fight with them as with the sword of the Spirit against whatever temptation may arise.”

Preus, Inspiration, 12.

(5) We are to gain comfort from them alone in every necessity of body and soul, and through patient consolation of the Scriptures have a sure hope of life and remain steadfast to the end of life.”

Preus, Inspiration, 12.