Protestant Foundation

Protestants have announced as their rule of faith: “The Bible, and the Bible only,” with the Holy Spirit as its sole Interpreter. William Chillingworth, M. A., says:FAFA 27.3

“The Bible, I say, the Bible only, is the religion of Protestants! ... I for my part, after a long and (as I verily believe and hope) impartial search of ‘the true way to eternal happiness,’ do profess plainly that I cannot find any rest for the sole of my foot but upon this rock only. I see plainly and with my own eyes, that there are popes against popes, councils against councils, some fathers against others, the same fathers against themselves, a consent of fathers of one age against a consent of fathers of another age, the church of one age against the church of another age.... In a word, there is no sufficient certainty but of Scripture only for any considering man to build upon.” — “The Religion of Protestants,” William Chillingworth, M. A., P. 463. London: 1866.FAFA 27.4

`The Bible, I say, the Bible only, is the religion of Protestants!’ Nor is it of any account in the estimation of the genuine Protestant, how early a doctrine originated, if it is not found in the Bible....FAFA 28.1

“He who receives a single doctrine upon the mere authority of tradition, let him be called by what name he will, by so doing, steps down from the Protestant rock, passes over the line which separates Protestantism from Popery, and can give no valid reason why he should not receive all the earlier doctrines and ceremonies of Romanism, upon the same authority.” — “History of Romanism,” John Dowling, D. A, pp. 67,68. New York: 1871.FAFA 28.2

This childlike faith in the Bible as God’s infallible word carried the Reformers above all opposition, and swept over Europe with an irresistible force which threatened to engulf the old, decaying structure of the Roman church. This unabated force could be broken only by robbing Protestants. of their implicit faith in the Bible. They would then lose their power as surely as did Samson, when he was shorn of his locks. (Judges 16:19, 20)FAFA 28.3