A THEOLOGICAL DUEL.
Tyndale soon became informed of More's publication, and a remarkable combat ensued between these two representatives of the two doctrines that were destined to divide Christendom—Tyndale the champion of Scripture, and More the champion of the church. More having called his book a dialogue, Tyndale adopted this form in his reply,[958] and the two combatants valiantly crossed their swords, though wide seas lay between them. This theological duel is not without importance in the history of the Reformation. The struggles of diplomacy, of sacerdotalism, and of royalty were not enough; there must be struggles of doctrine. Rome had set the hierarchy above the faith; the Reformation was to restore faith to its place above the hierarchy.
More. Christ said not, the Holy Ghost shall write, but shall teach. Whatsoever the church says, it is the word of God, though it be not in Scripture.
Tyndale. What! Christ and the apostles not spoken of Scriptures!... These are written, says St. John, that ye believe and through belief have life. (1 John ii, 1; Rom. xv, 4; Matthew xxii, 29.)[959]
APOSTLES AND REFORMERS.
More. The apostles have taught by mouth many things they did not write, because they should not come into the hands of the heathen for mocking.
Tyndale. I pray you what thing more to be mocked by the heathen could they teach than the resurrection; and that Christ was God and man, and died between two thieves? And yet all these things the apostles wrote. And again, purgatory, penance, and satisfaction for sin, and praying to saints, are marvellous agreeable unto the superstition of the heathen people, so that they need not to abstain from writing of them for fear lest the heathen should have mocked them.[960]
More. We must not examine the teaching of the church by Scripture, but understand Scripture by means of what the church says.
Tyndale. What! Does the air give light to the sun, or the sun to the air? Is the church before the Gospel, or the Gospel before the church? Is not the father older than the son? God begat us with his own will, with the word of truth, says St. James (i, 18.) If he who begetteth is before him who is begotten, the word is before the church, or, to speak more correctly, before the congregation.
More. Why do you say congregation and not church?