pleafed the Lord, at fundry times, and in divers manners, to reveal himself, and to declare that his will unto the church c; and afterwards, for the better preferving and propagating of the truth, and for the more fure establishment and comfort of the church against the corruption of the flesh, and the malice of Satan and of the world, to commit the fame wholly unto writing d: which maketh the holy fcripture to be moft neceffary e; those former ways of God's revealing his will unto his people, being now ceased f. II. Under the name of Holy Scripture, or the word of God comparing fpiritual things with fpiritual. v. 14. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are fpiritually difcerned. c Heb. i. 1. God who at fundry times, and in divers manners, fpake in time paft unto the fathers by the prophets. d Prov. xxii. 19. That thy truft may be in the Lord, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee. v. 20. Have not I written to thee ex cellent things in counfels and knowledge; v. 21. That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that fend unto thee? Luke i. 3. It feemed good to me alfo, having had perfect underftanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, moft excellent Theophilus, v. 4. That thou mightft know the certainty of thofe things, wherein thou haft been inftructed. Rom. xv. 4. For whatfoever things were written aforetime, were written for our learning; that we thro' patience and comfort of the fcriptures might have hope. Matth. iv. 4. But he anfwered and faid, It is written, Man fhall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of writ the mouth of God. v. 7. Jefus faid unto him, It is written again, Thou fhalt not tempt the Lord thy God. v. 10. Then faith Jefus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only fhalt thou ferve. Ifa. viii. 19. And when they fhall fay unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar fpirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter; fhould not a people feek unto their God? for the living to the dead? v. 20. To the law and to the teftimony: if they fpeak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. e 2 Tim. iii. 15. And that from a child thou haft known the holy fcriptures, which are able to make thee wife unto falvation, through faith which is in Chrift Jefus. 2 Pet. i. 19. We have alfo a more fure word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that fhineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-ftar arife in your hearts. f Heb. i. 1. God, who at fundry times, and in divers manners, fpake in time paft unto the fathers by the prophets: v. 2. Hath in these last days fpoken unto us by his fon whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom alfo he made the world. Luke written, are now contained all the books of the Old and New Teftament, which are thefe: All which are given by infpiration of God, to be the rule of faith and life g Luke xvi. 29. Abraham faith unto him, they have Mofes and the prophets, let them hear them. v. 31. And he faid unto him, if they hear not Mofes and the prophets, neither will they be perfwaded, though one rose III. The books commonly called Apocrypha, not being of divine inspiration, are no part of the canon of the fcripture; and therefore are of no authority in the church of God, nor to be any otherwife approved, or made ufe of, than other human writings b. IV. The authority of the holy fcripture, for which it ought to be believed and obeyed, dependeth not upon the testimony of any man, or church; but wholly upon God (who is truth itfelf) the Author thereof; and therefore it is to be received, because it is the word of God i. V. We may be moved and induced by the teftimony of the church, to an high and reverend efteem of the holy fcripture k, and the heavenlinefs of the matter, the efficacy of the doctrine, that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, if any man fhall add unto these things, God fhall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book. v. 19. And if any man fhall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God fhall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. 2 Tim. iii. 16. All fcripture is given by infpiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteoufnefs. III. Luke xxiv. 27. And beginning at Mofes, and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the fcriptures the things concerning himfelf. v. 44. And he faid unto them, Thefe are the words which I fpake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Mofes, and in the prophets, and in the pfalms concerning me. Rom. iii. 2. Much every way: chiefly becaufe unto them were committed the oracles of God. 2 Pet. i. 21. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God fpake as they were moved by the Holy Ghoft. IV. i 2 Pet. i. 9. We have also a more fure word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that fhineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-ftar arife in your hearts. v. 21. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God fpake as they were moved by the Holy Ghoft. 2 Tim. iii. 16. All fcripture is given by infpiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for inftruction in righteoufnefs. 1 John v. 9. If we receive the witnefs of men, the witnefs of God is greater for this is the witnefs of God, which he hath teftified of his Son. 1 Theff. ii. 13. For this caufe alfo thank we God without ceafing, becaufe when ye received the word of God, which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh alfo in you that believe. V. k 1 Tim. iii. 15. But if I tarry long, that thou mayeft know how thou oughteft to behave thyfelf in the houfe of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. trine, the majesty of the ftile, the confent of all the parts, the fcope of the whole, (which is to give all glory to God) the full difcovery it makes of the only way of man's falvation, the many other incomparable excellencies, and the intire perfection thereof, are arguments whereby it doth abundantly evidence itself, to be the word of God; yet notwithstanding our full perfuafion and affurance of the infallible truth, and divine authority thereof, is from the inward work of the holy Spirit, bearing witness by and with the word in our hearts /. VI. The whole counfel of God, concerning all things neceffary for his own glory, man's falvation, faith and life, is either exprefly fet down in fcripture, or by good and neceffary confequence may be deduced from fcripture: unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelations of the Spirit, or traditions of men m. Nevertheless, we acknowledge the inward II John ii. 20. But ye have an unction from the holy One, and ye know all things. v. 27. But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: But as the fame anoint ing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie; and even as it hath taught you, ye fhall abide in him, John xvi. 13. Howbeit, when the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he fhall not speak of himself, but whatfoever he fhall hear, that shall he fpeak; and he will fhew you things to come. V. 14. He fhall glorify me: for he fhall receive of mine, and fhall fhew it unto you. I Cor. ii. 10. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit, for the Spirit fearcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. v. II. For what man knoweth the things of a man, the fpirit of man which is in him? even fo the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. v. 12. Now we have received, not the fpirit of the world, but the fpirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Ifaiah fave lix. 21. As for me, this is my covenant with them, faith the Lord, My Spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, fhall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy feed, nor out of the mouth of thy feed's feed, faith the Lord, from henceforth and for ever. VI. m 2 Tim. iii. 15. And that from a child thou haft known the holy fcriptures, which are able to make thee wife unto falvation, through faith which is in Chrift Jefus. v 16. All feripture is given by infpiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for inftruction in righteoufnefs. v. 17. That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnifhed unto all good works. Gal. i. 8. But though we, or an angel from hea-, ven, preach any other gofpel unto you, than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accurfed. v. 9. As we faid before, fo fay I now again: If any man preach any other gospel unto you, than that ye have received, let' him be accurfed. 2 Theff. ii. 2. That ye be not foon fhaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by fpirit, nor by word, inward illumination of the fpirit of God to be neceffary for the faving understanding of fuch things as are revealed in the word n; and that there are fome circumftances concerning the worship of God, and government of the church, common to human actions and focieties, which are to be ordered by the light of náture, and chriftian prudence, according to the general' rules of the word, which are always to be observed o. VII. All things in fcripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike clear unto all p; yet thofe things which are neceffary to be known, believed, and obferved for falvation, are fo clearly propounded and opened in fome place of fcripture or other, that not only the learned, but the unlearned, in a due ufe of the ordinary means, may attain unto a fufficient understanding of them q. VIII. The Old Testament in Hebrew, (which was the native language of the people of God of old) and the New Testament in Greek, (which at the time of the writing of it was moft generally known to the nations) being immediately infpired by God, word, nor by letter, as from us, as that the day of Chrift is at hand. n John vi. 45. It is written in the prophets, And they fhall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. I Cor. ii. 9. But as it is written, Eye hath not feen, nor car heard, neither have entred into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. v. 1o. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit fearcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. v. 11. For what man knoweth the things of a man, fave the Spirit of man which is in him? even fo the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. v. 12. Now we have received, not the fpirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 1 Cor. xi. 13. Judge in yourfelves, and is it comely that a woman pray nnto God uncovered? v. 14. Doth-not even nature itself teach you, that if a man have long hair it is a fhame unto him? Cor. xiv. 26. How is it. then, brethren, when ye come toge-ther, every one of you hath a pfalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation? Let all things be done unto edifying. v. 40. Let all things be done decently, and in order. VII. p 2 Pet. iii. 16. As alfo in all his epiftles, fpeaking in them of these things, in which are fome things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unftable wreft, as they do alfo the other fcriptures, unto their own deftruction. |