Chap. I. yet they are not fufficient to give that knowledge of God, and of his will, which is neceffary uhto falvation: therefore it pleafed the Lord, at fundry times, and in diverfe manners, to reveal himself, and to declare that his will unto his Church; 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: which maketh the holy Scripture to be most the law written in their hearts, their confcience alfo bearing witnefs, and their thoughts the mean while accufing or elfe excufing one another. Rom. i. 19. Becaufe that which may be known of God is manifeft in them; for God hath fhewed it unto them. V. 20. For the invifible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly feen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; fo that they are without excufe. Pfal. xix. 1. The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament fheweth his handy - work. V. 2.Day unto day utterethspeech, and night unto night fheweth knowledge. V. 3. There is no fpeech nor language where their voice is not heard. Rom. i. 32. Who knowing the judgment of God, (that they which commit fuch things are worthy of death,) not only do the fame, but have pleasure in them that do them. With Rom. ii. 1. Therefore thou art inexcufable, O man, whofoever thou art that judgeft; for wherein thou judgeft another, thou condemneft thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. bi Cor. i. 21. For after that, in the wisdom of God, the world by wildom knew not God, it necefpleafed God by the foolishness of preaching to fave them that believe. 1 Cor. ii. 13. Which things alfo we fpeak, not in the words which man's wifdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghoft teacheth; comparing fpiritual things with spiritual. 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. Heb. i. 1. God, who at fundry times, andin diverfe manners, fpake in time past 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 Í written to thee excellent 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 understanding of all things from the very firft, to write unto thee in order, moft excellent Theophilus; V. 4. That thou mightest know the certainty ofthofe things wherein thou haft been inftructed. Rom. xv.4. For what foever things were written aforetime, were written neceflary; thofe former ways of God's revealing his will unto his people being now ceafed . II. Under the name of Holy Scripture, or the Word of God written, are now contained all the Books of the Old and New Testament, which are thefe: written for our learning; that we, through patience and comfort of the fcriptures, might have hope. Matth. iv. 4. But he answered and faid, It is written, Man fhall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. V. 7. Jefus faid unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. V. 10. Then faith Jesus un to him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worfhip 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 à people feek unto their God? for the living to the dead? V. 20. To the law, and to the teftimony: Zephaniah. Haggai. Zechariah. Malachi. Of if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. 2 Tim. iii. 15. And that from a child thou hast 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, whereun to ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth 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 diverfe manners, fpake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, V. 2. Hath in thefe laft days fpoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things; by whom alfo he made the worlds. B 2 & Luke Of the NEW TESTAMENT. The Gospels ac- | Corinthians II. cording to Matthew, Mark. Luke. John. The Acts of the Galatians. Ephefians. Philippians. Coloffians. To Philemon. The Epistle to the The Epiftle of The first and fecond All which are given by infpiration of God, to be the rule of faith and life. III. The Books commonly called Apocrypha, not being of divine infpiration, 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". II. 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 perfuaded though one rofe from the dead. Eph. ii. 20. And are built upon the foundation ofthe apoftles and prophets, Jefus Chrift himself being the chief corner-ftone. Rev. xxii. 18. For I teftify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man Thall 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 wway his part out of the book of IV. The 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 inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for inftruction in righteousness. III. h Luke xxiv. 27. And beginning at Mofes, and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the fcriptures the things concerning himself. 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 that unto them were com IV. The authority of the holy fcripture, for which it ought to be believed and obeyed, dependeth not upon the teftimony 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. V. We may be moved and induced by the teftimony of the Church to an high and reverend esteem of the holy fcripture*, and the heavenlinefs of the matter, the efficacy of the doctrine, the majefty of the ftyle, 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 entire perfection thereof, are arguments whereby it doth abundantly evidence itfelf 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 Spi rit, bearing witnefs by and with the word in our hearts. VI. The mitted 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. 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 shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise 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 righteouf nefs. 1 John v. 9. If we receive the witness of men, the witnefs of God is greater: for this is the witnefs of God, which he hath teftified of his Son. Theff. ii. 13. For this caufe alfo thank we God without ceafing, because 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'ı Tim. iii. 15. But if I tarry long, that thou mayeft know how thou oughtest to behave thyfelf in the houfe of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. 1 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 anointing 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 he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he fhall not fpeak of himself; but whatsoever he fhall hear, that shall B 3 he Chap. I. VI. The whole counfel of God, concerning all things neceffary for his own glory, man's falvation, faith and life, is either exprefsly 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. Nevertheless, we acknowledge the inward illumination of the Spirit of God to be neceffary for the faving understanding of fuch things as are revealed in the word"; and that there are some circumftances concerning he fpeak and he will fhew you things to come. 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, 11. For what man knoweth the things of a man, fave the fpirit of man which is in him? even fo the things of God know eth no man but the Spirit of God. V. 12. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Ifa. 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 feeds feed, faith the Lord, from henceforth and for ever. the of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. Gal. i. 8. But though we, or an angel from heaven, 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 gofpel unto you than that ye have received, let him'be accurfed. 2Theff. ii. 2. That ye be not foon fhaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by fpirit, nor by word, nor by letter, as from us, as that the day of Chrift is at hand. "John vi. 45. It is written in the prophets, And they fhall be al 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 seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered 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 spi rit 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 |