Chap. 1. 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 writting 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 ceafed f.

II. Under the name of holy Scripture, or the word of God

God written, are now contained all the books of the Old and New Testament, which are these :

Genefis.

Of the OLD TESTAMENT.

Daniel.

Hofea.

Joel.

Amos.

Obadiah,

Jonah.

Micah.

Ruth.

Ecclefiaftes.

Nahum.

All which are given by inspiration of God, to be the rule of faith and life g.

g Luke 16.20. 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 perfwa

III. The

ded, though one rose from the dead. Eph. 2. 20. And are built u pon the foundation of thea poftles and prophets, Jefus Chrift himself being the chief corner ftone. Rev. 22, 18. For I testify unto every

man

III. The books commonly called Apocrypha, not being of divine inspiration, are no part of the canon of the Scripture; 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 h.

IV. The authority of the holy Scripture, 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 itself) 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 efteem of the holy Scripture k. And the heavenlinefs of the matter, the efficacy of the doctrine, the majefty of the ftile, the confent of all

man that heareth the words ofthe prophecy of this book,If any man fhall add unto thefe things, God fhall add unto him the plagues that are written in thisbook.v.19, And if any man fhall take away from the words of the bookofthis prophecy, God fhall take awayhis 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. 3. 16. All fcripture is given by inspiration of God, & is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction,for inftruction in righteoufnefs."

III.hLuke24.27. And beginning at Mofes, and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the fcriptures the things concerning himielf. v. 44. And he faid unto them, these are the words which Ifpake 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 3.2. Much every way: chiefJy becaufeunto them werecommitted the oracles of God.2Pet 1.21. 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 the holy Ghost.

the

IV. i 2 Pet. 1. 19. We have alfo a more fure word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that thineth in a dark place,until the day dawn,` & 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 Ghost. 2 Tim.3.16. All fcripture is given by infpiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for inftruction in righteoufnefs. I John s. 9. If we receive the witness of men, the witnefs of God is greater: for this is the witnefs of God, which he bath teftified of his Son. 1 Theff. 2.13.For this caufe alfo thank we God withoutceafing, because when yereceived the wordof 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 alfoinyou that believe.

V. k1 Tim.3.15. But if I tarry long, that thou mayft know how thou oughteft to behave thy felf in the houfe of God, which is the. church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. 11 John

the parts, the scope of the whole (which is to give all glory to God) the full difcovery it makes of the only way of man's Salvation,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 notwith standing our full perfwafion 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 1,

VI. The whole counfel of God, concerning all things necessary for his own glory, man's falvation, faith and life, is either exprefly set forth 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 fpirit, or traditions of men m. Never

11 John 2. 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, & ye need not that any man teach you: But as thefameanointing 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 16.13. Howbeit,whenhethe fpirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth:for he fhall not fpeak of himfelf,but whatfoever he fhall hear, that fhallhefpeak; and he will fhew you things to come.v. 14. Hefhall glorify me: for he fhall receive of mine, and fhall fhew it unto you. 1 Cor.2.10. But God hath revealed them unto us by his fpirit, for the fpirit 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 knoweth noman but the lpirit of God. v. 12. Now we have received, not the fpirit of the word, but the lpirit which is of God,that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Ifaiah, $9, 1. As for me, this is my co

thevenant with them, faith the Lord, My fpirit 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.

VI. m 2Tim.3. 15.And thatfrom a child thou haft known the holy fcriptures, which are able to make thee wife unto falvation, through faith, whichis inChrift Jefus. v. 16. All fcriptureis given by infpiration of God, and is profitable for doarine, for reproof, for correction, for inftruction in righteoufnels.v. 17. That the man of God may be perfect thoroughly furnished unto all good works. Gal. 1. 8. But, though we, or an angel from heaven,preach any other gospel unto you, than that which we have preached unto you, let him be ac curled. 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. 2 Theff. 2.2. That ye be not foon fhaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by fpirit, nor by word, nor by letter, as from us,

as

the lefs, we acknowledge the 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 circumstances concerning the worship of God, and government of the church,common to human actions and Societies, which are to be ordered by the light of nature, and christian prudence, according to the general rules of the word, which are always to be obferved o.

VII. All things in fcripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike clear unto all ; yet thofe things which are necessary to be known, believed, and obferved for falvation, and fo clearly propounded and opened in fome places 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 underftanding of them q.

VIII. The old testament in Hebrew (which was the native language of the people of God of old) and the new teftament in Greek, (which at the time of the writing of it was most generally known to the nations) being immediately infpired by God, and by his fingular care and providence

as that the day of Chriftis at hand. n John6 45.It is written in the prophets, and they fhall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, & hath learned of the Father,cometh unto me. I Cor. 2.9. But asit is written, eye hath not feen, nor ear heard, nei. ther have entred into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. v. 10. ButGod hath revealed them unto us byhisfpirit: for the fpirit fearcheth all things, yea the deep things of God. * v. 11. For what man knoweth the things of aman fave 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 spirit of the world,but the fpirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

01 Cor. 11. 12. Judge in your felves, is it comely that a woman

kept

pray unto God uncovered? ". 14. Doth not even nature itself teach you, that if a man have long hair, it is a fhameuntohim? 1 Cor.14.26. Howis it then, brethren, when ye come together, 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. 4. Let all things be done decently, and in order.

VII. p 2 Pet. 3. 16. As alfo in all his epiftles, fpeaking in them of these things, in which are fome things hard to Beunderstood,which they that are unlearned and unftable wrelt, as they do alfo the other feriptures, unto their own deftruction.

q Pfal. 119. 105. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, anda light unto my path, v. 130. The entrance of thy words givethlight, it giveth understanding unto the fimple. VIII, r Mat.