CHAP. I.

Of the Holy Scriptures.

1. The Holy Scripture is the only sufficient, certain, and infallible ¹¹ 2 Tim. 3. 15,16,17. Isa. 8. 20. Luk. 16. 29, 31. Eph. 2. 20. rule of all saving Knowledge, Faith and Obedience; Although the ²² Rom. 1. 19, 20, 21. &c. ch 2. 14, 15. Psal. 19. 1, 2, 3.light of Nature, and the works of Creation and Providence do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom and power of God, as to leave men unexcusable; yet are they not sufficient to give that knowledge of God and His will, which is necessary unto Salvation. ³³Heb. 1. 1.Therefore it pleased the Lord at sundry times, and in divers manners, to reveal himself, and to declare that His will unto his Church; and afterward for the better preserving, and propagating of the Truth, and for the more sure Establishment, and Comfort of the Church against the corruption of the flesh, and the malice of Satan, and of the World, to commit the same wholly unto ⁴⁴ Pro. 22. 19, 20, 21. Rom. 15. 4. 2 Pet. 1. 19, 20.writing; which maketh the Holy Scriptures to be most necessary, those former ways of Gods revealing his will unto his people being now ceased.

2. 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 these,

Of the Old Testament.

Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, The Song of Songs, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi.

Of the new Testament.

Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, The Acts of the Apostles, Pauls Epistle to the Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Phillippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, to Titus, to Philemon, the Epistle to the Hebrews, the Epistle of James, The first and second Epistles of Peter, The first, second and third Epistles of John, the Epistle of Jude, the Revelation. All which are given by the ⁵⁵ 2 Tim. 3. 16.inspiration of God, to be the rule of Faith and Life.

3. The Books commonly called Apocrypha not being of ⁶⁶ Luk. 24. 27, 44. Rom. 3. 2.Divine inspiration, are no part of the Canon (or rule) of the Scripture, and therefore are of no authority to the Church of God, nor to be any otherwise approved or made use of, then other humane writings.

4. The Authority of the Holy Scripture for which it ought to be believed dependeth not upon the testimony of any man, or Church; but wholly upon ⁷⁷ 2 Pet. 1. 19, 20, 21. 2 Tim. 3. 16. 2 Thes. 2. 13. 1 Joh. 5. 9. God (who is truth it self) the Author thereof; therefore it is to be received, because it is the Word of God.

5. We may be moved and induced by the testimony of the Church of God, to an high and reverent esteem of the Holy Scriptures; and the heavenliness of the matter, the efficacy of the Doctrine, and the Majesty of the stile, the consent of all the parts, the scope of the whole (which is to give all glory to God) the full discovery it makes of the only way of mans salvation, and many other incomparable Excellencies, and intire perfections thereof, are arguments whereby it doth abundantly evidence it self to be the Word of God; yet notwithstanding; our ⁸⁸ Joh. 16. 13, 14. 1 Cor. 2. 10, 11, 12. 1 John 2. 2.20.27.full perswasion, and assurance 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.

6. The whole Councel of God concerning all things ⁹⁹ 2 Tim. 3. 15, 16, 17. Gal. 1. 8, 9.necessary for his own Glory, Mans Salvation, Faith and Life, is either expressely set down or necessarily contained in the Holy Scripture; unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new Revelation of the Spirit, or traditions of men.

Nevertheless we acknowledge the ¹⁰¹⁰ John 6. 45. 1 Cor. 2. 9, 10, 11, 12.inward illumination of the Spirit of God, to be necessary for the saving understanding of such things as are revealed in the Word, and that there are some circumstances concerning the worship of God, and government of the Church common to humane actions and societies; which are to be ¹¹¹¹ 1 Cor. 11, 13, 14. & ch. 14. 26. & 40.ordered by the light of nature, and Christian prudence according to the general rules of the Word, which are always to be observed.

7. All things in Scripture are not alike ¹²¹² 2 Pet. 3. 16.plain in themselves, nor alike clear unto all; yet those things which are necessary to be known, believed, and observed for Salvation, are so ¹³¹³Ps. 19. 7. and 119. 130.clearly propounded, and opened in some place of Scripture or other, that not only the learned, but the unlearned, in a due use of ordinary means, may attain to a sufficient understanding of them.

8. The Old Testament in ¹⁴¹⁴Rom. 3. 2.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 most generally known to the Nations being immediately inspired by God, and by his singular care and Providence kept pure in all Ages, are therefore ¹⁵¹⁵ Isa. 8. 20.authentical; so as in all controversies of Religion the Church is finally to appeal unto them ¹⁶¹⁶ Act. 15. 15. But because these original tongues are not known to all the people of God, who have a right unto, and interest in the Scriptures, and are commanded in the fear of God to read ¹⁷¹⁷John 5. 39.and search them, therefore they are to be translated into the vulgar language of every Nation, unto which they ¹⁸¹⁸ 1 Cor. 14, 6.9.11,12.24.28. come, that the Word of God dwelling ¹⁹¹⁹ Col. 3. 16.plentifully in all, they may worship him in an acceptable manner, and through patience and comfort of the Scriptures may have hope.

9. The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is the ²⁰²⁰ 2 Pet. 1. 20, 21. Act. 15. 15, 16. Scripture it self: And therefore when there is a question about the true and full sense of any Scripture (which is not manifold but one) it must be searched by other places that speak more clearly.

10. The supream judge by which all controversies of Religion are to be determined, and all Decrees of Councels, opinions of antient Writers, Doctrines of men, and private Spirits, are to be examined, and in whose sentence we are to rest, can be no other but the Holy Scripture delivered by the Spirit, into which ²¹²¹ Mat. 22. 29.31. Eph. 2. 20. Acts 28. 23.Scripture so delivered, our faith is finally resolved.