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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 scripture to be most necessary 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

not in the words, which mans wif-
dom teacheth, but which the holy
Ghost teacheth, comparing spiri-
tual 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 spiritually difcerned.

c Heb. 1.1. God who at sundry
times, and in divers manners, spake
in time past unto the fathers by
the prophets.

1. 3. It

d Prov. 22, 19. That thy trust
may be in the Lord, I have made
known to theethisday, eventothee,
2. 20. Have not I written to thee
excellent things in counsels and
knowledge; v. 21. That I might
maketheeknow the certainty of the
words of truth; that thou mightest
anfwer the words of truth to them
that send unto thee? Luke.
feemed good to me also, having
had perfect understanding of all
things, from the very first, to write
unto thee in order, most excellent
Theophilus,v4. Thatthoumightest
know the certainty of those things,
wherein thou hast been instructed.
Rom. 15,4. For whatsoever things
were written aforetime, were writ-
ten for our learning; that we thro'
patience and comfort of the scrip-
tures might have hope. Matth,
4. 4. But he answered and said,
It is written, man shall not leaveby
bread alone, but by every word

that proceedeth outofthe mouth of God. v 7. Jesus said unto him, it is written again, thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. v. 10. Then faith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence Satan: for it is written, thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thouserve. Isa. 8. 19. And when theyshall fay unto you, seek untothem that have familiar fpirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter; should not a people leek unto their God? for the living to the dead? v. 20. To the law and to the teftimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there isno light in them.

e 2 Tim. 3. 15. And that froma child thou hastknownthe holy scri ptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 2 let. 1.19, We have also a more fure word of prophesy, whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto alight that thineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star a rife in your hearts.

Heb. 1. 1. God, who at sundry times, & in divers manners, spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets; 2.2. Hath in these last daysspoken unto us by his son, whom he hath appointedheir ofall things, by whom also he made the worlds.

& Luke

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

Of the OLD TESTAMENT.

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The epistle to the

Of the NEW TESTAMENT.

The Gospels accor- Corinthians II.

ding to

Matthew.

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Galatians.

Ephefians.

Philippians.

Coloffians.

Thessalonians I.
Theffalonians II.

To Timothy I.

To Timothy II.
To Titus.

Romans.

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Hebrews,

The Epistle of

James.

The first and fecond,
Epiftles of Peter.
The first, second, and
third epistles of
John.

The epistle of Jude,
The Revelation.

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

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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 otherwise approved, or made use 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 testimony 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 esteem of the holy Scripture k. And the heavenliness of the matter, the efficacy of the doctrine, the majesty of the stile, the consent of all the

man that heareth the words ofthe prophecy of this book, If any man Thall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in thisbook.v.19, And if any man shall take away from the words of the bookofthis prophecy, God shall 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 instruction in righteousness.

III.hukc24.27. And beginning at Mofes, and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himielt. v. 44. And he said unto them, these are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets and in the pfalms concerning me. Rom 3.2. Much every way: chiefJy becauseunto 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 spake as they were moved by the the holy Ghost.

IV. i 2 Pet. 1. 19. We have al-
so 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-star arise in your hearts.
1. 21. For the prophecy came not
in old time by the will of man,
but holy men of God spake as they
were moved by the holy Ghoft.
2 Tim.3.16. All fcripture is given
by inspiration of God, and is pro-
fitable for doctrine, for reproof,
for correction, for instruction in
righteousness. I John 5. 9. If we
receive the witness of men, the
witness of God is greater: for this
is the witness of God, which he
hath testified of his Son. I Theff.
2. 13. For this cause alfo thank we
God withoutceasing, 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 alsoinyou that
believe.

V. k Tim.3.15. But if I tarry
long, that thou mayst know how
thou oughtest to behave thy felf
in the house of God, Go which is the
church of the living God, the pil-
lar and ground of the truth.
II John

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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 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 notwithstanding our full perfwasion 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 counsel of God, concerning all things necessary for his own glory, man's salvation, faith and life, is either expressy set forth in fcripture, or by good and necefsary consequence may be deduced from scripture: Unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelations of the spirit, or traditions of men m. Neverthe

you,

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 thesameanointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie; and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him, John 16.13. Howbeit, whenhethe spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself, but whatfoever he shall hear, that shallhespeak; and he will shew you things to come.v. 14. Heshall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall fhew it unto you. 1 Cor.2.10. But God hath revealed them unto us by his spirit, for the spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. v. 11. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth noman but the spirit of God. v. 12. Now we have received, not the spirit of the word, but the Ipirit which is of God,

we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Ifaiah, $9, 21. As for me, this is my co

venant with them, faith the Lord, My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in. thy mouth, shall 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 2 Tim.2. 15. And thatfrom a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wife unto falvation, through faith, whichis inChrist Jesus. v. 16. All scriptureis given byinspiration of God, and is profitable for dotrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.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 accursed. v. 9. As we faid before, fo say I now again: If any man preach any other gospel unto you, than that ye have received, lethim be accursed. 2 Theff. 2.2. That ye be not foon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter, as from us,

as

Chap. 5. the less, we acknowledge the inward illumination of the spirit of God to be necessary for the saving understanding of such things as are revealed in the wordn: And that there are some 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 chriftian prudence, according to the general rules of the word, which are always to be observed o.

VII. All things in scripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike clear unto all; yet those things which are necessary to be known, believed, and observed for salvation, and so clearly propounded and opened in some places of scripture or other that not only the learned, but the unlearned, in a due use of the ordinary means, may attain unto a sufficient 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 most generally known to the nations) being immediately infpired by God, and by his singular care and providence kept

as that the day of Christis at hand. n John6 45. It is written in the prophets, and they shall 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 iswritten, 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. 2. 10. But God hath revealed them unto us byhisspirit: for the spirit fearcheth all things, yea the deep things of God. * v. 11. For what man knoweth the things of aman save the spirit of man which is in him? even so 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.

01 Cor. 11. 13. Judge in your selves, is it comely that a woman

pray unto God uncovered?. 14. Doth not even nature itself teach you, that ifa man have long hair, it is a thameuntohim?1Cor.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 also in all his epiftles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to Beunderstood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrelt, as they do also the other fcriptures, unto their own destruction.

9 Pfal. 119. 105. Thy word is a lampunto my feet, anda light unto my path, v. I my path. 130. The entrance of thy words givethlight, it giveth understanding unto the simple.

VIII, r Mat.

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