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| Chapter 1 - Of the Holy
Scriptures |
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1. The Holy Scripture is the
only sufficient, certain, and infallible rule of all saving knowledge,
faith, and obedience, although the 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 inexcusable; yet are they not sufficient to give that knowledge
of God and his will which is necessary unto salvation. 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 writing; which maketh
the Holy Scriptures to be most necessary, those former ways of God's revealing
his will unto his people being now ceased.
2 Timothy 3:15-17; Isaiah 8:20; Luke
16:29, 31; Ephesians 2:20; Romans 1:19-21; Romans 2:14,15; Psalms 19:1-3;
Hebrews 1:1; Proverbs 22:19-21; Romans 15:4; 2 Peter 1:19,20
2. Under the name of Holy Scripture,
or the Word of God written, are now contained all the books of the Old
and New Testaments, which are these:
OF THE OLD TESTAMENT: Genesis, Exodus,
Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, I Samuel, II Samuel,
I Kings, II Kings, I Chronicles, II Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther,
Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, The Song of Solomon, 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, Paul's Epistle to the Romans, I Corinthians,
II Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, I Thessalonians,
II Thessalonians, I Timothy, II Timothy, To Titus, To Philemon, The Epistle
to the Hebrews, 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 of which are given by the inspiration
of God, to be the rule of faith and life.
2 Timothy 3:16
3. The books commonly called
Apocrypha, not being of 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 than other human
writings.
Luke 24:27, 44; Romans 3:2
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 God (who is truth itself), the author
thereof; therefore it is to be received because it is the Word of God.
2 Peter 1:19-21; 2 Timothy 3:16;
2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 John 5:9
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 style, 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 man's salvation, and many other incomparable
excellencies, and entire perfections thereof, are arguments whereby it
doth abundantly evidence itself to be the Word of God; yet notwithstanding,
our full persuasion 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.
John 16:13,14; 1 Corinthians 2:10-12;
1 John 2:20, 27
6. The whole counsel of God
concerning all things necessary for his own glory, man's salvation, faith
and life, is either expressly 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 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 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 observed.
2 Timothy 3:15-17; Galatians 1:8,9;
John 6:45; 1 Corinthians 2:9-12; 1 Corinthians 11:13, 14; 1 Corinthians
14:26,40
7. 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,
are so 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.
2 Peter 3:16; Psalms 19:7; Psalms
119:130
8. 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 inspired by God, and by his singular
care and providence kept pure in all ages, are therefore authentic; so
as in all controversies of religion, the church is finally to appeal to
them. 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 and search them, therefore they are
to be translated into the vulgar language of every nation unto which they
come, that the Word of God dwelling plentifully in all, they may worship
him in an acceptable manner, and through patience and comfort of the Scriptures
may have hope.
Romans 3:2; Isaiah 8:20; Acts 15:15;
John 5:39; 1 Corinthians 14:6, 9, 11, 12, 24, 28; Colossians 3:16
9. The infallible rule of interpretation
of
Scripture is the Scripture itself; 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.
2 Peter 1:20, 21; Acts 15:15, 16
10. The supreme judge, by which
all controversies of religion are to be determined, and all decrees of
councils, opinions of ancient 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 Scripture so
delivered, our faith is finally resolved.
Matthew 22:29, 31, 32; Ephesians
2:20; Acts 28:23 |