Of the Holy Scriptures
I. 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;a yet they are not sufficient to give that knowledge of
God, and of His will, which is necessary unto salvation.b Therefore it pleased
the Lord, at sundry times, and in diverse manners, to reveal Himself, and to declare that
His will unto His Church;c and afterwards, 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:d which makes the Holy Scripture to be most
necessary;e those former ways of God's revealing His will unto His people being
now ceased.f
a. Rom. 2:14-15; 1:19-20; Ps. 19:1-3; Rom. 1:32; 2:1.
b. I Cor. 1:21; 2:13-14.
c. Heb. 1:1.
d. Prov. 22:19-21; Luke 1:3-4; Rom. 15:4; Matt. 4:4, 7, 10; Is. 8:19-20.
e. II Tim. 3:15; II Pet. 1:19.
f. Heb. 1:1-2.
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 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 which are given by inspiration of God to be the rule of faith and
life.a
a. Luke 16:29, 31; Eph. 2:20; Rev. 22:18-19; II Tim. 3:16.
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.a
a. Luke 24:27, 44; Rom. 3:2; II Pet. 1:21.
IV. The authority of the Holy Scripture, for which it
ought to be believed, and obeyed, depends 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.a
a. II Pet. 1:19, 21; II Tim. 3:16; I John 5:9; I Thess.
2:13.
V. We may be moved and induced by the testimony of the
Church to an high and reverend esteem of the Holy Scripture.a And the
heavenliness of the matter, the efficacy of the doctrine, 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, the many other incomparable
excellencies, and the entire perfection thereof, are arguments whereby it does 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.b
a. I Tim. 3:15.
b. I John 2:20, 27; John 16:13-14; I Cor. 2:10-12; Isa. 59:21.
VI. The whole counsel of God concerning all things
necessary for His own glory, man's salvation, faith and life, is either expressly set down
in Scripture, or by good and necessary 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.a 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:b 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.c
a. II Tim. 3:15-17; Gal. 1:8-9; II Thess. 2:2.
b. John 6:45; I Cor. 2:9-12.
c. I Cor. 11:13-14; 14:26, 40.
VII. All things in Scripture are not alike plain in
themselves, nor alike clear unto all:a 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 the ordinary means, may attain unto a sufficient understanding of them.b
a. II Pet. 3:16.
b. Ps. 119:105, 130.
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 inspired
by God, and, by His singular care and providence, kept pure in all ages, are therefore
authentical;a so as, in all controversies of religion, the Church is finally to
appeal unto them.b But, because these original tongues are not known to all the
people of God, who have right unto, and interest in the Scriptures, and are commanded, in
the fear of God, to read and search them,c therefore they are to be translated
into the vulgar language of every nation unto which they come,d that, the Word
of God dwelling plentifully in all, they may worship Him in an acceptable manner;e and,
through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, may have hope.f
a. Matt. 5:18. b. Isa. 8:20; Acts 15:15; John 5:39, 46.
c. John 5:39. d. I Cor. 14:6, 9, 11-12, 24, 27-28.
e. Col. 3:16. f. Rom. 15:4.
IX. 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 and known by
other places that speak more clearly.a
a. II Pet. 1:20-21; Acts 15:15-16.
X. 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 Spirit speaking in the Scripture.a
a. Matt. 22:29, 31; Eph. 2:20; Acts. 28:25.
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