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

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.i

II. g Luke xvi. 29, 31. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead. Eph. ii. 20. And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone. Rev. xxii. 18, 19. For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book. And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his 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. iii. 16. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.

III. h Luke xxiv. 27 to 44. And beginning at Moses, and all the prophets, he expounded unto them, in all the scriptures, the things concerning himself. 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 Psalms, concerning me. Rom. iii. 2. Much every way chiefly because that unto them were committed the oracles of God. 2 Pet. i. 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 Ghost.

:

IV. i 2 Pet. i, 19, 21. We have also a more sure word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth

ense, eternal,k incomprehensible, Almighty ;m most vise, most holy, most free,P most absolute, working all hings according to the counsel of his own immutable and nost righteous will, for his own glory;s most loving, gracious, merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin; the re

¿ 1 Kings viii. 27. But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven, and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee, how much less this house that I have builded? Jer. xxiii. 23, 24. Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off? Can any hide himself in secret places, that I shall not see him? saith the Lord: do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord.

k Psal. xc. 2. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. 1 Tim. i. 17. Now unto the King eternal, inmortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

7 Psal. cxlv. 3. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.

m Gen. xvii. 1. And when Abraham was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abraham, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God: walk before me, and be thou perfect. Rev. iv. 8. And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him, and they were full of eyes within, and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.

n Rom. xvi. 27. To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ, for ever. Amen.

o Isa. vi. 3. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of his glory. Rev. iv. 8. (See letter m immediately foregoing.)

p Psal. cxv. 3. But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he pleaseth.

Exod. iii. 14. And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: And he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.

r Eph. i. 11. In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him, who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.

s Prov. xvi. 4. The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. Rom. xi. 36. For of him, and through him, and to him are all things; to whom be glory for ever.

Amen.

t 1 John iv. 8, 16. He that loveth not, knoweth not God, for God is love. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him..

v Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7. And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-sufering, and abundant in goodness and truth. Keeping mercy for housands, forgiving iniquity, and transgression, and sin, and that ill by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third d to the fourth generation.

V. We may be moved and induced by the testimony 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 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 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.1

VI. The whole counsel of God, concerning all things necessary for his own glory, man's salvation, faith and life,

in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts: 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 Ghost. 2 Tim. iii. 16. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. 1 John v. 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. 1 Thes. ii. 13. For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because when ye received the word of 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 also in you that believe.

V. k 1 Tim. iii. 15. But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

11 John it. 20 to 27. But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: But as the same anointing 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 xvi. 13, 14. Howbeit, when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. 1 Cor ii. 10 to 12. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 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 no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Isa. lix. 21. As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith 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 seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever.

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.m 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.o

VII. All things in scripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike clear unto all ;P 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 un

VI. m 2 Tim. ii. 15 to 17. And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. Gal. i. 8, 9. · 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. As we said before, so say I now again; If any man preach any other gospel unto you, than that ye have received, let him be accursed. 2 Thess. ii. 2. That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter, as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.

n John vi. 45. written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. 1 Cor. ii. 9 to 12. But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 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 no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

o 1 Cor. xi. 13, 14. Judge in yourselves; is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered? Doth not even nature itself teach you, that if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? 1 Cor. xiv. 26, 40. How is it then, brethren, when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation? Let all things be done unto edifying. Let all things be done decently and in order.

VII. p 2 Pet. iii. 16. As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of