Beveridge on Article VI: Of the Sufficiency of the holy Scriptures for salvation

that blasphemeth against him shall have no forgiveness, neither in this world nor in that which is to come, which is also proper to God ; seeing these things are so, why should it be doubted whether he be God ; seeing the greatness of his works mani- fest him what he is?” even that he the Holy Ghost, proceeding Jrom the Father and the Son, is of one substance, majesty, and glory, with the Father and the Son, very and eternal God.

Holy scripture containeth all things necessary for salva- tion, so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man that it should be believed as an article of faith, or be thought requisite, or necessary to salvation.

ee eternal God, having by the word of his power com-

manded the stately fabric of the world out of the womb of nothing, and having furnished the upper part of it, heaven, with understanding spirits, and the lower part of it, earth, with inanimate, vegetative, and sensitive bodies, was pleased after all to make one creature that might participate of both natures, a perfect microcosm, or little world, made up of heaven and earth together, having both a rational spirit like to the angels above, and an earthly body like to the creatures below. This person, being inferior to angels because a body as well as spirit, and superior to all other creatures because a spirit as well as body, God was pleased to set under the one and @over the other, as his deputy, or vicegerent, to rule or govern the other creatures he made upon earth, uncapable of

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ore €€ apxis Kal ek mpooipioy amnp- Tiopevny etxe THY apxiv 6 avOpwros THY kara Tov Onpiwv. Chrys. in Gen. hom. 9. [vol. I. p. 53. 24.] Ad hoc facti sumus ut creaturis ceteris domi- naremur: sed per peccatum in primo homine lapsi sumus, et in mortis heereditatem omnes devenimus. Aug. de symb. ad catechum. c. 1. [2. vol. VI. p.547.] Quia nimirum in hoc maxime factus est homo ad imagi-

mantibus antecellit, capax videlicet rationis conditus per quam et creata queeque in mundo recte gubernare, et ejus qui cuncta creavit possit ag- nitione frui: in quo honore positus, si non intellexerit ut bene agat, eis- dem animantibus insensatis quibus prelatus est comparabitur, sicut Psalmista testatur. Junil. comment. in Gen. Lee patr. 1575, vol. VI. p. 38.

Art. VI. Of the Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures &c. 189

ruling or governing of themselves. And that he might behave himself aright both towards God his master, and the creatures his servants, he was throughly instructed with the whole will and pleasure of his Master; neither had he only wisdom to know what he ought constantly to do, but also grace to do what he did so perfectly know. And though by sinning after- wards against God he forfeited the grace he had received from him, and so became unable to do his will, yet was God of his infinite wisdom pleased still to instruct* him with the knowledge of his will, that so though he could not do what he knew, yet he might know what he ought to do. This his will God was pleased in the infancy of the world to write only upon the table of their hearts, for then men living some hun- dreds, yea, almost a thousand years upon earth, had opportu- nities and time enough to hand this the will of their God from one to another, that the children might be throughly instructed by their fathers before the fathers were taken from their children; but afterwards the most high God having appointed man a shorter abode here, it pleased him to write his will upon two tables of stone, that we might not only know his will by hearing it reported by others, but by seeing it recorded by God himself. Of these two tables the one contained our duty towards God, the other our duty towards man; but because the knowledge as well as holiness of man was much impaired by his fall from God, and though he could read, he might not perfectly understand his duty, it pleased his sacred Deity to interpret and explain his own will by several histories of things past and prophecies of things to come, and other holy writings, as himself thought fit ; all which we call the holy scriptures; which are commonly divided into two parts, the Old and the New Testament.

The Old Testament he caused long ago to be written in the Hebrew tongue, a language peculiar to his own people that he had chosen out of the rest of the world, to make known his will in a more especial manner to: amongst whom he was pleased for a long time to raise up prophets one after another, and to inspire them with his Holy Spirit, the better to preserve this his will amongst themselves, and to explain it

• MS. intrust.

Of the Sufficiency of the

ART.

unto others. But intending to withdraw this his prophetical Spirit from them, presently after their return from the Baby- lonian captivity, he caused Ezra, who was also called, as some think’, Malachi, and other prophets and holy men assembled in a council, called by the Jews the Great Synagogue, besides

b This we read in the Targum it- self upon the prophecy of Malachi, sondD Ta ONTW? Dy YT NOAND JOD NIDD NY mow npn, The bur- den of the word of the Lord by the hand of Malachi, who is called Ezra the Scribe, Mal. i.1.Targ. And Ab. Ezra, in his preface to his book[?] called Masoreth Hammasoreth, saith, »ond0 NIT RY Dby, Ezra ascended, which is Malachi. From whence St. Hierome observeth, Malachi au- tem Hebrei Ezram existimant sacer- dotem. Hieronym. in Malach. [vol. VI. p. 939-]

¢ When the Jews were returned from their Babylonish captivity, for the restoring their law and religion to its former giory and lustre, Ezra and other prophets and holy men met together in a general council, called of themselves m5)74n nbD25, i.e. “The great assembly, or syna- gogue,” to consult about it. The names of such as met, Abarbinel gives us this account of: Catalogus virorum synagoge magne sunt Haggai propheta, Zacharias pro- pheta, Malachias propheta, Zoro- babel filius Shealtiel, Mordechai Bil- shan, Ezra sacerdos et scriba, Jo- shua filius Jozedek sacerdotis, Se- raia, Realia, Mispar Bigveeus, Ra- chum Baana, Nehemiah filius Cha- chiliz. Hi sunt duodecim princi- pales nominibus suis notati, qui ex Babylone Hierosolymam ascende- runt in principio templi secundi, quibus preterea sapientes alii ex principalioribus populi Israel ad- juncti fuere, usque ad numerum centum et viginti virorum, qui vo- cati sunt viri synagoge magne, et appellati sunt sic quia congregati fuerunt ad ordinandas constitutiones bonas, ad recte dirigendum populum, TINT PIa NN prim) et ad restau- randas rupturas legis. Abarb. in

pref. ad max nidmp. [fol. 1. et vid. Buxt. Tiber. p. 95.]: and so R. Abraham Ben David in L. Kab. Historicee. But besides these here particularly named, they say that Simeon Justus was also of the said council: xy 5m 12°97 m2 Mia npid WIN DRwypIA oO mA “997 29890) MIDI aN On) D wy) ANH Down onDyY Donon PIA PYNW NIT OAD IN) Oraps DAwYy) nrRom 44590 WH NIT: i.e. “The house of the council of Ezra they were of who are called the men of the great synagogue, and they were Haggai, Zachariah, Ma- lachi, &c. and many other wise men with them, to the completing the number of one hundred and twenty ; and last of all Simeon the Just, he was also of the number of the hun- dred and twenty.” R. Mos. Ben Maim. pref. ad lib. 1». [vol. I. fol. 2.]| These being all met together determined the number of canonical books, distinguished the scripture into verses, examining the several copies they had of the original, and comparing them together, declared what words were read but not writ- ten, or written but not read, whence arose the Keri and Chetib: and they numbered every word, letter, and verse of every book, set down which was the middle verse or middle word of the book, and how oft such or such words were used. All which they called the Masora, that is, tra- dition ; because, as they say, nwn pwns samp. pp mn bap mera> map oops) pwr M737 MNDID wWaXd AVION D NID, [Abarb. Ibid. fol. 3. vers. ] i.e. Moses accepit legem de Sinai et tradidit eam Joshuz, Joshua senibus, senes prophetis, prophetze tradiderunt eam viris synagogee magne. Apophtheg. Patr. c. 1, And from this were they

Mi. Holy Scriptures for Salvation. 191

other things, to number not only the books, but the verses, words, and letters also of this his will, and to leave them on record to posterity, that so, though the spirit of prophecy was taken from them, the whole will of God might be exactly and constantly“ preserved amongst them; which work the Jews, and from them the Christians too, call the Masora, whereby it is impossible that a verse, word, or tittle should be altered in the Hebrew text, but it would presently be discovered ; and so we may be sure that that Hebrew text which we now have, is the selfsame text that Ezra and the other prophets used so long before our Saviour’s time. After whose coming the great God commanded other books to be written in the Greek language, and to be annexed to the former written in the Hebrew ; and these are they which we term the New Tes- tament, which together with the Old are called the holy scripture.

This holy scripture thus written in Hebrew and Greek, in those languages wherein it was written, containeth nothing but the will of God, and the whole will of God ; so that there is nothing necessary to be believed concerning God, nor done in obedience unto God by us, but what is here revealed to us;

of this council afterwards called Masorethe. ‘This is that which St.

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“37 1708 DINd> KXdY NIpoN oppo man? 2D non, i.e. Post opus illud quod Masorethe preestiterunt, impossibile est quod inciderit aut incidere possit ulla varietas aut mu- tatio in posterum in ullis libris scrip- turze: nec frustra dixerunt rabbini nostri memorize benedictee Masora est sepes legis. Elias Lev. orat. 3. lib. Hammasoreth. [p. 1>.] And so Ab. Ezra, nodivp> 13 wD noNT mai Dw. DAW nvpoT ry. mm myn Wy Dyava 1D Wy 2. wmnnono by wWapm mpd nyiyny nppin, i.e. Certe enim est merces operibus autorum Masoreth, qui sunt ut custodes murorum civi- tatis: propter eos enim permanet lex Domini et libri sancti in sua for- ma absque ulla additione vel detrac- tione. Ab. Ezr. in 1. xn 10”. [e. x. init. ]

192 Of the Sufficiency of the Art.

and therefore all traditions of men which are contrary to this word of God are necessarily to be abhorred, and all traditions of men not recorded in this word of God are not necessarily to be believed. What is here written we are bound to believe because it is written; and what is not here written we are not bound to believe because it is not written. I say we are not bound to believe it, but I cannot say we are bound not to believe it; for there be many truths which we may believe, nay, are bound to believe, because truth, which notwithstand- ing are not recorded in the word of God. But though there be many things we may believe, yet is there nothing we need believe in order to our everlasting happiness which is not here written ; so that if we believe all that is here spoken, and do all that is here commanded, we shall certainly be saved, though we do not believe what is not here spoken, nor do what is not here commanded.

And indeed the scripture itself is its own witness in this case: which if it was not, all the arguments in the world could never make this article to be a truth; for that the scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation is a truth, the belief of which is itself necessary to salvation; and there- fore should the scripture contain all other necessary truths, and not contain this one necessary truth, even that it doth contain all necessary truths, it would not contain all things necessary to salvation. But what truth more frequently inculeated and more expressly contained in scripture than this? What words can express any thing more fully than those of St. Paul doth this, when he saith, AW 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, throughly furnished unto all good works, 2 Tim. iii. 16,17? Here we see the scriptures are

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oi

VI. Holy Scriptures for Salvation. 193

sufficient to: make a man, yea a man of God, a minister, 1 Tim. vi. 11, one whose duty it is to declare all the counsel of God, Acts xx. 27; yet the scriptures are sufficient to make such a man perfect, furnishing him with whatsoever he need acquaint his people with, or his people need to be confirmed in. And in the foregoing verse he tells Timothy, the scriptures are able to make him wise to salvation, 2 Tim. iii. 15. But how can that be, unless they contain all things necessary to salvation ? What is it to be wise unto salvation, but to know whatsoever is necessary to be known in order to salvation? If the scrip- tures do not therefore contain all things necessary to be known, how can they make us wise unto salvation ?

To this purpose also make those places that forbid any addition to or detraction from the word of God; as, You shall not add unto the word that I command you, neither shall you diminish aught from it, Deut. iv. 2; and, Whatsoever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it, Deut. xii. 32. And that this may not be thought to have reference to the Pentateuch or Old Testa- ment only, we have it again repeated in the New, with a curse annexed to it: 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 which 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, Rev. xxii. 18,19. In this book, that is, this book of the Revelations in particular, or the € whole book of the holy scriptures in general, of which this is

e Johannes apostolus sub unius libri appellatione de tota utriusque testamenti serie contestatus est, di- cens, Si quis, inquit, apposuerit ad hec, apponet Deus omnes plagas scriptas in libro hoc. Paulinus in concilio Forojuliens. [vol.IV. p.854.] Acapapruperat bpiv Tols dkovovat pyre

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[p. 112.] Docet igitur nos presen- tis series lectionis, neque detrahere aliquid divinis debere mandatis, ne- que addere. Nam si Johannes hoc judicavit de suis scriptis, Sz quis ap- posuerit, inquit, ad hec, adjiciet in illum plagas que scripte sunt in libro isto, et qui dempserit de verbis his prophetiea hujus, delebit Deus partem illius de libro vite ; quanto nihil divinis mandatis est detrahen- dum? Ambros. de parad. c. 12. [56. vol. I.]

Oo

194 Of the Sufficiency of the Arr.

the last book, and these almost the last words. Now in these and the like places it being so expressly forbidden to add any thing to or to take any thing from the holy serip- tures, it follows that the holy scriptures do in themselves con- tain all things necessary to salvation. For otherwise, if there should be any thing necessary to salvation, and yet not con- tamed in the scriptures, certainly it can be no sin, but rather a duty to add it to the scriptures, or to the articles of faith delivered in the scriptures, this being the end and scope of the scriptures, to shew us all things that belong to our eternal salvation. And so if there be any article of faith which God requires assent to from us, that himself hath not revealed in the holy scriptures to us, that article of faith must either be added to the holy scriptures, or we can never be saved ; yes, to look after salvation God hath commanded us, but to add any thing to the scriptures he hath forbidden us; and therefore all things requisite to salvation must needs be contained in the scriptures, to which we need to add nothing as an article of faith in order to our salvation.

And hence it is that the apostle saith, 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, Gal. i. 8 ; that is, as the f Fathers interpret it, Whosoever it is that preacheth any thing as gospel which is not written in the gospel, or would thrust any thing upon you as an article of faith which is not revealed as so in the holy scriptures, let him be accursed. Whatsoever articles of faith St. Paul deli- vered to others by preaching, he hath delivered unto us in writing ; and as the Galatians were not to receive any thing as an article of faith but what St. Paul had preached to them, so are we to receive nothing as an article of faith but what is written for us; and therefore whosoever preacheth or believeth

f Proinde sive de Christo, sive de ejus ecclesia, sive de quacunque alia re que pertinet ad fidem, vitamque nostram, non dicam nos nequaquam comparandi ei qui dixit, Licet nos, sed omnino quod secutus adjecit, Si angelus de celo vobis annunciaverit preterquam quod in scripturis lega- libus et evangelicis accepistis ana-

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Vi. Holy Scriptures for Salvation. 195

any thing to be necessary to salvation which is not written in the holy scriptures, instead of getting salvation by it, he will find the curse here denounced to be entailed upon it.

And lastly, to name no more, that we are to stick to the word of God, and not look among the traditions of men for the articles of our faith, or the behaviour of our life, Christ himself teacheth us in these words, But in vain do they wor- ship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men, Matt. xv. 9. So that whatsoever worship we perform to God, unless it be of God’s commanding, it will never be of God’s accept- ing; it will be but a vain worship. Nay, it will be so far from God’s accepting, that it will be of his rejecting ; for it is so far from being a duty, that it is in plain terms a sin; for so saith our Saviour, Why do you also transaress the com- mandments of God by your tradition? ver.3; and, Thus have you made the commandments of God of none effect by your traditions, ver. 6. So that to obtrude traditions of men for articles of faith, or to admit them for parts of divine worship necessary to salvation, is so far from having any countenance from the scriptures, that it is expressly forbidden in them. And there- fore that it should be necessary to believe any thing merely upon tradition is itself a mere tradition.

And as this truth is grounded upon scripture, so is it agree- able to reason too. So that not only scripture itself saith that all things necessary to be known are contained in itself, but reason saith the same too. For if there be any thing not contained in scripture and yet necessary to be known, then there is something necessary to be known, which, notwith- standing, we can have no certainty of. What I see written I am certain of, because I see it written; but how can I be certain of any thing which is not written? Must’I therefore believe it because others do? Or can I therefore be certain of it because others are? Then I must believe and be certain of whatsoever others believe or are certain of, and so that

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196 Of the Sufficiency of the Art.

must be a necessary article of my faith which is an article of any man’s faith ; and so, unless I believe. what every one be- lieves, I can never be saved. But what reason have I to believe one man more than another? Are they not all men? » No; the pope is more than a man, acted with an infallible spirit ; and therefore in believing him I do not believe a mere man, but God himself speaking by him. But what ground can I have to believe this? Is it written in the scriptures that the pope is infallible? No, but that all men are liars. And so that the pope is infallible I have no certain ground to believe it, and therefore no certain ground to believe any thing he saith to be true.

But again, I would here ask any gainsayer, for what end were the scriptures written? Were they not therefore written that we might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God ; and that believing we might have life through his name? John xx.31. Were they not written that we might know the. things that belong to our everlasting peace before they be hid from our eyes? Were they not written that in them we might have life eternal? John v.39. Yea, were they not written on pur- pose that we might have surer footing for our faith than mere tradition? But how can the scripture: attain these ends, unless it be perfect and sufficient of itself to shew us our way to heaven, and to acquaint us with all necessary truths with- out the help of human traditions? If tradition would have served the turn still to ground our faith upon, as it was in the beginning of the world, certainly the scriptures were writ- ten in vain, and to no purpose. So that if it doth not contain all things, what need was there of its containing any thing that is necessary to salvation? For all the articles of our faith might as well have been delivered to us by tradition as some of them.

But such as say there is any thing that is neither contained in the scriptures, nor may be proved by them, which notwith- standing is requisite and necessary to salvation, let them tell me what these things are; or how came they first into the catalogue of the articles of the Christian faith. Is there any nation in the world that hath not some traditions peculiar to itself? Yea, and are there not many traditions that cross

VI. Holy Scriptures for Salvation. |

and contradict each other? Now which of all these’ am I bound to believe in order to my salvation? Or who shall be the judge betwixt traditions that dissent from one another ? I speak not of such traditions (neither doth this article intend them) that concern only rites and ceremonies left to the dis- position of the church, which, not being of divine but only _ positive and human right, may and do alter in every nation, and are acknowledged by none to be either necessary articles of our faith, or essential parts of God’s worship ; but of such traditions as are required of us as articles of faith, without which we can never be saved ; for even these do often oppose _ and thwart each other, yea, and themselves too. There is scarce an age but makes some alteration in every one of the popish traditions, as about the infallibility of the pope, purga- tory, and the like, there are new notions continually coining about them ; all of which certainly cannot be necessary to salvation, because many of them are contrary to one another. Or which of them is or is not to be believed, how must it be determined but by the scriptures? Surely such as are con- trary to the scriptures are therefore to be rejected, because contrary to the scriptures ; such as agree with the scriptures are therefore to be believed, because they agree with the seriptures. And if there be any such that are neither con- trary to the scriptures, nor can be proved by them, such certainly it is not necessary to reject or believe: it is not necessary we should reject them, because no way contrary ‘to the scriptures; nor is it necessary to believe them as articles of our faith, because not contained in the scriptures. And so, though there be many things we may believe, yet: there is nothing we must believe or not be saved, unless it be expressly asserted in the scriptures, or may be clearly deduced from them.

Neither is our church singular in this assertion, but we have all or most of the Fathers’ hands for it. Let these few witness for the rest. First, Hippolytuss the martyr, who

¢ Unus Deus est quem non ali- seculi exercere, non aliter hoc con- unde, fratres, agnoscimus quam ex sequi poterit, nisi dogmata philo- sanctis scripturis. Quemadmodum sophorum legat. Sic quicunque enim si quis vellet sapientiam hujus volumus pietatem in Deum exer-

Arr.

198 Of the Sufficiency of the

tells us “there is one God, whom we do not otherwise acknowledge (brethren) but out of the holy scriptures. For as he that would profess the wisdom of this world cannot otherwise attain to it than by reading the opinions of the philosophers; so whosoever of us would exercise piety towards God, we cannot otherwise learn it than out of the holy serip- tures.” And )Clemens Alexandrinus plainly ; “ Let us not simply attend to the words of men, which it is as lawful for us also to gainsay : but if it be not enough only to say what we think, but what is said ought to be believed, let us not look for testimony from men, but let us confirm what is questioned by the word of God, which is the certainest of all demonstrations, nay, is itself the only demonstration.” And Tertulliani; ‘“ But whether all things were made of any subject matter, I never yet read. Let Hermogenes’s shop show where it is written. If it be not written, let him fear that woe that is appointed to those that put any thing to or take any thing from the word of God.”

Cyril of Hierusalem speaks much so to the purpose : “ For there ought nothing at all to be delivered concerning the divine and holy mysteries of faith without the holy scrip- tures, nor ought we to be moved at all with probabilities and prepared orations or compositions of speech. Neither do thou believe me that say these things, unless thou takest the demonstrations of the things which are said out of the holy scriptures.” And Athanasius tells us’, “‘The holy and divinely

cere, non aliunde discemus quam MHermogenis officina. Si non est ex scripturis divinis. Hippol. hom. scriptum, timeat vee illud adjicienti- contra Noet. [Bibl. Max. patr. bus et detrahentibus destinatum.

vol. III. p. 263.

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i An autem de aliqua subjacente materia facta sunt omnia, nusquam adhue legi. Scriptum esse doceat

ty adv. Hermog. c. 22. [vol.

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Vi. Holy Scriptures for Salvation. 199

inspired scriptures are of themselves sufficient for the discovery of the truth.” And St. Augustine™, that “when our Lord Christ had done many things, all of them were not written, as the same holy evangelist testifies, that the Lord Christ had said and done many things that were not written ; but those things were chosen out that they might be written, which * seemed sufficient for the salvation of believers.” And therefore »St. Basil saith, ‘That every word and action ought to be confirmed by the testimony of the divinely inspired scriptures, to the full confirmation of the good, and confusion of the evil.” And that “it is an evident falling from the faith, and an argument of pride, either to take away any thing from those things that are written, or to introduce any thing of those things which are not written.” And OrigenP; “ But if there remaineth any thing which the holy scriptures doth not determine, no other third scripture ought to be received for the confirmation of knowledge.”

And this is the touchstone that St. Cyprian examines tra- ditions by: 4“ From whence,” saith he, “ is that tradition ? Does it descend from divine and evangelical authority? or doth it come from the commands of the apostles, or their epistles? For that those things ought to be done which are written, God himself testifies and propounds, saying to Jesus Nave or Joshua, Let not the book of this law depart from thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate in it night and day, and thow shalt observe all the things that are written in them to do them.

m Cum multa fecisset dominus Jesus non omnia scripta sunt, sicut idem ipse sanctus evangelista testa- tur: multa dominum Christum et dixisse et fecisse que scripta non sunt. Electa sunt autem que scribe- rentur que saluti credentium suffi- cere videbantur. Aug. in Joh. Tract. 49. [1 vol. II. par. ii. |

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P Si quid autem superfuerit quod non divina scriptura decernat, nullam aliam debere tertiam scripturam ad autoritatem scientiz suscipi. Ori- gen. in Ley. hom. 5. [g. vol. II.]

4 Unde est ista traditio? Utrumne de dominica et evangelica autoritate descendens? an de apostolorum man- datis atque epistolis yeniens? Ea enim facienda que scripta sunt Deus testatur et proponit, ad Jesum Nave dicens, Non recedet liber legis hujus ex ore tuo, sed meditaberis in ea die et nocte, ut observes facere oma que seripta sunt. Item Dominus apo- stolos suos mittens, mandat baptizart gentes et doceri ut observent omnia quecunque ille precept. Cypr.

Epist. 74. [init. ]

200 Of the Sufficiency of the Arr.

And the Lord also, sending the apostles, commands that all nations should be baptized and taught, that they should observe whatsoever he commanded.” And St. Cyril of Alexandria *too, saying, “ That which the holy scripture hath not said, how can we receive it and put it into the catalogue of those things that be true?” This was also St. Hierome’s opinion in the eases. ‘“ As we do not deny those things which are written, so we refuse those that are not written. That God was born . of a Virgin, we believe it, because we read it; but that Mary was married after she was delivered we do not believe, because we do not read it.” So careful were these Fathers to receive nothing as an article of faith but what is grounded upon the scriptures. To these we may add Theophilus Alexandrinus, who tells us expressly, t“ It is an instinct of the Devil to follow the sophisms of human minds, and to think any thing divine without the authority of the scriptures.” And Cyril of the same place before mentioned : ”“ All things that are delivered to us by the Law, Prophets, and Apostles, we receive and know and acknowledge, looking for nothing more than these. For it is impossible we should speak, or so much as think any thing of God, besides those things which are divinely told us by the divine oracles both of the Old and New Testament.” And to conclude, Constantine the Great, in his excellent oration to the council of Nice, he minds them how the xevangelical and apostolical books, and the divine oracles of the ancient prophets do clearly teach whatsoever we are to

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S Ut hee que scripta sunt non negamus, ita ea que non sunt scripta renuimus. Natum Deum esse de virgine credimus, quia legimus. Mariam nupsisse post partum non credimus, quia non legimus. Hie- ron. contra Helvid. [19. vol. II.]

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VI. Holy Scriptures for Salvation. 201

believe concerning God, and therefore in the conclusion saith, “¥ Let us take the solution of those things that are questioned out of the divinely inspired oracles or holy scriptures.” Cer- tainly accounting nothing as an article of faith but what may be proved from thence. And thus we, having seripture for our ground, reason for our guide, and the Fathers for our companions in it, we may well acknowledge and subscribe to it, That the holy scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation, &e.

Of the Names and Numbers of Canonical Books.

• Genesis. The first Book of Chronicles. Exodus. The second Book of Chronicles. Leviticus. The first Book of Esdras. Numbers. The second Book of Esdras. Deuteronomy. The Book of Hester.

Joshua. The Book of Job.

Judges. The Psalms.

Ruth. The Proverbs.

The first Book of Samuel. Ecclesiastes, or the Preacher. The second Book of Samuel. Cantica, or Songs of Solomon. The first Book of Kings. Four Prophets the greater. The second Book of Kings. Twelve Prophets the lesser.

And the other books (as Hierome saith) the church doth read for example of life and instruction of manners, but yet doth it not apply them to establish any doctrine: such are these following :

The third Book of Esdras. Baruch the Prophet.

The fourth Book of Esdras. The Song of the Three Children. The Book of Tobias. The Story of Susanna.

The Book of Judeth. Of Bell and the Dragon.

The rest of the Books of Hester. The Prayer of Manasses,

The Book of Wisdom. The first Book of Maccabees. Jesus the Son of Syrach. The second Book of Maccabees.

All the Books of the New Testament, as they are

commonly received, we do receive them, and account them canonical.

After Israel’s return from Babylon, 2 Ezra, with other pro-

Y°Ek tov Oeomvetatov Adyov dd-z That it was Ezra or Esdras that Boner rev Cyrovpévey rv Avow. Ibid. gathered together the books of the

202 Of the Sufficiency of the Ary.

phets and holy men, being met in the great council, (of which in the foregoing part of this article,) after they had gathered together the several books that were written by the inspiration of God, seeing the spirit of prophecy was now to cease, and so no more books after to be added to the canon of the serip- tures; they determined the number of them, dividing them into three general parts, Moses, the Prophets, and the Hagio- grapha or Holy Writings, which division our Saviour himself doth afterwards take notice of, saying to his disciples, That all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses, and in the Prophets, and in the Psalms, Luke xxiv. 44, where the Psalms, being part of the holy writings, are put for them all. These three general parts were afterwards sub- divided into several books. The Law of Moses into five books: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. The Prophets», as we find in the Talmud, were divided into

[…]

8 So Elias Levita, “9m yA Xd 0 YY) DIAM ON IA DAT ODD D°31N3) DRA TIN Opn “a DAN,

i. e. For all the four and twenty books were not bound together, but they (viz. Ezra and the men of the great synagogue) bound them toge- ther, and made of them three parts, the Law, the Prophets, and the Hagiographa. Elias Levita, Preef. ad 1, Masoreth. [p. 0°]. This division is frequently to be met withal also in the Talmud, as 77°N 13°255 3017 M8) DO -payp 2nd) ORI i, e. They brought before us the Law, the Prophets, and the Hagio- grapha, bound up together. Bava Bathra. [c. 1.] f. 13. 2. And in the Targum too, TYIINI PWyYA pry1 2237 FINIII WAND) RNIN PADD, i.e. And he exercised himself in the twenty-four books of the Law, the Prophets, and the: Hagiographa. Cant. V. ro. edit. Ven. [1547. |

b For thus we find in Bava Bathra, O°Nv22 5W yIID 4239 NIN MoV 999) NOW DWP pwr Jwy 2D) TWyw? Sxpsn), 1. e. our Rabbins have taught us that the order of the Prophets is, Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, Jeremiah, Ezechiel, Isaiah, and the twelvelesser Prophets. But D°9An po ny Brand bw PWD TAWR OVW Ww nop Sw AVR DDT ONT NITY TNON 5999 OND, i.e. The orders of the Hagiographa,

VI. Holy Scriptures for Salvation. 203

eight parts: Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, Jeremiah, Ezechiel, Isaiah, and the twelve lesser Prophets, which all made up but one part. The Holy Writings they divided into eleven parts: Ruth, the Book of Psalms, Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Canticles, Lamentations, Daniel, Hester, Ezra, and Chronicles. And so in all they reckoned four and twenty books. But afterwards Ruth being added to Judges and the Lamentations of Jeremiah to the Prophecy of Jeremiah their writer, the number was brought back to two and twentys, the exact number of the Hebrew letters, and thus reckoned : 1. Genesis. 2. Exodus. 3. Leviticus. 4. Numbers. 5. Deu- teronomy. 6. Joshua. ‘7. Judges and Ruth. 8. The first and

second Books of Samuel.

9. The first and second Books of

Kings. 10. The first and second Books of Chronicles. 11. The

first and second Books of Esdras. 14. The Psalms. 17. The Song of Solomon.

13. The Book of Job. 16. Ecclesiastes.

14. Jeremiah and Lamentations. 22. The twelve lesser Prophets.

Ruth, the Book of Psalms, Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, the Song of Songs, Lamentations, Daniel, the Book of Esther, Ezra, Chronicles. Bava Bathra, c. 1. f. 14. [2.]

[…]

12. The Book of Hester. 15. Proverbs. 18. Isaiah.

13. Ezechiel. 21. Daniel.

kal TH émioToAR év Evi ‘lepepia, Ibid. As also from St. Hilary, who giveth us the number and order of the twenty-two books thus: Et ea causa est ut in viginti duos libros lex Tes- tamenti Veteris deputetur, ut cum literarum numero conveniret. Qui ita secundum traditiones veterum deputantur, ut Mosi sint libri quin- que Jesu Nave sextus, Judicum et Ruth septimus, primus et secundus Regnorum in octavum, tertius et

uartus in nonum, Paralipomenon

uo in decimum sint, Sermones dierum Esdre in undecimum, liber Psalmorum in duodecimum, Salo- monis proverbia, Ecclesiastes, Canti- cum canticorum in tertium decimum, quartum decimum et quintum deci- mum, duodecim autem prophetz in sextum decimum, Esaias deinde, et Hieremias cum Lamentatione et Epistola (al. cum Lamentationibus) sed et Daniel, et Ezechicl, et Job, et Hester, viginti et duum librorum numerum consumment. Hilar. in Prol. in Psalm. [15.] Concil. Laod.

204 Of the Sufficiency of the Arr.

Now, besides these here mentioned, there are other writ- ings which pretend to the same authority, and are received by some into the canon of the scriptures as well as they. Such are, 1. The third and fourth Books of Esdras. 2. The Book of Tobias. 9%. The Book of Judith. 4. The rest of the Book of Hester, viz. whatsoever is added to the ten chapters of Hester commonly received both by Jews and Christians, as a continuation of the history therein contained. 5. The Book of Wisdom, ascribed indeed to Solomon by some, but by others to Philo’ the Jew, that lived in the apostles’ times. 6. The Book of Jesus the Son of Syrach, or Ecclesiasticus. 7. Baruch the Prophet. 8. The four additions to the Pro- phecy of Daniel: 1. The Song of the Three Children; 2. The Story of Susanna; 3. Of Bell and the Dragon; 4. ‘The Prayer of Manasseh or Azarias. Lastly, The first and second Books of Maccabees. Now these books, though they do contain many excellent things in them, and therefore may be read for the instruction of people in their duty, and the stirring of them to piety by the examples of persons and histories therein recorded, yet they are not of the same authority with the others before mentioned, and so no certain and sure founda- tion to ground any truth upon. So that whatsoever doctrine hath no more Divine authority to establish it than what it picks out of any of these books, is not looked upon as a scripture or Divine truth. And though we be bound to believe whatsoever the scripture saith, whether we be able to comprehend it by reason or no, yet towards the belief of any thing that is revealed in any of these books we are not bound

4 Tempore Apostolorum surrexit quidam sapientissimus Athenis nu- tritus, et in lingua Greca et Chal- daica peritissimus vocatus Philon, qui multa dicta alia Salomonis reperit, per diversa loca dispersa, et in lingua Greca scripta, prout diversi saplentes audierant a Salomone, et in suis bibliothecis reposuerant : que quidem dicta ipse Philo sub uno volumine omnia redegit et congre- gavit, et redolenti eloquentia Graeca conscripsit, quem librum Sapientiam Salomonis appellavit. Jacob [Parez]

de Valentia in pref. ad Cant. [fol. 389.] Licet Philo disertissimus Ju- dzorum hunc librum Greece scrip- serit ut communiter dicunt doctores et historiographi, tamen ipsum com- pilavit ex sententiis Salomonis. Lyr. in Sap. [vol. III.] c.1. Quia et ipse stylus Greecam eloquentiam redolet, et nonnulli scriptorum veterum hune esse Judei Philonis affrmant. Hie- ron. in lib. Salom. [vol. IX. p. 1293. ] Of this book Rupertus saith, Hee scriptura neque de canone est. Ru- pert. in Gen. 1. 3. c. [31-]

VI. Holy Scriptures for Salvation. 205

to go any further, or rather we are bound to go no further, than reason guides us.

But though these books last mentioned be not of the same authority with the other, yet there be some that be, viz. cer- tain books written since the Son of God’s becoming man ; and they are, I. The history of the Doctrine, Life, Death, Re- surrection, and Ascension of the Son of God made flesh, written by four several persons, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. II. The history of the Acts of the Apostles written by St. Luke. III. Several Epistles written; (1.) by St. Paul 14; viz. these following, 1. To the Romans, one. 2. To the Corinthians, two. 3. To the Galatians, one. 4. To the Ephe- sians, one. 5. To the Philippians, one. 6. To the Colossians, one. 7%. To the Thessalonians, two. 8. To Timothy, two. 9. To Titus, one. 10. To Philemon, one. 11. To the He- brews, one. (2.) By St. James, one. (3.) By St. Peter, two. (4.) By St. John, three. (5.) By St. Jude, one. All which Epistles are called General or Catholic Epistles, because not written to particular churches or persons, as St. Paul’s are, but to the catholic church, or to the professors of Christ- ianity in general. IV. The Revelations of St.John. And all these being written by the same Spirit that the Books of the Old Testament before named were, we account them to have the same authority that they have. And though some would obtrude upon us Hermes his Pastor, and Clemens’s Epistle to the Corinthians, as part of the New Testament, as they do the other before mentioned as part of the Old; yet what we said of them we say of these, that though they have good instructions in them, and so may be read, yet they have not the stamp of Divine authority upon them, and therefore may not be received as parts of the holy scriptures. Neither indeed have these additions to the New so many abettors as the apocryphal additions to the Old have. Neither are they mentioned in these Articles, and therefore I need take no notice of them. But the great and only question here is about the number of the books of the Old Testament, viz. whether the apocryphal, as the first and second Books of Esdras, the Book of Tobias, and the rest, be of the same authority with those two and twenty which Ezra gathered

206 Of the Sufficiency of the Arr.

together as canonical scripture. And it is here determined in the negative, that they are not; that though they may be read for the instruction of the people, yet they cannot be applied for the confirmation of any doctrine ; which appears both from scripture, reason, and Fathers.

First, from the scripture, even from such places wherein the most high God is pleased to acquaint us with what kind of persons he made use of as his amanuenses or seribes to write down his will and pleasure, even such as himself calls prophets. It was by the prophets that God at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past to the Fathers, Heb. i. 1. Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation, for the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, 2 Pet. i. 20, 21; and the apostle Paul tells the Ephesians, they are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Wiphes. ii. 20; all intimating to us (what the Jews themselves acknowledge) that all that wrote in old time were prophets, even endowed with a prophetical spirit, and so their writings prophecies. But now it is certain, and granted on all hands, that ‘Malachi was the last of the prophets, and

[…]

f Moses legislator primus divina responsa nobis perscripta reliquit. Divus vero Malachias post omnes qui prophetiam scripserunt divina oracula scriptis mandavit. Theodor. in Malach. [vol. II.] Indeed the Talmudists themselves acknowledge this, that the spirit of prophecy was not in the second temple as it had been in the first, and by consequence not after Malachi. For speaking of the defect of 7 at the end of t15x, Hag. i. 8. they say it was yonn wWIPd PA VAwW Ona Awan wx PIS FA Yoyo wIpnd pwr Tm) 7D) WR AID ND) {Dn OR) WIP i.e. because there were five things that were in

the first sanctuary or temple want- ing in the second temple, and they were the ark with the mercy-seat and cherubims, the heavenly fire, the divine presence, and the Holy Spirit, and the Urim and Thummim. (‘Talm. Bab. vol. III.] Joma c. 1. [ad fin.]. Where by the Holy Spirit was certainly meant the spirit of prophecy; and therefore Aruch reckons up the five things thus, *D DID IM III NWSI) PIR Yow FRI NT wapm m4 yo WR ow man ns pwn mnwt i.e. the ark with the mercy-seat and cherubims one; the Divine presence the second ; the spirit of holiness, which is the spirit of prophecy, the third; the Urim and Thummim the fourth; the fire from heaven the fifth. Aruch, in ta2. But were not Malachi, Haggai, and Zachariah all prophets in the second temple? To this R. Bechai answers, that the Divine presence and prophecy was indeed there 8>s maa 182 In ja AI Nw

Vi. Holy Scriptures for Salvation. 207

that after his time the spirit of prophecy ceased among the Jews, and so that no book or books that were written after that time were written by a prophetical spirit, nor therefore can be of Divine authority. And it is as certain that these Apoeryphal books were written all after that time. For if they had been written before, and that by the spirit of pro- phecy, certainly Ezra would have received them with the other into the canon of the scriptures, which it is plain, from what hath been shewn, that he did not. And again, who knoweth not that the History of the Maccabees was long after that time, unless the history of them would have been made before themselves: which if it had, it would have been a prophecy, not a history, as really as it is now a history, and not a propheey. And so for the other books, besides that there is‘something almost in every one of them which betrays their novelty in respect of the antiquity of the ancient prophets: for if they had been written when the other pro- phets wrote, they would have been written in the same lan- guage that the other prophets wrote in, especially they would never have written in Greek, (as it is plain they did,) when the Greek language then was, like the people, accounted profane, and the Hebrew language themselves used, of all the lan- guages in the world, was only accounted holy, and therefore only fit to write such holy things in.

And if from scripture we pass to reason, one might think this is reason enough to reject the Divine authority of these books, because not delivered to us in the same language that the other are. As it was the Hebrew language that disco- vered God’s people from all other people, so certainly it is the Hebrew language that may discover God’s scripture from all other scriptures. But again, if these Apocryphal writings be any part of the word of God, they are either part of the Old or New Testament; one of them they must needs be, because

these two Testaments contain

:mwen i.e. but it was not there always as it was in the first house. R. Bechai in Pentat. [fol. w>.] im- plying that though it was there a while so long as those prophets lived, yet after that it ceased. Hence it is that Josephus himself saith, azo

the whole word of God. But

[…]

208 Of the Sufficiency of the Arr.

first, they are no part of the New Testament, for then they would discover something of the birth, or life, or death, or doctrine of Christ the Son of God, which it is plain they do not. Neither, secondly, are they any part of the Old Testa- ment, for then the Jews would have used them before our Saviour’s coming, as well as any Christians have done since : &but I dare challenge any one whatsoever to shew me any one place in either of the Talmuds, in any of the Targums, or indeed in any of the Jewish writers, where they make mention of any of these books. If they had been any part of the Old Testament, why was there not also a masora made upon them as well as upon the other books! How came it to pass that they were left out and others taken into the number of canonical books by Ezra? Was not he a prophet? Did not he write canonical books himself? And how then should not he be able to discern betwixt canonical and apocryphal books? Neither were the Jews only unacquainted with the books so long ago, but to this day ask any of them, and they will tell you there is nothing scripture, nothing the word of God, nothing of Divine authority, but what is ordinarily read in their synagogues, which I am sure these books never yet were.

But because the judgment of the primitive church may be of the greatest weight in this case, I shall endeavour, in the next place, to discover, that our church doth here, as in all other things, tread exactly in the steps of the ancient Fa- thers. And in shewing the judgment of the primitive church, I might first produce the canons of the apostles (so called) themselves, which, though it be no convincing argument in itself, yet it is to the adversaries unto this truth, who do so

& That the Jews received not any

prehenditur, ita viginti duo volumina of these books into the canon of the

supputantur quibus quasi literis et

scripture I have before shewed, in discovering the number of canonical books which they reckoned upon to be but twenty-two, or at most twen- ty-four. There we may see the Tal- mud, Josephus, and some Fathers’ testimonies for it, to which we may add these: Quomodo igitur viginti duo elementa sunt per que scribi- mus Hebraice omne quod loquimur, et eorum initiis vox humana com-

exordiis in Dei literis tenera adhuc et lactens viri justi erudiatur infantia. Hieron. in Prol. [Sam. vol. IX. p. 455:] Hebrei vetus Testamentum Esdra autore juxta numerum litera- rum suarum viginti duobus libris accipiunt, dividentes eos in tres or- dines, Legis videlicet et Prophetarum et lagiouraphorum, Isidor. Orig. 1ENO e

VI. Holy Scriptures for Salvation. 209

confidently affirm the apostles themselves to be the authors of them. For these very canons do number the books of the Old Testament after the same manner that we do, differing in nothing but the three Books of the Maccabees, and leaving out Ezra. But for all the other books which some would now bring in as canonical, they left out as apocryphal. But throwing these into the margent, let us inquire into the primitive church ; and if we here cast our eyes upon Eusebius, in him we shall find Melito writing to Onesimus, who had often desired him to acquaint him with the number and order of the books of the Old Testament, and satisfying his desire after this […] saith he, “into the East, and being in the place where these things were preached and done, and diligently learning the books of the Old Testa- ment, I have here sent them underwritten to you; the names whereof are these: the five books of Moses, Genesis, Exodus,

[…]

ost. [85. p. 56. vol. I. Synodic. everegil.

[…]

pavos rapoiae he adds 9 copia, which some would persuade us de- notes the Book of Wisdom, com- monly called Apocryphal. But Ruffinus gives us another exposition of the words, translating them Salo- monis Proverbia, que et Sapientia, and so making Wisdom here to be but the same with Proverbs, two names of one thing; and truly it seems ; for 1) codia in some copies is read 4 kal godia; and therefore is it that in the margent to mine 7 kat codia is put in as another reading ; and therefore also in Nicephorus are the same words translated Salo- monis Proverbia sive Sapientia, so that he plainly read it Sodopadvos mapousia 7) copia. And truly it was an easy mistake afterwards to write 7 for 7, and thus we find the Proverbs often called the Wisdom of Solo- mon: Ov pdvos dé odros (saith Ruse- bius,) d\Aa Kal Eipnvaios kal mas 6 Tay dpxaiav Yyopos tavaperoy aodiay Tas Zodopavos mapouias exddovp. Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. 4. c. 22. Gr. 21. Lat. Thus doth Gregory Na- zianzen call it 6 pev dé Betos Sodo- pov ev ty madaywyikn codia, rais mapounias eye, in laud. Gorg. so- roris. [vol. I. p. 180. ]

P

Of the Sufficiency of the Art. Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy ; Jesus Nave, Judges, Ruth, four books of the Kings, two of the Chronicles, the Psalms of David, the Proverbs of Solomon or Wisdom, Ecclesiastes, the Song of Songs, Job, the Prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, and the twelve lesser Prophets contained in one book, Daniel, Hze- chiel, Ezra.” Which enumeration of books we exactly in this article follow, only separating Lamentations from Jeremiah, and Esther from Ezra, which he here joins together.

And thus doth Gregory Nazianzen give us also the cata- logue of the canonical books. First, saith he*, “ The historical books are, first, Genesis, then Exodus and Leviticus, then Numbers, then Deuteronomy, then Joshua and Judges, Ruth is the eighth, the ninth and the tenth books are the Acts of the Kings and the Chronicles, and in the last place thou hast Esdras or Ezra. The poetical books are five; whereof the first is Job, then David, then the three books of Solomon, Ecclesiastes, the Canticles and Proverbs. And the books written by a prophetical spirit are also five. The twelve lesser Prophets make one book; Hosea, and Amos, and Micah, the third; then Joel, then Jonas, and Abdiah, and Nahum, and Habakuk, and Sophoniah, and Haggai; and then Zachariah and Malachi, and these are one book. The second is Isaiah, then Jeremiah, then Ezechiel, and Daniel.” And these are the only books he saith that are canonical, all the rest apocryphal.

And Epiphanius neither takes one more in, nor leaves one more out of the canon than we do!. “Thus,” saith he, “are the

[…]

éxxatov ~Eodpay

[…]

VI. Holy Scriptures for Salvation. 211

(canonical) books contained in four Pentateuchs, other two remaining behind. So that the canonical books are thus : five legislative books, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deu- teronomy ; that is, the Pentateuch and the giving of the Law. And five poetical books; the Book of Job, then the Psalter, the Proverbs of Solomon, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Songs. Then another Pentateuch, which is called the Writings, and by some the Holy Writings or Hagiographa; which are thus: the Book of Joshua the son of Nun, of Judges with Ruth, the first of the Chronicles with the second, the first of the Kings with the second, and the third of the Kings with the fourth ; that is the third Pentateuch. Another Penta- teuch is, the twelve lesser Prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Eze- chiel, and Daniel; and that is the prophetical Pentateuch. But there remain two more; one is Ezra, which is also reckoned, and another book called Hester: and so the two and twenty books are completed.” And this is the number of canonical books which Amphilochius also gives us™, as we may see in the margent.

But these you will say were particular persons; but was there ever any council or synod before that of ours which ever determined the number of canonical books as ours did ? Yes, the Laodiczean council itself, assembled in the third cen-

[…]

eQ

212 Of the Sufficiency of the Art.

tury after our Saviour’s time, and afterwards approved by the sixth Constantinopolitan synod, which also was confirmed by pope Adrian; and so the Laodiczan council, confirmed by him too, I say this Laodicxean council, gathered together from the several provinces of Asia, did then decree the number of canonical books in the third century, as our Convocation, collected out of the two provinces of England, determined them in the fifteenth century after our Saviour; taking in never a book that is here left out, nor leaving out any book that is here taken in of the Old Testament, nor indeed of the New, but only the Revelations. For this is the whole cata- logue of books which they acknowledge to be canonical ; saying”, ‘“ But the books which ought to be read of the Old Testament are, 1. Genesis; 2. Exodus; 3. Leviticus; 4. Num- bers; 5. Deuteronomy; 6. Joshua; 7. Judges and Ruth; 8. Esther; 9. The first and second of the Kings (which we eall the first and second of Samuel) ; 10. The third and fourth of Kings, (which we call the first and second of Kings ;) 11. The first and second of Chronicles; 12. The first and second of Ezra; 13. The Book of 150 Psalms; 14. The Proverbs of Solomon; 15. Heclesiastes; 16. The Song of Songs; 17. Job; 18. The twelve lesser Prophets ; 19. Isaiah ; 20. Jeremiah and the Lamentations ; 21. Ezechiel ; 22. Daniel.

[…]

mpos ‘EBpatovs pia, mpds Tyddcov dv0, mpos Tiroy pia, mpos Bidypova pia. Concil. Laodic. Canon. 60. [Synodic. Beveregii, vol. I. p. 481.] Where for ‘Tepenias kai Bapovy, Op7- vot kat “EmucroAal, Mercator hath only Jeremias, they all signifying but one and the same thing, and therefore do they all make up but one, viz. the twentieth book, re- ceived by this ancient synod into the canon of the scriptures; and therefore is it also that I have trans- lated them likewise but by two words, Jeremiah and Lamentations, adding Lamentations distinctly, be- cause so used by us, though fre- quently accounted but part of Jere- miah by the Fathers.

• = —.”

ve. Holy Scriptures for Salvation. 213

But the Books of the New Testament are these : four Gospels ; according to St. Matthew, according to St. Mark, according to St. Luke, and according to St.John: the Acts of the Apostles: the seven General Epistles; of St. James one, of St. Peter two, of St. John three, of St. Jude one. The Epistles of St. Paul the Apostle fourteen: to the Romans one, to the Corinthians two, to the Galatians one, to the Ephe- sians one, to the Philippians one, to the Colossians one, to the Thessalonians two, to Timothy two, to Titus one, to Philemon one, to the Hebrews one.”

Thus we see how careful the Fathers are to bring the canonical books into the scriptures; and truly they are as careful to keep the apocryphal out. They acknowledge them indeed lawful to be read, as we do, but not of the same authority with the former. So Athanasius®°: “ But besides these, there are other books of the Old Testament not received into the canon of the scriptures, but only read to the catechumens, or such as are to be instructed in the Christian religion; as, the Wisdom of Solomon,” and the rest, which he names in order. And EpiphaniusP saith: “They are useful and profitable indeed, but are not brought into the number of canonical books.” And St. Hierome? saith: “ As therefore the church reads indeed Judith and Tobit and the books of the Maccabees, but doth not receive them amongst canonical scriptures; so these two books (viz, the Book of Wisdom and Jesus the son of Syrach) the church may read for the edification and instruction of the people, but not to confirm the authority of ecclesiastical doctrines.” Which I suppose is the place intended in this Article, where St. Hie- rome is quoted. So Lyrat: ‘“ But whatsoever is without

[…]

4 Sicut ergo Judith et Tobie et

Machabeorum libros legit quidem ecclesia, sed eos inter canonicas scripturas non recipit: sic et heec duo volumina legat ad eedificationem plebis, non ad autoritatem eccle- siasticorum dogmatum confirman- dam. Hieron. Proleg. in libros Salomonis. [vol. IX. p. 1296. ]

© Quicquid autem extra hos est (de veteri Testamento loquor) ut dicit Hieronymus inter Apocrypha est ponendum, Isti sunt libri qui

Q14 Of the Sufficiency of the Art.

these, (I speak of the Old Testament,) as St. Hierome saith, is to be put among the Apocrypha; these are the books that are not in the canon, which notwithstanding the church admits as good and useful books, but not as canonical : amongst which are some of greater authority, others of less : for Tobias, Judith, and the books of the Maccabees, the Book of Wisdom and Ecclesiasticus, are much approved of by all.” And presently, s‘‘ But Baruch, and the third and fourth book of Esdras, are of less authority.” I shall conclude this with that excellent passage in Ruffinus, who, having num- bered the canonical books both of the Old and New Testa- ment every way as they are here determined, neither taking in one book that is here in this article left out, nor leaving out one book that is here taken in, he adds, t“* These are they which the Fathers concluded within the canon, out of which they would have the assertions of our faith to consist. But we must know that there are other books which are not called canonical but ecclesiastical by the ancients, as the Wisdom of Solomon, and another Wisdom which is called the Wisdom of the son of Syrach, which book amongst the Latins is called by the general name Eeclesiasticus, by which word not the author of the book but the quality of the writing is surnamed. Of the same order is the Book of Tobit, and Judith, and the books of the Maccabees. But in the New Testament a little book called the Pastor or Hermas, which is named The.Two Ways, or the Judgment according

non sunt in canone, quos tamen ec-

clesia ut bonos et utiles libros ad- mittit, non ut canonicos : inter quos sunt aliqui majoris autoritatis, alii minoris. Nam Tobias, et Judith, et Machabzorum libri, Sapientia quoque atque Ecclesiastes valde ab omnibus probantur. Lyran. proleg. primo post enum. can. [vol. I.]

t Heec sunt que Patres intra ca- nonem concluserunt, ex quibus fidei nostrz assertiones constare volu- erunt. Sciendum tamen est quod et alii libri sunt qui non canonici sed ecclesiastici a majoribus appel-

lantur. Ut est Sapientia Salomonis, et alia Sapientia que dicitur filii Sy- rach, qui liber apud Latinos hoc ipso generali vocabulo Ecclesiasticus appellatur: quo vocabulo non autor libelli sed scripturee qualitas cogno- minata est. Ejusdem ordinis est libellus Tobi, et Judith, et Macha- beeorum libri. In novo vero Testa- mento libellus qui dicitur Pastoris sive Hermatis, qui appellatur Duz vie, vel Judicium secundum Pe- trum: que omnia legi quidem in ecclesiis voluerunt, non tamen pro- ferri ad autoritatem ex his fidei confirmandam. Ruffin. Expos.[symb. ad cale. Cypriani, p. 26. |

VI. Holy Scriptures for Salvation. 215

to Peter. All which they would have read indeed in the churches, but not produced to confirm the authority of our faith out of them.” And thus we see how clear and express the Fathers are, not only in determining the same number of canonical books that is in this article determined,. but also in passing their judgment upon the apocryphal books as this article doth; even that though the church reads them for example of life, and instruction of manners, yet it doth not apply them to establish any doctrine.

Notes

• Minoris autem autoritatis sunt Baruch et tertius et quartus Esdre. Ibid.