(4.) The ministration of the Spirit and of the New Testament is opposed to that of Moses, which acted the part of a school-master, yet "made nothing perfect," (Heb. vii, 19,) and to "the letter" of death and of the Old Testament. This ministration of the Spirit does not serve for Preparation, but contains Perfection; and this is the ministration which the apostles executed, and from which they are called ministers of the New Testament and of the Spirit, (2 Cor. iii, 6, 7,) and are said to present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. (Coloss. i, 28.)-(5.) That word which is called "the incorruptible seed, of which we are born again, and which endureth for ever," (1 Pet. i, 23-25,) is not merely preparatory: And such is the word which through the Gospel the apostles have declared.

XVII. Let the following arguments establish the SECOND member:-(1.) The whole counsel of God, which is to be "declared unto men,” (Luke vii, 30,) contains all things necessary to salvation: But Paul declared to the Ephesians "all the counsel of God:" (Acts xx, 27:) Therefore all things necessary to salvation were declared, &c.-(2.) The Corinthians are saved by the Gospel which Paul preached, provided they retain it as they received it: (1 Cor. xv, 1, 2:) Therefore all things necessary to salvation were preached to the Corinthians.-(3.) "Salvation at the first began to be spoken by Christ;" and, after having been perfectly preached by him, it "was confirmed unto us by the apostles that heard him." (Heb. ii, 3.) Therefore the doctrine of the apostles perfectly contained all things which the necessary confirmation of the church demanded.

XVIII. And lest any one should utter this cavil, "The Apos"tles, we allow, taught all the things which were necessary at "that time, but not all those which are sufficient for the edifica"tion of the body of Christ to the end of the world," let the following arguments likewise be added:-(4.) Whoever he be that "preaches any other Gospel" than that which the apostles preached, and which the apostolic churches received, "he is accursed." (Gal. i, 7-9.) Therefore it is not lawful to add any thing to the Gospel preached by the apostles, to the end of the world: Indeed, he who makes an addition, "has perverted the Gospel of Christ."-(5.) In Christ Jesus, or "in the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ, are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." (Coloss. ii, 2, 3.) But Jesus Christ and this mystery were completely preached by the apostles. (i, 25—28.) "Jesus Christ has been made unto us of of God wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption;"

(1 Cor. i, 30, 31 ;) from which the apostle concludes, that true glorying consists in the knowledge of Christ alone. (Jer. ix, 24.) Therefore the doctrine taught by the apostles contains whatever will, at any time to the end of the world, be necessary, useful and glorious to the church.-(6.) The Church Universal is "built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets;" (Ephes. ii, 20, 21;) and the apostles are called "the foundations of the celestial Jerusalem," (Rev. xxi, 14,)" which is the mother of us all." (Gal. iv, 26.) Therefore the apostles have déclared all things which will be necessary for the whole church to the final consummation.-(7.) "There is one body of Christ, the fulness of Him that filleth all in all; one Spirit, one hope of our calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one bread, one God and Father of all, and Jesus Christ the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever.” (Ephes. iv, 4—6; i, 23; 1 Cor. x, 17; Heb. xiii, 8.) But the apostles perfectly preached this God, this Lord, this Spirit, this faith, hope, baptism and bread, and by their doctrine animate and vivify this whole body to the end of the world. (Col. i, 24, 25.) Therefore the Church ought "not to be carried about with divers and strange doctrines." (Heb. xiii, 9.)

XIX. 3. The Last Proposition remains to be discussed. It commends to us the perfection of the prophetical and apostolical Scriptures; and for establishing it we produce the following arguments:-(1.) This Perfection is taught in the express testimonies of Scripture, which prohibit any addition to be made to those things which the Lord has commanded; and the same Scriptures teach, in a manner the most convincing, that these testimonies must be understood concerning the written word. (Deut. iv, 2; xii, 28; xxx, 10-14; xxviii, 58; Josh. i, 7, 8.) The apostle therefore requires, that " no one be wise above what is written;" (1 Cor. iv, 6;) and he who tells the Ephesians, " I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God," confesses, that "he said none other things than those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come." (Acts xxvi, 22.)

XX. (2.) This Perfection is also established by the very object and matter of the saving doctrine. This is done by various methods: (i.) The entire matter of the saving doctrine consists of "the truth which is after godliness: (Tit. i, 1:) But the Scripture perfectly delivers this truth, for it is concerning God and Christ, and the manner in which He is to be known, acknowledged, and worshipped. (1 Chron. xxviii, 9; John xvii, 3; v. 23.)—(ii.) The Scripture perfectly delivers the doctrine of Faith, Hope, and Charity: But in those acts is contained what

soever God requires of us. (1 John v, 13; 2 Tim. iii, 16; Rom. xv, 4; 1 Thess. i, 3; Titus ii, 12, 13.)—(iii.) They are called "the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament," because in them both these parts are completely comprehended. But nothing can be added to a Testament: Nay, the Testament of a prudent testator fully contains his last Will, according to which he wishes the distribution of his property to be made, and his heirs to regulate their conduct. (2 Cor. iii, 6; Gal. iii, 15; Jer. xxxi, 31-34; xxxii, 38-40; Gal. iv, 1, 2.) But the whole of the saving doctrine consists of a description of the beneficence of God towards us, and of our duty towards God.-(iv.) The division of all this saving doctrine into the LAW and the GOSPEL, as into parts which draw forth the amplitude of the whole, proves the same thing, since both of them are perfectly contained in the Scriptures. (Luke xvi, 16; Josh. i, 8; Luke i, 1-4; Rom. i, 2-6; Acts xxvi, 22, 23.)

XXI. (3.) The same Perfection is proved from the end and efficacy of the whole of the saving doctrine: If the Scriptures propose this entire end and perfectly accomplish it, there is no reason why we should call a doctrine, in what manner soever it may be proposed, more perfect than the Scriptures: But they entirely intend this end and efficaciously produce it. (Rom. x, 4—10.) "This is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another." (1 John iii, 23.) "These things are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, &c. (John xx, 31.)" These things have I written unto you, that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God." (1 John v, 9-13.) "On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." (Matt. xxii, 37-40.) "Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life." (John v, 39.) The Scriptures prevent any one from going down into the place of the damned; (Luke v, 27—30;) and they prevent this sad consequence without the addition of any other doctrine whatsoever. For they render a man "wise unto salvation through faith, and perfectly furnished unto all good works." (2 Tim. iii, 15—17.)

XXII. (4.) This is also confirmed by the mode of speaking usually employed by holy men of God, and by the Scriptures themselves; according to which they indiscriminately use the term " Prophets" for the writings of the prophets," the word of prophecy" for the prophetic Scriptures, and, on the contrary, "the Scriptures" for the prophets and for God himself; by which is signified that the word of God and of the prophets is completely

one with the Scriptures; and that this word in its amplitude does not exceed the Scriptures with regard to those things which are necessary. Thus it is said, "King Agrippa, believest thou the Scriptures?" (Acts xxvi, 27.) "They have Moses and the prophets," that is, the writings of Moses and of the prophets. (Luke xvi, 29.) "We have a more sure word of prophecy," that is, the word which is comprehended in the writings of the prophets For it is soon afterwards called " prophecy of Scripture." (2 Pet. i, 19, 20.) 66 Beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He interpreted to them in all the Scriptures what they say concerning Himself." (Luke xxiv, 27.) And, on the contrary, "The Scripture saith unto Pharaoh," (Rom. ix, 17,) that is, God said it by Moses. (Exod. ix, 16.) "The Scripture hath concluded all under sin." (Gal. iii, 22.) "For God hath concluded them all in unbelief." (Rom. xi, 32.) "The Scripture, foreseeing that God, &c., preached before the Gospel unto Abraham." (Gal. iii, 8; Gen. xii, 2, 3.)

XXIII. (5.) In the last place we add the following:-No subject can be mentioned, by the sole knowledge or the [cultu] worship of which the Church ought to bedeck herself with increased honour and dignity, and which subject is not comprehended in the Holy Scriptures. Neither can any attribute be produced agreeing with any subject of this kind, which it is necessary for the church to know about that subject, or for her to perform to it, and which the Scriptures do not attribute to that subject: (John v. 39; Rom. i, 3; Luke xxiv, 27:) Whence it follows, that the Scripture contains all things necessary to be known for the salvation of the Church, and for the glory of God. The Papists indeed speak and write many things about Mary, the rest of the saints, and about the Roman Pontiff; but we affirm, that these are not objects either of any knowledge or worship which the church ought to bestow on them. And those things which the Papists attribute to them, are such as, according to the sure judgment of the Scriptures, cannot be attributed to them without sacrilege and a perversion of the Gospel of Christ.

XXIV. We conclude, then, that all things which have been, are now, or to the final consummation will be necessary for the salvation of the church, have been of old perfectly inspired, declared and written; and that no other revelation or tradition, than those which have been inspired, declared and contained in the Scriptures, is necessary to the salvation of the church. (2 Tim. iii, 16; Matt. iv, 3, 4; xxii, 29; Acts xviii, 28.) Indeed, we assert, that whatsoever relates to the doctrine of truth is so perfectly comprehended in the Scriptures, that all those things which

are brought either directly or indirectly against this truth are capable of being refuted, in a manner the clearest and most satisfactory, from the Scriptures themselves alone. This asseveration we make with such solemnity and yet assurance of mind, that as soon as any thing has been proved not to be contained in the Scriptures, from this very circumstance we infer that thing not to be necessary to salvation; and whenever it is evident, that any sentiment cannot be refuted by the Scriptures, we judge from this that it is not heretical. When therefore the Papists sedulously attempt to destroy the whole perfection of Scripture by [exempla] specimens of articles which they call necessary but which are not proved from Scripture, and by those which they consider heretical but which are not confuted from Scripture; the sole result of their endeavours is, that we cannot conclude with any certainty the former to be necessary and the latter heretical.

XXV. In the mean time we do not deny, that the apostles delivered to the churches some things which related to the external discipline, order and rites to be observed in them, and which have not been written, or at least are not comprehended in those of their books which we call " Canonical." (1 Cor. xi, 34.) But those things do not concern the substance of saving doctrine; and are neither necessary to salvation, perpetual, immutable, nor universal, but accommodated to the church as it now exists, and to its present circumstances.

XXVI. We likewise confess, that individual churches, or great numbers, or even all of them, if they can agree together in unity, may frame certain ritual Canons relative to their mutual order and decorum, (1 Cor. xiv, 40,) and to the discharge of those functions which minister to edification; provided those rites be neither contrary to the written word, superstitious, nor difficult of observance in consequence of being numerous and burdensome : (Coloss. ii, 8; Acts xv, 10, 28:) This proviso is needful to prevent those rites from being considered as a part of Divine worship, or from becoming prejudicial to the liberty of the church, whose equitable "power" in abrogating, changing, or amplifying them, is always subservient to "edification and not to destruction." (1 Cor. xiv, 5, 26; 2 Cor. xiii, 10.) In this sense we admit the distinction of Traditions into Written and Unwritten, Apostolical and Ecclesiastical; and we call those men "violators of order," (2 Thess. iii, 6; 1 Cor. xiv, 32, 33,) who oppose ecclesiastical canons that are constituted in this manner, or exclaim against them by their own private authority.