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doctrines of Scripture are revealed truths, unless we are certain that the books of Scripture are revelation. If the books which compose the Canon are not matter of revelation, then we have no revelation. If the truth of the Canon be not established to us as matter of revelation, then the books of which it is composed are not so established; and if the books be not so, then not one sentence of them, nor one doctrine or precept which they contain, comes established to us as a revelation from God. If, then, the question of the Canon be a point of erudition, not of Divine revelation, so is every doctrine which the Scriptures contain; for the doctrine cannot be assured revelation, if the book that contains it be not assured revelation. There can be no higher evidence of the doctrine being revelation, than of the book that contains it; and thus were not the Canon a matter of Divine revelation, the whole Bible would be stripped of Divine authority. Any thing, therefore, that goes to unsettle the Canon, goes to unsettle every doctrine contained in the Canon.

"Without a particular revelation to every individual, it does not appear that the authority of the Canon could be ascertained to us in any other way than it is at present. The whole of the Scriptures was given at first by revelation, and afterwards this revelation was confirmed by ordinary means. The testimony concerning it has been handed down to the churches from one generation to another. On this, and on their own internal characteristics of being Divine, we receive the Scriptures with the most unsuspecting confidence, and on the same ground the Jews received the Scriptures of the Old Testament. In these ways, it is fixed by Divine authority, and not left in any uncertainty; for, if its truth can be ascertained by ordinary means, it is fixed by the authority of God, as much as if an angel from heaven were every day to proclaim it over the earth. When Paul says, that his hand-writing of the salutation was the token in every Epistle, he at once shows us the importance of the Canon, and warrants us in receiving it as a Divine revelation attested by ordinary means. Those to whom he wrote had no other way of knowing the handwriting of the Apostle, than that by which they knew any other handwriting. Even at that time the churches knew the genuineness of the Epistles sent to them by ordinary means; and Paul's authority warrants this as sufficient. We have, then, the authority of revelation for resting the Canon on the ordinary sources of human evidence, and they are such as to preclude the possibility of deception. The claim of the Epistles sent to the first churches, and of the doctrine they contain as Divine, rested even to those churches on the same kind of evidence on which we now receive them. It is very important to settle what kind of evidence is sufficient for our receiving the Scriptures. Many have rated this too high; and as the Scriptures contain a revelation, they wished to have them attested to every age by revelation, which is, in fact, requiring the continuance of miraculous interference, which it might easily be shewn would be pernicious."-Pp. 147–150.

"If it should be asked, Should we be precluded from inquiring into the grounds on which the Canon is received? it is replied, Certainly not. But we should remember that the permanent ground on which it stands is testimony; and such must be the ground of every historical fact. Internal evidence may confirm the authenticity of a book sanctioned by the Canon, but to suspend belief till we receive such confirmation, argues an ignorance of the principles of evidence. A book might be inspired, when no such internal confirmation, from the nature of the subject, might be found. And when a book is substantially approved, by testimony, as belonging

to the Canon, no evidence can, by a Christian, be legitimately supposed possible, in opposition to its inspiration. This would be to suppose valid objections to first principles. Sufficient testimony deserves the same rank as a first principle, with axioms themselves. Axioms are not more necessary than testimony, to all the business of human life. Internal evidence may be sufficient to prove that a book is not Divine; but it is absurd to suppose that such a book can have valid testimony; and therefore it can never be supposed by a Christian, that any of those books that are received as part of the Sacred Canon, on the authority of sufficient testimony, can contain any internal marks of imposture. This would be to suppose the possibility of the clashing of two first principles. The thing that can be proved by a legitimate first principle, can never be disproved by another legitimate first principle. This would be to suppose that God is not the author of the human constitution. If, then, in a book recognised by the Canon, as the Song of Solomon, we find matter which to our wisdom does not appear to be worthy of inspiration, we may be assured that we mistake. For if that book is authenticated by testimony as a part of the Sacred Scriptures, which the Lord Jesus Christ sanctioned, it is authenticated by a first principle, to which God has bound us, by the constitution of our nature, to submit. If, in this instance, or in any particular instance, we reject it, our own conduct in other things will be our condemnation. There is no first principle in the constitution of man that can entitle him to reject any thing in the Song of Solomon, coming, as it does, under the sanction of a first principle. Those persons who reject any book of the Canon on such grounds, would show themselves much more rational, as well as more humble Christians, if, recognising the paramount authority of a first principle universally acknowledged, they would view the Song of Solomon and the book of Esther, as any other part of the Word of God, and humbly endeavour to gain from them the instruction and edification which, as Divine books, they must be calculated to give. This questioning of the Canon, then, proceeds on infidel and irrational principles, which, if carried to their legitimate length, must end in complete unbelief."-Pp. 153-4. "It is a wonderful circumstance in the providence of God, that while the two parts of Scripture were delivered to two classes, with the fullest attestation of their Divine original, both the one and the other have been faithful in preserving the precious trust respectively committed to them, while they have both been rebellious in regard to that part of which they were not originally appointed the depositaries. The Jews always held the books of the Old Testament in the highest veneration, and continued to preserve them, without addition or diminution, until the coming of Him concerning whom they testify, and they have kept them entire to this day; yet they have altogether rejected the New Testament Scriptures. And while Christians have all agreed in preserving the Scriptures of the New Testament entire and uncorrupted, they have wickedly adulterated those of the Old by a spurious addition, or have retrenched certain portions of them. Of the Divine original of the Sacred Scriptures, as we now possess them, we have evidence the most abundant and diversified. It is the distinguishing characteristic of the Gospel, that it is preached to the poor, and God has so ordered it, that the authenticity of that Word by which all are to be judged, should not be presented to them as a matter of doubtful disputation.

"Were there no other evidence of the truth of divine revelation than the existence of the Holy Scriptures, that alone would be conclusive. The Bible is not a book compiled by a single author, nor by many authors act

ing in confederacy in the same age, in which case it would not be so wonderful to find a just and close connexion in its several parts. It is the work of between thirty and forty writers, in very different conditions of life, from the throne and sceptre down to the lowest degree, and in very distant ages, during which the world must have put on an entirely new appearance, and men must have had different interests to pursue. This would have led a spirit of imposture to vary its schemes, and to adapt them to different stations in the world, and to different fashions and changes in every age. David wrote about 400 years after Moses, and Isaiah about 250 after David, and John about 800 years after Isaiah. Yet these authors, with all the other Prophets and Apostles, wrote in perfect harmony-confirming the authority of their predecessors, labouring to enforce their instructions, and denouncing the severest judgments on all who continued disobedient. Such entire agreement in propounding religious truths and principles, different from any before or since promulgated, except by those who have learned from them, establishes the divine mission of the writers of the Bible beyond dispute, proving that they all derived their wisdom from God, and spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. In all the works of God there is an analogy characteristic of his Divine hand; and the variety and harmony that shine so conspicuously in the heavens and the earth, are not farther removed from the suspicion of imposture than the unity that, in the midst of boundless variety, reigns in that book which reveals the plan of redemption. To forge the Bible is as impossible as to forge a world.”—Pp. 156–7.

APPENDIX.

NOTE A.

PRIMUM DECRETUM QUARTÆ SESSIONIS, QUINTO APRILIS CELEBRATÆ,
CONCILII TRIDENTINI, A.D. 1546.

SACROSANCTA œcumenica et generalis Tridentina Synodus, in Spiritu Sancto legitimo congregata, presidentibus, in ea tribus Apostolicæ sedís legatis, hoc sibi ante omnia perpetuo proponens, ut sublatis omnibus erroribus, puritas ipsa Evangelii in Ecclesia conservetur, quod promissum ante per Prophetas in Scripturis Sanctis, Dominus noster Jesus Christus Dei Filius proprio ore primum promulgavit, deinde per suos Apostolos, tanquam fontem omnis salutaris veritatis et morum disciplinæ omni creaturæ prædicari jussit, perspiciensque hanc veritatem et disciplinam contineri in libris scriptis, et sine scripto traditionibus, quæ ex ipsius Christi ore, ab Apostolis acceptæ, aut ab ipsis Apostolis Spiritu Sancto dictante, quasi per manus traditæ ad nos usque pervenerunt, orthoxorum Patrum exempla secuta, omnes libros, tam Veteris, quam Novi Testamenti (cum utriusque unus Deus sit autor) nec non traditiones illas, tum, ad fidem tum ad mores pertinentes, tanquam vel ore tenus a Christo, vel a Spiritu Sancto dictatas, et continua successione in ecclesia catholica conservatas, pari pietatis affectu, ac reverentia suscipit ac veneratur. Sacrorum vero librorum indicem, huic decreto asscribendum censuit: ne cui dubitatio suboriri possit, quinam sint, qui ab ipsa Synodo suscipiantur, Sunt vero infra scripti Testamenti Veteris, Quinque libri Moysi, scilicet Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numeri, Deuteronomium; deinde, Josue, Judicum, Ruth, Quatuor Regum, Paralipomenon duo, Esdræ duo, primus, scilicet et secundus, qui dicitur Nehemias, Thobias, Judith, Ester, Job, Psalterium Davidicum, centum quinquaginta Psalmorum, Parabolæ Salomonis, Ecclesiastes, Canticum Canticorum, Sapientia, Ecclesiasticus, Isaias, Hieremias, Baruch, Ezechiel, Daniel, duodecim Prophetæ minores, scilicet Osee, Joel, Amos, Abdias, Jonas, Micheas, Nahum, Habacuc, Sophonias, Aggeus, Zacharias, Malachias; Duo Machabæorum, primus scilicet et secundus. Testamenti Novi, Quatuor Evangelia, secundum Matthæum, Marcum, Lucam, et Joannem ; Acta Apostolorum a Luca Evangelista conscripta, quatuordecim Epistolæ beati Pauli Apostoli, scilicet ad Romanos, ad Corinthios duæ, ad Galatas, ad Ephesios, ad Philippenses, ad Colossenses, ad Thessalonisenses duæ, ad Timothæum duæ, ad Titum, ad Philemonem, ad Hebræos; Petri Apostoli duæ, Joannis Apostoli tres, Jacobi una, una Judæ Apostoli, Apocalypsis Joannis Apostoli.

Siquis autem libros ipsos integros, cum omnibus suis partibus prout in Ecclesia catholica legi consueverunt, et in veteri vuigata Latina editione habentur, pro sacris et canonicis non susceperit, et traditiones prædictas sciens et prudens centempserit, anathema sit. Omnes ítaque intelligant, quo ordinæ et via ipsa Synodus post jactum fidei confessionis fundamentum sit progressura, et quibus potissimum testimoniis ac præsidiis, in confirmandis dogmatibus et instaurandis in Ecclesia moribus sit usura.

Which may be thus translated:-"The holy, oecumenical, and general council of Trent, legitimately convened in the Holy Spirit, under the presidency of three legates of the apostolic see, constantly proposing this before all things, that all errors being taken away, the Gospel in its purity may be preserved in the Church, which was promised before by the Prophets in the Holy Scriptures, but which was promulgated by our Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God, with his own mouth: moreover, he commanded it to be preached to every creature by his Apostles, as the fountain of all saving truth and moral discipline; which truth and discipline he provided should be contained in the books of Scripture, and in unwritten traditions, received from the mouth of Christ by the Apostles, or from the Apostles speaking by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and handed down to us; therefore this Synod, following the example of the orthodox Fathers, receives and venerates with equal pious affection and reverence all the books both of the Old and New Testament (for one God is the

author of both); likewise, those traditions relating to faith and manners, which were received from the mouth of Christ himself, or from his inspired Apostles, and which have been preserved in an uninterrupted succession in the Catholic Church. Moreover, the Synod judges it proper to give a catalogue of the Sacred Books, lest any doubt should arise in the minds of any respecting the books received by them, the names of which are here inserted in this decree; viz. The Five Books of Moses-Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy; next, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, Four Books of Kings, Two of Chronicles, Two of Ezra, viz. the First and Second, which is called Nehemiah, Tobit, Judith, Esther, Job, 150 Psalms of David, Proverbs of Solomon, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Wisdom, Ecclesiasticus, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Baruch, Ezekiel, Daniel, Twelve Minor Prophets, viz. Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi; Two of Maccabees, First and Second. Of the New Testament, The Four Gospels, viz. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John; the Acts of the Apostles, written by Luke the Evangelist; Fourteen Epistles of the blessed Apostle Paul, viz. To the Romans; To the Corinthians, two; To the Galatians; To the Ephesians; To the Philippians; To the Colossians; To the Thessalonians, two; To Timothy, two; To Titus; To Philemon; To the Hebrews; of the Apostle Peter, two; of the Apostle John, three; of James, one; of the Apostle Jude, one; the Apocalypse of John the Apostle.

"But if any one shall not receive, as Canonical and Sacred, all these books, with all their parts, as they are used to be read in the Catholic Church, or shall knowingly and intentionally contemn any of the aforesaid traditions, let him be anathema.

"Hence, all may understand, in what order and way the Synod, after laying the foundation of the Confession of their Faith, will proceed; and what testimonies and proofs they will especially use in cofirming doctrines, and in the reformation of manners in the church."

NOTE B.

PASSAGE FROM TERTULLIAN.

The original of this passage is as follows:-" Age jam, qui, voles curiositatem melius exercere in negotio salutis tuæ percurre Ecclesias apostolicas, apud quas ipsæ adhuc cathedræ præsident: apud quas ipsæ authenticæ literæ eorum recitantur, sonantes vocem, et representantes faciem uniuscujuscunque. Proxima est tibi Achaia, habes Corinthum. Si nou longe es a Macedonia, habes Philippos, habes Thessalonicenses. Si potes Asiam tendere, habes Ephesum. Si autem Italiæ adjaces, habes Romam, unde nobis quoque auctoritatas præsto est."-De Præscrip. cap. 36.

NOTE C.

GOSPEL OF THE NAZARENES.

There is no Apocryphal book of the New Testament which has been so much spoken of, both by the ancients and moderns, as The Gospel of the Nazarenes. By some, not only of the Romanists, but also of the Protestants,

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