Chapter 1: Of the Holy Scriptures
1. The Holy Scripture is the only sufficient, certain,
and infallible rule of all saving knowledge, faith, and obedience,
although the light of nature, and the works of creation and
providence do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom, and power
of God, as to leave men inexcusable; yet are they not sufficient
to give that knowledge of God and his will which is necessary unto
salvation. Therefore it pleased the Lord at sundry times and in
divers manners to reveal himself, and to declare that his will
unto his church; and afterward for the better preserving and
propagating of the truth, and for the more sure establishment
and comfort of the church against the corruption of the flesh, and
the malice of Satan, and of the world, to commit the same wholly
unto writing; which maketh the Holy Scriptures to be most necessary,
those former ways of God's revealing his will unto his people
being now ceased.
(
2 Timothy 3:15-17;
Isaiah 8:20;
Luke 16:29, 31;
Ephesians 2:20;
Romans 1:19-21;
Romans 2:14,15;
Psalms 19:1-3;
Hebrews 1:1;
Proverbs 22:19-21;
Romans 15:4;
2 Peter 1:19,20
)
2.Under the name of Holy Scripture, or the Word of God written, are now
contained all the books of the Old and New Testaments, which are these:
OF THE OLD TESTAMENT: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers,
Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, I Samuel, II Samuel, I Kings,
II Kings, I Chronicles, II Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms,
Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, The Song of Solomen, Isaiah, Jeremiah,
Lamentations,Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah,
Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
OF THE NEW TESTAMENT: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, The Acts of the
Apostles, Paul's Epistle to the Romans, I Corinthians, II Corinthians,
Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, I Thessalonians,
II Thessalonians, I Timothy, II Timothy, To Titus, To Philemon,
The Epistle to the Hebrews, Epistle of James, The first and second
Epistles of Peter, The first, second, and third Epistles of John,
The Epistle of Jude, The Revelation
All of which are given by the inspiration of God, to be the rule
of faith and life.
(
2 Timothy 3:16)
3. The books commonly called Apocrypha, not being of divine
inspiration, are no part of the canon or rule of the Scripture, and,
therefore, are of no authority to the church of God, nor to be any
otherwise approved or made use of than other human writings.
(
Luke 24:27, 44;
Romans 3:2 )
4. The authority of the Holy Scripture, for which it ought
to be believed, dependeth not upon the testimony of any man or church,
but wholly upon God (who is truth itself), the author thereof; therefore
it is to be received because it is the Word of God.
(
2 Peter 1:19-21;
2 Timothy 3:16;
2 Thessalonians 2:13;
1 John 5:9
)
5.We may be moved and induced by the testimony of the church
of God to an high and reverent esteem of the Holy Scriptures;
and the heavenliness of the matter, the efficacy of the doctrine,
and 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, and many other
incomparable excellencies, and entire perfections 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.
(
John 16:13,14;
1 Corinthians 2:10-12;
1 John 2:20, 27)
6.The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary
for his own glory, man's salvation, faith and life, is either expressly
set down or necessarily contained in the Holy Scripture: unto which
nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelation of the Spirit,
or traditions of men. 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.
(
2 Timothy 3:15-17;
Galatians 1:8,9;
John 6:45;
1 Corinthians 2:9-12;
1 Corinthians 11:13, 14;
1 Corinthians 14:26,40)
7.All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves,
nor alike clear unto all; yet those things which are necessary to be
known, believed and observed for salvation, are so clearly propounded
and opened in some place of Scripture or other, that not only the
learned, but the unlearned, in a due use of ordinary means, may
attain to a sufficient understanding of them.
(
2 Peter 3:16;
Psalms 19:7;
Psalms 119:130)
8.The Old Testament in Hebrew (which was the native language of the
people of God of old), and the New Testament in Greek (which at the time
of the writing of it was most generally known to the nations), being
immediately inspired by God, and by his singular care and providence kept
pure in all ages, are therefore authentic; so as in all controversies of
religion, the church is finally to appeal to them. But because these
original tongues are not known to all the people of God, who have a right
unto, and interest in the Scriptures, and are commanded in the fear of
God to read and search them, therefore they are to be translated into
the vulgar language of every nation unto which they come, that the Word
of God dwelling plentifully in all, they may worship him in an acceptable
manner, and through patience and comfort of the Scriptures may have hope.
(
Romans 3:2;
Isaiah 8:20;
Acts 15:15;
John 5:39;
1 Corinthians 14:6, 9, 11, 12, 24, 28;
Colossians 3:16
)
9.The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture
itself; and therefore when there is a question about the true and full
sense of any Scripture (which is not manifold, but one), it must be
searched by other places that speak more clearly.
(
2 Peter 1:20, 21;
Acts 15:15, 16)
10.The supreme judge, by which all controversies of religion are to
be determined, and all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers,
doctrines of men, and private spirits, are to be examined, and in whose
sentence we are to rest, can be no other but the Holy Scripture delivered
by the Spirit, into which Scripture so delivered, our faith is finally
resolved.
(
Matthew 22:29, 31, 32;
Ephesians 2:20;
Acts 28:23)
Back to the 2nd London Baptist Confession of Faith
