Gods Effectual Calling, Treatise · Chapter 17
CHAP. XVII. Queſtions more accidentall concerning the holy Scripture: and firſt of the bookes wherein the ſame is contained.
THE firſt queſtion is concerning the books of holy ſcripture: Theſe bookes are commonly called (for the excellency of them) The Bible. The Bible, as it is commonly receiued and caried in hands, containes in it two ſorts of books: the firſt is of books Canonicall: and the ſecond is Apocryphal. Regular or Canonicall bookes are ſuch, as giuegive rule and direction touching faith and manners. The bookes of Moſes are the firſt Canon, or preſident ſent from God, Firſt Canon.which may not be iudged or tryed by any other externall Canon whatſoeuer: For there was no booke extant before the books of Moſes. The authoritie of the writer ſo holy, and the euidence of the ſpirit ſo powerfull, and the holineſſe of theſe books (to paſſe by other arguments) ſo great, hath gained theſe books this high eſtimation and authority in the Church. The books of the Prophets make vp the ſecond Canon: which bee adiudged canonicall Second Canon.by that externall Canon of the Moſaicall books, by which they were examined. Next, they were and are diſcerned (of ſuch as be taught of God inwardly by the holy Ghoſt) by the great euidence of Gods ſpirit which is manifeſted in them both in words and matter. The third Third Canon.Canon are the Apoſtolical books of the New Teſtament, which are adiudged and approoued as Canonicall, partly by the Canonicall books of Moſes, partly by the bookes of the Prophets, partly by the ſpiritual euidence they carry in themſelues, which the Sons of God inſtructed by his holy ſpirit, can eaſily diſcerne. The Canonicall bookes of the Bible are either of the Old, or of the New Teſtament. The Canonicall books of the Old Teſtament are theſe.
1. The 5. bookes of Moſes.
2. Ioſhua. 1. booke.
3. The booke of iudges. 1.
4. Ruth. 1. booke.
5. The bookes of Samuel. 2.
6. The bookes of Kings. 2.
7. The bookes of Chronicles. 2.
8. Ezra, 1. booke.
9. Nehemias 1. booke.
10. Heſter. 1. booke.
11. Iob. 1. booke.
12. Pſalmes.
13. Prouerbs.
14. Eccleſiaſtes.
15. The book of Canticles.
16. Eſaiah.
17. Ieremiah.
18. Ezechiel.
19. Daniel.
20. The twelue ſmall Prophets.
The Canonicall books of the New Teſtament are theſe, which are commonlie. receiued.
1. The Goſpel according to S. Matthew.
2. The Goſpel according to S. Marke.
3. The Goſpel according to S. Luke.
4. The Goſpel according to S. Iohn.
5. The Acts of the Apoſt.
6. S. Pauls Epiſtle to the Romans.
7. S. Pauls Epiſtles to the Cormthians. 2.
8. The Epiſtle to the Gal.
9. The Epiſtle to the Epheſians.
10 The Epiſtle to the Philippians.
11. The Epiſtle to the Coloſsians.
12. The Epiſtles to the Theſſalonians. 2.
13. The Epiſtles to Timothie. 2.
14. The Epiſtle to Titus.
15. The Epiſtle to Philemon.
16. The Epiſtle to the Hebrues.
17. The Epiſtle of Saint Iames.
18. The Epiſtles of Saint Peter. 2.
19. The Epiſtles of Saint Iohn. 3.
20. The Epiſtle of Saint Iude.
21. The booke of the Reuelation of Saint Iohn.
And whereas ſome hauehave doubted for a time of ſome of theſe bookes, as of the Epiſtle to the Hebrues, the Epiſtle of Saint Iames, the laſt of S. Peter, the 2. and 3. of S. Iohn, the Epiſtle of Iude, and the Apocalypſe: yet they were neuer vtterly reiected, but for a time onelyonly doubted of, whether they might be accepted as Canonical. Theſe Canonical books of the Old and New Teſtament were written by holy men, as they were moued by the holy Ghoſt, 2. Pet. 1. 21. And of theſe, ſome are called the Prophets, which wrote the bookes of the Old Teſtament, ſo called, becauſe they were gouerned by the ſpirit of prophecy: Some be called Apoſtles, ſo called, becauſe of their function, & theſe wrote the books of the New Teſtament. The books of the old & new Teſtament ſome hauehave their writers names expreſſely ſet downe, or noted by ſpeciall characters or ſignes: ſome hauehave no names at all annexed, whereby the holy Ghoſt would ſignify vntounto vsus, that theſe men were but inſtruments onelyonly, and not the very authors of ſuch books: wherefore we be not ſo much to reſpect their names, nor ſo buſily to inquire after them, if they be not expreſſed. Thus farre of the Canonicall bookes.
Now as concerning the Apocryphall bookes: they be ſo called, becauſe the Church would hauehave them kept hid, and not to be read or taught publickly in the Churches; the priuate reading of them was onelyonly permitted. The Apocryphall bookes are ſuch as were found onelyonly annexed to the old Teſtament, and they bee eleuen in number.
1 Iudith.
2 Tobit.
3 Eſdras third & fourth booke.
4 The Wiſedome of *falſly ſo called.Salomon.
5 Eccleſiaſticus.
6 Baruch.
7 The Epiſtle of Ieremiah.Apocryphall bookes.
8 Additions to Daniel.
9 The Prayer of Manaſſes.
10 The two bookes of Machabees.
11 The ſupplement of Heſter, from the third ver. of the tenth chap.
Among theſe ſome there are, which the verie aduerſaries account to be Apocryphall. Firſt, the prayer of Manaſſes. Secondly, the third and fourth booke of Eſdras. Thirdly, the third and fourth booke of Machabees, wherof Athanaſius maketh mention in his Synopſis. But we are to proue, that all theſe before named, bee Apocryphall. The firſt Argument is from the Writers: All the Canonicall bookes of the old Teſtament were written by the Prophets: But theſe were not written by the Prophets: Therfore they be not Canonical, but Apocryphal. I proue the Propoſition, Luk. 16. They hauehave Moſes and the Prophets, that is, the bookes of Moſes and the Prophets. Luke 24. 27. of Chriſt it is written, that he began at Moſes and at all the prophets, and interpreted vntounto them in all the Scriptures, the things which were written of him: Therefore Moſes and the Prophets were the writers of the old Teſtament. To the Rom. 16. He cals the ſcriptures of the old Teſtament, the Propheticall Scriptures. And 2. Pet. 1. 19. The moſt ſure word of the Prophets. And for the aſſumption: But theſe were not written by the Prophets, foreign.I proue it: Malachie was the laſt of the prophets: and betweene Malachie and Iohn the Baptiſt there aroſe no prophet. But theſe bookes were written after Malachies time, and this cannot be denied of ſome, as of Eccleſiaſticus, & the books of ye Machabees: Ergo. 2. ARG. This is from the language wherin all the canonical Scriptures were written. They were written (I ſay) in the language of Canaan, in the Hebrue tongue, which was the ſpeech of the Prophets, wherein they wrote their prophecies: But theſe bookes be not written in the Hebrue tongue, but all for the moſt part in Greeke: therfore our propoſition or aſſertion is manifeſt. The Aſſumption is euident, that I ſhall not neede to cite either the teſtimonie of the Fathers, or the aduerſaries owne confeſſion. ARG. 3. is from the teſtimonie of the old Church of the Iewes. If theſe books were Canonicall, the old Hebrues had heard ſome thing of them: But they neuer heard of them: Therefore they be not Canonicall. The Propoſition is cleere: I proue the Aſſumption. In Ezraes time all the canonicall bookes were gathered into one volume; and the Iewes care was ſuch of them, that they nūbred all the letters which were found in the Prophets, & ſet down the ſum of thē: how much more would they hauehave had care of theſe whole bookes, if they had heard of them. The 4. ARG. is from the teſtimonie of the late Church of the Iewes, which was in Chriſts time. If theſe books were canonicall, then the latter Rabbins or Iewiſh Writers would hauehave accepted them: but they did not receiue them, but reiect them: Therefore they bee not canonicall. I proue the Propoſition: For out of all queſtion, if they had not receiued the Canonicall bookes, Chriſt would hauehave taxed them for it, for that he ſo reprehends them for their ſiniſter and falſe interpretations of the Canonicall Scriptures. The Aduerſaries grant the Aſſumption. The 5. ARG. is from the teſtimonie of Chriſt and his Apoſtles. If theſe before named books were canonicall, then Chriſt and his Apoſtles would hauehave cited them ſomewhere for confirmation of their doctrines: but that can neuer bee found they did, no not in all the new Teſtament: therefore they be not Canonicall. The propoſition is manifeſt: The matter it ſelfe will make ſure the Aſſumption. The 6. ARG. Theſe Apocryphall bookes containe ſome things differing from the canonical ſcriptures, ſome things contrarie, ſome things falſe, ſome things fabulous, and ſome things impious: Therefore theſe bookes be not canonicall. I proue the Antecedent. Tobit. 3. 8. and 3. 25. 5. 15. and 11. 12. Iudith 8. 6. and 9. 2. and 9. 13. and 16. 8. Baruch 6. 2. the Additions of Daniel 13. 1. and 14. 32. the Additions to Heſter 15. 1. 2 Mach. 2. 1. 7. 8. 27. and 12. 43. and 14. 37. and 15. 39. The 7. ARG. Theſe bookes containe contrarieties, and points repugning one another. Conferre 1. Mach. 6. 8. with 2. Mach. 1. 16. and 2. Mach. 9. 5. Conferre 1. Mach. 9. 3. and 2. Machab. 10. 1. Conferre 1. Machab. 4. 36. and 2. Mach. 10. 1. Conferre 1. Mach. 6. 17. and 2. Mach. 10. 11. The 8. ARG. is taken from an humane teſtimonie, firſt, of Councels: ſecondly, of Fathers; the ancient firſt, next, the latter writers. The Councels which giuegive canons touching the canonicall bookes, and the Apocryphal, are theſe for the moſt part: The Laodicen Councel, which was held in the yeere after Chriſts incarnatiō 300. The 3. Councel of Carthage in the yeere 400. The Trullan in the yeere 600. The Florentine in the yeere 1150. The Tridentine in our age. Of theſe we may reaſon thus: The Laodicen Councell (the moſt ancient here numbred) reiects theſe bookes as Apocryphall: See the 59. Canon of that Councell: Ergo. But the aduerſaries obiect heere: that at this time before the third Councell of Carthage, the canonicall bookes were not diſtinctly known. I anſwer, firſt, that this councell was not held till foure hundred yeeres after Chriſt: but it is abſurd to ſay, that there was no Canon knowne, or that the canonicall books were not diſcerned till this time. Ergo. Secondly, I anſwer, that Councell was not general, but prouinciall: But a prouinciall Councell may not preſcribe any canon for the Catholike Church: Ergo. But, they ſay, this Councell was confirmed by that of Trullan. I anſwer, that the Laodicen Councell alſo was approued by this: and that the Trullan Councel is reiected by the Papiſts themſelues in manie things.
Thus far of Councels: now for the ancient Fathers: they alſo did reiect theſe bookes, as Apocryphall: Ergo. I proue this by an induction. 1. Athanaſius in his Synopſis. 2. Cyril of Ieruſalem. 3. Hilary Biſhop of Pictauia. 4. Melito biſhop of Sardinia. 5. Nazianzen in his poem. 6. Hierom in his prologo Galeato, which is prefixed before the books of Kings. 7. Gregorie the Great. 8. Ioſeph againſt Appian. 9. Ruffin in the expoſition of the Symbole Apoſtolicall. 10. Auguſtine. The aduerſaries here except, ſaying: But theſe men hauehave ſpoken of the canon of the old Teſtament of the Hebrues (ſay they) & not of Chriſtians? I anſwer firſt, as if the Hebrues had one canon & the Chriſtians another? Secondly, they did approue that very canon of the Hebrues. But it may be (ſay they) that then peraduēture there was no Canon known or determined of by the Church. I anſwer, and I demand then, when was this decreed? and in what Councell? was this done in the Councell of Trent? but this is too late, for this Councell was euen in our age. Was it decreed in the Florentine Councell? that is but little elder. Was this Canon agreed vponupon in the third Councell of Carthage? But that Councell, 1. was but prouinciall. 2. and this is reiected of the very Papiſts themſelues in ſome things, as in the canon of the high Prieſt, which in number is the 26. They will ſay, this Councell was confirmed by the Trullan Councell. I anſwer. 1. So was the Laodicen. 2. So the canon was concluded or eſtabliſhed later, to wit, in the yeare of Chriſt 400. 3. The Trullan Councell is reiected in many things of the verie Papiſts. 4. After the Trullan Councell there were Fathers which would not receiue the Apocryphall bookes. And ſo now let vsus come to the ſecond claſſe of Fathers, that is, to the latter Writers.
Heere then I reaſon thus: The late Writers doe not reckon theſe bookes among the Canonicall: Ergo. This I proue by an induction. *Lib. de Officiis▪Iſidore, Iohn Damaſcen, Nicephorus, Leontius, Rabanus Maurus, Radulphus, Lyranus, Carthuſianus, Abulenſis, Antoninus, Hugo Cardinalis, Eraſmus in ſome of his writings, Cardinall Caietanus. All theſe were after the Trullan Councell; yea ſome of them were reputed for ſonnes by the Church of Rome after the Florentine Councell.
By theſe teſtimonies firſt of Councels; next, of Fathers, it is euident, that none of theſe bookes was accepted for Canonicall in anie lawfull iudgment: for if there had beene anie ſuch matter, ſo manie ancient and late Writers would no doubt hauehave ſo acknowledged. Wherefore theſe bookes are Apocryphall, and ſo to be accounted.
The aduerſaries for their defence alleage alſo humane teſtimonies, and this in a manner is all they can ſay: They cite the Councels before named, as the third of Carthage, the Trullan, Florentine, and the Councell of Trent. But we reiect the two latter as tyrannicall, and congregate purpoſely to oppreſſe the truth and light of God. And touching the Trullan, and the third Councel of Carthage, we hauehave ſet downe our iudgment. And as for Fathers, they bring forth for this matter principally the Popes themſelues, as Pope Innocentius, and Gelaſius, and Auguſtine in ſome place. But I anſwer, that they cannot bring ſo many as we can, nor ſo ancient for themſelues. Secondly, when theſe Fathers, which they name, call theſe bookes canonicall, which we reiect as Apocryphall, they take the name of Canonicall bookes, more largely then we, to wit, for bookes which hauehave ſome ſuch ſanctity, as in prophane Writers cannot be found; and they call them ſo, not for that they meane that they are of like authoritie with the Canonicall bookes of Scripture. And we denie not, but that in many of theſe ſuch holineſſe may appeare, as cannot be found in the bookes of prophane authours. And thus farre of the Apocryphall bookes.