1. THe most exact and certaine meanes to attaine vnto the knowledge of all diuine Truth , is the Holy Canonical Scripture , written or approoued by the Prophets and Apostles .

2. Which is called the Scripture , in regard of the supereminent excellencie thereof , being vnto all other writings as Iosephs sheafe vnto his Brethrens , Gen. 37.7 . as the Sunne vnto the lesser Starres .

3 And it is also called Holy , 1. Because of the Author , who is God , Holy and true , Reu . 3.7 . 2. In regard of the instrumentall causes or Pen-men of it , who were holy men , 2. Pet . 1.21 . 3. In respect of the matter , which is the holy will and Counsell of our God , Acts 20.27 . 4. In respect of the Forme , which is the conformitie of it with God himselfe , Psal . 19.7 . 5. In regard of the finall cause or end thereof , which is to make vs Holy , 2. Tim . 3.17 .

Tertul . cont . Hermog. Chrys . Hom. 13. in 2. Cor . Orat . de ijs qui adeunt Hierusal . 4. Lastly , it is called Canonicall , because it is , as Tertullian calleth it , The rule of Faith ; as Chrysostome , A most exquisite Rule ; as Gregory Nyssen ; an inflexible Rule .

1. VNwritten Traditions , whether Apostolicall or Ecclesiasticall , are not the rule of faith , as exquisite , as inflexible as the Scripture . Who but Moab , settled vpon her lees ; or Babylon , intoxicated with the Cyrcean cup of fornication , could endure new wine to bee powred into old vessels ? Or a piece of new cloth to be patched to an old garment ?

Ita sunt acutè obtusi . Pari veneratione , pari pietatis affectu : Concil . Triden . Sess. 4. Decret . 1. 2. Our Aduersaries the Papists audaciously affirme , That vnwritten Truths are equiualent to the written Word of God , and to be embraced with no lesse pious affection , and affectionate veneration , then the sacred Bookes of authenticke Writ . Against whom I will proue , that the Scripture is sufficient , containing in it all doctrines needfull to saluation . And I will manifest this vnto you , three wayes : 1. By manifold and expresse Texts of Scripture . 2. By the ancient authority of some ancient and holy Fathers . 3. Ad probandam veritatem nihil efficacius testimonio aduersariorum : Gregorius Achiepiscop . Nazaren . in commendat . Petri Galatini , ex Iacob Maxwel . Deut . 4.2 . & Deut . 12. vlt . v. similia verba habentur . Si non licuit Iudaeis aliquid addere ad libros Mosis , tum multò minùs nobis licet aliquid addere ad Scripturae Canonem , iam tot libris auctum à tempore Mosis . Thomas 3. q . 60. Art. 8. Verbis sacrae Scripturae nihil addendum aut minuendum esse . Caietamis in hunc locum ait , Hinc colligi legem Dei esse perfectam . Vide Ioseph . apud Euseb . Lib . 3. cap . 8. By manifest testimonies of some modern , but renowned Papists .

First , I proue it by some places of sacred Writ ; and first by that place , Deut. 4.2 . Ye shall not adde vnto the Word which I command you , neither shall you diminish ought from it . Which place , tho Bellarmine interprets of the vnwritten word also : yet their Angelicall Doctor Aquinas , whom the Pope hath canonized for a Saint , and his doctrine for authenticall , expounds it of adding to the Words of the Scripture . Yea , their ingenious Cardinall Caietan , ingeniously desires vs from this place to collect , That Gods Law is perfect .

Secondly , by that place , Pro . 30.6 . Adde thou not vnto his Word , lest he reproue thee , and thou be found a Lyar . Which place S. Hierom vnderstandeth of the Holy Scriptures .

Thirdly , The Prophet Isaiah , teaching what course must be taken in cases of difficulty , sends vs to the written Word , as sufficient to resolue all doubts and scruples whatsoeuer , Esa . 8.20 . To the Law and to the Testimonie ; if they speak not according to this Word , it is because there is no light in them . Vpon which words Hieron . in locum . S. Ierom assents with vs , saying , If your Congregations will not seeke the Word of the Lord , they cannot attaine the light of truth , but shall walke , shall wander in the darkenesse of Error .

Fourthly , Saint Iohn sets downe the full end of the whole written Word : which is to bring men to faith , and consequently to eternall happinesse , Ioh . 20.31 . These things are written , that ye might beleeue that Jesus is the Christ , the Sonne of God , and that beleeuing , yee might haue life through his Name : Which place both Cyrill , and Austin vnderstand of the sufficiency of Scripture . Cyrill lib . 12. in Ioan . cap . 68. August . in Ioan . Tract . 49. & 1. lib . de consensu Euangelist . c . 35. Lyranus sayes , These words expresse , and explicate the profit and vtility of this doctrine . Neither doth S. Iohn here speake onely of the miracles of our Sauiour : for he speakes of such a faith as we call iustifying , which will bring a man to euerlasting life ; which , miraculous faith of it selfe wil neuer do . Hence Hugo Cardinalis auerres , that in these words is indeed declared the speciall intention of this Booke , Augustinus etiam in hunc locum tract . 122. ait finem huius libri his verbis indicari . Sic & Iansenius ait , libri totius finem his verbis intelligi . Ren . 1.9 . but more generally , the whole scope of the holy Scripture . And I would haue it obserued , that this Gospell was written against Cerinthus and his adherents , who first started vp in the yeare of Christ , 95. Yea , it was written after all other Scriptures , except perhaps the Reuelation , which was written by him in the I le Pathmos , in the fifteenth yeere of Domitian , which was in the yeere of Grace , 97.

Fiftly , Those words of S. Paul , Acts 20.27 . I haue not shunned to declare vnto you all the Counsell of God , De omni consilio Dei , quantum ad humanam spectat salutem . Carthus . in Act. 20. Carthusian expounds of the Counsell of God , so farre forth as appertaineth to mans saluation . I intend not to be tedious , let me onely referre you to some other pregnant places of Scripture , and full of sinewes to inferre and inforce the Scriptures sufficiency . As Reu . 22.18 . Gal. 1.8 . 2. Tim . 3.16 , 17. Psal . 19.8 . Luk . 1.3 , 4. Mat . 15.6 . Luk . 16.29 . Luk . 24.25 , 27. Ioh . 5.39 . Act. 1.1 . Act. 17.2 , 3. Act. 28.24 , 28. Act. 24.14 Act. 26.22 . Rom. 1.2 . Rom. 10.17 . Rom. 15.4 . Ephes . 2.19 , 20. 2. Pet . 1.19 .

Iob 12.12 . Iob 32.7 . But because among the Ancient is wisedome , and in the length of dayes is vnderstanding , let the dayes speake , and the multitude of yeeres teach wisedome . Plainly : If any man suspend his assent and iudgement till the Fathers haue brought in their verdict , let him heare what those three foremen of the Iurie , Dionysius , Irenaeus , and Tertullian haue left recorded as vpon their Oath .

Quas itaque Scripturas dicimus Canonicas , nisi Legis & Prophetarum ? Aug. de vnit . Eccl. 16. Conc . Triden . Sess. 4. NO Writings are Scripture , but such as were written or approued by the Prophets and Apostles . For , as for those Apocryphall Bookes , imperiously thrust vpon Gods Church by the Tridentine Fathers , they are not to bee admitted into the Canon of Faith .

For all the Bookes which doe prophesie of Christ , apud Judaeos sunt , saith Omnes literae quibus Christus prophetatus est , apud Judaeos sunt : August . in Psal . 56. Austin , were kept amongst the Iewes : but none of the Apocrypha were written in Hebrew , the language of Canaan . In the eighty fourth Canon attributed to the Apostles , all the Apocryphall Scriptures which wee exclude out of the Canon , are there also casheered , sauing that this Canon constituteh three books of the Maccabees , sacred and Canonicall , whereas the Papists themselues haue euer acknowledged but two . The Laodicen Councill excludeth all those Apocryphall books , which we extrude out of the Canon : Which Councill , Can . 59. though it was of it selfe Prouinciall , yet is it notwithstanding confirmed in the 6. generall Councill . Trullan . Synod cap . 2. Gelasius Bishop of Rome , was more moderate then our moderne Papists , who will not yeeld a hoofe ; for he makes onely one booke of the Maccabees Canonicall , and disclaimes the booke of Wisedome , not to be Salomons .

Let vs then abhorre this Popish errour ; yea , I say , this Popish heresie , & S. Austin shall beare me out in it ; for he accounts the ●rescillianists Heretickes , Aug. Haeres . 70. for making the Bookes Apocryphall of equall authority with the Bookes Canonicall .

But you smell to much of selfe-opinion , sayes our opinionate and obstinate Papist : for how dare you , without a blush so peremptorily contradict so famous & so renowned a Council , as was the Tridentine Synod ?

But first , who knowes not that this Councill of Trent is of no antiquitie ? it is so young , that it cannot pronounce Shibhol●●h , no not to saue it selfe from the hands o● the Gileadites . 2. Neuer was there any Popish General Council herein so audacious , so presumptuous , before this of Trent . True it is , that some impudent Papists , boldly , tho blindly , father a like Decree vpon the Councill of Florence ; But Bellarmine , the Papists Atlas , as likewise Coccius , the Popes own darling , Bellar . lib . de verb . Dei . Coccius in Thesauro Cathol . ●om . 1. Driedo de dogmat . Eccles . lib . 1. cap . 4. are more carefull of their credit , and will not affirme it . How durst Driedo repudiate the booke of Baruch , and repute it Apocryphall , after the Councill of Florence had that Councill anathematized such impudent Agents ? And further tho this Councill had made them Canonicall , yet had it beene little materiall , seeing it was but a small time before the Councill of Trent , not much aboue 100. yeares , the one being assembled in the yeare of Christ , 1436. the other in the yeare of Christ , 1545. Thirdly , their Fatherhoods of Trent are not able to produce one Father that held them Canonicall , within the time of the Primitiue Churches chaster innocence : no not within foure hundred yeeres after Christ . Fourthly , wee can easily proue , that all the Nazianz . in carm . de lib . scrip . & poem . Iamb . ad Sel . ucum . Damasc l. 4. de fide . c . 18. Hier . prolog . Galeat . Aug. de ciui . l. 15. c . 23. & cont . Adimant . c . 17. & de doct . Christ . l. 2. c . 8. Greg . in Iob . l. 19 c . 17. &c. Fathers liuing in the first foure hundred yeers , reiected them : and that their authority was doubtfull , litigious , and ambiguous , for the space of sixe hundred yeares after our Sauiour Christs sacred Incarnation . Fiftly , Many of the learned Papists themselues are on our side : As Caietan . ad finem Hester . Caietan , Hugo Cardin . prolog . in Ioshua . Hugo Cardinalis , Lyra , Lyranus prolo . in Apocryph . Lyranus , Sigon . in comment . in Seuerum Sulpitium . Sigonius , Arias Montanus , and others , who deny them to be Canonicall Scripture .

I remember indeed , that tho Athanasius would not {αβγδ} Athan . in Sy●ops . Canonize these bookes , yet did he bequeath them to Nouices newly conuerted to the Christian Faith , or such as were after to be baptized . He herein seemes to draw neere to that opinion that the Caiet . in fine commen . in Hist . v●t . Test . Cardinall afterward learned of St. H●er . in prolo . Gal●ato . Tom . 3. p. 6. Jerome ; namely , that these Bookes were onely admitted into the Canon of manners , not of Faith . For according to Epiphan . lib . de mensuris & ponder . Epiphanius , Utiles quidem & commodi sunt isti libri ; These Booke are profitable and commodious , but not to be receiued as Canonicall , or reserued in the Deut . 31.26 . Arke of the Testimonie .

But if these Bookes bee not Canonicall , say some of our well-respected and well affected brethren , ( for so I must still style them , in respect of their conspiring with vs in all points fundamentall ) Why should they bee read in the Church of England ? To whom I answere according to those words in that sixt Article concluded in that Orthodoxall Synod . London . An. 1562. Ar. 6. Conuocation holden at London , in the yeare of our Lord Christ , 1562. These Bookes the Church doth reade for example of life , and instruction of manners : but yet doth it not apply them to establish any doctrine . Saint Cyp . su●e Ruffin . in expositione symboli de Canone Iudaico . Cyprian , or Ruffinus rather , hauing reckoned vp the number of the Bookes Canonicall , hath these words : Haec sunt quae Patres intra Canonem concluserunt , ex quibus fidei nostrae assertiones constare voluerunt . Sciendum tamen est , quòd & alij libri sunt , qui non sunt Canonici , sed Ecclesiastici à maioribus appellati sunt : quae omnia legi quidem in Ecclesijs voluerunt , non tamen proferri ad authoritatem ex his fidei confirmandam : These are the Bookes which the Fathers haue accounted within the Canon ; by which they would confirme the affirmations and assertions of our faith : But we must also know , that there are other Bookes , which are called of the Ancients , Ecclesiasticall , all which were read in the Church of God , but out of them was neuer produced any demonstration to make good our faith . Heare what Saint Jerome himselfe saith , praefat . in libros Salomonis : Hos libros legit Ecclesia , sed eos inter Canonicas Scripturas non recepit : — Legit ad aedificationem plebis , non ad authoritatem Ecclesiasticorum dogmatum confirmandam : The Church indeed doth reade these Bookes Apocryphall , but yet reputes them not to bee Canonicall : she reades them to rectifie , to edifie the people , not to testifie , or authoritatiuely to ratifie the principles of our Faith . See Greg . in Iob , l. 19. c . 17. Rodulph . in Leuit. lib . 14. cap . 1. P. Cluniacensis , lib . 1. Epist. 2. Origen apud Eusebium . lib . 6. cap . 25. Cyrillus Hierosolymitanus {αβγδ} .

Nor doe I affirme , that these Apocryphall Bookes are neuer by the ancient Fathers styled Canonicall or Diuine : for then might you produce Saint Ierome and Saint Austin , as witnesses of my witlesnesse heerein . But let learned Whitakers tell you why : He sayes , Whitaker . contr . Duraeum . & contra Campian . Canonicos ab Augustino libros vocari , qui mendacijs fabulisque pleni non sunt : Saint Austin cals those Bookes Canonicall , which are not full fraught with lyes , and scaenicall leuity .

A thing is said to bee Canonicall , either {αβγδ} , Distinctio . or {αβγδ} , absolutely , or respectiuely ; Absolutely that is Canonicall , which is the perfect rule of faith and manners : Respectiuely that is regular , which contayning some sentences of authentique Writ and Histories Ecclesiastical , hath obtained to be read in holy assemblies . As Israel was styled an holy people , not that all were sanctified in the particular , but all in the generall , in opposition to the Gentiles , who were without the pale of the Church : so are these bookes called Canonicall , not that all things in them are co●pletely regular but all more regular then the prophane writtings of the Heathenish For so S. Paul styles Epimenides , Tit . 1.12 . Prophets , who neuer slept vpon the top of holy Parnassus .

But let such as will not heare Moses and the Prophets , listen a little to the admonition of Caieta● , their owne deare Romish Catholike , and a Cardinall : hee aduiseth all Students in Diuinity , Caiet . in comment . in histor . Test . vet . Ut quaendo ab antiquis interdum dici Canonicos legunt , id de morum , non doctrins Canone intelligant : That they would fauorably interpret the Fathers , when they style these books Canonicall ; and not be so farre fore-stald with preiudice , as to make them rules of Faith and doctrine , but of our facts and Discipline .

THough we should grant that some Bookes of Canonicall Scripture were lost , ( which yet cannot be proued by our Aduersaries , cannot be approued by vs ) yet doth the Scripture still remaine sufficient . For the Concedimus nonnulla iam desiderari , quae olim in Canone scripturae fuerunt , sed tamen affirmamus , illum Canonem qui remanei , esse sufficientem , & omnia necessaria continere : Whita . disput●ae sacra Script. necessary matter of those Bookes supposedly lost , is contained in these bookes of holy Writ that are now extant .

It seemes then , will Stapletoni argumentum , seu potius Cani ; Stapletonus enim Canum interpolauit , & eius argumenta fusiùs explicauit . Stapl . lib . 9. Droctrinal . princip . cap . 5. Stapleton say , That those books , tho full fraught with most high and heauenly matter , were needlesse and superfluous . But who not of an ouer-daring spirit , dare disgorge & belch out such impious & haynous blasphemies against the Lord ? Who , ( not as outragious as Apostaticall Iulian , ) would say that it is superfluous to haue the same Psalme or Story recorded in two seuerall places of the Scripture ? Is not the eighteenth Psalme in the booke of Psalmes recorded , and in the booke of Samuel , 2. Sam . 22 ? Is not the History of Hezekiah , recorded in the 2. King . 18.19 , & 20 , Chapters , and in Is● . 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 Chapters ?

But indeed I take it , that no part of the Canon is lost . I am not ignorant that Chrysost . Hom. 9. in . Mat and Hom. 7. in 1. Cor . Putauit Chrysostomus hanc sententiam , ( Nazarenus vocabitur , ) nusquam inueniri in illis veteris Testamenti libris qui nunc salui sunt . Est & alia etiam sententia eiusmodi de qua similiter sensit , nempè ( Ex Egypto vocaui filium meum . ) Et reuera septuaginta Interpretes , quos solos Chrysostomus sequntus est , neutram sententiam habent : Hebraei tamen libri omnes habent ; atignorabat Chrysostomus linguam Hebraicam . Jnsuper Hieronymus in lib . de optimo genere interpret . ai● vtramque sententiam reperiri in libris Hebraicis , priorem nempe Esaiae 11.1 . posteriorem , Oseae 11.1 . Chrysostome , and other of the learned , perswade themselues that some part is perished : but to these let mee modestly oppose the Iewes , together with the most skilfull Christians in the Rabbins , who in this point are of a diuerse iudgement from Saint Chrysostome . And I am induced herein to dissent from so many of the learned Sages , as suppose that these bookes were lost in the Captiuity , by these three Reasons .

First , because S. Paul makes no question , but takes it for granted , that the whole Canon of holy Scripture was euen in his time extant , Rom. 15.4 . Whatsoeuer things were written aforetime , were written for our learning , that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope . Had the blessed Apostle thought that some bookes of Scripture had perished in Babylon , doubtlesse he would haue sayd , that whatsoeuer was written , and is now extant , was written for our learning and comfort : for bookes that are lost , serue neither for Instruction nor Consolation .

Secondly , To hold that any bookes of Scripture should be lost , cals into question , not onely Gods euer-watching prouidence , but also his ouer-ruling power . He euer was , is , and will bee able to preserue his Writings from the violence of cruell Tyrants . He can make his very aduersaries to bind them as a Crowne vnto them , and cause them to bee more carefull to preserue them , then Titus to reserue the Temple .

Rom. 3.2 . 1. Tim . 3.15 . Thirdly , It cals into question the fidelity of the Church , vnto whom were of credit committed the Oracles of God , and who is therefore styled {αβγδ} , the Pillar and ground of Truth , because it hath the bookes of God in keeping .

There bee alleaged many particular places of Scripture , to proue that some bookes of Scripture be lost ; As in Numb . 21.14 . Moses maketh mention of the bookes of the Battels or Warres of the Lord , which Booke seemeth to be lost . But first , you must know that a [ Booke ] in Scripture sometime signifieth a Rehearsall , a Roule , or Catalogue . As the fift chapter of Genesis , contayning the Genealogie of Adam , is called the booke of the Generation of Adam . So in like manner , that Booke of the Warres , might be some short & compendious narration of diuers exploits which fell out among the Israelites , which in Moses his time being Manuall , went from hand to hand . Secondly , This Booke of the Battels of the Lord , seemeth vnto some to be the Booke of the Iudges ; yea , learned Iunius referres vs to Judg . Iun . in Annot . 11.