The Humble Advice of the Assembly of Divines/Chapter 1

by Westminster Assembly

Chap. I.

Of the Holy Scripture.

Lthough 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 unexcusable^[1]; yet are they not sufficient to give that knowledg of God and of his Will which is necessary unto salvation^[2]. Therefore it pleased the Lord at sundry times, and in divers manners, to reveal himself, and to declare that his Will unto his Church^[3]; and afterwards 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^[4]: which maketh the Holy Scripture to be most necessary^[5]; those former ways of Gods revealing his Will unto his people, being now ceased^[6].

II.Under the name of Holy Scripture, or the Word of God written, are now contained all the Books of the Old and New Testament, which are these.

Of the old Testament.

Genesis.
Exodus.
Leviticus.
Numbers.
Deuteronomie.
Joshua
Judges.
Ruth.
I. Samuel.
II. Samuel.
I. Kings.
II. Kings.
I. Chronicles.
II. Chronicles.
Ezra.
Nehemiah.
Esther.
Job.
Psalmes.
Proverbs.
Ecclesiastes.
The Song of Songs.
Isaiah.
Jeremiah.
Lamentations
Ezekiel
Daniel.
Hosea.
Ioel.
Amos.
Obadiah.
Jonah.
Micah.
Nahum.
Habakkuk.
Zephaniah.
Haggai.
Zechariah.
Malachi.

Of the New Testament.

Matthew.
Mark,
Luke.
Iohn.
The Acts of the Apostles.
Pauls Epistles to the Romans.
Corinthians I.
Corinthians II.
Glatians.
Ephesians.
Philippians.
Coloβians.
Thessalonians I.
Theβalonians II.
To Timothy I.
To Timothy II.
To Titus.
To Pphilemon.
The Epistle to the Hebrews.
The Epist. of Iames,
The first and second Epistles of Peter.
The first, second, and third Epistles of Iohn.
The Epistle of Iude.
The Revelation.

All which are given by inspiration of God, to be the Rule of faith and life^[7].

III. The Books commonly called Apocrypha, not being of Divine inspiration, are no part or the Canon of the Scripture; and therefore are of no authority in the Church of God, nor to be any other wise approved, or made use of, then other humane Writings^[8].

IV. The authority of the Holy Scripture, for which it ought to be beleeved and obeyed, dependeth not upon the Testimony of any man, or Church but wholly upon God (who is Truth it self) the Author thereof; and therefore it is to be received, because it is the Word of God^[9].

V. We may be moved and induced by the Tesimony of the Church, to an high and reverent esteem of the holy Scripture^[10]. And the heavenliness of the Matter, the efficacy of the Doctrine, the majesty of the Stile, 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 mans salvation, the many other incomparable Excellencies, and the intire perfection thereof, are Arguments whereby it doth abundantly evidence it self to be the Word of God; yet notwithstanding, our full perswasion 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^[11].

VI. The whole Councell of God concerning all things necessary for his own Glory, mans salvation, Faith and Life, is either expresly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture; unto which nothing at any any time is to be added, whether by new revalations of the Spirit, or traditions of men^[12]. Nevertheless we acknowledg the inward illumination of the Spirit of God to be necessary for the saving, understanding of such things as are revealed in the Word^[13]: And that there are som circumstances cancerning the Worship of God, and Government of the Church, Common to humane 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 alwayes to be observed^[14].

VII. All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike cleer unto all^[15]: yet those things necessary to be known, beleeved and observed for salvation, are so cleerly propounded and opened in some place of Scripture or other that not only the Learned, but the unlearned, in a due use of the ordinary means may attain unto a sufficient understanding of them^[16].

VIII. 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 immediatly inspired by God, and by his singular care and Providence kept pure in all Ages, are therefore Authenticall^[17]; so as in all Controversies of Religion, the Church is finally to Appeal unto them^[18]. But because these Originall Tongues are not known to all the people of God, who have right unto, and interest in the Scriptures, and are commanded in the fear of God, to read and search them ^[19], therefore they are to be tranlsated into the Vulgar Language of every Nation unto which they come^[20], that the Word of God dwelling plentifully in all, they may worship him in an acceptable manner^[21]; and through patience and comfort of the Scriptures may have hope^[22].

IX. The infallible Rule of Interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture it self: 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 and known by other places that speak more cleerly^[23].

X. The Supream Judg by which all Controversies of Religion are to be determined, and all Decrees of Councels, 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 Spirit speaking in the Scripture^[24].

1. Rom. 2. 14. 15.
   Rom. 1. 19. 20.
   Psa 9 1. 2. 3.
   Rom. 1. 32. with chap.2. 1.
2. 1 Cor. 1, 2f.
   1 Cor. 2. 13. 14.
3. Heb 1. 1.
4. Prov. 22. 19, 20, 21
   Luk 1. 3. 4.
   Rom 15. 4.
   Mat. 4. 4. 7. 10.
   Isai. 8. 19. 20.
5. 2 Tim 3. 15.
   2 Pet. 1. 19
6. Heb. 1. 1. 2.
7. Lu. 16, 29, 31
   Ephes. 2, 20,
   Rev 22, 18, 19,
   2 Tim, 3, 16
8. Luk, 24, 27, 44
   Rom, 3, 2,
   2 Pet, 1, 21,
9. 2 Pet, 1, 19. 21
   2 Tim, 3, 16
   1 Iohn 5, 9
   1 Thes, 2, 13
10. 1 Tim, 3, 15
11. 1 Iohn 2, 20, 27
    Iohn 16, 13, 14,
    1 Cor, 2, 10, 11, 12
    Isai, 39, 21,
12. 2 Tim. 3. 15 16, 17.
    Gal. 1. 8, 9.
    2 Thes. 2. 2.
13. John 6. 45.
    1 Cor. 2. 9, 10, 12.
14. 1 Cor. 11. 13, 14.
    1 Cor. 14. 36, 40.
15. 2 Pet. 3. 16.
16. Psa. 119 105 130.
17. Mat. 5. 18.
18. Isa. 8. 20.
    Acts 15. 15.
    Iohn 5. 39. 46
19. Iohn. 5. 39
20. I Cor. 14. 6, 9, 11, 12, 24, 27, 28
21. Col. 3. 16
22. Rom. 15. 4
23. 2 Pet. 1. 20, 21
    Acts 15. 15. 16
24. Mat. 22. 29, 31
    Eph. 2 20 with Acts 28. 25