Hist. lib. vii, cap. xxx. 4 Iren, lib. iv. cap. Ixix. © Chrysost. in 2ad Cor. cap. vi. ad finem.
28 CANONICAL AUTHORITY OF THE [EXERC. I.
Tpagéy, “all these things of (or from) the Scriptures,” which are the canon of our faith and obedience. And Austin: ‘“Demonstrent eccle- siam suam, non in rumoribus Africorum, sed in preescripto Legis, in Prophetarum preedictis, in Psalmorum cantibus; hoe est, in omnibus canonicis sanctorum librorum auctoritatibus; ”—“ Let them demon- strate their church, not by the rumours of the Africans, but by the prescription of the Law, the predictions of the Prophets, the songs of the Psalms; that is, by the canonical authority of the holy books of the Scriptures.”* And he pursues the metaphor of a scale and a measure in many words elsewhere.” And thus Aquinas himself confesseth the Scripture is called canonical, because it is the rule of our understanding in the things of God;° and such a rule it is as hath authority over the consciences of men, to bind them unto faith and obedience, because of its being given of God by inspiration for that purpose. 7
6. Moreover, as the Scripture, upon the accounts mentioned, is, by way of eminency, said to be canonical, so there is also a canon or rule determining what books in particular do belong unto the holy Scripture, and to be on that account canonical. So Athanasius tells us, that by the holy Scripture he intends “libros certo canone comprehensos,”—“ the books contained in the assured canon of it.”* And Rufinus having reckoned up those books, concludes: “ Hi sunt quos patres intra canonem concluserunt ;’—“ These are they which the fathers have concluded to be in the canon;”” that is, to belong unto the canonical. books of Scripture. And Austin to the same purpose: “Non sine causa tam salubri vigilantia canon ecclesiasti- cus constitutus est, ad quem certi prophetarum et apostolorum libri pertinerent ;”—“ Not without good reason is the ecclesiastical canon determined by wholesome diligence, unto which certain books of the prophets and apostles should belong.”*® About the assignation of this canon of the Scripture, or what books belong unto the canoni- cal Scripture, there have been some differences in the church since the time of the synod of Carthage, confirmed by that in Trulla at Constantinople; the first church having agreed well enough about them, excepting the hesitation of some few persons in reference unto one or two of them of the New Testament.
7. From this rise and use of the word, it is evident what is in- tended by the “ canonical authority of the Scripture,” or of any par- ticular book thereunto belonging. Two things are included in that expression ;—first, The spring and original of any book, which gives it authority; and, secondly, The design and end of it, which renders it canonical. For the first, it is required that it be S<é-
_ | August. de Unitat. Eccles. cap. xvi. 2 Lib. ii. de Bap. ad Donat. cap. vi. 8 Aquin. in 1 Tim. vi. lec. 1. + Athanas. in Synops. 5 Ruf. Exposit. Symb. Apostol. 6 August. ad Crescon. lib. ii. cap. xxxi.
SECT. 6-8.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. | 29
mvevoros,—given by immediate inspiration from God. Without this no book or writing can by any means, any acceptation or approbation of the church, any usefulness, any similitude of style or manner of writ- ing unto the books that are so, any conformity in matter or doc- trine to them, have an interest in that authority that should lay a foundation for its reception into the canon. It is the impress of the authority of God himself on any writing, or its proceeding imme- diately from him, that is sufficient for this purpose. Neither yet will this alone suffice to render any revelation or writing absolutely canonical in the sense explained. There may be an especial reve- lation from God, or a writing by his inspiration, like that sent by Elijah unto Jehoram the king of Judah, 2 Chron. xxi, 12, which being referred only unto some particular occasion, and having thence authority for some especial end and purpose, yet being not designed for a rule of faith and obedience unto the church, may not belong unto the canon of the Scripture. But when unto the original of divine inspiration this end also is added, that it is designed by the « Holy Ghost for the catholic, standing use and instruction of the church, then any writing or book becomes absolutely and completely canonical.
8. The Jews of later ages assign some difference among the books of the Old Testament as to their spring and original, or manner of revelation, though they make none as to their being all canonical. The Book of the Law they assign unto a peculiar manner of revela- tion, which they call 75 Sy np, or op 5s ov», “ mouth to mouth,” or “face to face,” which they gather from Num. xii. 8; whereof after- wards, Others of them they affirm to proceed from AN\39, or the “sift of prophecy:” whereof as they make many kinds or degrees, taken from the different means used by God in the application of himself unto them, belonging to the roAurporia of divine revelation, mentioned by the apostle, Heb. i. 1, so they divide those books into two parts, namely, the oo2wN7 O's23, or “former Prophets,” containing most of the historical books after the end of the Law; and o's'2) pins, the “latter Prophets,’ wherein they comprise the most of them peculiarly so called. The original of the remainder of them they ascribe unto wpn ny, or “inspiration by the Holy Ghost,” call- ing them peculiarly n21n>, “ written,” by that inspiration; as though the whole canon and system of the books were not ma1n>, the “ scrip- ture” or writing, and Szozvevoria, or “divine inspiration,” the only means of their writing. But they do herein as in many other things.