The Scriptures frequently lay claim to a divine origin in
support of their supreme authority as a rule of faith and manners;
but if the sacred writers were only under what is called
superintendence, we cannot see the justness of that claim. It would
be a gross perversion of words, to call a man the author of a book,
who had no hand in its composition further that merely guarding its
real author from falling into gross error. The designation, the Word
of God, must suggest to every unprejudiced mind, that the Bible is
from God, both in respect of sentiment and expression. Nor does it
render the matter any better to tell us, that though some parts of
the Bible were written under the mere superintendence of the Spirit,
yet others were written by the inspiration of suggestion; for this
throws a suspicion over the whole, since it is impossible for us to
determine what parts were dictated by plenary inspiration, and what
parts were not. The safe way is to hold by the doctrine of the Bible
itself, that inspiration is one in kind; that it is not a partial,
but a full plenary inspiration; and that this applies to the whole
of the sacred volume. 'All Scripture is given by inspiration of
God.' "

SECTION 4. The authority of the Holy Scripture, for which it ought
to be believed and obeyed, depends not upon the testimony of any man
or Church, but wholly upon God (who is truth itself), the author
thereof; and therefore it is to be received, because it is the Word
of God.

SECTION 5. We may be moved and induced by the testimony of the
Church to an high and reverend esteem of the Holy Scripture, and the
heavenliness of the matter, the efficacy of the doctrine, 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, the many other
incomparable excellencies, and the entire perfection thereof, are
arguments whereby it does 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.

Exposition of 1.4–1.5

These sections teach us, that the authority of the Scripture depends
not upon any man or Church, but wholly upon God, the author thereof,
and then points out the evidences that the Scripture is the Word of
God. The first of these heads is stated in opposition to the
Papists, who maintain that the authority of the Scriptures is
derived from the Church. The absurdity of this idea is easily
evinced. The true Church of Christ is founded on the Scriptures, and
therefore the authority of the Scriptures cannot depend on the
Church.—Ephesians 2:20.

That the Holy Scripture is the Word of God, is proved both by
external and internal evidences. 1. The external evidences are such
as these—The character of the sacred penmen—the miracles wrought by
them, for the declared purpose of attesting their divine mission and
inspiration—the exact accomplishment of numerous prophecies recorded
in Scripture—the antiquity of the Scriptures, taken in connection
with their wonderful preservation to this day—the effects produced
by the Scriptures, effects which could never have been accomplished
by the lessons of philosophy, nor the force of human laws—and the
influence which the Scriptures have had in civilizing the most
barbarous nations, and in meliorating the condition of society at
large, wherever the knowledge of them has been disseminated. 2. The
internal evidences are such as these—The incomparable sublimity of
the doctrines contained in the Scriptures, and their revealing many
truths which could not be discovered by nature or reason—the extent
and purity of their precepts—the representation which they give of
the character and moral administration of God—the exact adaptation
of the revelation they contain to the state and wants of man—the
entire harmony of their several parts, though written by different
persons, and in different ages—the majesty of their style—and the
scope and tendency of the whole to advance the glory of God, and
secure the salvation of men. Such arguments as these may produce a
rational conviction that the Scriptures are the Word of God; but it
is only the Holy Spirit's effectual application of them to the
heart, in their self-evidencing light and power, that can produce a
cordial and saving persuasion of it. "He that believes has the
witness in himself." Though many who believe are not qualified to
demonstrate the inspiration of the Scriptures by rational arguments,
yet, by the experience they have of their power and efficacy on
their own hearts, they are infallibly assured that they are the Word
of God; and they can no more be convinced, by the reasonings and
objections of infidels, that the Scriptures are the production of
men, than they can be persuaded that men created the sun, whose
light they behold, and by whose beams they are cheered.

SECTION 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 in Scripture, or by good and necessary
consequence may be deduced from Scripture: unto which nothing at any
time is to be added, whether by new revelations 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.

SECTION 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 the
ordinary means, may attain unto a sufficient understanding of them.

Exposition of 1.6–1.7

These sections relate to the perfection and perspicuity of the
Scriptures.

1. In regard to the perfection, or sufficiency, of the Scriptures,
it is acknowledged that there are some circumstances concerning the
worship of God, and government of the Church in regard to which no
express injunctions are given in Scripture, and which are to be
ordered by the light of nature and Christian prudence, according to
the general rules of the Word. The Apostolic rule in such cases
is,—"Let all things be done decently and in order,"—1 Corinthians
14:40; but this general rule does not authorize the introduction
into the Church of rites and ceremonies of human invention, in order
to set off the worship of God. This cannot be justified by any plea
of expediency, with a view of rendering the services of the Church
more attractive, and conciliating those that are without. "And it
may be here remarked, that it was one of the first and greatest
mistakes into which the Church fell, after inspiration ceased, to
make too free a use of this doctrine of expediency. The abuses which
have crept it under this specious diagnose were not foreseen. The
Fathers saw no harm in an indifferent ceremony, to which, perhaps,
their new converts were attached from long custom. By adopting
things of this kind, the Church, which was at first simple, and
unencumbered with rites, became strangely metamorphosed; and in
place of her simple robe of white, assumed a gorgeous dress, tricked
off with gaudy ornaments and various colors. And this practice of
inventing new ceremonies went on increasing, until, in process of
time, the burdensome ritual of the Levitical law was not comparable
to the liturgy of the Christian Church. Who that now attends a
Romish chapel on some 'high day,' would suppose that the service
performed was connected with the religion of the New Testament?"

In maintaining the perfection of the Scriptures, we do not insist
that every article of religion is contained in Scripture in so many
words; but we hold that conclusions fairly deduced from the
declarations of the Word of God are as truly parts of divine
revelation as if they were expressly taught in the Sacred Volume.
That good and necessary consequences deduced from Scripture are to
be received as part of the rule of our faith and practice, is
evident from the example of our Savior in proving the doctrine of
the resurrection against the Sadducees,—Matthew 22:31, 32; and from
the example of Paul, who proved that Jesus of Nazareth is the
Christ, by reasoning with the Jews out of the Old Testament
Scriptures.—Acts 17:2, 3. "All Scripture" is declared to be
"profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness;" but all these ends cannot be
obtained, unless by the deduction of consequences. Legitimate
consequences, indeed, only bring out the full meaning of the words
of Scripture; and as we are endued with the faculty of reason, and
commanded to search the Scriptures, it was manifestly intended that
we should draw conclusions from what is therein set down in express
words.

By the perfection of Scripture, then, we mean, that the Scripture,
including necessary consequences as well as the express words,
contains a complete revelation of the will of God, concerning all
things necessary for his own glory, man's salvation, faith, and
life. The Scripture is represented as perfect, fitted to answer
every necessary end,—Psalm 19:8, 9; it is sufficient to make "the
man of God perfect," and able to make private Christians "wise unto
salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus." 2 Timothy
3:15–17. So complete is the Scripture, that its Author has
peremptorily prohibited either to add to, or to diminish ought from
it.—Deuteronomy 4:2; Rev. 22:18, 19.

The perfection of the Scriptures is to be maintained in opposition
to those enthusiasts who pretend to new revelations of the Spirit,
and in opposition to the Church of Rome, which "receives traditions
with the same veneration that they do the Scriptures." No new
revelations are to be added to the oracles of God, for Christ and
his apostles have foretold the rise of false prophets, and warned us
not to give heed to their pretended revelations.—Matthew 24:11, 24.
The Apostle Paul denounces a curse upon all who preach any other
gospel than that which is contained in the Scriptures.—Galatians
1:8, 9. The uncertainty of private revelations furnishes another
argument against them. Such is the deceitfulness of the heart, that
men are apt to mistake their own fancies and imaginations for
revelations of the Spirit, and such is the subtlety of Satan, that
he sometimes transforms himself into an angel of light. Private
revelations, therefore, must be very uncertain to ourselves, and
much more so to others. And it may be observed, that none plead for
the authority of private revelations but such as, by the contrariety
of their opinions and practices to the Scriptures, manifest
themselves to be led by a spirit of delusion.

Neither are the traditions of men to be added to the Word of God.
Traditions have been a fertile source of corruption in religion,
both among Jews and Christians. The Jews pretended that besides what
Moses committed to writing, he received from God a variety of
revelations, which he communicated verbally to Aaron, and which were
orally transmitted from generation to generation. These traditions
multiplied exceedingly, especially after the Spirit of prophecy was
withdrawn from the Church; and when Christ appeared on earth, he
found the Jews so far degenerated, that their religion consisted
almost entirely in the observation of such traditions. Hence we find
him declaring, "You have made the commandment of God of none effect
by your tradition." "In vain they do worship me, teaching for
doctrines the commandments of men." Matthew 15:6, 9. In the same way
have a multitude of the corruptions in the doctrine and worship of
the Romish Church sprung up. They, after the example of the Jews,
pretend that Christ and his apostles delivered many things which are
not found in the Scriptures, and which have come down to us by
tradition. But how can it be shown that those articles of religion,
or institutions of worship, which they say have come down by
tradition, were really received from the mouth of Christ, or from
the teaching of his apostles? Or, supposing that they were derived
from this source, how can it be ascertained that they have been
conveyed down to us without alteration or corruption? The fact is,
many of these traditions, which are called apostolic, can be traced
to their commencement, at a period much later than that of the
apostles. To admit unwritten traditions would open a door for all
the innovations and corruptions which the fancies of men may devise,
and would make void the law of God. But as our Lord strongly
condemned the Jewish traditions, so we justly reject the mass of
traditions received by the Romish Church.

2. The Scriptures are clear and perspicuous in all things necessary
to salvation. We allow that there are doctrines revealed in the
Scriptures which surpass the comprehension of created beings, such
as, the doctrine of the Trinity, the eternal generation and the
incarnation of the Son of God. These are mysteries which we cannot
comprehend, but the doctrines themselves are plainly taught in the
Scriptures, and we must receive them on the divine testimony. We
also admit that in the Scriptures there are some things obscure and
"hard to be understood." But this obscurity is chiefly in history
and prophecies, which do not so nearly concern our salvation. As in
nature everything necessary for the support of life occurs almost
everywhere, and may be found on the most easy search, while other
things less necessary, such as its gems and gold, lie concealed in
certain places, and can only be discovered and obtained by great
exertions and unwearied industry; so there are things in the
Scriptures, ignorance of which will not endanger the salvation of
the soul, that are abstruse and difficult to be understood, even by
those who possess acute minds and great learning. But we maintain,
that all those things which are necessary to be known, believed, and
observed, for salvation, are so clearly revealed in some place of
Scripture or other, that every serious inquirer, in the due use of
ordinary means, may understand them. This may be inferred from the
fact that their author is God. If he intended them to be a rule of
faith and life to men, surely he has adapted them to the
understandings of men. There are numerous injunctions to read and
search the Scriptures, but these necessarily imply that they are
perspicuous and intelligible. Christians are also commended for
searching the Scriptures, and trying by the written Word the
doctrines delivered to them.—Acts 17:11. If the Scriptures were
unintelligible to common Chris