the law, when the priests were commanded to teach "out of the mouth of the Lord," the meaning is, that they should teach nothing extraneous or different from that system of doctrine which the Lord had comprised in the law; it was not lawful for them to add to it, or to diminish from it. Afterwards followed the prophets, by whom God published new oracles which were to be added to the law; yet they were not so new, but that they proceeded from the law and bore a relation to it. For in regard to doctrine, the prophets were merely interpreters of the law, and added nothing to it, except prophecies of things to come. Except these, they brought forward nothing but pure explication of the law. But because it pleased God, that there should be a more evident and copious doctrine, for the better satisfaction of weak consciences, he directed the prophecies also to be committed to writing, and to be accounted a part of his word.— To these likewise were added the histories, which were the productions of the prophets, but composed under the dictation of the Holy Spirit. I class the Psalms with the prophecies, because what we attribute to the prophecies is common to the Psalms. That whole body of Scripture, therefore, consisting of the Law, the Prophets, the Psalms, and the Histories, was the word of God to the ancient Church, and to this standard the priests and teachers, even to the coming of Christ, were bound to conform their doctrine; nor was it lawful for them to deviate either to the right hand or to the left, because their office was wholly confined within these limits, that they should answer the people from the mouth of God. And this may be inferred from that remarkable passage of Malachi, where he commands the Jews to remember the law, and to be attentive to it, even till the publication of the Gospel. (b) For in that injunction he drives. them off from all adventitious doctrines, and prohibits even the smallest deviation from the path which Moses had faithfully shewed them. And it is for this reason that David so magnifies the excellence of the law, and recounts so many of its praises; to prevent the Jews from desiring any addition

(b) Mal. iv. 4.

to it, since it contained every thing necessary for them to know.

VII. But when at length the wisdom of God was manifested in the flesh, it openly declared to us all that the human mind is capable of comprehending, or ought to think concerning the heavenly Father. Now, therefore, since Christ, the Sun of righteousness, has shone upon us, we enjoy the full splendour of Divine truth, resembling the brightness of noon-day, whereas the light enjoyed before was a kind of twilight. For certainly the apostle intended to state no unimportant fact, when he said, that "God, who at sundry times, and in divers manners, spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son;" (c) for he here suggests, and even plainly declares, that God will not in future, as in ages past, speak from time to time by one and another, that he will not add prophecies to prophecies, or revelations to revelations, but that he hath completed all the branches of instruction in his Son, so that this is the last and eternal testimony that we shall have from him. For which reason this whole period of the New Testament, from the appearance of Christ to us in the first promulgation of his gospel, even to the day of judgment, is designated as "the last time," "the last times," "the last days;" in order that, being content with the perfection of the doctrine of Christ, we may learn, neither to invent any thing new or beyond it ourselves, nor to receive any such thing from the invention of others. It is not without cause, therefore, that the Father hath given us his Son by a peculiar privilege, and appointed him to be our teacher, commanding attention to be paid to him, and not to any mere man. He hath recommended his tuition to us in few words, when he says, "Hear ye him;" (d) but there is more weight and energy in them than is commonly imagined; for they call us away from all the instructions of men, and place us before him alone; they command us to learn from him alone all the doctrine of salvation, to depend upon him, to adhere to him, in short, as the words express, to listen solely to his voice. (d) Matt. xvii. 5.

(c) Heb. i. 1, 2.

VOL. III.

X

And indeed what ought now to be either expected or desired from man, when the Word of life himself has familiarly presented himself before us? It is rather necessary that all the mouths of men should be shut, since he has once spoken, in whom it has pleased the heavenly Father that all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge should be hidden, (e) and has spoken in a manner becoming the wisdom of God, in whom there is no imperfection, and the Messiah who was expected to reveal all things; (f) who has spoken in such a manner as to leave nothing to be said by others after him.

VIII. Let us lay down this then as an undoubted axiom, That nothing ought to be admitted in the Church as the word of God, but what is contained first in the law and the prophets, and secondly in the writings of the apostles, and that there is no other method of teaching aright in the Church than according to the direction and standard of that word. Hence we conclude also, that the apostles were allowed no more discretion than the prophets before them; namely, to expound the ancient Scripture, and to shew that the things delivered in it were accomplished in Christ; but this they were only to do from the Lord, that is to say, under the guidance and dictation of the Spirit of Christ. For Christ limited their mission by this condition, when he ordered them to go and teach, not the fabrications of their own presumption, but whatsoever he had commanded them. (g) And nothing could be more explicit than what he said on another occasion: "Be not ye called Rabbi; for one is your master, even Christ." (h) To fix this more deeply in their minds, he repeats it twice in the same place. And because their weakness was such that they were unable to comprehend the things which they had heard and learned from the lips of their Master, the Spirit of truth was promised to them, to lead them into the true understanding of all things. (i) For that restriction is to be attentively remarked, which assigns to the Holy Spirit the office of suggesting to their minds all that Christ had before taught them with his mouth.

(e) Col. i. 19. ii. 3.
(h) Matt. xxiii. 8, 10.

(f) John iv. 25. (g) Matt. xxviii. 19, 20. (i) John xiv. 26. xvi. 13.

IX. Therefore Peter, who had been fully taught by his Master how far his office extended, represents nothing as left for himself or others, but to dispense the doctrine committed to them by God. "If any man speak," says he, "let him speak as the oracles of God:" (k) that is, not with hesitation or uncertainty, like persons conscious of no sufficient authority, but with the noble confidence which becomes a servant of God furnished with his certain commission. What is this but rejecting all the inventions of the human mind, from whatever head they may proceed, in order that the pure word of God may be taught and learned in the Church of the faithful? What is this but removing all the decrees or rather inventions of men, whatever be their station, that the ordinances of God alone may be observed? These are the spiritual "weapons, mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds," by which the faithful soldiers of God "cast down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." () This is the extent of the power with which the pastors of the Church, by whatever name they may be distinguished, ought to be invested;-that by the word of God they may venture to do all things with confidence; may constrain all the strength, glory, wisdom, and pride of the world to obey and submit to his majesty; supported by his power, may govern all mankind, from the highest to the lowest; may build up the house of Christ, and subvert the house of Satan; may feed the sheep, and drive away the wolves; may instruct and exhort the docile; may reprove, rebuke, and restrain the rebellious and obstinate; may bind and loose; may discharge their lightnings and thunders, if necessary; but all in the word of God. Between the apostles and their suc cessors, however, there is, as I have stated, this difference; that the apostles were the certain and authentic amanuenses of the Holy Spirit, and therefore their writings are to be received as the oracles of God; but succeeding ministers have no other office than to teach what is revealed and recorded in

the sacred Scriptures. We conclude then, that it is not now left to faithful ministers to frame any new doctrine, but that it behoves them simply to adhere to the doctrine to which God hath made all subject, without any exception. In making this observation, my design is to shew, not only what is lawful to individuals, but also to the universal Church. With respect to particular persons, Paul had certainly been appointed by the Lord an apostle to the Corinthians; yet he denies that he had any dominion over their faith. (m) Who can now dare to arrogate to himself a dominion which Paul testifies did not belong to him? If he had sanctioned such a license, that whatever the pastor delivered, he might require, as a matter of right, that the same should be implicitly believed, he would never have recommended to the same Corinthians such a regulation as this: "Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge. If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace." (n) For here he exempted none, but made the authority of every one subject to the control of the word of God. But the case of the universal Church, it will be said, is different. I reply; Paul has obviated this objection in another place, when he says, that "faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (0) But if it be the word of God alone, upon which faith is suspended, towards which it looks, and on which it relies, I ask, what is there left for the word of the whole world? Here it will be impossible for any man to hesitate, who has really known what faith is. For it ought to rest on such firm ground as to stand invincible and undismayed in opposition to Satan, to all the machinations of hell, and to all the assaults of the world. This stability we shall only find in the word of God alone. Besides, the reason which we are here required to consider, is of universal application; that God denies to man the right of promulgating any new article of faith, in order that he alone may be our master in spiritual doctrine, as he alone is true beyond all possibility of deceiving or being deceived. This reason is no less applicable to the whole Church than to every individual believer.

(m) 2 Cor. i. 24.

(n) 1 Cor. xiv. 29, 30.

(0) Rom. x. 17.