EpiIlk..to the.HsnkEvvs Moreover as the Scripture upon the accountsmentioned, is by way of eminency 4, 6. laid to be Canonical, fo there is allo aCanonor rule determining what books in par.. ticular do belongunto the HolyScripture, and to be on that account Canonical. So trfiaaa is ,rltbanafius tells us that by MeHoly Scripture he intends, Librascerta canons compre- strop¡.f benfo:, the books contained in the affured Canon of it. And Ruffinte having teekoned x jji,s izpo rt. up thofe books, concludes, hi [antquo:patres intra Canner( eoficlu/irunt, Thefeare they fymb,fpo /el, which the Fathers have concludedto be in the Canon; that is, to belong unto theCañoni' cal books of Scripture. And Ruffin to the fame purpofe t Non finecaufa, Yam fitlubri dagefi. ad vigilancia Canon Ecclejáfficus conffitutus eft, ad quem certi Prophetarum' er Apo(iolorum Co fvon. lib.s. libri pertinerent ; not without good reafon is the Eccleftaffical Canon determined by mho!- 0AP 31. f me diligence, unto which, certain book: of the Prophet: andApoffles fhoeeldbelong. About the Aflignation of this Canon of the Scripture, or what books belònged unto the Canonical Scripture, there have been fomedifferencesin the Church, lince the time of the Synod of Carthage , confirmed by that. in Trulla at Contiantinopk. The hell Church having agreed well enough about them, excepting the hsfttation ofCome few perfons in reference untoone or two of themof the New Tettament. From this rife and ufe of the word, it is evident, what is intended by, the Cana, Meal Authority of the Scripture, or ofany particular book thereunto belonging. Two things are included in that expreffion. Fief, the fpring and Original of any book, which gives it Authority ; and Secondly the deftgnandend of it which renders it Canonical. For the firff, it is required that it be eebaratc , given by immediate in., fpiration from 'God; without this, no book or writing can by any-means, any ac- ceptation , or approbation of the Church, any ufefulnefs, any fimilitude ofstyle, manner of writing unto thebooks that are fo, anyconformity in matter or do6trine to them, have an intereft in that Authority that fhould lay a foundation for its re- ception into the Canon. It is the imprefs of the Authority ofGod himfelf on any writing, or its proceeding immediately from him, that isfufticient for this purpofe: N:ither yetwill this alonefuflice to render any Revelation or writing abfolutely Cano- nical in the fenfe explained. There maybe an efpecial Revelation from God, or a writing by hisinspiration, like that fent by Elijah unto Jehoram the Kingof Judah, 2 Cloron,_a t. 12, which being referred only unto tome particular occafton; and having thence Authority for {-tune efpecial end and purpofe, yet being not designed for a Rule offaithand obedience'unto the Church, may not belong untó the Canon of the Scripture. But when unto the Original ofdivine infpiration, this end alto is added, that it isdefigned by theHoly Gholtfor the Catholick standing ufe and inftrufkion of the Church, Then any writingor bookbecomes abfolutelyand compleatly Canonical. TheJews of latter Ages, atlign Come difference among thebooks of theoldTeamene, SC8. as to their fpring and Original, or manner, of Revelation though they make none as nMebambo . o M o. e; to their being all Canonical!. The Boo of the Law , the al n unto a peculiar c. manner of Revelation which they call no 7l4t tf or 1311017N t7t)o mouth to mouth, i(,imcbi prop: or face to face, which they gather from Numbers 12,.8. whereof afterwards. Others soi Pfai of them they affirm to proceed from rat]) or the giftof Propbefìe, whereofas they make many kinds or degrees, taken from thedifferent means ufed by God in the Ap- plication of himfelf unto them, belonging to the Irosvrerrix of divine 'Revelation mentioned by the Apoffle, Heb. t. t. fo they divide thofe books into two parts,. namely the 171mm pity23 or former Prophets containing most of the bifforical Book,r after the endof the Law ; and Dim rtlt pie}+]) the latter prophets, wherein they coin- prife the molt of them peculiarly fo called. The Original of the remainder of them they afcribe unto ten pct fin or infpiration by the holy Ghoff, calling them peculiarly =no written, by that infpiration ; as though the whole Canon and fylleme of the books were not rint 7the Scripture, or writing, and .9toavbsfa, or divineinfßiration, the only means of their writing. But tkey do hereinas in many other things. The diftribution of the books of the old Teltament, into the Law, Pfahns and Pro- phets, was very antient in their Church. We have mention of it, Luke 24. 44. rdYt.yot d, cv my; róµu Mnelas, igueldreeat, xi 4,04.407s, that are written w, the law of' Mote:, and in the Prophet?, and in the Plaints,that is, in the wholeCanonicadScripture. And evident it is that this diffribution_is. taken from thefubjell matter of thofe princi- pal parts of it. This reafon of that diftributiora whichthey have by Tradition, they not knowing or negleéting, have feigned the rife of it in a different manner of Revelation, and cati the particular books arbitrarily under what heads. they pleated ; as is evident from fundry of them which they reckon unto the 1:::ra1r] Ce- B h tbubim,
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