The Second London Confession On The Doctrine Of Scripture: -- By: Robert P. Martin

Journal: Reformed Baptist Theological Review
Volume: RBTR 04:2 (Jul 2007)
Article: The Second London Confession On The Doctrine Of Scripture:
Author: Robert P. Martin

RBTR 4:2 (July 2007) p. 79

The Second London Confession On The Doctrine Of Scripture:

Part 2: The Identity of the Scriptures (1.2-3)

Robert P. Martin*

* Dr. Robert P. Martin is Pastor of Emmanuel Reformed Baptist Church, Seattle, Washington, and Editor of Reformed Baptist Theological Review.

2. Under the name of Holy Scripture, or the Word of God written, are now contained all the books of the Old and New Testaments, which are these:

Of the Old Testament: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, the Song of Songs, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi

Of the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, the Acts of the Apostles, Paul’s Epistle to the Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, to Titus, to Philemon, the Epistle to the Hebrews, the Epistle of James, The first and second Epistles of Peter, The first, second, and third Epistles of John, the Epistle of Jude, the Revelation

All which are given by the inspiration of God, to be the rule of faith and life.

3. The books commonly called Apocrypha,1 not being of divine inspiration, are no part of the canon (or rule) of the Scripture, and

RBTR 4:2 (July 2007) p. 80

therefore, are of no authority to the church of God, nor to be any otherwise approved or made use of than other human writings.

These paragraphs address the question of the identity of Scripture. They list the books to be received as authentic (i.e., as being inscripturated divine revelation) and specifically exclude the books of the Apocrypha. The dividing line between the Old and New Testaments on one side and the Apocrypha (and all other writings of merely human origin) on the other side is divine inspiration. The Confession says that the books of the Old and New Testaments “are given by inspiration of God,” while the books of the Apocrypha, “not being of divine inspiration, are no part of the canon (or rule) of the Scripture, and therefore, are of no authority to the church of God, nor to be any otherwise approved or made use of than other human writings.” The two-pronged, inter-related focus of these paragraphs, therefore, is canon and inspiration. Following on the opening paragraph, in which the authors confessed their belief in inscripturated divine revelation, th...