ntrey.

Let us now consider the Conversion it self, and see what there was
therein, that could be cause of such an obligation. Men were converted
to no other thing then to the Beleef of that which the Apostles
preached: And the Apostles preached nothing, but that Jesus was the
Christ, that is to say, the King that was to save them, and reign over
them eternally in the world to come; and consequently that hee was not
dead, but risen again from the dead, and gone up into Heaven, and should
come again one day to judg the world, (which also should rise again to
be judged,) and reward every man according to his works. None of them
preached that himselfe, or any other Apostle was such an Interpreter
of the Scripture, as all that became Christians, ought to take their
Interpretation for Law. For to Interpret the Laws, is part of the
Administration of a present Kingdome; which the Apostles had not. They
prayed then, and all other Pastors ever since, "Let thy Kingdome come;"
and exhorted their Converts to obey their then Ethnique Princes. The New
Testament was not yet published in one Body. Every of the Evangelists
was Interpreter of his own Gospel; and every Apostle of his own Epistle;
And of the Old Testament, our Saviour himselfe saith to the Jews (John
5. 39.) "Search the Scriptures; for in them yee thinke to have eternall
life, and they are they that testifie of me." If hee had not meant they
should Interpret them, hee would not have bidden them take thence the
proof of his being the Christ; he would either have Interpreted them
himselfe, or referred them to the Interpretation of the Priests.

When a difficulty arose, the Apostles and Elders of the Church assembled
themselves together, and determined what should bee preached, and
taught, and how they should Interpret the Scriptures to the People;
but took not from the People the liberty to read, and Interpret them to
themselves. The Apostles sent divers Letters to the Churches, and other
Writings for their instruction; which had been in vain, if they had not
allowed them to Interpret, that is, to consider the meaning of them.
And as it was in the Apostles time, it must be till such time as
there should be Pastors, that could authorise an Interpreter, whose
Interpretation should generally be stood to: But that could not be till
Kings were Pastors, or Pastors Kings.

Of The Power To Make Scripture Law

There be two senses, wherein a Writing may be said to be Canonica