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Church of another age. Traditive interpretations of Scripture are pretended, but there are few or none to be found. No Tradition, but only of Scripture, can derive it felf from the fountain; but may be plainly proved, either to have been brought in, in fuch an age after Chrift; or, that in fuch an age it was not in. In a word, there is no fufficient certainty but of Scripture only, for any confidering man to build upon. This therefore, and This only, I have reafon to believe: This I will profefs according to This, I will live; and for This, if there be occafion, I will not only willingly, but even gladly lose my life; though I should be forry that Chriftians fhould take it from me. Propofe me any thing out of This book, and require whether I believe it or no; and feem it never fo incomprehenfible to human reafon, I will fubfcribe it with hand and heart: As knowing no demonftration can be ftronger than this; God hath faid fo, therefore it is true. In other things, I will take no mans liberty of judgment from him; neither hall any man take Mine from Me. I will think no man the worfe man, nor the worfe Chriftian: I will love no man the lefs, for differing in opinion from me. And what meafure I mete to others, I expect

expect from them again. I am fully af fured that God does not, and therefore that Men ought not, to require any more of any man than This; To believe the Scripture to be Gods word, to indeavour to find the true Senfe of it, and to live according to it. Ch. 6. § 56.

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In the Statutes given by Queen Elizabeth of glorious Memory, to Trinity-Col lege in the Univerfity of Cambridge, the following Oath is appointed to be taken by every Fellow in the Chapel, before his Admiffion. I, N. N. do fwear and promife in the prefence of God, that I will heartily and ftedfaftly adhere to the true religion of Chrift, and will prefer the Authority of Holy Scripture before the Opinions of Men ; that I will make the Word of God the Rule of my Faith and Practice,

Singuli electi, antequam admittantur, jusjurandum uod fe quitur, fub pœna locorum fuorum amit tendorum,coram Magiftro & Senioribus in Sacello dent. Ego N. N. juro ac tefte Deo promitto, me veram Chrifti religionem omni animo amplexurum & Sacræ Scripturæ authoritatem hominum judiciis præpofiturum; regulam vitæ ac fummam fidei ex verbo Dei petiturum; cœtera, quæ ex verbo Dei non probantur, b 3

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and look upon other
things, which are
not proved out of the
Word of God, as hu-
mane only;
that I will readily
and with allmy pow-
er oppofe doctrines
contrary to the Word
of God; that
matters of Religion,

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I will prefer Truth before Custom, what is written before what is not written ;

&c.

Formula Profef fionis Inceptorum in Theologia.

And, in the fame University, every Doctor in Divinity, at his taking That Degree, does [profiteri in Theologia] make his Profeflion in the following Words : In the Name of God, Amen: I A. B. do from my Heart receive the whole faered Canonical Scriptures of the old and new Teftament: And do bold, or reject, all that the True, Holy, and Apoftoli

In Dei Nomen, Amen. Ego A. B. ex animo amplector univerfam facram Scripturam Canonicam Veteri & Novo Teftamento prehenfam; omniaq; illa, quæ vera Ecclefia Chrifti, fancta & Apoftolica, verbo

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cal Church of Chrift, Jubject to the Word of God, and being governed by it, holds or rejects: And in this Profeffion I will perfevere to my lives end, God of his great mercy giving me grace, through Jefus Christ our Lord.

Dei fubje&ta & eodem gubernata, refpuit, refpuo: quæ tenet, teneo: Et in his omnibus ad finem ufq; vitæ perfeverabo, Deo mihi pro fummâ fuâ mifericordiâ gratiam præftante per efum Chriftum Dominum noftrum.

And every Prieft at his Ordination, [and Bishop at his Confecration,] being folemnly asked, Are you perfwaded that the holy Scriptures contain fufficiently all Doctrine required of neceffity to eternal Salvation through faith in Jefus Chrift? And are you determined out of the fame holy Scriptures to inftruct the people committed to your charge, and to teach [or maintain] nothing as required of neceflity to eternal Salvation, but that which you Shall be perfwaded may be concluded and proved by the Scripture? answers in the following Words; I am fo per faded, and have fo determined by Gods grace.

And the whole Church, in the 6th, the 20th, and 21ft of the 39 Articles, declares; that Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to Salvation; So that b 4

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what foever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it should be believed as an Article of the Faith, or be thought requifite or neceffary to Salvation: That it is not lawful for the Church to ordain any thing that is contrary to Gods word written; neither may it fo Expound one place of Scripture, that it be repugnant to another: Wherefore, although the Church be a Witness and a Keeper of Holy Writ, yet as it ought not to decree any thing Against the fame, fo Befides the fame ought it not to enforce any thing to be believed for neceffity of Salvation: That even General Councils, (forafmuch as they be an Affembly of Men, whereof All be not governed with the Spirit and Word of God,) may err, and fometimes have erred, even in things pertaining unto God: Wherefore things ordained by Them, as necessary to Salvation, have neither ftrength nor authority, unless it may be declared that they be taken out of Holy Scripture.

To apply this general Doctrine (which is the whole Foundation of the Proteftant and of the Christian Religion,) to the Controverfies which have been raised in particular, with great Animofity and Uncharitablenefs, concerning the manner of explaining the Doctrine of the ever-blef

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