tained in the Scriptures, nor may be proved by them, which, notwithstanding, is requisite and necessary to salvation, let them tell me what these things are? or how came they first into the catalogue of the articles of the Christian faith? Is there any nation in the world that hath not some traditions particular to itself? Yea, and are there not many traditions that cross and contradict each other? Now which of all these am I bound to believe in order to my salvation? or who shall be the judge betwixt traditions that dissent from one another? I speak not of such traditions (neither doth this article intend them) that concern only rites and ceremonies left to the disposition of the church, which not being of divine but only positive and human right, may and do alter in every nation, and are acknowledged by none to be either necessary articles of our faith, or essential parts of God's worship; but of such traditions as are required of us as articles of faith, without which we can never be saved; for even these do often oppose and thwart each other yea, and themselves too. There is scarce an age but makes some alteration in every one of the popish traditions; as about the infallibility of the pope, purgatory, and the like, there are new notions continually coining about them. All which certainly cannot be necessary to salvation, because many contrary to one another. And which of them is or is not to be believed, how must it be determined but by the Scriptures? Surely such as are contrary to the Scriptures are therefore to be rejected, because contrary to the Scriptures; such as agree with the Scriptures are therefore to be believed, because they agree with the Scriptures. And if there be any such that are neither contrary to the Scriptures, nor can be proved by them, such certainly it is not necessary to reject or believe: it is not necessary we should reject them, because no way contrary to the Scriptures, nor is it necessary to believe them as articles of our faith, because not contained in the Scriptures. And so, though there be many things we may believe, yet there is nothing that we must believe or not be saved, unless it be expressly asserted in the Scriptures, or may be clearly deduced from them.

h

the fathers' hands for it. Let these few witness for the rest. First, Hippolytus the martyrs; who tells us, 'There is one God, whom we do not otherwise acknowledge (brethren) but out of the holy Scriptures. For as he that would profess the wisdom of this world, cannot otherwise attain to it than by reading the opinions of the philosophers; so whosoever of us would exercise piety towards God, we cannot otherwise learn it than out of the holy Scriptures.' And Clemens Alexandrinus plainly: Let us not simply attend to the words of men, which it is as lawful for us also to gainsay but if it be not enough only to say what we think, but what is said ought to be believed; let us not look for testimony from men, but let us confirm what is questioned by the Word of God, which is the certainest of all demonstrations, nay, is itself the only demonstration. And Tertullian'; But whether all things were made of any subjectmatter, I never yet read. Let Hermogenes' shop show where it is written. If it be not written, let him fear that woe that is appointed to those that put any thing to, or take any thing from the Word of God.'

m

Scriptures, nor ought we to be moved at all with probabilities and prepared orations, or compositions of speech. Neither do thou believe me that say these things, unless thou takest the demonstrations of the things that are said out of the holy Scriptures.' And Athanasius' tells us, The holy and divine inspired Scriptures are of themselves sufficient for the discovery of the truth.' And Augustine that When our Lord Christ had done many things, all of them were not written, as the same holy evangelist testifies, that the Lord Christ had done and said many things that were not written; but those things were chosen out that they might be written, which seemed sufficient for the salvation of believers.' And therefore Basil" says, that Every word and action ought to be confirmed by the testimony of the divinely inspired Scriptures, to the full confirmation of the good, and confusion of the evil. And that it is an evident falling from the faith, and an argument of pride, either to take away any thing from those things that are written, or to introduce any of those things that are not written.' And Origen, 'But if there remaineth any thing which the holy Scripture doth not determine, no other third Scripture ought to be received for the confirmation • of knowledge.'

And this is the touchstone that Cyprian P examines

1 Αυτάρκεις μὲν γὰρ εἰσιν ἁι ἁγίαι καὶ θεόπνευστοι γράφει πρὸς τὴν τῆς ἀληθείας àrayyeríav. — Athan. Orat. contra Gentes. tom. i. p. 1. Ed. Par. 1627.

m Cùm multa fecisset Dominus Jesus, non omnia scripta sunt, sicut idem ipse sanctus evangelista testatur, multa Dominum Christum et dixisse et fecisse quæ scripta non sunt: electa sunt autem quæ scriberentur quæ saluti credentium sufficere videbantur. — Aug. in Joh. Tract. 49. Ed. Frob. 1542.

η Ὅτι δεῖ πᾶν ῥῆμα καὶ πρᾶγμα πιστοῦσαι τῇ μαρτυριᾳ τῆς θεοπνευστου γραφῆς εἰς πληροφοριάν μὲν τῶν ἀγαθῶν, ἐντροπην δὲ τῶν πονηρῶν. Basil. Moral. Reg. 26. tom. ii. 434. D. Ed. Par. 1637.

Φάνερα ἔκπτωσις πίστεως καὶ ὑπερηφανίας κατηγορία, ἤ ἀθετεῖν τι τῶν γεγραμμένων, ἢ ἐπεισάγειν τῶν μὴ γεγραμμένων. — Id. de Fide, tom. ii. P. 384.

• Si quid autem superfuerit quod non divina Scriptura decernat, nullam aliam debere tertiam Scripturam ad authoritatem scientiæ suscipi.-Orig. in Lev. Hom. 5.

P Unde est ista traditio? Utrumne de Dominica et evangelica authoritate descendens, an de apostolorum mandatis atque epistolis veniens? Ea enim facienda esse quæ scripta sunt Deus testatur et proponit, ad Jesum Nave dicens, Non recedet liber legis hujus ex ore tuo, sed

traditions by: Whence,' says he, is that tradition? Does it descend from divine and evangelical authority? or does it come from the commands of the apostles, or from their epistles? For that those things ought to be done which are written, God himself testifies and propounds, saying to Jesus Nave, or Joshua," Let not the book of this law depart from thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate in it night and day, and thou shalt observe all these things that are written in it to do them." And the Lord also sending the apostles, commands that all nations should be "baptized and taught, that they should observe whatsoever he commanded." And Cyril of Alexandria too saying, That which the holy Scripture has not said, how can we receive it, and put it into the catalogue of those things that be true?' This was also Jerome's opinion in the case': 'As we do not deny those things which are written, so we refuse those things which are not written. That God was born of a Virgin we believe it, because we read it; but that Mary was married after she was delivered we do not believe it, because we do not read it.' So careful were these fathers to receive nothing as an article of faith but what is grounded upon the Scriptures.

To those we may add Theophilus Alexandrinus", who tells us expressly, It is an instinct of the devil to follow the sophisms of human minds, and to think any thing divine without the authority of the Scriptures.' And Cyril', of

meditaberis in eâ die et nocte, ut observes facere omnia quæ scripta sunt.' Item Dominus, apostolos suos mittens, mandat baptizari gentes et doceri ut observent omnia quæcunque ille præcepit.'-Cyp. ad Pomp. Epist. 74. p. 211. Ed. Oxon. 1682.

4 “Ο γὰρ οὐκ ἔιρηκεν ἡ θεία γραφή, τίνα δὲ τρόπον παραδεξόμεθα, καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἀληθῶς ixovoi natakoyioùμela. — Cyril. Alex. Gláphyr, in Gen. lib. ii. tom. i. Ed. Par. 1638.

Ut hæc quæ scripta sunt non negamus, ita ea quæ non sunt scripta renuimus. Natum Deum esse de virgine credimus, quia legimus. Mariam nupsisse post partum non credimus, quia non legimus.—Hieron.contra Helvid. tom. ii. p. 15. Ed. Basil. 1537.

• Dæmonici Spiritûs est instinctus sophismata humanarum méntium sequi, et aliquid extra Scripturarum authoritatem putare divinum.-Theoph. Alex. Pasch. 2. Bib. Max. tom. v. p. 849.

* Πάντα τὰ παραδεδομένα ἡμῖν διὰ τε νόμου καὶ προφητῶν, καὶ ἀποστόλων δεχόμεθα, καὶ γινώσκομεν, καὶ ὁμολογοῦμεν, οὐδὲν περαιτέρω τούτων ἐπιζητοῦντες· ἀδύνατον γὰς

the same place before mentioned: All things that are delivered to us by the law, and prophets, and apostles, we receive, and know, and acknowledge, looking for nothing more than these. For it is impossible that we should speak, or so much as think any thing of God, besides those things which are divinely told us by the divine oracles both of the Old and New Testament.' And to conclude, Constantine the Great", in his excellent oration to the Council of Nice, he minds them how the evangelical and apostolical books, and the divine oracles of the ancient prophets, do clearly teach us whatsoever we are to believe concerning God, and therefore in the conclusion says, ' Let us take the solution of those things that are questioned out of the divinely inspired oracles or holy Scriptures; certainly accounting nothing as an article of faith but what may be proved from thence.' And thus we having Scripture for our ground, reason for our guide, and the fathers for our companions in it, we may well acknowledge and subscribe to it, that the holy Scripture contains all things necessary to salvation,' &c.

AND THE OTHER BOOKS (as Jerome saith) THE CHURCH DOTH READ FOR EXAMPLE OF LIFE AND INSTRUCTION OF MANNERS; BUT YET DOTH IT NOT APPLY THEM ESTABLISH ANY DOCTRINE. SUCH ARE THESE FOLLOWING:

то

παρὰ τὰ θειωδῶς ὑπὸ τῶν θείων λογίων τῆς τε παλαιᾶς καὶ καινῆς διαθήκης ἡμῖν ἐιρημένα ŠiπETY TI WEpì ©εoũ, ñ öλwę évvoñoai. — Cyril. de Trin. et Pers. Chryst. Vide vol. vi. p. 230. pars poster.

" Ευαγγελικαὶ γὰρ βίβλοι καὶ ἀποστολικὰς καὶ τῶν παλαιῶν προφητῶν τὰ θεσπίσματα σαφῶς ἡμᾶς ἅπερ χρὴ περὶ τοῦ θείου φρονεῖν ἐκπαιδεύουσι. Constant. Orat. ad Syn. Nic. apud Theodoret. Hist. Eccles. lib. i. c. 7. p. 25. D. Ed. Par. 1673. Ἐκ τῶν θεοπνευστων λόγων λάβωμεν τῶν ζητουμένων τὴν λύσιν. — Ibid.