salvation: so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor

the Christian religion, concerning the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. The next point to be settled is the rule of our faith and practice; that is a subject upon which there is an essential difference between the Church of Rome and the Church of England; and to that difference this article is directed.

The divine inspiration of the Holy Scriptures, and consequently their truth and obligation, is allowed both by Papists and by the members of our church; but the Papists assert, that the books of the New Testament do not contain the whole rule of a Christian's faith and practice; they believe that the apostles orally delivered many doctrines and precepts of the highest importance to our eternal happiness, which are not contained in the New Testament; and they further believe, that those doctrines and precepts have been faithfully transmitted to the present time; and that there is an infallible authority, vested by Christ in his Church, to judge of their correctness, and to distinguish those which are true from those which are false. On the contrary, we of the Church of England affirm that the Scriptures contain a complete rule of faith and practice, and we reject every doctrine and precept, as essential to salvation, or to be obeyed as divine, which is not supported by their authority.

Oral tradition is, from the very nature of man, incompetent to convey any doctrine to us from the times of the apostles: it is improbable in the highest degree that part of our religion should be delivered in writing, and part by oral tradition; since the New Testament contains not the slighest intimation concerning any rules or precepts to be transmitted to Christians by oral tradition; and the traditions of the Jews were severely condemned by our Saviour himself, (Matt. xv.) and no authentic tradition is referred to, either by him or his apostles. Hence we consider ourselves fully justified in rejecting all oral tradition as destitute of divine authority, and in believing that Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation.

THE SUFFICIENCY OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES.

b For the Holy Scripture contains all things which relate either to faith or practice, beyond which God requires nothing

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 requisite or necessary to salvation. In the name of the Holy Scripture, we do understand those canonical books of the Old and

of us. 2 Tim. iii. 15, 16, 17. "From a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."

HUMAN DECREES AND TRADITIONS NOT TO BE RECEIVED AS ARTICLES OF FAITH IF CONTRARY TO THE WORD OF GOD.

Since He alone has a right to prescribe the conditions of salvation who has the sole power of conferring it, it does not belong to man to command or teach any other things, as necessary to salvation, than what God himself hath commanded and taught in the Scriptures, and what he hath declared to be sufficient for that end. Matt. xv. 9. "In vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." And, Gal. i. 8. "Though we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed."

d By a canonical book of Scripture, is meant a book which, being written by divine inspiration, is to be received by us as part of the (kavav) canon or rule of Christian faith and prictice.

There is no authority, internal or external, for admitting the books commonly called Apocryphal into the sacred canon; they contain no prophecy, or other authentic mark of inspiration; they were all written subsequent to the cessation of the prophetic spirit, but before the promulgation of the gospel; they were not included in the Jewish canon, and therefore received no sanction from our Saviour; they are not cited or alluded to in any part of the New Testament; nor are they mentioned

New Testament, of whose authority was never any doubt in the Church.

Of the Names and Number of the Canonical Books:

as inspired writings by any ecclesiastical writer of the first three centuries; and they are expressly rejected by Athanasius and Jerome in the fourth century. Though these two fathers, and several subsequent authors, speak of these books with respect, yet the same authority was never ascribed to them as to the Old and New Testament, till the council of Trent, at its fourth session, admitted them all, except the prayer of Manasseh, and the third and fourth books of Esdras, into their canon; and this still continues one of the many points of difference between the Church of Rome, and that of England.

e Namely, in the catholic or the universal church. For some particular churches did for some time doubt of a few of them, viz. the Epistle to the Hebrews; the Epistles of St. James and St. Jude; the second and third Epistles of St. John; and the Revelation.

And the other books, as Hierome saith, the church doth read, for example of life and instruction of man

ners, but yet doth it not apply them to establish any doctrine; such are these following.

Rest of the Book of Es- Of Bel and the Dragon.

ther.

Book of Wisdom.

Jesus the Son of Sirach.

Prayer of Manasses.

I. Book of Maccabees,

II. Book of Maccabees.

All the books of the New Testament, as they are commonly received, we do receive and account them canonical.

ARTICLE VII.

Of the Old Testament.

THE Old Testament is not contrary to the New,"

a This article was directed against the opinion of certain persons, who thought that the Old Testament, after the promulgation of the New, was no longer of any authority; and

с

for both in the Old and New Testament, everlasting

also against the errors of others, who, mistaking some expressions in the Epistles concerning justification by Christ without the works of the law, maintained that Christians were under no obligation to obey the moral precepts of the Mosaic dispensations.

AUTHORITY OF THE OLD TESTAMENT.

The authority of the Old Testament is distinctly recognised in the New. Heb. i. 1. "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners, spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds." Acts iii. 25. "Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindred of the earth be blessed." Luke xxiv. 44. "That all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses, and in the Prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning me."

CONFORMITY OF THE OLD TESTAMENT TO THE NEW.

b So far from the Old and New Testaments being contrary the one to the other, there is not only the most perfect harmony and consistency, but the closest connexion and mutual dependence between them; they are parts of the same system; they explain and confirm each other. The great plan of redemption, announced and typified in the one, is perfected and completed in the other; it was declared to Adam; it was promised to the patriarchs; it was typified by the law; it was predicted by the prophets; it was fulfilled in Christ. Matt. v. 17, 18. "Think not that I am come to destroy the Law, and the Prophets; I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil." Acts xviii. 28. “He (St. Paul) mightily convinced the Jews, and that publicly, shewing by the Scriptures that Jesus was Christ." John v. 39. 46. "Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they which testify of me. .Had ye believed Moses; ye would have believed me; for he wrote of me."

They both aim at the same end, which is, the eternal salva