has continued amongst us; and the Scripture hath univerfally been declared to be the only Rule of Truth, a fufficient Guide both in Faith and Practice; And Thofe who differ in opinion, have done fo only becaufe each party has thought their own opinion founded in Scripture; And men are required to receive things for no other cause and upon no other authority, than because they are found (and confequently in no other fenfe than wherein they are found) in the Holy Scriptures. Wherefore in any Question of Controverfy in a Matter of Faith, Protestants are obliged (for the deciding of it) to have recourfe to no other Authority whatsoever, but to that of Scripture only.

The incomparable Arch-Bishop Tillotfon, has made This fufficiently appear, in his Rule of Faith; particularly, Part I, Sect. 3; and Part IV, Sect. 2.

And the very learned and judicious Bp Wake: 1 chufe rather (faith he in the Name of every Chriftian,) to regulate my Faith by what God hath delivered, than by what Man hath defined. Comment. on Ch. Catech. pag. 21.

And the excellent Mr Chillingworth: By the Religion of Proteftants (faith he,) I do not understand the Doctrine of Luther, or Calvin, or Melanthon; nor the Confellion

feffion of Augufta, or Geneva; nor the Catechifm of Heidelberg; nor the Articles of the Church of England; no, nor the Harmony of Proteftant Confeffions : but That wherein they all agree, and which they all fubfcribe with a greater Harmony, as a perfect Rule of their Faith ana Actions; that is, the Bible. The Bible, I fay, the BIBLE only, is the Religion of Proteftants. What foever else they believe befides it, and the plain, irrefragable, indubitable confequences of it; well may they hold it as a Matter of Opinion: But as Matter of Faith and Religion, neither can they, with coherence to their own grounds, believe it themselves; nor require the belief of it of others, without most high and moft fchifmatical prefumption. I, for my part, after a long and (as I verily believe and hope) impartial Search of the true way to eternal Happiness, do profefs plainly, that I cannot find any reft for the fole of my foot, but upon this Rock only. I fee plainly and with mine own eyes, that there are Popes against Popes, Councils against Councils, fome Fathers against others, the fame Fathers against themselves, a Confent of Fathers of one age against a Confent of Fathers of another age, the Church of one age against the Church

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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 shall 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 measure 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 Sense of it, and to live according to it. Ch. 6. § 56.

In the Statutes given by Queen Eliza beth 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,

me veram

Singuli electi, antequam admittantur, jusjurandum quod fequitur, fub pœna locorum fuorum amittendorum,coram Magiftro & 8 Senioribus in Sacello dent: Ego N. N. juro ac tefte Deó promitto Chrifti religionem omni animo ample xurum, & Sacræ Scripturæ authoritatem hominum judiciis præpofiturum; regulam vitæ ac fummam fidei ex verbo Dei petiturum; cætera, quæ ex verbo Dei non probantur, b 3

pro

and look upon other things, which are not proved out of the Word of God, as humane only;

that I will readily and with all my power oppofe doctrines contrary to the Word of God; that, in matters of Religion,

pro humanis habi

turum; con

trarias verbo Dei opiniones omni vo

luntate ac mente re

futaturum; vera confuetis, fcripta non fcriptis, in religionis caufa, antehabiturum; &c.

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

&c.

And, in the fame University, every Doctor in Divinity, at his taking That Degree, does [profiteri in Theologia] make his Profeffion 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

Formula Profef fionis Inceptorum in Theologia. In Dei Nomen, Amen. Ego A. B. ex animo amplector univerfam facram Scripturam Canonicam Veteri & Novo Teftamento prehenfam; omniaq; illa, quæ vera Ecclefia Chrifti, sancta & Apoftolica, verbo

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