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4. The Church may not fo expound one Place

of Scripture, that it be repugnant to another. 5. The Church is a Witness and Keeper of Holy Writ.

6. As it ought not to decree any thing against Holy Writ, fo befides the fame ought it not to enforce any thing to be believed for Neceffity of Salvation.

The First, Second, Third and Fourth Propofitions are establish'd in the prefent Order, in the Second Part of the Rights of the Clergy, Chap.

The Fifth is a notorious Matter of Fact. For it appears by historical Evidence, that the Holy Scriptures have been conftantly Extant in the Church, and that he has in all Ages receiv'd the fame Scriptures which we now enjoy, and therefore she is a Witness and Keeper of them.

The Sixth Propofition has two Branches. 1. The Church ought not to decree any thing against Holy Writ. This is a Repetition of the Third Propofition. 2. She ought not to enforce any thing to be believ'd for Neceffity of Salvation, which is not contain'd in Scripture. See the Two first Propofitions of the Sixth Article.

The TWENTY FIRST ARTICLE, Of the Authority of General Councils.

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ENERAL Councils may not be gathered together without the commandment and will of Princes. And when they be gathered together (forafmuch as they be an afembly of men, whereof all be not governed with the fpirit

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and word of God) they may err, and sometime have erred, even in things pertaining unto God. Wherefore things ordained by them as necessary to falvation, have neither Strength nor authority, unless it may be declared, that they be taken out of boly Scripture.

This Article contains Five Propofitions.

1. General Councils may not be gathered toge-
ther without the Commandment and Will of
Princes.

2. General Councils be an Affembly of Men,
whereof all be not govern'd with the Spirit
and Word of God.

3. General Councils may err even in things per-
taining to God.

4. General Councils fometime have erred even
in things pertaining to God.

5. Things ordained by general Councils as ne-
ceffary to Salvation, have neither Strength
nor Authority, unless it may be declared that
they be taken out of Holy Scripture.

The First Propofition manifeftly fuppofes, that the Princes be Christian. Otherwise the Apostles themselves could not lawfully have held a Council at Jerufalem; nor could the Chriftian Church have lawfully held fo many Councils before the Converfion of Conftantine. For those Reasons, which make it unlawful to hold General Councils, do equally prove it unlawful to hold Provincial ones, without the Will and Commandment of Princes. Again, the Church in this Article manifeftly oppofes General Councils to Particular, that is, National or Provincial ones. And confequently, by that P. rafe The does not understand those only, which we commonly call General ones, viz, fuch as were not

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only gathered out of many Nations, but were also Orthodox in their Definitions; but any great Affemblies of Bishops from different Quarters of the World, even tho' their Definitions were heretical. Otherwife fhe could not fay in this very Article, that General Councils have erred in things pertaining to God. These Obfervations being premifed, fee what I have written touching this Point in the Difcourfe of the Independency of the Church on the State, Chap.

The Second Propofition. The Reason of the thing, and conftant Experience, confirm the Truth of this Affertion.

The Third Propofition. That they may err, fee the Fourth Chapter of the First Part of the Confutation of Popery; which may easily be applied to general Councils; and compare the Nineteenth Chapter of the Seventh Book of Limborch's Syftem, from Sect. 25, to Sect. 33. inclufively. And that they may err in Things pertaining to God, is evident, because there is no Promise of their being fecured from Error, in those, more than in other Matters.

The Fourth Propofition. For the Proof of this take a remarkable Instance. The Council of Ariminum confifted of above Four Hundred Bishops from all Parts of the Chriftian World, a Number much fuperior to that which affembled at Nice. And yet, tho' 'twas Orthodox at first, it fell in at laft with the Arians; and confequently erred even in Things pertaining to God.

The Fifth Propofition. See the First and Second Propofitions of the Sixth Article.

The

The TWENTY SECOND ARTICLE.

Of Purgatory.

Romish doctrin concerning purgatory, par

Tdons, worshipping and adoration, as well of images,

as of relicks, and alfo invocation of faints, is a fond thing, vainly invented, and grounded upon no warranty of fcripture, but rather repugnant to the word of God.

Touching the Phrafe but rather, fee p. 87.

This Article contains Eight Propofitions.
1. The Romish Doctrin concerning Purgatory is
a fond thing, vainly feigned, and grounded
upon no Warranty of Scripture.

2. The Romish Doctrin concerning Pardons is a
fond thing, vainly feigned, and grounded up-
on no Warranty of Scripture.

3. The Romish Doctrin concerning Worshipping
and Adoration, as well of Images as of Re-
licks, is a fond thing, vainly feigned, and
grounded upon no Warranty of Scripture.
4. The Romish Doctrin concerning Invocation of
Saints, is a fond thing, vainly feigned, and
grounded upon no Warranty of Scripture.
5. The Romish Doctrin concerning Purgatory is
repugnant to the Word of God.

6. The Romish Doctrin concerning Pardons is
repugnant to the Word of God.

7. The Romish Doctrin concerning Worshipping
and Adoration, as well of Images as of Re-
licks, is repugnant to the Word of God.
8. The Romish Doctrin concerning Invocation of
Saints, is repugnant to the Word of God.

The

The First Propofition. See the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Chapters of the Second Part of the Confutation of Popery.

The Second Propofition. See the Nineteenth Chapter of the Second Part of the Confutation of Popery.

The Third Propofition. What the Romish Doctrin concerning the Worship and Adoration of Images is, you may fee in the Twenty firft Article of the Trent Creed, which you'll find In the Confutation of Popery, Part 2. Chap. 1. p. 81. As for the Worfhip and Adoration of Relicks, 'tis manifeftly compriz'd in the, Thirty firft Article of the fame Creed, which you'll find ibid. p. 79. Now that the Worfhip and Adoration of Images is not only a fond thing, vainly feigned, and grounded upon no Warranty of Scripture; but alfo repugnant to the Word of God, fee the Ninth Queftion of Turretin's Locus Undecimus. And that the Worship and Adoration of Relicks is a fond thing, vainly feigned, and grounded upon no Warranty of Scripture, fee the eighth Queftion of the fame Locus of Turretin, from Sect. 6. down to the End.

The Fourth Propofition. See the Thirteenth Chapter of the Second Part of the Confutation of Popery.

The Fifth Propofition. See the Tenth Chapter of the Sixth Book of Limborch's Syftem, Sect. 12,

13, 14, 15.

The Sixth Propofition. See Ezech. 18. 21, 22. Ifaiah 53.4, 5. In which, and in In which, and in many other Places of Scripture, the Declarations of Forgiveness are fo very large and comprehenfive, that 'tis utterly abfurd to fuppofe, that any Temporal Punishment remains due for Sin after Repentance. And

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